Ilunga to stay at West Ham

SOCCER SHORTS:WEST Ham have completed the permanent signing of Toulouse defender Herita Ilunga until 2013, the club have announced.

The 27-year-old joined West Ham on a season-long loan last summer but he will now make the move permanent for an undisclosed fee. The Democratic Republic of Congo player has been an ever-present in the league this season and has scored two goals in the FA Cup against Barnsley and Middlesbrough.

Santa Cruz 'news positive'

BLACKBURN striker Roque Santa Cruz has had an operation on his troublesome right knee. The Paraguayan, who also has a calf problem, has been out of action for more than a month and underwent surgery in Germany, which showed “a minor degree of wear and tear”.

Santa Cruz had the joint washed out but did not require any major surgical procedure. Manager Sam Allardyce told www.rovers.co.uk: “The news is positive and we will see how the knee responds but the long-term prognosis is excellent.”

*Aston Villa skipper Martin Laursen is set to miss the remainder of the season with the knee injury which has sidelined him for the past three months. The central defender has not played since the 2-1 home success over West Brom in early January.

Villa boss Martin O’Neill had been hoping Laursen would be fit to return for the clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford in early April but the defender now looks certain to miss the final six games of the campaign.

Calderon says deal for player 'done'

FORMER Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon says the club have already done a deal to sign “one of the best players in the world”. Calderon, who resigned as Real president in January after allegations of vote rigging over the club’s proposed budget surfaced, revealed without naming names he had helped to secure the signing of a leading player.

Cristiano Ronaldo, for one, has been heavily linked with a move to Real. Calderon told French radio station RMC: “I can’t give any names. What I can say is that one of the best players in the world, thanks to Ramon Calderon and difficult and laborious negotiations that having been going on since last year, is already formally a Real Madrid player. Subject, obviously, to him being able to sign the relevant contract.”

Arsenal give their version of events over Hull claim

ARSENAL have submitted their version of events to the English Football Association following allegations Cesc Fabregas spat at Hull assistant boss Brian Horton.

Arsenal skipper Fabregas, who was not playing in the FA Cup quarter-final clash last month, issued a statement on the evening of the incident to deny he spat at Horton in the tunnel and he was expected to do so again to the FA.

“I have never done this in my whole career on the pitch, so why would I do it when I am not even playing?” read Fabregas’ statement.

Meanwhile, the 21-year-old has told Spanish media that his future does not depend on Gunners boss Arsene Wenger, who has been reluctant to talk about his plans beyond 2011.

Spain midfielder Fabregas told Cadena Ser: “I hope that my future will be at Arsenal, but it does not depend on Arsene Wenger’s future at all,” he said.

“I hope that I will play football for another 10 or 12 years. I have no idea where that will be.”

Pavlyuchenko's agent concerned

ROMAN Pavlyuchenko’s agent is to seek talks with the Tottenham Hotspur manager, Harry Redknapp, after expressing concern that the Russia striker has lost his starting place at White Hart Lane.

The forward, signed from Spartak Moscow for €15.5 million last August, has not started a game for Spurs since he scored in the 4-0 rout of Middlesbrough in the first week in March but came off the bench to hit the winner against West Ham on Saturday.

“The situation with Roman sitting on the bench is not good,” said Pavlyuchenko’s agent, Oleg Artemov. “It is my intention to talk to Harry Redknapp.”

Pavlyuchenko’s position has been further threatened by the return of Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe to the club with Redknapp handing the Russian occasional outingS in the reserves.

Palace defender Davis banned

CRYSTAL Palace defender Claude Davis will miss the rest of the season after he was banned for three matches by the English FA for his elbow on Cardiff defender Roger Johnson.

The on-loan Derby man was not punished by referee Russell Booth for the incident during last Saturday’s Championship match that led to Johnson spending two nights in hospital. But City were so incensed by the challenge that chairman Peter Ridsdale asked the FA to review the footage. As a result, the Jamaica international has been suspended and Palace boss Neil Warnock is unhappy about the decision. “The referee told us after the game that he saw it and thought it was inconclusive so I don’t know what has changed his mind,” he said.

“There are just no comparisons between some of the challenges I’ve seen that haven’t been punished. That’s Claude done for the season now.” Johnson said yesterday: “It’s clear for everyone to see what went on and it’s clear in my eyes. I’m disappointed with the player.”