Reports in the Italian media say Alberto Aquilani is set to leave Liverpool and join Fiorentina in the coming days.
The Italy midfielder is expected to make the loan move some time this week after lengthy talks during which he accepted a wage cut.
The Corriere Fiorentino news-paper is already reporting as if the transfer is complete, stating Aqui-lani will wear the no.10 jersey next season.
Aquilani was on loan at Juventus last season but in pre-season returned to Liverpool where he is considered surplus to requirements by the English club.
Walter Smith would consider return
Former Rangers boss Walter Smith has not ruled out returning to management but it will not be in Scotland. The 63-year-old stepped down as Ibrox manager at the end of last season, paving the way for assistant Ally McCoist to take charge.
Asked if he had prepared for retirement, he said: “I never said I would retire, I said I would just be leaving Rangers. I wouldn’t manage again in Scotland, I’ve managed Rangers on two occasions now and I’ve managed the national team.
“But if an opportunity came up to go to England or abroad, I would consider that.”
Smith managed in England with Everton from 1998 to 2002.
Striker Miller set for Cardiff City
Cardiff City have clinched the signing of Scotland striker Kenny Miller from Turkish side Bursaspor.
The 31-year-old former Rangers star is expected to put pen to paper today after the clubs agreed a fee, believed to be up to £1m.
“We are just waiting on a bit of international documentation,” manager Malky Mackay said.
“We’ve agreed the fee, we’ve agreed his terms and the medical has been passed. He’s been training with us and he has gone up this weekend to collect some stuff and bring his family down.”
Mackay is also poised to sign 22-year-old French striker Rudy Gestede, formerly of Metz.
New De Jong contract on ice
Nigel de Jong has revealed that contract talks with Manchester City have broken down. The midfielder has two years to run on his current deal at Eastlands and has esta-blished himself as one of the key figures at the club since joining from Hamburg two years ago.
The 26-year-old had hoped to sign a contract extension before the new season, with City due to meet cross-city rival United in the Com-munity Shield on August 7.
De Jong may, however, be forced to wait until after the new campaign begins after revealing discussions had ended.
“There’s no update because talks have stopped. Maybe something will happen again when the season starts, but at the moment it is a little frustrating for me,” he said.
Taarabt to remain at Loftus Road
QPR majority shareholders Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore have confirmed that captain Adel Taarabt will not leave the club.
The 22-year-old playmaker was a key figure in the west Londoners’ Championship triumph last season and picked up the Football League Player of the Year award for his performances.
Taarabt’s stock rose markedly as a consequence and speculation had linked him with a host of elite European clubs throughout the summer.
PSG were thought to be close to completing a deal but Queen’s Park have now confirmed that Taarabt will be staying with the club beyond the end of the current transfer window.
Man. United rally to quench Fire 3-1
Three second-half goals lifted Manchester United to a 3-1 friendly victory over Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire.
Wayne Rooney’s goal in the 66th minute got the English champions on level terms in the match played before a crowd of 61,308 at Soldier Field, home of the NFL’s Chicago Bears.
Rafael Da Silva made it 2-1, using his left foot to slot the ball through the legs of Chicago’s back-up keeper Jon Conway, and Nani added another goal in the 82nd to seal victory.
David de Gea, the 20-year-old keeper who inked a five-year contract with United in June, gave up an early goal but recovered with a series of solid saves in his first appearance for his new club.
Sporting down Juve 2-1 in friendly
Yannick Djalo scored two first-half goals and Sporting Lisbon went on to beat Juventus 2-1 in a friendly at the BMO Field in Toronto during the weekend.
Alessandro Del Piero pulled one back for Juventus, who were playing their first pre-season match and have contests remaining against Club America and Guadalajara in their North American tour.
Djalo opened the scoring in the 13th minute, taking a pass from US international Oguchi Onyewu who made his first start for his new club in front of a crowd of 10,028.
Twenty-three minutes later Djalo struck again, with a long-range left-footed shot.
It wasn’t until the 79th minute that second-half sub Del Piero pulled one back for Juve.