WENGER: WE WON'T BE ROBBED BY BAGGIO
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has had the final say in the on-running saga of Roberto Baggio's ‘is he or isn't he?' transfer situation. By saying, No, he certainly isn't!
The double-winning Gunners were rumoured to be involved in a head-to-head battle with Inter Milan for the Bologna striker, but Wenger has absolutely no interest in taking him to Highbury, especially for the reputed £6m wage deal over three years.
I just want to say to our fans that that kind of information is wrong. The numbers are crazy for me and we are not interested in him at all. We can't come out every day and say that is not true. We try to be discreet and do our work behind-the-scenes, but we have to accept it (the speculation) because everybody is being linked with Arsenal, Wenger said on Arsenal's ClubCall line.
He added: We will try to get good players, not necessarily famous ones, but very good players who can integrate into our wage structure.
Presumably they'll be not very famous, but very good, French ones!

ROBBO'S FOX HUNT
Middlesbrough boss Bryan Robson is set to cause a storm by launching his very own Fox hunt. But this time it won't be the country set who will be up in arms, but the Cockney set.
That's because the big spender's newest target is Tottenham winger Ruel Fox and Robson is prepared to spend £2m to land the man he sees as the ideal replacement for Craig Hignett, who left the Riverside Stadium for Aberdeen last week.
Robson has already made moves to take Gary Pallister back from Manchester United and now wants Fox as the latest piece in his rebuilding jigsaw as he plots for this season's Premiership campaign.
Fox, now 30, is perfectly happy at White Hart Lane and impressed manager Christian Gross with a storming end to the season, but he has just one year left on his contract and, as yet, there have been no fresh talks.
They are planned for after the World Cup but Robson could better any pay deal the White Hart Lane club could come up with and Fox might see this as a last chance for one more big day.
He's no stranger to the north-east having spent 18 months at Newcastle before his move south to Spurs, but he refused to be drawn on his future . He said: I believe Spurs will be a very strong side this season. I will go away on holiday and then settle my future when I return.

MARCEL'S AGE CONCERN
Marcel Desailly is ready to turn his back on the Premiership because he's too young! The French international defender, 29, has been linked for months with a move from AC Milan to Chelsea, but he insists it's nowhere near cut and dried.
But it's not because he doesn't fancy Chelsea, or England, or the Premiership. It's because he clearly reckons he can go somewhere else for a few years then go to England to earn a small fortune when he's well past his best.
Desailly is wanted by Chelsea, Liverpool, Marseilles and an unnamed club in Spain and says he will decide his future before the start of the World Cup finals. But Gianluca Vialli and Roy Evans might have a rethink on their position when they hear him say: I am ready to go to England at some stage. But I have to decide if it is not a little bit too early in my career to go there. After all, I know English football well enough to know that even if I go there at 33 I will be accepted if I can show the fighting spirit English fans love.
When by then Marcel you will presumably be available on a free transfer and able to negotiate a whacking great deal for yourself, eh?

BEARDO BOTTOMS OUT
In a downhill slide that makes Franz Klammer look like an amateur, Peter Beardsley is set to continue his remarkable fall from grace. Just a couple of years ago, ‘Quasi', as he is affectionately known, was riding high as Newcastle skipper. Now he must have the right hump.
He's been on a complete downer ever since and is set to drop even lower if the latest rumours are true. Already in recent months, Beardo has gone from Bolton (relegated from Premiership), to Manchester City (relegated from Division One), to Fulham (still stuck in Division Two).
Now he's set to find himself in the Third Division as player-coach of Carlisle, the club where he started his career all those years ago. He must be wondering what's going on. Who knows, perhaps his face just doesn't fit?!

MILLWALL'S FINAL HURDLE
Millwall have been linked with a move for Brentford defender Gus Hurdle, who is out of contract at Griffin Park and available on a free transfer. The Lions' new manager Keith Stevens has moved quickly for Hurdle, presumably to get the ‘jump' on other interested parties.
Hurdle, no relation to Olympic star ‘110 metres', can play either as right back or wing back, and will this weekend be playing for a Caribbean All-Stars team against Jamaica in the Giants Stadium in New Jersey.
A good performance in that game could attract other offers, as so far the only other interest has come from Third Division Hull City, and Hurdle is said to favour a move across to south London. Wonder if he'll still be saying that after meeting the Millwall fans?