Soccer Digest

The Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger signed three defenders for little more than £2 million yesterday while warning that the transfer market was grinding to a halt. "We all thought the car was going into the wall and the accident was about to happen - but the car has already hit the wall," he said.

Arsenal shore up defence:

Wenger completed the signing of Pascal Cygan from Lille for £2.1 million while veterans Martin Keown and Oleg Luzhny agreed new deals.

Cygan, who had only a year left on his contract in France, is seen as a replacement for the club captain Tony Adams, who is almost certain to retire this summer.

Despite the transfer troubles at least one more player is likely to arrive at Highbury before the start of the season. "The market has been so flat and it's so difficult to make a decision to buy a player for £15 million because next year the player could be worth nothing.

"The market is a bit cyclic and we're in a depression at the moment. I put that down to a disastrous financial situation in football in Europe."

Wenger, who also expects the England goalkeeper David Seaman to sign a new contract in the near future, believes Cygan can break into the French national team.

"Pascal is an organiser and at 28, I think he is young for a central defender."

The club's vice-chairman David Dein said yesterday that Adams "will no doubt be announcing his retirement very shortly".

The centre back had been linked with the managerial post at first division Watford but yesterday the job was given to Ray Lewington.

The former Fulham and Brentford manager was in charge of the reserve team under Gianluca Vialli last season.

O'Neill still hesitant

Celtic fans' hopes that manager Martin O'Neill was on the verge of committing himself to a long-term deal have been shot down by the man himself.

Following Wednesday's 3-2 friendly win at Portsmouth, O'Neill rubbished a report in the Irish Voice, which had quoted him as saying: "I want to see this job through and I am talking about a new long-term deal. I am very confident we can come to an agreement."

But O'Neill said: "I've never heard of that interview - it's as simple as that. I have a year left to run and I know that there are a number of things the board and (director) Dermot Desmond would like to do to push the club forward.

"I would imagine that those sorts of things are going to be discussed and talked about."

Morrison close to a move

Republic of Ireland international Clinton Morrison looks certain to be on his way to a Premiership club after Crystal Palace manager Trevor Francis said the club will listen to offers for him.

But Francis still insists Palace's top scorer last season will start the season at Selhurst Park unless they receive substantially more than the £5 million Birmingham bid for him. December vote for Euro bid

The seven bids to stage the 2008 European Championships will be reduced to a shortlist of two or three before a final vote on the host is taken in December by members of the UEFA executive committee.

Scotland and Ireland are among the hopefuls - as a joint bid - for the tournament, but will first have to survive a visit by an evaluation team who will recommend which countries should be eliminated. Those bids which survive will go before the UEFA executive committee at a meeting on December 12th and 13th, where members will take a final vote.

UEFA announced the complicated decision-making process following a meeting in Nyon, Switzerland yesterday.

Juninho rejects Boro

Middlesbrough have failed in their bid to sign Brazilian midfielder Juninho for a third time, according to the player's father. Osvaldo Giroldo, who has been in talks with Boro chief executive Keith Lamb, revealed the club had not come up with a suitably attractive offer.

Hughes calls it a day

Mark Hughes is to retire from playing football to become full-time Wales manager.

The former Manchester United striker (38), has managed his country on a part-time basis over the last three years, while continuing his playing career with Everton and then Blackburn.

But after sealing a clean sweep of domestic medals as Blackburn won the Worthington Cup last season, Hughes was released by the Ewood Park club.

In brief. . .

Bolton midfielder Stig Tofting has been charged with violent assault following a incident at a cafe in Copenhagen last month.

After a miserable season with Arsenal, Japan's World Cup sensation Junichi Inamoto has reached an agreement to play for Fulham on a three-year contract, according to reports in Japan.

The 22-year-old and officials from Fulham and J-League club Gamba Osaka, the holders of the rights to Inamoto, agreed on the transfer, which starts with a one-year trial.

Tottenham have completed the signing of Belgian international midfielder Jonathan Blondel (18) from Royal Excelsior Mouscron on a four-year deal.

Leeds United's Jonathan Woodgate has signed a three-year extension to his contract, committing himself to the club until 2006.

John Arne Riise has signed an extension to his Liverpool contract which will keep him at the club until 2007.

Bohemians yesterday announced the biggest shirt sponsorshp in the history of the domestic game. A one-season agreement - lasting seven months - will see the club receive €100,000 from Des Kelly Carpets.