31.   English Premiership newcomers Middlesbrough pulled off one of the transfer shocks of the season when they landed Brazilian midfield star Juninho from Sao Paulo on Saturday.

32.   Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson insisted here on Monday that midfield star Gary McAllister is staying at the club, despite fresh speculation linking him with a move to Rangers.

33.   Liam Brady, the former Arsenal and Republic of Ireland midfield star, agreed to return to the club on Thursday as head of the youth development programme.

34.   Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards refuted claims that midfield star Paul Ince was sold in order to fund the redevelopment of their Old Trafford ground.

35.   Police hunting a gang of international car smugglers have arrested German midfield star Maurizio Gaudino.

36.   PSG could call on midfield star Vincent Guerin as he feels his way back from six weeks out with a broken collar bone.

37.   Royle claimed that he had tried everything to help Samways get in the side, but that the former Tottenham midfield star had opted not to represent Everton.

38.   Serbian midfield star Sasa Curcic, ineligible for Europe, is expected to be the only man to return, with Ian Taylor sweating on his place.

39.   Talented midfield star Mehmet Scholl cut inside from the left to send in a vicious effort which Busquets could only parry into the path of the onrushing Markus Babbel.

40.   The latest allegations concern the transfer of Danish midfield star John Jensen to Highbury two years ago.