Liverpool off to Kiev: Liverpool's pursuit of a place in the Champions League proper will take them to Kiev next week after Uefa confirmed the second leg of their qualifying tie against Maccabi Haifa would be switched to the Ukrainian capital.
The 2005 winners hold a 2-1 advantage from the first leg at Anfield, though Maccabi would progress via an away goal should they win 1-0 at Dynamo Kiev's Valery Lobanovskiy stadium next Tuesday, with some €20 million resting on the result.
Reyes burns bridges
Jose Antonio Reyes has said he does not want to return to training with Arsenal. Real Madrid will now attempt to use the Spain international's unrest as leverage to complete his transfer, sending a delegation to Arsenal in the next 48 hours armed with a "final offer".
Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein rejected Madrid's offer of £8 million last Wednesday. Dein then informed Reyes' agent the player was not for sale.
Reyes said: "If agreement isn't reached, it will be bad for Arsenal and bad for me."
The forward is with the Spain squad preparing for tonight's game against Iceland, but he must return to training tomorrow ahead of Arsenal's first Premiership fixture at the Emirates Stadium, against Aston Villa on Saturday.
In Brief
Manchester United chief executive David Gill insists the club is in "good shape" to meet the challenges of the new campaign. Although the Glazer family have continued to attract opposition from more militant members of the club's fan base, little seems to have changed in the 12 months since United came under American ownership.
Funds have been provided for new players, specifically £18.6million for the recent purchase of Michael Carrick from Tottenham.
And, while the recent restructuring of debt has seen the sum owed rise to £660 million, Gill remains convinced the club are a more efficient force in private ownership than they were as a Stock Market-quoted company . . . West Ham have beaten Charlton to the signature of Robert Green after agreeing a fee with Norwich City for the 26-year-old England goalkeeper . . . Liverpool's Scott Carson has joined Charlton on a season-long loan. The 20-year-old was allowed to leave Anfield for nine months as Rafael Benitez has Jose Reina, Jerzy Dudek and the young David Martin in his squad . . . Jens Lehmann, who has a year left on his contract with Arsenal, has said he could leave the club next summer and that he plans to retire after Euro 2008. . . . Leeds have confirmed they will hold an investigation into an alleged approach from Chelsea for 10-year-old schoolboy Lewie Coyle.
