Tue, Jul 08, 2008 page18

• Soccer Shorts

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  ■ENGLAND

  Inter make Lampard bid

  Italian champions Inter made a bid of £6.5 million (US$12.8 million) for Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard, British daily the Sun reported. Lampard, 30, has one year of his current contract left and could buy himself out of the remainder, the newspaper said. Alternatively, he could wait until January and sign a pre-contract agreement with Inter that would allow him to leave on a free transfer at the end of next season, the daily added. Lampard has been pressing for a new contract at Stamford Bridge for months, though Chelsea has continuously refused to complete negotiations on a deal, the Sun said.

  ■SPAIN

  Barca president survives poll

  FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta survived a confidence vote held on Sunday that was brought against him by a supporter who was angered by the Spanish club’s second straight season without any major title, final results show. Less than half of all Barcelona supporters who cast ballots, 37.75 percent, voted to keep the 45-year-old at the helm of the club, while 60.6 percent voted against him staying on, the club said on its Web site. But to be successful, the vote against Laporta needed to have the support of over two-thirds of voters with a minimum turnout of 10 percent of the 118,528 club members entitled to take part. The result means Laporta and his team will be able to continue at the helm of the club until their current term expires on June 30, 2010.

  ■ITALY

  Blues want Kaka: Galliani

  Chelsea made an “astronomical” offer for Brazil playmaker Kaka, a top AC Milan official reportedly said on Sunday. Vice president Adriano Galliani was asked in an interview in La Stampa if it had been difficult to keep Kaka at the Serie A club, which is owned by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. “For Kaka, we got an astronomical offer from Chelsea,” Galliani said. He did not say how much or when the offer was made. Chelsea did not immediately return calls seeking comment. Kaka signed with Milan in 2003, coming from Brazilian team Sao Paulo. He had knee surgery in Brazil in May and recently was quoted as saying he is on track to rejoin Milan to prepare for the upcoming season.

  ■SPAIN

  Atletico sign Assuncao

  Atletico Madrid announced on Sunday the signing of Brazilian midfielder Paulo Assuncao from Portuguese first division side Porto for an undisclosed fee. The 28-year-old joined his new teammates at Atletico yesterday, the Spanish club said in a statement posted on its Web site without specifying the length of his contract. Assuncao joined Porto in 2005 from AEK Athens, but has been eager to leave the Portuguese club after falling out with its management.

  ■ENGLAND

  Crouch in Pompey move

  Portsmouth agreed to pay Liverpool £11 million (US$21.8 million) for Peter Crouch and the England striker will sign a contract midweek, the Independent reported. The English Premier League clubs reached an agreement on Sunday, though Crouch, 27, can’t complete the move because some Liverpool officials do not return to work until this week, the newspaper said. Crouch also attracted similar-sized bids from Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, the Independent said. He opted for Portsmouth so he could link up again with Harry Redknapp, whom he played for more than six years ago during Redknapp’s first spell at Pompey, the paper said.

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