Watford Sign Austria Defender Sebastian Prodl

Newly-promoted Watford have signed Austrian defender Sebastian Prodl on a free transfer.

The 27-year-old centre-half, a free agent after leaving Werder Bremen at the end of last season, has agreed a five-year contract with the Premier League newcomers.

Prodl spent seven years at the Weserstadion and previously played for Austrian side Sturm Graz.

He also has 49 caps for Austria and appeared at the European Championships in 2008.

Prodl is the Hornets' first new signing of the summer, with the deal being completed despite the uncertainty surrounding the managerial situation at Vicarage Road.

Head coach Slavisa Jokanovic is out of contract at the end of June and talks about his future are understood to have broken down.

Instead Watford are expected to appoint former Atletico Madrid boss Quique Sanchez Flores

Transfer Rumours And Paper Review – Tuesday, June 2

Here's the top transfer-related stories in Tuesday's newspapers...

Diego Costa has told friends he wants to QUIT Chelsea this summer and return to Spain. The striker is homesick and is prepared to take a massive paycut to rejoin Atletico Madrid. The Blues, however, will fight to keep him at Stamford Bridge. (The Sun)

Real Madrid will open talks over a £45million move for Raheem Sterling in the next fortnight. The winger wants to leave Liverpool and the Spanish giants are keen to tie up a deal. (The Sun)

Liverpool are poised to complete the signing of free agent James Milner this week as manager Brendan Rodgers prepares for his first post-season face-to-face meeting with key figures among the club’s American owners, Fenway Sports Group. (Independent)

Bayern Munich star Bastian Schweinsteiger remains Manchester United’s No.1 midfield target this summer. But United are ready to switch their attention to Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin if they fail to strike a deal for the Germany skipper. (Daily Star)

Manchester United believe they are in pole position to recruit Dani Alves from Barcelona should Louis van Gaal wish to sign the right-back. Other right-backs United may consider are Everton’s Séamus Coleman and Paris Saint-Germain’s Gregory van der Wiel. (Guardian)

Christian Benteke will tell Aston Villa he wants to leave the club for European football next season, despite the Midlands club being willing to make the striker the best-paid player in their history. That is a boost to Liverpool, who are chasing the Belgian. (The Times)

Liverpool and Tottenham target Andriy Yarmolenko has opened the door for a move to the Premier League by admitting that now is ‘the perfect time to change clubs’. The £20m-rated Dynamo Kiev forward Yarmolenko led the Ukrainian club to their domestic title this season and says he has had discussions with the club about moving on this summer. (Daily Mail)


Read more at http://talksport.com/football/transfer-rumours-and-paper-review-tuesday-june-2-150602149060#XSGyP10XopEYXUcL.99

Pogba: Playing With Messi Would Be A Dream Come True

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has admitted that he dreams of playing alongside Barcelona forward Lionel Messi.

The Frenchman has long been linked with a move away from Turin, with both the Catalan giants and Real Madrid said to be very interested in him.

Pogba has now spoken of his admiration for Barca - his side's Champions League final opponents on Saturday - singling their Argentine star out for particular praise.

"Playing with Messi would be a dream come true," he is quoted as saying by AS.

"He's the best player in the world. I love watching Barcelona play, but I also love watching them lose. We know that we're not favourites but it's a final.

"We're going to give our all. We have nothing to lose and you never know what can happen."

Despite his admiration for Barcelona, Pogba emphasised that he had no immediate plans to leave the club in the summer.

"I never said that the final in Berlin would be my last game. People can believe what they want."

Barcelona and Juventus kick off in the German capital at 20:45CET on Saturday.

Van Basten: I Didn't Think Suarez Could Play For Barcelona

Netherlands legend Marco van Basten has admitted that he did not believe that Luis Suarez could make it at Barcelona.

The Uruguayan moved to Camp Nou last summer from Liverpool and, after a slow start to life in Spain, has scored 24 goals in all competitions.

However, his fellow former Ajax striker believed that he would have been better suited to a career in Serie A to La Liga.

"I was expecting him to be a really good player but I didn't think of him playing for a team like Barcelona," he is quoted as saying by Sport.

"I felt he'd be more suited to a team like Juventus or Inter because the football in Italy is a bit different to the football they play at Barcelona.

"Barca play a really clever type of football, close together with everyone at a high level technically. I think he is more of an opportunistic forward who should just go forward and see what happens.

"He does that in a marvellous way but it's not the way he plays at Barcelona."