Celtic majority shareholder Desmond yesterday claimed talks were underway for the Old Firm to leave the Scottish Premier League for "This will happen inevitably. The ball has already been set rolling and there have been preliminary discussions between the chairmen of a number of clubs about it," he said.

But his words received no encouragement from Premiership spokesman Philip French, who "It is not on the cards. There are absolutely no plans for either Rangers or Celtic to join the Premier League," said French.

Such a move would generate a huge increase in television income for the Old Firm, but it would anger smaller Premiership clubs who are already struggling to keep pace with their bigger counterparts. UEFA want fewer teams in the elite leagues to clear space for international and European tournaments.

Yesterday's official SPL reaction was a curt "no comment" but chief executive Roger Mitchell has already stated he would consider merging the SPL with the English League if it made commercial sense.

Desmond had said joining the Premiership would make financial sense for both Old Firm rivals as well as the leading clubs in England. Desmond made his comments in an interview with Business and Finance magazine in the wake of Celtic's £25 million sterling share placing.

Asked whether the British and Scottish football associations might object to defections by Celtic and Rangers, he declared: "When the (English) Premier League was established in the early 1990s, it had nothing to do really with the jurisdiction in which it was played.

"It had more to do with the commercial aspirations of a select number of leading clubs and whether the proposition made economic sense for them."

Aston Villa have signed former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel on a one-year contract.

Schmeichel joined Villa on a free transfer from Portuguese outfit Sporting Lisbon and replaces England international David James, who signed for West Ham.

Manchester United finally completed the signing of Argentinian international Juan Veron from Lazio yesterday for a British record £28.1 million. Veron, who signed a five-year contract is awaiting a work permit.

Real Madrid have denied reports linking them with Patrick Vieira of Arsenal. The London club, meanwhile, have agreed a deal with Japanese club Gamba Osaka for midfielder Junichi Inamoto.

Newcastle have given up hope of signing Barcelona's Boudewiijn Zenden, who is attracting interest from Chelsea.