Maccabi Haifa's president Yaacov Chahar last night admitted they have to "take some responsibility" after his side's appeal against Champions League elimination was thrown out.

Walid Badir's appearance in the second leg of their second qualifying round match against FC Haka came while he was under a UEFA suspension - and it cost the club the chance to face Liverpool.

Chahar said: "For a moment I did not think that the responsibility for the mistake was ours, but now I accept that we have to take some of the responsibility." Despite Maccabi winning the game 4-0 for a 5-0 aggregate win, Haka were awarded the second leg 3-0.

The transfer saga involving Frenchman Marc Libbra's move to Norwich looks set to rumble on, amid confusion over the fee required to bring him to Carrow Road. With his club Toulouse currently in administration, Norwich had been told by the Ligue Nationale de Football (LNF) that they would not have to pay anything to sign the highly-rated striker.

But administrators for Toulouse claim they had already agreed a £400,000 deal which may still have to be paid before the forward can officially make the switch to East Anglia.

Aston Villa are close to signing Dinamo Zagreb's striker Bosko Balaban, valued at £6 million sterling.

Ipswich hope to complete the £3.5 million signing of the Real Mallorca winger Finidi George this week. It is understood that he has agreed to join and is tying up loose ends in Spain.

West Ham have pulled out of the proposed £4.5 million signing of Fiorentina's defender Alessandro Pierini despite one of their current central defenders Hayden Foxe facing a month out through injury.

Derby are close to signing the 21-year-old Milan midfielder Daniele Daino, possibly on a one-year loan. Coventry are in talks with the former Rangers goalkeeper Andy Goram.