Juventus want Mellberg to sign now

BIRMINGHAM, England -- Juventus are keen to bring forward the transfer of Aston Villa defender Olof Mellberg because of their mounting injury problems.

The Italians had been setting up a pre-contract agreement with the Swedish international, with a view to a move at the end of the season.

Now they have made Villa an offer of around £500,000 ($990,000) in the hope of Mellberg making the switch this month.

Mellberg will be in Villa's team for Saturday's Premier League game at home to Blackburn and will then have talks with Villa manager Martin O'Neill. An announcement is likely to made on Monday.

O'Neill said: "Olof is keeping me in the picture. I have absolute trust in him. I know what is happening. After the weekend we will have a look at some things.

"Juventus have put an offer to us although I haven't seen it yet. I have been told about it.

"That is a natural thing for them to do if they want to sign someone and want to have him in January instead of the end of the season."

Mellberg joined Villa from Racing Santander during the summer of 2001 and has operated mainly as a central defender, but this season a lack of right-backs at the club has led to him switching roles.

Wigan have signed Watford striker Marlon King after his projected move to Fulham collapsed.

"It's all about taking your opportunities. I've been given one and I want to take it, hopefully things will work out well for me," King told Sky Sports.

"I went down (to Fulham), had a long medical and for some reason there was a hitch.

"I think the two clubs were trying to renegotiate the fee, it had nothing to do with me, but when I picked up the newspapers I see I had failed a medical!

"I know my body is 110%. I didn't fail a medical. I've been playing for a season and a half now and scoring goals - nothing has changed."

French champions Lyon confirmed on Friday that they were negotiating a deal to loan Czech striker Milan Baros to Portsmouth.

A Lyon source said that the 26-year-old Baros, who moved to France from Aston Villa last year, will be loaned to the Fratton Park side with a view to making the move permanent.

The former Liverpool player has scored seven times for league leaders Lyon during his stay but has struggled to hold down a permanent starting place because of the outstanding form of Karim Benzema

Nashat Akram's hopes of becoming the first Iraqi to play in England's Premier League have been dashed after Manchester City failed to secure a UK work permit for the midfielder.

City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson attended the decisive hearing when the club's appeal against the rejection of a permit was dismissed

City had agreed to transfer Akram from the Al-Ain club in the United Arab Emirates and he had impressed the coaching staff during a recent trial at the club.

Eriksson said: "This is a big blow and a great disappointment to us. I have huge sympathy for Nashat. He is a very good footballer with an excellent international pedigree. He has now returned to the Middle East and we will keep in touch with him. He is somebody who we will maintain an interest in for the long term." E-mail to a friend