More soccer news in brief.
Rovers move for full-back Simpson
BLACKBURN Rovers have agreed to sign Manchester United full back Danny Simpson on a one-year loan.
The 21-year-old played eight times for United last term, including two Champions League appearances, but ended the season loaned out to Ipswich Town.
He looked unlikely to enjoy better first-team prospects this season, with United captain Gary Neville back in contention after injury and he now has the chance to prove himself with Rovers.
• GREEK club Olympiakos Piraeus are set to sign Liverpool's Argentinian winger Sebastian Leto on loan after Britain's Department of Work and Pensions refused to grant a work permit for the 21-year-old.
"Leto will arrive at Athens International Airport at 23.20 tonight. He will meet the administration on Tuesday morning and then have a medical," an Olympiakos spokesman said yesterday.
West Ham give Moore a lasting tribute
WEST Ham United will retire the number six shirt worn by former Upton Park and England defender Bobby Moore.
Moore, who died from bowel cancer in 1993 at the age of 51, is one of the most celebrated names in English football, having lifted the Jules Rimet trophy in 1966 as captain of England's World Cup-winning team.
Matthew Upson, the England defender who has been wearing the number six for West Ham, will take the number 15 shirt.
Meanwhile, West Ham have signed Czech goalkeeper Jan Lastuvka (26) on a season-long loan from Shakhtar Donetsk, according to the Ukrainian club.
Villa take the upper hand
ASTON Villa will now have home advantage in the second leg of their Uefa Cup clash with FH Hafnarfjordur after Uefa officials agreed to reverse the tie.
Originally Villa were due to host the first leg on August 14th with the second clash taking place in Iceland on August 28th.
Hafnarfjordur were, however, keen to stage the first leg to guarantee a decent sized crowd for the visit of their Premier League opponents - which may not have been the case had they been well beaten at Villa Park.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa have targeted the Middlesbrough defender Luke Young (29) as manager Martin O'Neill steps up his attempts to recruit a right back before the start of the season.
It is understood that Middlesbrough have been considering whether to sanction Young's departure.
Van Nistelrooy no longer a soldier of Orange
REAL MADRID striker Ruud van Nistelrooy will no longer be available for the Dutch national team. The 32-year-old forward talked to Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk yesterday, and told the manager that we would not be available any longer.
The player said: "After studying the schedule of Real Madrid and the Dutch team, I realized that looking at the required physical effort to perform well at that level, a choice had to be made.
"The combination of the league, cup and Champions League matches of Real Madrid on one hand and the schedule of the Dutch team on the other, is too heavy for me."
In 64 matches for the Dutch team since 1998, Van Nistelrooy scored 33 goals.
Cuellar out again for Rangers
RANGERS are set to be without Carlos Cuellar for tonight's Champions League second leg qualifier against FBK Kaunas.
The Spanish defender travelled to Lithuania with the rest of the squad but the calf injury which kept him out of the goalless first leg at Ibrox is last Wednesday likely to result in his absence once again.
Captain Barry Ferguson - out for up to four months after ankle surgery - stayed at home, along with new signing Madjid Bougherra, who joined from Charlton after the Champions League deadline.
The winner of the tie will take on Aalborg in the next round.
Morrison set to join Coventry
COVENTRY City manager Chris Coleman is hopeful of securing the services of Republic of Ireland striker Clinton Morrison. The 29-year-old is set to sign a short-term contract with a view to a longer deal.
Coleman said: "We're hoping to do something with him. I'm pleased to say he's going to be with us for the start of the season."
