Sunderland Open Talks With Scotland Defender Anderson

Aberdeen captain Russell Anderson is holding talks with Sunderland, according to his agent, with a £1m fee understood to have been agreed. The Scotland defender and his representative Blair Morgan headed south of the border to finalize a move, as Sunderland looked to head off Middlesbrough's interest in the player.

"Russell has been given permission to talk to Sunderland," confirmed Morgan. "We are here for those meetings and we will see how it all progresses."

Barcelona have agreed to release full-back Giovanni van Bronckhorst from his contract to allow him to join Feyenoord, according to the Spanish club. Although the 32-year-old extended his deal with Barsa until 2008 last December, there was a verbal agreement which would allow him to leave if his former club made an approach for him.

Hibernian have signed goalkeeper Yves Makabu-Ma-Kalambay from Chelsea on a three-year deal. Manager John Collins had hoped to recruit the 21-year-old in January, but he was recalled by Chelsea to cover for injuries to Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini.

"He is a good height for a goalkeeper at 6ft 5in tall and is very strong and athletic - in fact he has all the attributes you could expect to find in a player in that position," said Collins. "It says much for his qualities that he was on the verge of playing in the Champions League, and I have little doubt that, had he been called upon to do so, he would have done himself justice."