Heskey to St Andrew's 'within two days'
Birmingham manager Steve Bruce expects to seal the signing of Liverpool striker Emile Heskey within the next 48 hours.
Heskey, who will expect to be named in Sven-Goran Eriksson's Euro 2004 squad today, has been lined up for a £3.5million move to St Andrews after joining Liverpool for £11million from Leicester in March 2000.
It has been reported the fee could rise to £6million depending on appearances and Birmingham's success.
Bruce has already secured Chelsea striker Mikael Forssell on another 12-month loan and sees Heskey as the perfect foil to the Finn.
He said: 'Hopefully we will be able to make Emile a Birmingham player within the next two days.'
Heskey has scored 60 goals in 228 appearances for the Reds but with Djibril Cisse set to arrive from Auxerre in the summer, only a move away from Anfield will guarantee first-team football.
Bruce is aiming to complete the signing of the majority of his summer targets before Euro 2004 gets underway as he closes in on Muzzy Izzet as well.
Izzet is poised to move across the Midlands from Leicester City and join up with his former Foxes team-mates in Heskey and Robbie Savage.
Izzet has made his mind up to end a nine-year association with Leicester following their relegation from the Premiership.
The possibility of both deals going through has been common knowledge for several weeks but now Bruce will look to move quickly to secure their services now that the curtain has come down on the League campaign.
The Blue's chief has a hit list of four or five players he is looking to bring in to strengthen the squad after securing a top-10 finish.
Bruce said: 'If I was a Birmingham City fan I would be quite excited because the players we have earmarked are all proven Premiership players and internationals.
'We have to make sure we bring in the right people to move us forward. When we have to compete with the so-called top five for players, it is very difficult for us but with anyone bar these clubs we can compete.
'I want the majority of my transfer work done before Euro 2004 starts if I possibly can although I have to be realistic. We didn't sign Mikael Forssell until a week before the transfer deadline last August.'
Bruce, who is again being linked with the Newcastle United post as speculation mounts over Bobby Robson's future, also insisted that City do not have to sell to bring in new players.
He said: 'Of course, everyone has a price, even if you are talking about the best players in the world. And, if my players are linked with bigger clubs, then so be it.
'But we are not a selling club and if the situation arises when someone comes in for our players we will be ready for the challenge and we will meet it head on.
'I've never had to sell anyone. I've got the nucleus of a good squad and I want to keep it together and add to it.'
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Wiltord to leave Gunners on a free
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has finally confirmed that Sylvain Wiltord will be leaving Highbury this summer on a free transfer.
However, while Kanu's future remains in the balance, Arsenal's players are united in their delight at Dennis Bergkamp staying for one final season.
Wiltord, who became the club's record signing when he joined for around £13million in 2000, has been unable to agree terms on a new deal at Highbury.
While talks have taken place with Werder Bremen, he has not yet found a new club, but Wenger, with Robin van Persie and Jose Reyes both signed, insists that the French international will be leaving.
'Martin Keown and Sylvain Wiltord will certainly leave this summer,' confirmed Wenger, who was not willing to offer 30-year-old Wiltord the length of deal he was seeking.
'The rest is not decided. I haven't decided on Kanu and he hasn't decided yet. He is free to go where he wants as he is out of contract this summer and I have no final say to that.'
The likelihood is that Kanu, who has increasingly become a fringe figure, will depart, but Bergkamp is staying put for a final season.
Given the vision and touch which he showed in setting up Patrick Vieira for the winner against Leicester to complete an unbeaten league season in style, that is a relief for all at Highbury.
Thierry Henry declared: 'When you see the way that Dennis Bergkamp is playing, I would like to say a special thing about him. He's like that in training as well, even though he's 35. He always gives his best on the pitch.
'When he gave that ball against Leicester, I thought `what is he doing?' But then I saw and that's just Dennis.
'He's just a great professional on and off the pitch. He's been a great example for everyone at Arsenal. When you see what he's still doing even at 35, I'm amazed.'
Fredrik Ljungberg added: 'He's a fantastic player and he's very important for me as he looks for the runs that we make. We're all very happy that he will stay another year.'
Ljungberg insists that the key to Arsenal's success this season has been the stability and unity of the squad, with none of their key players set to depart this summer.
'We're a team that works really well together. Everyone wants to stay and keep on developing as there's a special way that we play that they don't play in many other places,' he said.
'We have a fantastic spirit and we're all friends. What I've heard from other clubs is that they're not all friends, so maybe it's different here. Of course, it helps us.'
The main goals for next season are now two-fold - to retain the title for the first time under Wenger and to finally conquer Europe.
'You always want to improve and we've been together for several years now as a squad,' added Ljungberg. 'Hopefully we can develop next season and do a bit better in Europe. We were all very disappointed at losing to Chelsea and we will think about that over the summer.'
Wenger also looks set to release reserve keeper Rami Shaaban, who has failed to make it back into first-team contention at Highbury since suffering a broken leg in December 2002.
Shaaban, who was loaned to West Ham earlier this season, does not expect to be offered a new contract and that leaves Graham Stack and the injured Stuart Taylor as back-up to Jens Lehmann.
Shaaban told Swedish newspaper Goteborgs-Posten: 'Wenger told me that, at 28 years old, I need to play regularly.'
The Arsenal boss must also resolve the futures of three other players sent out on loan this season - Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who wants to stay with Barcelona, Francis Jeffers and Jermaine Pennant.
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