The Italy international centre-back was linked with Internazionale and Real Madrid, with Inter reportedly ready to make a cash-plus-players offer for the 25 year old who captained Lazio to last season's league title. His new deal will see him earn £2.7m per year, a raise of 60 per cent on his previous deal which was due to expire in 2004.The French First Division will stay at 18 teams for another season. The French National League board recommended that a return to 20 clubs should take place in the 2002-2003 season, but not earlier. This confirms the relegation of the bottom three, Strasbourg, Toulouse and St-Etienne. A return to 20 clubs would have meant only Strasbourg going down as three teams won promotion, Lorient, Montpellier and Sochaux.Cologne have caused a stir in Germany by signing a 12 year old on an eight-year contract. Last year's Second Division champions poached Marco Quotschalla from under the noses of local rivals Bayer Leverkusen before they had a chance to approach the youngster. Due to his tender years his father had to sign the contract, which is now being investigated by the Department of Justice in Cologne.
The contract might not be completely legal, as the minimum age for an employment contract is 15 years.. Northern Ireland will face Bulgaria in a World Cup qualifier at Windsor Park less than 24 hours after the Under-21s have played on the same pitch. Northern Ireland will face Bulgaria in a World Cup qualifier at Windsor Park less than 24 hours after the Under-21s have played on the same pitch. The Ireland Football Association have no choice but to use Windsor Park for the Under-21 international because the pitches at all the other possible venues are under repair.The Northern Ireland manager, Sammy McIlroy, is worried about the damage to the playing surface for the World Cup game against Bulgaria on 2 June. He was unhappy with the pitch when he attended the Irish Cup Final there earlier this month."The Oval and all the other pitches are being reseeded and so there is no real alternative to Windsor Park," said McIlroy. "It's a bit of a blow and if it rains at the Under-21 game it could be bad. I thought the pitch was very bobbly for the Irish Cup Final, but really that's just a matter of watering the pitch. I'll be speaking to the groundsman to see what he can do before our game."McIlroy's squad has been ravaged by injuries, with Jim Magilton, Jon McCarthy and Gerry Taggart joining long-term absentee Steve Lomas on the sidelines.
Magilton is to have an operation on veins in his legs, while Taggart has a knee surgery and McCarthy broke his leg in the play-off semi-finals against Preston North End.Mark Williams is suspended for the Bulgaria game, although he will be available for the qualifier against the Czech Republic in Teplice four days later.There was more bad news yesterday after he had named his squad, with the Heart of Midlothian striker Andy Kirk forced to withdraw through injury to leave McIlroy with just three recognised forwards. He is pondering whether to call up a replacement striker from his stand-by list.Jeff Whitley should be fit despite needing stitches in a leg wound playing for Manchester City against Chelsea on SaturdayMcIlroy is used to bad news after 18 months in the job and said: "It's been like this all the time. These are some of my most experienced players, which makes it even worse, but you just have to get on with it and there's no point moaning.". David Batty might not be there, or Paul Scholes, or Tony Adams, but there is one Englishman whose talent will be very much in evidence throughout tonight's European Cup final His name is Steve Taylor He is 45 years old, tall and skinny He comes from Rossendale, Lancashire. And he is head groundsman at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milan, considerably better known as the San Siro.
