The 27-year-old’s career has been disrupted by a series of injuries which saw him miss the whole of the 2014-15 season and struggle to break back into the Southampton first team. He scored 32 goals in 126 appearances for Southampton, whom he joined for seven mn pounds from his home-town club Burnley in 2012. Rodriguez has one cap for England.
Chelsea snap up veteran keeper Caballero
Premier League champions Chelsea signed Argentinian goalkeeper Willy Caballero on a free transfer on Saturday to provide back-up to Thibaut Courtois. The 35-year-old had been a free agent since Manchester City let him go at the end of last season and Chelsea had a spare goalkeeping spot after Asmir Begovic left for Bournemouth.
“I am very happy to join Chelsea, the champions of England,” Caballero said. “I am looking forward to meeting the guys and helping the club achieve more success in the coming season.”
Caballero — who will also vie with Portuguese goalkeeper Eduardo for second-choice keeper — experienced his best moment with City when he saved three penalties in the shootout win over Liverpool in the 2016 League Cup final. “We are very happy to have Willy on board. He knows the Premier League and is tried and tested at the top of the game,” said Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo.
Pellegrino makes Pole first signing as Saints manager
Poland Under-21 international defender Jan Bednarek became new Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino’s first signing on Saturday. The 21-year-old centre-back — who has been on duty for his country at the European Under-21 championships — signed a five-year contract with the Saints paying a reported £5-million ($6.5mn, 5.7mn euros) fee to Lech Poznan.
“I am so happy that I could join a club like Southampton,” Bednarek told the club website. “This is the moment I have worked for that makes my dreams come true. It only gives me motivation to work hard, to show my skills and to help Southampton to get better and better. I think it’s a good step for me, because I have heard Southampton is such a good club for young players, so I can improve here.”
Southampton also announced on Saturday another defender Jack Stephens — who became a first team regular after Virgil van Dijk was injured in January — had agreed a new five-year contract. The 23-year-old former England Under-21 player has been with Saints since he was 17.
“It feels like home to me. I have really enjoyed my time here and am now looking forward to the next five years,” he said. “It’s a massive platform for me now because it just shows how much faith the club have put in me.”
Niguez signs new nine-year contract at Atletico Madrid
The coveted Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez has signed a new nine-year contract – one of the longest in football history – that will run until June 2026. The 22-year-old has emerged as one of the most exciting midfield talents in Europe over the past two seasons and was a key player during Atletico’s run to the Champions League semi-finals last season.
Niguez played 53 games for Atletico last season, scoring nine goals, four of which were in the Champions League, and the length of the deal is shows how highly he is rated by the manager, Diego Simeone. “I am very happy because at Atletico we are a family and there is no better place to be,” Niguez said in a statement.
“I will work my full potential on the field as always to pay back the trust that the club is giving to me. I’d like to thank all my teammates and the coaching staff for their help day by day so that I can be the player I am today.”
Niguez excelled for Spain at the European Under-21 Championship and received the Golden Boot for scoring five goals in five matches as well as a runners-up medal. Atletico are subject to a transfer ban until January 2018 so keeping Niguez and Antoine Griezmann, who signed a one-year extension this summer, were key for their early-season hopes.