Romelu Lukaku has returned to Inter Milan on a season-long loan, just a year after leaving for Chelsea. Chelsea paid Inter a club-record £97.5m for Lukaku, 29, last summer but, before Christmas, he said he was “not happy” and hoped to rejoin the Italian side.
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Liverpool forward Takumi Minamino has completed his £15.4million move to Monaco after signing a four-year contract with the Ligue 1 club. The Japan international will cost the French side an initial £12.9m with a further £2.5m in add-ons after two years at Anfield.
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Former Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde is closing in on a return to Athletic Bilbao after emerging as their preferred candidate ahead of Marcelo Bielsa. The 58-year-old has been out of work since being sacked by the Blaugrana midway through the 2019/20 season and has had two previous stints with the Basque giants.
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Gareth Bale has agreed to join MLS side Los Angeles FC on a one-year deal. The forward, a free agent after leaving Real Madrid this summer, had other offers but has chosen to move to California and the MLS. Bale is looking to maintain his fitness ahead of Wales’ appearance at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
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Wayne Rooney has told troubled Derby County that he wishes to be “relieved of his duties as first-team manager” with immediate effect. The 36-year-old’s contract with the club had another year to run. The Rams have been in administration since September last year and were relegated to League One last season.
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