Baresi set to leave Milan for Fulham

Franco Baresi will join Fulham next month as their director of football. Baresi, a member of Italy's World Cup-winning side in 1982, will take on a range of duties including scouting, the club's academy and the development of women's football. The Fulham manger Jean Tigana will retain responsibility for the first team and player coaching.

Baresi, who is currently vice-president at his former club Milan, will take up the post on 1 June. At Milan his responsibilities include coaching, scouting and worldwide public relations and marketing.

The captain of Milan for 16 years and the Italy captain for four, Baresi played in three World Cups, collecting a runners-up medal in 1994 and winning the trophy in 1982. His honours role as a player also includes three European Cups, winning the Uefa Cup three times, the Intercontinental Cup twice and the Italian championship six times. Baresi played 760 games for Milan and won 88 caps for Italy.

The club's midfielder John Collins has welcomed Baresi's appointment and believes his "wealth of experience" can only help the club.

"It's great news," he said. "Franco Baresi has a wealth of experience of playing at the top level, and it's wonderful news. He has a terrific knowledge of European football.

"Today is the first I've heard of it, but with Mr Fayed nothing should surprise anybody. Franco will be looking out for the best talent available, and the chairman is always looking to improve the club."

Fayed said: "This is the next step in realising my dream of making Fulham one of the foremost clubs in the world."

At the other end of the scale, Bradford's administrators have made their first jobs cull in an effort to cut costs. Thirty two people employed in club shops have been made redundant with immediate effect. The shops at Dewsbury and Wakefield have been closed.

Bradford went into administration last week with debts of around £13m, and the club's chairman Geoffrey Richmond blamed the collapse of ITV Digital and of Benito Carbone's move to Middlesbrough as the catalysts for their financial plight.

The joint administrator Mike Moore said that they had received six enquiries from potential buyers.