Soccer digest

Today's other stories in brief

Torres rewarded with improved deal

LIVERPOOL have rewarded Fernando Torres for his outstanding impact at Anfield with a new contract that will increase the Spain striker’s wages to €125,000 a week.

The 25-year-old still had four seasons remaining on the six-year, €80,000-a-week deal he signed on becoming Liverpool’s record acquisition in 2007 but, under the terms of that transfer, was entitled to review his salary with the club this summer. His new contract will vastly improve his personal terms until 2013 as scheduled – “reflecting his standing as one of the world’s top strikers,” according to the club – and contains an option for a further year’s extension until 2014. It will make him the second-highest-paid player at the club behind the captain, Steven Gerrard.

“Fernando is one of the best strikers in the game and, at his age, can only get better,” said Liverpool’s manager, Rafael Benitez. “Every major side would want him, but he has shown how much he wants to achieve success at Liverpool by committing his future to the club.”

Bruce moves step closer to Sunderland job

STEVE BRUCE is expected to be installed as Sunderland’s new manager in the next 48 hours after Dave Whelan, Wigan Athletic’s chairman, granted him formal permission to speak to the Wearside club yesterday afternoon.

This suggested that, following 48 hours of negotiations, the clubs had agreed compensation for Bruce’s services. Whelan wanted €5.7 million, a sum Niall Quinn and Ellis Short, Sunderland’s chairman and owner respectively, balked at during prolonged haggling on Wednesday.

Disillusioned by being forced to sell his best players at the JJB Stadium, Bruce, a lifelong Newcastle United fan, is keen to join Sunderland. Whelan has lined up Roberto Martinez, the Swansea City manager and a former Wigan player, as Bruce’s replacement. Meanwhile, Dwight Yorke was among seven players released by Sunderland yesterday. Striker David Connolly, midfielder Arnau Riera, goalkeepers Darren Ward and Nick Colgan and young defenders Peter Hartley and Niall McArdle were also let go.

Celtic 'in no rush' to appoint manager

CELTIC CHAIRMAN John Reid yesterday insisted the club are in no rush to appoint Gordon Strachan’s successor as manager.

Burnley boss Owen Coyle and West Brom’s Tony Mowbray were immediately installed as the bookies’ favourites following Strachan’s departure on Monday. But Coyle yesterday pledged his future to the Clarets, while West Brom issued a hands off warning over Mowbray.

BAYERN MUNICH have reaffirmed their stance that midfielder Franck Ribery is not for sale. The in-form Frenchman has been consistently linked with a move away from the Bundesliga, with Chelsea the latest club to be linked with the former Marseille man.

Bayern press officer Markus Horwick said: “Our stance has not changed: we would like to extend Ribery’s contract, not sell him.”

Three added to Bulgaria squad

BULGARIA COACH Stanimir Stoilov has added three home-based players to complete his squad for next months 2010 World Cup Group Eight qualifier against Ireland.

Levski Sofia defender Zhivko Milanov, CSKA Sofia defender Yordan Todorov and Litex Lovech midfielder Radostin Kishishev will join the squad after this weekend’s domestic league matches. Bulgaria are third in the group with seven points from five matches.

BULGARIA (squad to face Ireland): Goalkeepers: Ivankov (Bursaspor), Mihaylov (Twente Enschede) Defenders: Topuzakov (Hapoel Tel Aviv), Tomasic (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Stoyanov (Sanfreche), Milanov (Levski Sofia), Todorov (CSKA Sofia) Midfielders: Petrov (Aston Villa), Angelov (Energie Cottbus), Telkiyski (Hapoel Tel Aviv), Dimitrov (Metalurg Donetsk), Georgiev (Terek Grozny), Kishishev (Litex Lovech) Strikers: Berbatov (Manchester United), Petrov (Manchester City), Rangelov (Energie Cottbus), Bojinov (Manchester City), Domovchiyski (Hertha Berlin), Makriev (Ashdod).

Lippi names squad to face North

ITALY COACH Marcello Lippi has called up eight uncapped players for the friendly against Northern Ireland on June 6th.

Inter Milan defender Santon, Siena midfielder Daniele Galloppa and strike duo Giuseppe Mascara (Catania) and Sergio Pellissier (Chievo) are among those included in the 21-man squad for the match in Pisa.

AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso has been named despite missing most of the season with a knee injury, but there is still no place for controversial frontman Antonio Cassano.

ITALY SQUAD: De Sanctis (Galatasaray), Marchetti (Cagliari); Cassani (Palermo), Dossena (Liverpool), Gamberini (Fiorentina), Grosso (Lyon), Esposito (Lecce), Legrottaglie (Juventus), Santon (Inter Milan); Biagianti (Catania), Brighi (Roma), D’Agostino (Udinese), Galloppa (Siena), Gattuso (AC Milan), Montolivo (Fiorentina), Palombo (Sampdoria); Foggia (Lazio), Mascara (Catania), Pazzini (Sampdoria), Pellissier (Chievo), Rossi (Villarreal).