Soccer Shorts:China international Dong Fangzhou will get the chance to live his Manchester United dream after the Premiership leaders finally secured a work permit for the young striker.
Dong has been limited to sporadic appearances on a couple of pre-season tours as United attempted to get over the red tape which prevented him from playing in England. However, after spending three years on loan at Belgian feeder club Royal Antwerp, during which time he has won seven caps for his national side, Dong has now been cleared to link up with United on a permanent basis.
The 21-year-old, signed from Dalian Shide for £3.5million - a record for Chinese football - will head to England on January 1st.
"Dong has been doing exceptionally well and scoring a lot of goals at Antwerp," Ferguson said. "He has great pace and power and the boy has a big chance."
Ferguson also confirmed on loan players Lee Martin and Phil Bardsley will return from Rangers, along with Chris Eagles (NEC Nijmegen) and Giuseppe Rossi (Newcastle), plus Jonny Evans and Danny Simpson, who have been appearing alongside Dong at Antwerp.
No reprieve for referee Hoyzer
A top German appeals court yesterday confirmed a prison sentence of two years and five months handed down last year to former German referee Robert Hoyzer for match-rigging.
Hoyzer, who was not present in court, was found guilty in November, 2005, of fixing games as part of a €2-million betting fraud that tarnished Germany's reputation ahead of the World Cup it hosted in June and July.
In brief . . .
Dynamo Kiev left back Andriy Nesmachniy is nearing a move to Blackburn, according to reports in Ukraine . . . Colin Cooper will assist manager Gareth Southgate in the Middlesbroughdugout following Steve Round's departure from the club yesterday . . . Former Tottenham defender Mbulelo Mabizela(27) has been handed an effective six months ban for drug abuse by the football association in his native South Africa after a test found traces of marijuana . . . Fabio Cannavaro, who captained Italy to victory at the World Cup, was named World Soccer's World Player of the Year yesterday.
