Soccer snapshots

Fabrizio Ravanelli is on his way back to the Premiership after agreeing a £3.64m two-year deal with Derby. Former Middlesbrough striker Ravanelli, 32, is expected to sign his £35,000-a-week contract next week after returning to Rome to finalise the terms of his departure from Lazio.

ROBBIE FOWLER is ready to sign a new long-term contract at Liverpool. He said: 'Contract negotiations are at an early stage, but the signs are very positive.

'I've never said I wanted to leave. I've been a Liverpool player all my career, and Liverpool is the place I want to be.'

CHELSEA have accepted that midfielder Sam Dalla Bona, 20, will return to Italy.

Managing director Colin Hutchison, who revealed that AC Milan had shown an interest, said the player has refused to talk about renewing his Stamford Bridge contract.

TOTTENHAM, who recovered from a goal down to win 3-1 at Swindon last night, have completed the signing of Liverpool's Germany wing-back Christian Ziege, 29, but manager Glenn Hoddle's move for Blackburn's Ireland goalkeeper Alan Kelly, 32, has fallen through.