Today's other stories in brief
United still most valuable club
Manchester United remain the most valuable football team in the world, according to Forbes business magazine. The annual list ranks United above Real Madrid with Arsenal leapfrogging AC Milan into third spot and Chelsea in eighth position.
Meanwhile, David Beckham has lost top spot to Ronaldinho as the world's highest-earning footballer.
Ten Premiership sides appear on Forbes' list of the world's 25 most valuable football teams followed by clubs from Italy (four), Germany (four), Spain (two), France (two), Scotland (two) and Holland (one).
The Forbes list, however, says United no longer command the largest yearly revenues as Real Madrid (£191 million), Barcelona (£169 million) and Juventus (£164 million) - who all have own individual TV deals - surpassed their figure of £158 million.
Most valuable clubs
1 Manchester Utd £740 million
2 Real Madrid £528m
3 Arsenal £466m
4 Bayern Munich £427m
5 AC Milan £420m
6 Juventus £289m
7 Inter Milan £282m
8 Chelsea £274m
9 Barcelona £273m
10 Schalke 04 £240m
11 Liverpool £231m
12 Lyon £175m
13 Newcastle £132m
14 Tottenham £124m
15 Roma £114m
16 Hamburg £112m
17 Manchester City £106m
18 Borussia Dortmund £101m
19 Ajax £100m
20 Celtic £94m
21 Everton £84m
22 Marseille £80m
23 West Ham £79m
24 Rangers £75m
Highest-earning players
1 Ronaldinho (Barcelona) £15.2m
2 D Beckham (Real Madrid) £14.8m
3 Ronaldo (AC Milan) £11.7m
4 W Rooney (Man Utd) £8.7m
5 M Ballack (Chelsea) £8.7m
6 T Henry (Arsenal) £8.2m
7 Z Zidane (ex-Real Madrid) £8.2m
8 F Cannavaro (Real Madrid) £7.6m
9 J Terry (Chelsea) £7.1m
10 S Gerrard (Liverpool) £7.1m
Healy happy with Rangers link
Northern Ireland and Leeds United striker David Healy has admitted he is flattered to be linked with Rangers.
Ibrox manager Walter Smith and coach Ian Durrant were at Windsor Park on Wednesday to watch Healy score a double for in their 2-1 Euro 2008 qualifier win over Sweden.
Healy said: "Obviously, I know that Walter Smith and Ian Durrant were at the game. Ian is a hero of mine from when I was young and it is flattering to be linked with a club such as Rangers."
Although remaining tight lipped about Healy, Smith admitted he will face a mammoth task replacing Dado Prso in the summer.
The 32-year- old striker announced this week, ahead of today's home SPL clash with Iverness, that he will leave Ibrox at the end of the season as he feels he is unable to play at such a high level because of a persistent knee problem. The Rangers manager is preparing to draw up a list of targets after the 32-year-old Croat striker.
"It's going to be difficult to replace him," said Smith. "We would have liked him to carry on, which is a measure of how highly we regard him. Front players are not easy to find. We will have to search for that."
Meanwhile, Scott McDonald admits his transfer to Celtic is a "dream come true" after the Parkhead club, who play at Dundee United today, confirmed the Motherwell striker will join them this summer.
The 23-year-old Australia international will remain at Fir Park for the rest of the season before officially joining Celtic on July 1st, 2007.
McDonald, who was the subject of a failed bid by Rangers at the end of January, has signed a three-year contract with Celtic, with the club having the option of a further year.
In brief . . .
Doctors in the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires reported progress yesterday in treating Diego Maradona for alcohol abuse and other excesses that prompted the soccer great's latest trip to hospital . . . Newcastle United yesterday reported an operating loss of £6.9 million for the six months to December 31st last . . . Former England and Rangers centre half Terry Butcher has joined Scottish First Division side Partick Thistle's coaching staff until the end of the season.
