Bolton in late bid for Bierhoff

Oliver Bierhoff, the German international striker, is in talks with the Premiership newcomers Bolton Wanderers. The Milan veteran, who has been in discussions about a move to Southampton for the past week, is a free agent after a disappointing season at the San Siro.

Bierhoff has also spoken to the Spanish side Real Betis, but sources in Seville say he is more likely to move to England.

The Everton midfielder Alex Nyarko is expected to join Monaco on loan. The 27-year-old Ghana international, who joined the Merseysiders from Lens for £4.5m last summer, is in the principality for a medical.

The Ipswich manager George Burley is in talks with the veteran French goalkeeper Bernard Lama after failing in a £4m bid for Derby's Mart Poom. Lama is a free agent after leaving Rennes.

West Ham are targeting Atletico Madrid's Bosnian international central defender Mirsad Hibic in a £2m deal.

The West Ham manager Glenn Roeder is anxious to strengthen his injury-hit defence, but securing a work permit for Hibic is proving far from easy. The Department of Education and Employment requires a player to have played 75 per cent of his country's internationals in the last two years. However, the ruling does not apply to Bosnia as they are outside the top 70 countries in the world rankings.

The Birmingham City manager Trevor Francis is ready to move for Manchester City's midfielder Kevin Horlock. Francis has watched the Northern Ireland international in action for Kevin Keegan's reserves and is poised to offer around £600,000.

Strasbourg's Habib Beye has turned down the offer to join Middlesbrough after a trial. The 23-year-old defender, who trained with the Teesside club last week, said: "I don't want to bury myself there."

The Charlton striker Matthias Svensson has been ruled out for the first three months of the season with a knee injury.

Blackburn Rovers are ready to make a £3m bid for the Lens left-back Franck Queudrue.