Sochaux bring Leroy home

Real Madrid CF

Jérôme Leroy has returned to French football to sign a two-year contract at FC Sochaux-Montbéliard. The much-travelled 31-year-old midfielder was available to Sochaux coach Alain Perrin on a free transfer after a disappointing spell in Israel with Beitar Jerusalem FC. Leroy is the third new face to arrive at Sochaux this summer after goalkeeper Jérémy Gavanon and midfielder Karim Ziani.

Serbo-Montenegrin defender Dejan Stefanović has extended his stay with Portsmouth FC until June 2008 after agreeing a new contract. The 31-year-old captain has been with the English club since 2003. "This is the proof I am going to stay here for a long time," he said. The club have also appointed Avraham Grant as technical director to work with manager Harry Redknapp. Grant, who led the Israeli national team during qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, has also worked with Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC and Maccabi Haifa FC.

Iván Campo will spend the next two seasons with Bolton Wanderers FC after agreeing a contract extension on the day his previous deal at the Reebok stadium expired. The 32-year-old former Real Madrid CF defensive midfielder has made 111 league appearances for Bolton since moving to England in the 2002/03 season.

Middlesbrough FC's teenage winger Adam Johnson has agreed a new contract that will keep him at the English Premiership club until summer 2010. The 18-year-old England Under-19 international played in 13 Premiership matches last season and featured three times in Middlesbrough's run to the UEFA Cup final. Elsewhere in England, newly-promoted Watford FC have signed 36-year-old defender Chris Powell on a one-year deal. The left-back made 227 league apparances for Charlton Athletic FC, where his contract expired today.

Real Betis Balompié have made Óscar López's move from FC Barcelona permanent after the two clubs agreed a fee of €200,000. The 26-year-old defender has signed a four-year deal, with a clause giving Barça ten per cent of any future transfer fee, after spending the 2005/06 campaign on loan at the Andalusian club.

Polish top-flight newcomers ŁKS Łódź have signed Bosnia-Herzegovina forward Ensar Arifović from relegated Ekstraklasa side KSP Polonia Warszawa. The 25-year-old scored six goals in 24 league appearances last season. MKS Odra Wodzisław have signed the 29-year-old Czech defender Lubor Knapp from FC Vítkovice on a 18-month contract.

Brazilian centre-back Milton do Ó has signed for Portuguese side CS Marítimo from Fluminense FC in his homeland. The 27-year-old, who has previously played in Europe with Olympique de Marseille and Samsunspor, has a three-year contract with the Madeira club.

Helsingborgs IF have sacked coach Peter Swärdh after seven games of the Allsvenskan season and replaced him with Stuart Baxter, who has been working in Japan with Vissel Kobe. "Baxter is a high-profile manager and everyone is very pleased that he will join us", said Helsingborg chairman Sten-Inge Fredin, although it is not clear when the Englishman, who made his name with AIK Solna, will be able to take up his new position. Caretaker manager Hasse Eklund will take charge of team affairs in his absence.

PFC Botev Plovdiv have given Svetoslav Gurkov his first chance as a head coach with him having previously worked as a fitness coach at several Bulgarian sides. Gurkov will be assisted by veteran midfielder Kostadin Vidolov. Meanwhile, the 56-year-old Dionisios Beslikas has been appointed PFC Vihren Sandanski's sporting manager with the Greek working alongside coach Petar Zhekov.

In Austria striker Andreas Hölzl of FC Wacker Tirol has extended his contract, which was due to expire next year, for a further season until 2008. Meanwhile in Germany, 25-year-old midfielder Thomas Broich has left VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach to sign a three-year with second division 1. FC Köln.