By JOHN BOSCHINI
After flirting with Arsenal and Chelsea during the summer transfer window, Gary Cahill will likely be heading to Chelsea in January after a transfer fee was agreed upon with Bolton Wanderers.
The central defender has become an England national team regular and will look to stabilize a defense that will lose Alex in January and could be without John Terry for an extended period following a criminal racism charge.
Chelsea has kept only four clean sheets this season and is in danger of falling out of the top four for the first time since 2002. Cahill, 26, is still on Bolton's team sheet for Saturday's crucial game against Wolverhampton Wanderers, as Bolton looks to climb out of the relegation zone.
Cahill still must negotiate a contract with Chelsea before the deal can be made final.
Here are some more stories to kick off your Friday:
ANCELOTTI INTRODUCED BY PSG
Carlo Ancelotti is officially the new coach at Paris-St. Germain, as he was introduced at a press conference by the team on Friday.
The 52-year-old Ancelotti signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with the club, and he replaces Antoine Kombouare, who was eliminated from his post at the high-spending organization after coming up with disappointing results in European and domestic cup play.
PSG is still in good shape in Ligue 1, though, as it leads the league table by three points halfway through the season.
REAL ZARAGOZA SACKS AGUIRRE
In a move of desperation, Real Zaragoza has fired former Mexico coach Javier Aguirre as the club battles relegation. Zaragoza is currently four points adrift at the bottom of the La Liga table, winning only 10 points from a possible 48.
Aguirre led Mexico to the 2010 World Cup and managed to save Zaragoza from relegation last season, but the club is suffering from severe financial difficulties and could face administration.
CASSANO LIKELY OUT OF EURO 2012
Italy will likely be without Antonio Cassano for the upcoming European championships after the AC Milan forward underwent emergency heart surgery last month.
Italy manager Cesare Prandelli was expected to make Cassano a focal point of the Azzurri attack in the summer, but the striker said he needs at least six months to recover. With Giuseppe Rossi out with a long-term injury, most of the attacking options will likely fall to Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli.
SWISS FA TAKES ACTION AGAINST SION
The Swiss FA has docked domestic club FC Sion 36 points for fielding ineligible players two weeks after FIFA threatened to suspend Switzerland from international play if no punishment was handed down.
The move clears the way for FC Basel to participate in the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds and for the national team to participate in international tournaments.
Sion has filed a civil suit against FIFA's executive committee, saying the actions taken amounted to blackmail.
CAPELLO WANTS TIGHTER RULES ON YOUTH PLAYERS
England manager Fabio Capello wants UEFA to increase efforts on stopping youth players leaving their country of origin to sign with big European clubs.
Currently, Rule 19 of the FIFA statute says players can not transfer to another country until they are 18, but the rule is easily usurped if one of the player's parents moves to that country for reasons unrelated to the sport.
Capello also criticized Germany for fielding players of Turkish origin in Germany's 4-1 dismantling of England in the 2010 World Cup quarterfinals.
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Excited to see Cahill move to Chelsea? Now that Ancelotti is in place at PSG, do you think David Beckham will follow? Surprised to see Aguirre get the sack? Think the Swiss FA made the right move? Do you agree with Capello on restricting the movement of youth players?
Share your thoughts below.