Liverpool ready to move for Kinkladze

Liverpool are preparing to offer Manchester City pounds 5m for their Georgian midfielder, Georgi Kinkladze.

Roy Evans, the Liverpool manager, can expect competition for the unsettled international from Celtic, but the player apparently would prefer to stay in England.

City's search for a new manager has run into another roadblock. An attempt to lure Howard Kendall back to Maine Road has been rebuffed by the Shfefield United chairman, Mike McDonald. Kendall accepted that decision, saying: "I am aware of what my chairman has said and done. It is flattering to be linked with Manchester City, but I must stress that I am happy with Sheffield United."

In Scotland, Tommy McLean, who vacated the manager's job at Raith Rovers yesterday - a week after taking it on - has replaced the sacked Billy Kirkwood at Dundee United, where his brother Jim is chairman.

St Mirren have appointed Iain Munro as their manager. Munro, who has left Hamilton to take up the post, replaces Jimmy Bone, who resigned two weeks ago after the First Division club's directors sacked his assistant, Kenny McDowall, in a cost-cutting move.

Hamilton have appointed Sandy Clark as their new manager after the departure of Munro. Clark, a former manager of Hearts, had been assistant to Munro.

Joe Parkinson has signed a lucrative new five-year contract with Everton. The midfielder had been watched by Celtic, but the Goodison Park club moved swiftly to deter him from leaving. Joe Royle, the Everton manager, has tipped Parkinson for future international honours.

Ray Harford, the Blackburn Rovers manager, admitted after the 2-1 defeat by Derby on Monday night that the timing of Alan Shearer's transfer could not have been worse, coming only 19 days before the start of the Premiership campaign.

"You have got to have a game plan as you prepare for the new season. Our game plan was jeopardised by Alan Shearer going when he did," Harford said. "Nothing was sorted out until after he came back from holiday following the European championships. Then we had injuries to people who can play up front like Chris Sutton, Paul Warhurst and Kevin Gallacher.

"Sometimes you have to take punches in this game and that is what I have learned to do."