ARSENE WENGER: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger finally signed a four-year extension to his contract yesterday.

Wenger's new deal, which will keep him at Highbury until 2005, is worth an estimated £2.5 million sterling and ended months of speculation over his commitment to the club.

Arsenal's directors announced Wenger's contract extension as they prepared for a crucial Islington council meeting on Monday which will decide whether the club should be given planning permission to construct a new 60,000 seater stadium half a mile from Highbury.

WORLD CUP: The Republic of Ireland will move their training camp base in Japan before their second and third matches in the first phase of the World Cup finals next June.

The Irish squad will set up their first training camp in Izumo city in preparation for their first game - against Cameroon - on June 1st in Niigata. Ireland will then move on to Chiba city which is located on the north side of Tokyo Bay. Chiba is equidistant between Ibaraki and Yokahama, the venues for the games against Germany and Saudi Arabia.

The squad will leave for Japan on May 18th, the day after they play Nigeria at Lansdowne Road.

FABIEN BARTHEZ: Manchester United goalkeeper Fabien Barthez has been let off with an official warning for gesturing at Arsenal fans during last month's 3-1 league defeat at Highbury.

The Frenchman, who was seen making obscene gestures after his blunders gifted Arsenal two goals, could have faced punishment by the English FA if referee Peter Jones had mentioned the incident in his post-match report. "We have written to him (Barthez) warning him of his future conduct," an FA spokesman said.