Sonck ruled out by rib injury

VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach

Hannover 96 striker Michael Delura will also miss the next six weeks after tearing a calf ligament and damaging an ankle ligament. The German youth international, signed on loan from FC Schalke 04 in the summer, picked up the injury in a pre-season friendly against FC Twente.

Newly promoted 1. FC Köln have signed former Turkey defender Alpay Özalan on a one-year contract. The 32-year-old was available on a free transfer after being released by J-League club Urawa Red Diamonds. Alpay, capped 86 times by his country, is unlikely to take part in Köln's opening game of the season against 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday.

English Premiership newcomers West Ham United FC have signed Republic of Ireland defender Clive Clarke from Stoke City FC for €400,000. The 25-year-old has agreed a four-year contract and will provide competition to Paul Konchesky, another summer arrival, at left-back.

A player who began his career at West Ham, Paul Ince, is to retire at the end of the season. Ince, capped 53 times by England, moved from Upton Park to Manchester United FC in 1989, and went on to win three league titles, two FA Cups and the 1991 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and UEFA Super Cup. In 1995 he moved to FC Internazionale Milano and later played for Liverpool FC and Middlesbrough FC before joining Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, since relegated, in 2002. He said: "I'll be 38 in October and it'll be a good time to call it a day at the end of the season."

Grigory Yevtushenko, the Russian coach of Estonian Meistriliiga side JK Merkuur Tartu, has stepped down after the club suffered financial problems and released eight first team players, six of whom have joined JK Trans Narva. Yevtushenko's successor has not yet been named.

Cádiz CF

In Scotland, striker James Grady has left Dundee United FC by mutual consent. Grady has struggled to hold down a regular place at Tannadice since former manager Ian McCall signed him from Partick Thistle FC last season. Meanwhile, the Tannadice club's appeal against a decision not to renew a work permit for their Trinidad and Tobago striker Jason Scotland has been rejected by the British Home Office.