Soccer: Republic of Ireland midfielder Alan Mahon has signed a four-year deal with newly-promoted Blackburn Rovers worth £1.5 million sterling.

Mahon (23) spent the second half of last season on loan to Rovers from Portugal's Sporting Lisbon.

Celtic have announced a £25million sterling shares issue. Chairman Brian Quinn hinted that a significant amount of the cash raised would be handed to manager Martin O'Neill to bring in new players.

But chief executive Ian McLeod said there was a need to set up a youth academy and training ground to rival Rangers' new £14 million complex.

The new shares, which will be made available in the Republic of Ireland, will cost £1.25 sterling.

Tottenham completed the signing of Goran Bunjevcevic from Red Star Belgrade for £5million sterling.

Barcelona have agreed a £5million fee with Bayern Munich for Sweden defender Patrik Andersson and Real Madrid have opened negotiations with Fiorentina for Portuguese midfielder Rui Costa.

Azerbaijan have turned down an approach to play Portugal in a friendly in Lisbon on August 15th.

Dwight Yorke's has decided to to retire from international football to concentrate on club commitments and Howard Wilkinson will step down as England under-21 boss.

Inter Milan said yesterday they were close to signing England international Sol Campbell.

ROWING: SinΘad Jennings faces a repechage today to gain entry to the final after failing to win her heat yesterday in the lightweight single sculls at the World Cup regatta in Vienna.

Romania's Constanta Burcica, a late arrival for the event, beat the Donegal woman into second place in by far the faster of the two heats on the day. Burcica won gold in Sydney as part of the lightweight double scull.

Better news came from Henley Royal Regatta, where Garda's coxed four, which has done well at senior three level this year, came through the qualifiers into the last 32. They join the senior one Garda coxed four in the draw.