Rangers, in the news for the cancellation of their match with Shelbourne, were also involved in the transfer market yesterday when the club smashed the Scottish transfer record by signing former Manchester United and Everton winger Andrei Kanchelskis in a £5.5 million deal from Fiorentina.

The 29-year-old Ukrainian becomes new coach Dick Advocaat's fifth summer signing and takes the Ibrox outfit's spending over the £20 million mark. In more Rangers connected events, former manager Walter Smith has taken the first step in rebuilding the Everton side he now manages by signing centre-half Marco Materazzi in a £2.5 million deal from Perugia.

John Collins could be set to disappoint a whole host of Premier League clubs ready to part with big money to lure him back to Britain.

The Scottish international was believed to be returning to the Premiership after the World Cup with Everton, Newcastle, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough leading the chase.

But the former Celtic midfielder has claimed he will honour his three-year contract at Monaco and take advantage of the Bosman ruling next year.

Elsewhere in the Premiership, former Arsenal and Republic of Ireland midfielder Liam Brady has signed a new four-year contract as Head of Youth Development at Highbury.

Going the other way is former Liverpool caretaker manager Ronnie Moran, who is to retire after almost 50 years' service at Anfield.

Moran joined Liverpool after leaving school in July 1949 and played 379 times for the club before joining the coaching staff.

He served as caretaker manager following Kenny Dalglish's departure in 1991 and has been right-hand man to current manager Roy Evans for the last four years.

The manager of the hotel in which Brazil stayed during the World Cup yesterday told how players had shouted "he's dead, he's dead," after it was discovered that Ronaldo had suffered a convulsive fit last Sunday.

Speaking on the France Info radio station, hotel director Paul Chevalier said: "There was general alarm with yells and shouts, which woke up all the players, who were in the middle of their siesta."

"For a time we heard people saying `he's dead, dead, dead'," he added. "It created a terrible atmosphere around the team which was clearly demonstrated later on the pitch." The 21-year old striker said later he had feared for his life during the brief fit. Ronaldo reportedly swallowed his tongue during the convulsions.

Chevalier added that the mood of the team was shattered by the episode. "When they left the hotel at six or 6.30 p.m. for the Stade de France there was complete silence on the bus and we, who knew them personally, understood at that moment that there was no cohesion and they had lost the cup," Chevalier said.

Brazil had been based in the Chateau de la Grande Romanie hotel in the village of Lesigny, outside Paris, since May 22.

Despite the Ronaldo furore, Brazil still lead soccer's world rankings, but their four-year stint at the top is under threat after France jumped 15 places to the number two spot following their win over the '94 champions last Sunday, according to the latest FIFA standings.

Other France '98 teams to gain include Croatia, up 15 to number four, Holland, who gain 17 to share eighth place with Italy and Denmark, who move from 26 to 18 on the back of their 2-3 defeat to Brazil in the quarter-finals.

In contrast, England's poor Cup performance sees them take a five-place dive to number 10, and Germany drop a place to number three.

Ireland have dropped one place to 47 and are now ranked lower than Thailand and the Ivory Coast, while Scotland are 11 place up the able at 36.