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Vasco da Gama sign Olimpia duo Martín Silva and Eduardo Aranda

Vasco da Gama have officially announced the signing of Uruguayan goalkeeper Martín Silva and Paraguay midfielder Eduardo Aranda from Olimpia.

Vasco were relegated from the Brasileirão last season but are already strengthening their team for next season to boost their hopes of an instant return to the top flight.

Goalkeeper Silva signed a four-year deal and talked about the great history of the club after signing his contract.

“Vasco has a great history and a great reputation. When we heard the proposal of Vasco, we were very happy. I know the greatness of this club.

“It is the misfortune of the descent, which spoils the club’s history. It will be a challenge as a professional. I hope that with the group, we can triumph this year.”

Aranda signed a three-year contract and he also echoed Silva’s beliefs that he had no qualms about Gigante da Colina’s proposal.

“We had other proposals but coming here was something that we didn’t need to think much about. People will rely on me and I’ll try to return Vasco to the position they should be.”

The duo will hope to contribute to a prosperous 2014 for Vasco and you can’t fault their opening ambitious tal

Botafogo interested in signing Internacional forward Diego Forlán

Botafogo are trying to sign Internacional striker Diego Forlán according to Lance, who also believe President Mauricio Assumpção is pushing for the deal to go through.

The main barrier stopping Fogão from signing the former Manchester United player is his wages as the forward receives around £700,000 per month at Colorado.

That figure is similar to what Clarence Seedorf receives and might cause problems for Botafogo financially. They are in need of a big name signing though ahead of their Copa Libertadores campaign.

Forlán has a contract with Internacional until July 2015 but suffered a disappointing Brasileirão season only appearing on 15 occasions, although he did find the net five times.

Botafogo have never properly replaced Sebastián Abreu, a favourite with the fans, who left in 2012 and Forlán could be the man to properly fill that void.

In the Brasileirão, Rafael Marques and Elias were top scorers with ten goals each for Fogão but they will hope a new star forward can inspire them to Copa Libertadores success, maybe Forlán is that man.

Reports suggest Bahia have signed former Vitesse forward Jonathan Reis and Náutico attacker Hugo

BN Esportes have confirmed that Bahia have signed two attackers for the 2014 season as they announced they had agreed deals with former Vitesse forward Jonathan Reis and Hugo who played for Náutico in 2013.

The signing of Reis will spark interest as the 24-year-old has seen controversy follow his career. The Brazilian had his first professional contract terminated with Dutch side PSV.

He subsequently rejoined PSV though only to leave again a year later due to his demands for a long-term contract after the Dutch giants only offered him a one-year deal due to his frequent injury problems.

He enjoyed some success at his next club Vitesse but had another contract terminated, although this time it was under amicable circumstances, and leaves Holland with a decent goalscoring record – 19 goals in 45 appearances - but a poor off field one.

Hugo couldn’t prevent Náutico’s relegation from the Brasileirão last season but he has been given another crack at the top flight.

Last campaign he scored twice and contributed one assist in 18 appearances, although only five were starts, and he’ll hope to improve on that next season.

Bahia finished 13th in the Brasileirão last year and they’ll hope their gamble on Reis in particular pays off and helps them enjoy more success in 2014.

The next wave of Brazilian transfer exports?

Of all the likely Brazil exports, Everton Ribeiro should make the most noise.
When virtually all of the Selecao talent is already playing outside Brazil, the January transfer window shouldn´t offer too many surprises -- especially when Brazilian clubs are now able to hold on to players a bit longer and fend off advances from foreign sides.

Much as the Brazilian league has become more competitive in financial and sporting terms, a move abroad is still something younger players dream about. With that in mind, the coming weeks could still result in some promising talent hopping over to Europe.

Everton Ribeiro

While Cruzeiro´s irresistible dominance of the Campeonato Brasileiro in 2013 has been celebrated as a triumph of their collective brand of football, attacking midfielder Ribeiro was one of the main reasons their intense and quick tactics worked wonders.

After winning the 2013 Bola de Ouro -- Brazil´s most prestigious football award; Ribeiro became only the second Cruzeiro player in history to receive it -- Ribeiro attracted the interest of Manchester United. The player is obviously flattered and people linked to him have said Ribeiro turned down an approach from Real in order to make himself available to join David Moyes´ team. Yet Cruzeiro are still trying to convince him to stay for the Copa Libertadores and leave in the summer instead.

Though Ribeiro was just one of the crowd as Cruzeiro signed 19 players at the beginning of the 2013 season, he finished the year as a crowd favourite thanks to a repertoire of dribbles with his left foot, alongside 11 assists and seven league goals.

Matheus Doria Macedo

A 19-year-old defender who helped Botafogo to an impressive campaign in the Brasileiro, one that put the Rio side back in the Copa Libertadores after an 18-year absence, Doria has already been "sold" to Juventus a couple of times. As such, Botafogo now have a lot more reasons to try to fend off a more concrete approach.

Just like more famous counterparts such as Thiago Silva and David Luiz, Doria feels at ease on the ball and likes to surge into the box at dead-ball situations. Napoli and Milan have also reportedly approached his club, and it´s tempting to think Doria might have heard good things about the Rossoneri from former Botafogo teammate (and San Siro legend) Clarence Seedorf.

Wellington

After a miserable 2013 season in which Sao Paulo FC flirted with relegation for a good part of the season and were knocked out of the Copa Sudamericana by minnows Ponte Preta, the club could do with some rebuilding.

Therefore, cashing on the 22-year-old midfielder, who seemingly failed to impress manager Muricy Ramalho, is likely on the cards. A product of Sao Paulo´s much-heralded youth academy, Wellington is usually deployed as defensive midfielder but can also play as a No. 8. He has been linked with Inter Milan and could probably benefit from a change of scenery.

Mosquito

Brazil might have crashed out of the FIFA U-17 World Cup at the quarterfinal stage, but striker Mosquito preserved his cred by finishing the tournament as the Selecao´s top scorer.

Though the 17-year-old has yet to properly break into Atletico Paranaense´s first team, such facts have never stopped young, hyped Brazilian players from heading to the airport. Depending on which rumor you believe, Mosquito could join either Man United, Real Madrid or Chelsea. In these times where Brazil lacks a prolific No. 9, Mosquito is a sign of better days ahead.

Luiz Antonio

A defensive midfielder and one of the heroes in Flamengo´s Brazilian Cup win, Luiz Antonio ended 2013 in a foul mood with the Rio club, taking them to court over unpaid wages. He has since been linked with Porto and Cagliari and few people believe the 22-year-old wants to stay in Brazil. His passing and vision is impressive for a player supposed to be more focused on stopping the opposition in midfield.

Andre

After Vasco´s relegation, the departure of the 23-year-old striker became all but certain. Despite his young age, Andre has already played in Ukraine and France before recent stints at Atletico-MG and Santos, where he earned a Selecao cap under Mano Menezes.

Linked with Sporting Lisbon, Andre was Vasco´s top scorer in 2013, netting 12 goals in 20 matches. The talent is there but the lack of consistency is a barrier that the striker will have to overcome if he wants to really fulfill the ambition of playing alongside Neymar again, as he once did at Santos.

Alex Telles
Though the six men above are still sorting their overseas futures, Telles is the first of the crop to successfully make the switch.

After being voted the best left-back in the 2013 Brasileiro, Telles was not enthralled by the prospect of a Libertadores campaign with Gremio in 2014 and departed for Galatasaray, where he will play alongside Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder. The 21-year-old is now dreaming of a Champions League debut for the Istanbul side.

Telles is a rare case of Brazilian full-back who won´t have to worry too much about adapting to a more conservative role in Europe -- his style is more defensive than one might assume given Selecao traditions at the position.

Liga MX relaxes rules on naturalized players

Amid calls for the league to limit the number of foreign-born players after a horrible 2013 for the national team, Liga MX is taking the opposite course.

The Liga MX is opening the door to more foreign-born players in the league, with an announcement that naturalized Mexican citizens will automatically count as a domestic player starting from the Apertura 2014, Liga MX president Decio de Maria said on Monday.
The current rules state that each team is allowed five non-Mexican players and that those born outside of Mexico to non-Mexican parents must not only satisfy the requirements to gain a passport with the country’s foreign relations authorities, but also have played ten tournaments (five years) in the Liga MX.

For example, America’s Argentina-born player Rubens Sambueza is currently a Mexican citizen, but is registered as one of Las Aguilas’ five foreigners because he has only completed nine Liga MX tournaments.

The move comes despite calls in the Mexican press for the number of foreign-born players in the Liga MX to be reduced following the Mexican national team’s disastrous 2013, although De Maria is adamant the change won’t affect El Tri and will improve the league.

“The league is looking to generate a better show,” De Maria said in a news conference. “There are those who believe the number of naturalized and foreign players should be reduced, but this is the decision the league has taken."

“Players need to win their spots through their work, not because of their passports,” he added.

De Maria went on to praise the work Mexican clubs have done in their youth systems in the last ten years, urging the youngsters to “compete to win a spot, because sport is competition.”

Racing se traslada a Tandil sin Pelletieri

BUENOS AIRES -- El plantel comandado por Reinaldo Carlos Merlo se traslada hacia Tandil para realizar la parte más fuerte de la pretemporada, de cara al próximo semestre, en el cual Racing deberá afrontar el Torneo Final y la Copa Argentina.

Luego de realizar una jornada de doble turno durante el día lunes, "Mostaza" dio a conocer la lista de 30 convocados que formarán la delegación que viajará a Tandil. La misma está compuesta por:

Arqueros: Nelson Ibáñez, Juan Musso y Sebastián Saja.

Defensores: Yonathan Cabral, Matías Cahais, Gastón Campi, Claudio Corvalán, Alejandro García, José Luis Gómez, Luis Ibáñez, Martín Migliónico, Fernando Ortiz, Iván Pillud, Ismael Quilez yEsteban Saveljich.br />

Volantes: Luciano Aued, Mariano Bareiro, Mauro Camoranesi, Rodrigo De Paul,Ezequiel Melillo, Nicolás Oroz, Leonel Pierce, Leonardo Rolheiser, Diego Villar y Bruno Zuculini.br />

Delanteros: Juan Ignacio Dinenno, Gabriel Hauche, Guillermo Hauche, Luciano Vietto y Valentín Viola.

El gran ausente en dicha lista es Agustín Pelletieri quien todavía continúa con los trabajos de recuperación tras ser operado el 30 de diciembre por un quiste sacrocoxigeo. Cabe destacar que su futuro en el club es incierto y todo indica que no continuaría en el club ya que en seis meses quedaría libre y Víctor Blanco le ofrece un contrato netamente inferior al que tenía arreglado con Gastón Cogorno.

Otro que no viajará a Tandil es el colombiano Roger Martínez quien padece una periostitis en ambas tibias.

Mientras tanto, quedó oficializada la rescisión del contrato del mediocampista Rodrigo Battaglia, luego de un arreglo de mutuo acuerdo entre las partes. Además, Racing recibirá un resarcimiento económico por la ruptura del contrato antes de tiempo.

Racing tiene confirmados dos partidos amistosos en Mar del Plata: ante Independiente (13 de enero) y ante Newell´s (21 de enero).

Cantero: "El club le hizo una oferta a Julián Velázquez"

MAR DEL PLATA -- El presidente de Independiente, Javier Cantero, explicó que "el club le hizo una oferta" al defensor Julián Velázquez y que "el jugador tiene que contestar", aunque aclaró que quieren "venderlo" porque necesitan "dinero", de cara a la segunda rueda del torneo de la Primera B Nacional.
"El club le hizo una oferta a Julián Velázquez y el jugador tiene que contestar. Queremos venderlo porque necesitamos dinero y el jugador quiere cambiar de aire", destacó el titular del Rojo en diálogo con Télam.

Sin embargo, Cantero no quiso aventurar demasiado en torno a la situación del defensor y dijo: "Si no renueva lo disfrutaremos hasta junio y luego se irá en libertad de acción".

Asimismo, el presidente de Independiente informó que "todavía no hay nada" del pase del goleador Mauro Matos (All Boys) al conjunto que dirige Omar De Felippe.

Sin embargo, allegados a la institución le contaron a Télam que el técnico le pidió "referencias" a su amigo y colega, Julio César Falcioni, quien recientemente condujo al delantero durante su breve estadía en la entidad de Floresta.

Cantero también reconoció que "no hay ningún pedido por el juvenil" delantero paraguayo Adrián Fernández, que no es muy tenido en cuenta por De Felippe.

Por su parte, el defensor uruguayo Cristian Pichón Núñez rescindió su contrato y seguirá su carrera en Independiente del Valle de Ecuador, que jugará la próxima edición de la Copa Libertadores de América.

Newell´s volvió al trabajo en Rosario

BUENOS AIRES -- En la mañana del martes, el plantel de Newell´s trabajó en el predio de Bella Vista y en las próximas horas emprenderá el viaje a Mar del Plata para realizar la parte más fuerte de la pretemporada y disputar la mayoría de los partidos amistosos.

Sin Pablo Pérez, transferido al Málaga de España, y con la continuidad de Gabriel Heinze asegurada, por lo menos hasta junio, Alfredo Berti llevó adelante el único día de entrenamientos en Rosario.

En cuanto a los partidos preparatorios, en Mar del Plata, jugará ante Tigre (13 de enero), Independiente (16 de enero) y Racing (21 de enero). Mientras tanto, ya en Rosario, jugará ante Atlético Rafaela (31 de enero) y un rival a definir (25 de enero).

Newell´s, subcampeón en el Torneo Inicial, disputará su primer partido oficial el 9 de febrero, frente a Boca en Rosario. Cabe recordar que, además, el equipo rosarino jugará la Copa Libertadores, competencia en la cual compartirá la fase de grupos con Gremio de Porto Alegre, Atlético Nacional de Medellín y el ganador del cruce entre Oriente Petrolero y Nacional de Montevideo.

Independiente realizó trabajos en la arena

BUENOS AIRES -- En el segundo día de trabajos en Mar del Plata, Omar De Felippe relegó la programación de los trabajos a los preparadores físicos quienes dispusieron que el plantel de Independiente realice una serie de ejercicios en arena seca en una de las playas despobladas del norte de Mar del Plata.

Las tareas se basaron en duros trabajos de fuerza en arena seca, en la cual también se hizo un ensayo de fútbol informal. Mientras tanto, los arqueros Diego Rodríguez, Fabián Assmann, Hilario Navarro y Facundo Daffonchio hicieron tareas especiales propias del puesto y tras los mismos todo el plantel tuvo el permiso para tener unos minutos libres y refrescarse en el mar.

De los trabajos formó parte Julián Velázquez quien ya se encuentra reincorporado al grupo y seguirá al menos hasta junio, aún sin renovar su contrato.

En el rubro refuerzos, el nombre que tomó fuerza en las últimas horas es el de Mauro Matos, aunque es complicado dada la delicada situación económica que atraviesa el club. Otro jugador que está siendo seguido es Federico Insúa, hoy en Vélez y con gran pasado en el club.

Independiente, tercero en el torneo de la B Nacional tras sumar 38 puntos en la primera ronda, disputará partidos amistosos ante Racing (13 de enero), Newell´s (16 de enero), Rosario Central (20 de enero) y Belgrano de Córdoba (23 de enero). Además, en las próximas horas quedarían definidos días y horarios para practicar frente a Aldosivi, Unión de Mar del Plata, Kimberley y Villa San Carlos.

All Boys: diálogo y, luego, entrenamiento

Luego de que en la jornada del lunes, el plantel de All Boys se niegue a iniciar el trabajo tras las vacaciones por las deudas que mantiene la dirigencia, en la mañana del martes, los jugadores estuvieron reunidos con el presidente Roberto Bugallo y luego saltaron el campo de juego.

Durante casi 50 minutos, los integrantes del plantel mantuvieron el diálogo con Bugallo y otros dirigentes, reunión en la cual también estuvo presente Ricardo Rodríguez.

Tras la misma, los jugadores saltaron al campo de juego para realizar una entrada en calor y luego realizar trabajos de gimnasio.

De la práctica participaron 31 jugadores ya que Javier Campora debió dejar antes la actividad por tener que realizar un trámite personal durante la tarde en Rosario.

Cabe recordar que el equipo que comenzó siendo dirigido en el Torneo Inicial por Julio César Falcioni y que luego tuvo a Ricardo Rodríguez aún no tiene refuerzos y ya sufrió las bajas de Exequiel Benavídez, Carlos Soto, Nicolás Colazo, Maxi Núñez, Jonathan Ferrari, Hernán Grana y en las próximas horas podría definirse también la de Mauro Matos.

All Boys, 16° en el último campeonato, buscará evitar en el próximo semestre la pérdida de la categoría ya que, finalizó el 2014, a cinco puntos de los puestos de descenso directo.