Birmingham agree terms with Cisse

Birmingham City yesterday agreed personal terms with the Senegal World Cup captain, Aliou Cissé. The Birmingham manager, Steve Bruce, said that a fee had also been agreed with Cissé's club, Paris St-Germain.

The midfielder excelled at the World Cup as Senegal beat the defending champions, France, in the opening game and reached the quarter-finals. Bruce expects Cissé to become a Birmingham player by the end of the week.

Ipswich Town are expecting Titus Bramble's proposed move to Newcastle to be completed today. The 20-year-old England Under-21 defender was back on Tyneside yesterday morning after holding initial talks last week following agreement between the two clubs on an undisclosed fee, which it is thought could eventually amount to almost £6m.

The Bolton manager, Sam Allardyce, has signed Akin Bulent from the Turkish side Galatasaray even though the 23-year-old midfielder is recovering from a knee operation. Akin had surgery in February and is expected to miss the start of the season.

"He is one month to six weeks away because of his injury," said Allardyce. "If he is ready for the start of the season that would be a bonus.

Akin signed a three-year contract after arriving at Bolton on a free transfer. He is the club's third pre-season buy following Jay-Jay Okocha and Delroy Facey.

Allardyce is still hoping to persuade Youri Djorkaeff to stay at Bolton following his successful loan spell at the end of last season. But the United Arab Emirates champions, Al-Ain, have emerged as candidates for the French midfielder's signature.