Campbell's return eases Everton's woes

Kevin Campbell is ready to make his full Everton comeback after a miserable spell recovering from a knee operation. The striker played a full 90 minutes in a behind-closed-doors game without any ill effects and could be back in Walter Smith's plans.

Kevin Campbell is ready to make his full Everton comeback after a miserable spell recovering from a knee operation. The striker played a full 90 minutes in a behind-closed-doors game without any ill effects and could be back in Walter Smith's plans.

Campbell, who appeared as a substitute at Middlesbrough last week, is set to start against Manchester United tomorrow although he is still short of match sharpness.

His recovery will lift spirits at Everton. The much-travelled striker's knee problem took longer to heal than expected and Campbell also had to live with suggestions that he may be finished, but he looked in good condition on his return.

Smith re-signed Duncan Ferguson to give Everton cover for Campbell, but the talismanic Scot is now ruled out after an operation on his calf.

Everton have also given a trial to the tough-tackling French defender Eric Decroix, who is keen to leave his current club, Montpellier. He played in the same warm-up game as Campbell and Smith will make a decision on his future today.

Liverpool have agreed a fee with Montpellier for the 19-year-old full-back Gregory Vignal. The former French Under-18 international will cost around £500,000 and is due to travel to Anfield next week to finalise the move.

Sam Allardyce, the Bolton manager, is ready to pull off a major capture by signing Nigeria's captain Mutiu Adepoju. Allardyce is hoping to sign the midfielder from the Spanish side Real Sociedad in order to strengthen his side's promotion challenge. The 29-year-old Adepoju has spent most of his career in Spain after a previous spell at Real Madrid but is now looking for a move to England.

Allardyce hopes to sign Adepoju for the season with a view to making the move permanent next summer if Bolton reach the Premier League.

Manchester City are selling the defender Nick Fenton to Notts County in a £150,000 deal. Fenton was on loan at Meadow Lane last season and City's manager Joe Royle is wiling to let him leave because his first-team chances are limited.

Newcastle's Shay Given has signed a new three-year contract with the club, ending speculation that the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper might return to his first club, Celtic.

The Bradford City full-back Andy Myers is out for six weeks after pulling his hamstring in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal at Highbury on Saturday.

Myers was in impressive form against the Gunners before pulling up sharply in the second-half and diagnosis of the injury has not been good. Myers' absence will add to the defensive problems of City's manager Chris Hutchings, who is already deprived of the services of Andy O'Brien for a similar period after the defender fractured his collar bone against Leicester last month.