Sanchez misses start of United tour over visa problem
Brighton sign Button from Fulham
LONDON, July 17, (Agencies): Manchester United’s Chile forward Alexis Sanchez has missed the start of the Premier League club’s preseason tour of the United States due to a visa problem.
Speaking from Los Angeles, a spokeswoman for the club said United still hoped the 29-year-old would be able to join them once his “personal administrative issue” had been resolved.
British media reported on Monday that Sanchez was understood to have failed to get a US visa due to a 16-month suspended jail sentence imposed by a Spanish court in February for tax fraud.
He was accused of defrauding the Spanish state of a combined 983,000 euros ($1.2 million) in image rights when playing for Barcelona in 2012 and 2013 by using a shell company in Malta and omitting the earnings from tax returns.
Spanish law is such that any sentence under two years for a non-violent crime rarely requires a defendant without previous convictions to serve jail time.
The BBC reported that Sanchez, who was training with United last week after a summer break without any World Cup action, was working with his lawyers to secure entry to the US under a waiver scheme.
The rest of the squad, without the club’s World Cup players, departed on Sunday.
United’s opener in their fivematch tour is against Mexico’s Club America in Los Angeles on Friday.
They will also play Major League Soccer (MLS) side San Jose Earthquakes on July 22 before taking on AC Milan, Liverpool and Real Madrid in the International Champions Cup (ICC) tournament on July 26, 28 and Aug 1 respectively.
If Sanchez fails to secure entry to the US, United have a friendly at Bayern Munich on Aug 5 before their league opener against Leicester City at Old Trafford on Aug 10.
Brighton & Hove Albion signed their second goalkeeper of the transfer window after David Button joined from Fulham on a three-year deal, the Premier League club said on Monday.
The 29-year-old, who moved for an undisclosed fee, is the south-coast club’s fifth signing in the window.
“We’re delighted to bring a goalkeeper of David’s experience to the club,” said Brighton manager Chris Hughton who has already brought in Jason Steele from Sunderland.
“With Christian Walton and Robert Sanchez going out on loan this season, we felt we needed someone to provide further competition for places in that area of the team.
“He (Button) has a wealth of experience, having made over 300 appearances during his career so far, and I’m sure he will work well with (first choice) Maty Ryan and Jason Steele.”
Brighton finished 15th last term in their first season back in the top flight since 1983, when they were FA Cup runners-up.
Button started out at Tottenham Hotspur before a series of loan
Sanchez
moves to Football league clubs and then joined Charlton Athletic in 2012. He left for Brentford the following year and after three seasons made the switch to Fulham.
He played more than 60 games for Fulham, including 20 last season, as they reached the Premier League via the playoffs.
Button told the club website: “There’s a lot of competition in my position and I want to be a part of that.
“It’s something that’s brilliant as a player and at this level it’s normal — they’re (Ryan and Steele) both great goalkeepers and I’m looking forward to working with them and helping us all improve.”
Brighton, who start their league campaign at Watford on Aug 11, have also signed Brazilian defender Bernardo (RB Leipzig), Romania striker Florin Andone (Deportivo La Coruna), and Nigeria international Leon Balogun (free) in the window.
Newcastle United striker Ayoze Perez is loving life at the Premier League club and has dismissed reports that he could move back to teams in his native Spain.
The 24-year-old, who joined Newcastle in 2014, excelled for the Magpies last season and was their top scorer with eight goals and four assists in 36 Premier League appearances.
His impressive form in the second half of the season has led to media reports of La Liga clubs Real Sociedad and Real Betis being interested in bringing Perez back to Spain.
“I want to be at Newcastle going forward, 100 per cent,” Perez told Chronicle Live. “I am living my dream of playing in the Premier League, playing for a massive team, and so it’s good to be here and I love playing for this club.
“Obviously it is good to have interest from those Spanish teams, because it makes you feel like you are doing something great, and shows I must be doing something right. But honestly I’m happy in England, I’m happy playing in the Premier League.”
Perez said that he was motivated to drive Newcastle’s growth next season as the forward hopes to earn a cap for Spain’s senior national team.
West Ham United manger Manuel Pellegrini believes the London club’s record signing, Felipe Anderson, will give his team a “new dimension”.
The 25-year-old Brazilian attacking midfielder signed for a reported £33.5 million ($44 million, 38 million euros), potentially rising to £42 million, from Italian club Lazio on Sunday.
“We feel he will bring a new dimension to the squad but also complement the attacking players we already have,” Pellegrini said.
Anderson was the Hammers’ seventh pre-season signing and former Manchester City manager Pellegrini, who took charge of the east London club after they decided against renewing David Moyes’s contract, even though the Scot guided them to top-flight survival last season.
“Felipe has a very natural and skilful ability, in the traditional style of Brazilian football, but has proven at Lazio that he also has the strength and mentality to play at the top level in European football,” Chilean manager Pellegrini added.