Football: Casiraghi has `last' operation on knee

PIERLUIGI CASIRAGHI, Chelsea's Italian striker, underwent a further operation on his right knee yesterday. The former Italy international, who has not played for more than a year, had the surgery at a clinic in Bologna.

"The operation was to clean away scar tissue on the right knee. It lasted little more than an hour," said Maurilio Marcacci, the surgeon who performed the operation.

"He will need to stay at the clinic for a few more days. I'm not in a position to say when he will be able to play again, largely because his knee is not the only problem. He also has a foot injury. Hopefully, though, this is the last operation on his knee."

Arsenal have offered the Spanish Second Division club Levante pounds 2m for a teenage striker, Vicente Rodriguez, the club's president, Pedro Villaroel, said yesterday. Levante, despite being in some financial difficulty, are reluctant to let Rodriguez leave, however, while they are second in the Second Division and have ambitions of returning to the top flight for the first time since 1965.