Real Madrid's France international Lassana Diarra is facing charges relating to a tax fraud probe by police in Le Havre, the French regional paper Paris-Normandie reported on Friday.

The 26-year-old defender has been placed under official judicial investigation, added the paper.

Bologna president Claudio Sabatini says he is hopeful a deal can be worked out to bring NBA superstar Kobe Bryant to Italy despite the two parties remaining a way apart over economic matters.

Bologna have made an offer to the 33-year-old in the hope of bringing him to the club either for a handful of matches or for the whole season should the NBA lock-out continue.

Former French Open finalist Henri Leconte confirmed Friday that he will help coach world number nine Gael Monfils for upcoming tournaments in Valencia and Paris-Bercy.

The 48-year-old Leconte, the 1988 French Open runner-up and Davis Cup winner in 1991, has worked as a television pundit since his retirement in 1996 and has never coached a player.

Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard admitted Friday it was "probably too early" for him to earn a recall to the England squad for next week's crucial Euro 2012 qualifier in Montenegro.

Gerrard is slowly returning to club duty after a six-month lay-off following a groin injury, but believes next Friday's game in Podgorica has come too early for him as Fabio Capello prepares to name his squad this weekend.

West Ham says it has signed Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia on a one-month emergency loan to replace the injured Robert Green.

The east London club, which is fourth in the second-tier League Championship, secured the services of the Spanish player after learning Green will be sidelined for six weeks with a knee injury.

Real Madrid's French international Karim Benzema skipped training with the rest of his teammates on Thursday due to injury and is in doubt for the club's league match away against Espanyol.

The 23-year-old was forced to leave the pitch during Real's 3-0 Champions League win over Ajax on Tuesday after 75 minutes of play because of an adductor muscle problem in his left thigh.

Ex-Germany captain Michael Ballack has maintained his silence with the media here despite scoring for the first time in over six months for Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

Having turned 35 on Monday, Ballack came off the bench for Leverkusen on Wednesday and scored in the 91st minute with a powerful volley which gave the Genk goalkeeper no chance and sealed the 2-0 win over the Belgians.

World number one Novak Djokovic on Thursday pulled out of the China Open with injuries he aggravated during Serbia's Davis Cup semi-final defeat, the tournament website said.

The Serb, who had needed treatment on his back during his U.S. Open final win, could be joined as an absentee from next week's WTA-ATP tournament by Maria Sharapova.

Bayern Munich are eager to offer coach Jupp Heynckes a contract extension following his side's impressive run of form with this week's Champions League win against Manchester City their tenth consecutive victory.

Bayern beat City 2-0 on Tuesday in Munich to take control of Group A with striker Mario Gomez scoring twice to claim 11 goals in seven games.

Goals from Lucas and Neymar earned Brazil a 2-0 win over Argentina in the second leg of the Superclasico de las Americas friendly here on Wednesday.

Both South American giants were missing their European-based stars for the game as they had been for the first leg in Cordoba, Argentina, on September 15 which ended in a goalless draw.