BIRMINGHAM: Robbie Savage has stunned Birmingham by handing in a written transfer request.

The Welsh midfielder, a target for Blackburn Rovers, is desperate to move clubs so he can be nearer to his sick parents who live in Wrexham. Rovers had an initial bid of £2.2 million for the 30-year-old rejected but Mark Hughes hinted at increasing it.

EVERTON: David Moyes believes £6 million man James Beattie can score the goals that will keep Everton in the hunt for a Champions League spot.

The Lancashire-born striker has been at Goodison Park for his medical and after returning to the south coast is set to be unveiled to Everton fans before the home clash with Portsmouth tonight. Everton cannot complete the final details of that medical until this morning but expect to be able to announce the arrival of their record signing before kick-off.

But Moyes is confident there will be no final snags before the arrival of a player he tried desperately to sign almost six months ago.

Everton also insist they have had no contact from Real Madrid, following speculation that the La Liga giants are in talks with Thomas Gravesen's agent John Sivebaek over a possible move to Spain. The Danish midfielder is out of contract in the summer.

CHELSEA: Czech midfielder Jiri Jarosik is due to hold talks with Chelsea about a possible move to the Premiership leaders. The 26-year-old is set to meet Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho regarding the possibility of a switch to Stamford Bridge from their Champions League group rivals CSKA Moscow.

Jarosik told the Czech News Agency: "I only know that I am supposed to meet Mr Mourinho personally. I cannot foretell anything else, but the interest of such a club would please every footballer."

PAUL GASCOIGNE: Former England star Paul Gascoigne is expected to remain in hospital with pneumonia until the end of the week, his agent confirmed yesterday. The 37-year-old former footballer was rushed to hospital on Friday amid fears that he had suffered a collapsed lung. He was described as seriously ill. His agent Alex Armitage said: "I spoke to him last night and his condition is improving, he is taking the course that the doctors expected and should be out of hospital by the end of the week."

CELTIC: Jackie McNamara yesterday urged Celtic to offer him the long-term contract he craves to end his career at Parkhead. The 31-year-old is one of a number of players in the final months of their present deals with the club but the Celtic skipper is the longest-serving player at the club, having been there since 1995, and is desperate that his testimonial year with the champions is not his last.

LEICESTER: Hearts' Republic of Ireland defender Alan Maybury and Mark de Vries are set to join up with former boss Craig Levein at Leicester City. Hearts head coach John Robertson has revealed Levein made a move for the players as soon as the January transfer window opened and deals have already been negotiated.

REAL MADRID: Wanderley Luxemburgo has begun his new job as Real Madrid coach by introducing twice-daily sessions for the players following the short winter break. Players will train in the morning, have lunch together and then remain at the club's base in Las Rozas on the outskirts of Madrid until they take part in an afternoon session.

Former coach Jose Antonio Camacho, who quit after three league games at the start of the season, had asked for a similar regime to be introduced but his request was refused by the club.

Meanwhile, club president Florentino Perez has left the fate of wantaway striker Fernando Morientes in the hands of the new coach.

FIFA: Sepp Blatter is ready to stand for a new term as the head of soccer's governing body until 2011 and will make suggestions to change the rules about offside at an International Board meeting next month.

"Let's first complete the 2006 World Cup. And then, if I'm still in good health, I will still feel like continuing my work at FIFA," he said.