Boro offer for Barmby is ridiculed

Middlesbrough, rebuffed in their attempts to sign Andrei Kanchelskis and Mark Hughes this summer, are not exactly making huge progress in trying to persuade Tottenham to part with Nick Barmby either. Not only was a new offer for the England striker rejected yesterday, but the Spurs chairman, Alan Sugar, ridiculed their efforts.

"We do not know what is meant by money in Middlesbrough," he said in the wake of a bid reported to be in the region of pounds 5m, "but in London it's the stuff you put in the bank. The so-called increased deal is complicated, whereby they may pay more on the basis of a lot of ifs.

"Middlesbrough have not increased their offer and therefore Nicky remains a Spurs player. If they want him they had better make up their minds quickly, as he will not be sold on the brink of the new season leaving us no time to find a replacement."

Bryan Robson, the Middlesbrough manager, had a pounds 4m bid for the 21-year- old striker, who is homesick for his native Hull, rejected last month. "I'm interested in the player whom I rate very highly," he said, while denying that he had offered pounds 5.25m, "but as yet there's no deal."

Tottenham have made inquiries about the Newcastle centre-back, Darren Peacock, who worked under the Spurs manager, Gerry Francis, when they were at Queen's Park Rangers. An offer of pounds 2m would probably be successful.

Leeds United have increased to pounds 5m their offer for Parma's Colombian striker, Faustino Asprilla. "He says he wants to play for Leeds United," Bill Fotherby, the club's managing director, said, "so we are keeping our fingers crossed. As soon as Parma return from their tour of America on Monday either I will go to Italy or he will come here."

Manchester United, also rumoured to be interested in Asprilla, may be without Ryan Giggs when the Premiership season kicks off a fortnight today. The Welsh winger has a hamstring problem to add to the groin strain that forced him out of the club's Malaysian tour and misses a friendly at Birmingham City on Monday.

"It's not the same hamstring which caused him problems last season," Alex Ferguson, the United manager, said. "I think he'll be fit for the start of the season, but he needs games to get match fit." Andy Cole, another injury worry, will see a specialist next week to see if he can resume full training after having an operation on his shin splints injury over the summer.

Alan Shearer has been given the all-clear after returning early from Blackburn's pre-season tour of Scandinavia with a back injury. Shearer, last season's top scorer in the Premiership with 34 goals, has been told that the injury is minor and will not prevent him from kicking off the new season on 19 August.

"We did not have our full medical set-up with us and, with the season approaching, it seemed sensible to have the problem checked out," said Shearer, who will probably sit out today's friendly at Huddersfield. "I had simply twisted awkwardly in training and would need a day or so for a slight tissue strain to heal."

Kanchelskis, sold by United to Everton for pounds 5m last month, has not yet received a work permit for his new club and will miss today's friendly at Oldham. He now has only one opportunity to familarise himself with his team-mates - against PSV Eindhoven at Goodison on Tuesday - before the start of the season.

"It's not ideal," Joe Royle, the Everton manager, said. "Andrei has looked awesome in training, but he needs matches."

Two players who will not be getting any matches are Newcastle's Malcolm Allen and Manchester City's Keith Curle, who are both out for six weeks after suffering a knee injury and a broken bone in an ankle respectively.

Nottingham Forest have signed the Sheffield United goalkeeper, Simon Tracey, on a month's loan as cover for Mark Crossley. Forest's No 2 keeper, Tommy Wright, will not be fit for the start of the season.