Football: FA Cup reshuffle will keep replays

THE FOOTBALL Association is considering a revamp to the FA Cup next season which would preserve the future of replays in all rounds except for the final.

Proposals include moving the earlier rounds two weeks forward, meaning that the third round would be played before Christmas and the fourth round in early January. With the sixth round then completed by the end of the February, even after any need for replays, there would be a break before the semi-finals on 9 April.

The need to clear March of FA Cup fixtures is the result of next year's Champions' League games being staged every Wednesday in that month. Any Premiership clubs left in the competition would not be able to play in replays.

One further proposal, apparently backed by Premiership chairman at their meeting on Thursday, is that there would no longer be any replays in FA Cup semi-finals, although that could still become a key point of contention.

No final decisions will be taken until the FA's full council meet in March to discuss the issue but there is a determination at the FA to keep replays in the competition.

Kaba Diawara has completed his move to Arsenal, who are believed to have paid around pounds 2.5m to Bordeaux for the 23-year-old forward.

Aston Villa are poised to sign the Finnish Under-21 international goalkeeper Peter Enckelman for an initial fee of pounds 200,000. Enckelman, 21, was on an extended trial with Villa at the end of last year when he played a number of reserve team games. He is expected to complete his move to the Premiership title chasers once he has agreed personal terms with the Villa manager, John Gregory.

Villa will also make further payments for Enckelman depending on how many first-team appearances he makes and the final fee could exceed pounds 500,000.

Gregory has been searching for a new goalkeeper as he is resigned to losing Mark Bosnich at the end of the season.

In the long-term, Enckelman will act as back-up to Michael Oakes, who has been in the side since Bosnich damaged his shoulder against Coventry last October.

Birmingham City have accepted an offer of pounds 800,000 from Southampton for the midfielder Chris Marsden. The City manager, Trevor Francis, expects Marsden to join David Jones at The Dell in time to make his debut against Leeds United today. Marsden played under Jones at Stockport.

John Harkes, the DC United midfielder who has gone to Nottingham Forest on loan, is not the only American player on the move. Goalkeeper Tony Meola and defender Alexi Lalas have been traded from the New York/New Jersey MetroStars to Kansas City Wizards for midfielder Mark Chung and goalkeeper Mike Ammann.