Everton to move for Bellamy if Forssell deal fails

Everton's attempt to lure Chelsea's striker Mikael Forssell is on the point of collapse and that could persuade the manager David Moyes to move for Craig Bellamy instead.

The Merseysiders now appear unwilling to match Chelsea's £6m asking price for the Finland international, for whom last season was wrecked by a serious knee injury.

Forssell's loan spell at Birmingham was curtailed, and Everton are not prepared to meet Chelsea's fee demands given their concern over the 24-year-old's fitness. Chelsea are believed to have rejected attempts to sign him on a season-long loan or on a pay-as-you-play deal.

Moyes, who considered moving for Bellamy during the January transfer window, could now reignite his interest in the Newcastle striker who has spent the last four months on loan at Celtic.

Celtic want to keep the Welshman, but his £45,000-a-week wages may prove a problem. Everton were prepared to go to £40,000-a-week-plus for Scott Parker, with negotiations still ongoing for the Chelsea midfielder.

They could also come up with a similar deal to interest the Cardiff-born Bellamy, 26 later this month, as well as the £6m fee Newcastle want.

Moves are also under way to complete the deal to bring Mikel Arteta to Goodison Park on a full-time basis after his loan spell from Real Sociedad. Everton have already taken up the option of a £2.8m move, having already paid £1m for his services on loan.

The problem is Arteta's wage demands, complicated by the favourable tax structure in the Basque country. Sociedad's president Jose Luis Astiazaran has taken control of negotiations over the 23-year-old's move, with the financially-stretched San Sebastian club keen for the deal to go through.

Moyes has received verbal agreement that Duncan Ferguson, Leon Osman, Gary Naysmith and David Weir will sign new deals and that Kevin Kilbane - with one season on his current contract to run - will also sign a new deal with the club.

However, he is now expecting Alan Stubbs, Steve Watson and Alessandro Pistone to move on and wants to sign a new centre-back, although Everton have denied claims from Wales that they are interested in Cardiff's Welsh international Danny Gabbidon.

Tottenham yesterday confirmed they have turned down a £4.5m offer from West Bromwich Albion for the Mali striker Fréderic Kanouté. The Baggies manager Bryan Robson originally wanted the Spurs forward on a season-long loan but when that was rejected he returned with a firm bid which the Londoners have now dismissed.

It is now unclear whether Albion will consider increasing their offer for the 27-year-old forward but Robson has indicated that a target man is one of the areas in which he wishes to strengthen the squad at The Hawthorns.

Kanouté's Spurs career has been less than exceptional but the coach Martin Jol sees the player as an integral part of his plans for next season.

Jol preferred to play Kanouté alongside either Robbie Keane or Jermain Defoe last season and Spurs are determined to hang on to the former West Ham striker.

l George Burley emerged yesterday as a front-runner to take over as manager of Millwall following his recent resignation from Derby. The Scot quit Pride Park yesterday and is in line to make an immediate return to football with the south London club, and talks with Millwall chairman Jeff Burnige are imminent. Burnige said: "I came close to making an appointment, but now a new candidate - George Burley - has emerged."