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Monaco have signed Porto's midfield duo Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez for a combined ?60m.

The French League 1 newcomers confirmed Portugal's Moutinho, 26, and Colombia's Rodriguez, 21, have signed five-year deals.

Portuguese champions Porto revealed on their website Monaco have paid ?60m for the two of them.

The two players are expected to be presented to the media at the club's return for pre-season training.

Moutinho was reported to have been close to a move to Tottenham Hotspur on deadline day last summer, and was said to have been targeted by Andre Villas-Boas again this summer.

He has played 55 times for Portugal and joined Porto, who secured their third consecutive league title on Sunday, from Sporting Lisbon in July 2010. Rodriguez has won 12 caps for Colombia.

Rodriguez has played 12 times for Colombia and won the Portuguese Golden Ball in 2012, an annual award given by newspaper A Bola to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the year in the Primeira Liga.

Monaco, who were bought last season by Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev, were promoted to Ligue 1 this season, and are managed by former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22652097

Neymar: Barcelona to sign Brazil striker from Santos

Barcelona have agreed a deal to sign Brazil striker Neymar from Santos.

The 21-year-old will finalise a five-year-deal on Monday.

A Barcelona statement read: "FC Barcelona and Santos have agreed terms for Neymar. The 21-year old is one of the most promising footballers on the planet."

Neymar wrote on Instagram: "On Monday, I sign a contract with Barcelona. I want to thank the fans of Santos by these incredible nine years."

The statement in Portuguese added: "My feeling for the club and the fans will never change. Titles, goals, dribbling, celebrations and songs that fans created for me will be forever in my heart.

"It's a different moment for me. Sadness (farewell) and happiness (new challenge). May God bless me on my choices. I will always be in Santos!"

Neymar had been considering his future after Santos revealed they had accepted two offers for their star player, with Barcelona confirmed as one of the bidders and Real Madrid widely assumed to be the other.

His contract with Santos was due to expire at the end of next season.

Neymar will say goodbye to the Santos fans at Sunday's season-opening game against Flamengo before joining Barcelona after the Confederations Cup, which starts in Brazil on 15 June and finishes on 30 June.

"I want to have the opportunity to once again take the field and hear the crowd scream my name," added Neymar.

The signing ends years of speculation about which team would be the first to persuade the player to make the move to Europe.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22671734

Radamel Falcao is set to have a medical with Monaco on Monday before moving to the Ligue 1 club for 60 million euros (?51,295,000), according to reports in Spain.

The Colombia striker has long been linked with a move away from Atletico Madrid with Manchester United and Chelsea mooted as possible destinations.

However, it appears that Monaco have jumped to the head of the queue with the newly-promoted team having already recruited highly-rated Porto pair Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez for a combined fee of around ?60million.

President Dmitry Rybolovlev is highly ambitious, evidenced by his capture of the Porto pair, who are former team-mates of Falcao who has scored 32 goals in 36 appearances this season.

Atletico manager Diego Simeone has already said he will not bear any grudge if the 27-year-old leaves, and Sunday night's Primera Division match against Real Mallorca at the Vicente Calderon is looking increasingly likely to be his last home game for the Rojiblancos.

Monaco assistant coach Jean Petit is reported to have told Radio RCN on Friday: "Yes, we are expecting Falcao and four or five other players of his quality.

"We have spoken and we continue to speak with Falcao and his representatives, negotiations are ongoing. We hope to seal a deal as soon as possible.

"Monaco need a player like Falcao because he can help us a lot and because he can attract other top players, and that's the best way of confirming out project is big and interesting.

"Signing Falcao is a big coup on sporting and media levels for French football."

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12691/8736774/Transfer-news-Radamel-Falcao-set-for-Monaco-medical-according-to-reports

Hopefully Carroll signs for west ham, would be a very good squad player but he needs games and i don't think he will get enough at Liverpool

As a West Ham supporter, I feel the signing would be awesome, he became awesome near the end of the season

Gareth Bale is close to being announced as reinforcement of Real Madrid. The Welsh ace, Tottenham star, must exchange the Premier League for La Liga return for a value between 60 and 70 million euros.

Despite all the efforts that Tottenham have made ??to renew the contract with Gareth Bale, the Welsh should even leave the English club.

Higuain, Marcelo, Di Maria, Pepe, may even be included in the deal.

I cant see Bale leaving this year, one more year then he'll go.. If he does, hopefully a nice handful of players will come our way too :)

Wouldnt mind seeing Pjanic head to Spurs missing that Modric/Van Der Vaart playmaker role, they desperately need a new striker or two aswell, Diamao needs to happen! sharpish!!

I cant see Bale leaving this year, one more year then he'll go.. If he does, hopefully a nice handful of players will come our way too :)

Wouldnt mind seeing Pjanic head to Spurs missing that Modric/Van Der Vaart playmaker role, they desperately need a new striker or two aswell, Diamao needs to happen! sharpish!!

Linked with Damiao for ages now!

If Bale does move, i hope he moves to someone like Man Utd. I really don't want see him leave the Premier League.

Being an ex Saints youth/player, i am a big fan of his.

I also can't see him leaving this season. If he does it would be silly money.

Yeah he fits Man Utd's playing style and if Saints has a sell of clause...????

Yeh, even though he'd then rip Spurs apart, it was sad to see Ronaldo leave the premiership, i used to enjoy watching him week in week out, just didnt seem to keep up with the spanish league as much and obviously have missed out on a lot of amazing stuff! Same would go for Bale, batter Spurs or miss seeing him play? Hard choice.

Yeh, even though he'd then rip Spurs apart, it was sad to see Ronaldo leave the premiership, i used to enjoy watching him week in week out, just didnt seem to keep up with the spanish league as much and obviously have missed out on a lot of amazing stuff! Same would go for Bale, batter Spurs or miss seeing him play? Hard choice.

I reckon it is worth the risk. Just hope he is injured on the day they play spurs.

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