Celtic missed out on a chance to recruit Neil Lennon from Leicester because they dragged their feet, it was claimed yesterday. The Scottish league leaders' last offer of £5 million was acceptable to all parties, including the player.
But Leicester manager Peter Taylor said yesterday the matter was now closed because Celtic had missed the deadline agreed on all sides. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill, the former Leicester boss, first bid £3 million, then £4 million and finally £5 million earlier this week.
O'Neill is anxious to strengthen his squad. However Lennon (29), will again be wearing the Leicester shirt tomorrow against Leeds.
"When they did offer £5 million it was past the deadline," said Taylor. "I faxed them back to say no and that the matter was closed. If they had contacted us before the deadline I would have sold him. Neil is in agreement with me over what has happened and is a lot happier."
Meanwhile Taylor is still hoping to get Gerry Taggart's red card at Tottenham overturned. The central defender was sent off last week by referee Rob Harris after picking up two yellow cards.
Coventry are expected to complete the signing of Republic of Ireland midfielder Lee Carsley from Blackburn today. The club have called a 9.15 a.m. news conference after Rovers boss Graeme Souness confirmed a fee had been agreed for the 26-year-old.
Carsley, who was captain and top scorer at Ewood Park last season, put in a transfer request this summer.
Terry Venables was yesterday asked to make a "lifestyle choice" and decide whether he will spend his Saturday nights with Des Lynam or Bryan Robson next season.
With no answer forthcoming on Middlesbrough's attempt to lure the former England coach to Teesside, both the club and ITV put Venables under intense pressure to make a final decision.
Privately, the 57-year-old Venables has in principle accepted the struggling Premiership club's offer of a £1.5 million sterling, 18-month contract to become first-team manager. Given his record, however, Boro's chairman Steve Gibson will not be holding his breath.
Leeds midfielder David Batty has been set a target of December 14th to make his long-awaited comeback after an Achilles injury. The former England star has been pencilled in for his club's reserve-team match against Sheffield Wednesday.
Aston Villa have offered a new three-and-a-half year contract to England keeper David James. Villa manager John Gregory wants to reward James for his outstanding form since he moved to the club from Liverpool in the summer of 1999.
James had two and a half years left of his current deal, but Gregory wants him to put pen to paper on a contract which will keep him at Villa until the summer of 2004.
Everton have opened new contract talks with teenage striker Francis Jeffers in an attempt to kill off speculation about his future. Jeffers, currently out injured, has been linked with Manchester United and Tottenham this week.
But club chief executive Mike Dunford confirms that contract talks have already started with the local lad who has 18 months left on his current deal.
Robert Molenaar's £400,000 move to Bradford City from Leeds will be completed today after the Dutch defender passed a medical at Valley Parade. Once formalities have been completed, he will go straight into the squad for the Bantams' home clash with Coventry tomorrow.
Chelsea have escaped with a warning on a misconduct charge after the Football Association admitted the club had not been told in advance about a widely-publicised crackdown on intimidation of referees.
Four members of Chelsea's team angrily surrounded referee Paul Durkin in a 1-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday on April 15th and the club were duly charged with failing to control their players.
However, they successfully claimed they had not been warned of the change in stance relating to such incidents - even though the decision had been taken by the FA, and widely reported on, two months earlier.
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