Football: Real reassure McManaman

STEVE McMANAMAN has been told by Real Madrid that his big money move to Spain is safe, despite financial reports that the club are pounds 130m in debt.

Financial analysts Deloitte and Touche ran a financial forecast on the European Cup holders, casting doubts over the viability of the Liverpool midfielder's reported pounds 60,000-a-week contract.

There are also major doubts over the future of the Real coach, Guus Hiddink, after he received the dreaded vote of confidence this week following a 3-0 defeat by bitter rivals Barcelona.

It was thought that a change of leadership and the growing financial crisis at the club could disrupt McManaman's move, announced earlier this month. But the player's advisers say they have talked to Real Madrid officials and been assured that the move is not in doubt. McManaman's agent, Julian Henry, says that Real's chairman, Lorenzo Sanz, has assured him there are no financial problems at the Bernabeu.

Henry said: "We haven't changed our position, and Steve will be joining Real Madrid next season. We've heard the reports but we are assured there are no concerns for his future. Steve is really looking forward to the new challenge. He'll be playing for a fantastic club."

Sanz also maintains that McManaman will be joining Real whoever is coach.The Liverpool manager, Gerard Houllier, has continued his team building for the future by signing the 18-year-old French youngster Djimi Traore. The 6ft 3in defender has been snapped up from the Second Division club Laval and is a member of France's Under-18 side that Houllier once coached. He cost pounds 550,000 and is expected to arrive at Anfield on Monday after his international clearance has been acquired.

"Traore is a player of great potential, and I know him well. He is a player for the future of Liverpool, a player for tomorrow and for the years after that," Houllier said.

Traore is the third young central defender signed by Houllier in recent weeks. He has snapped up the Nigerian international Rigobert Song for pounds 2.7m as well as Norwegian teenager Frode Kippe for pounds 700,000. There was strong competition from Milan, Lazio, Parma and Paris St-Germain for Traore's signature.

The Football Association has confirmed they have received Liverpool's faxed appeal against Jamie Carragher's sending-off at Charlton on Saturday. A spokesman said: "We are now waiting for the video to reach us, and then the disciplinary department will decide whether to ask the referee Mike Reed to have a look at the video himself and to ask whether he wants to change his mind."

Reed is unlikely to receive the video before the weekend - so Carragher will not know his fate until early next week.

The Marseilles coach, Rolland Courbis, yesterday pledged his future to the club. Despite having said in 1997 he wanted to stay at Marseilles for only a year, Courbis said: "It's my second season here and I'm pretty sure I'll be here for a while... at least five years. I changed my mind. I have to live up to my reputation - if Courbis doesn't change his mind he would not be Courbis anymore."

A run of poor results since the French winter break - including a shock 1-0 defeat at Toulouse last Sunday - has dented Marseilles' once-supreme confidence and placed a question mark over their ability to win the French title. They have now lost two of their last three league matches including a 4-1 thumping at rivals Bordeaux two weeks ago. But Courbis insisted: "We are going to be champions whatever the problems are."