Bolton set to accept Tottenham's offer of £3.5m for Ricketts

Glenn Hoddle, Tottenham Hotspur's manager, made a new £3.5m move for Bolton Wanderers' unsettled striker Michael Ricketts last night.

Spurs stepped in again for Ricketts at the last minute after hearing that Middlesbrough had also made a late inquiry for the once-capped England international. After months of edging up their offers, Tottenham have suggested £3m down, with a further £500,000 on appearances. That is likely to be accepted today.

Bolton's chairman, Phil Gartside, who is on business in Australia, is likely to approve the price. His club have gradually reduced their valuation to £5m, but this "final" offer may be regarded as good enough.

Hoddle has lost Les Ferdinand and Sergei Rebrov from his squad and faces the possible exit of Teddy Sheringham, so Ricketts, who has had a feud for the past year with Bolton's manager, Sam Allardyce, is an ideal addition to his squad.

Bolton earlier secured the Valencia striker Salva Ballesta on loan for the rest of the season and he could be joined today by the French striker Pierre-Yves Andre, from Nantes. Bolton spoke to Andre last night and will offer him the chance to move on loan, with Nantes paying some of his salary. Because of a knee ligament injury to the versatile veteran Mike Whitlow, Allardyce is also trying to sign the Lyon centre-half Florent Laville for the rest of the season.

The Sunderland manager, Howard Wilkinson, is in talks with Paris St-Germain about signing the Moroccan centre-half Talal El Karkourion loan for the rest of the season.

Blackburn have completed the signing of the Slovakian defender Vratislav Gresko from Parma on loan until the end of the season. Rovers' Graeme Souness has become the latest Premiership manager to block a player going with England to the World Under-20 Championship. Souness has told the Under-20 coach, Les Reed, that he will not allow James McEveley to join his squad next month. The Liverpool-born defender has decided to commit to England despite an approach from Scotland, but he will have to wait for his international debut.

Europe's leading clubs have dealt a blow to the controversial Club World Championship by outlining their opposition to the tournament yesterday. A statement released by the 102 clubs in the European Club Forum after a meeting in Nyon, Switzerland, made clear they will resist plans to stage the tournament in 2005.

Dundee United have parted company with their manager, Paul Hegarty, after just 14 games. Hegarty succeeded the sacked Alex Smith in November, stepping up from the coaching staff to take the job until the end of the season. United are bottom of the Scottish Premier League. The Falkirk manager, Ian McCall, has resigned to take over from Hegarty.

Celtic will be without Johan Mjallby for the next month after the Sweden captain tore a thigh muscle during Wednesday's Premier League win over Dundee United.

St Mirren have signed the Partick Thistle striker Scott McLean on an 18-month deal.