TRANSFER BATTLES: Schwarzer, Suarez, Benteke, Bony, Gervinho, Bendtner, Flamini, Baines, Ronaldo, Altidore, Giaccherini, Damiao, Wanyama, Giovani Dos Santos, Cabaye, Bent, Remy

Chelsea have signed ex-Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer on a one-year deal. The 40-year-old Australian, who left Fulham at the end of last season after five years at Craven Cottage, will deputise for Petr Cech.

The former Middlesbrough keeper told Sky Sports News: "Petr is number one - that goes without saying. For me what was important was that I could come to a club the size of Chelsea and really try and push myself as much as possible.

"If I can help Petr Cech improve as a goalkeeper and help myself improve as a goalkeeper then we can learn a lot from each other and I'd be delighted with that.

"There's a lot of games throughout the season and I know that if I'm pushing as hard as I can do then there'll be opportunities along the way."



With Falcao's future certain and P.S.G appearing to give Cavani's release clause the green light, Luis Suarez should be the most wanted striker in the world. The liverpool st striker has admitted he's going to leave the Merseyside club with a host of top clubs hot on his heels.

Real Madrid however remain the favourites, with Suarez having already admitted he would not be able to turn down a move to the Bernabeu. But it seems the forward has not ruled out alternatives.

‘It is not just one club at the moment, there are options,’ said Suarez. ‘I do not think any of them are concrete yet. There are two or three teams that are possibilities. I have to go back to Liverpool on the 21st and then travel for a game in Australia. But in football you never know what is going to happen. A phone call can change all of those plans.

‘I have spoken to my agent three or four times. He’s told me what the situation is. At the moment, everything’s fine, I am calm. I am surprised Arsenal bid for me. The important thing is that teams continue to value me for what I have done on the pitch.’



Aston Villa have told Christian Benteke’s suitors that they will not be bullied into losing the Belgium striker after making him available for £25million.

Spurs are favourites to secure the services of Benteke, 22, following his transfer request but Villa are determined to stick to their guns over the price and are not interested in any part-exchange deal.

The suggestion is that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will try to force through a move as the transfer window is about to close but Villa do not need to sell in order to raise cash.



Swansea City will complete their record-breaking signing of Vitesse Arnhem striker Wilfried Bony Today. The Ivory Coast striker, 24, was pictured with chairman Huw Jenkins and a Swansea shirt on Tuesday evening, but Jenkins told Sportsmail there were still 'some tiny details to sort out'.

He said: 'It is 99 per cent done. The fee has been agreed and so has just has just about everything else but there are a couple of signatures that need to be added to some pieces of paper.'

It is believed that Bony, who scored 31 goals in 30 games last season, has agreed a four-year contract for a fee of £12million, with up to a further £1.75m in add-ons. It smashes the £5.55m paid for Pablo Hernandez last summer.



Roma coach Rudi Garcia is keen to link up again with Arsenal striker Gervinho. The two were at Lille together and Garcia wants a loan with view to a £7m transfer.



Nicklas Bendtner, meanwhile, resumed talks over a £4m move to Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday after talking to Malaga last week, Eintracht hope to confirm the Denmark international as their new signing in the next few days, as they prepare for Europa League football.

'On the initiative of the Danish player Nicklas Bendtner and his advisors final talks have been held today on Tuesday 9, 2013 in Frankfurt between the striker and Eintracht Frankfurt,' a club statement read.

'Sports director Bruno Hubner is in close contact with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, and the final decision regarding Bendtner should be taken in the next two days.'



Former Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini has put the Premier League on alert after admitting he has 'unfinished business' in England. The 29-year-old French star is out of contract at AC Milan but has been offered a new deal by the Italian giants.

But Flamini, who has been at the San Siro since 2008, is eyeing a move back to England and has a host of clubs tracking him.



He told the Sun: 'Milan offered me a contract for two years but I need to take my time and make the right decision.

'I've been in Italy for five years, I've had a great time and learnt a lot.

'But I miss England and I want to win the Premier League.

'It has a special place in my heart. I like the pace and the physicality of English football and I like that every game is very open.'



Everton are bracing themselves for a fresh offer from Manchester United for Leighton Baines. United have had a £12million offer for Baines rejected by Everton, but will test their resolve to keep the left-back with an improved bid.

New United boss David Moyes wants his former Toffees defender to join him at Old Trafford as he reshapes the squad left for him by the now-retired Sir Alex Ferguson and will endorse a £14m move to land him.



Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez is to fly to the United States this month in an effort to thrash out a new contract with Cristiano Ronaldo and end Manchester United’s hopes of re-signing the forward. The Portuguese international is understood to be open to the prospect of running down his contract to leave as a free agent in 2015, United believe they can prise him from Madrid this summer if he makes it clear to the Spanish club that he will not extend his contract.

However, Pérez is now planning to meet Ronaldo during Real’s four‑game tour of the United States and offer to make him the world’s highest-paid player with a package in excess of the £330,000 a week earned by Samuel Eto’o at Anzhi Makhachkala.



Sunderland have completed the signing of American striker Jozy Altidore from Dutch side AZ Alkmaar on a four-year deal for £6million. The 23-year-old arrived on Wearside Monday to complete a medical and yesterday he became manager Paolo Di Canio's sixth signing of the summer.

A statement published on Sunderland's official website, www.safc.com, read: 'Sunderland AFC have confirmed the signing of US striker Jozy Altidore from Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.'



The Wearside club are also increasing their efforts to sign Juventus winger Emanuele Giaccherini in an £8.6million deal. The 28-year-old impressed for Italy in the Confederations Cup but the Italian champions originally wanted closer to £10m.



Internacional directors reveal they rejected “an €18m verbal offer from Napoli” for Leandro Damiao.The Partenopei have been linked with the striker, who is also a target for Southampton and Inter, as a replacement for Edinson Cavani.

“We received an €18m (£15.4m) verbal offer from Napoli, according to the player’s agent,” director of football Luis Cesar Souto de Moura told Lancenet.

“We don’t accept that this is Leandro Damiao’s value. We are certain he will play the 2014 World Cup with Brazil’s national team.

“We have not had any talks about setting a value as we don't intend to sell the player. The offer that was presented to us was lower than what he is worth.”

It has until now been suggested Internacional would release Damiao for €20m (£17.2m).



Scottish football’s record transfer is set to be completed on Wednesday with Victor Wanyama poised to finalise a stunning £12.5million move to Southampton.

The Kenya international midfielder was due to start the Parkhead club’s thumping 6-2 friendly defeat to German Second Division side Greuther Firth on Tuesday night but it is understood he remained behind at the club’s training base on the outskirts of Munich as talks with the Premier League side moved towards a conclusion.

The bumper fee offered by Saints had already been accepted by Celtic previously, before the deal broke down due to personal terms being rejected by Wanyama and his agents.



But if the big money move goes through today, as expected, the Wanyama deal would break the previous record for a transfer by a Scottish club, the £9.5million paid by Spartak Moscow for Celtic and Ireland winger Aiden McGeady in 2010.

And to get that kind of fee for a player they landed from Belgian side Germinal Beerschot in 2011 for just £900,000 represents the coup de grace for Celtic’s policy of scouting talented up-and-coming but little known young talents

Former Tottenham and Barcelona midfielder Giovani dos Santos has joined promoted Liga side Villarreal from relegated Mallorca.The 24-year-old Mexican international was linked with a move to LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer, but has opted instead to remain in Spain, signing a four-year contract with the ‘Yellow Submarine’.

Villarreal were relegated in 2011/12, but clinched an immediate return to the top flight and are now looking to re-strengthen their squad in order to stay there.



Alan Pardew has accused Paris Saint-Germain boss Laurent Blanc of being disrespectful to Yohan Cabaye by going public with his interest in the Newcastle midfielder.

Blanc, who gave Cabaye his first call-up for France, last week described the 27-year-old as ‘an interesting player’ who ‘offers a lot of options in different positions’.

Pardew was asked if he is unhappy over the comments, and the Newcastle manager replied: ‘A little bit. I don’t think that’s right.

‘He can get on the phone to me or make a bid. I think that’s the right way to do it.

‘I think the way it’s come out isn’t perhaps respectful to Yohan. That’s something I want to talk to him about.’





Meanwhile, Pardew has confirmed his interest in Aston Villa striker Darren Bent and QPR’s Loic Remy, who turned down a move to Tyneside in January.

‘Both of those players are on our list, I make no bones about that,’ added Pardew. ‘But they are under contract at other clubs. It’s nice for our fans to hear names, but I don’t want to disrupt other clubs’ preparations.’