Soccer news from around the world

Moyes to tempt Rooney

Everton manager David Moyes has revealed he is willing to make teen sensation Wayne Rooney his club captain if it will persuade the strike to say at Goodison Park.

Moyes believes he is facing the biggest battle of his career in persuading Rooney to accept the £50,000-a-week deal which would make him Everton's highest-paid player.

Moyes said: "Tell me why I should give up on the best young player in Europe?

"I will fight to the very end to keep him at Goodison - I'm certainly not going to give him up easily.

"It would be special for me if I could make Wayne captain of Everton. Maybe not now, but certainly by the time he is 20.

"Wayne is worshipped at Everton and when that happens at your boyhood club it's a special, unique feeling."

Domenech emerges

Raymond Domenech, the French under-21 coach, has emerged as favourite to beat Laurent Blanc and Jean Tigana in the race to succeed Jacques Santini as France's national coach, according to French media

Santini, appointed after the 2002 World Cup, resigned from his position after Euro 2004 to become coach at Tottenham Hotspur.

His successor is to be named today by the French Football Federation.

Crespo to make call

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claims the club will only move for Marseille striker Didier Drogba if Hernan Crespo opts to move on.

The Blues have been heavily linked with Drogba but Mourinho insists he may already have all the strikers he needs if Argentinian forward Crespo is in the right frame of mind to continue at Stamford Bridge.

The Portuguese coach was unimpressed by Crespo's late arrival for pre-season training but, after talking to the player, is now waiting to hear his future plans before trying to sign Drogba.

"If the decision is for Hernan to go looking for a new club, we have an open space," Mourinho said.

"What I can say is that Didier Drogba is one of the best strikers in Europe . . . So he can become a good option if in the next days we decide about Hernan."

Meanwhile, Chelsea midfielder Mario Stanic has retired at the age of 32 because of a knee injury.

Argentina get stung

Mexico beat Copa America favourites Argentina 1-0 in their Group B clash.

Now Argentina have to beat Uruguay, who defeated Ecuador 2-1 - Manchester United's Diego Forlan scored the opening goal for the winners - to secure a quarter-final place.

Also over the weekend, Colombia beat Bolivia 1-0 and Venezuela were defeated by hosts Peru in Group A matches.

Leeds to sell ground

Leeds United are looking to sell their Elland Road ground and lease it back from the new owners in a bid to reduce the club's debts, chairman Gerald Krasner said on Saturday.

Relegated from the Premiership last season, Leeds are still battling debts that stood at over £100 million when Krasner's consortium rescued the club from collapse in March.

Krasner said Leeds are seeking a lease-back arrangement with prospective buyers of the ground.

In brief . . .

Greece coach Otto Rehhagel has officially turned down the chance of returning to his country of birth to coach Germany . . . Scottish side Hibernian were knocked out of the Intertoto Cup on Saturday after losing 1-0 to Lithuania's Vetra Vilnius, they drew the first-leg 1-1 . . . Manchester City boss Kevin Keegan believes he could be out of a job if the club does not improve on last season's 16th place in the Premiership . . . Republic of Ireland under-21 captain Stephen Kelly has signed a contract extension with Tottenham . . . Dutch midfielder Edgar Davids has joined Inter Milan on a three-year contract.