Stephen Carr is putting pressure on Tottenham to come up with a lucrative contract offer to persuade him to commit his future to the club.
The 27-year-old is out of contract in 18 months time and Tottenham must decide before next summer whether to cash in on him or offer him a deal that he cannot refuse. The worst-case scenario would be losing another of their key assets for nothing, just as they did with Sol Campbell on a Bosman free transfer.
Newcastle are already said to be interested in luring Carr to St James' Park, with Bobby Robson reported to have had a £4 million package, including Nolberto Solano, turned down in the past. Arsene Wenger is another known admirer of the Irish international.
"Sol Campbell isn't Steve Carr at the end of the day," Carr said. "But I've only a year and a half left and I've got to keep my options open.
"We've had a very small talk with my agent and the club, that's about it. There's been no major talks about a new deal.
"If the deal's right for me, I will stay. It's a big contract for me so I'll have to see how it goes with the club and if they're willing to give me exactly what I want."
Battle of the titans
Brazil and Spain will contest the FIFA World Youth Championship final in Abu Dhabi this afternoon (Eurosport, 4 p.m.). The contest between two leading lights at youth level will be a re-run of this year's Under-17s final in Finland.
While Spain's vain attempts to win a major trophy at senior level are well catalogued, its undisputed strength across the various youth categories is less widely publicised, and the European nation were World Youth Champions in 1999. Brazil have won the World Youth Championship three times - in 1983, 1985 and 1993.
'Violent' charge
Leicester defender Ben Thatcher has been charged with "violent behaviour" by the English FA over an incident involving Arsenal's Freddie Ljungberg during the recent Premiership clash at the Walker's Stadium.
The Foxes player had been on the receiving end of a tackle from Ashley Cole which earned the Arsenal player a red card during the same match. Thatcher could serve a three-game suspension if he is found guilty and he has 14 days to respond to the charge.
Nothing personal
Danny Mills has been cleared of stamping on Charlton striker Paolo di Canio by the FA's video advisory panel. The Middlesbrough full back was adjudged to have accidentally made contact with the di Canio, who was left with blood streaming down his face from a wound.
Spirited away
Jay-Jay Okocha insists he will represent Nigeria in the African Nations Cup next month despite a plea from Bolton manager Sam Allardyce to remain in England.
The influential midfielder could be away for about five weeks and will miss the English League Cup semi-final against Aston Villa.
"I should be there for the team (Bolton), but even though I won't be there in person, I will be there spiritually," Okocha said.
Christmas break
Blackburn midfielder Steven Reid faces a Christmas lay-off after picking up a hamstring injury in training. The Irish international damaged a hamstring and is expected to miss tomorrow's match against Aston Villa at Ewood Park plus the following two games against Middlesbrough and Newcastle.
Meanwhile, Blackburn are in talks with an Italian Serie A club interested in Corrado Grabbi, the striker who has failed to make an impression since signing for £6.75 million in 2001. Grabbi has fallen even further down the pecking order recently and is desperate for a return to his homeland.
Zinedine who?
AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso has attacked FIFA's World Player of the Year award after Real Madrid's Zinedine Zidane was voted the winner for the third time in six years.
"With all (due) respect to Zidane, who is without doubt one of the best players in the world, if I look at his season I think to myself: 'So what?'," Gattuso said. "If the prize is going to be handed out solely on the basis of talent, then Diego Maradona should have won it every single year he was playing."
In brief. . .
Liverpool striker Milan Baros is expected to return to training before the New Year. Baros has been out since mid-September when he broke his leg at Blackburn. Charlton have confirmed they are tracking Ajax centre back Petri Pasanen as Alan Curbishley prepares for a possible January transfer raid. West Brom have completed the £1 million capture of striker Geoff Horsfield from Wigan. And Southampton midfielder Mark Draper has retired from the game because of injury. The 33-year-old joined the Saintsin July, 2000.
