Other soccer stories in brief
O'Callaghan interested in 'helping' Cork City out
PROPERTY DEVELOPER Owen O'Callaghan has confirmed that he would be interested in taking over Cork City which went into examinership on Tuesday, reports Emmet Malone.
"Of course I'm interested in helping out if I can," he said. "I'm very interested and prepared to listen to any approaches."
Club director Patrick Kenny, meanwhile, has revealed that the sale to Reading of the league's top scorer Dave Mooney, which was last night agreed for a fee in the region of €250,000 and was agreed without the approval of manager Alan Mathews.
"It was essential that the deal went through quickly because we needed the money," Kenny said.
"The directors agreed the fee and Alan Mathews was not consulted."
Kenny did not confirm the precise fee but did admit that the deal with Reading for the 23-year-old striker does not contain a sell-on clause.
There is no suggestion that O'Callaghan has made direct contact with anyone connected with the club but interim examiner Kieran McCarthy appears to feel that that the early signs have been positive.
"Unusually at this early stage of an examinership, I am exploring a number of concrete leads following on from unsolicited expressions of interest from parties who are keen on investing in the club," he said.
"However, much work needs to be done to assess the steps that are required to ensure the survival of the club."
Cisse joins Sunderland on loan
ROY KEANE pulled off his most eye-catching transfer as Sunderland's manager yesterday when the France striker Djibril Cisse turned down a move to Manchester City in favour of signing for the Wearside club. Cisse will initially move on a season's loan from Marseille.
Keane is also hoping to complete deals for Fulham striker David Healy and West Ham United's centre-back Anton Ferdinand, and said yesterday he has met other players for talks this week. Sunderland's need for an extra striker has been exacerbated by a knee injury to the promising teenager Martyn Waghorn.
Although Cisse struggled to justify a €17.68million price tag during two injury-hit campaigns with Liverpool, he rebuilt his reputation at Marseille after initially joining on loan and then signing in an €8million deal in July 2007, with 16 goals in 36 appearances last season.
Arshavin's proposed Spurs deal 'off'
ZENIT ST PETERSBURG claim to have closed the door on Andrei Arshavin's proposed transfer to Tottenham.
The 27-year-old forward had been keen to play for Spurs following a conversation with Juande Ramos but a fee was not agreed with the Russian club, who originally wanted upwards of €25million.
A statement from Zenit read: "According to agreements, the club (Spurs) had until August 18th to send their proposals. So far these proposals have not been received.
"Given the deadline has expired and the uncertainty of the situation does not allow the club to find a replacement for Andrei Arshavin, Zenit considers the possibility of transferring the player to Tottenham closed."
Spurs were also linked with Spartak Moscow's Roman Pavlyuchenko, Arshavin's Russia team-mate, but the striker is unsure if he is going to move. I can't say anything concrete, since I don't really know myself," Pavlyuchenko said.
Shevchenko set for Milan return
AC MILAN DIRECTOR Silvano Ramaccioni believes Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko (above) is on the verge of securing a return to the club.
The striker has endured two disappointing years at Stamford Bridge following a big-money move from Milan. Reports suggest Shevchenko would move in what would initially be a season-long loan deal following a meeting between Berlusconi and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in Sardinia last week.
Silvestre opts for move to Arsenal
ARSENAL MANAGER Arsene Wenger has bolstered his defensive options after the Gunners completed the signing of Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre for an undisclosed fee.
The 31-year-old, who missed a large part of last season with knee ligament damage, has agreed a two-year deal at the Emirates Stadium. Silvestre signed for United from Internazionale in 1999 and made 249 Premier League appearances in nearly nine years with United.
Silvestre is the first player to leave United for Arsenal since Brian Kidd 34 years ago.
The move is surprising as it represents a change in policy for the Arsenal boss who has previously been reluctant to offer players over 30 - including the likes of Robert Pires, Jens Lehmann and Dennis Bergkamp - anything more than a one-year deal.
Bruce rules out move for Carr
Wigan manager Steve Bruce insists he has no interest in signing former Ireland and Newcastle defender Stephen Carr. Carr (31) is available after being released by the Newcastle at the end of last season. Claudio Pizarro has returned to Werder Bremen after a seven-year absence looking to kick-start a career which stalled at Chelsea. Pizarro goes back to the club where he scored 29 goals in 56 games between 1999 and 2001, on a season-long loan.
• Derby defender Alan Stubbs has been forced to retire following a recurrence of a troublesome knee injury. The 36-year-old former Everton defender, made the decision after scans revealed a return of the problem that prematurely ended his campaign in April last season and saw him undergo surgery.
• Real Mallorca midfielder Borja Valero is set to join West Brom today for a club record €6 million.
• The English Football Association have confirmed that chief executive Brian Barwick will leave his post on December 31st, 2008.
