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Bridge completes US$11m Chelsea move

Wayne Bridge: "I've come here to win medals." Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

LONDON (Reuters) -- England's Wayne Bridge has joined Chelsea from Southampton for seven million pounds (US$11.14 million), while Chelsea's Graeme Le Saux is moving to the defender's former club as part of the deal.

Both men are left backs, with 22-year-old Bridge signing a five-year contract with Chelsea, the big-spending west London club announced on its Web site.

Southampton confirmed its signing of Le Saux on a two-year contract at St Mary's, adding that no separate fee was involved for the 34-year-old.

Bridge told the Chelsea Web site: "This is a big step up for me, with the players Chelsea are looking to buy to build a great squad. They've got a good squad at the moment, so hopefully I can add to that. I've come here to win medals."

Bridge will fly out Tuesday to join the rest of Claudio Ranieri's squad in Malaysia for a pre-season tour.

Wayve Bridge Factbox Born Southampton, England on August 5, 1980. 1998 Signs as a professional for Southampton in January making his first-team debut against Liverpool at the start of the 1998/99 season. 2000 Starts a run of 133 consecutive matches in March -- a Premier League record for an outfield player -- which ends when he is injured against Liverpool in January 2003. 2001 Voted Southampton's player of the year 2002 Makes his full England debut in a friendly against the Netherlands in February and plays against Argentina and Nigeria in the World Cup in Japan and South Korea as a substitute. 2003 Plays in Southampton's 1-0 FA Cup final defeat by Arsenal in May. July 18 Bridge submits a transfer request and Southampton accept an undisclosed bid from Chelsea. July 21 Bridge joins Chelsea in a move worth seven million pounds (US$11.14 million), with defender Graeme Le Saux going to Southampton from the west London club. GOALS/APPEARANCES So'ton -- 161 games/two goals England -- 12 games/no goals

Chelsea's fortunes have been transformed since Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich's takeover of the west London club.

It has signed Cameroon midfielder Geremi from Middlesbrough for 10 million euros (US$11.27 million) and West Ham United's promising teenage right back Glen Johnson for six million pounds (US$9.52 million).

It has also agreed at least 17 million pounds (US$27 million) for Blackburn Rovers's Ireland midfielder Damien Duff.

Le Saux, who had separate two spells at Chelsea, will join up with Gordon Strachan's squad in Sweden later this week.

Some sadness

Jersey-born Le Saux told the Southampton Web site: "Obviously there is a certain amount of sadness at leaving Chelsea after a total of 11 years and more than 300 appearances.

"But the flip side is the buzz and excitement of joining a club where I have always felt at home ever since I used to come over to soccer camps here when I was a young teenager."

Born in Southampton, Bridge started out with its youth team before turning professional in 1998 and making his debut against Liverpool on the opening day of the following season. Voted the club's Player of the Year in 2000-2001, he made a convincing England debut in a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands in February 2002 in Amsterdam and soon established himself in Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad.

The only alternative to first-choice Ashley Cole of Arsenal on England's left side, Bridge made two substitute appearances at the 2002 World Cup and has so far collected 12 caps.

Last season, he helped Southampton finish a respectable eighth in the league table and reach the FA Cup final with eventual winner Arsenal.

While Southampton will be hoping to repeat its top-half finish and enjoy a decent run in the UEFA Cup next season, Chelsea offers a team set to challenge for the championship and only two qualifying games away from a Champions League place.

Wenger confident of keeping Vieira; eyes Canizares

LONDON (Reuters) -- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is close to re-signing skipper Patrick Vieira and has targeted Valencia goalkeeper Santiago Canizares as a possible replacement for David Seaman, he was quoted as saying Monday.

A towering presence in midfield, the 27-year-old Vieira is rated at up to 25 million pounds (US$39.65 million) and has just one season left on his contract before he becomes a free agent.

"I believe Patrick is very close to signing," Wenger said in Monday's Daily Mail. "I am very optimistic."

The quest continues for a replacement for Seaman, who has joined Premier League rival Manchester City.

"At the moment I am not progressed enough to give you a name but Canizares is one of them," Wenger told the club's Web site.

Italian goalkeeper Matteo Guardalben has returned home after a trial and a pre-season friendly at Peterborough last week, while Frenchman Guillaume Warmuz, signed as cover in January, has also left the club.

"That is one job," Wenger said of the search for a keeper. "The other is to extend the contract of the players we want to extend. Then the job will be done."

Stuart Taylor is currently Arsenal's first-choice goalkeeper, followed by Rami Shaaban, who missed most of last season through injury, and Graham Stack.

"I have confidence in Stuart Taylor but we're not sure he can go through a whole season as first choice, so we need to bring in someone experienced," Wenger told the Daily Mail.

Wenger added that winger Robert Pires was about to sign a new deal.

"Rumors that we have had offers for Robert are not true," said the Frenchman. "He is about to agree an extension to his contract."

England's Sinclair joins Manchester City

LONDON (Reuters) -- England midfielder Trevor Sinclair has joined Manchester City from relegated West Ham United for 2.5 million pounds (US$3.98 million), the Premier League club said Monday.

The 30-year-old winger, a member of England's World Cup squad, passed a medical Monday and has signed a four-year contract, City said on its Web site.

Sinclair has already joined up with Kevin Keegan's side in Denmark and could make his debut in a pre-season friendly Tuesday against OB Odense.

"Trevor is an England international at the peak of his career," Keegan told the Web site.

"He will now have plenty time to get to know his new teammates prior to our competitive games."

"Everything is done now and he gives us another string to our bow. He can play right or left and he can play wingback. I am delighted with him."

Sinclair has been used by England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson to fill the problem position on the left side of England's midfield.

Parker signs five-year Charlton deal

LONDON (Reuters) -- Charlton Athletic midfielder Scott Parker has ended speculation about his future by signing a new five-year contract, the south London club said Monday.

The 22-year-old had been linked with a move away from The Valley with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur among a host of clubs reported to be interested in signing the versatile player.

"There has been much speculation recently about Scott's future, but it was not encouraged by us," Charlton chairman Richard Murray told the club's Web site.

"This deal should be seen as a clear statement of Charlton's intention to compete at the highest possible level."

Parker, who came through the club's youth ranks, was in the running for the PFA's young player of the year last season and was also named in the full England squad in February.

"We're delighted Scott has committed himself to the club in this way and it is a vote of confidence in what (manager) Alan Curbishley and the board are doing here," said Murray.

Defender Jon Fortune, also 22, has also committed himself to Charlton by agreeing a new three-year deal.

"Jon has also been tremendous for us in the last couple of years and his emergence shows the importance of the club's commitment to developing its own talent," added Murray.

 

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Both the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.