Southampton this morning completed the signing of Gillingham goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga on a four-year deal.

Spain have included Euro 2012 winners Jordi Alba, Juan Mata and Javi Martinez in a strong provisional squad for this summer's Olympic Games.

Barcelona have strengthened their defence and found a replacement for Eric Abidal by sealing an agreement with Valencia to sign the Spain full-back Jordi Alba on a five-year contract.

Barcelona have agreed a fee of 14million euros with Valencia to sign Spain full-back Jordi Alba.

Barcelona have set aside €40 million per year for players and are currently negotiating with Valencia to buy fullback Jordi Alba, president Sandro Rosell confirmed today.

Manuel Preciado, who was due to be unveiled as the new coach of Villarreal tomorrow, has died of a heart attack, the Spanish club have confirmed.

Despite his up and down form for Chelsea this season, striker Fernando Torres was yesterday named in defending champions Spain's squad for this summer's European Championships.

Villarreal, often touted as a model for smaller clubs to aspire to, were left preparing for life in the second division today after they were relegated following a dramatic finale to the La Liga season.

Real Madrid might have been beaten in the Champions League this week but neighbours Atletico took a step towards the final of the Europa League last night with a 4-2 win at home over Valencia in their semi-final first leg, Colombian striker Radamel Falcao scoring twice.

Manchester United supporters are on the threshold of winning their long-standing campaign for a dedicated singing section at Old Trafford, giving them the chance to deny visiting fans the chance to taunt them with Sir Alex Ferguson’s complaint after a match four years ago that “the crowd were dead; it was like a funeral.”

The Premier League player who is most like Dani Alves is Gareth Bale – at least that was the opinion formed within Barcelona after the Tottenham man's destruction of Internazionale's Brazilian wing-back, Maicon, last season. "He is a player I love to watch," says Alves when asked about the Welshman, whom club scout Albert Valenti has watched several times this season.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his seventh hat-trick of the season as Real Madrid beat city rivals Atletico 4-1 to restore their four-point lead at the top of the Primera Division.

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez hopes former Latics star Antonio Valencia has a “day off” as Manchester United visit the DW Stadium tonight.

Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia – who helped the club stay top of the league with a goal at Blackburn on Monday night – is to ask the club to postpone an operation he is scheduled to undergo at the end of the season so he can play for Ecuador in their World Cup qualifiers against Argentina and Colombia in June.