Bilic returns to west ham
london: Former West Ham defender Slaven Bilic (in pic) returned as manager on Tuesday after being convinced that the impending move into london’s Olympic Stadium will make the Premier league club more ambitious. The former Croatia coach signed a three-year contract to replace Sam Allardyce, who left West Ham last month when the season ended amid an increasingly fraught relationship with fans.
Beyond getting the team playing the brand of spirited attacking football sought by the owners, a key priority for Bilic will be ensuring West Ham is still a Premier league team for the 2016-17 season. That is when West Ham moves home across east london into the stadium used for the 2012 london Olympics, which is being turned into a 54,000-seat venue.
In its final season at Upton Park, West Ham will be playing in the Europa league for the first time. “My first priority when choosing a club is to look at its ambitions,” the 46-year-old Bilic said on the club website. “(The owners) made clear that it is not only the fantastic new stadium we are moving into, but they showed their determination and ambition to make what is a big club even bigger.”
Bilic played for West Ham in 1996-97, and went on to coach Croatia at the 2008 and 2012 European Championships. More recently, he has coached lokomotiv Moscow and Besiktas. “I remember West Ham as a special club,” Bilic said. “It is a great place to play and I felt like I was at home. It is a big privilege and a big responsibility to now be manager.”
Alves, enrique extend barca contracts
Barcelona: FC Barcelona’s Dani Alves and manager luis Enrique on Tuesday agreed to a new two-year contract extension with the Spanish football club. Alves, whose previous deal was due to expire this month, was linked with other clubs that included Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Manchester United.
“FC Barcelona has announced that Dani Alves has accepted its proposal for the renewal of his contract which expires on June 30. The new agreement binding both parties will be for a further two seasons, through to June 30, 2017, with the option of a third season,” the club’s website said. Barca president Jose Maria Bartomeu announced that Enrique would be staying for at least two more seasons in a televised address.
Khedira moves to Juve
Turin: Juventus says it has signed midfielder Sami Khedira from Real Madrid on a four-year contract. The Italian champions said in a statement on Tuesday that Khedira will arrive on a free transfer on July 1. Khedira progressed through the ranks at Stuttgart before moving to Madrid in 2010 and helping the team to a string of titles, including the league, two Spanish Cups and the Champions league. He also won the World Cup with Germany last summer. The 28-year-old Khedira made just 17 appearances in all competition this season for Real Madrid.