Transfer roundup: Man City complete 2 deals, Chelsea snap up Monaco star

Denmark forward Braithwaite heads to Middlesbrough

Danish international forward Martin Braithwaite has swapped French top-flight side Toulouse for Middlesbrough, the English club announced on Thursday. The 26-year-old has signed a four-year deal with Middlesbrough for a fee of just over 11 million euros (£9.7 million, $12.5 million), sources in the French city told AFP.

Braithwaite was the captain of the Ligue 1 outfit and scored 11 league goals for them in each of the last two seasons. He had a year left to run on his contract but has opted to join Boro, despite their relegation from the English Premier League at the end of last season.

Benfica’s gem moves to Camp Nou

Barcelona has agreed on a deal to sign Benfica right-back Nelson Semedo on a five-year deal, the Spanish club announced on Thursday. Barcelona said Semedo would undergo a medical on Friday after Spanish press reports said they had agreed to pay a transfer fee of 30 million euros (£26.4 million, $34.2 million).

The deal for the 23-year-old Portuguese international could see Benfica receive a further five million euros in bonuses, several Spanish newspapers said on Thursday. The fee would make Semedo the second most expensive defender in Barcelona's history behind Dani Alves, who cost 36 million euros including bonuses when he joined from Sevilla in 2008.

The move for Semedo follows the return of Spain winger Gerard Deulofeu to the Camp Nou from Everton on a two-year deal. The Catalans, who have appointed Ernesto Valverde as the coach to succeed Luis Enrique, have also extended Lionel Messi's contract until 2021.

Chelsea midfielder Chalobah signs for Hornets

England Under-21 international Nathaniel Chalobah has signed for Premier League side Watford from champions Chelsea for an undisclosed fee, the buying club announced. The 22-year-old impressed as England reached the semi-finals of the recent European Under-21 Championship and has signed a five-year contract with the Hornets.

Chalobah spent the 2012/13 campaign on loan at Watford and had been expected to agree a new £60,000 (68,000 euros, $78,000) a week deal with Chelsea, but the lure of more first-team football proved decisive.

The Sierra Leone-born Chalobah, also a member of the England Under-17 side that won the 2010 European Championship, spent most of his Chelsea career out on loan including spells at Serie A side Napoli and Burnley. Chalobah can operate in midfield or defence and played 10 times for Chelsea in their Premier League title-winning campaign last season.

Talismanic Honda secures move to Mexico

Japan international Keisuke Honda has signed for Mexico's Pachuca, the former AC Milan player announced on social media Friday, ending months of speculation about his future. The 31-year-old left the Serie A side at the end of last season after a frustrating three-year spell in Italy.

A video post on Honda's official Instagram page showed him signing on the dotted line for the CONCACAF champions along with the caption: "Signed new contract at CF Pachuca in Mexico!"

Honda, instantly recognisable with his bleach-blond surfer's haircut, shot to fame after helping Japan reach the last 16 of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa before they were knocked out by Paraguay on penalties.

Japan's talismanic playmaker continued to attract attention at CSKA Moscow after joining the Russians from Dutch side VVV-Venlo in late 2009 but failed to establish himself following his move to Milan.

Honda, who describes himself on his Instagram page as "soccer player, entrepreneur and educator", was recently linked with Turkey's Galatasaray and several MSL sides, including LA Galaxy.

Gnabry joins Hoffenhiem on loan from Bayern

Bayern Munich attacking midfielder Serge Gnabry is joining Bundesliga rival Hoffenheim on loan for this season. The 22-year-old Gnabry, who only joined Bayern from Werder Bremen last month, wanted to be assured of more playing time.

He signed a three-year deal with the Bundesliga powerhouse in June. Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge says Gnabry will also be playing at a high level at Hoffenheim, which finished fourth last season.

Gnabry spent one season at Bremen after joining from Arsenal last summer. He scored 11 goals and set up two more in 27 Bundesliga games for the club, and netted a hat trick on his Germany debut against San Marino last November. He helped Germany's Under-21 side win the European Championship last month.

Kyle Walker becomes most expensive defender after Man City move

England international Kyle Walker signed for Manchester City from Tottenham Hotspur on Friday in a deal that could see him become the world's most expensive defender. The 27-year-old right-back signed a five-year contract for a fee that could rise with add-ons to £54 million ($70m, 61m euros), according to The Times and other media. The 27-times capped Walker -- who will leave with City on their pre-season tour of the United States on Monday -- is to be paid a reported £150,000 a week.

"I am thrilled to be signing for City and can't wait to get started," Walker told the club website. "Pep Guardiola is one of the most respected managers in the world and I feel he can help me take my game to a new level."

City director of football Txiki Begiristain said they had been tracking Walker for a while. "Kyle is a fine full-back, one capable of producing quality at both ends of the pitch," he told the club website.

"We've followed his progress at Tottenham and have been really impressed by how he has developed. He is now one of the best right-backs in the Premier League and justifiably an England regular. I am sure he will be a success at Manchester City this season and beyond."

Ceballos makes way for James Rodriguez at Madrid

Spain Under-21 midfielder Dani Ceballos has joined Real Madrid on a six-year deal from Real Betis, the European champions confirmed on Friday. The 20-year-old was voted player of the tournament at last month's European Under-21 Championship as Spain finished runners-up to Germany.

Spanish media reported Real paid 16.5 million euros ($18.8 million) to acquire Ceballos, slightly more than his release clause.

"You can imagine the pride and sense of responsibility I feel on arriving at Real Madrid," said the player. "But if I got this far it's on the back of two things; hard work and humility and I'll do everything I can to show I deserve to play in these colours."

Real signed highly-rated 19-year-old French defender Theo Hernandez on Monday, also for the next six seasons, for a reported fee of 30 million euros.

Bonucci completes shock transfer to Milan

Italy international defender Leonardo Bonucci is joining AC Milan in a shock move from Italian champions Juventus, the San Siro side announced on Friday.

"Bonucci in Milan," the buying club reported on their official website, alongside pictures of the smiling defender being enthusiastically welcomed by Rossoneri supporters. Bonucci has won six successive Serie A titles with Juve but is on the brink of signing a five-year deal with Milan that Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport estimates at 40 million euros ($45.8 million).

The 30-year-old will reportedly earn 10 million euros a season, which would make him the highest paid player in Serie A. The centre-back was shown arriving at Milan's headquarters in a video on the club's Twitter feed. Seven-time European champions Milan are looking to rebuild their squad after finishing sixth last season, their highest position since the 2012-13 campaign.

Bonucci's arrival comes three days after 18-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, regarded as the greatest prospect in his position in world football, agreed on an extension that will keep him at the San Siro until 2021. Corriere della Sera reported that Bonucci's departure from Juve is down to a strained relationship with coach Massimiliano Allegri, who has guided the Turin giants to the Champions League final twice in the past three seasons.

City sign another Brazilian talent

Manchester City has signed Brazil Under-20 midfielder Douglas Luiz from Vasco da Gama. City announced the transfer of Luiz on a five-year deal on Saturday and said the club will "make a further statement about Douglas' immediate development pathway in the coming days," suggesting he will be sent out on loan.

Txiki Begiristain, City's director of football, said the 19-year-old Luiz is "an exciting player with great potential."

Antonio Conte gets his man Bakayoko

Monaco sold another member of its young squad that thrilled European soccer last season when France midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko joined Chelsea on Saturday. The English champion didn't disclose the fee for the 22-year-old central midfielder, who has signed a five-year deal.

"I have grown up watching Chelsea," Bakayoko said. "Signing was the natural thing for me because it is a club I loved very much in my childhood." He will link up with France teammate N'Golo Kante at Chelsea amid uncertainty about the future of another central midfielder in Nemanja Matic, who has been linked with Manchester United.

Monaco reached the semifinals of the Champions League last season playing some of the best-attacking football seen in Europe for years. Inevitably, it left the French club open to offers for some of its star players.