Miller turns down Wolves contract

Scotland striker Kenny Miller has turned down a new contract at Wolves.

The 25-year-old, who has been linked with a return to Rangers as well as hometown club Hearts, will become a free agent in the summer when his current deal expires and looks set to exercise his right to speak to other clubs from January.

Wolves have made three improved contract offers to Miller, who cost £3m (€4.4m) when he joined from Rangers in 2001, but now concede the Scot is “not likely to put pen to paper” according to their official club website, www.wolves.co.uk.

Wanderers boss Glenn Hoddle said: “Kenny has made it clear that he won’t be signing the contract we have offered him.

“He says he wants to keep his options open, so we have to live with that – we can’t force him to sign.”

Caretaker-manager Dave Bassett insists highly-rated teenager Theo Walcott will stay at Southampton.

The 16-year-old has been the subject of a proposed £8m (€11.9m) bid from Premiership heavyweights Arsenal and Chelsea in the January transfer window.

But Bassett has dismissed the reports as nothing more than speculation and is confident Walcott will remain at the club.

“We are not looking for Theo to go but you get speculation when a young player does well – but I just ignore it,” he said. “We see Theo’s future at Southampton and we are sure he does too because it is good for him to be here.

“The chairman, Rupert Lowe, will decide if the situation becomes serious but we just get on with it because this sort of thing is part and parcel of football,” Bassett told BBC Sport.

Sheffield United executive chairman Kevin McCabe admits the club are prepared to offer manager Neil Warnock a lucrative Premiership contract in February.

Warnock was close to joining Portsmouth at the start of December but after holding discussions with Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric, he decided against the move and is now concentrating on getting the Blades promoted to the top flight.

McCabe insists the type of contract that will be offered to Warnock will be dependant on the club’s position in the Championship table in three months time.

“We have a great association. He’s our manager, a great manager but the time is not appropriate to talk yet,” he said.

“If, by the end of February, we know or we are confident we will be in the Premiership we will discuss a Premiership contract and if not we will talk about a Championship contract,” McCabe told the club’s official website, www.sufc.co.uk.

Meanwhile, the Blades have opened contract talks with long-serving defender Rob Kozluk.

The 28-year-old has been at Bramall Lane for six years and featured regularly this season, despite being one of a number of players still on the transfer list.

Ipswich boss Joe Royle has revealed he failed to persuade Tottenham to allow Poland international striker Grzegorz Rasiak to move to Portman Road on loan.

Denied the services of five-goal top scorer Sam Parkin until March after the ex-Swindon star suffered a broken ankle, Royle had hoped to line up the former Derby ace when the transfer window re-opens next month.

Royle said: “I did ask about Rasiak but I can understand Tottenham’s position right now. They’ve got a great season going there and will be losing Mido when he goes off to play in the African Nations Cup.”

Crystal Palace striker Wayne Andrews is in the dark about his future as he approaches the end of his contract.

The 28-year-old’s current deal expires in the summer – and the Eagles have given no indication of wishing to renew it.

“I definitely want to stay at the club, because I enjoy it here. But I want to be playing regular football, so it’s a tough one,” said Andrews, who has started only six matches this term and has been linked with Championship rivals QPR.

“If I am offered a new contract, great. If not, then I’ll have to look elsewhere.”

On-loan Manchester United defender Paul McShane is set for a return to Brighton provided he comes through a training session at the Red’s Carrington training ground on Wednesday.

McShane injured his ankle ligaments in the Seagulls’ 1-1 draw at Cardiff last month and medical staff at Old Trafford want to ensure he has recovered sufficiently before he makes his return to the south coast club to complete his loan spell.

He will be re-assessed by Brighton’s staff ahead of their clash with Hull on Friday night.

Swindon have parted company with striker Tony Thorpe by mutual consent.

The 31-year-old has struggled to establish himself in the Robins side since arriving at the County Ground from QPR last summer.

Thorpe, who managed just one goal for Town, started the season as first choice marksman but never regained his place in the team after Rory Fallon returned from suspension.

Manager Iffy Onuora told the club’s official website, www.stfc.co.uk: “For one reason or another he just wasn’t able to hold down a place in the side.”

Southend chairman Ron Martin has denied claims that Bradford’s Jamaican goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts was racially abused at Roots Hall on Saturday.

Ricketts, who was sent off during the 1-1 draw, claimed he was taunted with racist comments from one fan sitting in the South Upper stand.

But in a statement issued to the official club website, Shrimpers chief Martin argued that his vice-chairman Paul FitzGerald had seen nothing of the incident.

He said: “Members of the Shrimpers Trust including the vice-chairman have jumped to the individual’s defence. Mr FitzGerald says he witnessed the incident and at no time was there racist abuse.”

The allegations are currently under investigation by the police. A spokesman for the FA said: “There is currently a police investigation, one person has been arrested and bailed and he will be banned from the club for the length of the investigation.”