Livingstone approves Arsenal stadium

Ken Livingstone, the mayor of London, has given Arsenal's plans for a new £400m stadium his approval. The club's proposals to move to a new home were already cleared by Islington council, but the Mayor held the right to veto. Livingstone gave his backing to the scheme yesterday after the club worked with his planners to improve the initial project.

The new stadium will be located half a mile from Highbury on an industrial estate at Ashburton Grove, and Livingstone said: "I believe that the new package of proposals will give London a world-class stadium."

He added: "I would have refused permission for Arsenal's original proposal. But my planners have worked closely with the club, Islington Council, Transport for London and the London Development Agency." He said they had "turned an unacceptable scheme into a world-class scheme that London can be proud of".

However, the project may still be appealed against, while the Transport Secretary Stephen Byers could still decide to call a public inquiry.

Sam Allardyce is ready to meet Fredi Bobic's £35,000-a-week personal demands to save his club from relegation. If terms can be agreed the German striker will move from Borussia Dortmund on loan until the end of the season .

Allardyce will make a quick signing decision on the Benfica midfielder Sergei Kandaurov this week. The Ukrainian international is available for a fee of around £300,000.

The Newcastle United manager Bobby Robson is trying to sign Dries Boussatta on a free transfer. The Dutch right-winger is a free agent after his deal ran out at AZ Alkmaar.

Blackburn Rovers are ready to let Corrado Grabbi go back to Italy on loan to try to boost his transfer value. The Italian has had a disastrous season since his £6m move from Ternana. Perugia are interested and could do a deal before the Italian transfer window closes.

The Preston North End manager Davie Moyes is trying to sign the Northern Ireland international Damien Johnson from Blackburn.

Wigan Athletic are set to win the race for the Mansfield Town striker Chris Greenacre by offering him a deal worth £300,000 a year. He is also a target for Bradford City, Millwall and Sheffield Wednesday.

Stuart Watkiss has been named manager of Mansfield after Billy Dearden quit the club to take charge at Notts County on Monday.

Watkiss, who was Dearden's deputy, is a former youth-team coach who has moved through the ranks at Field Mill. Mansfield are third in the Third Division and narrowly lost to Leicester in Saturday's FA Cup third round tie, Dearden's final game in charge.

The Millwall manager Mark McGhee has signed a new contract to keep him at The Den until 2004.

Ipswich's Fabian Wilnis has handed in a transfer request. The Dutch defender, who joined from De Graafschap two years ago, has made only 11 first-team appearances this season.

The move to West Ham United of the Sparta Prague defender Vladimir Labant is still not certain, despite reports he is set to sign. The Slovakian international had been expected to undergo a medical yesterday and then sign a two-and-a-half-year contract.

Watford have signed the Australian international Paul Okon for the remainder of the season. The midfielder has spent 19 months with Middlesbrough, where he made 30 appearances.