THE Italian midfielder Attilio Lombardo's conviction that he is worthy of a bigger pay packet than Alan Shearer yesterday scuppered his proposed transfer between Juventus and Sheffield Wednesday.
The South Yorkshire club pulled out of a meticulously planned £3.7 million deal after Lombardo's representatives insisted their man should be placed at the summit of British football's fat-cats earners league.
Just 24 hours before he was scheduled to join Wednesday, the balding 30-year-old demanded £500,000 per season more than the £1.2 million which Shearer is reportedly receiving at his new club, Newcastle United.
But, Lombardo's demands fell on less than sympathetic ears within the Hillsborough boardroom.
"We will not pay exaggerated wages," said Wednesday manager David Pleat. "We have transfer funds available and we shall now find an alternative to Lombardo."
Wednesday's secretary, Graham Mackrell, was less than amused by Lombardo's demands.
"We are disappointed because we had worked very hard on this transfer," he said. "The offer we made him would have guaranteed he was one of the highest paid players in England but we are not prepared to go down a path that would have meant us paying, what can only be described as crazy money.
The deal would have comfortably surpassed Wednesday's previous transfer record of £2.75 million which was paid for both Andy Sinton and Des Walker.
Chris Wright, the music and media entrepreneur, finally completed his takeover at Queens Park Rangers yesterday.
"I believe we have the basis of a team which should be able to fulfil our initial objective of winning a swift return to the Premiership," he said.
Liverpool's chances of registering new signing Patrik Berger in time to make a contribution to the opening two rounds of their European Cup Winners Cup campaign receded somewhat yesterday.
Although the Czech international midfielder has now formally completed his £3.2 million move from German champions Borussia Dortmund it could be another three weeks before he receives a work permit.
Everton's veteran goalkeeper Neville Southall will decide within the next 72 hours whether or not to severe his ties with the Merseyside club after 16 years.
Southall is to hold talks with First Division Wolverhampton Wanderers about a free transfer to Molineaux which, it is believed, would net him around £1 million over two years.
Nottingham Forest are looking to send Italian flop Andrea Silenzi back home, but cannot find a taker for the giant striker who made only seven first-team starts last season and scored just two goals.
Silenzi arrived for £1.8 million in a blaze of publicity from Tori no a year ago but never really impressed at the City Ground.
