Arsenal to miss Adams for another six weeks

Arsenal have been dealt a fresh injury setback with the news that their captain Tony Adams will be out for up to six weeks after undergoing surgery for a stress fracture to his right foot on Monday.

Adams, who turned 35 yesterday, missed the Champions' League defeat to Panathinaikos in Athens two weeks ago. He is now out of next Tuesday's Highbury return plus the home game against Real Mallorca eight days later. He is also unlikely to make next month's Premiership dates with Tottenham and Manchester United.

Adams has not played since 22 September, when Arsenal drew 1-1 with Bolton, and he has been involved in only half their matches this season. The injury is a major blow to manager Arsène Wenger's European and Premiership hopes.

Wenger's defensive injury problems do not stop there. Goalkeeper David Seaman missed England's match against Greece because of a shoulder problem and Lee Dixon is out for another two months following a knee operation. More encouragingly, Sol Campbell has returned to full training.

Meanwhile, Wenger may receive an approach for Arsenal's England midfielder Ray Parlour from West Ham. The Hammers are set to lose Trevor Sinclair after the player handed in a transfer request.

Glenn Roeder, the West Ham manager, is an admirer of Parlour, who has admitted he would consider moving if he does not get regular first-team football at Highbury.

The former England manager Terry Venables said he would be interested in talking to the Scottish Football Association about the possibility of succeeding Craig Brown as Scotland manager.

"If Scotland were to approach me or come up with something then I would certainly be more than willing to discuss the matter with them but, so far, I have heard nothing," Venables said. "I'm quite happy with my television work at the moment but you can never say never. I wouldn't rule anything in and I certainly wouldn't rule anything out."

Swansea have sacked seven players and the Third Division club face losing another eight after their new chairman Tony Petty began slashing costs at the Vetch Field.

The Swans have also released two members of the coaching staff after a meeting between the board of directors and the management team.

The veteran strikers John Williams and Steve Watkin, who has made over 150 appearances for City, are among the players whose contracts have been terminated, while Nicolas Mazzina, Michael Keegan, David Romo, Matthew Bound and Jason Smith will also be leaving.

Eight other players, including the captain Nick Cusack, have been offered reduced terms by the board but they are said to have refused the offer and look likely to join the exodus from Swansea.

Petty has also informed the youth-team coach Ron Walton and the goalkeeping coach Glan Letheran that they are no longer required.