JIRI JAROSIK has been linked with a move back to the Premiership or Russia.

JIRI JAROSIK has been linked with a move back to the Premiership or Russia.

The Celtic midfielder has failed to shine since arriving from Chelsea in a £2million deal last summer.

The 29-year-old is hoping to be given the green light to quit the Parkhead club, and is reported as saying: "Coach Strachan has confirmed he wants me to stay but I told him how I feel about the situation.

"If I move, I'd like to go to either England or Russia - I still have a good name in Russia."

As it seems certain Jarosik will be heading for the exit, which will cause the Celtic fans no distress in the slightest, he could be joined by another flop in Thomas Gravesen.

Sunderland boss Roy Keane has been linked with a move for the out-of-favour midfielder.

Gravesen, 31, is Celtic's top earner, but has struggled to show his quality since moving from Real Madrid and could be tempted back to the Premiership.

England near Scots level

FORMER manager Graham Taylor believes England are "in danger of going down the same road as Scotland" in becoming a second-rate international side.

Taylor blames the influx of foreign players into the Premiership for England's decline, with victory essential in Estonia tomorrow night if they are to have any chance of qualifying for Euro 2008.

Taylor said: "We're a quarter-final team, not a genuine world force. We're in danger of going down the same road as Scotland and becoming a second division team in world football - and I mean no disrespect to Scotland by that."

Magpies win Viduka race

Middlesbrough striker Mark Viduka has agreed in principle to join north-east rivals Newcastle.

The Magpies, who have been courting the 31-year-old Australia international for a year, now appear to have made a decisive breakthrough for the Riverside striker amid interest from West Ham and Portsmouth, among other suitors.

Totti defends time out

ITALY will have to face Lithuania without Serie A's leading scorer, Francesco Totti, after the Roma striker chose to go on holiday.

Totti was told he won't need surgery on an ankle, prompting calls for his immediate return to a mis-firing Italian side. But he said: "I am not having an operation. Now I will go on holiday and think of resting. This year I've played more than 50 games and in my condition it is hard. I need to get away."

But he hinted he may be willing to return to the Italian national side next season.

"In July, I will telephone (Italy team manager) Gigi Riva and then we will see."

Domenech still fretting

France coach Raymond Domenech says the pressure is still all on his side in their qualifier against Georgia tomorrow night.

The World Cup finalists moved top of Group B after a 2-0 clinical victory over Ukraine on Saturday but the wily Domenech is taking nothing for granted. "Both matches are linked. It is like being at half-time leading 1-0," he said.

"If we lose the Georgia game, Saturday's win will be a waste because we will have dropped points our rivals will not drop," he added.