Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul is facing a month on the sidelines with his ankle injury.



The 24-year-old Holland international visited a specialist earlier this week after picking up the problem in the Europa League match against Metalist Kharkiv.



Manager Alan Pardew said: "His ankle is still a little bit swollen. We think he will be out for a maximum four weeks, five weeks, but we are hoping for less than that."



With veteran Steve Harper also injured, Rob Elliot was handed his Premier League debut in the 4-2 win over Southampton, and he will continue in goal at Swansea this weekend.



Fabricio Coloccini, though, is a major doubt for the trip to south Wales with a back injury he picked up against Southampton.



Pardew said: "I think he's doubtful but there's a chance he could play."

AC Milan have given up trying to sign Newcastle full-back Davide Santon, according to Il Corriere dello Sport.



With Djamel Mesbah joining Parma in January and Ignazio Abate widely tipped to leave at the end of the current campaign, the Rossoneri are desperate to sign at least one high-quality full-back in the summer.



Milan attempted to sign former Inter hotshot Davide Santon in January, and were hoping to renew their interest in the summer, but it appears the Italy international will not be returning to San Siro any time soon.



Il Corriere dello Sport claims that the Rossoneri have dropped their interest in the player after being informed of Newcastle’s €10 million valuation.



After he managed to kick-start his career at St James Park, Santon was repeatedly linked with a return to Serie A, but it appears he is quite happy to remain at Newcastle for the time being.



The 22-year-old remains an important part of the side that are tipped to continue their uptrend in fortunes in the coming years.

New York Red Bulls' Thierry Henry has criticised the Major League Soccer's salary cap policy after watching fellow striker Kenny Cooper leave the club.



Cooper, who was the Red Bulls' top scorer last season with 18 goals, was traded to FC Dallas in early February to free up some space on the cap and Henry has publicly criticised the 'American way' of dealing with players.



"As you know here, with salary cap and all of that, that's the only reason why he left. It wasn't for a football reason," the 35-year-old told the MLS's official website.



"If you're in any other league in the world, you keep your good players. Not in this league.



"That's just the way it is and that's why most of the time you see players [moving] and being traded. It is an American way of dealing with things, salary cap, draft, trade."



The former Arsenal man says the MLS should adopt a more European approach when it comes to player transfers as he believes this will allow teams to hang on to their best players, instead of trading them because of salary cap issues.



"In Europe, we don't do that. In Europe, if you perform for your team, you're sure of staying," Henry added.



"But here it's different and if you want to be compared to some of the big leagues in Europe, something has to be changed. I don't know what, but something has to be changed."

Former Arsenal striker Carlos Vela has denied suggestions that his old club could re-sign him due to a buy-back clause included in his move to La Liga side Real Socdiedad last summer.



Vela switched from the Gunners to the Basque outfit last July for around £4m, having enjoyed a successful loan spell at Sociedad the campaign before.



Arsenal included a buy-black clause in the deal to give them the opportunity to bring the 23-year-old back to the Emirates if they wanted, although Vela has poured cold water on speculation that he would return.



The Mexican international claims that he is happy with Real Sociedad, who he has helped to sixth in the Spanish top-flight this season scoring 11 goals.



"I've never regretted signing for Real and the results prove me right," said Vela.



"I think my decision to stay at Real is looking more and more like the right one. I've never regretted coming back. I came because I trusted the team and I thought we could get better.



"After being here for a year and knowing what my teammates are like on and off the pitch, it makes it easier to decide whether to stay or go to a new team, where you don't know what's going to happen," revealed Vela.



"The team has proven that it is very good, that we have excellent players and we can compete with anyone.



"I'm talking about giving more, not just this season, but over the coming years. I think the team can improve even more. We can do better than we are now."



Arsene Wenger had high hopes for Vela when he signed the Mexico forward back in 2005, after he had helped his country win the FIFA U-17 World Cup finishing the tournament as top scorer.



But Vela failed to settle in England, and was loaned out to Salamanca, Osasuna and West Brom before a temporary deal with Real Sociedad turned permanent.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have announced that they have cancelled their end of season dinner event due to it not being appropriate given the club's struggles this season.



The club tweeted today: "Apologies but additional issue should have been mentioned at Fans Parliament last night. End of Season dinner has been cancelled.



"Not linked to sales but more a case of not felt appropriate whatever happens between now and the end of the season.



"Supporters who had purchased as part of their package will be invited to an alternative event. Hope fans understand decision."

Rangers will not be stripped of any titles by the SPL commission investigating alleged undisclosed payments by the club, it is understood.



Lord Nimmo Smith chaired the three-man panel which was appointed to decide if the company that formerly ran the club broke SPL rules regarding the payment of employees.



The club won five SPL titles during the decade in question, but Sky sources understand those pennants are not under threat, although the final verdict of the commission is still awaited later on Thursday.



The probe related to the period between 2000-2011 during which Rangers operated employee benefits trusts.



HM Revenue and Customs had claimed the scheme, which was used to make payments to players and staff in the form of tax-free loans, was illegal.



Rangers disputed this and a First Tier Tax Tribunal ruled last November that the scheme did not breach tax law, although HMRC have appealed that initial verdict to an Upper Tier Tax Tribunal.

West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster is believed to be on the verge of ending his self-imposed two-year international exile.



In 2011, the goalkeeper, then at Birmingham City, said that he was no longer available for England because of injury problems.



But Sky Sports sources understand Foster has had a change of heart and is in contention to return for next month's World Cup qualifiers in San Marino and Montenegro.



The 29-year-old, who won the last of his five caps three years ago, would provide competition for Roy Hodgson's current number one, Joe Hart.



If he does return, Foster will be reunited with goalkeeping coach Dave Watson,



who he worked with during his spell at Birmingham.



Foster has been in impressive form for Albion after signing a new five-year contract in the summer.