Javier Mascherano signed a new deal with Barcelona on Tuesday that will run through 2018. There’s an option on a further year plus a buy-out clause of €100 million. The deal was negotiated and agreed before the World Cup.

He told reporters, "I’m committed to this Club until the final day of the contract. I hope I can live up to expectations of the Club”. "I’m really happy tp be in this great club and be part of a squad with such great players. Let’s hope things go really well for us this season. We’re looking forward to this season afetr some difficult times last campaign.

Jermaine Jones has signed with Major League Soccer and will join the New England Revolution after the MLS conducted a blind draw.

Jones will receive $4.7 million on the contract, which lasts through the 2015 season, ESPN's Alexi Lalas reported.

The Chicago Fire were also interested in signing Jones.

Jones last played for Besiktas in Turkey on loan from Schalke in the German Bundesliga. He became a free agent at the end of last season.

Edin Džeko has signed a four-year extension with Manchester City.

The 28-year-old striker joined City from Wolfsburg in 2011.

City has signed many of their core players to extensions this month.

Sergio Agüero has signed a five-year contract with Manchester City that runs through 2019.

City has also since Vincent Kompany and David Silva to extensions this week.

“The reality seems to be that ever since I came here, during every close season, there have always been rumours suggesting that I might be returning to Spain,” Agüero told the club’s official website.

“There has always been this speculation, but I certainly never pay much attention to it. People hear this stuff flying around and they take it seriously, but I can tell the fans and everyone at City to relax – I’m going to be here until I see out my contract.”

Agüero joined City from Atlético Madrid in 2011.

Wolfsburg have completed the signing of Nicklas Bendtner on a three-year contract.

Bendtner scored 32 goals in 136 appearances at Arsenal after joining as a youth team player.

The 26-year-old, who also had loan spells with Birmingham, Sunderland and Juventus, will provide the coach, Dieter Hecking, with an additional attacking option for their Bundesliga, German Cup and Europa League campaigns.

“We want to play a good role in all three competitions this season, and to do this we need players who already know what this kind of challenge is all about,” Hecking said. “Nicklas embodies precisely the kind of striker we were looking for. He fits the profile and is going to strengthen our squad.”

Vincent Kompany has signed a new five-year contract at Manchester City worth in excess of a basic £31 million.

The terms are thought to be worth around £120,000 a-week with considerable add-ons, though despite being the club’s leader this is still less than the new deal agreed by David Silva on Tuesday, which is in the region of £130,000 a-week.

“To be honest I didn’t have to think twice about it," said Kompany. "It’s just about continuity for me – I’ve always wanted to stay at this club for a long time. Looking to the future I can see the potential. To be part of the history we’ve built together. It’s just a natural thing for me to stay longer here and win more trophies."

David Silva has agreed upon a new five-year contract with Manchester City that runs through 2019.

“From the moment I joined the club four years ago it has felt like a second home to me,” the Spain midfielder said. “On and off the pitch, I feel incredibly content and fulfilled professionally and personally, so why wouldn’t I want to stay and keep winning trophies with this fantastic team?”

City acquired Silva from Valencia in 2010 and was an immediate success.

Silva said: “Over the last four years, we have achieved so much together, establishing City as a dominating force in England and now, when I look around this dressing room, I can see no reason why we won’t become one of the top teams in the world.

“It was a straightforward decision to extend my stay here and spend my peak years at Manchester City, a club with unbelievable fans who have always supported me.”

Barcelona have moved to strengthen their defence by agreeing to sign the Belgium center-back Thomas Vermaelen from Arsenal on a five-year contract.

Barça did not publish any financial details on their website but the fee is understood to be in the region of £15 million.

Luis Enrique has made upgrading Barcelona's defense a big priority this summer.

Vermaelen will compete for a place with Gerard Piqué, the Frenchman Jeremy Mathieu, who joined last month from Valencia, and the Barça academy graduate Marc Bartra.

Javier Mascherano has mostly played in central defence since joining Barcelona from Liverpool in 2010 but after his performances in midfield for Argentina at the World Cup he is widely expected to feature there for the club next term. 

John Stones has signed an improved five-year contract with Everton.

The 20-year-old made 20 starts last season after arriving in January 2013 from Barnsley.

Stones was the final signing for David Moyes as Everton manager.

The Barnsley-born defender will vie with the Everton captain Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin for a regular starting role next season, although Roberto Martínez has tried deploying all three at the back.

Mathieu Valbuena has agreed to a three-year deal with Dinamo Moscow, ending his eight-year run at Marseille.

Valbuena was set to enter the final season of his contract with Marsielle.

"There is a lot of emotion,'' Valbuena told a news conference. "I promised myself not to cry but I spent eight years here, I experienced fantastic things, titles, league cups. I'm proud of that but the page turns today.

"I did so much here and everything OM has given me has been positive. All of my coaches have mattered to me but I don't forget Jose Anigo and Pape Diouf who trusted in me when I was coming from a small club [Libourne].

"My greatest pride is to have succeeded here."