Soccer News: Wayne Rooney's agent attempted to pay off a business rival with £250,000 in cash and bugged him during a surveillance operation, it was claimed yesterday.

Paul Stretford, a director of the Formation Group which represents 270 players, claimed he was the victim of a blackmail attempt by three men, including John Hyland, an associate of Rooney's original agent, Peter McIntosh.

But before the trial yesterday, Hyland's barrister, Lord Carlisle, told the judge that Stretford had tried to pay off his client and hired a security consultant to bug his offices in Cheshire by hiding listening devices with microphones the size of pinheads.

The dispute apparently centred on which agent would represent the striker before his transfer to Manchester United.

Meanwhile, French playmaker Youri Djorkaeff (36), has joined Blackburn Rovers on a short-term deal until January.

Following a personal hearing yesterday Tottenham defender Mauricio Taricco has been given a three-match suspension for a clash with Chelsea's Damien Duff in a match that took place last April.