Pahars rewarded

Marian Pahars, Southampton's 23-year-old Latvian striker, has signed an improved four-year contract that will keep him at The Dell until 2005. Pahars was the leading scorer for Southampton with 16 goals last season.

Marian Pahars, Southampton's 23-year-old Latvian striker, has signed an improved four-year contract that will keep him at The Dell until 2005. Pahars was the leading scorer for Southampton with 16 goals last season.

The Saints' chairman, Rupert Lowe, said: "Marian Pahars is one of our most gifted players and I am delighted he has agreed. He still had two years left to run on his existing contract but we felt his performances of last season merited an improved offer."

Manchester United may have to pay upwards of £1m to Wolves as compensation for the signing of one of Molineux's most promising young players. The Premier League champions have been ordered by a Football League Appeals Committee to pay the Wolverhampton club £200,000 immediately as compensation for the signing of Daniel Nardiello. But the true cost of recruiting the 17-year-old striker from Stourbridge could rise even further if he eventually makes it into United's first team.

Wolves will be entitled to further payments of £150,000 a time if Nardiello goes on to play five, 15, 25 and 40 first-team matches. A further £250,000 will be payable if the youngster plays in a Uefa or Fifa competitive international fixture.

Wolves' chief executive, Jez Moxey, said: "I am delighted with the verdict of the tribunal. I hope this sends out a message to predator clubs that they cannot get away with cherry-picking the outstanding young talent being developed at Wolves without significant financial consequences."

Wolves' youth academy director, Chris Evans, also welcomed the ruling, but believes United may still have got a bargain. He said: "Daniel Nar-diello was the jewel in the crown of our schoolboy development programme and was developed by our technical coaching staff to nationallevels of excellence."

Nardiello has represented England schoolboys at under-15 and under-16 level and has already made a big impression at Old Trafford. Since joining last July, he has progressed from United's under-17 side and has acquitted himself well for the under-19s. If he leaves Old Trafford for a fee in excess of the amount paid to Wolves, Wanderers will be entitled to 15 per cent of the excess.

Elsewhere in the Midlands, Walsall have signed the midfielder Tom Bennett, 30, on a free transfer from Stockport. Bennett, who had two spells on loan to the Saddlers last season, has signed a two-year contract and will be captain at Bescot.