Fulham net a Dutch star

Fulham have signed Holland goalkeeper Edwin van der Saar from Juventus, according to the Italian club's official website.

The 30-year-old World Cup star, who has 44 caps for his country, has agreed a four-year contract according to a statement on www.juventus.com.

The statement read: "Juventus FC and Fulham FC have reached an agreement to transfer Dutch international goalkeeper Edwin van der Saar to the London club.

"The goalkeeper has signed a four-year contract with Fulham."

Newcastle boss Bobby Robson yesterday pleaded for England midfielder Kieron Dyer to be left alone as he attempts to put his career back on track.

The 22-year-old was left in tears on Monday when he broke down in training while battling to recover from the stress fracture of his shin which has kept him on the sidelines for six months.

But the frustration he feels is mirrored by that of his manager, who has spent the summer having to repeatedly dismiss speculation linking his prize asset with a move away from St James' Park.

Leicester manager Peter Taylor is confident skipper Matt Elliott will sign a new four-year contract after the Foxes rejected a £3.5 million sterling bid from Celtic for the Scotland defender.

Elliott is being offered the new deal which will take him up to the summer of 2005 only 12 months after putting pen to paper on a contract of similar length.

The transfer of Brazilian international striker Mario Jardel from Galatasaray to his former club Porto has not been completed, Porto's president Joao Nuno Pinto da Costa said yesterday.

"It's not true that the deal is done," Pinto da Costa said at a news conference, signalling that the saga of Jardel's next club will continue for a while yet. He has already been linked with moves to Sporting Lisbon, Valencia, Juventus and Olympique Marseille this summer.