SOCCER: The English FA are to contact Arsenal after receiving a letter from Fifa requesting they investigate the relationship between the Champions League finalists and Belgian club Beveren.

A Fifa spokesman confirmed yesterday a letter had been sent instructing the FA to examine ties between the clubs in response to allegations that Arsenal made irregular payments to Beveren.

The FA have handed the matter over to their compliance unit who will be seeking clarification from Arsenal on the claims made by BBC's Newsnight programme.

Fifa's letter to the FA was sent on Saturday and was addressed to chief executive Brian Barwick. The letter read: "By means of this letter we kindly ask you to carry out an appropriate investigation into the relevant relationship between your affiliated club, Arsenal, and Beveren. We also ask you to investigate the relationship with Asec Mimosas from the Ivory Coast. We ask you to carry out an investigation to ensure proper clarification of the issue.

Last week's Newsnight programme related how police uncovered an investment into Beveren of £1 million from an anonymous donor which they subsequently concluded had been provided by Arsenal.

The Gunners responded by issuing a statement declaring their partnership with Beveren was on a football basis only, although they confirmed they paid a loan to stabilise the club in 2001.

Arsenal have an arrangement with Beveren to play friendly matches and loan players, with Ivory Coast defender Emmanuel Eboue arriving at Highbury on a permanent deal following a successful spell with the Belgian team.

The Gunners, however, reject allegations of making irregular financial payments to Beveren.

Marseille's Franck Ribery will make a decision on his future in the next 72 hours and Manchester United hope they will be his destination rather than Arsenal, who have made a belated approach.

The France winger's searing pace has made him one of the most coveted properties in world football in the past six months and he is valued at €36 million by Marseille, who say they have no intention of selling him and last week rejected a €13 million bid from United.

Arsenal have now entered the bidding in the hope that Ribery's experiences alongside Thierry Henry during France's World Cup preparations will be to their benefit.

Tottenham and Liverpool are also monitoring the situation but it is Lyon who believe they have the greatest chance of becoming his seventh club since January 2002. "Ribery told me a few days ago, as did his agent, he intended to leave Marseille and come to Lyon since his favourite manager (Jean Fernandez) had gone to Auxerre," said Lyon's chairman Jean-Michel Aulas. "Whatever happens, the ball is in Marseille's court. There is a 50 per cent chance that he (will become) a Lyon player."

Middlesbrough want Gareth Southgate to be their new manager and the former England defender wants the post at the Riverside. Now Boro will have to manoeuvre Southgate into the job without the necessary qualifications, as Newcastle United did a few weeks ago with Glenn Roeder.

As Newcastle's chairman Freddy Shepherd did, Boro's Steve Gibson and chief executive Keith Lamb will have to lobby other Premier League clubs for their support in the face of what is sure to be stern criticism from the League Managers' Association.

Like Roeder, Southgate does not have the Pro Licence deemed mandatory for managing in the top division in England and on the Continent; in fact Southgate has yet to complete his Uefa A coaching badge. The 35-year-old has completed his Uefa B badge and was due to begin his A badge the week of the Uefa Cup final.

Everton's attempt to complete the signing of Joleon Lescott from Wolves for an initial £4.5 million will have to wait until the centre half returns from holiday next week after the Merseysiders' medical assessment of the player revealed some areas of concern.

The 23-year-old missed Wolves' entire season in the Premiership in 2003-'04 after an injury required the reconstruction of his right knee. Everton will examine that joint again having grown frustrated at the Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey's suggestion over the weekend that Lescott had passed a medical. In fact, those comments were made hours after Everton had requested a second set of X-rays of the knee.

The player has agreed personal terms but has since gone on holiday and will not be able to return for further tests until the end of the week.