Riggott: Chris Riggott has agreed a new four-year contract with Middlesbrough that will keep him at the Riverside Stadium until 2010. The 25-year-old centre-back, who moved to the club in January 2003, was a key figure in the club's run to the UEFA Cup final last season.
Morimoto: Japanese teenager Takayuki Morimoto has joined Italy's Catania on loan. Morimoto, who made history in 2004 when he became the youngest player to score a J-League goal as a 16-year-old, will join the newly promoted Serie A side on a one-year deal.
Gentile: Claudio Gentile said he was shocked to learn he was being sacked as coach of Italy U-21. Despite winning the Euro Championship in 2004, Italian Federation commissioner Guido Rossi informed Gentile that his time with the Azzurri starlets was over. "He told me I wasn't in their plans," Gentile said. "I feel betrayed because now I haven't the opportunity to find a new job."
Lama: Kenya named former France goalkeeper Bernard Lama as their national team coach. Lama, a member of France's 1998 World Cup-winning squad, will take up his post in August and his first task will be to guide the team through qualification for the 2008 African Nations Cup finals.
Celtic: Celtic edged out Everton 1-0 with a winner from substitute Aiden McGeady in a pre-season friendly yesterday. He blasted a brilliant 25-metre shot into the bottom left hand corner after 78 minutes to settle a tight encounter. Celtic's Polish goalkeeper Artur Boruc produced two fine first-half stops to deny new Everton striker Andy Johnson.
Villarreal: Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini criticised his players after they were knocked out of the Intertoto Cup by Slovenian side NK Maribor 3-2 on aggregate. Last season's Champions League semi-finalists lost 2-1 at home and finished with 10 men in the first leg, then had another three sent off as they could only draw the return 1-1 on Saturday. Pellegrini said: "You cannot afford to have four players sent off in two games. I am really annoyed." Diego Forlan, Alessio Tacchinardi and Gonzalo Rodriguez were all shown red cards on Saturday. The side played 43 minutes of the first leg with 10 men following Josemi's sending off.
Rooney: Football memorabilia belonging to England star Wayne Rooney has been stolen in a burglary at his parents' home in Liverpool. England caps, a World Cup 2006 shirt and his BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year Trophy were taken. Among the other items stolen were some jewellery and a shirt from the FA Cup final.