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De Laurentiis reveals failed Juve bid for Hamsik

Serie A champions Juventus failed with a bid for Napoli's Marek Hamsik during the transfer window, says president Aurelio De Laurentiis.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has revealed that Juventus failed with a €25million offer for Marek Hamsik during the transfer window.

The defending Serie A champions were on the hunt for attacking replacements after the departures of Carlos Tevez and Andrea Pirlo, with Julian Draxler and Axel Witsel widely linked.

De Laurentiis confirmed Hamsik was also on Massimiliano Allegri's radar, but that interest was quickly rebuffed and Juve opted for Hernanes from Inter.

"Juventus wanted Hamsik for €25m," he told Radio Kiss Kiss. "I asked them for [Stefano] Sturaro and [Daniele] Rugani and they refused, they got Hernanes instead!

"This is a team which has kept its stars.

"We had offers totalling €98m, not including [Gonzalo] Higuain, not selling them is the same as if I had bought players worth that much."

And having kept his squad together, De Laurentiis called for patience from the Napoli fans as Maurizio Sarri settles into life at San Paolo.

He added: "I have to laugh when fans want everything immediately, this year there's a different style of play [under Sarri], the defensive line is very high and it takes a lot of energy.

"Our goals also depend on what the other teams do. Sarri may lose another five or six games, I knew when I chose him that it would take time, we can't win everything right away."

Schweinsteiger: Manchester not as bad as everybody thinks

Just over a month into his Manchester United career, Bastian Schweinsteiger has reflected on the change in clubs, cities and coaches.

Bastian Schweinsteiger insists he is relishing life at Manchester United and has jokingly stated: "Manchester is not as bad as everybody thinks."

The 31-year-old midfielder moved to Old Trafford in July, bringing an end to more than a decade at Bayern Munich, where he won 20 major trophies.  

It has been a low-key start at United – who have taken seven from a possible 12 points from their opening four games - for Schweinsteiger, but he is enjoying the challenge of adapting to the frantic pace of the Premier League. 

"Of course everything is new to me. But it is a lot of fun," said Schweinsteiger on Tuesday while away on international duty with Germany. 

"The club is huge. Sadly we gave away a few points in the last two games [a 0-0 draw with Newcastle United and Sunday's 2-1 defeat at Swansea City]. Otherwise we would be in a better position right now. 

"So again it is a lot of fun and it is something really great to be there. Manchester is also not as bad as everybody thinks. 

"We believe that the city is not that beautiful but I can say that the people are really nice and respectful. The city is nice as well." 

Schweinsteiger has been reunited with former Bayern coach Louis van Gaal since joining United. 

And Schweinsteiger said of the Dutchman: "Yes he is still the same Louis van Gaal that we all know. 

"He is very ambitious and he wants to win every game. He is a good guy and knows how to treat the team correctly. 

"It is a lot of fun not just to work with him but with the whole team and the new players. The spirit of the team is great and I hope that we can use the dominance we already had in the games earlier to finally start winning."

Wolfsburg want to 'annoy' Bayern - Dante

Wolfsburg want to "annoy" Bayern Munich according to Dante, who swapped the latter for the former on Monday.

Dante has warned former club Bayern Munich that his new Wolfsburg team-mates are out to "annoy" the Bundesliga champions this season.

Brazil defender Dante swapped the Allianz Arena for the Volkswagen Arena before the end of the German transfer window on Monday after three trophy-laden seasons in Munich.

Wolfsburg were Bayern's closest challengers in the Bundesliga last season, and they followed up their DFB-Pokal win by beating the Bavarian giants in last month's DFL-Supercup.

And Dante says that Wolfsburg, who also signed Julian Draxler on Monday after the sale of Kevin De Bruyne to Manchester City, are ready to fight his former employers again this term.

"Wolfsburg is trying to improve and this is also my goal," explained the 31-year-old.

"We want to annoy Bayern Munich. We know it will be difficult but we will give everything we have got.

"I think it was a very good time at Bayern. It was a nice story, a very good three years. I have won many titles. Now it is over.

"But I have to look forward. Now I will give everything I have got for Wolfsburg to help my team-mates."

Everton sign Lennon on permanent deal

Aaron Lennon has returned to Everton on a permanent transfer having scored twice for the club during a loan from Tottenham last season.

Everton have completed the signing of winger Aaron Lennon from Tottenham for an undisclosed fee.

Lennon has signed a three-year contract for the Merseyside club, where he scored twice in 14 appearances during a loan spell last season.

The 28-year-old moved to Tottenham from Leeds United in 2005 and has played 364 for the White Hart Lane outfit in all competitions, scoring 30 times, but he has not featured for Mauricio Pochettino's side this term.

Manager Roberto Martinez said: "We are delighted to welcome Aaron back to Everton.

"We know we are getting a player our fans know inside out. He had a major role in the second half of our season and we're looking forward to Aaron kicking on and continuing to enjoy his football, as well as being the productive player we know he can be. 

"He is well-respected in the dressing room, his experience in the Premier League is immense and he will immediately add to our squad and to the ambition we have as a club."

Lennon is Martinez's second signing of deadline day following the £9.5 million acquisition of Argentina international defender Ramiro Funes Mori from River Plate.

United put blame back on Real Madrid over De Gea

Manchester United have turned claims that they were late submitting documents for David de Gea's failed move to Real Madrid back on them.

Real Madrid are to blame over their failure to land David de Gea before La Liga's transfer deadline, a defensive statement from Manchester United has claimed.

Spain goalkeeper De Gea had been expected to move to the Bernabeu throughout the transfer window, but the switch - which would have seen Keylor Navas move to Old Trafford - failed to materialise as the Spanish window shut on Monday.

Real were quick to point the finger of blame at United on Tuesday, claiming late submission of documents to FIFA's Transfer Matching System from Old Trafford held the deal up - but the Premier League club have suggested dithering in Madrid was the root cause.

United's statement reads in full below:

- Manchester United did not seek contact from Real Madrid for the sale of David. David is a key member of our squad and the club's preference was not to sell. 

- No offer was received for David until yesterday.

- At lunchtime yesterday, Real Madrid made its first offer to buy David. A deal was agreed between the clubs, which included Navas being transferred to Old Trafford. The deals were dependent on each other.

- In the last several hours of the process, with Navas at the Real Madrid training ground, Real Madrid were controlling the documentation processes of David, Navas and Real Madrid. Manchester United was in control only of the documentation of Manchester United.

- Manchester United sent transfer documents for both players to Real Madrid at 2042 BST. David's documentation was returned by Real Madrid to Manchester United without the signatory page at 2232 BST. 

- At 2240 BST, minutes before the deadline, major changes to the documentation came through to Manchester United which immediately put the deals at risk.  

- Only at 2255 BST were the documents that are needed to cancel David's contract received by Manchester United from Real Madrid. 

- At this point Navas' documentation was still not returned by Real Madrid.

- At 2258 BST, the transfer agreement was sent back by Manchester United, uploaded onto TMS and accepted - all before the deadline. 

- It is our understanding that the deals couldn't happen because:

- Real Madrid didn't upload David’s documents onto TMS in time (Manchester United did)

- Real Madrid didn't upload David's documents to the Spanish league in time, per reports it seems some 28 minutes after the deadline 

- The fact that Manchester United filed the papers on time was acknowledged by the Football Association, who offered to support that claim in any discussions with FIFA. The club offered this assistance, as well as its own time-stamped documents to Real Madrid but they have chosen not to go down this route.

- Manchester United acts appropriately and efficiently in its transfer dealings. The club is delighted that its fan-favourite double Player of the Year, David de Gea, remains a Manchester United player.