Barmby delighted to rejoin mentor Venables

Nick Barmby said that he was thrilled to be working again with Terry Venables after completing his £2.75m move from Liverpool to Leeds United yesterday.

The former England midfielder made his international debut under Venables in 1995 and also worked with him at Tottenham Hotspur, where the player began his career.

"It had to be something special for me to leave Liverpool but, when I heard Leeds were interested, which meant working with Terry again, that was the only move for me," Barmby said. "He is the biggest influence on my career, at Spurs and England. You learn a hell of a lot from Terry. To come here to Leeds – I'm a Yorkshire lad – it's a thrill and I'm really looking forward to it."

The Bolton striker Michael Ricketts flew to Belgium last night amid fears that he will miss the first month of the season with a knee injury.

Ricketts has been troubled by the problem in pre-season and had to see a specialist. He could need surgery and is likely to be out for three or four weeks. The Wanderers' manager Sam Allardyce is stunned by the news and will step up his efforts to bring in a new striker, with the German Fredi Bobic and Chris Armstrong, a free agent available from Tottenham, both possibilities.

Carlisle United, who are under the new ownership of the Irishman John Courtenay, have been ordered to pay an outstanding £40,000 debt to their players today or face being unable to start the season.

They have been ordered to settle their football liabilities before a transfer embargo is lifted. Their manager, Roddy Collins, has lined up around six new players, including Kevin Ball, released by Burnley, and two recruits from his native Republic of Ireland. He has just 12 players, some of whom are not fit, and the club would struggle to put out a team.

The Football League may also not allow them to start unless those already under contract are paid. Efforts were being made last night to rectify the problem with the assistance of the Professional Footballers' Association.

Cheques worth about £40,000 must be handed over today to avoid embarrassment at the start of the new post-Michael Knighton era at Carlisle. Gate receipts from an expected crowd of 10,000 for the opening fixture against Hartlepool will help pay the players' wages, but the other cheques must be handed over first.

Leicester City have confirmed the signings of the former Blackburn Rovers midfielder Billy McKinlay from Clydebank and the winger Nicky Summerbee, who was with Nottingham Forest last term, on a non-contract basis. It is McKinlay's second spell with the Foxes.

Chelsea have agreed to terminate the contract of the Georgian international forward Rati Aleksidze. Crystal Palace have signed the Brentford centre-back Darren Powell for £400,000. Gillingham have signed the French striker Mamady Sidibé, who was with Swansea City last season, on a three-year contract.

The French club Troyes have been removed from the Intertoto Cup for fielding an ineligible player against the Spanish side Villarreal in their semi-final round second leg on Wednesday. Troyes won 2-1 on the night and on aggregate, but in the 83rd minute they brought on a substitute David Vairelles, who was not registered with Uefa, European football's ruling body.