Podolski: Germany striker Lukas Podolski said yesterday he would transfer from Cologne to Bayern Munich from July. Podolski, 20, did not offer any details about the contract, which club officials said still has to be signed, nor about the transfer fee, which Germany media have reported to be between €10 million and €11 million. He could have left after next season for a fixed fee of one million euros. Cologne were relegated at the end of the last season while Bayern Munich won the championship.
English Hooligans: British police will rely on the banning orders which were used to such good effect in Euro 2004 to prevent known hooligans from travelling to the World Cup in Germany. With unprecedented cooperation between the English and German authorities, both sides are confident they can prevent serious trouble from breaking out. The banning orders, which were introduced following riots by England fans in Belgium during Euro 2000, are central to the government's drive to ensure their fans do not cause trouble during the June 9 to July 9 tournament. Some 3,300 have been issued for the duration of the competition.
Ribery: Lyon and Manchester United are after France midfielder Franck Ribery but Marseille chairman Pape Diouf wants to keep him. Ribery has just won his first two caps for France with promising displays in World Cup warm-up wins over Mexico and Denmark. The gifted 23-year-old was arguably the best player in Ligue 1 last season and is being hailed as the next Zinedine Zidane.
Wembley Stadium: Wembley Stadium's operators declined to guarantee the venue would be ready for the 2007 FA Cup final, saying they could not commit to an opening date. Australian constructor Multiplex had originally planned to have the 90,000-seat stadium ready for May's showpiece Cup final but was forced to delay the opening after a series of embarrassing setbacks. In an update yesterday, Multiplex said problems that had delayed the opening had been addressed. It reiterated that it expected "substantial completion" in July, and for the stadium to be ready in practical terms by the end of September.
Ardiles: Israeli Premier League side Betar Jerusalem named Argentine Osvaldo Ardiles as manager on Wednesday. Big-spending Betar agreed a one-year contract with Ardiles, plus an option for a further year. He replaces Frenchman Luis Fernandez, who left earlier this month after one season in charge.
Boateng: Middlesbrough's Dutch midfielder George Boateng has signed a three-year extension to his contract. The 30-year-old's contract with the UEFA Cup runners-up was due to expire at the end of this month. Middlesbrough have yet to appoint a manager to replace Steve McClaren who will take over from Sven-Goran Eriksson as England boss after the World Cup finals.
Hartson: Striker John Hartson was given permission to talk to other clubs about a move many months ago, Celtic said. The 31-year-old said on Wednesday he was devastated at news that Celtic were willing to sell him. He has a year left on his contract. Hartson scored the winner against Hearts to clinch the Scottish Premier League title last season and has been at the club for five years.