Obiorah takes leave of Lokomotiv

FC Lokomotiv Moskva's Nigerian forward James Obiorah will spend the remainder of the season on loan at French Ligue 2 side Chamois Niortais FC. The much-travelled 26-year-old striker first joined Lokomotiv in 2001 and struck 14 goals in 25 games to help them win the Russian Premier League, but he subsequently struggled and left for Spanish second division side Cádiz CF in 2003. He re-signed for Lokomotiv in early 2004.

Club Brugge KV midfield player Ivan Gvozdenovic is another player moving to France, the 26-year-old having agreed to spend the remainder of the campaign on loan at FC Metz. The Serbo-Montenegrin international has a contract with Brugge until June 2007.

Arvid Smit, meanwhile, will finish the season at Willem II. The 24-year-old midfield player has struggled to establish himself at PSV Eindhoven, who have also allowed Denmark's Under-19 captain, Michael Jakobsen, to move for an undisclosed fee to Aalborg BK, where he has signed a contract until summer 2008.

In Italy, AC Chievo Verona have brought in left-back Alessandro Potenza on loan from FC Internazionale Milano until the summer. The 20-year-old spent the first half of the season on loan at Parma FC, where he played 16 Serie A games, but has now cut short that arrangement to join Chievo.

Goalkeeper Theofanis Katergiannakis, a non-playing member of Greece's UEFA EURO 2004™ squad, has cancelled his two-year contract with Cagliari Calcio and is now free to join another club on a free transfer. Katergiannakis had recently lost his place to Gennaro Iezzo.

On a busy day in Scotland, Richie Byrne finally completed his move to Aberdeen FC after a medical delayed his €72,000 transfer from Dunfermline AFC. The 23-year-old defender has agreed a three-and-a-half year deal with the Dons, who have also signed Finnish brothers Mikko and Markus Paatelainen, a striker and right winger respectively, until the end of the season. The players, who are the younger siblings of former Aberdeen striker Mixu, have joined from Finnish club AC Allianssi.

After losing Byrne, Dunfermline have signed Danish striker Jesper Christiansen on a short-term deal until the summer. The 23-year-old has been on a month's trial after leaving Kidderminster Harriers FC and scored his first goal in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Dundee United FC.

Meanwhile, Heart of Midlothian FC have confirmed the signings of midfield players Saulius Mikoliunas and Marius Kižys from Lithuania's FBK Kaunas. Both players had been on trial but have now signed contracts for the rest of the season.

In Germany, VfL Bochum 1848 have awarded 20-year-old Claus Costa a professional contract. The midfield player, a product of Bochum's youth system, signed a two-and-a-half year deal with the club today. Dirk Langerbein has agreed a contract of the same length with 1. FC Nürnberg, joining from 2. Bundesliga outfit MSV Duisburg for an undisclosed fee.

Also moving on a two-and-a-half year contract is UD Las Palmas left-back Jaime Pérez. The 23-year-old has joined Spanish Primera División side Real Betis Balompié. "He is a promising player for the future," said the Betis coach, Llorenç Serra Ferrer.

RCD Mallorca have made their fifth winter signing, acquiring Brazilian Under-21 international Felipe Melo until the end of the season. The Spanish side have negotiated the rights to buy 50 per cent of the 21-year-old midfield player, a free agent, from a Brazilian investment company.

In Serbia and Montenegro, finally, FK Crvena Zvezda have recruited OFK Beograd's Ardijan Djokaj, who described the move as "the fulfillment of a childhood dream". The 25-year-old midfield player, who has had spells with FK Buducnost Podgorica, Spain's RCD Mallorca and FK Obilic, has signed a four-and-a-half year contract.