In Spain: Recreativo Huelva earned themselves a return to the Primera Liga with a 3-0 win away to Numancia yesterday. The Andalucian side, the longest established club in Spain, will join Gimnastic Tarragona in the top flight after the Catalans won their first promotion in 56 years thanks to a 0-0 draw at Xerez on Saturday. The two teams are level on 75 points at the top of the second division with two games left to play, six clear of Levante, who are competing with Ciudad Murcia and Lorca for the final promotion slot.

Auxerre: Romanian international striker Daniel Niculae of UEFA Cup quarter-finalists Rapid Bucharest has agreed to sign a four-year contract with French club Auxerre. Rapid spokesman Cristian Costache said Auxerre had been a surprising choice after Steaua Bucharest, Hamburg and Rangers had shown great interest in the 26-year-old striker, who scored nine goals in the UEFA Cup this season.

Ramzy: Former Egyptian captain Hani Ramzy is to become assistant coach at Cairo club ENPPI, marking the end of his playing career in Europe. ENPPI officials confirmed that the 37-year-old defender had been appointed assistant to German Rainer Zobel at the club which finished third in the championship. Ramzy was capped 124 times for Egypt. He played in their 1998 African Nations Cup winning side and at the 1990 World Cup in Italy.

Monaco: Croatia midfielder Jerko Leko has signed for Monaco, the sport daily Sportske Novosti reported yesterday. Leko, 26, has played 35 times for his country, scoring twice.

CSKA Sofia: CSKA Sofia will sign Macedonian defender Robert Petrov, the Lokomotiv Plovdiv player said. The 28-year-old is expected to sign a contract with the Bulgarian premier league runners-up on Wednesday.