Sporting briefs...

Walcott: Arsenal hope to conclude a deal within 24 hours to sign Southampton's exciting 16-year-old striker Theo Walcott, manager Arsene Wenger said yesterday. "We're very heavily in the race but nothing is done and, as long as nothing is signed, you cannot talk about it," the Frenchman said. "However, we are hoping to get a decision in the next 24 hours." The pacy teenager, who is rated as the finest English prospect since Wayne Rooney, has said he wants to join Arsenal if he leaves Southampton.

Hearts: Hearts will de-list from the London Stock Exchange today, a club spokesman said. Chairman Vladimir Romanov holds just over 80 per cent of the Edinburgh soccer club's shares after the Lithuanian tycoon took an initial 29.9 per cent stake in February 2005. He declared his intention to remove Hearts from a public listing last year when bidding for the remaining shares.

Dalmat: French midfielder Stephane Dalmat will remain with Racing Santander until the end of the season despite an unsettled start at the Primera Liga club. "He has had personal problems as well as difficulties adapting to a new country but now he wants to focus on Racing and fit in as quickly as he can," the player's agent Alexander Krcstic said. Racing had been considering selling the midfielder, who joined the club with his brother Wilfried at the start of the season, after interest from Lazio and Bordeaux.

Bridge: Chelsea defender Wayne Bridge has joined fellow Premier League club Fulham on loan in a bid to retain his England squad place for the World Cup. Fulham said that Bridge, who returned from a long injury layoff in October, had joined them until the end of the season.

Tunisia: FIFA have backed St Etienne in their refusal to release defender Alaeddine Yahia to holders Tunisia after his late selection for the African Nations Cup. FIFA ruled that Yahia's selection was made "outside the time limit set by the regulations". The Tunisian Football Federation had announced on Tuesday they were calling up Yahia to replace injured Karim Saidi.

Basketball: Division One - SN Suns vs Qormi Kia 29-50. Peugeot League - Hibs Medsea vs Loyola Xuereb Installations 86-42.