Portsmouth plump for experience

Portsmouth FC have signed Croatia defender Boris Zivkovic after he passed a medical. The Premiership side are also confident that former England striker Teddy Sheringham will join them later this week.

Three-year contract
Since winning the first division last season, Portsmouth have signed Czech midfield player Patrik Berger and Dejan Stefanovic from Serbia and Montenegro ahead of their return to England's top flight. Zivkovic became the third arrival at Fratton Park after agreeing a three-year contract with officials on the south coast.

'Big bonus'
Manager Harry Redknapp told the club's official website: "He is a quality signing and will be a big bonus to us. Boris has played in Germany for six years having been with and come up against the best. You don't play that amount of times for Bayer Leverkusen, as well as captaining your country, unless you have more than a little class about you."

European finals
The 27-year-old Zivkovic played in the 2001/02 UEFA Champions League final for Bayer 04 Leverkusen, but was on the losing side as Real Madrid CF ran out 2-1 winners at Hampden Park. Sheringham, though, knows all about winning the European crown, after his equalising goal for Manchester United FC in the final two years earlier paved the way for Ole Gunnar Solskjær's dramatic winning goal against FC Bayern München.

On holiday
Sheringham has been looking for a new club since leaving Tottenham Hotspur FC at the end of last season. The 37-year-old is currently abroad on holiday but Portsmouth have announced that they expect a deal to be concluded later in the week. Sheringham's career began at Millwall FC before he moved on to Nottingham Forest FC and Spurs. He played 51 times for England.