The new broom sweeping through Chelsea should finally see Frank Leboeuf move to Monaco this week in a deal worth around £3m. He has played 197 games for Chelsea since arriving from Strasbourg for £2.5m in 1996, but has fallen victim to the coach Claudio Ranieri's drive to lower the average age of his squad.
It is understood Monaco have yet to increase their £2m offer for the 33-year-old France defender to meet Chelsea's £3m valuation. Leboeuf argues that because he has not asked for a transfer he is owed £1m for the remainder of his contract.
However a deal is almost certain to go through this week, and the Marseille-born defender was in France on Sunday tying up loose ends. "I have had some great times with Chelsea, but I feel a need to go back to France and rediscover my home region," he said.
"It is now time for me to move on and win trophies with Monaco. They share my ideas, and they deserve better than to be where they are at the moment - 14th in the table."
IFK Gothenburg are interested in taking Manchester United's Jesper Blomqvist back to Sweden. The 26-year-old, whose deal expires in the summer, joined United from Parma for £4.4m in 1998 but last played in the 1999 European Cup final, when he was substituted. An ankle then a knee injury have sidelined him since.
"If he can't play before his contract expires then United will probably not extend it, and he knows that we want him to join us," said Gothenburg's coach Roger Gustafsson.
Blackburn's Jeff Kenna, 30, has asked for a move after becoming disillusioned at his lack of opportunities. Bolton's goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen will miss the rest of the season with cruciate-ligament damage.
Brentford fans will today step up their campaign to buy the club from the chairman Ron Noades. A delegation will meet the government-sponsored organisation Supporters Direct to enlist its help in setting up a trust similar to the one which has taken over Lincoln. Noades has refused fans the first option on buying the club, saying he has other purchasers lined up.
Brentford sustained reported losses of £1m last year and Noades is looking to sell Griffin Park at the end of the season to raise about £6m towards the cost of a stadium in Feltham, near Heathrow airport.
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