MANCHESTER UNITED: Luis Antonio Valencia, the man Alex Ferguson believes can take the place of Cristiano Ronaldo, was last night formalising the details of his proposed €19 million transfer to Manchester United. Valencia travelled to Manchester to take his medical.

Real Madrid and Bayern Munich made similar bids, but Valencia has decided to stay in England and has cut short a break in his native Ecuador to meet Ferguson for the first time. United hope to announce the transfer, which would quadruple Valencia’s pay to about €82,000 a week, in the next 48 hours.

WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES: Ireland are aiming for a top-two finish in their group and a place in the quarter-finals ahead of the World University Games opener against Uruguay in Belgrade today (4.30pm Irish).

Grouped with Uruguay, Italy and South Korea, the Irish have been handed a difficult task as they bid to improve on their 13th place at the previous games in Bangkok two years ago. The Irish women’s team are also in action today when they take on Japan in their opening group game at 10.30am.

IRELAND SQUAD: Goalkeepers: B Brennan (UCD), R Coulter (Coláiste Ide) Defenders: M Surgenor (UU Jordanstown), C Boyd (UUJ), B Cleary (Univ of Limerick), C Forde (UCC), M McSweeney (UCC), D Zambra (DIT).

Midfielders: G Rusk (UCD), J Dineen (UCD), S Roche (DIT), M Forker (Letterkenny IT), O McMenamin (Letterkenny IT), G Harkin (Letterkenny IT), B Daly (Univ of Limerick), A Teggart (UUJ), Forwards: P McMahon (UCD), J Mulroy (DCU), J Costello (UUJ), D O’Sullivan (DIT). Manager K Harding (IFA). Coaches: J Cumiskey (Dublin University) and G Dunne (FAI).

CHELSEA: Yuri Zhirkov is due in London today to complete an €21 million move to Chelsea from CSKA Moscow in what his new club hopes will prove to be the first eye-catching signing in a busy period of transfer activity. The left-sided Russia international is expected to be followed by deals for Middlesbrough goalkeeper Ross Turnbull and Manchester City’s striker Daniel Sturridge.

SUSPENSIONS: Chelsea yesterday said they will appeal to Uefa over the punishments which followed their rancorous response to the Champions League defeat at the hands of Barcelona. A club statement read: “We have today lodged an appeal against the Uefa bans given to Didier Drogba and Jose Bosingwa, and the fine imposed against the club. We believe the punishments are unnecessarily harsh given the circumstances.”