Gerrard is charged over tackle on Naysmith

Alan Nixon
Wednesday 08 January 2003 01:00 GMT
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Steven Gerrard has been charged with violent conduct by the Football Association after his two-footed tackle during last month's Merseyside derby.

The Liverpool midfielder faces a three-match ban if he is found guilty following his lunge on Everton's Gary Naysmith in the closing stages of the game at Anfield on 22 December. The England international apologised for the tackle immediately after the game and insisted that he had attempted to pull out of making any contact with Naysmith.

The Basle midfielder, Hakan Yakin, claims Liverpool are interested in signing him. Celtic have already expressed an interest in the 25-year-old who helped eliminate them from the Champions' League in August. However, Yakin said: "I will not be leaving Basle this winter, but I will make a decision on my future before our next Champions' League match against Deportivo La Coruña on 19 February. I have heard about the interest from Celtic and at the moment everything is interesting for me. Why not Celtic? But there are other offers, including interest from Liverpool, and I will make a final decision at the beginning of February."

Across the city, the Everton owner, Bill Kenwright, has called a summit meeting with Wayne Rooney's advisers as the Goodison club try to tie up a record contract with their young striker.

Kenwright is alarmed that the 17-year-old's new deal has yet to be agreed. Rooney is still only on a "scholar's" contract and Everton are vulnerable to some of the game's bigger clubs trying to sign him and leave them with a small fee, decided by tribunal.

Both Everton and the player's new agent, Paul Stretford, admitted that a long-term arrangement was yet to be settled on three months after the striker turned professional. Everton's offer is thought to be substantial and many insiders think they have gone far enough, but the questions of Rooney's wages at the end of a five or six-year deal, the image rights and the agent's fee are not agreed.

Stretford admitted the contract currently on offer "does have some difficulties" which need to be ironed out, but he added: "I am not aware of any major stumbling blocks."

Ian Ross, Everton's head of corporate affairs and public relations, said yesterday: "Talks between the club and Wayne Rooney's advisors have been ongoing for a number of weeks now and are continuing. Indeed, it is likely that we will again be sitting down with Wayne's ProActive management team later this week."

The Everton manager, David Moyes, is looking at the Monaco right-back, Franck Jurietti, as a cut-price transfer signing. The experienced defender has arrived at Goodison and will stay for a week in an attempt to seal a loan move.

The United States striker, Brian McBride, has completed his loan move to Everton after receiving his work permit. The 30-year-old Colombus Crew striker, a key member of the United States team which reached the World Cup quarter-finals last year, has signed a three-month deal with the club.

The Egypt defender, Ibrahim Said, could make his debut for Everton on Sunday in the Premiership against Tottenham Hotspur after the club confirmed he had been granted a work permit. Said, who is being drafted in on loan from Al Ahly until the end of the season, is expected to arrive in the city today.

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