August 1 2005

Greek side Panathinaikos FC have secured the services of Sweden defender Mikael Nilsson. The 27-year-old right-back has agreed a three-year contract, bringing to an end his one-season stay with English side Southampton FC. Having represented his country at UEFA EURO 2004™, Nilsson moved to the Premiership with high hopes only to play just 16 games as the club were relegated. The former Halmstads BK player will expect better things in Greece with Panathinaikos bidding to reach the UEFA Champions League group stage. The 2004/05 Hellenic National League runners-up have a third qualifying round date this month with Wisla Kraków of Poland and have been preparing with a training camp in northern Italy.

Werder Bremen goalkeeper Tim Wiese has damaged cruciate ligaments in his left knee and will be out for up to six months. The 23-year-old, who has only just returned from a serious knee injury, suffered the blow in Bremen’s 2-0 friendly win against FC Hansa Rostock on Saturday. Wiese travelled back to his home town of Cologne on Sunday, and will undergo surgery in the next few days."We are all in shock," said coach Thomas Schaaf, who is preparing his side for this month's UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie against FC Basel 1893. "It is an extremely difficult situation for us but we have got excellent goalkeepers in Andreas Reinke and Kasper Jensen." Manager Klaus Allofs added the club will sign another goalkeeper as backup.

AFC Ajax are counting the cost of their traditional pre-season Amsterdam Tournament after losing defender Hatem Trabelsi and goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg to injury. The Dutch runners-up saw the pair collide in the second half of last night’s 1-0 defeat by CA Boca Juniors and both are doubtful for their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie. "I can live with the fact that we didn't play so well, but losing two starters is the biggest loss of the evening," said Ajax coach Danny Blind. The 28-year-old Trabelsi suffered concussion and may be missing for up to two weeks while Stekelenburg, 22, sustained a shoulder injury. Blind revealed he could be out for between four to six weeks, meaning he will miss the start of the Eredivisie season as well as the tie against either FC Dinamo Tbilisi or Brøndby IF, with the Danish champions holding a 2-0 advantage after a first-leg victory in Georgia last week. Blind's men had lost 1-0 to Arsenal FC on Friday night, with the English side winning the tournament with a 2-1 success against FC Porto yesterday. Ajax will enter the Champions League on either 9/10 August with the return following a fortnight afterwards. The Dutch season begins on 12 August, with Ajax first in action two days later when they receive ADO Den Haag.

Liverpool FC's Spanish winger Antonio Núñez has signed a three-year contract with newly-promoted RC Celta de Vigo. The 26-year-old Núñez becomes Celta's sixth summer reinforcement following the arrivals of Edu, Diego Placente, Fernando Baiano, Javi Guerrero and Néstor Cannobio. The 26-year-old joined Liverpool from Real Madrid CF last year as part of the deal that took England striker Michael Owen to the Nou Camp. His progress with the Reds was hampered when he suffered knee ligament damage, forcing him out of action for three months. He was under contract with Liverpool until June 2007. In his first and only year in the Premiership, he scored once in 27 appearances. Meanwhile, Celta have secured the services of striker Jesús Perera from RCD Mallorca on a four-year deal. The 25-year-old Perera arrived at Balaídos on loan during last season's transfer window and contributed five goals as the club were promoted back to the Primera División. Celta subsequently decided to buy the player from Mallorca, where he was under contract until 2006. Perera and Núñez both debuted for Celta in Sunday's 2-1 friendly win away at Willem II, the former scoring the winner.

Real Betis Balompié have signed midfield player Miguel Ángel Lozano from Málaga CF in a deal worth in the region of €2m. That figure could rise should the player achieve performance-related incentives such as Betis passing their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round test against French side AS Monaco FC this month. Miguel Ángel has penned a five-year contract, ending four seasons at the Manuel Ruíz de Lopera. The 26-year-old has been a regular for Málaga since joining from then Segunda División side Levante UD in 2001. He spent his formative years at La Masia playing for FC Barcelona's reserves and also played for his hometown club, CE Sabadell FC. The player is due to be presented by his new employers within the next few days.

UC Sampdoria striker Fabio Bazzani faces a six-month injury lay-off after damaging cruciate ligaments in his right knee during a pre-season friendly against Hellas-Verona FC. The 28-year-old returned to Sampdoria this summer after spending the second half of last season on loan at S.S. Lazio, where he scored three goals in 15 league games. Bazzani has been capped three times by Italy and has also played for AC Venezia and AC Perugia during his top-flight career. Sampdoria will enter the UEFA Cup in September's first round after finishing fifth in Serie A.

Swiss champions FC Basel 1893 have signed Toulouse FC striker Eduardo on loan for the 2005/06 season. The 25-year-old had spent two seasons with the Ligue 1 side after joining them prior to the 2003/04 campaign from Belgian club R. Charleroi FC. Eduardo scored eight goals in 57 top-flight games in France and Basel will hope his firepower can help them in this month’s UEFA Champions League third qualifying round match tie with Werder Bremen.

Russia won their first UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship in dramatic style as Elvira Todua saved a penalty from Laure Boulleau to settle a final which had gone to sudden death spot-kicks following a 2-2 draw with France.

John Carew scored his fourth goal in two games as Olympique Lyonnais began their Ligue 1 title defence with a hard-fought 2-1 win at newly-promoted Le Mans UC 72.

Bundesliga outfit FC Schalke 04 have completed the long-awaited signing of Danish starlet Søren Larsen from Djurgårdens IF for €2.3m. The 23-year-old forward has signed a three-year deal with the German UEFA Champions League hopefuls, just over a year after moving to Sweden from Brøndby IF. Following a disappointing first season ruined by groin injury, he has been a revelation this campaign, scoring ten goals in 14 games to help Djurgården open a three-point lead atop the Allsvenskan. Those performances alerted Denmark coach Morten Olsen, and after an impressive substitute appearance against Finland, Larsen started the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Albania, where he stole the show with two goals in a 3-1 win. By now Schalke were also expressing an interest and today's deal completes a two-month pursuit. "It's taken a long time," Larsen said, "but I'm obviously thrilled. This is a golden chance for me."

Romanian Cup holders FC Dinamo Bucuresti twice came from behind to edge a five-goal thriller against arch-rivals FC Steaua Bucuresti and claim their maiden Super Cup triumph.

Scottish Premier League champions Rangers FC eased themselves into the new season with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Livingston FC at Ibrox on Sunday.

PFC Levski Sofia started the new season as they ended the last, with victory over arch-rivals PFC CSKA Sofia, this time in the Bulgarian Super Cup. A 2-1 victory in May earned UEFA Cup hopefuls Levski a Bulgarian Cup win but they required a penalty shoot-out to defeat the champions tonight after the game ended 1-1.

Primera División outfit Getafe CF have signed Argentinian centre-back Anibal Matellan on a one-season deal. The 28-year-old, who can also play at left-back, has spent most of his career at CA Boca Juniors but has played in Europe before, spending three seasons at FC Shalke 04 following a €4.8m move in 2001. "I opted for Getafe because my greatest wish has always been to play in Spain and this club has opened the door for me to fulfil that ambition," said Matellan.

Lyon claim Man Utd and Arsenal have joined Chelsea in the race to sign midfielder Michael Essien.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he is not interested in signing Michael Owen - clearing the way for Manchester United to chase the England star. Reports insist Real are ready to sell the 25-year-old after signing Brazilian strikers Julio Baptista and Robinho. Wenger said: "We have not made a bid for Michael Owen. At the moment I am not looking for a striker, but other areas I am looking at." But United have told Sir Alex Ferguson he can have the funds should he wish. Real reportedly want at least £11m for England vice-captain Owen, who they bought for £8m plus Antonio Nunez last summer. It had been claimed Ferguson would have to sell players to finance any transfer moves. But United chief executive David Gill said: "The money is there for Alex. If he identifies a talent that he thinks will improve the squad - and that is the crucial thing - the funds are available." Gill insisted the Old Trafford takeover by American Malcolm Glazer did not mean United would be limited in the transfer market. "The Glazers have said that if there is a big player out there who is available, then the money is there to go for him," said Gill. "We can still afford a lot of money for top players and at the same time we are also able to develop many of our own."

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says England midfielder Steven Gerrard may regret his decision to stick with Liverpool. The 25-year-old seemed to be on the brink of a move to Chelsea this summer - only to sign a new Liverpool deal. "It will be a loss for him, for his career. He can say 'I was European champion at Liverpool' and that is correct," Mourinho told The Times. "But I can say to him in the next 10 years we will compare trophies at Chelsea and Liverpool. And he'll lose." Mourinho admitted the capture of Gerrard would have been a great boost to his team. "Gerrard is a great player and we want an English core very much," he said. "We normally play a midfield triangle and you can imagine that Gerrard and Frank Lampard, with Claude Makelele just behind them as protection, could be a very strong team but I think it is Gerrard's loss more than Chelsea's. Why? Because Chelsea have good solutions; a good team with the conditions to improve and a club that will be one of the best in the world in a short period of time."

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has revealed his interest in bringing Uruguay international goalkeeper Sebastien Viera to Highbury. The 22-year-old, who plays for Nacional Montevideo, is highly rated and could take over from the inconsistent Jens Lehmann as the Gunners' number one. Wenger said: "Viera is one of the options. It is true we are interested in him but the deal is far from done."

Chelsea are counting the cost of their pre-season trip to the United States after three players picked up injuries. Winger Arjen Robben did not feature in the Blues' 1-1 draw against AC Milan on Sunday because of a hamstring problem. Midfielder Claude Makelele (head injury) and defender William Gallas (knee) came off in the second half. Assistant boss Steve Clarke said of Robben: "We're being over cautious. He said it felt a bit tight and we need to make sure he's fit for the new season." Robben, 21, made only 18 Premiership appearance for Chelsea last season because of a succession of injuries. But while the Dutchman is expected to be fit for the start of the new season, Gallas is doubtful. Manager Jose Mourinho said: "Makelele should not be a problem. It's just a knock on his head. "But William could be a problem for the first game of the championship." Chelsea's next match is the Community Shield against Arsenal on Sunday.

Chinese international defender Du Wei has begun a trial with Celtic as manager Gordon Strachan seeks a solution to his defensive problems. The 23-year-old is understood to be available for about £800,000 from Shanghai Shenhua in his homeland. The 6ft 4in centre-half could yet be a replacement for Bobo Balde, who was dropped on Saturday and is thought to be a target for Marseille. Du Wei trained with Celtic for the first time on Monday morning. He told Monday's Herald: "I have heard all about Celtic's defeat in the Champions League but that doesn't concern me at all. "They are one of the most famous clubs in Europe; a team with fantastic history."

Wolverhampton Wanderers' former England midfielder Paul Ince says he will retire at the end of the coming season. Ince, 37, played for West Ham, Inter Milan, Manchester United, Liverpool and Middlesbrough, and won 53 caps in a glittering career. "I'll be 38 in October and it'll be a good time to call it a day at the end of the season," he said. "If the team go up then I'll be too old to play in the Premiership. With my role, you can't do that forever."

Newcastle have allowed Hugo Viana to speak to Celta Vigo about a possible move to the Spanish club. The 22-year-old Portuguese midfielder flew to Spain on Friday to open discussions with the Primera Liga side. Magpies chairman Freddy Shepherd told the club's official website: "Nothing has been agreed. He is in Spain talking to them and we will see what happens." Last season Viana was on loan at Sporting Lisbon, the club he left to join Newcastle for £8.5m in 2002. He made 42 appearances for the Portuguese side, who reached the Uefa Cup final. Sporting were thought to be keen to sign the winger, valued at £5m by Newcastle, on a permanent basis but a move never materialised.

Tottenham captain Ledley King believes more big-name signings will follow Edgar Davids to White Hart Lane. The Dutch international midfielder, 32, is set to pen a one-year deal at Spurs after being released by Inter Milan.

West Brom boss Bryan Robson says that Jason Koumas has almost certainly played his last game for the Baggies. Koumas is on a season-long loan at Cardiff City, who hosted Robson's side in a pre-season friendly on Sunday. But when asked after West Brom's 2-0 win whether Koumas had a future at the Hawthorns, Robson replied bluntly "no".

Aston Villa may seek to overturn Lee Hendrie's sending off in the 2-2 friendly draw with Tamworth. Assistant boss Roy Aitken claimed the midfielder was "hard done by" after being dismissed for tangling with Kyle Storer, who also saw red. Hendrie faces a three-match ban and missing the start of the season if the decision is upheld. Aitken told the club's website: "We're seriously considering an appeal and we'll look at it in more detail."

Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe has dismissed speculation that Sir Clive Woodward's appointment as technical director has sparked a boardroom rift. Lowe, who admitted he offered to resign following Saints relegation, denied other board members would quit if Woodward's appointment backfires. The Saints chairman told the club's website: "I didn't offer to stand down because of Clive's appointment. "There's no suggestion of that happening despite reports." Lowe revealed that he and managing director Andrew Cowen had both tendered their resignations as Saints 27-year-old top flight tenure ended. The Saints chairman said: "It's true Andrew and I offered our resignations but that was not because we felt we were entirely to blame. We felt it was the honourable thing to do, however the board refused to accept it and if collectively they do not agree with something, then it does not happen."

Manager Danny Wilson has committed his future to the Milton Keynes Dons by signing a three-year rolling contract. Wilson, 45, who joined when the Dons were deep in relegation trouble in December, guided them to League One safety on the final day of the season. Chairman Pete Winkleman said: "Danny is one of the brightest managerial talents in English football. I'm convinced we are on the brink of another momentous season and Danny's involvement will be the key factor."

Wrexham boss Denis Smith has offered a trial to Spanish central defender Alvaro Parra Dioni. The 23-year-old, known as Parra, is a former team-mate of Juan Ugarte, who left in the summer to join Crewe. Parra came through the same Antiguoko youth system that has also produced the likes of Everton's Mikel Arteta, who is good friends with Parra. Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso and Athletico Bilbao starlet Andoni Iraola are two other famous graduates.

Scarborough defender Steve Baker says he would be happy to take over the captaincy if he was offered the job. Baker, 26, has been in the role for the pre-season friendlies but boss Nicky Henry is yet to announce who will permanent skipper for the new season.

Kilmarnock have taken former Dundee defender Brent Sancho on trial. The Trinidad and Tobago international is joined on trial at Rugby Park by former Paris St Germain centre-back Souleymane Bamba. Sancho, 28, was released by the Dens Park club this summer as part of a cull following the club's relegation to the Bell's First Division. Both defenders are expected to play in a practice match against SPL opposition on Tuesday night.

Former Wales manager Mark Hughes has called on successor John Toshack to clarify his stance on Robbie Savage. Savage quit the Wales scene in March after a row with Toshack, but has since said he would like to return. Savage was booed by Swansea fans during Blackburn's 4-1 pre-season win at New Stadium on Saturday and Rovers boss Hughes criticised Savage's treatment. "They clearly don't like Robbie. Maybe it's because they've been fed a load of rubbish about him," said Hughes. "Robbie wants to play for his country once more, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen." Savage has never contacted Toshack directly to tell the former Real Madrid boss that he would like to come out of international retirement, or apologise for his criticism of Toshack's training methods. But Hughes believes that the Wales management should clarify whether Savage is still in the minds of selectors, or whether he is no longer a consideration. "Id like someone from the Wales camp come out and say if Robbie is in their plans. Robbie needs to get it clear in his own mind whether he is an international footballer, or an ex-international footballer."

Linfield manager David Jeffrey will decide this week whether to give Phil Charnock a chance to nail down a contract at Windsor Park. The former Liverpool player has undergone major surgery twice to repair cruciate ligament damage. The 30-year-old midfielder will train with Linfield this week so that Jeffrey can run the rule of thumb over his present state of fitness. If he passes muster, Charnock could be included to Linfield's Uefa Cup squad. Linfield are due to face Swedish side Halmstad away in the first leg next Thursday following their momentous first round victory over Ventspils last week. Charnock signed for the Blues from Bury almost two years ago, and provided a bit of class in midfield before injury struck him down the following January. He signed a new one-year contract last summer but after he was forced to miss the CIS Cup final last November he was advised to undergo further surgery.

Jubilo Iwata defender Kim Jin-kyu spared Korea Republic's blushes against the eight men of China as Jo Bonfrere's side came from a goal down to kick off their defence of the East Asian Football Championship with a 1-1 draw.

DPR Korea sprung the first surprise of the East Asian Football Championship on Sunday as Kim Myong-song's side defeated Asian Cup holders Japan 1-0 to avenge two previous defeats at the hands of Zico's team this year.

Former Uzbekistan national coach Ravshan Haydarov will take charge of Pakhtakor following the departure of Tachmurod Agamurodov who has left the defending Oliy Liga champions to join Russian side Krilya Sovetov.

Singapore international striker Noh Alam Shah scored two goals as Tampines Rovers rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat Malaysian side Pahang 4-2 in the final of the ASEAN Club Championship on Sunday.

AFC president Mohamed Bin Hammam has supported comments by FIFA general secretary Urs Linsi, who has accused European clubs of exploiting Asian football and draining funds from the continent's domestic leagues.

With Kuwait’s crucial 2006 World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan edging ever closer the Gulf side is struggling to find their feet under recently-appointed coached Miha Stoichita. The Kuwaitis lost 1-0 to Gulf rivals Qatar to finish last in a four-team friendly tournament in Switzerland after losing out 7-6 on penalties to the UAE following their 1-1 draw in the opening match of the competition. Egypt, who round off the quartet, won the event by beating the UAE 5-4 on penalties following a goalless 90 minutes, having earned their place in the final with a decisive 5-0 humbling of Qatar.

China coach Zhu Gunaghu said he will not appeal young striker Gao Lin's sending off in the 1-1 draw with Korea Republic at the East Asian Football Championship on Sunday, despite television replays proving the 19-year-old was a victim of mistaken identity. Gao was sent off six minutes into his debut for China after an altercation on the edge of the penalty area early in Sunday's clash against the host nation, the Shanghai Shenhua man carrying the can for a transgression committed by Li Weifeng. Li pushed Korean defender You Kyoung-youl in the face as the players waited for Chen Tao to deliver a free kick into the penalty area and DPR Korea linesman Choe Hae Il pointed the finger of blame at Gao. Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura immediately reached for his top pocket before pulling out the red card and expelling the youngster, despite his innocence. Replays broadcast on the big screen of the Daejeon World Cup Stadium highlighted the mistake of the officials, but Zhu refused to be drawn into the debate. "It's not necessary," said the former Shenzhen Jianlibao manager. "Even if we appeal against the decision there is nothing we can gain from that, so we have no plan to appeal. We have to have respect for the referees and that is the team's philosophy." Gao's expulsion was the first of three for the Chinese as they sought to register their first-ever win over Korea Republic, and despite being down to 10 men from so early in the game they almost managed that maiden win.

India national captain Baichung Bhutia is to return to Malaysia on a short-term deal after signing a three-month contract with MK Land Selangor for the Malaysia Cup tournament. The 28-year-old had a spell at another Malaysian side, Perak, two seasons ago and has opted to return to the South East Asian nation for another crack at the Malaysia Cup. Perak missed out on a spot in the final in 2003, going out in the semi-finals to Sabah.

Clive Clarke claims he has chosen a £275,000 move to West Ham over Sunderland because he thinks they have a better chance of staying up.

England defender Ashley Cole claims he has always been committed to Arsenal - and says he is "very happy at the moment" at Highbury.

Portsmouth coach Joe Jordan expects livewire striker Lomana LuaLua to shake off a slight knock and be fit for the start of the season.

Mario Melchiot has spelt out his desire to honour his current contract with Birmingham, as he wants to "give something back" to Steve Bruce.

David O'Leary believes Juan Pablo Angel can transform Aston Villa's fortunes - if he can repeat the form he showed two years ago.

Real Madrid have put Manchester United and Newcastle on alert by admitting they are happy to let Michael Owen leave the Bernabeu.

Bolton playmaker Stelios Giannakopoulos has admitted that Liverpool have been keen to secure his services, saying: "They wanted me."

Manchester City will not be appealing against Sun Jihai's red card at Stoke and the Chinese defender now faces a likely three-match ban.

Oxford United have terminated the contract of defender David Woozley by mutual consent. The former Crystal Palace man leaves The Kassam Stadium after an injury-plagued season with Brian Talbot's side, having finished the last campaign on loan at Yeovil Town. The former Torquay United captain recently had a trial with Conference club Aldershot but the player is thought have a number of options, as he looks for pastures new. "We have come to an agreement which is best for both parties, and Dave is now able to find himself another club," Talbot told the club's official website.

Shrewsbury Town have handed a trial to former Cambridge United defender Stevland Angus. The former West Ham United trainee was one of several players axed by the Abbey Stadium club following last season's relegation from The Football League. Angus spent portions of last term on loan at Hull City and Scunthorpe United and despite impressing Iron boss Brian Laws, the Glanford Park club opted against making the right back a permanent addition.

Burnley are sweating over the fitness of summer signing Danny Karbassiyoon ahead of the new Championship campaign. The 20-year-old, who arrived on a free transfer from Premiership giants Arsenal, has been sidelined for the last fortnight with a niggling problem. The young American will have a scan this week to find out the extent of his injury problems, with Clarets boss Steve Cotterill expressing his concern for the defender's current fitness.

Crystal Palace goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly has revealed he came close to signing for Newcastle. The Hungarian shot-stopper joined The Eagles last summer on a free transfer and was a revelation between the sticks at Selhurst Park despite The Eagles ultimately being relegated. His form reportedly caught the attention of Arsenal, and after losing their top-flight status it was thought he could move on. Kiraly himself has revealed that he was the subject of interest from West Ham and Portsmouth as well as Newcastle. He admits he would jump at the chance to make an immediate return to The Premiership but was left frustrated as Palace priced him out of a move by demanding £4 million. However, he insists he is happy to remain at Selhurst Park because Palace have demonstrated their determination to achieve promotion to him.

Rangers have been linked with a possible loan move for Monaco centre back Julien Rodriguez. Ibrox boss Alex McLeish is still in the market for a new centre back, despite bolstering his backline with Jose Karl Pierre-Fanfan from Paris Saint Germain this summer. With the club missing out on re-signing last season's loan man in Panathinaikos defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos and doubts over the fitness of Marvin Andrews for the coming campaign, McLeish may be set again to raid French football for Rodriguez. The 27-year-old attracted the interest of clubs in Ligue 1 two years ago, with then Marseille boss Alain Perrin showing a fancy for the centre back, while the defender rejected a four-year deal to join PSG. Speaking after his club's 3-0 win over Livingston to start their defence of the Scottish Premier League title, McLeish stated he will look to have a new centre back in place before the end of August. "We still want a central defender and while we are hoping nothing goes wrong with big Marvin, it's still an area I want to cover," McLeish told the Daily Record.

July 31 2005

UEFA Champions League hopefuls LOSC Lille Métropole opened their 2005/06 Ligue 1 campaign with a 1-0 victory at home to Stade Rennais FC. Lille finished a credible second last term, but fully 12 points behind champions Olympique Lyonnais, and they put some early pressure on their rivals with a narrow win. Jean Makoun scored the only goal of the game eight minutes before the interval, heading a rebound after Andreas Isaksson could only parry new signing Hicham Aboucherouane's blistering free-kick.

Club Brugge KV have won their first prize of the new season by beating KFC Germinal Beerschot Antwerpen on penalties to lift the Belgian Super Cup for the fourth year running at the Jan Breydel stadium in Brussels.

West Ham United FC defender Anton Ferdinand has signed a three-year extension to his contract at Upton Park. The 20-year-old, younger brother of England and Manchester United FC centre-back Rio, was one of Alan Pardew's side's promotion to the Premiership last season, and made his England Under-21 debut in August. "Anton has made rapid progress over the past year and if he continues to play as well as he has been then we are going to have a great player on our hands," Pardew told the club's website.

Ligue 1 newcomers ES Troyes Aube Champagne have signed Serbo-Montenegrin midfield player Branko Boskovic from Paris Saint-Germain FC. The 25-year-old, who collected two championship medals at former club FK Crvena Zvezda, has failed to make an impact since moving to the French capital two years ago. He nevertheless made 36 league appearances last term and Troyes coach Jean-Marc Furlan will hope he bring experience ahead of an expected relegation tussle.

French UEFA Intertoto Cup hopefuls Olympique de Marseille have loaned winger Fabrice Fiorèse to Qatari side Al-Rayyan. The 30-year-old former EA Guingamp player arrived at the Stade Vélodrome in a last-minute move from PSG last August.

Promising striker Scott McDonald has committed to another two years at Motherwell FC. The 21-year-old, who scored 15 league goals last season - including the two goals that denied Celtic FC the Scottish Premier League title on the last day of the season - is now tied to the Fir Park club until 2008. McDonald was again on target against Celtic earlier today, as Motherwell began the new Scottish Premier League campaign with an enthralling 4-4 draw.

FK Partizan right-back Nemanja Rnic could be out for up to five months after breaking his fibula in an accident in training. The highly-promising Serbo-Montenegrin international broke the bone in his right foot after a collision with Nigerian striker Obiore Odita. The 21-year-old will undergo surgery tonight but initial examinations suggest he could be sidelined until the New Year, ruling him out for both Partizan and the international team's 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The loss is a blow for Partizan coach Vladimir Vermezovic, whose side defeated FC Sheriff 1-0 in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round last week thanks, coincidentally, to a goal from Odita.

With three days of festivities, the new Stade de Suisse Wankdorf in Berne will officially be opened this weekend. The stadium is one of four Swiss venues to be used for the UEFA EURO 2008™ final round. The arena, which is located on the same site as the stadium that hosted the 1954 FIFA World Cup final, holds 32,000 spectators. The state-of-the-art facility, similar to St. Jakob-Park in Basel, was constructed in approximately four years, and will also be home to a business centre, various restaurants and a shopping complex.

UEFA Cup entrants Dundee United FC have signed Scotland Under-21 goalkeeper Craig Samson on a one-year contract. The 21-year-old rejected a new deal at Kilmarnock FC having slipped to third choice at Rugby Park and will now compete with Derek Stillie for a first-team place at Tannadice. The move follows an impressive trial spell and manager Gordon Chisholm is confident he has made the correct choice. "Although I have looked at other goalkeepers over the past few weeks, Craig was always on my mind. I came to the decision he was the best candidate."

Manchester United are set to bid for Real Madrid striker Michael Owen, according to reports.

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce says there has not been a bid from Liverpool for midfielder Stelios Giannakopoulos. The 31-year-old Greece international, who is currently in talks over a new deal, has been linked with the Reds. "We don't want to lose him, but my chairman assures me Liverpool have not made a bid for him," Allardyce told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek. "So we can just hope it's speculation. He was very valuable for us last year and had a great season for us."

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan admitted his defence requires major surgery having conceded nine goals in two games following the 4-4 draw with Motherwell. "I don't think anyone thought we would lose that many goals. To concede as easily as that is hard to take," Strachan said. "It's obvious where we need to sort things out, but it must happen quickly. I can ask the fans to be patient, but I'll just have to put up with any reaction from them."

Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given says he will wait until next summer before deciding on his St James' Park future. The 29-year-old Republic of Ireland international has two years left on his current deal and has been linked with a move away from the Magpies. "So far they have not offered me a new deal, so we will have to see where this season takes us and I will look at it again," he told the News of the World. "But I have to say I am in no mad rush to sign a new contract at Newcastle."

Norwich midfielder Damien Francis could be on his way back to the Premiership after the Canaries agreed a fee with Wigan for the 26-year-old. Wigan boss Paul Jewell said he would speak to Francis on Monday to assess his interest in the potential move. "If he comes, and it's still a big if, he'll add competition to the centre of the team," Jewell told Wigan's website. "He's big, got an eye for goal, so hopefully we can get him and early next week we can tie up the deal." Francis, who is thought to have attracted a £1m price tag, was a target for Portsmouth, but the Latics have decided to make a swift move after suffering several disappointments in the transfer market. He had also been linked with possible moves to Charlton and West Ham.

George Burley's makeshift Hearts side got their SPL campaign off to a good start with a 4-2 victory at Kilmarnock. Killie took the lead when Steven Naismith scored from close range, but Hearts replied immediately, with Rudi Skacel scoring from similar distance. Roman Bednar headed Hearts into the lead and Saul Mikoliunas curled in a terrific third goal. Gordon Greer headed Killie back into it late on, but a Paul Hartley penalty sealed the points for the visitors.

Manchester United have turned down an increased offer from Turkish club Besiktas for midfielder Kleberson. United have already rejected a £2m bid from Besiktas for the 26-year-old Brazilian, who cost United £6m from Atletico Paranaese two years ago. "We had another, improved offer from Besiktas on 29 July but at the moment we know his value," said United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. "He's wanting first-team football so we're prepared to listen to offers." Kleberson has made just 30 appearances during his injury interrupted career at Old Trafford. Celta Vigo are also interested in signing the Brazilian, who was part of their World Cup winning team in 2002.

Manchester United's Roy Keane showed no ill-effects from his reported hamstring injury during a 60-minute appearance for the reserves against Walsall.

Everton suffered a pre-season friendly thrashing at the hands of Fenerbahce as their preparations for the Champions League went awry in Turkey. Fenerbahce's Alex was Everton's main tormentor, but the Toffees contributed to their downfall with poor defending. The Turkish side led at the break after goals from Tuncay and Marcio Nobre. James Beattie wasted Everton's best chance, before goals from Mehmet Yozgati, Alex and Onder Turaci completed the 5-0 rout.

Uncertainty over Southampton goalkeeper Antti Niemi's future grew on Saturday after he was left out of their pre-season friendly with Anderlecht. The 33-year-old has been linked with a move away from St Mary's since their relegation from the Premiership in May. "Antti has a lot of personal problems to deal with and I won't elaborate on that. The chairman is dealing with it," said Saints manager Harry Redknapp. Saints beat Anderlecht 3-2 thanks to a hat-trick from striker Kenwyne Jones.

Motherwell manager Terry Butcher insisted his side could top last season's achievements if they could perform as they did against Celtic. "I thought it wasn't going to be our day, but we showed great spirit with a terrific performance in the second half," Butcher added. "We want teams to hate coming to Fir Park to play us. If we continue to play like we did in the second half, this season could be even better than last season."

Chelsea target Michael Essien has dropped out of the Lyon squad for their opening Ligue 1 game against Le Mans on Sunday with a stomach complaint. A statement on the French champions' website said the 22-year-old had lost 2kg in weight because of his condition. Lyon coach Gerard Houllier said he was unsure when Essien would return.

Charlton manager Alan Curbishley has revealed that Premiership rivals Birmingham are interested in signing want-away midfielder/striker Jason Euell.

Everton midfielder Lee Carsley is struggling to be fit for the start of the season after sustaining a knee injury in pre-season action.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has conceded he will not be able to match the trophy haul of Manchester United counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson.

Celtic coach Tommy Burns has assured supporters that Gordon Strachan will prove his ability as a top class manager if he is given time.

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce is still keen to bolster his squad despite the imminent arrivals of Jared Borgetti and Spanish defender Juanfran.

Liverpool winger Antonio Nunez will move to Celta Vigo next week insisting his brief stay at Anfield was not a failure.

Birmingham manager Steve Bruce has revealed the club are close to signing Walter Pandiani from Deportivo La Coruna.

Matthew Etherington's first-half tap-in for West Ham settled their derby clash at Crystal Palace as the Hammers completed a slender 1-0 win.

Sun Jihai looks like missing the start of the season for Manchester City after being sent off in a 2-1 win over Stoke at the Britannia Stadium.

Fulham are still yet to record a win in pre-season after their fixture against an MLS All-Stars team ended in a comprehensive 4-1 defeat.

West Ham manager Alan Pardew is optimistic the club will sign Stoke City captain Clive Clark. The 25-year-old defender, who has just twelve months remaining on his Potters deal, has been linked with a summer move to Sunderland. However, Pardew has now made a move for Clark and is confident of wrapping up a deal within the next 24 hours.

July 30 2005

Second-half strikes from Mohamed Chakouri, Abdoulaye Balde and Yohan Gouffran helped France came from a goal down to defeat England and claim the UEFA European Under-19 Championship trophy for the first time. In front of almost 5,000 spectators in Belfast, France controlled the majority of the match, creating the better goalscoring opportunities only to fall behind to Lee Holmes's deflected strike four minutes before half-time. Mohamed Chakouri headed in Balde's cross eleven minutes into the second period to bring France level, however, before goals in the final 15 minutes from Balde and Gouffran ensured the four-time European U18 champions clinched their first U19 title.

Paris Saint-Germain FC defeated FC Metz 4-1 in the opening match of the 2005/06 Ligue 1 season - with home debutant Bonaventure Kalou involved in all four of his team's goals.

Real Madrid CF have signed attacking midfield player Julio Baptista from Sevilla FC in a deal that could be worth up to €24.5m to the Andalusian club. Although the terms of the 23-year-old's contract are yet to be disclosed, the Brazilian international has become Madrid's third summer signing following the arrivals of Uruguayan international duo Pablo García and Carlos Diogo. Sevilla chairman Jose María Del Nido said of the move: "The only logical decision was to sell him." Sevilla will receive an initial €20m from Madrid with the remainder of the fee being performance-related. Baptista, who had attracted the public interest of Arsenal FC, joined Sevilla from São Paulo FC in a €2.75m transfer two summers ago. Initially considered an orthodox midfielder, he took a more attacking role in the Primera División, scoring 20 goals in 30 games in his first Spanish season, before registering 18 times in the league and five times in the UEFA Cup in 2004/05.

Denmark winger Jesper Grønkjær has quit Club Atlético de Madrid after just six months to complete a reported €6m move to VfB Stuttgart on a three-year contract. The 27-year-old Grønkjær joined Atlético in December from Birmingham City FC but is moving on even though he had two seasons left to run on his contract in Spain. He appeared 16 times in the league and played a part in the team's Copa del Rey campaign, reaching the semi-final stage. Grønkjær completed the transfer to the Bundesliga club today after passing a medical in Stuttgart. He will join forces with fellow Danish international Jon Dahl Tomasson, with the striker having been acquired on a four-year contract from AC Milan earlier this month. Stuttgart will enter the UEFA Cup in September's first round.

Newcastle United FC have taken time out from their UEFA Intertoto Cup campaign to sign Craig Moore, who has left VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach. The 29-year-old Australian defender first came to Europe in 1993/94 with Rangers FC, and stayed until January of this year other than for a short spell at Crystal Palace FC. Having been released by Mönchengladbach, he has agreed a two-year contract after passing a medical. Moore will not be eligible for Newcastle's Intertoto Cup campaign, but should they make it through he could play in the UEFA Cup. To do that, Newcastle must first overturn a 2-1 deficit in the home leg of their semi-final against RC Deportivo La Coruña on Wednesday and then beat S.S. Lazio or Olympique de Marseille.

Celtic FC striker Chris Sutton has been ruled out for up to four weeks after fracturing a cheekbone in Wednesday's UEFA Champions League second round qualifying round defeat against FC Artmedia Bratislava. The 32-year Englishman will undergo an operation early next week after colliding with his captain Neil Lennon midway through the first half during their 5-0 defeat in Slovakia. He is certain to meet the return on Tuesday as Celtic attempt to overturn the daunting deficit in Glasgow, and should they make it through Sutton is unlikely to make the first leg of the third qualifying round tie against FK Partizan or FC Sheriff on 9/10 August. Sutton's injury also keeps him out of the opening games of the Scottish Premier League season, including Saturday's opener at Motherwell FC, where a defeat cost Celtic the title last season. Celtic visit champions Rangers FC for the first 'Old Firm' game of the campaign on 20 August.

The 25-year-old Sierra Leone forward Mohamed Kallon will spend the 2005/06 season on loan at Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad. Kallon's current employers, AS Monaco FC, deemed him surplus to requirements after signing attackers Toifilou Maoulida and Olivier Kapo. Meanwhile, striker Emmanuel Adebayor has been excluded from the squad temporarily for disciplinary reasons.

Also in France, FC Metz have signed Polish international striker Marcin Zewlakow on a three-year contract from R. Excelsior Mouscron. The 29-year-old had spent six years with the Belgian club but has moved for a reported €600,000 fee.

English Premiership newcomers West Ham United FC have re-signed goalkeeper Shaka Hislop on a one-year contract to provide competition for new No1 Roy Carroll. The 36-year-old previously played for West Ham between 1998 and 2002.

Coach Alexey Petrushin has been sacked by FC Kairat Almaty with his assistant Vladimir Gulyamkhaidarov taking temporary charge. The decision follows the Kazakhstan champions' poor domestic form and elimination from the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. Petrushin was appointed before the 2004 season and led the club to the title and the Kazakh Cup final.

French team FC Sochaux-Montbéliard have signed Coritiba FC centre-back João Miranda on a three-year contract. The 20-year-old Brazilian is new to the European game, but said: "It will be no problem for me to become a regular either in the centre or on the right once I get used to the French culture and climate."

Livingston FC have beaten Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC to the signature of transfer-listed Aberdeen FC midfielder Derek Adams. The 30-year-old has agreed a two-year contract at Almondvale.

Belgium's K. Lierse SK have signed Marko Andic from Serbo-Montenegrin second division side Sovojne. The 21-year-old defender has signed a three-year deal at Lierse after having impressed in trial matches against Dutch Willem II and FC Den Bosch.

Club Atlético de Madrid unveiled Argentinian international Luciano Galletti this evening with club chairman Enrique Cerezo declaring the deal one of the "greatest signings of the summer". The 25-year-old midfielder has signed a three-year contract with Atlético, who have paid Real Zaragoza a fee of around €4m for his services. Cerezo said: "For any of our supporters, this is a very attractive signing, and personally, I think this is one of the greatest signings of the summer. I wish him all the very best at his new home, Atlético de Madrid." Galletti, whose former sides include SSC Napoli, Parma FC and Club Estudiantes de la Plata, stated: "I am grateful to Atlético for the faith they have placed in me. They are one of the great clubs of Spanish football and also have the best fans." Galletti is expected to join his new team-mates on Saturday to take part in Atlético's tour of England.

UEFA Champions League contenders Werder Bremen have completed the signing of Brazilian defender Naldo. The 22-year-old completed his move from EC Juventude to the Bundesliga for an undisclosed fee, putting pen to paper on a four-year deal at the Weserstadion. Naldo will be eligible for Bremen's Champions League third qualifying round tie against FC Basel 1893. Bremen hope that Naldo will be able to fill the gap left by Valérien Ismäel's departure to FC Bayern München. "Naldo will definitely improve the quality of our squad," said Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf. "He is probably the most talented defender in Brazil. He is quick and he has got a vicious shot." Meanwhile, the defender is looking forward to having the opportunity to prove his worth in Europe. "A dream has come true today," said Naldo. "I always wanted to play for a big club in Europe and Werder are just such a club."

Austria midfielder René Aufhauser has signed for SV Austria Salzburg in a €1m move from rivals Grazer AK. The 29-year-old has agreed a three-year contract with the club who had been among the pre-season favourites for the Austrian title but who have lost two of their first three games of the 2005/06 campaign. Aufhauser, previously linked with a switch to England, could make his debut on Saturday when title-holders SK Rapid Wien visit Salzburg.

Igoris Pankratjevas is set to be unveiled as coach of Lithuanian champions FBK Kaunas following the departure of Aleksandr Piskiarov. The 55-year-old Piskiarov parted company with Kaunas following Tuesday's 3-1 UEFA Champions League defeat by Liverpool, claiming the club owed him bonus payments. Kaunas owner Vladimir Romanov denies this, saying he sacked the coach for failing to meet expectations and committing a series of tactical errors in the second qualifying round first leg against Liverpool. The Russian was appointed in May, but had come under increasing pressure as Kaunas fell 15 points behind leaders FK Ekranas in the Lithuanian First Division. Pankratjevas, 41, resigned as FK Atlantas coach in June after a run of poor results, and has taken the Kaunas hot seat for the rest of this season. He will receive a baptism of fire in his first game – away to European champions Liverpool on 2 August.

Craig Beattie's injury-time goal denied Motherwell victory over Celtic in a hugely exciting start to the SPL season. John Hartson scored a first-half hat-trick comprising two headers and a penalty kick. Brian Kerr had briefly cancelled out Hartson's first with a fierce drive, but the second half was Motherwell's. They went 4-3 up through headers from Jim Hamilton, Scott McDonald and then Willie Kinniburgh but sub Beattie prodded in the equaliser.

Arsenal and Manchester United may move for Michael Owen after his Real Madrid future was threatened by the signings of Robinho and Julio Baptista. Owen looks to be on his way out of The Bernabeu after only one season after the Spanish giants confirmed deals for Robinho and Baptista. The 25-year-old England striker had a successful first season and Real, but spent many games on the bench. And he is unlikely to accept a further drop down the pecking order.

Liverpool will play either Sydney FC or Costa Rica's Deportivo Saprissa in December's Fifa Club World Championship following Saturday's draw in Tokyo. The European champions have been seeded along with defending champions Sao Paulo and join at the semi-final stage. Oceania representatives Sydney would relish a meeting with the Anfield club. "Australia is still a colony in a lot of ways so playing against the motherland will be like the Ashes," said Sydney boss Andy Harper. "We are under no illusions. It will be difficult to get to the semi-finals. But Liverpool are a massive club and we would love a crack at them."

Real Madrid have reached agreement with Santos for the transfer of Brazilian international Robinho ending a six-month chase for the starlet. Robinho, 21, will join Real, who signed fellow Brazilian international Julio Baptista from Sevilla on Friday, on a five-year deal on 25 August. Neither Santos not Real Madrid have confirmed a fee, although it is believed Robinho will cost about £20m.

Sven-Goran Eriksson has told England's young stars that he does not want to see them making front-page headlines in the run-up to next year's World Cup. Rio Ferdinand, David Beckham and Wayne Rooney have all featured in tabloid news stories in recent months. "We don't want front pages, we want back pages," said Eriksson.

Wayne Rooney scored his first goals of Manchester United's Far East tour to beat Urawa in their final match. After a tired first-half performance, United took the lead just five minutes after the interval when Rooney threaded a low shot under Ryota Tsuzuki. Soon after, Rooney scored a sublime second, dribbling past three players before lofting a delicate chip over Tsuzuki from the edge of the area. Cristiano Ronaldo had a second-half penalty appeal turned down.

Teenage striker Arturo Lupoli was on target as Arsenal began the Amsterdam Tournament with a 1-0 win over Ajax. Captain Thierry Henry and new signing Alexander Hleb combined to find the Italian on the edge of the penalty area with just three minutes remaining. Lupoli, 18, controlled the ball and turned to send a rising left-foot shot into the net. Tournament hosts Ajax created several chances during the game but failed to convert any of them. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is trying to work out how best to compensate for the loss of Patrick Vieira, experimented with Robert Pires in a central midfield role. But Wenger stressed that using the Frenchman there in the Premiership was only one of several options under consideration.

Middlesbrough had midfielder George Boateng sent off as they were beaten 4-0 by Sporting Lisbon in Portimao. Boateng was shown a red card a minute before half-time after clashing with Joao Moutinho, who was booked. Sporting's Brazilians did the damage, with Fabio Rochemback scoring twice and Deivid and Manoel also on target.

Stoke City manager Johan Boskamp has signed midfielders Martin Kolar and Ngalula Mbuyi Gabriel on season-long loans from Belgian outfit Anderlecht. Kolar, 21, is a left-sided player from the Czech Republic and Gabriel, 23, also called Junior, can operate on the right or centre as well as in defence.

Leeds United have signed Angolan international defender Rui Marques subject to international clearance. The club has finally received a medical record for the 27-year-old centre-back, who has agreed a two-year contract. However, the Maritimo player will not feature in Saturday's friendly at Barnsley as Leeds are still awaiting final clearance for the player.

Swansea City have given midfielder Owain Tudur-Jones a one-year contract, just three days after signing the 20-year-old on a one-month deal. Tudur-Jones impressed while on trial from Welsh Premier side Bangor City. But his performances in pre-season have also caught the eye of Swansea's League One rivals Swindon and Tranmere Rovers. "We'd settled on a month with Owain to begin with, but then Swindon and Tranmere made enquiries," Swans boss Kenny Jackett told the Evening Post. "That made the situation a little different, and it was after Owain's display in the game at Forest Green Rovers on Tuesday that I was convinced I wanted to sign him up for the year. Every week Owain has been with us he has improved and, at 20, I think he will keep on getting better now he's training full time." Although Bangor are not entitled to a transfer fee, Jackett revealed that he would be contacting the Welsh Premier side to see if they could agree some reward for Tudur-Jones' development - possibly in the form of a pre-season match.

Grimsby Town have completed the signing of former Tranmere striker Gary Jones on a two-year deal. The former Rovers trainee, who can also operate as a midfielder, was out of contract at Prenton Park. The 30-year-old was a trainee with the Merseyside club before joining Nottingham Forest and he spent two years at the City Ground. Jones then joined Tranmere again on loan before completing a permanent move to Prenton Park in 2002.

Scarborough have signed defender David Elebert from Preston North End on a six-month loan deal. The 19-year-old Dublin-born centre-half has played a big part in Preston's pre-season preparations and boss Billy Davies wants him to gain experience. "It will be vital for David to get some games and to play at that higher level which will give him great experience," said Davies. "We will see how well he does until the first transfer window in January."

Rhyl boss John Hulse admits it will be hard to overcome Uefa Cup second qualifying round opponents Viking FK. The Norwegian side from Stavanger are managed by ex-Blackburn, Inter Milan and Switzerland coach Roy Hodgson. Hulse knows that Viking will provide an even sterner test than the Lilywhites' first-round opponents Atlantas. "I know they are managed by Roy Hodgson, who is very experienced, so we can be pretty sure they will be very organised," Hulse told the Daily Post.

Former Northern Ireland Under-21 player Pat McCourt has signed for Derry City until the end of the season. Midfielder McCourt moves from Shamrock Rovers where he had been since leaving Rochdale in January. "Patrick is an exciting player who will add a new dimension to the team," said Brandywell boss Stephen Kenny. "We are still in three competitions and the matches are going to come thick and fast. We needed reinforcements and this will give us a fresh impetus." Derry hope to have McCourt registered in time to play against Bohemians in the Premier Division on Tuesday. On Friday night Derry maintained their title challenge by beating Waterford United 3-1, their fifth successive league victory. They are also in the semi-finals of the league cup and the last 16 of the Carlsberg FAI Cup. Meanwhile, new Athlone Town boss John Gill has made his first new signing, bringing in Fiachra McArdle from Dundalk. The 21-year-old spent almost four seasons at Derby County.

The winners of this years African Champions League will face the yet-to-be-determined Asian champions at the Fifa Club World Championship. The winners of that match on 11 December will play Brazil's Sao Paulo in the semi-final of the tournament in Japan. The winners of the tournament will take home US$4.5m, the runners-up US$3.5m, third place get US$2.0m and fourth US$1.5m.

Singapore league and cup holders Tampines Rovers downed Vietnamese side Hoang Anh Gia Lai in a penalty shootout to set up a meeting with Malaysian side Pahang in the final of the ASEAN Club Championship.

Real Madrid completed their Asian tour on Friday with a 3-0 win over the Thailand under-23 team at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has set himself a seven-day transfer deadline to sign the final two players on his summer shopping list.

Spurs boss Martin Jol has rejected reports he is interested in signing Feyenoord ace Dirk Kuyt, claiming he is happy with his striking options.

Alan Smith insists he is more than willing to abandon his World Cup dream by turning himself into a Manchester United midfielder this season.

Celtic are ready to plough a further furrow in the lucrative Far East market after revealing China captain Du Wei is to join the club on trial.

New signing Richie Partridge is preparing for a tough season after joining Championship side Sheffield Wednesday on a short-term contract.

Bundesliga outfit Schalke claim they have agreed terms with Liverpool's out of favour striker Milan Baros. The Czech Republic international striker has been tipped to leave Anfield this summer and numerous clubs have been chasing his coveted signature. Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick says the club have struck a deal with the 23-year-old and will now thrash out a fee with The Reds for his services.

Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed he will pen his new contract with Manchester United next week. The 20-year-old Portuguese star has been in talks for a number of months, but now a new deal is in place.

Wigan Athletic star Jimmy Bullard has given the club a huge boost by agreeing a new three-year contract. The 26-year-old was out-of-contract next year and talks had stalled. However, Wigan have now persuaded Bullard his future is best served at The JJB Stadium.

Wigan boss Paul Jewell has angrily dismissed suggestions that Sheffield United's Phil Jagielka has rejected a move to the JJB Stadium. The newly promoted Lancashire club have had a club record £4 million bid rejected for the former England Under 21 star with the Championship club unwilling to sell. However recent reports have indicated that even if a bid was accepted by United, Jagielka would turn down a move in favour of waiting for a more attractive offer from another club. Jewell was quick to dismiss that notion, telling the club's official website: "It's simply not true to say the player doesn't want to play for us. The player hasn't been given an opportunity to turn us down. We enquired about Jagielka and Sheffield United told us they wanted £4 million. We then made the offer but they turned it down. That is as far as the situation has gone. We have not spoken to the player or his agent and no offer has been made to Phil Jagielka from Wigan Athletic," he said.

Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis has promised to provide manager David O'Leary with the funds he needs after an improved financial year at Villa Park. Villa lost £2.5 million before tax compared to £10.7 million in 2004, even though they finished in a lower league position than the previous season. And Ellis says he is committed to helping O'Leary bring European football back to the Midlands club. "The board remains firmly committed to supporting the manager in his quest to bring regular European football back to Villa Park by providing him with the maximum level of financial support within our overall resources," said Ellis.

Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini insists that he is content at Stamford Bridge despite a dearth of first team football. The talented Italian found himself usurped last term between the sticks as Petr Cech established himself as arguably the finest custodian in The Premiership. Before Cech's arrival in West London, Cudicini had proven himself to be one of the division's most able - being linked with moves to both Manchester United and Arsenal. However, the player remains committed to his present employers and is adamant that he has no desire to quit the champions.

Former Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tim Sherwood has announced his retirement from football. The 36-year-old has seemingly failed to overcome a leg injury that cut his season short with Coventry City last term. He sustained the problem back in March and after being made available for a free transfer at the end of last season by Sky Blues boss Micky Adams, Sherwood has decided to hang up his boots after 18 years as a professional.

Real Betis magician Denilson has secured dual Spanish and Brazilian nationality. Formerly the most expensive player in world football after his $35 million move from Sao Paulo, Denilson has been plying his trade in Spain for five years, and now qualifies for Spanish citizenship. And the 27-year-old wideman believes that the news is positive for club and player alike. "Getting a Spanish passport is good for Betis as it frees a place for the club to sign another overseas player," said Denilson. "It also makes it easier for me in case I have to leave for another club because I now go as a European Union player." Denilson's latter statement could hold major importance, after the Brazilian fell out of favour with Betis coach Llorenc Serra Ferrer last season. It is believed that both parties are looking for a transfer for Denilson.

Walter Samuel looks set to finalise his move to Internazionale on Monday. Samuel held talks with Inter on Friday and his agent Roberto Rodriguez finalised an agreement. "We are really happy," said Rodriguez. Samuel is now back in Spain concluding matters at Real Madrid, but he will back in Italy within the next 48 hours before being unveiled by Inter. The move sees Samuel, formerly with Roma, move back to Italy after just one season at El Santiago Bernabeu. Inter are set to pay €16 million over four instalments for the Argentine.

Stockport County have sealed the signings of midfielders Danny Boshell and Mickael Wolski. The duo have both impressed during pre-season and Chris Turner has tied them down for the forthcoming campaign. Both former Oldham Athletic man Boshell and ex-Kilmarnock man Wolski have penned 12-month deals at Edgeley Park.

Darlington have completed the signings of Shelton Martis and Anthony Peacock. Dutch defender Martis and forward Peacock have impressed during pre-season and they have now both penned six-month deals. 22-year-old Mathis is a centre half who has arrived from Dutch club FC Eindhoven, while Peacock has signed for The Quakers after being released by neighbours Middlesbrough.