Football: Desailly happy with Chelsea

MARCEL DESAILLY has eased Chelsea's fears by insisting he will be at Stamford Bridge next season. Desailly, a pounds 5m signing from Milan a year ago, had been linked with a move to Marseilles, Real Madrid or a return to Italy with Milan.

"I want to make it very clear that I am happy at Chelsea," the French international centre-back said. "The club are thriving and growing all the time. It was a great disappointment to all of us that we failed to win anything this year, but we will be better next season, I am sure of that."

Martin O'Neill has ended months of speculation by committing himself to be Leicester City's manager until 2002. He had been stalling on a contract offer since last October.

Birmingham City's manager Trevor Francis has also ended speculation over his future by signing a new three-year contract which will tie him to the club until 2002.

The Norwegian international Gunnar Halle has become Bradford City manager Paul Jewell's first signing of the summer in a pounds 200,000 deal from Leeds. The 33-year-old utility player, who has spent the last three seasons at Elland Road, has signed a three-year contract with the newly-promoted Bantams.

Huddersfield Town's manager, Steve Bruce, has signed his second player in a week, the central defender Chris Lucketti from Bury. The pounds 750,000 signing has signed a four-year contract and joins the Greek international winger George Donis, a Bosman-ruling free transfer arrival from AEK Athens last week, at the McAlpine Stadium.

The former Sunderland manager Malcolm Crosby has been confirmed as Derby's first-team coach. Crosby had been assistant manager at West Bromwich and replaces Ray Harford, who left the Rams this week by mutual consent.