Barcelona agree deal for French Ligue 1 defender

Barcelona have announced the signing of France U-20 international defender Jean-Clair Todibo. 

The 19 year old will join the La liga champions from July 1 on a free transfer from Toulouse. Both clubs are expected to have agreed a compensation package.

He is regarded as of the rising defensive stars of French football, with 10 league appearances to his name this season with a goal.

He had previously been linked to several top European clubs, including Juventus.

He took to twitter to express his delight at joining the Catalans thus,

I am very happy to have signed for Barcelona from July 2019.

"It is more than a club and I thank them for their trust in me.

"It will be a new stage in my young career and I will put all my determination into achieving great things.

"In the meantime, I remain a Toulouse player and am available to help my team-mates as long as I remain under contract.

"Toulouse have allowed me to grow and discover Ligue 1 and I will be eternally grateful. Thank you."

In a club statement, the Catalans described him ". . .as one of the most promising players in European football in his position." 

Egypt to host 2019 Africa Cup of Nations

Egypt have been granted hosting rights to this year's Africa Cup of Nations that holds in June/July. The Egyptians own the vote as host 16-1 at the CAF Executive Committee meeting in Dakar, Senegal ahead of the CAF awards ceremony holding later on Tuesday.

They beat South Africa to the hosting rights and, become the new host for the tournament after Cameroon were stripped of the hosting rights last December, following delays in their preparations for the tournament. 

Egypt are expected to use eight stadiums in eight cities, the capital Cairo, Alexandria, Ismailia, Port Said and Suez.

They have a little under six months to prepare for the tournament that begins in June 12. The North Africans become the first host of the new 24 team format for the Cup of Nations.

Following the stripping of the hosting rights to Cameroon, the order of years for the hosting rights to other countries has been altered as a result. 

Cameroon is now expected to host the 2021 edition, while Ivory Coast that was expected to be the host for 2021 edition would now host the 2023 edition, while Guinea, the initial host for the 2023 edition, host the 2025 edition. 

Though, the Ivorians have since taken their challenge to CAF's decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sports.

The final rounds of qualifications for this year's Cup of Nations takes place in March, where as much as 10 places are still to be decided. 

Monaco set to sign Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas

Ligue 1 strugglers Monaco are reported to be close to sealing the signing of Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas. According to report emerging from France a deal to take him to the Principality is close to being sealed.

Now 31, the former Spain international made his 500th appearance in English football when he came on as a substitute for Chelsea against Southampton on Wednesday.

Having spent his early years at Arsenal , after he arrived from Barcelona as a 16 year old, he went on to win the 2005 FA Cup, but left the club in 2011.

He came back to England in 2014 when Chelsea secured his signature after Arsenal declined to exercise it's right of first refusal. He has since won two league titles at Stamford Bridge, a League Cup and one FA Cup.

However, he has been a bit part player in the last two years at the club. He barely featured in Antonio Conte's tumultuous last season, and Maurizio Sarri has not featured him much this season either.

Liverpool cut squad size as two departs

Liverpool have sent right back Nathaniel Clyne on loan to Bournemouth for the rest of the season. The 27 year old joins Dominic Solanke in departing Anfield as the former Chelsea youth prospect earlier joined the South coast in a deal worth £19m.

Clyne was signed from Southampton in 2015. He enjoyed a stellar two seasons at Anfield, but he has been plagued by injuries in the last two years. That and the emergence of Trent Alexander-Arnold has further restricted his playing time.

On his move to the South coast, he told the club's website;

"It's a great chance for me to come and play football.

"I've spoken to the manager and we've talked about what we can achieve for the remainder of the season. It's a great club with a great story. I can't wait to get going."

Juventus wins the race to sign Aaron Ramsey of Arsenal

According to reports from various Italian media outlets, Juventus have won the race to sign Welsh and Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey on a free transfer in the summer.

The 28 year old can sign a pre-contract agreement with any club this month. And having been linked to Real Madrid, PSG and Bayern Munich, its points to a direction that the Seria A leaders have the battle to secure his signature.

The deal is reportedly to be a 5 years worth £5.9m a year which is equivalent to £200,000 a week.

A scorer of two FA Cups winning goals for Arsenal and a winner of three FA Cups in his 10 years at the club, he became the highest scoring midfielder in Arsenal's history when he scored his 61st goal for the club against Fulham on New Year day.

However, his time at the Emirates, winds to a close next summer, after Arsenal withdrew the contract he was earlier offered by the club's outgone chief executive.

Chelsea sign Dortmund winger Christian Pulisic for a fee of £58m

Chelsea have announced the signing of Dortmund winger Christian Pulisic for a fee of £58m.

The 20 year old was linked to several top six clubs in the Premier League, but it is the West London club that has won the battle to secure his signature.

The United States international intially joined the Bundesliga leaders in 2016 as a 17 year old, and he has since gone on to establish himself as an international winger.

He has made over a 100 appearances for the Signal Iduma outfit, with 18 of those coming this season, with three goals to his name.

He is now expected to be loaned back to the German club, before he fully joins Maurizio Sarri's Stamford Bridge outfit in the summer.

He becomes the first major money signing of the January transfer window in the Premier League and joins a long list of players signed by Chelsea at a young age who were immediately loaned out of the club. But his time away would be a short one as he is expected back at the club in six months.

Chelsea sign Dortmund winger Christian Pulisic for £58m

Chelsea have confirmed the signing of Borussia Dortmund and United States international winger Christian Pulisic for £58m.

The 20 year old was linked to several top clubs in the Premier League, and the West London club has now moved to sign the winger who was initially signed by the Bundesliga leaders as a 17 year old.

However, he is not expected to make his debut at the club until this summer, as he has been loaned back to the German club where he would spend the next six months.

He has made over a 100 appearances for Dortmund in three and half seasons with three goals in 18 appearances this season. But most of his appearances have been as a substitute this season.

He becomes the first major signing of a top six club in the January transfer window, and joins a long list of players who have been bought and loaned out by Chelsea in recent years, but his stay away from the club is expected to be a short one.