Steve Staunton returned to Liverpool last night, after seven years with Aston Villa, as one of the highest-paid players at Anfield. A free agent, he agreed a four-year deal believed to be worth £20,000 a week as Roy Evans looks to address the defensive frailties which he blamed for the club's failure in the Premiership last season. Liverpool hope to complete the signing of the French right-back Eric Sikora from Lens before the weekend.

Republic of Ireland midfielder Mark Kinsella has agreed a new five-year contract with Charlton, whom he captained to promotion to the Premiership last season. He was the only man to play in every league game.

Sheffield United have appointed Steve Bruce as player-manager. Bruce, who will be 38 this year, has signed a three-year contract. He will play for the first year, then confine himself to management for the final two.

Bruce signed for the club after agreement over compensation was reached with Birmingham City. Steve Thompson, who was acting United manager after Nigel Spackman resigned in March, will stay on as Bruce's assistant and John Deehan will come in as first-team coach. Mark Pembridge flew to Portugal yesterday to discuss a move to Benfica, where the manager Graeme Souness already has the former Sheffield United striker Brian Deane and Scott Minto from Chelsea. Pembridge is out of contract with Sheffield Wednesday, who are without a manager at present.

Benfica, who have qualified for the Champions League, are believed to be offering him a three-year contract worth around £2.4 million. Souness is also chasing Liverpool's Michael Thomas and Rod Wallace of Leeds.

FIFA emphatically denied yesterday that any player had tested positive for drugs at the World Cup, moving aggressively to quash rumours that at least one player had been caught for doping. "Let me make it absolutely clear," said FIFA communications director Keith Cooper. "No player has tested positive for drugs so far at this World Cup. We go into the quarter-finals with a clean sheet in that regard." There have been 244 tests to date - four per match.

Paraguay have dismissed Brazilian coach Paulo Carpegiani after the team's second round defeat by France, the president of the Paraguayan Football Federation Oscar Harrison said yesterday.