Football news

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech said he welcomed the appointment of Luiz Felipe Scolari as manager at Stamford Bridge.

"People talk about his accomplishments, on the international stage he is a world champion and he led Portugal to the European Championship final," Cech, currently with Czech Republic on Euro 2008 duty, said on Thursday.

"I hope that he confirms these results with us at Chelsea. He is a coach who has great charisma, great experience, great results, and I am looking forward to working with him," Cech said on the Czech FA website.

Chelsea won't get Kaka from Milan

Leonardo, the Milan technical director, has told new Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari that the Serie A club will not allow Kaka to leave the Serie A and join the Stamford Bridge outfit.

Scolari is expected to be handed a huge transfer budget and the 26-year-old Kaka is said to be top of his wanted list.

"It's normal for a Brazilian coach to try to bring in Brazilian players," Leonardo said.

"But signing Kaka is impossible, because he is here at Milan and will be here until the end of his career."

Leonardo played under Scolari when he was Brazil coach.

Torres denies rift with Aragones

Spain striker Fernando Torres has denied that he was angry with coach Luis Aragones for taking him off in the team's 4-1 win against Russia in their opening game at Euro 2008.

Torres walked past Aragones when he was replaced by Cesc Fabregas early in the second half of Tuesday's match and did not acknowledge the coach's outstretched hand.

"I was angry with myself and it isn't true that I refused to shake the coach's hand," Torres told reporters.

"Luis was six metres away from me, we weren't that close and I would never show any disrespect to a coach."

Hammers let Solano go

West Ham said they will release veteran winger Nolberto Solano after just one year at Upton Park. The 33-year-old joined the Hammers in August 2007 from Newcastle, and made 23 league appearances for the club.

Solano has ruled out a return to St James' Park, but the Peruvian is hoping to continue playing in England.

"I am looking for another club. I hope to stay in England for another two years and after that, I will return to Peru," he said.

Solano enjoyed two spells at Newcastle before his family situation forced him to look for a club in London.

Injuries may hurt English clubs

Despite England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland not making it to the Euro Championship, English Premier League clubs and their insurers may still pay a heavy price from the tournament.

Top-flight English clubs could be left with a bill of 10 to 15 million pounds bill next season because well-paid stars will get injured as a result of playing for their countries in the tournament, according to research by leading UK actuarial consultancy EMB.

Players who take part in summer tournaments are a third more likely to pick up injuries in the next season than those that do not, according to a study by EMB of data from six seasons of Premier League players ruled out for more than 30 days through injury.

Torino eyeing Bojinov

Valeri Bojinov is on the wanted list of Torino. The Manchester City forward got off to the worst possible start last year in England when he picked up a knee ligament injury in August.

He has only just returned to fitness and it seems that the former Fiorentina man is considering returning to action in the more familiar surroundings of the Serie A.

"Personally I have had no contact with Torino, but I have heard rumours that they are chasing me, as well as Genoa," the 22-year-old revealed.

"Torino were interested in me last year before I joined Manchester City."

Bojinov rose to fame with Lecce in 2002 when he became the youngest foreigner to make a Serie A debut at the age of 15. Before he was on the books of Pieta Hotspurs.

Ince - the fans' choice at Rovers

Paul Ince could become the next Blackburn Rovers manager after becoming the fans' choice to manage the club with Alan Shearer now out of the running.

Although Sam Allardyce was the latest to be interviewed for the vacancy as Mark Hughes's successor on Thursday, Ince could still be handed the job.

Following impressive stints with Milton Keynes Dons, Rovers chief executive John Williams is likely to make an approach for Ince.

"I can't make any decisions until I have received a call from my chairman saying Blackburn have asked to speak to me," Ince said.

"Blackburn would have to speak to my chairman first. If that happens, we will go from there."