Football: Kennedy close to pounds 1.75m Wimbledon move

MARK KENNEDY is poised to complete a pounds 1.75m transfer to Wimbledon after the south London club tabled an offer to Liverpool larger than those of Nottingham Forest and Queen's Park Rangers.

The Republic of Ireland midfielder is heading for London for talks and will join the Dons before the transfer deadline if he agrees terms. Wimbledon have been chasing Kennedy for a year and finally raised the money to meet Liverpool's valuation.

Kennedy recently had a successful loan spell at QPR, who wanted to buy him, and has no future at Liverpool although he was recalled from his loan to play for the club.

John Spencer's future at Everton was plunged into doubt last night when he failed to agree terms on a permanent move to Goodison. The Scottish striker was due to sign for pounds 1.4m from QPR, but salary negotiations broke down. Spencer will stay on loan but could be recalled by Rangers.

Meanwhile, Everton's bid for Greek star Vassilis Borbokis is also up in the air as Sheffield United did a dramtic U-turn. News of Howard Kendall's pounds 1.2m move has sparked anger at the FA Cup semi-finalists and caused a split on the board.

Now Kendall is fearing he may miss out on Borbokis as Sheffield have second thoughts. The Blades have already lined up a replacement in Bradford's Chris Wilder.

Manchester City have made a bid to bring Mike Sheron back from QPR in a pounds 2m deal made up of players plus cash. Sheron, who joined Rangers for pounds 2m last summer, has been told by the manager, Ray Harford, that he expects the deal to be completed. Now Sheron will have to agree terms with City, while the Manchester City manager, Joe Royle, also needs the players he is swapping to accept the switch.

The City striker Paul Dickov is included in the package and the former Arsenal player is prepared to return to London after being left out of Royle's side.

The midfielder Michael Brown is also involved although he starts a two- game ban at the weekend which makes him less attractive to Rangers.

City will pay some cash on top of the two players to get Sheron, who is poised to talk to them today in a bid to beat the transfer deadline. Sheron started his career at City before moving on to Norwich and then Stoke. He is from St Helens and that might be a persuasive factor for him.

Meanwhile, Royle has signed another old City favourite, Ian Bishop, from West Ham United on a free transfer, but his hopes of signing the England Under-21 prospect John Curtis on loan from neighbours United have been dashed. Curtis is needed to stay with the United squad for the title bid because Michael Clegg is injured.