Hoddle moves to China to seal deal

Glenn Hoddle has finally signed a World Cup striker. Brazil's forward Rivaldo and Real Madrid's Fernando Morientes may have slipped the Tottenham manager's grasp but Hoddle yesterday managed to persuade the China international Qu Bo to move to White Hart Lane.

Qu's £2 million transfer has been agreed with the Chinese club Qingdao Yizhong but is subject to the player, who started all three of his country's World Cup matches in June, being granted a work permit. The 21-year-old, who can play on the wing or through the centre, has convinced Hoddle to take a chance on him with some impressive performances over the pre-season. "He's young, can play in a few positions and has done very well here," Hoddle said.

The Premier League chief executive, Richard Scudamore, has warned the Football League against a breakaway by the First Division clubs or the regionalisation of the lower leagues.

Scudamore, who held the same position at the League until just over two years ago, when he was lured to the top flight, has responded to the recent report commissioned by the First Division clubs which recommended they take more power into their own hands, with their own chief executive, as well as regionalising the Second and Third Divisions.

Scudamore said: "The brand strength of the Football League is in their 72 clubs and their nationwide appeal and coverage. It would be foolish to break that up. Regionalisation would also be a retrograde step. It might save on coach travel but you would lose the sense of the best teams playing each other."

He added that the Football League clubs should not panic in the wake of the collapse of their lucrative deal with ITV Digital, but to adopt a new financial approach. "What the Football League must do is to dress themselves up as best they can. They have many positive features, especially with the level of attendances, and they generate more money than all but the five biggest leagues in Europe.

"The clubs, however, do have to find ways to cut their cost bases and some of the sensible ones are already doing that. There is a new economic reality now setting in."

Bradford City have got the go-ahead from the League to start their season against Wolves today. The debt-ridden club missed their Friday afternoon deadline to conclude the deal with the League but after protracted negotiations they were given the clearance they needed. "The board of the Football League has received the necessary assurances about Bradford's abilities to complete the season to allow the club to begin it against Wolves," said League spokesman John Nagle. "However, a number of outstanding matters remain to be resolved before the board can agree the transfer of the club's share in the Football League to the new owners."

The Professional Footballers' Association are still waiting for their multi-million pound loan to be repaid. The PFA's chief executive, Gordon Taylor, said: "Acting in haste and repenting at leisure got Bradford into trouble in the first place and we must not go down that road again. We can't afford for that money to be gone and for Bradford to go out of business."