Ronaldinho signs new lucrative Barca deal

BRAZILIAN star Ronaldinho has signed a lucrative new deal with Barcelona as the club aim to ward off bids from European rivals.

Chelsea had been linked with a world-record bid for the 24-year-old but the Spanish giants have reportedly upped his yearly salary from €3.8 million to €5m.

Ronaldinho's buy-out clause is also believed to have increased from €100m to €150m Real Madrid's €68m purchase of Zinedine Zidane is the current record. Barca said he signed the deal, which runs until 2008, last week.

German international Christian Ziege has signed a two-year deal with Borussia Monchengladbach after being released by Tottenham.

The 32-year -old was a surprise inclusion in Rudi Voller's squad for the European Championships.

Ziege spent almost all of last season out injured while at Spurs, who he joined from Liverpool in 2001.

Jonathon Douglas has signed a new three-year contract with Blackburn to take him up to the summer of 2007.

The 22-year-old Republic of Ireland midfielder, whose current deal expired this month, said: "I'm delighted. It's a very good club and I've been here since I was 16. Hopefully I will be able to get involved more, I started playing towards the end of last season and if I can keep injury free and keep working hard then I will be able to play the games I really want to play."

Charlton striker Kevin Lisbie has signed a new three-year contract with the Addicks while 19-year-old Irish midfielder Neil McCafferty, who has yet to break into the Addicks' first team, has signed a new one-year deal.

Leeds' Michael Bridges is aiming to get his career back on track at Bolton, after yesterday agreeing a one-year deal with a further 12-month option. He spent last season on loan to Newcastle.