Latest Transfer Update at 09-08-11

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McCoist: On the hunt for new players
RANGERS CONTINUE SIGNINGS HUNT

Rangers manager Ally McCoist will have to readjust his transfer priorities again as attempts to sign Dutch winger Wesley Verhoek and Roland Juhasz look doomed to fail.
Nottingham Forest announced they had agreed a fee with ADO Den Haag for 24-year-old Verhoek, who Rangers have previously bid for.
And another offer for Anderlecht defender Juhasz has been rejected by the Belgian club.
The Hungarian defender's agent, Filipovics Vlada, told media in his home country that a fourth Rangers bid had failed despite the player having an agreement with his club that they would sell him if an appropriate offer came in.
Rangers are looking to sign Australia midfielder Matt McKay before the Europa League signing deadline on Thursday having held talks over a move for the 28-year-old Brisbane Roar captain.
Meanwhile, Croatia striker Nikica Jelavic and USA midfielder Maurice Edu followed Scotland full-back Steven Whittaker in pulling out of international duty this week.
Jelavic is carrying a slight knee knock and will miss a friendly against the Republic of Ireland while Edu did not travel home to face Mexico because of a minor calf strain.
Both should make Saturday's Clydesdale Bank Premier League trip to Inverness but Whittaker is a doubt after breaking a toe before being sent off in the Champions League exit in Malmo last week.

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Benjani: Has been offered a deal
KEAN WANTS BENJANI DECISION

Steve Kean believes it is time for experienced striker Benjani to make a decision on Blackburn Rovers' offer of a new contract.
Benjani scored three goals in 21 appearances for Rovers last season and has been offered a deal to stay at Ewood Park this term.
The 32-year-old suggested earlier in the summer that he is keen to stay at Blackburn and was waiting to agree a new contract.
However, the two parties have yet to reach a deal and Rovers boss Kean is now anxious for the matter to be resolved one way or another.
"We have offered Benjani improved terms but I don't know if that will be enough," said Kean.
"I will have another conversation with him because we are getting to the time for a decision, for him and us.
"Hopefully he can agree but we totally respect it if someone else is offering him better terms and we would wish him all the best. Hopefully that isn't the case though."

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Osbourne: Set to sign for Hibs
HIBS TO LAND OSBOURNE

Hibernian are reportedly close to sealing the signing of midfielder Isaiah Osbourne.
The 23-year-old is a free agent after leaving Aston Villa in the summer and he has been attracting interest from a number of clubs.
He trained with Leeds United earlier in the summer, but after talks with Hibs he looks set to sign for the Edinburgh outfit.
Osbourne has been in Scotland over the past few days and is ready to sign a two-year deal with Colin Calderwood's side.
Osbourne played 19 games for Villa before leaving, whilst he also spent time on loan at Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest.

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Sneijder: Keen on a move to Man United.
SNEIJDER REVEALS UNITED CONTACT

Wesley Sneijder has confirmed he would like to join Manchester United and suggested "unofficial talks" have taken place with the Barclays Premier League champions.
Inter Milan star Sneijder has been linked with a move to Old Trafford all summer and revealed at the weekend he could be sold for the right price.
The 27-year-old is also reportedly on the radar of Manchester City but he appears to be more interested in their arch-rivals.
Asked if he was keen on a move to Manchester United, Sneijder said in a video interview with www.nos.nl, translated by ESPN soccernet: "Yes, but Manchester United haven't made an official approach yet.
"There have been unofficial talks, there have been contacts, but then there are always contacts.
"I have contacts with everybody."
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has denied making a contract offer to Sneijder, who insisted it was more likely he would stay with Inter than leave before the transfer window closes.
He said: "The situation is that I am now an Inter player, and chances are that I will still be that come August 31. There is also a chance I could leave.
"That isn't really down to me but the club. I think Inter have been very clear: if a good offer comes in, they have to let me go.
"They don't want to lose me but there is a chance they will let me go.
"If something crosses my path, I have enough time to make my decision."
Sneijder was speaking before Holland's friendly against England on Wednesday was cancelled.
Asked whether he was planning to stay behind in the UK for talks, he said: "I don't know."
International team-mate Rafael van der Vaart believes close friend Sneijder would be a good fit for United.
Tottenham talisman Van der Vaart, who played with Sneijder at both Ajax and Real Madrid, told Sky Sports News: "Of course he would like to play in England, it's the biggest league in the world.
"He is a good friend of mine and we have contact almost every day. He knows what to expect in the Premier League."
When asked if he would be playing against Sneijder this season, he replied: "I hope not because Man U are going to be stronger.
"But he's a great player and he would fit in well at Man U."

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Fabregas & Nasri: Included in squad.
FABREGAS AND NASRI IN ARSENAL SQUAD

Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri have been included in Arsenal's Champions League squad for their play-off round tie with Udinese.
Press Association Sport understands the Gunners have named both midfielders in their 25-man A-list for this month's two-legged clash, despite intense speculation both are set to leave the Emirates Stadium.
Were captain Fabregas or contract rebel Nasri to feature in the contest, they would be cup-tied if they were then to complete respective moves to Barcelona and Manchester City.
That would seriously reduce their value to their potential new employers, who would be reluctant to pay huge fees for the players.
Nasri is suspended for the first leg against Udinese, which takes place a week on Tuesday, but will be available for the second leg eight days later.
Fabregas can play next Tuesday and his inclusion in the squad may force Barca to speed up their efforts to bring him back to the Nou Camp.
City could elect to bide their time with Nasri, although reports suggest they are close to breaking Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's resistance to selling the France star, whose contract expires next summer.

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Petrovic: New Rovers signing.
ROVERS SEAL PETROVIC MOVE

Blackburn have completed the signing of Partizan Belgrade midfielder Radosav Petrovic, for an undisclosed fee.
The 22-year-old has signed a four-year contract with the Barclays Premier League club, having received a work permit.
The 6ft 4in defensive midfielder has made 19 appearances for Serbia, having made his debut for the country in August 2009.
Petrovic started his career at hometown club FK Jedinstvo Ub. A move to Radnicki Obrenovac followed, before he moved to Partizan in the summer of 2008.
He was named in the Serbian league team of the year for the last two seasons and is currently with his international colleagues ahead of Serbia's international match against Russia in Moscow tomorrow.
Blackburn face a race against time to make sure Petrovic is eligible for Saturday's Premier League opener against Wolves at home.
He is the club's second signing this summer, following Dundee United striker David Goodwillie to Ewood Park.

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Robbie Keane: Expects a move
ROBBIE KEANE EXPECTS SPURS EXIT

Republic of Ireland captain Robbie Keane has made it clear he expects to leave Tottenham before the close of the transfer window - but is giving little away about his potential destination.
Keane has been linked with various clubs over the summer, yet remains a Spurs player with just four days left before the start of the new Barclays Premier League season.
Speaking at a press conference to preview Ireland's friendly against Croatia, the striker admitted any deal to secure his departure from White Hart Lane is unlikely to be completed before the weekend.
But, while refusing to be drawn on specific details, the 31-year-old insists a move is still on the cards.
"It's probably likely that I will be going but I can't really answer where to at the moment," Keane said.
"There's obviously a lot of speculation but there's still a couple of weeks to go and we'll see what happens.
"I haven't turned down anything. I think there's a few people talking to the clubs but that's all I can really say at the moment.
"I'm sure in the next couple of weeks it will be sorted out. It's very unlikely anything will happen before the weekend."
Asked if his preference was to stay in London, Keane said: "No, I'll move.
"I don't know why this story keeps coming out that I want to stay in London. I've never said that. I'm quite happy to go anywhere.
"For me, it's just about playing regular football and if that's outside London I'm not too bothered."
Keane was on loan at West Ham for the second half of last season as the team were relegated to the Championship, and when questioned today about which division he might end up in, he did indicate that he was looking to stay in the top flight.
He said: "Of course clubs have to agree a fee but, not being disrespectful at all to the Championship, if I got an option to play in the Premier League, I'm obviously going to take that.
"But there's been no talk of any Championship team."
Keane, who will lead his country out against the Croatians at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow night, has fallen out of favour at Tottenham but is still showing his potency for Ireland.
In his last outing for the Republic in June, he scored both goals in a 2-0 Euro 2012 qualifying victory over Macedonia to take his total to 51 goals in 108 international appearances.
Giovanni Trapattoni's side face potentially crucial qualifying games against Slovakia and Russia at the start of September. And, although the uncertainty over Keane's club future looks set to drag on for a while yet, there appears little danger of it knocking his confidence ahead of next month's double-header.
Laughing, he said: "I've had this for nearly the last 12 years - speculation every summer. It doesn't bother me.
"I'm quite confident in my own ability. I'm not big-headed - I'm just confident that if I get a chance I'll score a goal, and I've been like that since I was a kid.
"You have to keep yourself mentally strong and I think as a person, I am mentally strong - that's maybe why I get through."
Shane Long, whose move from Reading to West Brom was confirmed this evening, will line up alongside Keane in attack for Ireland.
Fellow frontman Kevin Doyle became the latest of a string of players to withdraw from the squad due to injury.
Team: Shay Given; Stephen Kelly, Richard Dunne, Sean St Ledger, Stephen Ward; Damien Duff, Glenn Whelan, Darron Gibson, Stephen Hunt; Shane Long, Robbie Keane.