West Brom are closing in on Wigan's James McClean after agreeing a £1.5m fee with the Latics for the Ireland international.

Tony Pulis has targeted the wide areas as he plans to strengthen the Baggies after they finished 13th in last season's Premier League and sees McClean as an ideal signing.

McClean, who failed to save Wigan from the drop despite scoring six times while playing under three managers last season, will be the second Wigan winger to move to the Hawthorns this year after Callum McManaman's January switch.

On the international front, Italy will have to settle for a place among the second seeds for the 2018 World Cup qualifying competition after going down 1-0 at home to Portugal last night.

Meanwhile, Fabio Capello will be sacked as Russia's head coach in the near future, according to media reports from Moscow.

Capello's few remaining supporters appear to have deserted the 68-year-old following Russia's 1-0 loss to Austria last Sunday.

Since the start of last year's World Cup in Brazil, Russia have won just one of 10 competitive internationals under the Italian - they beat Liechtenstein 4-0.

In Italy, Serb Sinisa Mihajlovic has been appointed the new coach of AC Milan, replacing Filippo Inzaghi who has been sacked.

Mihajlovic, who stood down as Sampdoria coach earlier this month, becomes Milan's fourth boss in less than two years following Inzaghi, Massimiliano Allegri and Clarence Seedorf.

Irish Independent