FIFA Updates

* Midfielder agrees five-year deal with Real Madrid

* Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart sorry to lose him
(Adds Real Madrid confirmation, details)

BERLIN, July 30 (Reuters) – Germany midfielder Sami Khedira,
who played a major part in Germany’s progress to the World Cup
semi-finals, is joining Real Madrid from VfB Stuttgart on a
five-year deal, the clubs said on Friday.

The 23-year-old, who has a German mother and a Tunisian
father, cost the La Liga giants 12 million euros ($15.7
million), according to Spanish media reports.

He is the fourth reinforcement for new Real coach Jose
Mourinho following the purchase of Argentina winger Angel Di
Maria and Spanish midfielders Sergio Canales and Pedro Leon.

Mourinho was hired to replace Manuel Pellegrini at the end
of last season’s trophyless campaign and the club are seeking to
end the two-season reign of arch-rivals Barcelona as Spanish
champions and win a first Champions League title since 2002.

Khedira made his international debut in a friendly against
South Africa last September and was not expected to feature in
Germany’s World Cup team but was given his chance following the
injury that kept captain Michael Ballack out of the tournament.

He formed an impressive partnership with Bastian
Schweinsteiger as Germany finished third. He has 12 caps and
scored his first international goal in the World Cup third-place
playoff against Uruguay.

VfB, where Khedira made his professional debut in 2006, said
they were sorry to see him go.

“One is always extremely unhappy to let go a player who
dictates the game and is easily identified with, such as Sami
Khedira,” said Stuttgart’s sporting director Fred Bobic.

“On the other hand, we were able to fulfil Sami’s wishes of
furthering his career at Real. We wish him all the success with
his new challenge.”

(Reporting by Brian Homewood in Berne, additional reporting
by Iain Rogers in Barcelona, Editing by Clare Fallon and Ken
Ferris; To query or comment on this story email
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

By Mike Collett

LONDON, July 30 (Reuters) – Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
continued to deflect Barcelona’s interest in his Spanish skipper
Cesc Fabregas by urging him to stay at the club on Friday and
help them win the Premier League title in the coming season.

“There is a good attitude in the squad and Cesc Fabregas can
help us to achieve our targets,” Wenger told a news conference
ahead of this weekend’s pre-season four-team Emirates Cup which
they are hosting.

“He is now at an age, 23 and he has just won the World Cup
and I believe he will gain in authority again next season—the
biggest achievement for him is to help us win the championship.

“I have always said that Cesc Fabregas will be our captain
next season and we want to keep him, and despite all the
speculation for the whole of last season and this summer nothing
has changed.”

Fabregas has been courted relentlessly by Barcelona where he
was part of the Catalan club’s youth programme, and the player
admitted on Thursday he was torn between staying at Arsenal and
returning to the Nou Camp.

Barcelona made a 29 million pounds bid ($45.17 million) bid
for him last month but Wenger reiterated on Friday that Arsenal
were not prepared to negotiate and said he expects Fabregas to
remain a Gunner.

He also dismissed the fact that Fabregas was forced to wear
a Barca shirt by his celebrating Spanish team mates after their
World Cup final victory as nothing more than high jinks.

“It was part of celebrations—you can understand things
like that when you are friends, it has nothing to do with his
behaviour or his attitude. He has always said he is committed to
the club and he has always shown it.

“Look at the length of his contract and there is five or six
years to go I think. That means when we sign a contract for a
long period we are committed to that player no matter what
happens, to pay him and to keep him.”

In an interview with Catalan style magazine DIR Emotions
published on Thursday, Fabregas said: “I’m a Barca fan, I’m a
club member, as is my grandfather, my uncle, my cousin… I have
had the colours in my blood from a young age, I’m Catalan.

“However, I’m the captain of Arsenal, I’m a ‘Gunner’,” he
added. “And I have become a player there and matured as a
person.”

Fabregas joined Arsenal as a 16-year-old in 2003 and has
matured at the club, making 267 appearances and scoring 48 goals
in all competitions.

Fabregas is due to return to the club after the World Cup on
Aug. 5 and will not play in this weekend’s tournament which
comprises Arsenal, Celtic, AC Milan and Olympique Lyon.

(Editing by Pritha Sarkar; To query or comment on this story
email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

* Stuttgart say they have agreed terms with Real Madrid

* Bundesliga club sorry to lose Khedira

(Adds details and quotes)

BERLIN, July 30 (Reuters) – Germany midfielder Sami Khedira,
who played a major part in Germany’s progress to the World Cup
semi-finals, is to join Real Madrid from VfB Stuttgart, the
Bundesliga club said on Friday.

“VfB and Real Madrid have agreed on the midfielder’s move to
the Spanish capital,” the German club said on their website
(www.vfb.de).

“As soon as the German international has passed a medical
exam, he will put his signature on the contract.”

VfB, where Khedira made his professional debut in 2006, said
they were sorry to let the 23-year-old go.

“One is always extremely unhappy to let go a player who
dictates the game and is easily identified with, such as Sami
Khedira,” said Stuttgart’s sporting director Fred Bobic.

“On the other hand we were able to fulfil Sami’s wishes of
furthering his career at Real. We wish him all the success with
his new challenge.”

Khedira, who made his international debut in the friendly
against South Africa last September, was not expected to feature
in Germany’s World Cup team but was given his chance following
the injury which kept captain Michael Ballack out of the
tournament.

He formed an impressive partnership with Bastian
Schweinsteiger as Germany finished third.

He has 12 caps and scored his first international goal in
the third-place playoff against Uruguay in South Africa.
(Reporting by Brian Homewood in Berne; Editing by Clare Fallon;
To query or comment on this story email
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

* French striker scores a goal in each half

* Macedonians fail to trouble second-string Liverpool team
(adds quotes, detail)

By Zlatko Krstevski

SKOPJE, July 29 (Reuters) – David Ngog struck a goal in each
half to give Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson a successful start as
his side won 2-0 at Rabotnicki Skopje in a Europa League third
qualifying round, first-leg match on Thursday.

The French striker opened the scoring after capitalising on
a defensive blunder in the 18th minute and added the second just
before the hour mark, steering in a crisp shot from 10 metres.

The Macedonians failed to trouble a second-string Liverpool
team missing many of their World Cup players, including captain
Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.

The stadium’s capacity was sold out a week ahead of the
fixture but many of the disappointed 22,000 home fans left the
fairly uneventful match well before the final whistle.

New signing Milan Jovanovic was among Liverpool’s starters
and the Serbia winger had a decent game on the left flank,
causing problems with his speed and close control.

“Many of our young players are not used to playing in a
match like this but I am very satisfied with their performance,”
Hodgson told a news conference.

“If we are to have a good season in the Premier League, we
must use all the players we have.

“We were without 13 players tonight but the mix of young and
experienced players we fielded fulfilled my expectations.”

The latter stages of the match were played in near darkness,
after floodlight failure at the stadium’s newly-built northern
tier. The return leg is at Anfield next Thursday.

* Hughes on two-year contract

* Has tough act to follow

(adds quotes, details)

LONDON, July 29 (Reuters) – Fulham have appointed Mark
Hughes as manager on a two-year contract, the west London
Premier League club said on Thursday.

Last season’s Europa League finalists have turned to former
Wales and Manchester City boss Hughes to replace Roy Hodgson who
left to join Liverpool at the start of July.

“I am happy to have joined Fulham following much speculation
regarding the appointment of a new manager,” Hughes told the
Fulham website (www.fulhamfc.com).

Hughes has a tough act to follow at Fulham where Hodgson
made the most of the club’s resources and took them to their
first European final which they lost to Atletico Madrid.

“I’m joining on the back of two of the most successful
seasons in the club’s history and that in itself brings with it
the challenges of expectation and ambition,” added Hughes.

“I’m confident that with some additions to the squad, hard
work and commitment, we can move this club forward in the right
direction,” added the former Manchester United striker.

Chairman Mohamed Al Fayed was convinced Hughes could build
on the club’s success after Hodgson took them on an unexpectedly
rewarding European adventure in which they beat Juventus.

“I am confident that with his Premier League and national
team successes, Mark will be a great guy for the job,” he said.
“I know that he understands my vision for the club, and believes
in what we want achieve.”

Hughes will take charge of the team for the first time in
the friendly with Werder Bremen on Aug. 7 after being officially
unveiled at a news conference next Tuesday.

(Writing by Ken Ferris; Editing by Dave Thompson; To query
or comment on this story email
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)