Jason Koumas, surplus to requirements with West Bromwich Albion, will today decide between a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers on loan or a permanent switch to Cardiff City.
Either way, the Wales international midfield player has been omitted from Albion's pre- season plans, partly because of personal issues and partly because he will not figure in the Premiership campaign.
Going to Wolves would be a public relations own goal for Koumas - Albion and Wolves are fierce rivals - but Cardiff are unlikely to be able to afford to pay £1.5 million to sign the player.
That leaves Wolves as the favourites, with Darren Purse, the Albion defender, likely to join Cardiff on a permanent deal for £400,000.
Koumas was placed on the transfer list in May, having failed to display an acceptable attitude.
Sheffield Wednesday are trying to sign Albion winger Lloyd Dyer.
Javier Saviola, the Barcelona utility player, has emerged as a target for Aston Villa.
The 23-year-old Argentina international cost Barcelona £15.7 million but has been told his services are no longer required. That has alerted David O'Leary, the Villa manager, who is desperate to strengthen his squad.
However, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United have been linked with the player who was once dubbed the new Maradona. But O'Leary's trump card is Juan Pablo Angel, the Villa and Colombia international striker, who played with Saviola with River Plate in Argentina.
It could prove to be a double boost for O'Leary as the arrival of Saviola, probably on a season- long loan, would undoubtedly help Villa's £9.5 million record signing who had a difficult season last year.
The fact that fellow South Americans Nolberto Solano and Ulises de la Cruz are also at Villa Park could also be important. O'Leary has moved quickly to find out the terms being demanded by the player and his club.
Barca's sporting director Txiki Beguristain has confirmed that Saviola would be allowed out on loan again after he spent last season at Monaco.
He had a fantastic first season with the Catalan giants and was called into Argentina's 2002 World Cup squad but his form dipped under Frank Rijkaard and he was farmed out on a year-long deal.
O'Leary has already bought in Aaron Hughes, Kevin Phillips, Stuart Taylor and Patrik Berger, spending about £3 million.
