Hoddle halts Ferdinand's loan move to Molineux

Glenn Hoddle, the Tottenham manager, has blocked Wolves' attempt to take Les Ferdinand on a month's loan. Despite speculation that the 35-year-old former England forward would soon be on his way to Molineux, Hoddle said that he had rejected the Midlands club's approach. "I still want Les to be a part of my squad," the Spurs manager said. "It is as simple as that."

Ferdinand, the north Londoners' record signing in July 1997 when he moved from Newcastle United for £6m, has struggled to hold down a first-team place this season through injuries and the recruitment of Robbie Keane from Leeds.

Aston Villa could be without their right-back Mark Delaney until the new year. Villa had indicated that Delaney would be out for around a month after he fractured a toe in his right foot while playing for Wales in their midweek European Championship qualifier in Azerbaijan this week. But now Graham Taylor is resigned to be without the former Cardiff City player for up to two months.

Taylor does not have a natural replacement for Delaney in his Villa squad. He said: "You are very fortunate if you go through any season without one or two players suffering long-term injuries and we are led to believe it could be a six to eight-week job."

Italy, five points adrift of Wales after three games of their Euro 2004 qualifying campaign, will face Northern Ireland in a friendly on 4 June as a warm-up for their Group 9 tie in Finland a week later. A venue for the friendly has still be to be fixed, but proceeds from the match will go to the disaster fund following the earthquake in the southern region of Calabria.

The Northern Ireland manager, Sammy McIlroy, said: "Italy may have had a dip in form, but they remain one of the most attractive sides in the world. We will also benefit as we are playing Spain the following week and this will be good preparation for the lads."