Gudjohnsen makes Monaco switch

Gudjohnsen had been linked with a return to the Premier League (GETTY IMAGES)

Eidur Gudjohnsen has ended his frustrating three-year spell with Barca after signing for Monaco.

The 30-year-old forward had struggled to break into the first-team picture at the Camp Nou following his 2006 arrival from Chelsea and will now continue his career in France.

The Iceland international has cost Monaco a fee of two million euros.

Gudjohnsen featured in 72 La Liga games for the current Spanish champions and scored 10 goals, but has now signed a two-year deal with the Ligue 1 outfit.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart will not be sold before the summer transfer window closes.

It had been thought that the Netherlands international would be one of the players that would be sacrificed following Real's acquisitions of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso earlier in the summer.

However, after Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder left the Bernabeu recently, Manuel Pellegrini's squad is now down to a manageable 25 players.

Van der Vaart's lawyer, Robert Geerlings, told Dutch magazine Voetbal International: "Rafael has been asked to stay at Real.

"The squad has been cut down to 25 players and that made the club decide that Rafa doesn't have to leave anymore. For us, it was surprising and Rafael has decided to fight for his place in Madrid."

Van der Vaart was linked with transfers to Besiktas, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur over the summer but will now remain in the Spanish capital.

Racing Santander have confirmed that they have agreed deals to sign Henrique from Barcelona and Newcastle United winger Xisco on season-long loans.

Henrique moved to the Camp Nou from Palmeiras last summer before before loaned to Bayer Leverkusen.

The 22-year-old central defender featured in 27 Bundesliga games for Bayer but failed to impress Pep Guardiola on his return to Barca.

Xisco struggled on Tyneside last term following his transfer from Deportivo de La Coruna.

The 23-year-old featured in only nine matches for the Magpies as they suffered relegation from the Premier League.

Midfielder Borja Valero has returned to Real Mallorca on a season-long loan from West Bromwich Albion.

Valero joined the Baggies last summer in a club record £4.7million deal but had been unsettled after their relegation from the Premier League at the end of the season.

Valero began the new Championship campaign on the sidelines under new manager Roberto Di Matteo and has now been allowed to return to Spain.

The 24-year-old midfielder spent one full season with the Balearic club in 2007/08 after joining from Real Madrid and will now spend the next campaign back at Son Moix.