Stoke City are in talks with Sheffield United about signing James Beattie, in a bid to secure a forward to score the goals that would help to keep them in the Barclays Premier League.

Dave Kitson has failed to score for Stoke since he joined for a record £5.5 million from Reading in July. Beattie, who has scored 34 goals in 60 games since joining the Coca-Cola Championship club for £4 million from Everton 18 months ago, would cost about £3 million. Stoke face competition from Hull City, who are trying to hijack the deal.

Decent bets

Newcastle United are confident of signing John Arne Riise, the former Liverpool left back, from Roma on loan for the rest of the season.

Mido, the Middlesbrough and Egypt forward, has reacted angrily after being put forward as part of a proposed swap deal for Alan Smith, the Newcastle forward who can also play in midfield. “I’m very angry no one informed me of the ongoing talks before today, and I made sure manager Gareth Southgate knows how I feel,” Mido said. “I still haven’t made up my mind about moving.”

West Ham United are braced for Manchester City to raise their offer to more than £14 million for Craig Bellamy next week. West Ham turned down City’s initial £15 million combined bid for the Wales forward and Scott Parker, the midfield player, two weeks ago. Gianfranco Zola, the West Ham manager, has said that Bellamy is among the players he does not want to sell, but accepts that a substantial bid would be difficult to turn down.

Marco Zoro, the Ivory Coast defender who has been unable to settle at Benfica since he joined two years ago, will take a trial with Blackburn Rovers next week. He is also due to have a trial at West Ham.

Marc-Antoine Fortune, the Nancy striker, would welcome a move to West Bromwich Albion, who had a £2.2 million bid turned down this week. “To play in the Premier League would be fantastic, but it is too early to talk, we will have to wait,” he said.

Dead certs

Bolton Wanderers have signed Sébastien Puygrenier on loan until the end of the season from Zenit St Petersburg. The defender, 26, played in their European Super Cup victory against Manchester United in August.

Dean Windass, 39, of Hull City, has joined Oldham Athletic and Roy O’Donovan, 23, of Sunderland, has joined Blackpool. Both strikers have moved on loan until the end of the season. Graham Kavanagh, the midfield player, has left Sunderland by mutual consent to join Carlisle United as player-coach.

Alan Gow’s move from Rangers to Wolverhampton Wanderers has been called off because the forward failed a medical after a fee of £250,000 was agreed. Mick McCarthy, the Wolves manager, said that the deal could not be resurrected. “It’s something biomechanical, but that’s for Alan and Rangers to sort out,” he said.

Charlton Athletic have signed Matthew Spring, the midfield player who agreed a 18-month deal, from Luton Town for an undisclosed fee.

Long shots

Blackburn’s interest in El-Hadji Diouf has ended after Sunderland said that they wanted to keep the forward. Alberto Aquilani, the midfield player linked with Arsenal, is set to sign a new contract at Roma. Paris Saint-Germain have expressed an interest in Nedum Onuoha, the Manchester City defender, who has also been tracked by Newcastle and Blackburn.