Fulham announced Tuesday they d signed Algeria defender Rafik Halliche on a three-year deal from Portuguese side Benfica.

The 23-year-old has moved to the English Premier League side for an undisclosed fee.

Halliche told London club Fulham s official website: I m so happy that my transfer to Fulham has been finalised.

For me, the Premier League is the best league in the world and to be able to play alongside some wonderful players and to be given an opportunity to compete against some fantastic teams for a team like Fulham is something that I ve always dreamed of doing.

Halliche, who joined Benfica in 2008 but spent the last two seasons on loan to fellow Portuguese outfit Nacional, is Fulham s third signing this transfer window after Philippe Senderos,…

Spanish daily newspaper that Valencia are readying summer bid for Benfica star Enzo Perez.

The La Liga side are expected to spend heavily this summer as wealthy businessman Peter Lim is expected to complete the club takeover and signing a quality and experienced midfielder is one of the priorities.

According to Superdeporte, Valencia have set their sights on Benfica midfielder Enzo Perez and they are determined to lure him to Mestalla.

The 28-year-old has enjoyed several very successful seasons with the Eagles and he has been named in Argentina s provisional World Cup squad.

Valencia boss Juan Antonio Pizzi is well aware of his compatriot s qualities and it is hardly surprising he is keen on adding him to the ranks at Mestalla.

Enzo Perez joined…

Roberto Martinez is confident Kevin De Bruyne will be fit enough to join Belgium s squad for Euro 2020, despite the facial injury he sustained in the Champions League final.

De Bruyne left the field in distress during Manchester City s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in Porto, after taking a knock to the face from Antonio Rudiger.

It was confirmed on Sunday that the 29-year-old had sustained fractures to his nose and eye socket, and that seemed to cast some doubt over his participation in Euro 2020.

De Bruyne was always scheduled to meet up with the Belgium squad later due to his exploits for City, and Martinez is hopeful his star man will have recovered in time.

However, the Belgium coach did urge a cautious approach, with De Bruyne set to be closely monitored in…

Ronaldo s decision to join Juve in a deal worth €112million rocked the football world, ending the Portugal star s nine-year stay in the Spanish capital.

And the 33-year-old explained he decided to sign for the Serie A champions due to a breakdown in his relationship with Madrid president Florentino Perez.

He only ever looked at me as a business relationship, Ronaldo added. I know it. What he told me never came from the heart.

I felt it inside the club, especially from the president, that they no longer considered me the same way that they did in the start.

In the first four or five years there, I had the feeling of being Cristiano Ronaldo . Less afterwards. The president looked at me through eyes that didn t want to say the same thing, as if I was …

Southampton s Virgil van Dijk has the talent to become the best defender in the world at Barcelona or Real Madrid, according to former boss Neil Lennon.

The Hibernian manager was in charge at Celtic when Van Dijk arrived in Scotland and was quickly impressed by the defender, who moved on to Southampton in the Premier League in 2015.

And while the Netherlands international has been linked with a number of top English clubs, Lennon believes Van Dijk can aim even higher.

Yes, [Van Dijk can become the best defender in the world], he told Sky Sports. I think he could play for Barcelona, I think he could play for Real Madrid it wouldn t surprise me if he took his career on to those pathways.

The first day he came into Celtic I pulled him to one side after tr…

Aston Villa and Norwich City have reached an agreement for the transfer of Emiliano Buendia, said a Villa statement.

As Emiliano is currently in the Argentina national team s biosecure bubble, preparing for a World Cup qualifying match with Colombia on Tuesday evening, he will undergo a medical and complete the transfer after the game.

Aston Villa have confirmed that they’ve reached an agreement to sign Emiliano Buendia from Norwich City this summer.

Arsenal were believed to be one of the frontrunners in the race to sign Buendia for quite some time but for whatever reason, Villa are the ones who have beaten them to the punch.

The attacking midfielder was Norwich’s player of the season for 2020/21 as they raced out to a Championship title win, comp…

Bernardo Silva is glad to have rediscovered his best form for Manchester City after being hailed as an extraordinary player by Pep Guardiola following Saturday s win against Burnley.

The Portugal international opened the scoring for City in their 2-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium and had other opportunities to double his tally before Kevin De Bruyne sealed the three points.

He played a game-high three key passes against Burnley from a central position that he has become familiar with this campaign, standing out for the reigning champions in an otherwise disjointed display.

Silva asked to leave City during the close season due to what he perceived to be an unfair lack of playing time last season, but the 27-year-old is pulling the strings once again this term an…

Real Madrid s on-loan striker Emmanuel Adebayor insists he does not deserve his reputation as a troublemaker.

The former Togo captain joined La Liga club Real in January for the remainder of the season after falling out of favour at English Premier League side Manchester City.

The 26-year-old joined City from Arsenal in 2009 after publicly courting a move away from the Emirates Stadium.

He later scored in a match between the two sides at Eastlands and sparked controversy by inciting Arsenal fans with a provocative celebration.

Adebayor also endured a difficult relationship with the Togo Football Association before his retirement from international football in 2010.

But the former Monaco man maintains his bad-boy image has been greatly exaggerat…

Michael Theoklitos has described the past year as the best of his career after a nightmare stint at English club Norwich City last season.

Now playing for the Brisbane Roar in Australia s A-League, Theoklitos was the hero of a dramatic 4-2 grand final penalty shootout victory against the Central Coast Mariners on Sunday, making two saves to help the Roar clinch their first title.

It capped off a remarkable turnaround for the 2010-11 A-League Goalkeeper of the Year, who left hometown club the Melbourne Victory to join then-League One outfit Norwich last term.

Theoklitos debut for the East Anglian club was unforgettable for all the wrong reasons, as he conceded seven goals in a drubbing dished out by local rivals Colchester United on the opening day of the 2009-10…

Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka took a swipe at his doubters as they celebrated promotion to the Premier League on Saturday.

A 1-1 home draw with Brighton and Hove Albion was enough to send Boro up behind champions Burnley, with Chris Hughton s side missing out on goal difference.

Karanka claims his detractors considered him crazy for targeting promotion when he took charge in November 2013, and could not hide his delight at ending Boro s seven-year exile from England s top flight.

I ve been coach for two-and-a-half years. I can t be more proud of this group of players, this crowd and this chairman. It s amazing, he told Sky Sports.

When I arrived here, some people said I was crazy when I said my aim was to take this club back to the Premier League. Tw…