LIVERPOOL: Goalkeeper Sander Westerveld, Anfield's forgotten man, is contemplating a move to the Spanish club Real Sociedad when the European transfer window opens tomorrow.
The Premiership leaders have given Westerveld, (27), permission to discuss personal terms with the Basque side after accepting an undisclosed fee for the Dutch international, who has been frozen out at Anfield since allowing a weak shot from Bolton's Dean Holdsworth to squirm through his grasp in August.
The mistake saw Liverpool lose 2-1 and their manager Gerard Houllier promptly signed Feyenoord's Jerzy Dudek and the Coventry and England Under-21 international Chris Kirkland four days later to beat the transfer deadline for European competition. Westerveld attends most home games at Anfield, but he has not even been on the bench for the Reds since.
LEEDS: Leeds's injury-jinxed central defender Lucas Radebe is out for at least another three months after being carried off during last night's 2-0 reserve defeat at Sunderland.
The 32-year-old, who has been on the sidelines since March and undergone two knee operations, suffered ankle ligament damage which will wreck his slim hopes of playing for South Africa in next summer's World Cup.
Leeds' hopes of signing the Feyenoord winger Brett Emerton could be realised sooner than expected following the Dutch club's exit from the Champions League. Feyenoord had previously insisted that they would not sell before the end of the season but are now understood to have reconsidered.
Emerton, (22), has also been linked with Newcastle, Arsenal and Liverpool but it is believed that Elland Road is the £15 million sterling-rated Australia international's favoured destination because of the presence their of fellow Socceroos Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka.
Emerton's agent Simon Konstantinidis confirmed that Premiership clubs were in contact with Feyenoord.
FULHAM: Fulham have formally appealed to the Football Association to overturn Luis Boa Morte's sending off for an alleged bite on Everton captain David Weir in Saturday's stormy 2-0 victory at Craven Cottage.
The Londoners' Portuguese international clattered into the centre-back in the 73rd minute, sparking a 22-man brawl that resulted in Weir's second yellow card and a straight red for Boa Morte.
PHOENIX LEAGUE: Division One chairmen will bid to resurrect the proposed Phoenix League from the ashes on Monday after their hopes of a second tier to the Premiership were rejected by football's top flight. Chairmen of the Premiership voted 19-1 against the Division One being replaced by the Phoenix League.
The 24 Division One chairmen will discuss the latest development when they meet at Coventry City's Highfield Road ground on Monday.
FASHANU: John Fashanu is likely to make an unexpected return to British football next week as leader of a consortium buying Northampton Town, the ailing second division club.
The Cobblers were put up for sale in October. They have won only one of their last 10 games, against Division Three Torquay in the FA Cup, and they were eliminated from that competition on Sunday at the hands of non-league Canvey Island.
Their fortunes could now be turned around by the arrival of Fashanu, the former Wimbledon striker.
