CARDIFF CITY HAVE APPROACHED Robbie Fowler, right, whose contract with Liverpool expired last season. “We have offered an attractive package and are hopeful Robbie will decide to come,” Peter Ridsdale, the chairman, said. “The calibre of players the club is approaching shows how much we’ve progressed.”

Cardiff will face competition form Sydney FC, with reports in Australia claiming the player has opened talks with the club. Sources close to the A-League club are reported to be happy at the way their discussions have progressed.

West Bromwich Albion are holding out for £8 million for Curtis Davies, which could end the England Under21 defender’s prospects of a move to Tottenham Hotspur, whose valuation is nearer £6 million. “West Brom are trying to price him out of the market — £8 million is totally unrealistic,” Phil Sproson, Davies’s agent, said. “What foundation is there for that? He’s an under21 and had one season in the Premiership.”

Paul Simpson, the manager of Preston North End, expects David Nugent to report for training this morning unless he has finalised his move to Portsmouth. The England forward has been in talks with the Barclays Premier League club, but is believed to be hoping for interest from other clubs, especially Everton. “I honestly don’t know what David is thinking,” Simpson said. “ ‘Nuge’ has a decision to make as to whether or not Portsmouth is the right club for him. If he decides it is not, then we are looking forward to seeing him again on Monday.”

Sheffield United have made sure that Keith Gillespie will not be following Phil Jagielka in leaving Bramall Lane by handing the winger a new two-year deal. Jagielka joined Everton last week, with Gary Naysmith going the other way. Chris Lucketti, the defender, has signed a new one-year deal.

Coventry City say that they remain in “active and positive” talks about a takeover by an American-based consortium, Manhattan Sports Capital Partners, led by Sean McDevitt. Iain Dowie has continued to reshape his squad by signing Leon Best, the Southampton forward, and Gary Borrowdale, the defender, from Crystal Palace.

Ipswich Town have made an improved offer to Blackburn Rovers for Francis Jeffers, who impressed on loan at Portman Road last season, but it may be short of the £1 million that Rovers want despite the £2.5 million windfall Ipswich received when Charlton Athletic sold Darren Bent to Tottenham.

“There is a disagreement over values at the moment,” David Sheepshanks, the Ipswich chairman, said. “I am hopeful a deal can be completed and we are determined to bring Franny to Ipswich if we can. But we cannot pay over the odds, nor can we breach the pay structure at our club.”

Charlton have signed eight players during the close season so far, the latest being Svetoslav Todorov, the Bulgaria and former Portsmouth forward, and Nicky Weaver, the former Man-chester City goalkeeper, both free agents.

Barnsley have signed Robert Kozluk from Sheffield United and Dominik Werling from Sakaryaspor, of Turkey, but Robbie Williams has rejected the offer of a new contract and could return to Blackpool, where he was on loan last season.

Hull City have pulled out of signing Juninho, leading to accusations that the move was no more than a publicity stunt by Paul Duffen, the chairman, who recently bought the club from Adam Pearson. Juninho, the former Middlesbrough and Brazil midfield player, 34, who is a free agent after leaving Flamengo, flew to England for talks on a one-year contract with Duffen and Phil Brown, the manager, last week.

“We just feel that [Duffen] is a new guy who has come into football and used Juninho to publicise Hull but then backtracked on what he’s said,” Jonathan Hassall, the player’s agent, said. “He wanted a World Cup star and the publicity it has created has got Hull on radio, television and in the newspapers. It looks like he just kept us dangling, milked the publicity and then pulled the plug.”

Stephen Elliott, of Sunderland, could be the latest forward to join Wolverhampton Wanderers after Freddy Eastwood chose the Midlands club over Charlton. “Ever since Wolves came in for me, I knew it was going to be a good move for me,” Eastwood, the former Southend United striker said. “I feel I have made the right decision. I am happy to be with one of the biggest clubs in the division.”

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