Football: Spurs in the bidding for Boli

Tottenham Hotspur have offered Marseille pounds 2.3m for their French international defender, Basile Boli, sources at the French club said yesterday. Boli, one of a number of players aiming to leave Marseille because of the club's relegation to the French Second Division for match fixing, has also attracted the interest of Paul Gascoigne's Italian club, Lazio, and Arsenal, the sources said. Everton have dropped their appeal against the pounds 125,000 penalty imposed on them for poaching their manager, Mike Walker, from Norwich City. The decision followed informal talks between the FA Premier League's chief executive, Rick Parry, and Dr David Marsh, Everton's chairman. The Merseyside club were fined pounds 75,000 and ordered to pay Norwich pounds 50,000 compensation but they lodged an appeal with the Football Association. Nottingham Forest's interest in Pieter Huistra, Rangers' Dutch international winger, has cooled and he is expected to join Germany's MSV Duisburg for pounds 500,000.