Sports News In Brief

The English Premier League has announced that they are going to introduce the vanishing spray which Fifa used at the World Cup in Brazil, next season in the Premier League. The vanishing spray was for the first time introduced to matches at the just concluded football tournament in Brazil. The chief Executive of Premier League, Richard Scudamore, said that the vanishing foam really helped the referees and players to mark the line position in a free-kick situation. ''It was clear from watching the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil that vanishing spray benefited referees, players and all of those who watched the matches.''

The Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard (34), said that the last three months was ''probably the worst three months of my life.'' He said that England not going through in the group phase of the World Cup and his club failing in the last period of last season to win the EPL was what constituted it. It was his slip and lost of footing that opened the door for Demba Ba to score the first of Chelsea's two goals. Liverpool lost that match 2 - 0, and that was when Liverpool's title challenge faded away.

The former Barcelona star, Seydou Keita, who now ply his trade with the Serie A giants AS Roma, refused to shake hands with Real Madrid defender Pepe, during the teams pre-season encounter in Dallas, Texas. Keita threw his water bottle at Pepe which he dodged. It seem like their quarrel which started in 2011, when Keita said that Pepe called him monkey during one of the El Classico matches has continued, even in USA. Xavi Alonzo, intervened and talked to Keita separately and cooled him down before the game could start. Pepe seem to be attracting hostility very often from players due to his behaviour.

Romelu Lukaku (21), has signed a five year contract with the Merseyside club - Everton. The club paid the sum of €35m to his former club Chelsea. The fee was a record signing fee for Everton. Lukaku is a very gifted striker with enormous energy and speed. He was on a season loan to Everton last season, where he was the highest goal scorer for the club, with 16 goals. He has become a surplus at Chelsea after the Chelsea legend Didier Drogba re-signed for a second spell to the club. Chelsea also signed Diego Costa, formerly of Atletico Madrid. Romelu Lukaku was in the World Cup in Brazil with the Belgium national team.

Serena Williams (32), the world number one women tennis star made a triumphant return to competition today, Wednesday at the Bank of the West Classics at Stanford, by beating Karolina Pliskova in two straight sets of 7 - 5, 6 - 2. Serena withrew from Wimbledon doubles with her sister at the beginning of this month due to virus infection. She returned today to competition after treatment and resting. Her big sister Venus also went through to the second round yesterday by defeating Paula Kania of Poland, 6 - 3, 6 - 2. Read also: africanfootie.blogspot.com

The Feyenoord defender and Netherlands international, Stefan de Vrij (22),
has joined the Italian Serie A club - Lazio for an undisclosed fee. Stefan shined at the World Cup in Brazil with the Dutch national football team nicknamed De Oranje (The Orange) Boys. After signing the contract, the young player said, ''Lazio really proved that they wanted me and I am very happy I have made this move. I hope to become a more complete defender in Italy.''