11-HOUR TRIP WORTH IT FOR POSH JASON
TRANSFER ROUND UP
BY ALAN MARSHALL JASON NAISMITH insists a gruelling 11-hour round trip was a small price to pay for landing a switch to Peterborough.
The 23-year-old made the 321-mile journey from Glasgow to London Road on Tuesday to seal a six-figure switch to Posh from Ross County on a three-year contract.
While his dedicated dad acted as chauffeur on the drive to England, Naismith was at the wheel on the way home.
But he was delighted to get the deal over the line after a fraught close season.
He said: “My dad made the journey down with me. He was the driver – but I was told to drive back! That wasn’t something to look forward to. But it’s all worth it in the end.
“It’s be a really stressful couple of weeks and I’m just glad it’s all done. I would have travelled twice that distance to come here.”
● Gary Irvine could be on his way back to Ross County to fill departed Jason Naismith’s boots.
The 33-year-old full back is being eyed by the Dingwall club and is a free agent having left St Mirren in the summer.
● Bayer Leverkusen keeper Bernd Leno has decided to join Arsenal.
The German cap was a target for Napoli but the 26-year-old is hopeful of getting a deal done as he has a £22m buy-out clause.
Meanwhile, Napoli are willing to drop the price for Maurizio Sarri to £4.5m to encourage Chelsea to appoint their former coach.
Sarri’s been replaced by Carlo Ancelotti at the Serie A club but remains under contract for another two years and his £7m buy-out clause expired on May 31.
● Chris Coleman could offer Christian Benteke an escape route from Crystal Palace.
The Belgian is one of the attacking options on new the Hebei China boss transfer shortlist.
Leicester’s Slimani is also in the sights of a number of Chinese clubs.
● Dundee United have won the race to snap up in-demand Belgian defender Frederic Frans.
Csaba Laszlo’s side have agreed a deal to take the 29-year-old to Tannadice, with the stopper a free agent after hometown team Lierse were liquidated.
● Cowdenbeath have brought striker Jordyn Sheerin to the club on a permanent basis after the 28-year-old played a pivotal role last season.
The frontman joined on loan from Kelty Hearts in February and helped Beath survive via a Pyramid play-off final win over Cove Rangers.
● West Brom will demand over £20million each for Craig Dawson and Jay Rodriguez.
Burnley have reportedly offered £25million for the pair while Bournemouth are also interested in Rodriguez, who scored 11 goals last season.
● Former AC Milan and Italy striker Filippo Inzaghi is the new head coach of Bologna.
The 44-year-old, who led Venezia to the Serie B play-offs, has signed a two-year contract.
And he’s set to come up against his younger brother Simone, the Lazio boss, next season.