Manchester City’s out-of-favour striker Craig Bellamy has agreed to join Championship club Cardiff City on a season-long loan.
The 31-year-old Wales international has been frozen out of the first-team picture at Eastlands and had been linked with a number of other Premier League clubs, as well as SPL giants Celtic.
However, Bellamy has instead opted to join his hometown club to try and help them realise their dream of reaching the English top-flight.
Bellamy told his new club’s official website: “I’m thrilled to be coming back home to Cardiff and am excited at the prospect of wearing the shirt and playing for the club I’ve supported since I was a boy.
“It has been my dream to play my part in taking my hometown club to the Premier League, which would be fantastic for the football club, the city of Cardiff and Wales.”
Can Craig Bellamy help Cardiff City win promotion? – Latest Football Betting
Stoke City have been handed a major boost after record signing Kenwyne Jones was cleared of having suffered a serious ankle injury in the season-opening 2-1 defeat at Wolves.
The 25-year-old £8million recruit from Sunderland lasted just over ten minutes of the Molineux clash, amid fears that he could be facing a lengthy lay-off.
However, subsequent scans and X-rays have revealed only minor ligament damage to Jones’ right ankle.
Birmingham City have boosted their strikeforce with the signing of former Blackburn Rovers frontman Matt Derbyshire on a season-long loan from Olympiacos.
The 24-year-old former England Under-21 international moved to Greece in January 2009 and helped his club win the Greek Cup final at the end of the season.
However, last term he struggled to make an impact and has been allowed to return to England, with an option for a permanent deal also in place.
In rugby league, head coach Brian McDermott will leave Harlequins at the end of the season to become assistant coach at Leeds Rhinos.
McDermott has been in charge of Quins for more than four years but his side has struggled this season, winning only seven of their 25 Super League fixtures to date.
Gareth Thomas hopes to sign a new one-year contract with Crusaders after impressing during his initial season with the Wrexham-based side.
The 36-year-old former Wales rugby union captain moved to the Racecourse Ground in March on a six-month contract and has enjoyed his stint in rugby league.
All-rounder Greg Smith has taken over as the new captain of Derbyshire, after Australia batsman Chris Rogers decided to step aside.
Rogers took charge midway through the summer of 2008, but feels that now is the right time to hand over the role to Smith, who has led the side in the Twenty20 Cup this season.
