Lazio hint at Gascoigne's return

Lazio are unlikely to block Paul Gascoigne's return to English football, according to the Italian club's coach, Zdenek Zeman. Leeds and Everton are among the clubs reportedly interested in signing the England player.

After Sunday's 0-0 draw with Cagliari, Zeman said that Gascoigne "can do no more for the club. He can't be our saviour, although I still consider him a great player".

Zeman again left Gascoigne out of the starting line-up, and was unhappy with his performance when he came on as a substitute in the last 30 minutes.

While Zeman said that he was "pretty sure" Gascoigne would return home, the Italian press believe his departure after three years at the club is inevitable.

The Corriere dello Sport said Gascoigne was supposed to be "the new Maradona" but had turned out to be a disappointment, speculating that Gascoigne would discuss his future at Lazio this week with the club's owner, Sergio Cragnotti, and the president, Dino Zoff.

The former Netherlands captain, Ronald Koeman, confirmed yesterday that he is to leave the Spanish champions, Barcelona, at the end of the season and sign a two-year contract with Feyenoord. He had been rumoured to be the subject of interest from Aston Villa.

Leeds have denied claims that the club is set to be sold to Richard Thompson, the owner of Queen's Park Rangers, for £10m. Leslie Silver, the Leeds chairman, admitted, however, that he had had talks with Thompson and that other parties have expressed an interest in buying the Premiership club. However, Leeds's managing director, Bill Fotherby, rejected reports of an imminent sale, saying: "There is no substance to a report that the club is about to be sold off."

n The Danish international, Brian Laudrup, has become the first overseas player to win the Scottish Football Writers' Player of the Year award. The Rangers player joined the club in a £2.2m move from Fiorentina last summer.

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