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Keegan welcomes Barton back from Strangeways

JOEY BARTON walked free from jail yesterday and was welcomed back to the life of a millionaire Premier League player by his boss Kevin Keegan.

Barton, 25, left Strangeways prison in Manchester after serving 74 days of a six-month sentence for beating up a teenager in Liverpool city centre last December.

The €50,000-a-week Newcastle United midfielder was released as Keegan revealed he will give Barton a "second chance" despite his jailing.

The player, signed for €7.3 million from Manchester City, was sent to prison on May 20th after pleading guilty at Liverpool Crown Court to assault and affray.

"Joey will be back towards the end of the month," Keegan said. "It's well-documented he's had his problems but I knew of those problems at the time of taking over.

"He's been punished for what he did and the world is littered with people who have deserved a second chance, got it and taken it with both hands. It's up to Joey now and he's got to win a lot of people over."

Inter give up on signing Lampard 

INTER MILAN have given up on their bid to sign Frank Lampard from Chelsea this summer and the England midfielder now looks certain to stay at Stamford Bridge.

The Serie A champions, now managed by Jose Mourinho, had attempted to lure Lampard to the San Siro.

But Chelsea flatly refused to sell Lampard, 30, and Inter have now called a halt to their summer spending spree after clinching a deal to sign midfielder Sulley Muntari from Portsmouth.

Muntari was announced as an Inter player yesterday, and after adding the Ghanaian to their squad Inter director Gabriele Oriali said: "Muntari will be our last acquisition, now we must work on reducing the squad as coach Jose Mourinho wants 22 players and three goalkeepers."

Riga Bolton's third summer signing

BOLTON MANAGER Gary Megson has boosted his attacking options after completing the signing of Levante winger Mustapha Riga subject to international clearance.

A statement on the club's website confirmed the arrival of the 26-year-old who began his career with Vitesse before spells at RBC, Sparta Rotterdam and then Levante.

Riga, a former Dutch Under-21 international, was one of a number of players forced to protest at Levante's failure to pay them last season, as financial problems culminated in their relegation from the Spanish top flight.

The Ghana-born attacker, who has signed a three-year deal at the Reebok Stadium, will be expected to fill the shoes of El Hadji Diouf, reportedly on his way to Sunderland.

Riga is Megson's third major summer signing after striker Johan Elmander from Toulouse and Fabrice Muamba from Birmingham.

De Haan moves to allay

NETHERLANDS OLYMPIC team coach Foppe de Haan has dismissed concerns that Ryan Babel's participation at the Olympics has put the winger at risk of further injury, instead insisting he will return to Liverpool in peak condition.

The 21-year-old was called into the Olympic squad having recovered quicker than anticipated from an ankle injury which ruled him out of Euro 2008.

However, Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez admitted he is disappointed to be denied the services of the former Ajax player for the start of the season, as well as expressing concern that such a quick return to competitive football could have a damaging effect on his recuperation.

But De Haan has moved to allay any fears Babel is taking an unnecessary risk by playing in the Olympics: "Looking to the future for Babel, playing in this tournament should be very good for him as he will go back to his club in good shape."

Coloccini looks Newcastle-bound 

DEPORTIVO LA CORUNA defender Fabricio Coloccini is on the verge of signing for Newcastle, according to the player's agent, Marcelo Lombilla.

Reports in Spain suggest Coloccini has already agreed personal terms with the Premier League side, who are said to have made a €10 million bid for the Argentina defender.

Lombilla met with club president Augusto Cesar Lendoiro again last night to negotiate a move after Deportivo slapped a €14 million price-tag on Coloccini's head.

Tottenham are also said to have thrown their hat into the ring, but Lombilla told Spanish newspaper AS: "The only offer I am dealing with is that of Newcastle, which is the one that I brought about."

Depor were set to leave for a pre-season tour of Venezuela yesterday but Coloccini was not included in the travelling party and a line on the club website, revealed: "The footballer Fabricio Coloccini remains in La Coruna as his future will be decided in the upcoming days."

Babel fears Fabregas insists he's staying put

ARSENAL MIDFIELDER Cesc Fabregas insists he remains fully committed to staying at the Emirates Stadium.

A weekend report in Spanish sports newspaper Marca quoted Fabregas as hinting he might consider a move to Real Madrid, particularly if Arsenal miss out on a trophy in the new season.

But the Spain international has denied discussing any long-term transfer plans and stressed he remained motivated with his current club.