Carbone for Pleat

Striker Benito Carbone is expected to join David Pleat's Sheffield Wednesday in the next few days after Internazionale yesterday accepted a pounds 3m offer from the Hillsborough club for the 25-year-old.

Roy Hodgson, Internazionale's English coach, has international striking talent available in Chile's Ivan Zamorano and France's Youri Djorkaeff and was prepared to let Carbone leave.

Derby are likely to sign Aston Villa's unsettled veteran defender Paul McGrath. The pounds 200,000 transfer will go through if the player can agree personal terms.

Pierre Van Hooijdonk's row with Celtic was close to being resolved yesterday. Celtic, infuriated by Van Hooijdonk's claim for an improved pay deal, a demand the Dutchman has denied making, said the manager, Tommy Burns, had spoken to the player, "who accepts he must abide by the rules the rest of the players have to abide by".

Southampton have been granted a work permit for the Israeli international midfielder Eyal Berkowitz, signed for pounds 1m from Maccabi Haifa.

Cardiff City could be without a manager for two weeks after Phil Neal's move to become Steve Coppell's assistant at Manchester City. The Cardiff chairman, Samesh Kumar, who may seek an injunction to stop Neal joining the Maine Road club, said it could be "a week or two" before an appointment is made.