Football : Swiss Super League transfers in 2009/2010 season

Zurich have completed the transfer of defender Ludovic Magnin from Stuttgart for an undisclosed fee. Magnin signed a 3 1/2-year contract with the Swiss champion on Friday to get regular first-team football after starting just five matches for German club this season. The 30-year-old left back has played 61 times for Switzerland but faces strong competition for a place in coach Ottmar Hitzfeld's team from Christoph Spycher and Reto Ziegler. Magnin joins international teammates Alex Frei, Johan Vonlanthen and Hakan Yakin in returning to join Swiss clubs for the World Cup season, after Hitzfeld called on his players to seek more influential club roles.

Switzerland captain Alexander Frei returns to his homeland after more than 10 years away. The 30-year-old striker has signed a three-year contract after Basel reportedly paid German side Borussia Dortmund €4.25m to bring back a player who spent three years at the club as a teenager. Frei began his career at Basel in 1997 and went on to play for Luzern, Servette, Rennes before joining Dortmund in 2006. He is Switzerland's record national team scorer with 39 goals in 67 international matches.

Zurich have signed Switzerland winger Johan Vonlanthen on a season-long loan deal from Salzburg. The 23-year-old, who joined Salzburg in 2006, remains under contract at the Austrian champions but there is an option for the Swiss titleholders to make the move permanent next June. Vonlanthen played in all three Switzerland matches when they hosted EURO 2008.

Former Manchester City striker Emile Mpenza has joined Sion on a free transfer. The Belgium international failed to secure a new deal at Plymouth at the end of last season and has now signed a two-year contract, with the option of a further 12 months, at the Swiss side. Mpenza joined Plymouth last September, but managed just nine appearances and two goals for the Championship club.