SOCCER/FA PREMIERSHIP: Newcastle United hope to complete the signing of the China defender Sun Jihai this month for a fee of about £2 million sterling.

The 24-year-old full back, who played 23 times for Crystal Palace in the 1998-99 season, had a week's trial at Newcastle last year and would become the first Chinese national to play in the Premiership. Sun plays in China with Dalian Shide.

Northampton Town's chairman Barry Stonhill yesterday claimed that the sale of the club to former England striker John Fashanu's company should be completed within 10 days.

Leicester have signed the FC Copenhagen and former Derby defender Jacob Laursen (30), for a fee of around £400,000. He is contracted until the summer of 2004.

Sunderland's manager Peter Reid has contacted Valencia about the £7.5m-rated striker John Carew,while West Ham have agreed a £1 million fee with Sparta Prague for Slovakia's left-back Vladimir Labant. The 27-year-old must pass a medical and is get a work permit.

Dundee have expressed fears for the safety of their players following Wednesday's attack on Patricio Billio outside Dens Park. Police are keen to talk to a shaven-haired man in his late 20s or early 30s who was in the area at the time.

Billio and fellow Italian Marco de Marchi, who witnessed the attack, are in dispute with the club after being fined £20,000 for failing to turn up for an Intertoto tie in June 2000. Billio last played for the first team in November 2000, De Marchi in March 2001.

Guardian Service.