Asprilla's career set to switch to Saudi Arabia

Faustino Asprilla will play in the Saudi Arabian league, and not the English Third Division. The Colombian striker, 32, was close to joining Darlington before abruptly ending the negotiations on Friday. Asprilla recently left Colombia's Atletico Nacional and is without a club.

Mohammed Hemida, whose Sports Connection Agency represents a wide range of Gulf soccer clubs, said the former Newcastle striker will sign a contract with a Saudi club next Monday.

"He will arrive first in Dubai on Saturday before heading to Saudi Arabia to join his new club," Hemida said, but would not name the club.

The Saudi league has recently emerged as a destination for several players who are in the twilight of their careers. In 1999, leading Saudi club Al- Ittihad signed former Italian international Roberto Donadoni for six months. The Bulgarian superstar Hristo Stoichkov, the 1994 World Cup joint-top scorer, spent a short spell with Al-Nasr.

Newcastle signed Asprilla from the Italian club Parma in 1996 and he stayed for two seasons. He has also played for Brazilian club Palmeiras and in the World Cups of 1994 and 1998.

The Japan midfielder Junichi Inamoto has been named Asian player of the month after his hat-trick for Fulham against Bologna in the Intertoto Cup final last week.

The disc jockey Norman Cook has pumped £500,000 into Brighton and Hove Albion to become one of the club's leading shareholders. Cook, better known as Fatboy Slim, now owns 11 per cent of the shares in Albion's holding company, but has passed up the chance of a seat on the board. His record label, Skint Records, has been Brighton's shirt sponsor for the last two seasons.

The Rennes defender Julien Escude believes his transfer to Manchester United could still happen – but not until next summer. The 23-year-old was at the heart of a transfer battle between United and Rennes, who demanded around £5.1m for Escude, while United unwilling to offer more than half that sum.

He said: "I received a call from Ferguson who told me he was still interested in me. I think there is still a possibility I might join Man United next season."