Football: Kharine moves to Celtic

DIMITRI KHARINE completed his move from Chelsea to Celtic on a "Bosman" free transfer yesterday, and will compete to be the first-choice goalkeeper at Parkhead next season.

The 30-year-old Russian international, who was out of contract at Stamford Bridge, will join the Scotland international Jonathan Gould and the former Scotland Under-21 goalkeeper Stewart Kerr in trying to win favour with Celtic's new head coach, John Barnes.

The Professional Footballers' Association has urged European clubs to present a "united front" against the influx of foreign players, following Chelsea's signing of Didier Deschamps on Monday. The PFA's deputy chief executive, Brendon Batson, believes that European clubs must force a limit on the number of overseas players to protect young domestic talent and safeguard the future of the England team.

"In Italy and Spain, there are concerns that domestic talent is not being given a fair opportunity," Batson said. "Historically, you look at clubs like Liverpool through the 1970s and 80s and they looked for little diamonds like Kevin Keegan and Ian Rush in the lower divisions. And they became world stars. That is happening less and less. In actual fact, it is non- existent."

The Premier League has hit back at suggestions that a new windfall tax should be imposed on England's leading clubs. The Institute for Public Policy Research suggested that a larger levy, of around 10 per cent, could be set against the most profitable Premiership clubs to reinvest in other areas of the game - if future television deals continue to escalate.

However, a Premier League spokesman, Mike Lee, said the IPPR had not considered how much generated money had already been reinvested. "This windfall tax proposal seems to have been rather plucked out of the air without any real regard for the way in which money is already reinvested in the game and paid to the Exchequer," Lee said. "Premier League clubs, who face enormous and growing cost pressures, already make a significant contribution to the game and to their local communities."

Coventry City have completed the signing of the Internazionale pair Raffaele Nuzzo and Antonio Caruso - and are considering a move for another Inter player, the defender Mauro Milanese. Nuzzo, a 26-year-old goalkeeper, and the 18-year-old midfielder Caruso have moved to Highfield Road on 12-month loan deals.

Everton's unsettled striker Ibrahima Bakayoko has been given permission to hold talks with the French side, Marseilles. The clubs are close to agreement on a pounds 3m fee for the Ivory Coast international.

The Bolton Wanderers midfielder Scott Sellars has agreed terms with Huddersfield Town, who have appointed John Deehan as the assistant to their manager, Steve Bruce.

The Real Mallorca striker Dani Garcia, a target for several English clubs, has joined the Spanish champions Barcelona on a six-year contract.