Blackburn Rovers are in takeover talks with Indian company Venkys and hope to complete a sale next month. Blackburn chairman John Williams said a series of meetings between officials from Rovers and Venkys had already taken place as well as an “extensive” due diligence process.
“Both parties are hopeful that the transaction will be completed in November,” he said.
Venkys chairperson Anuradha Desai said the company was looking forward to becoming the first Indian owners of a Premier League team.
Venkys’ main industries are poultry farming and pharmaceuticals.
Established in 1875, Blackburn were one of the founding members of the Football League.
Tottenham snap up Khumalo
Tottenham announced the signing of South Africa defender Bongani Khumalo from SuperSport United.
A pre-contract agreement has been reached for the 23-year-old to join Spurs when the transfer window re-opens in January, subject to a work permit being granted.
Khumalo, who impressed manager Harry Redknapp during a trial, will boost Tottenham’s defensive options in what has been an injury-hit season for the club to date.
“It will be a great chance for the kid. He’s a great lad. He comes from a poor background and he’s desperate for a chance and we’re going to give him a chance,” Redknapp said.
Palladino joins Genoa injury list
Raffaele Palladino has become the latest Genoa player to be sidelined by injury. The 26-year-old striker sustained a thigh problem during Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Catania.
Genoa already have five players unavailable and Palladino will be out for four weeks.
Bosko Jankovic and Rodrigo Palacio, both strikers, and midfield duo Houssine Kharja and Miguel Veloso will only return to training in mid-November, while forward Giuseppe Sculli is out until January.
It is bad news for coach Gian Piero Gasperini, whose team host Inter on Friday before travelling to Palermo on November 7.
Eriksson dismisses Beckham talk
Sven-Goran Eriksson has denied that Leicester City will make an audacious attempt to sign David Beckham.
The Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder has twice joined Milan on loan during the MLS close season and it has been rumoured he could be on the move again in the new year.
Leicester have recently been taken over by a Thai-based consortium and the ambitious owners have been linked with a move for Beckham.
“The story should be killed at once because it will not happen,” said Eriksson.
“There is nothing in it, but I can tell you that if David wants to come here to play football then he is more than welcome. But I doubt that he wants to play in the Championship.”
Juventus suffer Amauri blow
Juventus striker Amauri will be sidelined for at least 10 days with an Achilles tendon injury. The Italy international picked up the knock during Sunday’s goalless draw at Bologna and will need between 10 and 15 days to recover.
Amauri will miss Saturday’s match at Milan as well as next week’s Europa League Group A encounter at home to Salzburg.
Juve, meanwhile, will be hoping to have Vincenzo Iaquinta available this weekend, with the striker having sustained a knock to his knee on Sunday.
Juventus lie fifth in the standings, seven points behind league leaders Lazio after eight games.
Three Roma players want to leave
There is growing dissent at Roma with Mirko Vucinic, Adriano and Stefano Okaka all wanting out in January, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
Coach Claudio Ranieri has apparently lost the support of several members in his squad after a disastrous start to the season in which Roma have won just two games.
The highest-profile casualty looks set to be Vucinic, the Montenegro striker who has grown increasingly disillusioned with life in the capital.
He reacted angrily to being substituted against Parma on Sunday.
Much of his grievances are shared by Adriano, who is disgruntled at a lack of playing time, and Okaka who feels that certain promises haven’t been kept at Roma.
Referee ‘threatened’ after Old Firm clash
The referee in last weekend’s stormy Old Firm clash has received a number of threatening phone calls after awarding a controversial penalty to Rangers, it was reported yesterday.
The Scottish FA confirmed that Willie Collum had been targeted with menacing calls following the match.
Collum angered Celtic boss Neil Lennon after awarding Rangers a spot-kick in the second half of the game at Parkhead, which ended in a 3-1 victory for the visitors.
Collum received several calls at his home with the caller threatening to “go after him and his wife and children,” an SFA spokesman said.
Collum turned down an offer of police protection, the report said.