Today's other stories in brief
Real still keen on Kaka
Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has said he is still hopeful of completing his election promise to sign AC Milan's Brazilian midfielder Kaka, despite the player saying he was happy where he was.
"(Real sports director Predrag) Mijatovic told me he was confident he (Kaka) would come and I continue hoping it will be so," Calderon said. "It is another thing to make it happen but I still believe it is possible."
Kaka signed a contract extension with Milan until 2011 in June and a week ago Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani said the club would not negotiate with Real for the player.
Meanwhile, Denmark coach Morten Olsen has urged Thomas Gravesen to quit Real if he is unable to secure more playing time than last season.
Quinn gives Stokes a break
Sunderland manager Niall Quinn was on the verge last night of recruiting Republic of Ireland youth international striker Anthony Stokes (18) from Arsenal to the Stadium of Light on a one-year loan deal, writes Emmet Malone.
"He's a kid who arrived in a blaze of glory from Ireland with all the big clubs trying to get him," said Quinn. "He has excelled through the youth teams at Arsenal and made it into the reserves, but Arsene Wenger is keen for him to play in a first team."
Sunderland announced yesterday that Ireland international Liam Lawrence has signed a four-year contract extension.
Talks with West Ham over Clive Clarke's proposed move to the Stadium of Light were continuing with Quinn still expressing the hope that the left back would be registered in time for the weekend.
Bruce lets his son go
Republic of Ireland under-21 defender Alex Bruce was sold to Ipswich by his father, Birmingham City manager Steve, because of the complications of a father and son working together in football.
"If he wasn't my son there's no way we would be letting him go," said the Birmingham manager of the free transfer.
"It is not easy when your father is the manager and I believe the difficulties that it brings means that Alex needs to go elsewhere."
In Brief . . .
Lens have joined Monaco in the race to sign Newcastle United defender Jean-Alain Boumsong
. . Newcastle are set to open talks with Empoli about a move for Francesco Tavano (27), according to the striker's agent . . . Zlatan Ibrahimovic's agent claims the Swedish striker is intent on leaving Juventus, despite the club's insistence on him helping them out of Serie B . . . Edgar Davids (33) has pledging his future to Tottenham for a further year . . . £6 million-rated full back Pascal Chimbonda has accused his club Wigan of pricing him out of a move to Tottenham . . . Villarreal's Ecuador international Luis Antonio (21) Valencia will play next season on loan at Wigan . . . Italy striker Luca Toni claims he could move to the Premiership if Fiorentina give him permission to speak with other clubs . . . The Republic of Ireland Ireland under-17 team lost the second game of the Hungary Invitational tournament yesterday when Poland recorded a 3-1 with Shane O'Connor scoring the consolation goal . . . Bolton utility player Henrik Pedersen will have an operation to try to cure a Achilles injury . . . Celtic striker Shaun Maloney will be out for up to a month after being given the green light for surgery on a hernia problem by manager Gordon Strachan . . . An under-strength Celtic side were beaten 3-0 by Yokohama Marinos in a friendly in Japan yesterday. . . Filip Sebo, the Slovakian striker, has completed his £1.8 million move from Austria Vienna to Rangers . . . Duncan Ferguson (34), who was released by Everton at the end of last season, has turned down the opportunity of joining St Mirren . . . Barnsley have announced the signing of former Ireland midfielder Colin Healy will be delayed until next week.
