Brown Seals Wigan Switch

Wigan have signed Fulham midfielder Michael Brown on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee. The 30-year-old could make his debut in a friendly against Barnsley tonight, after completing his medical at the JJB Stadium this morning.

Brown is the seventh signing for the Latics this summer, following Titus Bramble, Antoine Sibierski, Mario Melchiot, Andreas Granqvist, Carlo Nash and Jason Koumas to the club. "Like all of our signings we have done extensive research on the player and I feel he is someone who brings something new to the table," said manager Chris Hutchings.

"We have worked really hard behind the scenes to make this one happen because I believe he will make a big difference to the side, and I am really happy Michael has agreed to join us. He has huge Premier League experience and is an all-action player who can play a number of roles in the middle of the park.

"He is a totally committed defender, who never gives anything less than 100% to the cause and strengthens competition in those midfield areas even further. He has been a real fan's favourite everywhere he has gone and I'm sure it will be no different here."

After the loss of Brown, Fulham boss Lawrie Sanchez hopes to boost his new-look squad with the double signing of Reading's South Korea winger Seol Ki-Hyeon and Newcastle's French midfielder Charles N'Zogbia, but he looks like losing out to Sunderland in the race for Republic of Ireland Under-21 striker Roy O'Donovan.

Sanchez, the former Northern Ireland boss who has already snapped up four Ulstermen among his seven new signings this summer, was confident of adding Cork City's O'Donovan earlier this week. But now Sunderland have entered the bidding with a £1m offer and the player has admitted Black Cats manager Roy Keane is "my idol and I would love to play for him".

N'Zogbia could be surplus to Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce's requirements on Tyneside, while Seol has upset Reading by talking to media in his homeland about leaving the club a few weeks before playing for the Royals there in the Peace Cup tournament.

Crystal Palace have completed the signing of defender Jose Fonte from Benfica on a 12-month loan deal. Fonte has been tracked by Peter Taylor throughout the summer, and the 23-year-old joins with a view to a permanent move.

"I am quite excited about this one because he is a young player, as well as a good centre-back and a good footballer," he said. "He is not scared of getting his head in the way. It is starting off as a 12-month loan, with a small loan fee paid, and then there is a fee agreed that will be paid only if we like him, he likes us and we can make it permanent.

"There were other clubs in for him, but his brother (Rui Fonte) plays for Arsenal, and he wants to come to London, so we have been quite fortunate there."

Benfica have announced that Freddy Adu has reached an agreement to play for them, pending the results of a medical test. Major League Soccer and Benfica agreed last week to a €1.5m transfer fee for the 18-year-old, who was captain of the US team at this month's Under-20 World Cup in Canada.

"It's a done deal," a club official said. The official said details of the agreement, including the length of the contract, would be announced at a later date. Adu joined the rest of the Benfica squad at a training session today, a day after arriving in the Portuguese capital to negotiate personal terms.