A round-up of the day's soccer news in brief...

Wenger could have been Barca boss

FORMER BARCELONA president Joan Gaspart claims Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was forced by his club to turn down the chance to coach the Catalan giants, as was England boss Fabio Capello.

Gaspart tried to tempt Wenger to the Nou Camp in 2001, following the dismissal of Llorenc Serra Ferrer and prior to the permanent appointment of interim coach Carles Rexach.

“When I was president, when Serra Ferrer, left we negotiated with Arsene Wenger and Fabio Capello to coach Barca,” Gaspart told Com Radio. “I met Wenger in Paris. He wanted to come to Barca but Arsenal didn’t let him.

“The Arsenal chairman ordered him to fulfil his contract. Capello also wanted to come, but they (Roma) didn’t let him either.”

Arsenal are remaining as firm now with Fabregas as they did then with Wenger.

Newcastle’s Campbell quashes fitness concerns

NEWCASTLE NEW boy Sol Campbell has branded criticism of his physical condition as “pathetic” and vowed he will be back to peak fitness “in three or four weeks”.

The 35-year-old former England centre-back was labelled “fat belly” on Magpies’ supporters’ message boards after the publication of a less-than-flattering training photograph over the weekend.

Campbell accepts he has work to do but claims his current state is no cause for concern.

“It’s pathetic,” he said of the abuse. ”I had been training for three days – just three days. I am three weeks behind everyone else in pre-season. Don’t they know I have just got married and been on honeymoon?

“I do need to catch up on my level of fitness, but the training kit was not very flattering

“The truth is that I am now in better shape than when I started off back at Arsenal after a long lay-off.”

Eriksson ends Ivory Coast tenure

IVORY COAST have failed to persuade Sven-Goran Eriksson to stay on as coach after being unable to agree on a salary.

“Indeed, Eriksson will not be the next coach of the Elephants,” said Sory Diabate, vice-president of the national soccer federation. “He was our top choice but the discussions broke down. The problem arose over financial considerations, despite good will on both sides.”

Eriksson was appointed at the end of March to guide Ivory Coast at this years World Cup in South Africa. they failed to qualify for the knockout stages.

Ghana were the only one of the six African teams to progress from the group stage.

Diabate said the Ivorian federation hoped to name a new coach in the next few days.

“Everything should be finalised before our scheduled departure for London on August 7th,” he said, referring to the trip for a friendly against Italy on August 10th.

Baggio back in technical role

ITALY LEGEND Roberto Baggio is on the verge of sealing a return to football, after agreeing to be part of the staff of the national set-up.

Baggio retired in 2004 and is now expected to be officially confirmed as technical committee president after a meeting tomorrow.

He said: “I have given my assent, on my part there’s the maximum willingness to hold the role of president of the technical sector at Coverciano.