Football Dispatch

Summer Football
13 July 2007
Fausto Martin de Sanctis,a Brazilian judge, has issued a warrent for the arrest of Iranian businessman Kia Joorabchian. A former, prospective-buyer of West Ham, Joorabchian has been charged with "money-laundering and being part of a criminal gang." His company, Media Sports Investments (MSI) invests heavily in Brazilian club Corinthians and was behind the transfers of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano to Upton Park last summer. Corinthians, meanwhile, has had its assets frozen while investigators pour through the club's transactions. Joorabchian has denied any part in the alleged illegalities. Instead, the 36-year-old has laid the blame at the feet of club officials at Corinthians.

As it happens, the newest Tevez saga looks on the verge of coming to a close. The 23-year-old Argentina hit-man will fly to Manchester, Tuesday, for a medical examination at Old Trafford. If all goes well, the former West Ham striker will be unveiled as a United player as early as Wednesday morning. Sir Alex Ferguson has been admittedly cautious throughout the extent of the transaction. The United manager has gone out of his way to ensure that the deal is completed with all necessary transparency in an effort to avoid the "bad taste" which continues to linger from the player's controversial arrival at Upton Park.

Sheffield United had their hopes for reinstatement to the Premier League dealt a fatal blow, yesterday. Their appeal of the Premier League's decision not to deduct points from West Ham's season tally was tossed out of the High Court. Chairman Kevin McCabe, however, tried to spin the defeat in an optimistic light. The brass at Bramall Lane will continue to exhaust all available legal channels before times runs out. United are scheduled to begin the 2007-2008 campaign in the League Championship on 11 August at home to Colchester.

The Premier League will experiment with goal-line technology this season and may legislate its use by 2009. The Hawk-Eye product is similar in nature to that used at the tennis championship at Wimbledon. Reading's football accademy will make use of the Hawk-Eye this term and, if all goes well, may advise the Premier League to fast-track its schedule to next season.

Freddy Adu and his representatives will meet with officials from Celtic, next week, in Denver. The 18-year-old Real Salt Lake forward and American U-20 skipper is keen to make a move to Europe as soon as possible; and Hoops boss Gordan Strachan is open to meeting the highly-touted Adu face-to-face. Celtic are in the United States for a match with a squad of MLS All-stars. Adu trained briefly with Manchester United, last winter -- although he failed to impress Sir Alex Ferguson. Still, the Ghanaian-born attacking-midfielder has been one of the stand-out performers at the ongoing Under-20 World Cup in Canada.