Tottenham's Republic of Ireland full back Steve Carr could be out of action for at least two more weeks as fears grow that he made need surgery to correct a nagging groin problem. Carr has missed the last three matches and has already ruled himself out of Saturday's Premiership trip to Everton.
Carr is also rated doubtful for the following weekend's home clash with Southampton and White Hart Lane medical staff are hoping continued intensive treatment plus rest will at least delay any need for an operation.
The setback is a blow for manager George Graham, who has otherwise encountered a significant improvement in Spurs' injury situation, with Ben Thatcher, Luke Young, Willem Korsten and Steffen Freund all making progress.
Diego Maradona is to roll out of retirement to play for Dundee against his former club Napoli in a friendly expected to be held at Dens Park next month. Claudio Caniggia, who has resurrected his career at the Scottish Premier League club, was instrumental in luring his former Argentina team-mate from Havana. Maradona, whose lack of fitness should limit the length of his appearance, may walk away with as much as £250,000 from the game, which will be televised around the globe.
Dundee manager Ivano Bonetti has also confirmed an interest in signing Lazio's former Italy midfielder Attilio Lombardo.
Alex Ferguson has warned agents that Manchester United will not be held to ransom in the negotiations over new contracts for the club's top players. Ferguson was reacting to reports that David Beckham's advisers want a £100,000-a-week salary for the midfielder.
Ferguson said: "All agents are is a voice for the player. As a club we know what we are prepared to give a player before we get into discussions. Agents asking for such and such a figure is rubbish and it has all just become a huge ego trip for agents."
Ryan Giggs is one of the players currently talking to United, although he does not foresee any problems with his negotiations. Giggs, who has 18 months left on his present agreement, is confident he will sign a new deal by the summer.
"We're in talks at the moment," he said in the Manchester Evening News. "My agent has met with the club and we're waiting for them to come back to us now. As far as I'm concerned, I think it's all looking good. I have never had any problems in the past with contracts and I don't foresee any problems this time."
Wimbledon striker John Hartson has moved a step closer to completing a £5 million move to Coventry. The clubs were understood to have agreed a fee last night for the 25-year-old Welsh international and Coventry chairman Bryan Richardson is believed to have been given permission to talk personal terms with the former Arsenal player. Any deal would also be conditional on Hartson passing a medical, a stumbling block when moves to Tottenham and Rangers fell through previously.
Stan Collymore could be poised to join Nicolas Anelka at Paris St Germain. Collymore has been told in no uncertain terms by Bradford City boss Jim Jefferies that he, along with Benito Carbone and Dan Petrescu, does not have a future at Valley Parade. After failing to agree personal terms regarding a move to Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart at the weekend, PSG are understood to have made inquiries concerning Collymore.
England are to take on Mexico and Holland later this year as warm-up games under Sven-Goran Eriksson ahead of the testing World Cup qualifiers away to Greece and Germany. Derby's Pride Park ground will host its first full international when England play the Mexicans on Friday, May 25th, while Tottenham's White Hart Lane will be the venue for the game against Holland on Wednesday, August 15th.
Robbie Fowler says Jari Litmanen's recent arrival at Liverpool from Barcelona does not mean he is set to leave the club. "I think some people have just assumed that he has come to take my place. It doesn't necessarily mean one in, one out as some of the papers have said," 26-year-old Fowler said on his own website. "The way I see it is this: we lost two forward players when Erik Meijer went to Hamburg and Titi Camara signed for West Ham."
Everton and Manchester City are waiting for Steve Lomas to give them an answer after holding transfer talks with the West Ham midfielder. Lomas met Everton officials on Merseyside yesterday after speaking to City manager Joe Royle on Tuesday. Everton and City have had £3.7 million bids accepted by West Ham.
Blackburn's first-half blitz last night proved just enough as they fought off a Preston comeback to win a superb Division One Lancashire derby at Ewood Park. Rovers' 3-2 victory, their fifth league win in six games, moves them back up to third place in the first division.
Two goals from Matt Jansen sandwiching a Mark Hughes' header appeared to have wrapped up the game for the hosts within 18 minutes as they overran Preston. But David Moyes' men, who have slipped to ninth in the league after a promising start, responded after the break through Jonathan Macken and a David Healy penalty and nearly snatched an unlikely point.
