Football: Ferguson poser for Kendall

Howard Kendall, the new Everton manager, is already hard at work trying to spend some of the pounds 25m he has, according to some reports, at his disposal. One player he will be talking to in the near future is, however, already on the staff at Goodison Park.

Duncan Ferguson - whom Kendall tried to buy from Dundee United when he was last in charge at Everton - is reportedly unsettled and agitating for a move back to Scotland.

Kendall admitted: "I did try to buy Duncan the last time I was in charge at Everton but I think that he wanted to stay in Scotland and that's why he moved to Rangers. I'm not prepared to talk about speculation that he is not happy at Everton, but I have inherited a lot of good players and Duncan is one of them."

Keeping Ferguson happy with an improved contract will be a big priority for Kendall, who has also been linked with Andy Cole, the England striker who may now be surplus to requirements at Manchester United following the pounds 3.5m arrival of Teddy Sheringham from Tottenham.

Everton still have to reach agreement with Sheffield United over compensation for Kendall, who left the manager's job at Bramall Lane to return to Goodison. The Blades' chairman, Mike McDonald, said: "As far as compensation goes, I have received the offer of a pittance, an insulting amount. I have written to the Everton chairman, Peter Johnson, and told him that unless his club can come up with an amount acceptable to my club, they can send Howard Kendall back to work for Sheffield United."

The out-of-contract Manchester City wing-back, Nicky Summerbee, has been offered trials by the French club, Bordeaux. Billy Bonds has made his first signing since taking over as manager of Millwall, taking the left-back Paul Sturgess on a free transfer from Charlton.

The Arsenal vice-chairman, David Dein, has been voted on to the Football Association's executive committee at the FA's summer meeting.

The 1997-98 season starts in Wales today, with Ebbw Vale entertaining Casino Graz in the first round of the Intertoto Cup. The Austrians are coached by Klaus Augenthaler, who won a World Cup winners' medal with West Germany in 1990.