Football: Keegan quandry

(First Edition)

KEVIN KEEGAN may have to find at least pounds 2.5m to stand any realistic chance of signing Dean Saunders from Liverpool. Keegan, the Newcastle manager, returned to his old club on Thursday to enquire about the Welsh international striker.

Liverpool may be willing to part with Saunders - but only if they can earn something approaching the pounds 2.9m they paid Derby County just over a year ago for the 28-year-old forward, who scored 10 goals in 36 League games for the Anfield club last seaon.

'We have talked to our directors and the name of Dean Saunders is one that has been under serious consideration,' Terry McDermott, Newcastle's assistant manager and another former Liverpool player, said yesterday.

Though Newcastle have debts of around pounds 6m, John Hall, their chairman and new owner, has pledged to make transfer money available to Keegan.

David Lowe, Leicester City's recent pounds 200,000 signing from Ipswich Town, is expected to be out of action for six weeks after suffering a depressed fracture of the cheekbone in Thursday's 3-1 pre-season friendly defeat against the German side, Borussia Monchengladbach, at Filbert Street.

Also unlikely to be fit next weekend is Roland Nilsson, Sheffield Wednesday's Swedish international defender, who injured an Achilles tendon in his club's 4-0 tour defeat by AEK Athens in Greece this week. Everton, seeking a new striker, have made an enquiry about Monchengladbach's Martin Dahlin, Nilsson's team-mate in the Swedish team.

Sheffield United are prepared to pay pounds 450,000 for the Millwall defender, Alan McLeary, who is on loan at Bramall Lane. If he impresses in friendlies at Rotherham today and at Cambridge United on Monday, the deal is likely to be made permanent.