German World Cup midfielder Dietmar Hamann could make his debut for Newcastle in a pre-season friendly against Bray Wanderers tonight after completing his transfer from Bayern Munich.
Chief executive Freddie Fletcher confirmed yesterday that the £4.5 million deal had been rubber-stamped by the Premier League and manager Kenny Dalglish has been given the green light to select the 24-year-old. France striker Stephane Guivarc'h could also get his first run-out in Newcastle colours tonight.
Liverpool's protracted search for a centre-back will end shortly with the arrival at Anfield of the German international Christian Worns. The 25year-old Worns, who represented his country in the World Cup finals - and was sent off against Croatia - is anxious to move to England even though he completed the formalities of a free transfer, under the Bosman ruling, between Bayer Leverkusen and Paris St-Germain only three weeks ago. The French club may well decide to sell the unsettled Worns because, with the player now safely under contract, they will be able to demand a fee of £4.5 million.
Tranmere Rovers' Steve Simonsen is poised to become the most expensive goalkeeper in the history of British football at the tender age of 19. Although the Tranmere manager John Aldridge has insisted that the England youth international will not be made available for transfer, his departure from Prenton Park - quite probably to Everton - seems inevitable.
Simonsen will cost at least £4 million, a figure which comfortably surpasses the current record of £2.25 million paid by Leeds United to Crystal Palace for the England international Nigel Martyn two years ago.
Ally McCoist yesterday ended the long-running saga of where he will continue his prolific goal-scoring career by signing for Kilmarnock in a one-year deal. McCoist will join his long-time friend and former team-mate Ian Durrant at Rugby Park after ending his 15-year stint at Ibrox.
Colin Hendry was yesterday granted his wish to return to his Scottish roots when he left Blackburn to complete a move to Rangers worth almost £4 million. Hendry signed a four-year contract to become the eighth new arrival of coach Dick Advocaat's short reign. Rovers were loathe to lose one of their prime assets and initially demanded £5.15 million for the 32year-old defender, while Rangers were only prepared to pay £2.5 million. But after a weekend of protracted negotiations a compromise deal was finally agreed.
The English League have unveiled the names of their chosen "100 League Legends" on a commemorative list designed as part of the celebrations for their forthcoming centenary season. It includes four Republic of Ireland internationals, Jackie Carey (Manchester United), John Giles (Manchester United, Leeds and West Bromwich), Liam Brady (Arsenal and West Ham) and Paul McGrath (Mancester United, Aston Villa and Derby).
The seven representatives from Northern Ireland are: Billy McCracken (Newcastle), Elisha Scott (Liverpool), Peter Doherty (Blackpool, Manchester City, Derby, Huddersfield, Doncaster), Danny Blanchflower (Barnsley, Aston Villa, Tottenham), Jimmy McIlroy (Burnley, Stoke, Oldham), Pat Jennings (Watford, Tottenham, Arsenal), George Best (Manchester United, Stockport, Fulham, Bournemouth).
The French policeman brutally beaten by German hooligans during the World Cup finals has emerged from a six-week coma, hospital officials said yesterday. "Six weeks after a serious head injury, the police officer has regained consciousness. He no longer requires respiratory assistance and spends several hours a day seated in a chair," a hospital spokesperson said. Gendarme Daniel Nivel, 43, had been in a deep coma with irreversible brain damage since hooligans attacked him on June 21st outside a stadium in the northern town of Lens where Germany was playing Yugoslavia.
The hospital official said Nivel, a father of two, still had serious problems speaking and understanding and suffered from a weakness in the muscles on the right side of his body.
Aston's Villa's manager John Gregory believes Manchester United will abandon their interest in Dwight Yorke now that Patrick Kluivert has turned down a £9 million move to Old Trafford. Gregory, who will sell Yorke only if Andy Cole joins Villa, said: "With Kluivert not going to United I would have thought Alex Ferguson would have been more concerned than ever about keeping Andy Cole."
England manager Glenn Hoddle said yesterday that Paul Gascoigne could still have an international future despite the fact he did not include him in a 29-man pre-European Championship qualifying training squad. Hoddle said that the door was still open for Gascoigne, the 31-year-old Middlesbrough midfielder who was left out of the World Cup squad for France 98. He said Gascoigne needed to be fitter than ever before and his match form would be closely followed.
Rangers have been fined £10,000 by UEFA's disciplinary committee for their fans' misbehaviour at the UEFA Cup qualifier against Shelbourne at Tranmere two weeks ago.
China's top player Fan Zhiyi will fly to London next week for talks with English first division team Crystal Palace which could make him the first Chinese player to play professionally in England. Crystal Palace are reportedly offering $700,000 for Fan. Fan, a 29-year-old defender, is captain of the Chinese national team.
