Liverpool table bid of £5.5m for Ziege

Liverpool have tabled a bid of £5.5 million sterling for Middlesbrough defender Christian Ziege. The Riverside club have refused to comment on what has become a lengthy battle for the German star.

Even if Middlesbrough reject the bid, Ziege is believed to have a clause in his contract that allows him to speak to any club who bid more than £5 million for his services.

Liverpool's latest move in the saga is a clear attempt to see whether Ziege is prepared to insist that the terms of his contract are honoured.

Middlesbrough boss Bryan Robson said only last week that he had spoken to Ziege about the situation and been assured that the player was happy on Teesside.

Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier, who has flown to Switzerland with his squad for a week of intensive training, clearly believes Ziege will be tempted to move to Liverpool to play alongside fellow German internationals Dietmar Hamann and Markus Babbel. If Houllier is successful with his bid, it will take his expenditure through the £50 million sterling barrier. Houllier's spending this summer on five new signings has reached £9 million and £20 million since March when he broke the club transfer record with the £11 million capture of Emile Heskey.

Since taking over solo control of the club in November 1998, Houllier has spent £48.85 million on 17 signings.

Paul Gascoigne is set to make his Everton debut tonight in Maurice Malpas' testimonial at Dundee United.

Gascoigne's first appearance in a blue shirt has ensured a near 14,000 sell-out at Tannadice, such is the massive interest in the wayward former England star.

But while 33-year-old Gascoigne cannot wait for action, Portuguese star Abel Xavier - responsible for the controversial penalty which saw his nation knocked out in the Euro 2000 semi-final - returned to training yesterday horrified by reports he is trying to leave the club, despite being linked with several teams on the Continent, including Roma.

Xavier, who is appealing against a nine-month UEFA ban for his part in the uproar which followed Portugal's exit, claims he will only leave if a "big" club comes along and he is not actively trying to get away.

Sunderland winger Nicky Summerbee has asked for a few days to think over a possible £1.5 million move to Bradford.

The clubs agreed the fee last week before City chairman Geoffrey Richmond held preliminary talks with Summerbee's agent.

Richmond was due to hold contract negotiations at Valley Parade with both the player and the agent yesterday, but these have now been placed on hold.

Richmond said: "Nicky has asked for two to three days to consider the move, and we are happy to oblige. The reason is that all this has happened very quickly as far as Nicky Summerbee is concerned. He didn't have an inkling that Sunderland were willing to let him go."