Official: Newcastle sign Gabriel Obertan

The French winger had a medical with the Tyneside club on Monday and has moved on a five-year-deal, with manager Alan Pardew pleased that he will bring pace to the side

Newcastle United have signed Gabriel Obertan from Manchester United for an undisclosed fee. The 22-year-old winger completed a medical on Monday and has penned a five-year-deal at St James' Park.Manager Alan Pardew believes the former France Under-21 international will bring much-needed pace to the side.

The coach told Newcastle’s official website: “Gabriel is a player I've watched for the last couple of seasons since he arrived at Manchester United. “He has great pace and excellent technique and he has improved his power in the last 12 months and is ready now to make a real impact in the Premier League.“I contacted Sir Alex about him early at the start of the summer to see if there was an opportunity to bring him to Newcastle, but it wasn't until Wayne Routledge joined Swansea that we were able to bring him in. "His best years are ahead of him which is exactly what we want at this club, and with the backing of our magnificent fans I'm sure he will prove an excellent signing for us."

Obertan joins Demba Ba, Yohan Cabaye, Sylvain Marveaux and Mehdi Abeid as the latest French-born addition to Pardew’s squad since the transfer window opened.The French winger will go into Newcastle’s squad for their first Premier League game of the season at home to Arsenal. The Tyneside club have lost skipper Kevin Nolan to West Ham United, however, and Joey Barton is available on a free transfer.

Brown and O'Shea join Black Cats

     Sunderland have signed Manchester United defenders Wes Brown and John O'Shea on four-year deals.    

Brown, 31 has joined the Black Cats for an undisclosed fee, understood to be in the region of £1m.

Manager Steve Bruce said:

"We are delighted to welcome a player of Wes' ability, experience and character to the club."He has been a fantastic professional for Manchester United through the years and not only will he strengthen our defensive options, he will also bring with him a winning mentality and level of maturity which can only be positive for the players around him."

The defender made 361 senior appearances for United over 15 years as a professional having joined the club as a 12-year-old, and has five Premier League winners' medals. Brown won 23 England caps before announcing his retirement from the international game last summer. He will bring a welcome versatility and vast experience to the Stadium of Light, where his arrival will go some of the way to making up for the loss of loan signings Nedum Onuoha and John Mensah.

Ostensibly a central defender, he can also play at right-back and with O'Shea, equally comfortable across the back four as well as in midfield, Bruce could have healthy options at the back next season.Bruce said of O'Shea, who also joins for an undisclosed fee: "John has been a solid, consistent part of Manchester United's squad for well over a decade which goes to show the fantastic pedigree of player we have signed.

"He is a wonderful professional both on and off the field and his wealth of experience and versatility will be great attributes for us. I'm delighted with the players we've been able to secure ahead of the new season."

O'Shea said: "Once I'd heard reports about the club and the people here, the ambitions and what the manager was all about it was the only place I was going to come to."

Official: United Signs Young

Manchester United have completed the signing of England winger Ashley Young from Aston Villa on a five-year contract.

Young's move to Old Trafford, for a reported £16million fee, had been widely anticipated for some time after he announced that he was keen to play at the very highest level. The 25-year-old, who had also been targeted by Liverpool, underwent a medical with the Premier League champions on Wednesday and has now put pen to paper.

A statement on the club's official website read: "Manchester United is delighted to announce it has reached agreement with Aston Villa for the transfer of Ashley Young."The player passed a medical in Manchester this week and has agreed a five-year contract."He becomes Sir Alex Ferguson's second signing of the summer after the capture of England Under 21 international Phil Jones from Blackburn for £16.5million.

New challenge

Villa signed Young from Watford in January 2007 in a deal eventually worth £10million and he went on to score 38 goals in 190 appearances.However, he made it clear to Villa he would not be signing an extension to his contract, which was due to expire next summer, and the club had little alternative but to sell one of their prize assets."Ashley has made a terrific contribution for Villa over the past four and a half seasons and everyone at the club wishes him the best for the future," new Villa manager Alex McLeish said."He has become an important player in the England team during that time and I'm sure he will be looking forward to this new challenge."

New team-mate Rio Ferdinand was quick to hail his international colleague's move to Old Trafford.Ferdinand wrote on Twitter: "Welcoming Ashley Young to Manchester United. Another top, hungry and young player joins the ranks."

Official : England U21 Skipper is a Red Devil

Manchester United have confirmed the signing of the Blackburn defender Phil Jones on a five-year deal.

Jones passed a medical and agreed personal terms with United on Wednesday last week after the club met the £16m release clause in the player's contract, before Venky's, Blackburn's owners, stalled on the transfer amid interest from Liverpool.

However, Jones, apparently told Rovers he did not wish to join any other club than United.

"Manchester United is delighted to announce it has signed an agreement with Blackburn Rovers for the transfer of Phil Jones," said a United statement. "The player passed a medical in Manchester last week and has agreed a five-year contract.

"I've loved my time at Blackburn and I will always be a huge fan but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am looking forward to a new challenge," said Jones via Twitter.