Barcelona's prospects of signing Hasselbaink 'remote'

Joan Gaspart, the Barcelona president, said yesterday that the Spanish club are ready to abandon their bid to sign the Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

Gaspart admitted there had been an interest in Hasselbaink, who put himself in the shop window last week by indicating he would seriously consider a move to Barcelona. However, Gaspart claimed that the chances of the Spanish club signing the Dutchman before the transfer window closes on Saturday were now "remote". Gaspart said: "I don't think we will sign Hasselbaink, I cannot deny that there have been contacts, but at this time the possibility of Hasselbaink playing for Barcelona is remote."

It would appear that while Barcelona were prepared to consider a possible £5m move plus Michael Reiziger, they would not raise their price significantly higher.

Chelsea, who say that no formal bid has been received in any case, have consistently stated their determination to keep hold of their £15m record signing despite their much-debated financial situation.

Reports in Spain had earlier indicated that Hasselbaink, 30, was Barca's top priority to partner his Dutch compatriot Patrick Kluivert following the return of the former Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal to the Nou Camp.

Hasselbaink gave these reports further credence when he said on Friday night that he would at least consider any bid by Barcelona. "I was asked by a Spanish newspaper if I would be interested and I said that if a club like that comes to you, then you are going to be flattered and you'll listen to the offer," he said.

However, Chelsea's manager, Claudio Ranieri, stressed Hasselbaink would not be leaving Stamford Bridge. The Italian said: "Jimmy is staying at Chelsea. There are many rumours, but he is staying. The truth is that I'm interested in Hasselbaink and I don't know anything about Reiziger. Hasselbaink is staying."

Elsewhere, the Rennes defender Julien Escudé has not yet given up on his move to Manchester United even though negotiations between the two sides appeared to collapse on Monday night with the French club refusing to lower their asking price. They are believed to be holding out for £5m.

Escudé is hopeful that a new offer will arrive before the transfer deadline.

Speaking in Rennes yesterday where he is rehabilitating after a knee injury, Escudé said: "My agents are working for me right now. I am also injured and I am concentrating on treating my knee to be back into action as fast as possible. The deadline for the transfer window is 31 August. I will decide after that, whatever happens."

Escudé, before suffering his knee injury in a freak accident while walking his dog, was training on his own to protest against Rennes' unwillingness to let him leave. United were believed to be offering in the region of £2.5m.

Southampton yesterday completed the £2m signing of the Finnish international goalkeeper Antti Niemi from Hearts. The 30-year-old former Rangers keeper has agreed terms and passed a medical with the Saints, who are now rushing through his registration in time for tonight's game against Chelsea.

Sunderland are homing in on two players with four days to go before the closure of the transfer window. Their manager, Peter Reid, was in Amsterdam yesterday in an attempt to persuade Ajax to part with their £8m-rated Swedish international striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The 20-year-old is one of several frontmen with whom the Black Cats have been linked in recent months amid a frustrating and, to date, fruitless search for a replacement for Niall Quinn.

Sunderland are also pursuing the 28-year-old Nantes striker Pierre-Yves André. They are understood to have set up a loan deal with an option to buy the player at its conclusion for about £4m.

Sunderland have taken only one point from their first two games and are yet to score a goal, but there is no sense of despondency with Reid reasonably pleased with the performances to date, if not the results.