Southampton goalkeeper Kelvin Davis has labelled team-mate Rickie Lambert as a different machine from the player that joined in 2009.

Striker Lambert was called up to the England squad for the first time on Thursday for this week s friendly against Scotland and Davis feels the honour is well deserved for the 31-year-old.

The recognition comes after a long career in the lower leagues for Lambert, who had his first taste of top-flight football when Southampton were promoted in 2012 and moved from Bristol Rovers in 2009.

Rickie is that type of character and nothing seems to faze him. I do not think playing for England is going to faze him either, Davis was quoted as saying by The Daily Mirror.

The thing is he has worked extremely hard since he came to us from Brist…

Newcastle United have signed striker Joselu from Stoke City in a £5million deal.

The striker has signed a three-year contract at St James Park after sealing his move on Wednesday.

I feel very happy, because I have signed for a very big club, Joselu told Newcastle s official website. I m very happy to be part of this club, and so excited. 

I m looking forward to getting to know my team-mates, the city, the training ground, the stadium and all the supporters.

Joselu spent last season on loan at Deportivo La Coruna in LaLiga, scoring five goals in 20 appearances, just nine of which were starts.

That came after he also struggled for a regular spot at Stoke, making 22 Premier League outings – only 10 from Mark Hughes starting XI after joining fr…

Two goals from Coke saw Sevilla come from behind to win a third consecutive Europa League with a 3-1 victory over Liverpool in Basle.

Unai Emery s men, outplayed in the first half, responded with an emphatic second 45 minutes to leave Liverpool reeling and condemn Jurgen Klopp to a fifth-straight defeat in a major final.

Liverpool, who had dispatched Villarreal so impressively in the second leg of the semi-final, were the better side in the first half and deservedly took the lead when Daniel Sturridge curled in a superb finish from the edge of the area.

But Sevilla, who came from behind to beat Dnipro in last year s final, responded seconds after half-time with Kevin Gameiro s 29th goal of the season, before Coke capped a fine team move to put the holders ahead.<…

Danijel Subasic and Andrea Raggi have agreed contract extensions with Monaco, the Ligue 1 champions have announced.

Croatia international Subasic played a pivotal role in Monaco s title success last season, featuring in all but two of their 38 league games, with only Paris Saint-Germain (27) conceding fewer than their 31.

He was also an ever-present as Monaco made it to the Champions League semi-finals, playing 14 times in the competition, before they were eventually knocked out by Juventus.

Subasic s new deal will keep him tied to the club until 2020 having initially joined from Hajduk Split for just €1million in January 2012.

Experienced Italian centre-back Raggi will also remain at the club for the time being, after signing a one-year extension to …

Celta Vigo winger Nolito has emerged as transfer target for Manchester City as new boss Pep Guardiola is believed to be keen to reunite with a player he worked with at Barcelona.

According to , Citizens are willing to activate Nolito’s release clause of £14 million and snap the highly rated Spanish international whose proposed return to Barcelona fell through last season.

The 29-year-old is currently in France with the Spanish national team and Nolito has already taken part in La Roja’s opening match against Czech Republic on Monday.

Nolito was part of Guardiola’s La Liga and Champions league double winning Barcelona side in 2010-11 season, when he decided to quit the Catalan club for Benfica in search of regular first-team action.

He returned to …

Sunderland are closing in on a move for Aston Villa defender Micah Richards, .

The centre-back only moved to Villa Park last season, racking up twenty-eight appearances for the club in all competitions though he was unable to save them from relegation to the Championship.

However he looks set for an immediate return to the English top flight with Sunderland ready to meet his £5m release clause.

Prior to his move to Villa Richards had a loan spell with Serie A side Fiorentina having spent his entire career until that point with Manchester City.

He played almost two hundred and fifty times for the Citizens, scoring nine goals and was part of the squad that won the Premier League titles in both 2012 and 2014 and also the FA Cup in 2011.

Inter…

Lucas Leiva believes that the stablity established by manager Brendan Rodgers has been key to Liverpool s success so far this season.

Liverpool have surprised many with their superb performances in this campaign and sit fourth in the Premier League after achieving 11 wins from their first 18 games.

The Anfield club are in contention to return to the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2009 and Lucas put that improvement down to the boss.

I believe that with the arrival of Brendan Rodgers we get that stability, the midfielder said.

The first season was difficult, because there are new players arriving and a lot of people leaving. The second part of last season was better when (Daniel) Sturridge and (Philippe) Coutinho came. They made the team better.