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 Authorised Football Agents - Update from The FA

Below is an email today received by The Football Association in connection with the new regime for registration of football agents.

Dear Authorised Agent,

We would be grateful if you could take the time to read the update below.

1) Intermediaries

Arsenal forward Yaya Sanogo has joined Premier League rivals Crystal Palace on loan till the end of the season.

The 21 year old striker has struggled to impress since joining Arsenal  from French side Auxerre 2013.

Sanogo is Palace’s first signing of the January transfer windows and is the first signing for new manager Alan Pardew.

Following the announcement Pardew said “He’s a young player with tremendous promise, somebody that I have tracked personally and this club has too so that fitted well.

Manchester United have announced the signing of former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes on a 18 month deal.

Valdes who is now 32, choose Manchester United over several other premier league clubs after being released by Barcelona meaning the goalkeeper could move on a free transfer.

Prior to joining Manchester United Valdes had been at Barcelona all his career and had came through the Barcelona youth system.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has stated nobody should be blamed for his departure, however he has advised he would of stayed if he was offered a contract last summer.

Gerrard advised over the weekend that he will be leaving Liverpool and it is rumoured that Gerrard will be moving to the MLS and is likely to move to LA Galaxy.

Gerrard told a local newspaper “If a contract had been put in front of me in pre-season I would have signed it,

"I'd just retired from England to concentrate all my efforts on Liverpool. I didn't want my club games to be tailored.

The draw for the FA cup 4th round has been on Monday prior to the FA clash between AFC Wimbledon VS Liverpool tie.

The draw is as follows:

Southampton / Ipswich v Crystal Palace

Cambridge United v Manchester United

Blackburn v Swansea

Chelsea v Millwall / Bradford

Derby v Scunthorpe / Chesterfield

Preston v Sheffield United

Birmingham v West Brom

Aston Villa v Bournemouth

Cardiff v Reading

Liverpool v Bolton

Burnley / Tottenham v Leicester

Brighton v Arsenal

Rochdale v Stoke

Newcastle United have confirmed they have cancelled Hatem Ben Arfa’s contact with immediate effect.

The winger had been on loan at Hull for the majority of the season but returned to Newcastle earlier this month.

It is rumoured that Ben Arfa will now join France club Nice on a free transfer.

Ben Arfa joined Newcastle in 2010 from French side Marseille for an undisclosed fee.

Brighton manager and former Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia has resigned as Brighton’s manager after a dismal start to his coaching career in England.

Hyypia only won 3 of his games in charge of Brighton in 22 games leaving Brighton 3rd from bottom in the Championship.

Following his resignation Brighton Chairman Tony Bloom said “Sami offered his resignation, and we reluctantly accepted earlier today. 

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has stated his side was punished by Sunderland on Sunday in the Tyne-Wear derby.

For the majority of the game Newcastle was the better side, however they was unable to convert their chances.

In the 90th minute Sunderland midfielder Adam Johnson eased the ball past the Newcastle goalkeeper to win the game.

Following the game Pardew said “That’s as painful as it gets, to lose in the last minute like that,"