Boro swoop for Huth and Woodgate

Adjust font size:

LONDON, England -- Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate completed a double defensive swoop for Real Madrid's Jonathan Woodgate and Chelsea's Robert Huth on Wednesday.

Germany international Huth, 22, signed from the English Premiership champions for six million pounds ($11.40 million) after agreeing a five-year contract.

England centre-half Woodgate arrived on a year's loan from Spanish club Real and Middlesbrough have an option to make a permanent move for the player.

Huth had been close to moving to the Riverside Stadium in pre-season but the deal fell through after he failed a medical.

Former Newcastle star Woodgate, 26, has joined his hometown club after Real boss Fabio Capello told him he needed to go out on loan to prove his fitness after two injury-ravaged seasons at the Bernabeu.

Southgate needed to bring in defenders after watching his side concede eight goals in their opening three Premiership matches, including a 4-0 home defeat against Portsmouth on Monday.

He told the club's Web site: "We have added two international defenders to our squad in one afternoon. That's a significant coup for Middlesbrough and a big boost for everyone at the club.

"Both players feel they have a point to prove - and the great thing is that they want to do that with Middlesbrough. I'm absolutely delighted."

Middlesbrough also confirmed the signing of Charlton Athletic midfielder Jason Euell.

Senegal defender Souleymane Diawara has joined Charlton from Ligue 1 side Sochaux for 5.5 million euros ($7.06m), the Premiership club said on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old central defender started his career at Le Havre before joining Sochaux in 2003. "Souleymane is a player I've long identified as a top defender," Charlton manager Iain Dowie told the club's Web site.

"He's got great pace, big stature, good ability on the ball, and he's a very powerful defender who will be well suited to the Premier League. "We think he's a huge defensive addition to our squad."

Diawara was kicked out of Senegal's camp earlier this month for a breach of discipline and was dropped for their African Nations Cup qualifier against Mozambique in Dakar on Saturday.

Premiership club Portsmouth on Wednesday confirmed they have signed Portugal midfielder Manuel Fernandes on loan from Benfica.

Fernandes, 20, joins the Fratton Park team with a view to a permanent transfer, which would be worth a club record fee of around seven million pounds.

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp has been tracking Fernandes for several months but the deal had been put on hold while the Benfica youth team graduate recovered from a groin injury.

He is not expected to be fully fit for two months and if he cannot prove his fitness the transfer can still be terminated.

Portsmouth's chief executive Peter Storrie revealed a bid for Manchester City striker Andy Cole could also be made before Thursday's transfer deadline.

Get up-to-the minute news from CNN CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.

---

• Opinion: Darwin and 'militant atheism'
• Ritual animal slaughter begins in Nepal
• The other Amanda Knox
• DOD prepares to send 34,000 troops
• Death toll rises in Philippines massacre

• Irish PM to quit over payments scandal
• NATO chief: Afghan troop increase likely
• Militants hunted as calm retuns to Basra
• Pressure on Bush to skip Olympics
• BA sending misplaced T5 baggage to Milan

• Recruiting suicide bombers (2:50)
• London was lucky (2:36)
• Cars in London rigged as bombs (3:48)
• Second explosives-packed car foun (2:32)
• Soviet culture returns (3:47)