Football: Sharpe shipped back to Bradford

BRADFORD CITY are bringing Lee Sharpe home from the Italian club Sampdoria today in one of the deadline's most intriguing transfers, writes Alan Nixon. The former Manchester United and Leeds winger will join Paul Jewell's club on loan for the rest of the season after a short stint in Serie A.

Sharpe moved to Genoa during David Platt's brief reign, but is not in the club's long-term plans and hopes to resurrect his career at Bradford. Sharpe still has property in Leeds and his signing is ideal for both player and club.

Aston Villa manager John Gregory acted yesterday to try to halt his club's dire run of form by signing Scottish international defender Colin Calderwood from Tottenham Hotspur.

Calderwood, 34, signed in a pounds 225,000 pounds deal that sees Villa take over his contract which runs until the end of next season, the club said. The Scot, normally a centre back, played mostly in Spurs' midfield last season but has played only once since December.

Villa have picked up just one point from their last eight games and are short of cover at the back after learning that Ugo Ehiogu was likely to miss the rest of the season after fracturing his eye socket in January.

Kevin Campbell is signing for Everton from the Turkish club, Trabzonspor. Campbell refused to play again for the club after the president referred to him as a "cannibal". Everton will not have to pay a fee for Campbell, who was on flying home last night after discussions with Everton manager Walter Smith.

Campbell is now in line for a debut against Liverpool and Smith was last night also trying to sign Michael Thomas from Benfica, on loan. Thomas, formerly with Liverpool, is available and Graeme Souness has given him permission to speak to Everton. The Everton manager is making way for more business by loaning the striker Michael Branch to Birmingham City.

Liverpool are signing Erich Meijer, the Dutch striker, on a pre-contract as part of Gerard Houllier's planned revolution. Meijer, 29, has agreed to join the Anfield club in the summer when his current contract expires in Germany where he plays for Bayer Leverkusen.

He is an obvious replacement for unsettled Karlheinz Riedle and is content to sign despite competition for places from Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler.

Meijer was pursued by several English clubs and valued at around pounds 2m earlier in the season. However he waited to exploit the Bosman rule and has got his wish with a move to Liverpool. Riedle is likely to return home after growing disillusioned with his lack of opportunity at Anfield. Despite an impressive record he has only played a handful of games in two seasons.

Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, has valued Terry Cooke, his winger, at pounds 1.5m. Cooke is currently on loan at United's promotion chasing neighbours Manchester City.

Juventus are set to offer more than $20m for Arsenal's French striker, Nicolas Anelka, according to the country's two leading sports newspapers. Corriere dello Sport said Juventus have offered Arsenal 35bn Italian lire (pounds 12.5m) for the 20-year-old, and are now prepared to raise that sum after he scored both goals in France's 2-0 win over England at Wembley last month.

Jim Smith may be set to beat Derby's transfer record with a pounds 3m move for Seth Johnson. Smith has talked to Dario Gradi, the Crewe manager, about the 20-year-old midfielder.

Edinho, the Bradford striker, who spent time on loan at Dunfermline, has returned to Portugal to join Second Division leaders Portomenusu Sporting Clube on a free transfer.

Dennis Wyness, the Aberdeen midfielder, has agreed a two-year deal to stay at Pittodrie.

Dundee's Scotland under-21 winger, Iain Anderson, has joined Chelsea for trials