Southampton close in on hiring Graham

English FA Premiership: George Graham is the new favourite to become manager of Southampton after being interviewed for the job on Thursday. The former Arsenal, Leeds and Tottenham manager is still trying to sort out a compensation package with Spurs following his sacking three months ago, but with Southampton due to make an announcement about their vacancy by the end of next week, Graham has moved to the head of the queue. It would mean he swaps jobs with Glenn Hoddle.

Southampton are also running out of names. The Preston manager David Moyes turned down the job because Southampton wanted caretaker-manager Stuart Gray to remain as first-team coach. And yesterday Nottingham Forest's David Platt, a close friend of Gray and the Saints chairman Rupert Lowe, ruled himself out.

Tottenham, meanwhile, are closing in on the Boavista defender Litos, with talks due next week.

Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren is hoping to make the Romanian international midfielder Laurentiu Rosu his first signing at the Riverside. Rosu, 26, who was relegated with the Spanish club Numancia last season, is available for around £2.5 million. Boro are also hoping to seal a £5 million deal to bring Manchester United's England under-21 international pair of Jonathan Greening and Mark Wilson to Teesside.

Scottish Premier League: Rangers have been drawn against NK Maribor, who recently celebrated their fifth successive Slovenian league title, in the second qualifying round of the Champions League. Two years ago Maribor defeated Olympique Lyonnais to reach the first stage; the first leg of the tie will be at the Ljudski stadium on July 25 with the return at Ibrox a week later.

National League: Shamrock Rovers have completed the signing of central defender Pat Scully from Shelbourne. Scully, 31 today, has signed a three-year contract after the clubs agreed on an undisclosed fee. Though he was still under contract at Shelbourne, Scully has been in dispute with the club following a row that festered during last season.

Meanwhile, Rovers chairman Joe Colwell has confirmed that they will play their opening four or five home games of next season at Tolka Park on Monday nights as their new ground in Tallaght won't be ready until the end of September.