Soccer Shorts

£2m bid for Cole: Chelsea's resolve to keep hold of fourth-choice striker Carlton Cole is set to be tested by a £2-million bid from Tottenham.

The departure of Freddie Kanoute means Spurs are left with just one centre-forward - Mido, who is facing a ban after his weekend dismissal against Chelsea, though he has decided to appeal the red card - to partner either of their smaller strikers, Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane.

Livorno president Aldo Spinelli says he has turned down a Tottenham bid for striker Cristiano Lucarelli. The 29-year-old was last season's top scorer in Serie A with 24 goals.

Jenas move in doubt

Newcastle United are weighing up the merits of allowing Jermaine Jenas to leave for Tottenham Hotspur. Newcastle and Spurs are understood to have reached agreement over an £8-million transfer at the weekend, but Newcastle lost three midfielders to injury at the weekend.

Initial assessments of the injuries revealed Lee Bowyer may be out for a fortnight, Emre Belezoglu for a month and Keiron Dyer an unknown period, but possibly up to six weeks.

Tottenham are set to complete the purchase of the South Korea left back Lee Young-pyo from PSV Eindhoven. The 28-year-old will become Martin Jol's seventh summer signing at a cost of about £2 million. Hamburg are negotiating to take Reto Ziegler on a season's loan now that the 19-year-old has fallen out of the picture at White Hart Lane.

Cisse deal conditional

Marseille president Pape Diouf is hopeful a deal to sign Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse can be agreed before tomorrow's transfer deadline.

Cisse's availability may be decided by factors out of Marseille's control, however, with Liverpool reluctant to sell unless they bring Michael Owen back to Anfield from Real Madrid.

"It's complicated with Cisse," Diouf said. "But this is not over. I am waiting to see how things go, but as I have always said, it's a complicated situation."

James won't give up

David James says he has no plans to retire from international duty with England, despite being dropped for the World Cup qualifiers against Wales and Northern Ireland.

"I know time is not on my side, but I don't believe in footballing euthanasia," James said. "There is nothing for me to gain, quite the opposite, although I recognise that we've some very good young goalkeepers."

Late French call-ups

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Jerome Rothen and Juventus defender Jonathan Zebina are out of France's next two World Cup qualifiers owing to leg injuries. Raymond Domenech has called up Sidney Govou and Anthony Reveillere, who both play with Lyon. France play Faroe Islands in Lens on Saturday and the Republic of Ireland at Lansdowne Road four days later.

Bolton's Tal Ben Haim and West Ham's Yossi Benayoun are in Israel's squad for their games against Switzerland and the Faroe Islands on Saturday and Wednesday next week.

FRANCE SQUAD (Revised) - Goalkeepers: G Coupet (Lyon), M Landreau (Nantes). Defenders: J-A Boumsong (Newcastle Utd), W Gallas (Chelsea), G Givet (Monaco), W Sagnol (Bayern Munich), S Squillacci (Monaco), L Thuram (Juventus), A Reveillere (Lyon). Midfielders: V Dhorasoo (PSG), A Diarra (Lens), C Makelele (Chelsea), S Govou (PSG), P Vieira (Juventus), Z Zidane (Real Madrid). Strikers: D Cisse (Liverpool), L Giuly (Barcelona), T Henry (Arsenal), F Malouda (Lyon), S Wiltord (Lyon).

ISRAEL SQUAD - Goalkeepers: N Davidovich, D Awate, O Cohen. Defenders: T Ben Haim, A Benado, A Keisi, A Harazi, K Saban, S Gershon, A Yehiel. Midfielders: Y Benayoun, A Nimni, I Tal, Y Katan, M Zandberg, W Badir, A Suan. Strikers: S Tuama, O Golan, Y Shivhon, M Biton, L Asoulin.