RAUL: Schalke 04 said yesterday they have e-mailed veteran Spanish striker Raul an offer to extend his contract with the ex-Real Madrid star’s current deal due to expire at the end of the season. Schalke have met with Raul and his agent Gines Carvajal numerous times over the last few months, but the Royal Blues have tabled their latest bid via e-mail.

PORTSMOUTH: Financially-stricken Portsmouth could drop out of the Championship if they are unable to find funds to bankroll the remainder of the season. Portsmouth administrator Trevor Birch said the club, which entered administration last month, may not be able to complete the current campaign if parachute payments due to the club from the Premier League go to creditors.

MOSQUERA: Colombian striker John Jairo Mosquera has left German second division outfit Union Berlin and signed for Chinese side Changchun Yatai. The former Under-21 international moved to Germany in 2006 after joining Werder Bremen before being loaned out to a series of clubs in Denmark and Germany.

IN FRANCE: French football yesterday slammed Socialist presidential candidate Francois Hollande’s promise to slap a 75 per cent tax rate on top earners, saying it would kill the sport. The head of France’s Professional Football League, Frederic Thiriez said he was shocked by Hollande’s plan to tax earnings above a threshold of one million euros a year at 75 per cent.

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: Sheff-ield Wednesday have confirmed assistant manager Chris Evans and coach Neil Thompson will take charge of first-team affairs following the sacking of Gary Megson. Megson was dismissed by chairman Milan Mandaric, despite guiding his team to third in League One.

FOWLER: Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler is training with Blackpool with a view to joining the Championship club. Fowler was poised to join the new Premier League Soccer venture in India before the project ran into financial problems and yesterday Blackpool confirmed he could be heading to Bloomfield Road after impressing boss Ian Holloway.