Zenit St. Petersburg have reached an agreement “in principle” to sign Porto defender Bruno Alves, according to A Bola.

Zenit announced just this morning the signing of Aleksandar Lukovic from Udinese, who can play at centre-back or left-back and now look to have signed the highly rated 28-year-old Portuguese international.

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Zenit will pay ?¬23m for Bruno Alves, which is ?¬7m short of what Porto originally requested but the two parties are striking out the minor details of the transfer before an official announcement.

A Bola claims that the transfer is “a done deal”.

Real Madrid and coach Jose Mourinho were previously looking at Bruno Alves as the ‘Special One’ looked for key installments in his defence and Chelsea were also rumoured to be preparing a bid for the powerful defender.

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MADRID, July 26 (Reuters) – Factbox on striker Raul, who
announced his decision to leave Real Madrid on Monday 16 years
after making his debut at the Spanish club:

* Born: June 27, 1977 in Madrid

EARLY CAREER

* Raul joined Real in 1992 after city rivals Atletico closed
down their youth team programme.

* In October 1994, at the age of 17, he made his first-team
debut against Real Zaragoza and scored his first goal a week
later against Atletico.

SUCCESS WITH REAL

* He won league titles with Real in 1995 and 1997.

* Raul helped Real to their first European Cup success for
32 years in 1998, playing in the final victory over Juventus in
Amsterdam.

* He finished the 1998-99 season as La Ligas top scorer,
with 25 goals and in 2000 won the Champions League for the
second time, scoring the third goal in a 3-0 victory over
Valencia in the final.

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* In 2001 he won a third league title and the following year
helped Real to another Champions League trophy, scoring the
opener in Reals 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen.

* In 2003 he won a fourth league title but the following
season was less successful. He scored only 11 goals as Real
ended the campaign without a trophy for the first time in five
years.

* Equalled Alfredo Di Stefanos all-time record of 49 goals
in the European Cup in November 2004 but ended the season with
just nine league goals, his worst scoring record for the first
team.

* In 2009 he equalled German Gerd Muellers record of 66
goals in the three main European club competitions when he
scored against AC Milan in the Champions League.

* He ends his Real career having netted 323 times in 741
appearances in all competitions, according to the clubs website
(www.realmadrid.com).

INTERNATIONAL GOALS

* In Euro 2000, Raul scored once, in a 2-1 win over
Slovenia, but he missed a penalty in the final minute of
quarter-final against France, consigning Spain to a 2-1 defeat.

* He scored three goals in the 2002 World Cup group stages
but injury against Ireland ruled him out of a quarter-final
defeat by South Korea.

* Raul had a disappointing Euro 2004, failing to score as
Spain went out in the first round.

* Raul is Spains leading all-time scorer with 44 goals in
102 games.

(Reporting by Iain Rogers; Editing by Clare Fallon; To query
or comment on this story email
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP)?World champion Spain will play an exhibition
against Argentina at River Plates stadium in Buenos Aires on Sept. 7.

Spanish federation head Angel Maria Villa made the announcement Friday.

If top players are selected, it would create a brutal travel schedule for
the Barcelona base of the Spanish team and for Argentina and Barca star Lionel
Messi.

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Spains first game after winning its first World Cup title will be an Aug.
11 exhibition at Mexico City, and the Spanish play their opening European
Championship qualifier on Sept. 3 at Liechtenstein.

Barcelona opens its La Liga title defense Aug. 29 at Racing Santander, plays
its home opener Sept. 12 against Hercules and starts European Champions League
play Sept. 14 or 15.

Spains starting lineup for the World Cup final included seven players
currently on Barcelona: defenders Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol; midfielders
Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez; and forwards Pedro Rodriguez
and David Villa. Spains roster also include Barcas starting goalkeeper, Victor
Valdes.

Argentina coach Diego Maradona is expected to discuss a new contract next
week with Argentine federation president Julio Grondona. Argentina also plays
Ireland in an exhibition on Aug. 11 in Dublin.

MILAN, July 21 (Reuters) – Inter Milan have signed top
Italian defensive prospect Andrea Ranocchia but the former Bari
player will spend next season at Genoa in a co-ownership deal.

?The defender has signed a five-year deal with Inter. Inter
and Genoa have agreed that Andrea Ranocchia will stay at Genoa
for the 2010/11 season, the European champions said in a
statement on Wednesday with no financial details given.

Ranocchia, 22, formed a solid central defensive partnership
with Leonardo Bonucci at mid-table Bari last season but his
campaign was cut short by a serious knee injury in January.

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He had been tipped for a place in Italys World Cup squad
but Bonucci went to South Africa instead and has since joined
Juventus.

With Inter boasting Lucio and Walter Samuel, Ranocchia would
have struggled for first team action in the coming season but he
is the first part of a campaign to bring more young Italians
into the clubs foreigner-dominated set-up.

As part of the complex deal, the Italian champions have
loaned youth striker Mattia Destro to Genoa.

Inter, whose coach Jose Mourinho left for Real Madrid after
last terms treble success, have otherwise been quiet in the
transfer window under new boss Rafael Benitez with the possible
exits of Maicon and Mario Balotelli instead dominating the
headlines.
(Reporting by Mark Meadows; Editing by Alison Wildey; To query
or comment on this story email
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

FRISCO, Texas?With a kick-off temperature of 101 degrees, FC Dallas looked right at home against an RSL side that was unbeaten in 10 games. Two second-half strikes from Brek Shea and Atiba Harris were all FCD needed to send the defending MLS Cup Champions back to Salt Lake with nothing to show for a drab and uninspired performance.

The win means Dallas hasn’t lost in 6, and improves their home record to 4-1-3. RSL has never won at Pizza Hut Park (0-7-0) and never really looked like changing that in this game. The Hoops’ were the dominant team throughout the match and had no trouble containing Javier Morales and World Cup participant Robbie Findley.

First Half

Dallas looked energetic and ready to play right from the whistle, pressing early and creating chances. FCD captain Daniel Hernandez came close in the 9th minute with a dipping near post freekick that RSL keeper Nick Rimando did well to keep out.

On the ensuing corner, forward Milton Rodriguez nearly grabbed a goal in his first game wearing a Dallas shirt, driving a header off the crossbar. Not until the 18th minute did Salt Lake really press the home-side’s box.

Javier Morales crossed the ball in from the left side of the 18 yardbox and after some awkward mid-air wobbling (characteristic of the Jabulani ball), FCD keeper Kevin Hartman needed to dive back and deflect the now goal-bound ball. His touch bounced the ball into the crossbar and away from danger.

RSL didn’t offer much else in the half, and looked relieved to hear the half-time whistle. Although having created several decent chances and dominating the run of play, Dallas went into the break without a goal for the 4th game in a row.

Second Half

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FCD midfielder Dax McCarty had been troubled with a quadricep strain earlier in the week and was replaced by Jeff Cunningham to start the second half. Cunningham has been searching for goal-scoring form this season, but looked lively as a second-half sub during last week’s tie with Seattle and came on with just as much energy in this game.

The storyline remained the same through the first 15 minutes, Dallas continued to control the ball well and seemed to be building momentum, though were a bit lucky to not go behind after Salt Lake midfielder Will Johnson fired a left-footed blast off the post in the 56th minute.

RSL could still find no way to get through the Dallas defense, and in the 60th minute opted to bring on Alvaro Saborio and Andy Williams for Findly and Jean Alexandre respectively. An opener nearly came in the 63rd minute, Brek Shea made a strong run into the box but fired straight at Rimando.
 
However, just six minutes later Dallas finally broke through. Milton Rodriguez managed a shot on goal that Rimando could only deflect into the path of Shea who finished with a strong, well-placed drive. His fourth tally of the year ended Rimando’s 566 minute shut-out streak dating back to May 29.

Shortly after the goal FCD swapped Rodriguez for midfielder Bruno Guarda. In his Dallas debut, Rodriguez looked sharp and will certainly have left coach Schellas Hyndman with a good impression. RSL looked to jump right back into the game and in the 73rd nearly drew level.

Andy Williams surged into the box and crossed to defender Nat Borchers who blasted a header over the bar from a yard out. Still not offering much offensively, this was the away-side’s first real attempt of the half. As if stirred by nearly losing the lead, FCD notched an insurance goal in the 76th minute.

David Ferreira’s corner was headed away and wide by RSL defender Chris Wingert, but Heath Pearce kept the pressure on and sent a low cross into the box. Atiba Harris collected the ball, turned well and fired in from just inside the 6 yard box. His 3rd goal of the season all but finished the game.

RSL forward Fabian Espindola headed a cross tamely to Hartman in the 83rd, but having looked tired for most of the match, Salt Lake couldn’t produce anything and failed to score for just the 4th time this year. FCD could have grabbed a third goal in stoppage time after Ferreira made a long run with the ball but failed to find an unmarked Cunningham running backside.

Now on a six match unbeaten run, Dallas looks full of confidence and deserved all three points from the fixture. Coach Hyndman will be glad that his team scored multiple goals during the run of play, something they haven’t done since Shea put two past San Jose on June 5.

Now facing back-to-back away games at Toronto and Colorado, the Hoops will want to keep the momentum rolling and earn as many points as possible on the road, especially against conference rival Colorado, who at the moment sit just two points behind FCD in fourth place.

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Colorado Rapids defender Julien Baudet has welcomed fellow Frenchman Thierry Henry to MLS, saying that the 32-year-old will enjoy his time in the US.

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Henry signed for the New York Red Bulls this week after being released by Spanish champions Barcelona. There have been some suggestions that the Arsenal legend made a mistake in moving to MLS, which is seen as a ‘retirement league’ by some, but Baudet believes that Henry made a good decision.

?Many people in Europe are going to see it as a step down for him but, when you get here, you see it is actually very competitive and a very good league, the former Notts County defender told MLSsoccer.com. ?Henry is a winner and its going to be a big challenge for him. He should be excited; we should all be excited.

?Its a fantastic move for him. He always wanted to go to New York and this is a great move for everyone and especially important for MLS on the back of a great World Cup for the US team.

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JOHANNESBURG (AP)?Germany is the team to beat as the World Cup comes down to
four contenders, with Spain, The Netherlands and Uruguay looking to find a way
to beat a German team that has peaked at just the right time.

With 13 goals in five games, Germany has dispatched Argentina and England
with comfort, scoring four each time, while the three others have been less
impressive.

At the end of the first round, South American teams were set to dominate the
competition. All but one have dropped out, with favorites Brazil falling to the
well-organized Dutch.

Uruguay meet the Dutch on Tuesday and European champion Spain faces
three-time World Cup winner Germany on Wednesday for places in the final.

The Europeans and South Americans are level 9-9 after 18 World Cups so one
of them is guaranteed to edge ahead in the July 11 final at Soccer City

On current form that looks like a Netherlands-Germany confrontation, a
meeting of two neighbors who also met in the 1974 final when the Germans won on
home soil.

Germany outplayed Argentina 4-0 in Cape Town Saturday with Miroslav Klose
scoring twice to take his tally from three World Cups to 14. Now he has two more
games to beat the all time record of 15 by Brazils Ronaldo.

The Germans, who have not won the title since 1990, also hit four against
Australia and England and are looking ominously good.

?What the team showed, it was not only international level, but the level
of champions, coach Joachim Loew said after his team had swept aside one of
the competition favorites. ?It was absolute class.

Supremely well organized and devastating on the counter-attack, Germany has
blended experience and youth to great effect. While 20-year-old Thomas Mueller
has added three goals to 32-year-old Kloses four, 21-year-old Mesut Oezil
dovetails neatly in midfield with the experienced Bastian Schweinsteiger and the
whole side has a consistent, solid look.

Spain, by contrast, has stumbled on the way to the last four, edging past
Paraguay 1-0 in the quarterfinal on Saturday after both teams missed penalties.

The Spaniards also lost their opening game to Switzerland and Vicente del
Bosques team, though little changed from the one that won Euro 2008 so
convincingly, bares little resemblance to that lineup.

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With Fernando Torres in poor form and Xavi Hernandez struggling to recapture
his high standards, David Villa has helped the team through with five goals. If
the Spaniards cant lift their game in the semifinal, the Germans look a good
bet to go through to a record eighth final.

At one stage a South American sweep of the semifinals was a strong
possibility with four nations in the last eight and all facing different teams.

With Brazil and Argentina going out in the quarterfinal, however, Uruguay?
a 100-1 shot when the tournament began?is left to try and take the title back
to South America and has a tough task ahead in Cape Town.

The Dutch take on Uruguay at Green Point Stadium in what will feel like a
home game.

On top of the 5,000 or so Dutch fans who have traveled to the World Cup,
there are 20,000 compatriots who have settled in the south-west coast city over
the generations. Although they may not all have tickets, they will be cheering
the team on in the bars and squares.

?We hear that the euphoria back home is incredible and its a shame that we
cannot experience it, said Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk, whose team
knocked out five-time champion Brazil 2-1 on Friday.

The Dutch sent striker Robin van Persie and defender Joris Mathijsen to
hospital for scans on injuries Saturday. Van Persie injured his left arm during
the game against Brazil and Mathijsen reported a right knee problems during the
warmup and pulled out of the game.

Both teams will definitely be without two players each through suspension.

The Dutch wont have midfielder Nigel de Jong and defender Gregory van der
Wiel because they have collected two yellow cards in the tournament. The same
applies to Uruguay defender Jorge Fucile while striker Luis Suarez, who has been
one of the stars of the competition, is also banned for a straight red card
awarded when he deliberately blocked the ball with his hands on his goalline in
the final minute of extra time against Ghana.

Coach Oscar Tabarez, whose team has reached this for for the first time
since 1970, denied that Suarez action was cheating. But the incident took some
of the gloss away from Uruguays impressive revival under a coach who also
guided the team in 1990 and returned for his second spell in 2006.

?Its beautiful, he said. ?Its difficult to take in whats happened. We
are just very happy.

?I dont know whether this is the rebirth of Uruguayan football. It could
be as long as we dont go another 20 years or so without getting to this
stage.

With Suarez out, the veteran coach has to reshape his attack and either rely
on the in-form Diego Forlan and Edinson Cavani or add another striker.

NEW YORK (AP)?Bob Bradley says hed be ?honored to remain the U.S. soccer
coach, and he expects a decision in three to four weeks.

Bradley told The Associated Press on Thursday he had ?a very good first
conversation with federation president Sunil Gulati before leaving the World
Cup. Bradley plans to meet with U.S. Soccer CEO Dan Flynn next week.

?I would simply say that we need time, Bradley said. ?Time to talk. Time
to think a little bit.

Hired in December 2006, Bradleys contract runs through the end of the year.
He led the Americans to the top of their group for the first time in 80 years.
But with the team in good position to reach the semifinals, the U.S. lost 2-1 to
Ghana in overtime in the first round of the knockout stage.

Gulati said Monday that ?I think the team is capable of more.

?Were proud of the work and the results, and we stand behind that,
Bradley said of his coaching staff. ?As this four-year cycle ends and a new one
begins, were pleased that regardless of decisions going forward that the work
in this four years will pay off in the next four years.

Bradley said he was satisfied with the teams World Cup preparations over
those last four years?from scheduling matches against difficult opponents to
the luminaries who addressed the squad before it played in South Africa.
Speakers included NBA Hall of Famer Bill Russell and Dan Jollota, the helicopter
pilot involved in the events depicted in the movie ?Black Hawk Down.

One obvious goal for the next four years is to improve at scoring goals. The
U.S. didnt get any from their forwards in South Africa. In his first World Cup,
20-year-old striker Jozy Altidore created chances but couldnt capitalize.

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?He still can improve in terms of his pure finishing, Bradley said.

Bradley likes to say that as the level of competition increases, ?the
window is smaller and the window closes faster. Learning to score through that
window takes experience.

Altidore had an excellent opportunity for a go-ahead goal against Ghana but
missed.

?He did so well to put himself in a goal-scoring position, Bradley said.
?Over time hell just understand that in those spots you have a little more
time and you dont have to rush anything. That ability to take that chance
calmly and finish it, thats a sign of experience.

Altidore scored just two goals for Premier League club Hull this past season
and has struggled to find consistent playing time at Europes highest level.

?When youre a forward, it becomes really important that you are someone
that can consistently score for your club team, Bradley said. ?That gives
confidence. I think that Jozy needs to find a club situation where week in and
week out hes on the field and theyre counting on him for big goals.

Bradley is picking Brazil to win the World Cup, and he knows the Americans
have a ways to go to match that powerhouse in fielding players who combine
superior physicality, athleticism and skill.

The buzz of a successful World Cup run by the U.S. can only encourage more
elite athletes to focus on soccer, Bradley said. The sport would gain an even
bigger boost if the country wins its bid to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022.

?A young player might look at a player like Jozy Altidore or a goalkeeper
like Timmy Howard and see them playing for the United States in the World Cup
and think thats what they want to do, Bradley said. ?That type of vision is
really the starting point for great athletes in all sports, and were seeing
more of that in soccer than ever.

MEXICO CITY (AP)?Javier Aguirre quit Wednesday as Mexico coach, three days
after the national team was knocked out of the World Cup in a 3-1 loss to
Argentina in the round of 16.

It marked the fifth straight time that Mexico has been eliminated in the
second round of the World Cup.

?Im the person responsible, said Aguirre, adding that hed made a
commitment to reach the quarterfinals.

Mexico has only twice reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup?in 1970
and 1986, when it hosted the event.

?We didnt qualify for the next round, and because of this one can consider
it a failure, Aguirre added. ?The plan was tobe among the best eight in
the world. This was the plan. If we didnt do it, its clear staying on the job
is not an option.

Aguirre made the announcement at a packed news conference in Mexico City.
The Mexico-born Aguirre was appointed 15 months ago to his second stint at
Mexico coach. He also coached the team in the 2002 World Cup, but was replaced
after Mexico was eliminated by the United States.

Aguirre is Mexicos fourth coach in four years and the fifth since Argentine
Ricardo La Volpe was released after the 2006 World Cup.

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He said the next coach should be retained for the entire four-year World Cup
cycle, which will end with the 2014 tournament in Brazil.

Aguirre said he had faith in a younger generation of Mexican players who
will be the core of the team in the next World Cup. They include forwards Javier
Hernandez, Giovani Dos Santos and Carlos Vela.

?I think the future is in the hands of our young players, Aguirre said.

He suggested he might be out of work for a while and said he did not know
where he could coach next, but suggested England or Spain were possible
destinations. He took over the Mexico job just weeks after being fired by
Spanish club Atletico de Madrid.

Mexico played more warm-up games than any team ahead of the World Cup, but
opened with a disappointing 1-1 draw with South Africa. Mexico defeated France
2-0 and then lost 1-0 Uruguay, meaning it fell behind the South Americans to
second place in Group A. This forced Mexico to face Group B winner, Argentina.

Several reports suggest Aguirre is one of highest paid national team coaches
with an annual salary of about $4 million. Only Italy coach Marcelo Lippi and
England coach Fabio Capello are believed to earn more.

?Everything I did, I did thinking of the well-being of Mexico, Aguirre
said.

?I have to be honest. If Im not enthusiastic about something, I can leave
the job.

Associated Press Writer Molly OToole contribued to this report.