Nuri Sahin: Liverpool
LIVERPOOL, England ● Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign Real Madrid playmaker Nuri Sahin on a season-long loan, the English Premier League club said on Saturday.
The Turkey international joined Real last year after helping Borussia Dortmund win the 2011 Bundesliga title but found opportunities limited because of injury and the form of Mesut Ozil.
Real boss Jose Mourinho was keen for Sahin to go to England to restart his career and Liverpool have swooped after interest from Arsenal cooled.
“The 23-year-old will now undergo a medical on Merseyside,” a Liverpool statement said.
Sahin’s departure from the Bernabeu is another indication that Tottenham Hotspur’s creative midfielder Luka Modric could head to Real, while the future of Kaka remains uncertain.
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has hinted that Sahin would be a major first-team player at Anfield despite playing in a similar role to captain Steven Gerrard, who may now be asked to operate wide or as a holding midfielder.
With Sahin’s medical still to be completed, the 31-cap player will not be available for Sunday’s home league game against champions Manchester City.
● Stoke City are set to sign United States international Maurice Edu from Rangers.
“City have agreed personal terms for the 26-year-old to move from Ibrox for an undisclosed fee,” the English Premier League club said on their website (www.stokecityfc.com) on Saturday.
“The transfer is now subject to Edu passing a medical over the weekend and then being granted a work permit.”
Edu, who has been capped 37 times by his country, will become the latest in a string of Rangers departures after they were demoted from the Scottish Premier League to the third division because of a financial crisis.