A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Bilyaletdonov to return home
EVERTON have agreed a fee to sell winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov to Spartak Moscow, the Premier League club announced yesterday.
The moves marks a return to his home country for the Russian 26-year-old, who moved to Goodison Park from Lokomotiv Moscow in August 2009.
He has made 77 appearances for the club since, scoring nine goals in the process, but has never fully settled and made a regular starting berth his own on Merseyside.
Phelan says Evra will play against Liverpool
MANCHESTER UNITED assistant manager Mike Phelan has confirmed Patrice Evra will not be spared the trial of playing at Anfield on Saturday.
United’s FA Cup fourth-round tie with Liverpool will be the first time they have faced their old rivals since Evra levelled racism allegations at Luis Suarez that ended with the Uruguay forward landing an eight-match ban.
Suarez will still be suspended this weekend, a fact that is only likely to heighten the normal antagonism for United from the Kop.
Earlier this season, Alex Ferguson left Wayne Rooney out of his starting line-up to face Liverpool due to the adverse reaction the striker receives in his home city, whilst last season, the United boss did not even take his star forward to former club Everton.
However, it seems Evra, likely to continue as captain in the absence of Nemanja Vidic with a season-ending injury, will be involved.
Saad keeps Libyan dreams alive
LIBYA kept alive hopes of an African Nations Cup finals fairytale by holding Zambia to a 2-2 draw in their Group A match yesterday.
Veteran striker Ahmed Saad scored twice for the north Africans, who overcame the obstacle of last year’s civil war to qualify for the tournament, being co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
It was the first point for Libya, who must now beat Senegal in their final match at the weekend to have any chance of progressing to the last eight.
Libya lost to Equatorial Guinea in last Saturday’s opening game.
Zambia had to twice fight back in a game delayed by more than an hour because of a torrential downpour that left the pitch virtually unplayable.
Dos Santos set to leave Spurs
GIOVANI Dos Santos’ spell at Tottenham could be coming to an end after Villarreal and Granada both claimed they are in talks with the Mexican over a move to Spain.
Dos Santos was hailed as one of the brightest prospects in world football when he signed from Barcelona four years ago, but struggled to make an impact and has had subsequent loan spells at Ipswich, Galatasaray and Racing Santander.
The forward, who has made just 15 starts during his time at White Hart Lane, scored and helped set up two more goals in Spurs’ FA Cup win over Cheltenham earlier this month, but is not in Harry Redknapp’s long-term plans and the player himself wants to leave.
Villarreal’s vice-president told elperiodico mediterraneo: “The negotiations are going well and it seems the player wants to come to Villarreal.”
Uefa warn clubs over huge debts
EUROPEAN clubs were warned yesterday they are running out of time when it comes to financial fair play, as Uefa threatened to impose player bans and points deductions for the continent’s worst offenders from the 2014/15 season.
Figures released by European football’s governing body revealed that clubs lost more than €1.6 billion in 2010 – a 36 per cent increase and the worst statistics on record.
A survey of 665 clubs found that 56 per cent posted losses in the 2010 financial year, with 78 spending more than 100 per cent of their income on wages.
Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino revealed figures which show that only four of the top 30 leagues in Europe are breaking even, compared with 15 two years previously.
He told a briefing in Nyon: “This is the last wake-up call for everyone, this trend has to change very quickly to safeguard European football.”
Martinez lands Beausejour
WIGAN Athletic have completed the signing of Chile international midfielder Jean Beausejour from Birmingham City.
The 27-year-old has joined for an undisclosed fee, agreeing a two-and-a-half-year contract with the relegation-threatened Premier League club.
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez told his club’s website yesterday: “Jean is a player we have been tracking for a long time since he made a huge impression on us with his role for Chile in the World Cup.”
Meanwhile, Rangers manager Ally McCoist has confirmed the Scottish Premier league club have rejected a bid thought to in the region of €8 million from West Ham United for striker Nikica Jelavic.
The offer from the English Championship leaders failed to meet the Scottish champions’ valuation of the Croatian.
Jelavic is the club’s top goalscorer with 17 goals this season and has also been linked with Liverpool, West Brom, Fulham and Queen’s Park Rangers.
