Sanogo signs for Bremen

Ivory Coast international Boubacar Sanogo has waved goodbye to Hamburg's boo boys and signed a four-year contract at Werder Bremen, the club announced on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old striker endured a torrid year at Hamburg, where he was booed by his own fans, and was courted by both Bremen and Bundesliga champions VfB Stuttgart before he finally signed for Werder in a deal believed to be worth four million euros.

After agreeing terms on Monday, Sanogo trained with his new club on Tuesday and is expected to play in the friendly against Paderborn the same night.

Sanogo was bought to replace Miroslav Klose, the top-scorer at last year's World Cup, who was sold to Bayern Munich for a reported figure of 12 million euros this summer.

This is Sanogo's third Bundesliga side having spent a year at both Kaiserslautern, where he scored 10 goals in 24 games, and Hamburg, four goals in 31 games, before signing for Bremen.

The move away from Hamburg will be a relief for Sanogo who suffered at the hands of his own fans for most of last season and admitted the jeers damaged his confidence at the time.

Alou Diarra expected in Bordeaux to sign contract

Lyon midfielder Alou Diarra is expected here on Monday to sign a four-year deal with the French first division side, club president Jean-Louis Triaud said on Saturday.

The 26-year-old France international, who played in Lyon's last match of the group stage at the Peace Cup in South Korea, will undergo the customary medical before heading off to the training camp to join his new teammates.

Diarra, whose transfer is estimated at 7.75 millions euros (10.6 million dollars), moved to Lyon in August 2006 from RC Lens.

Earlier in the week Diarra said he decided to leave Lyon to improve his chances of breaking into the French national side in time for the Euro 2008 finals.

"It's difficult not playing when one of your ambitions is to play for the national side," he said.

Charlton sell Rommedahl and Young

Relegated Charlton lost two of their international stars on Friday as Danish striker Dennis Rommedahl was sold to Ajax Amsterdam and defender Luke Young was set to move to Middlesbrough.

The 28-year-old Rommedahl, who had played in the English Premiership since 2004 having spent seven seasons with PSV Eindhoven, was sold to Ajax for 680,000 pounds.

Boro have negotiated a price of 2.5million pounds for 28-year-old Young.

Young, who can play at centre-half or left-back, joined the Addicks for four million pounds in 2000, but has been given permission by manager Alan Pardew to pursue his hopes of a return to the top flight following Charlton's relegation.

"Ajax fits me perfectly. I hope that Ajax think the same," said Rommedahl.

"I wanted to return to Holland very much. I played a lot of years in the Dutch league, and I love the positive football that is played there. That absolutely counts for Ajax."

Pardew tried to buy Young when he was in charge of West Ham but has already bought the man he believes can be the former club captain's long-term successor - Yassin Moutaouakil.

Moutaoukil signed for Athletic from French side Chateauroux last month for around 400,000 pounds and will be expected to take over from Young next season.