Phillips seals move to Southampton

Southampton have completed the £3.25m signing of the Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips. The Saints' chairman, Rupert Lowe, believes he will make a crucial difference to Gordon Strachan's squad.

Phillips scored only six goals last term as Sunderland dropped out of the Premiership, but Lowe said: "It has taken a lot of careful negotiation but we have stuck to our guns and ended up with a quality player who will make a big difference to us. His arrival will give the fans a lift, Gordon Strachan a lift and the other players a lift."

The Bolton manager, Sam Allardyce, has told Mario Jardel to find a passport - and prepare for a debut against Manchester United tomorrow. Jardel flew back to Lisbon yesterday to pick up his Portuguese passport, having entered the country on a Portuguese ID card.Allardyce also opened talks last night with Sunderland's Brazilian centre-half Emerson Thome about a free transfer move.

Bolton's midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha celebrated his 30th birthday by being named as the new club captain. The Nigerian has announced that he will no longer play friendly games for his country.

Manchester United's Spanish goalkeeper Ricardo is set to go home, a year after his arrival at Old Trafford. The former international is wanted by newly promoted Murcia on loan for a season.