Bendtner: Former Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner is set for a return to English football after agreeing to join Nottingham Forest. Reports said Bendtner held talks at the City Ground yesterday and has verbally agreed to sign for the Championship club, with the deal set to be announced as early as today. The 28-year-old has been a free agent since leaving German side Wolfsburg last season, enabling Forest to sign him outside of the transfer window.

Brunt: Chris Brunt is in contention for a return to first-team football with West Bromwich Albion next month after a long injury lay-off, the Premier League club said yesterday. The Northern Ireland international midfielder has been out of action for six months since rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in February. “Chris is making good progress – he’s doing well and now back in training,” Mark Gillett, Albion’s director of performance, said.

Cassano: Sampdoria have imposed a media blackout on striker Antonio Cassano. Now he is no longer allowed to speak to journalists and if he does so he will be fined by the club. Sampdoria tried to offload the former Italy international in the summer transfer window but Cassano turned down all offers. He has been axed from the senior squad following a dispute with club supremo Massimo Ferrero. At present, he is training with Sampdoria’s junior players.

Eriksen: Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Christian Eriksen has signed a new four-year contract that will keep him at White Hart Lane until 2020, the Premier League club said yesterday. The Denmark international, who joined from Ajax in 2013, has racked up 134 appearances in all competitions for Tottenham. The 24-year-old struck six league goals last season to help the club finish third in the standings.

Results

UEFA Under-21 – Group One

Latvia vs Montenegro 0-0

Belgium vs Czech Republic 2-1

Standings: Czech Rep. 20; Belgium 18; Montenegro 13; Moldova 7; Latvia 6; Malta 5.