Football: Granville on move to Leeds for pounds 1.6m

CHELSEA WERE cast in the unfamiliar role of transfer market sellers yesterday when they accepted Leeds United's pounds 1.6m offer for the left-back Danny Granville.

The 23-year-old, signed by Ruud Gullit from Cambridge United near the end of the 1996-97 campaign, saw his senior appearances limited by last season's return of Graeme Le Saux.

Newcastle, too, were in clear-out mode, shifting Jon Dahl Tomasson to Feyenoord for pounds 2.5m and completing the signing of the French striker Stephane Guivarc'h for pounds 3.5m. Newcastle, however, have pulled out of a pounds 2m deal for the Sheffield United wing-back Wayne Quinn.

The Premiership's Gallic headcount was further bolstered by Arsenal signing the David Grondid, an 18-year-old defender, for pounds 500,000 and agreed a unique partnership with his club, St Etienne, to exchange loan players and coaching methods.

Nottingham Forest were also conducting a cross-Channel raid, completing the signing of the 22-year-old striker JeanClaude Darcheville from Rennes for a fee of around pounds 700,000.

Everton's shareholders have forced an extraordinary meeting at which they plan to "shame and embarrass" the Goodison Park chairman, Peter Johnson. The move follows a reported effort by a Surrey-based company, the Wiggins Group, to launch a takeover bid.

Ian Brightwell has joined Coventry from Manchester City.