Bayern: Bayern Munich have completed the signing of Croatia midfielder Danijel Pranjic from SC Heerenveen. Pranjic, 27, has won 22 caps for his country and played in last year's European Championship.
Owen: Michael Owen said yesterday he would leave relegated Newcastle within weeks. "I'm still a Newcastle player but only for a matter of weeks," Owen told Sky Sports. "It remains to be seen where I am going to go. There are plenty of clubs that would interest me," the former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker added.
Katanec: Srecko Katanec, whose Slovenia side of 2000 caused football mania in the country, has been appointed coach of the United Arab Emirates. The 45-year-old Slovenian succeeds Frenchman Dominique Batheny, who was appointed in September 2008 but who failed in his bid to qualify the side for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa.
Marseille: Marseille have named Jean-Claude Dassier, former head of news at French TV channel TF1, as their new chairman. The 67-year-old Dassier is taking over from Pape Diouf, who left the job last week over differences of opinion with the club's main shareholder Robert Louis-Dreyfus.
Obama: US President Barack Obama has accepted an invitation to attend the opening ceremony of the World Cup finals in South Africa next year, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said. President Obama's late father was Kenyan. Blatter said: "The World Cup in Africa will go well, there is no doubt. And the man who said, 'Yes we can' will be there. President Obama has accepted an invitation to the opening ceremony."
Under-21: UEFA Championship (Group B) - Finland vs Spain 0-2; Germany vs England 1-1 (England and Germany qualify for semi-finals). Playing today (Group A): 8.45 p.m. Serbia vs Sweden; Belarus vs Italy.
Cricket: Michael Vaughan and Steve Harmison saw their hopes of playing in this year's Test series against Australia fade when they were left out of a 16-man pre-Ashes squad named by England yesterday. Vaughan was captain in 2005 and fast bowler Harmison also played a key role as England won the Ashes on home soil. As expected, recovering all-rounder Andrew Flintoff was included in the squad, along with bowler Ryan Sidebottom.
Motor racing: Richard Branson's Virgin Group is unlikely to sponsor Formula One championship leaders Brawn GP beyond 2009, the British entrepreneur said. "We got in when it was very cheap and it's been great for us with global coverage, but I suspect next year the price will be astronomical and we may have to look somewhere else with a smaller team," Branson told BBC radio. Virgin were the first significant sponsors of a Brawn team which rose from the demise of Honda.
Golf: Lucas Glover, of the US, won the 109th US Open at Bethpage Black yesterday. He finished with a three-over 73 for a total of four-under 276, two strokes clear of Phil Mickelson who had a closing 70, David Duval who had a 71 and Ricky Barnes who came in with a 76. Ross Fisher, of England, finished top European alone in fifth place on one-under 279 after a closing 72. It was just the second PGA victory in the career of the 29-year-old from South Carolina.
Athletics: World 100 and 200 metres champion Tyson Gay will only compete over the shorter distance at this week's US championships and may run just one round, his manager said. "He is committed to running one round in the 100," Mark Wetmore said. The championships in Eugene, Oregon, begin on Thursday with the first round of the 100 scheduled that day. Like other world champions, Gay will receive an automatic berth to August's World Championships in his specialities if he competes in any event at the US nationals.