Manchester City are looking to conclude a £7m deal to sign Giorgio Chiellini, the Italy U-21 captain, from Juventus. Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has turned his attentions to the powerful defender after signing Martin Petrov from Atletico Madrid in a £4.7m transfer.
Chiellini, 22, also has six full caps and is rated high in Italy.
City hope to add two more new signings to their recent captures within the next week, with Olympiakos's Mexico striker Nery Castillo also understood to be on Eriksson's list.
Chiellini played against England in the inaugural game at the new Wembley last season.
Heinze signals legal battle
Liverpool's legal team have been employed by Gabriel Heinze in a bid to force through his transfer to Anfield. Manchester United have so far blocked a move to their great rivals, despite Liverpool reportedly meeting the Argentinian's get-out clause.
Alex Ferguson has made it very clear that he doesn't want Heinze to make the switch, but the defender is equally determined to go.
Liverpool consulted their legal advisors in an attempt to seal the deal, and now reports say that Heinze appointed Richard Green, the Anfield club's lawyer, to work on the move.
Heinze signed for United in 2004 from Paris SG and has two years remaining on his contract.
Prandelli eyeing success
Cesare Prandelli, the Fiorentina coach, is confident his team will compete for major honours within the next three years. The Viola impressed last season, ending the Serie A in fifth place despite the 15-point penalisation for their part in the soccer scandal.
Prandelli said: "We have many young players, which means that there is great enthusiasm. In two or three years we will compete for important objectives. What are we lacking now? Nothing. But we remain alert."
On Christian Vieri's signing, the coach said: "We must not rush things. When he is fit I am sure Vieri will do well."
Unsettled Dyer linked with Spurs
Kieron Dyer could join Tottenham after being told by Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce that he can leave the club. Manchester City and West Ham are also thought to be keen to sign the 28-year-old, but it is believed the Ipswich-born player wants to go to White Hart Lane.
Reports said Dyer wants to leave Newcastle because of "family reasons".
Dyer - who is valued at about £5m - was left out of the squad for the friendly against Celtic on Thursday.
Keeper Price joins Rams
Goalkeeper Lewis Price completed his move from Ipswich Town to Derby County for an undisclosed fee. The 23-year-old Wales international signed a three-year deal, becoming the Premier League newcomers' sixth summer signing.
Rams boss Billy Davies said: "Lewis is a young player with very good potential and I have signed him in the first instance to provide back-up and competition for our established goalkeepers."
Price follows Robert Earnshaw, Andy Todd, Tyrone Mears, Claude Davis and Ben Hinchliffe to Pride Park this summer.
Still no bids for Smith
There has been no formal offers so far for Manchester United striker Alan Smith. The 26-year-old has two years left on his current deal but is expected to be sold before the start of the season.
Middlesbrough are understood to have offered £6m for the former Leeds forward, while Everton, Sunderland and Tottenham have also been linked with Smith.
"We've not had any firm offers for Smith, though a couple of clubs have called to ask about the situation," executive David Gill said.
The striker was signed from Leeds for £7m three years ago.
Platini's proposals shot down
Europe's top leagues have rejected UEFA president Michel Platini's plans to change the rules for Champions League qualification.
European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL), who represent the likes of the Premiership, the Bundesliga and La Liga, dismissed Platini's proposal to have cup winners qualify automatically for a money-spinning spot in the world's most important club competition.
And Platini's attempt to boost the role of smaller nations in the tournament, which would see the top leagues restricted to no more than three representatives, was also shot down.
ENIC Spurs' stake rises to 66.8%
ENIC, ultimately owned by Tottenham Hotspur's chairman Daniel Levy and the family interests of Joseph Lewis, said yesterday that the firm now owned 66.8 per cent of the Premier League club.
ENIC said in a statement to the stock exchange that a mandatory cash offer of 113.6 pence a share, after it bought Alan Sugar's stake in the club had been extended until August 23.
ENIC has said it intends to keep the north London club listed on London's junior Alternative Investment Market.
Baptista could cost Milan £12m
Milan are lining up a £12m bid for Real Madrid striker Julio Baptista, according to reports in Spain. The European champions have yet to make their mark during this summer's transfer market. However, that could all change, with newspaper AS claiming that Milan are ready to lodge a bid for Baptista with the Spanish champions.
Real value the player at £12m and are reportedly unwilling to let him leave for anything less than that amount.
Adriano Galliani stated this week that the club would sign a mystery player, only revealing that he would be a non-EU footballer.