Fulham waiting on Phelan medical

Fulham are on the verge of signing former Republic of Ireland international Terry Phelan from Everton.

The first division club are just waiting on the results of a medical before completing the deal to take the 32-year-old back to London where he played with Wimbledon and Chelsea.

"Terry has agreed to join us and we've agreed terms with Everton," Fulham manager Paul Bracewell said. English football's ruling bodies last night called for Premiership clubs to be limited to two players from outside Europe in a bid to control the flood of foreign imports at the top of the game.

The Football League, the FA Premier League and the Football Association all demanded reform of the current work permit system in evidence to the House of Commons Employment Select Committee.

Although current Premiership rules prevent clubs fielding more than three non-European Union players per game, clubs can sign unlimited foreign players providing they meet the criteria for work permits.

Michael Owen will need to put himself through at least a month's worth of football before he can dispel fears that he is finally over his hamstring problems, according to leading physiotherapist Philip Newton, director of the British National Sports Injuries Centre at Lilleshall.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have refused to comment on reports linking Leicester striker Emile Heskey with a move to Anfield today in an attempt to solve their striker crisis.

Arsenal have told veteran fullbacks Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn they are wanted at Highbury for at least one more year.

Manager Arsene Wenger has exercised the club's option to retain the two defenders for an additional 12 months when their contracts run out at the end of this season.

The Football Association and UEFA have confirmed that Tranmere Rovers will play in the UEFA Cup if they win the League Cup.

UEFA regulations state that associations with three (or four) representatives in the UEFA Cup can enter the winners of the domestic cup and the two (or three) clubs which finish directly below the Champions League qualifiers.

But England have always offered a European place to the winners of the League Cup as well, as UEFA noted.