UK Roundup

Inamoto set to join Fulham; Olisadebe to Birmingham City

TOKYO (Reuters) -- Japan midfielder Junichi Inamoto, recently released by English champion Arsenal, has agreed to join Premier League rival Fulham, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported Thursday.

Italian clubs Perugia and Atalanta had also expressed interest in hiring the 22-year-old playmaker, who scored two goals for co-host Japan in an impressive World Cup debut, but he has indicated he would prefer to stay in England.

An outline agreement was reached after discussions between Inamoto, Fulham officials and J-League club Gamba Osaka, where Inamoto played until joining Arsenal last July and who still hold the rights to the midfielder, Kyodo reported.

Kyodo said Gamba Osaka would receive a fee of US$4.5 million, but a spokesman for the club declined to confirm the report.

"Nothing has been decided yet," he said.

Inamoto did not play a Premier League match for Arsenal and was limited to two appearances in the League Cup and two games as substitute in the Champions League.

But he raised his profile by scoring in Japan's 2-2 draw with Belgium and bagging the winner in the 1-0 victory over Russia in the World Cup. Japan went on to beat Tunisia 2-0 and top its group.

Keown signs on for another two years at Arsenal

LONDON (Reuters) -- Former England defender Martin Keown has signed on for another two years at Arsenal, the English champion announced Thursday.

Keown, who turns 36 later this month, was quoted on the Arsenal Web site as saying: "I'm delighted it has all been sorted out. There was no way I wanted to leave and that became obvious. "Arsenal were aware that other clubs were interested in me and I don't think that surprised them.

"But I wanted to stay and they wanted me to stay. Now it's been resolved I can start looking forward to next season."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told a news conference Thursday: "I'm delighted because Martin is not only a great player but a great motivator in our squad.

"To have him for two more years is a guarantee that the team will keep going because he's always on his toes."

Keown's Arsenal career began as a trainee in February 1984.

He was sold to Aston Villa in 1986, joined Everton in 1989, but returned to Arsenal in February 1993, forming a solid defence with Tony Adams, Lee Dixon, Steve Bould and Nigel Winterburn, who is now at London rivals West Ham United.

Bould is on the Arsenal coaching staff, while Dixon retired at the end of last season after helping the club to a League and FA Cup double.

Skipper and central defender Adams is expected to announce his retirement later this week, after struggling with injuries throughout the last campaign and having a testimonial in May.

Adams to retire; Seaman to be offered new deal

Arsenal captain Tony Adams will very shortly be announcing his retirement, the club's vice-chairman David Dein predicted Thursday, ending months of speculation over the 35-year-old's future.

Adams has been tipped by British media to make the announcement this week after 19 years with the club and a Double-winning season marred by injury to the central defender.

Dein, speaking at a news conference to unveil Arsenal's new central defender Pascal Cygan, said: "We are waiting officially the position with Tony Adams, who will no doubt be announcing -- we assume he will be announcing -- his retirement very shortly.

"But that's his prerogative, what he intends to do."

As for his England goalkeeper, who made headlines around the world for a costly blunder in their World Cup quarterfinal defeat to Brazil, Dein said: "We are in the final stages of negotiating a new contract for David Seaman."

Dein also confirmed a new two-year contract for Martin Keown and a new deal for fellow defender Oleg Luzhny, while talks over the release of goalkeeper Alex Manninger are at an advanced stage.

Adams, who was given a testimonial at the end of last season against Celtic at Highbury, told reporters in May that he would decide over the summer whether he would carry on his playing career.

"I don't want to go past my sell-by date," he said. "I've enjoyed these years on top and I want to go out up there. My pride's too big. Physically, it's impossible, you don't go on forever."

Poland's Olisadebe to join Birmingham City

ATHENS (Reuters) -- Poland striker Emmanuel Olisadebe will soon join Birmingham City from Panathinaikos, a source close to the newly-promoted English premier league club said on Thursday.

"He is expected to finalize everything in the coming days, but the two clubs have agreed," the source told Reuters.

There were no details on the length of the contract or the transfer fee involved for the Nigerian-born player.

Olisadebe was in excellent form in the World Cup qualifiers but failed to impress during Poland's disappointing first round exit at the finals in South Korea and Japan.

The 23-year old striker will join another World Cup player in Birmingham, Senegal captain Aliou Cisse who this week became City's most expensive signing when he completed a 1.5 million pounds ($2.31 million) transfer from Paris St Germain.

Birmingham were promoted to the top flight after beating Norwich City in the first division playoff final last season.

Spurs sign Belgian teenager Blondel

LONDON (Reuters) -- Tottenham Hotspur has added another midfield player to their squad by signing Belgian teenager Jonathan Blondel, the Premier League club said Thursday.

The 18-year-old, captain of Belgium's Under-19 squad, was signed on a four-year contract from Belgian club Royal Excelsior Mouscron for an undisclosed fee.

"I am very happy to be here and I think Spurs is a very forward thinking club," Blondel told the club's website. "It is obviously a big club, so I am very proud to join.

"The club contacted me two weeks ago and invited me to come and look at the facilities and what Tottenham have to offer.

"I am very much hoping to break into the first team at some stage and looking forward to mixing well with all the players."

Press reports, which had also linked him with Manchester United and Schalke 04, put the fee at 800,000 pounds (US$1.24 million).

"There was quite a bit of interest from other big clubs and I think the move will improve me," added Blondel.

The attacking midfielder helped his former club reach the Belgian Cup final last May, scoring an equalizer in its subsequent 3-1 defeat to Club Bruges, and was a factor in its success in securing a UEFA Cup place.

Blondel becomes the third midfield signing by Spurs manager Glenn Hoddle in recent months after the arrival of Jamie Redknapp from Liverpool and Slovenia's Milenko Acimovic.

After a tour of White Hart Lane, Blondel said: "It is one of the biggest stadiums I've ever been to. I am looking forward to playing in the London derbies to sample the atmosphere."

The teenager had a medical Tuesday before signing for Spurs and heading off on international duty. He will return to the club for pre-season training on July 28.

Hughes set to hang up boots

The 38-year-old former Manchester United striker was not given a new contract by Blackburn Rovers at the end of the last Premier League season.

Hughes, who has been doing the Wales job part-time for three years, was quoted by the Western Mail on Thursday as saying:

"The decision to retire has not come easily. I have discussed it with my family.

"I'm lucky in the fact I can retire from the game for all the right reasons."

He had earlier told the South Wales Echo: "I have had offers to play, but I will be speaking to (Welsh FA general secretary) David Collins in the next day or so with the hope that we can come to an agreement of taking up a full-time position.

"If those talks are not successful, the offers to continue to play will then come back into consideration.

"The decision to even think of retiring has not come easily, but I cannot complain.

"I have had a great career and played with some of the best players in the world, who have made me look good at times."

Capped more than 70 times by Wales, Hughes's last moment in the spotlight was an impressive midfield performance in Blackburn's 2-1 League Cup final victory over Tottenham Hotspur last February in Cardiff.

A Manchester United apprentice, he went on to make 345 league appearances, scoring 119 goals, in two spells with the club from the 1983-84 season to 1995 -- interspersed with a season each at Barcelona and Bayern Munich from 1986 to 1988.

A tough, physical striker, Hughes also spent three years at Chelsea from 1995 to 1998 before ending a career -- that brought him an array of league and cup titles -- with spells at Southampton, Everton and Blackburn.

Wales is in group nine of the Euro 2004 qualifiers, facing tough competition from Euro 2000 finalist Italy, Finland, Yugoslavia and Azerbaijan.

Watford name Lewington as new manager

LONDON (Reuters) -- Watford have appointed reserve team coach Ray Lewington as its new manager, the English First Division club announced Thursday.

The former Brentford and Fulham boss replaces Italian Gianluca Vialli, who was sacked by the Hertfordshire club last month after just one season in charge.

Lewington has been caretaker manager for the past few weeks while the directors at Vicarage Road weighed up their options.

High-profile names, such as Arsenal defender Tony Adams and former England under-21 boss Peter Taylor, were linked with the job but Watford have put their faith in 45-year-old Lewington.

Chief executive Tim Shaw said in a statement: "On behalf of the entire Board of Directors I would like to say how delighted we are with this appointment.

"We interviewed nine quality candidates for the position, some of them twice, and Ray Lewington has come out as our number one choice totally on merit.

"It may be that not too many supporters know Ray particularly well at present, but I can assure them that once they meet him they will immediately appreciate the qualities that have led us to offer him the post."

The club also announced that long-serving defender Nigel Gibbs -- who retired from playing this summer after 20 years with Watford -- will be the new reserve team manager.

A new coach will be appointed to assist Lewington.

Former Italy striker and Chelsea manager Vialli, 38, took over as manager from former England boss Graham Taylor at the end of the 2000/2001 season.

But despite investing in a number of new players in an effort to return to the top flight of English football, Watford finished in a disappointing 14th place last season.

 

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