Soccer Shorts

Other soccer stories in brief

Cole stance softens

Arsenal and Chelsea were last night negotiating a deal that would take Ashley Cole to Stamford Bridge in exchange for William Gallas and about £5 million, writes Job Brodkin. The clubs spent yesterday in talks in an effort to bring an end to a tortuous saga that has featured weeks of posturing and discussions. Arsenal gave up yesterday on achieving the £25 million they have been demanding for Cole, choosing to compromise in the knowledge the left-back no longer wants to play for them and that Gallas would be a valuable addition to their defence.

Cole and Gallas have also been keen to depart their respective clubs and Chelsea, like Arsenal, softened their stance to try to facilitate a deal.

Guardian Service

Kromkamp departs

Liverpool have allowed defender Jan Kromkamp to join PSV Eindhoven. The full-back, who can also play in midfield, was signed from Villarreal in January but failed to make a first-team place his own at Anfield.

He joins PSV on the same day as the Dutch club signed former Newcastle and Barcelona striker Patrick Kluivert following his release from Valencia. Liverpool have not revealed any details of the fee for Kromkamp, however Dutch media reports claim he has signed a five-year contract.

Arsenal swap Reyes

Real Madrid have agreed a deal to sign Jose Antonio Reyes on loan with Julio Baptista heading to Arsenal. Reyes has spent much of the summer looking to move to Real, although rivals Atletico recently lodged a bid. Arsenal had resisted the overtures from La Liga, but it appears that Reyes's wish to return to Spain has now been granted.

A Real spokesman has confirmed that the two clubs have agreed on a deal which sees Reyes and Baptista swap clubs on season-long loan deals. The players would then have the option of permanent transfers next summer, although Reyes and Baptista have yet to sign the contracts.

Another Arsenal player on the move was defender Pascal Cygan who was on the brink of signing for Spanish side Villarreal who announced they had agreed a fee with Arsenal - reported to be £2million - and that the transfer would go through providing the French centre-back passed a medical. Cygan, formerly of Lille, has agreed terms on a two-year contract and will be reunited with former Arsenal winger Robert Pires at El Madrigal.

Cole to Portsmouth

Portsmouth completed a deadline day double deal by signing Croatian midfielder Niko Kranjcar for £3.5 million on the back of a £500,000 move for former England striker Andy Cole. Cole (34) has signed a two-year-deal after leaving Manchester City, and the fee could eventually rise to £1 million depending on his number of first-team appearances. However manager Harry Redknapp's most exciting signing could prove to be that of 22-year-old Kranjcar who signed a four-year deal and also yesterday Portsmouth agreed a deal with Portugal's Benfica on a year-long loan for midfielder Manuel Fernandes.

Plane forced to land

The Wales national team finally arrived in Prague last night after a mid-air incident on their flight which prompted an emergency landing. Wales were heading to the Czech Republic for tomorrow's Euro 2008 qualifying match, when 30 minutes into the flight from Cardiff, and 20,000 feet about south London, they were diverted back to Bournemouth.

The chartered jet's windscreen had cracked and the captain informed the passengers they would have to divert to Bournemouth International Airport, the home base for European Airways. The plane landed without any further problems.