News round-up: Atletico Madrid have signed the Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan in a €21 miliion deal from Villarreal as they look to replace the Liverpool-bound Fernando Torres.
The former Manchester United player, who shared the 2004-05 European Golden Boot with Thierry Henry after finishing as La Liga's top scorer with 25 goals, has agreed a four-year deal at the Vicente Calderon.
Forlan scored only 10 league goals in more than 60 games for Manchester United, hitting 13 in 84 across the Premiership and the Champions League, but is a player reborn in Spain. He has scored 54 times in three league seasons and finished this term on 19, behind Ruud van Nistelrooy, Diego Milito, Freddie Kanoute and Ronaldinho. Forlan, who had been linked with a move to Sunderland, is expected to be joined at the Calderon by his former Villarreal team-mate, Juan Roman Riquelme.
Forlan, who is currently playing for Uruguay in the Copa America in Venezuela, insisted that he was looking forward to playing alongside Torres but his signing merely confirms that the Spanish international will not be at Atletico next season. It is the money from the sale of Torres that has enabled Atletico to move for Forlan and Riquelme. And far from taking the Torres deal a step closer to completion, Forlan's signing simply reflects the fact that Atletico and Liverpool have already reached an agreement on the sale of the 23-year-old Spaniard.
That deal will be worth fractionally short of Torres's €40m buy-out clause. Luis Garcia has agreed terms with Atletico and, pending a medical, will move in the other direction for around £4 million. But while Garcia's transfer would serve to bring down the cash fee paid for Torres, the two deals are not interdependent.
Liverpool now only need to finalise some minor details of the personal terms with Torres when he returns from holiday in Polynesia next week. He has been offered a six-year deal but will not be paid as much as the club captain, Steven Gerrard.
West Ham United last night confirmed their second major signing of the summer after concluding a £6.1 million deal with Bordeaux for the French international winger Julien Faubert.
Alan Curbishley has already spent £7 million on Scott Parker from Newcastle United and has now further bolstered his midfield with the addition of Faubert, who has agreed a five-year contract. West Ham's late bid ended Glasgow Rangers' hopes of signing the 23-year-old and comes as a timely boost to the club after they missed out on the striker Darren Bent, who chose to move to Totenham instead.
The Italian striker Arturo Lupoli has left Arsenal to join the Serie A side Fiorentina. Fulham are in talks with West Bromwich Albion over a cash-plus-player deal for Diomansy Kamara and have offered the Championship side £4 million for the Senegal international as well as the Iceland striker Heidar Helguson. Guardian Service
