London, Feb. 3 : Italian football club A C Milan is ready to make a 14 million pound bid to turn David Beckham's loan from LA Galaxy into a permanent deal.

The Italian giants are already in talks with US companies to try to lure in new sponsors to supplement the player's wages.

The Sun quoted Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani, as saying: "We want to keep him so badly. Losing him would be appalling, so we will make every effort to have him here for good."

London, Feb. 3: Russian football star Andrei Arshavin has finally joined Arsenal for 15 million pounds.

The Russian, 27, mercifully brought football's longest-running saga to an end when he signed a 70,000-pound-a-week contract at the Emirates to 2012.

Arshavin made it in the nick of time, just minutes before the transfer window slammed shut, reports The Sun.

Alexei Petrov, a spokesman for Zenit St Petersburg, said: "The deal was signed for three years, all financial details will be disclosed tomorrow."

Seoul  - South Korea staged a last-minute entry into the competition for hosting football's World Cup in 2018 or 2022, officials said Tuesday.

The world football association FIFA had been informed before the deadline for host applications expired Monday, South Korea's national football association said.

South Korea hosted the 2002 World Cup finals with Japan, the first time the even was held in Asia.

Japan is also among the dozen candidates bidding to host the tournaments in nine and 13 years.

Madrid  - Troubled Spanish giants Atletico Madrid sacked coach Javier Aguirre, according to Spanish media reports Monday night.

The digital versions of AS and Marca claim that the sacking of Aguirre will be officially announced Tuesday, and that he will be replaced by former Atletico goalkeeper Abel Resino, currently at third division Castellon.

Abel, 49, played for Atletico from 1986-95. He has little top-line coaching experience, though he was assistant to Cesar Ferrando at Atletico during the 2004-05 season.

Washington  - The United States is bidding for the World Cup in 2018 and 2022, hoping to raise the profile of football in a country that still has many other sporting priorities, the US Soccer Federation announced Monday.

US Soccer President Sunil Gulati said he hoped a second World Cup in the United States would "finish the job" that began with the popular 1994 tournament, which helped launch a professional football league in the country.

London  - Chelsea signed Ricar