Reds agree fee for midfielder Grujic
LONDON • Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has made his first significant move in the transfer market, with the Reds agreeing a £5.1 million (S$10.6 million) fee for Red Star Belgrade midfielder Marko Grujic.
The 19-year-old will join Liverpool only in the summer, reported the BBC.
Meanwhile, defender Martin Skrtel will be out for six weeks after suffering a hamstring and tendon injury.
REUTERS
Nadal-slayer Soderling retires
STOCKHOLM • Two-time French Open finalist Robin Soderling, 31, has retired from tennis.
The Swede, who famously defeated clay-court king Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros in 2009, has not played on the Tour since July 2011 because of glandular fever.
He announced his retirement in a letter on Swedish website tennis.se.
Bernie ready to include German GP
FRANKFURT • Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone said Germany could return to the Grand Prix schedule if an agreement is reached with track owners, according to an interview in a German magazine.
"I am sitting here with my pen and am prepared to sign a contract if they send me one," Auto Motor und Sport magazine yesterday quoted Ecclestone as saying.
Formula One's governing body, the International Automobile Federation, this year dropped the German Grand Prix from its Formula One calendar for the first time since 1960. The Nuerburgring had been due to host the July 19 race under an alternation agreement but a change of ownership and financial difficulties left Hockenheim as the only option.
REUTERS
Everton linked with £200m US takeover
LONDON • An American-led consortium is hoping to complete a takeover of Everton within the next six weeks. The group has signed a Head of Terms agreement for the deal, which could be worth about £200 million, and is performing due diligence on the club's accounts.
Should a sale go through, it would make Everton the second Premier League side in less than two months to receive an injection of US capital. Crystal Palace announced this week that they had agreed to sell a 36 per cent stake to Joshua Harris, owner of the Philadelphia 76ers, and David Blitzer.
THE TIMES, LONDON
