Soccer Shorts

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

O'Neill opens talks with €12m Johnson

Sunderland were last night poised to spend €27 million in an attempt to sign Wolves forward Steven Fletcher and Manchester City winger Adam Johnson.

While Fletcher spent yesterday undergoing a medical and discussing personal terms after his €15 million deal, Sunderland also opened talks with Johnson after Martin O’Neill’s board agreed a €12.6 million fee with Manchester City for the England winger.

Liverpool and Tottenham retain a complicating interest in Johnson but the Fletcher move is expected to be finalised this morning. At first glance, paying €15 million for Fletcher seems excessive. The 25-year-old Scot has twice been relegated from the Premier League. In reality his fee reflects the premium still payable for British players in the Premier League and reflects the real ability which saw Fletcher score an impressive 12 Premier League goals in a struggling Wolves side last season. He boasts an average goals per game ratio of approaching one in two and will provide O'Neill's team with an aerial threat. Guardian Service

Fulham complain about Liverpool's pursuit of Dempsey

Fulham have made an official complaint over Liverpool’s pursuit of Clint Dempsey, the Premier League have confirmed.

Cottagers manager Martin Jol is dismayed by the conduct of Reds’ boss Brendan Rodgers, who last month publicly expressed his interest in the American forward.

“The Premier League has received a complaint from Fulham regarding certain comments made by Liverpool officials and is currently looking into the matter,” read a statement.

Dempsey will once again be missing from Fulham’s squad when they travel to Old Trafford for Saturday’s clash with Manchester United.

Dempsey has been dropped by Jol after agitating for a move to Liverpool, missing last weekend’s 5-0 rout of Norwich.

Liverpool have expressed an interest in signing the €9.5 million-rated American forward, but have yet to table an offer, leaving player and club in limbo and Jol frustrated.

“It’s the same situation. There has been no formal bid on the table and nothing has changed,” Jol said yesterday.

QPR angry over tweets  from ex-goalkeeper Kenny

QPR technical director Mike Rigg has written a formal letter of complaint to Leeds after goalkeeper Paddy Kenny allegedly sent abusive messages to him and chairman Tony Fernandes over the weekend.

The 34-year-old joined the npower Championship side during the summer after it is understood he asked for a transfer, despite Rangers

hoping he would stay to provide competition for summer signing Rob Green.

The England international endured a nightmare debut following his move from West Ham, with a blunder for the first goal putting Swansea on course to a 5-0 victory last Saturday.

It is understood Kenny sent abusive text messages to Rigg and Fernandes late on Saturday night and in the early hours of Sunday morning, mocking the result and Green’s performance.

Rigg is also understood to have received calls up until 3am on Sunday, leading him to make a formal complaint to Leeds.

The accusations are likely to further damage Kenny’s status at QPR, he described the London outfit as a “tin pot club” on Twitter in recent days.

Allardyce happy after getting Jarvis

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce believes the signing of winger Matt Jarvis from Wolves will add an extra dimension to his squad. England international Jarvis is set to seal a move to Upton Park that could see him become the most expensive signing in the club’s history, with a reported fee of €13.5 million including add-ons.

The 26-year-old is likely to be involved at the weekend against Swansea if a deal is completed in time, and Allardyce praised the ability of the former Gillingham man.

“From my point of view it is a big piece of business. I think a quality young man who has got a lot of qualities that will add to the team we have already got,” he said.

“When you are trying to create in the Premier League and score goals, he is one of those players who can certainly give defences a really hard time and that is what we are hoping he can do for us.”

After already featuring in Wolves’ opening games of the season, Allardyce confirmed he had no fears about throwing Jarvis straight into his starting XI at the Liberty Stadium.

Green facing up  to eight weeks  on the sidelines

Paul Green could miss Ireland’s two World Cup qualifiers in October as well as the forthcoming visit to Kazakhstan for which Giovanni Trapattoni will name his squad this afternoon.

Leeds United boss Neil Warnock admitted that the midfielder might be sidelined for as long as eight weeks yesterday. “It’s looking like a grade two strain or a tear,” he said. “We’re hoping four or six weeks, but it could be eight.”

Trapattoni is already without the suspended Keith Andrews for the match while Richard Dunne is ruled out by injury and Sean St Ledger is a doubt with a knee problem. And it is not yet completely certain Damien Duff or Robbie Keane will be named in the Ireland squad today. – EMMET MALONE