Soccer Shorts

Today's other stories in brief

Heinze loses his case

Gabriel Heinze is facing an ignominious departure from Manchester United, and English soccer, after the Premier League rejected his attempt to force a transfer to Liverpool.

The 29-year-old defender has pursued the case so aggressively it is inconceivable that he will play for United again and moves are under way to find a foreign buyer before the end of the transfer window.

Lyon have registered a firm interest while almost every major club in Europe has been notified of his availability, for a fee of €10 million.

Move still on for Robben

Chelsea's Arjen Robben could still become a Real Madrid player before the end of the month, according to his father and agent, Hans.

"It is possible that Arjen will become a Real Madrid player but the situation at the moment is that we do not know if he will remain at Chelsea or play in Madrid," he told the Spanish newspaper AS. "The period to sign him finishes in 10 days and I hope that Madrid come in to buy my son."

Sevilla tie down Ramos

Tottenham were left to count the cost of their courtship of Juande Ramos last night as the Sevilla president, Jose Maria del Nido, insisted that his manager had turned his back on a proposed move to White Hart Lane.

The London club, who stand accused of undermining their manager Martin Jol after sending a delegation to meet Ramos in Seville last Friday, responded with a statement on their website that effectively translated as a warning to Jol. Unless he begins to do better, he will not be so lucky next time.

Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chairman, mindful of his lavish investment on players, has doubts that Jol is the man to lift his club into a Champions League position and the opportunity to take Ramos, who has one year left on his Sevilla contract, was too good not to explore. But del Nido, having discovered Spurs' approach, offered Ramos an extra €1 million to see out his final year at the Sanchez Pizjuan, on top of his basic salary of €1.2 million.

In brief . . .

Bolton are ready to offer Fulham defender Liam Rosenior(23) a season-long loan at the Reebok Stadium . . . Goalkeeper Stefan Wessels(28) has left German second division club Cologne to join Everton on a one-year deal . . . Former Spain and Real Madrid manager Jose Antonio Camachowas yesterday confirmed as the new coach of Benfica.