19/07/2006
Morocco's Jaouad Zairi has held talks with English Premiership clubs Newcastle and Porthsmouth. He has been playing since January for Saudi club Al-Ittihad Jeddah on a five-month loan from French first-division club FC Sochaux. Earlier this month, Zairi was also linked with Saint Etienne, the Glasgow Rangers and Greece's Olympiakos. His contract with Sochaux expires in 2008. (Morocco Times, Maroc Football)