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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport

Chelsea have Rui Costa in their sights

Chelsea are keen to sign the Portuguese playmaker Manuel Rui Costa as they attempt to rebuild their squad after the arrival of Claudio Ranieri.

Rui Costa played for Ranieri when the Italian was in charge at Fiorentina, and despite recently signing a new contract the 28-year-old, who would cost about £10m, is believed to be interested in a move away from Florence.

The name of Lothar Matthäus has been added to the list of candidates for the job of coach at Internazionale. According to the German newspaper Bild-Zeitung, the former Germany and Inter captain has been offered the job, but other reports suggest he has merely applied for it.

Meanwhile, Giacinto Facchetti has apparently gone to Argentina on Inter's behalf to interview the former Argentina coach Daniel Passarella for the job, and Marco Tardelli, who coached the Italian Under-21s to European success in the summer, has also been linked with the post.

The Swedish national team doctor has criticised Arsenal for giving Fredrik Ljungberg a tetanus jab after the 1-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday; it made his arm swell and gave him a temperature. Ljungberg had a temperature of 39.5C (103F) and missed the first two days of training before the World Cup qualifier against Turkey in Gothenburg tomorrow.

"It was completely unnecessary," Magnus Forssblad said. "Fredrik has suffered a reaction because he was already protected against tetanus."

Ipswich Town have pulled out of a proposed move for the Belgian international Gert Verheyen. The 30-year-old Bruges midfielder had been expected to sign for £1.7m but the deal fell through when Bruges increased their valuation.

Lincoln's player-manager Phil Stant and his striker Dave Cameron have been banned for three games after a brawl in a friendly against a local non-league side. Cameron was sent off for aiming a kick at Lincoln Moorland's Jamie Sayce and Stant was sent off after a touchline bust-up.

• Catalin Haldan, the Dinamo Bucharest and Romania midfielder, was reported to be clinically dead after collapsing on the field during a friendly yesterday against a second division team from Oltenita.

"Haldan is in the Oltenita stadium in a critical situation," the Dinamo president Marcel Popescu said."It seems he suffered a cerebral attack and according to the team's doctor he is now clinically dead."

• You've read the piece, now have your say. Send your comments, as sharp or as stupid as you like, to editor@footballunlimited.co.uk

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