Sport in Short: Football

GUY WHITTINGHAM, English football's top scorer with 29 goals this season, has been offered a new long-term contract by Portsmouth. The 28-year-old ex- soldier, whose present deal expires during the summer, plans to keep his options open until the end of the season.

TRANMERE ROVERS have agreed an pounds 80,000 deal with Granada for live coverage of three matches. The first will be the visit of the leaders, Newcastle, on Sunday 28 February, followed by the match against Leicester a fortnight later and another, unspecified fixture.

MIKE JEFFREY, the Doncaster Rovers striker, is set to move to Sheffield Wednesday. The 21-year-old is in the middle of trials at Hillsborough and Rovers will be looking for in excess of pounds 250,000 for the player.

HEREFORD have signed Leroy May, a striker who was released by Walsall last season, for a four-figure fee from Tividale of the Boddington's League.

LIBERIA have withdrawn from the World Cup qualifying competition because of financial hardship caused by the civil war in the west African country. They had played one match in African Group B, losing 4-2 to Zaire.