Dyer Given Go-ahead for Hammers Talks

Newcastle midfielder Kieron Dyer has been given permission to speak to West Ham after the two clubs agreed an undisclosed fee. Manager Sam Allardyce had earlier insisted a reported £4million bid for the England international was well below Newcastle's valuation. Dyer is understood to be keen to move south to be closer to his family.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's overhaul of Manchester City looks set to continue, as the club close in on Fiorentina's Bulgaria striker Valeri Bojinov and the Real Sociedad defender Javi Garrido.

Eriksson has already brought Rolando Bianchi, Martin Petrov, Geovanni and Gelson Fernandes to the club for a combined fee in the region of £15m, but now it appears that both Bojinov and Garrido are on the verge of joining the Eastlands influx.

Reports from Bulgaria suggest that Bojinov has flown to Manchester today ahead of completing his move. "I would like to thank manager Eriksson for making this move possible," he said. "I'm very pleased that I'll have the chance to play alongside Martin [Petrov], as we did it in the national team. I've already talked to him several times."

Reports in Italy today claimed that City had agreed a £5.7m deal with Fiorentina to sign the 21-year-old, who arrived at the club from Lecce in 2005 for £10m. "I hope I never have to come back to Fiorentina again," Bojinov told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "England would be a perfect solution."

The new Sociedad coach Chris Coleman also admitted today that Garrido is set to quit Spain for City, with a £2m deal understood to be in the offing. "He is a good player, but Manchester City has an interest in him and it is the decision of the player to go to England," confirmed Coleman. "I have explained to him that I do not want to sell him, but the financial situation is what it is. We do not want to lose him but it is his decision. Both clubs have an understanding over money."

City are still in the market for the Juventus full-back Giorgio Chiellini, but president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli has backtracked on his previous claims and now appears unwilling to sell the Italy Under-21 international. "Our position is not to accept Man City's offer for Chiellini," said Gigli. "The player remains in our plans."

Should Eriksson's pursuit of Chiellini fail, he could then switch his attentions to the £4m-rated Dinamo Zagreb defender Vedran Corluka, who was part of the Croatia side that defeated England last October in a Euro 2008 qualifier. Corluka would not qualify for a work permit under current criteria, but City would almost certainly win any appeal.

Rangers have signed Steven Whittaker from Hibernian for £2m after the versatile right-sided player passed a medical and put pen to paper on a five-year contract. He becomes Rangers' ninth summer signing and the deal takes the club's close-season spending above £7m.

Meanwhile, Derby have completed the signing of Portsmouth defender Andy Griffin on a three-year deal. He can look forward to a swift reunion with his former team-mates when the Rams entertain Pompey on the opening day of the season. "Andy is an excellent player with a calm head and has a very good attitude," said the Derby manager Billy Davies.

The Sheffield United manager Bryan Robson admits he hopes to have signed the Everton striker James Beattie by the end of the week. "Negotiations have gone well with James and his advisors," said Robson. "I am aware that there has been speculation about his wages being a stumbling block ... particularly with the chairman being abroad at the moment. I am still looking for players and I am remaining open-minded."

Youssef Safri could have played his last game for Norwich following an outburst from the Canaries manager Peter Grant. The Morocco international was missed off the official photocall on Monday after turning up late and was absent from the squad for the pre-season friendly against West Ham. "He will be fined his wages and we will see where it goes from there," said Grant, who, when asked whether Safri would play for him again, added: "Hopefully not."