As if life wasn't tough enough for Robbie Keane at Inter Milan, having to compete with the Who's Who of International Strikers for a place in the team, who was the club "linked" with last week? Romario. The Romario. Rumour has it that Inter have already sealed a two-year deal with the Brazilian who will, allegedly, arrive in Italy in January.

Meanwhile, Keane's international team-mate Alan Kelly might be on his way from Blackburn Rovers after they signed former Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Friedel last week. Kelly had already lost his first team place to John Filan but now that Graeme Souness has announced that Friedel will be first choice at Ewood Park Kelly may well decide it's time to up sticks and move on.

He's not the only Irish player at Blackburn who is finding himself out of favour with Souness - like Kelly, Lee Carsley, Jason McAteer and Jeff Kenna only made the bench for Saturday's game against Stockport. Carsley, not for the first time, was rumoured to be the subject of a bid from Everton last week. Another Irish player who's having a happier time of it lately is young Millwall striker Richard Sadlier, but last week's transfer chit-chat linked him with a move to Spurs, just to remind him life isn't always a bed of roses.