Official transfers Round-up: Tomasson, Van Bronckhorst, Marin, Weigl…

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Official transfers Round-up: Tomasson, Van Bronckhorst, Marin, Weigl...

191217 Fotboll, Bundesliga Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Borussia Dortmund v RB Leipzig - Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany - December 17, 2019 Borussia Dortmund's Julian Weigl reacts REUTERS/Leon Kuegeler DFL regulations prohibit any use of photographs as image sequences and/or quasi-video © Bildbyrån - COP 7 - SWEDEN ONLY

Martina Alcheva

Several moves have happened the past few days in world football.

Here is a recap on all of them.

Managers

Malmo appoint Jon Dahl Tomasson as new manager

Former Denmark international Jon Dahl Tomasson has been named coach of Malmo, the Swedish club announced on Sunday. Tomasson, who has also had coaching stints with Dutch sides Vitesse Arnhem, Excelsior and Roda, begins his new job on 10 January. He leaves his position as assistant coach with the Danish national team where he worked alongside Norwegian national Age Hareide.

“I am extremely proud to work at one of the best clubs in Scandinavia,” stated Tomasson on the location of his new employer. “The first conversations already showed that the club and I have the same ambitions. We will do everything we can to achieve those ambitions.”

Van Bronckhorst replaces Stojkovic at Guangzhou

Giovanni van Bronckhorst will replace Dragan Stojkovic to take charge of Guangzhou R&F, the Chinese Super League club confirmed on Saturday. Serbian coach Stojkovic stepped down on Friday after five years in charge and 44-year-old Van Bronckhorst took over the team which finished 12th in the 16-team CSL last season.

“We expect that under his guidance, Guangzhou R&F will move forward steadily and meet new challenges with a brand-new look in the 2020 season,” the club said in a statement. “For me, it is a new chapter. I’m excited, full of energy. I can’t wait to start.” said Van Bronckhorst at the press conference.

The Dutch legend took his first coaching steps at Feyenoord and left the Holland giants at the end of last season after four fruitful years, during which he won two KNVB Cup and made history by clinching the club’s first Eredivise title in 18 years. He then made a surprising move to the City Football Group, owner of reigning Premier League champions Manchester City and was given a role behind the scenes to get an experience of how Pep Guardiola’s City ran their business.

Toulouse sack coach Antoine Kombouare

Top-tier Toulouse fired coach Antoine Kombouare on Sunday, a day after an embarrassing French Cup defeat against amateur club Saint-Pryve Saint-Hilaire. Kombouare was only hired in October, to replace Alain Casanova, but the 56-year-old has won just two of his 13 matches in charge and lost the other 11.

Toulouse conceded a goal in the sixth minute of injury time on Saturday in the last-64 game to lose 1-0 to a team which plays in the country’s fourth tier. They is also in last place in Ligue 1 and the run of 10 straight defeats in all competitions is the worst the club has ever experienced in their history.

The 55-year-old tactician had returned in October from a brief spell of 4 months away from the game, choosing not to extend his contract with French side Dijon after he kept them in the first division at the end of last season. The club has put youth team manager Denis Zanko in charge and announced a news conference for Monday evening.

Players

Julian Weigl leaves Borussia Dortmund for Benfica

Benfica have completed the €20 million signing of Julian Weigl from Borussia Dortmund on a four-and-a-half-year contract. The Portuguese side have put a €100 million release clause in his contract. The two clubs confirmed a fee had been agreed on December 31, with the deal now complete following Benfica’s announcement to Portugal’s Securities Market Commission.

Weigl, 24, joined Dortmund from 1860 Munich in 2015 and initially settled well, spending most of his first three seasons in the starting line-up. He fell somewhat out of favour last season and, although he started 12 of Dortmund’s 17 Bundesliga games this term, sporting director Michael Zorc confirmed Weigl asked to leave.

Former Chelsea flop Marko Marin moves to Al Ahli

Former Werder Bremen and Chelsea winger Marko Marin has completed a transfer to Saudi Professional League club Al Ahli. The 30-year-old German attacker has been with Serbian SuperLiga outfit Red Star Belgrade since 2018 and scored 11 goals in 56 appearances for the club including finding the back of the net twice in the UEFA Champions League.

“Al Ahli board led by president Ahmad Al-Sayegh reached an agreement with the German attacking midfielder Marin will complete his transfer from Red Star Belgrade and sign his contract with Al-Ahli after passing his medical,” the Saudi club posted on Twitter. Not much later, Al Ahli confirmed that Marin had passed his medical examination and become a new Lion.

Henry Onyekuru returns to Galatasaray from Monaco

Monaco’s exciting young Nigerian striker Henry Onyekuru is to spend the rest of the season on loan at Galatasaray once again, the Ligue 1 club announced. It will be the 22-year-old’s second loan spell in Turkey as he shone for Galatasaray last season when he was still at English club Everton. He scored 14 goals in 35 appearances for Galatasaray who went on to win the Turkish championship.

Monaco, who signed the Nigerian for 17 million euros during the summer, have not included an option to buy clause in the loan, suggesting that Onyekuru remains a part of their long-term strategy.

Ali Al Habsi Retires from international duty

Ali Al Habsi, the Omani goalkeeping legend who made a name for himself as the first Arab player from the GCC countries to play in the Premier League, has announced his retirement from international football, aged 38. A statement from the current West Bromwich Albion goalie said: “After years of my country honouring me in the form of serving the national team, both within and outside, I announce today the end of my international career with the national team.

He added: “At this moment, I extend my sincere thanks and deep appreciation to my Majesty, His Majesty the Sultan, may God protect him, and my great gratitude to everyone who supported me throughout my sporting career. Your brother, Ali Al Habsi.”

His career in England was followed by a move to Saudi Arabia, where he joined Al Hilal, before returning to England last August to play for West Brom. He was part of the Oman team that won their first ever Gulf Cup in 2009, beating Saudi Arabia on penalties.

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