Football: Rovers deny Lazio move for Eriksson

Sven Goran Eriksson emerged last night as the favoured candidate to manage Lazio, despite denials from Blackburn Rovers that he would leave them in the lurch.

Robert Coar, the Rovers chairman, said: "We have a written agreement with Sven that he will come to us in July." However, there have been differences behind the scenes over transfer targets. Rovers are close to completing the pounds 2.5m signing of Polish striker Marek Citko, who was not on Eriksson's wanted list.

Bruce Rioch was approached by West Bromwich Albion last night to fill their managerial vacancy. Rioch, No 2 at Queen's Park Rangers, has emerged as the first choice of the Albion board, who are asking for permission to speak to him this weekend.

If Rioch turns down the offer, West Brom may turn to the Birmingham player- coach, Steve Bruce, although Ian Rush, out of favour at Leeds, yesterday became a late addition to a shortlist of applicants which also includes Ray Harford, Danny Wilson and John Rudge.

The Leeds chairman, Bill Fotherby, has confirmed that Parma have paid a fee to keep Tomas Brolin until the end of the season. Leeds will receive around pounds 300,000 for the loan deal but the club have valued Brolin at more than pounds 3m if the clubs agree to a permanent transfer.

Leicester City's Neil Lennon has lost an appeal against his sending-off in last week's FA Cup tie with Norwich. Lennon was dismissed with Matt Jackson following an off-the-ball clash in their fourth-round match.

Brighton's proposed groundshare at Gillingham has run into trouble after Gillingham Council wrote to the Football League to oppose the move. However, a successful second round of talks yesterday at the Centre of Dispute Resolution in London between the Brighton chairman, Bill Archer, and Dick Knight, head of the consortium trying to take over the club, have offered hope. A statement issued by the Centre said that the two had "made further progress in working out a framework for a potential restructuring of the club."

Bradford City have signed the striker Edinho from Portugal's Guimaraes for pounds 250,000.