United ready to sell struggling Taibi

MANCHESTER UNITED are ready to send Massimo Taibi back from whence he came.

Agents have been circulating the goalkeeper's name around Serie A, apparently with the club's blessing, and alerting them that he could be sold when their transfer market opens in January.

United face a big loss on the Sicilian, who signed from Venezia for pounds 4m at the start of the season but has struggled at Old Trafford. Piacenza have shown an initial interest, but would only be willing to pay around pounds 1.5m or could even ask to take Taibi on loan.

United will not put Taibi up for sale publicly, but privately there has been intense activity in the past few days, and the United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has been lining up Norwegian prospect Espen Johnsen, of IK Start.

Arsenal hope to move into a new stadium half a mile from Highbury in time for the 2003-04 season. The Gunners are looking into the possibility of building a new 60,000-capacity ground at Ashburton Grove, which currently houses Islington Council's depots and a waste transfer station, as well as industrial and storage businesses.

Arsenal's former striker, Nicolas Anelka, has warned Real Madrid that his days in Spain will be numbered if they try to send him on loan to Italy, as has been reported. "If they loan me out I'll not return, that much is clear," the French international said. "The moment they have no confidence in me I'll be off."

The Manchester City manager, Joe Royle, made a pounds 1.4m bid for Gillingham's striker Robert Taylor last night. Royle put in his third and final offer for the player but will cease his interest if the Kent side refuse to accept.

Rangers have completed the pounds 300,000 signing of the 24-year-old defender Tero Penttila from the Finnish side FC Haka.