Breno, Ottl loaned

NUREMBERG: Bayern Munich has sent Brazilian defender Breno and defensive midfielder Andreas Ottl to Nuremberg on loan until the end of the season. Nuremberg have only 12 points from 17 games and are second from bottom in the Bundesliga. The club fired Michael Oenning and hired former Hannover coach Dieter Hecking to take charge shortly before Christmas. Neither Nuremberg nor Bayern gave the terms of the deal. Bayern have also loaned striker Luca Toni to join Roma.

Wenger denies report

LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has ruled out making another attempt to sign Bordeaux striker Maroune Chamakh even though the transfer window is open and forward Robin van Persie is sidelined until April. Wenger, who tried to sign the Moroccan international in June, said that Chamakh would not move now because Bordeaux is in the Champions League and at the top of the French league. Chamakh's contract with Bordeaux finishes at the end of the season.

Mensah sidelined

ACCRA: Ghana captain John Mensah will miss this month's African Nations Cup finals after picking up a hamstring injury, the Ghana Football Association said on Friday. Mensah, who suffered the injury playing for Sunderland in the Premier League, joins fellow defender John Paintsil on the sidelines after the Fulham player twisted his knee last weekend. Ghana have named Jonathan Mensah, who has just moved to Italian side Udinese from Free State Stars in South Africa, as a replacement for Mensah, while Paintsil will be replaced by Twente Enschede's Ransford Osei for the tournament slated to begin from January in Angola.

Aamer ruled out

SYDNEY: Pakistan suffered a huge blow just a day before the start of the second Test against Australia here with young pace sensation Mohammed Aamer being ruled out of the match with a groin injury. Aamer, who registered his name in the record books as the youngest bowler to take five wickets in an innings through his sensational five-wicket haul in Australia's second innings in Melbourne, is likely to be replaced by Mohammad Sami. Sami would be returning to the national Test squad after a gap of two years, as he had joined the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) in 2007.