Celtic's pounds 3m Milan buy

Celtic, determined to end the dominance of their arch-rivals Rangers, have signed the Milan winger Paulo Di Canio in a deal worth more than pounds 3m.

The 27-year-old flew to Scotland yesterday and signed a four-year contract with the Parkhead club. Di Canio will formally become a Celtic player when he is registered with the Scottish Football Association this weekend. Di Canio follows the Portuguese striker Jorge Cadete and the former Bolton defender Alan Stubbs as the third big signing to join Celtic in the last two months.

Richard Thompson, the former Queen's Park Rangers chairman, is set to take over at Leeds United. It is understood he has agreed to buy a majority 66 per cent shareholding with the recently retired chairman, Leslie Silver, and the acting chairman, Bill Fotherby, giving him two months to finance the deal.

That should give Thompson time to sell off his pounds 10m interest in Rangers, with the Chris Wright, of Chrysalis, leading a list of possible buyers. Thompson's hopes of acquiring the Yorkshire club could be halted by the vice-chairman, Peter Gillman, who owns a 32 per cent stake in the club.

Barry Fry has been confirmed as the new owner of Peterborough United and has committed himself to reviving the fortunes of the Second Division club.

Derby County, the Premiership newcomers, are set to add the Danish international right-back Jacob Laursen to their growing foreign legion. The Rams, who yesterday completed the pounds 950,000 signing of the Croatian midfielder, Aljosa Asanovic, from Hadjuk Split, have agreed a fee of pounds 500,000 with Silkeborg for the versatile 24-year-old.

Leicester City, also promoted to Premiership after winning the play-off against Crystal Palace, have begun a clear-out, with their manager Martin O'Neill giving Mark Blake, Phil Gee and Paul Bedder free transfers while Jamie Lawrence has been transfer-listed.

Ray Clemence, who took Barnet close to the Third Division play-offs in his first full season as manager, has agreed new terms with the club.