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SCMP Reporter

MANCHESTER United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel is at the centre of another race abuse row.

  A video tape allegedly showing the Danish international hurling racist abuse at an opposing player has been sent to the Football Association (FA), according to a newspaper report.

  Schmeichel is already at the centre of a row with Ian Wright after a supporter complained to the FA that he racially abused the Arsenal striker.

  Now another video, taken in a match between Manchester United and Leeds six years ago, has been sent to the FA, according to the British tabloid News of the World.

  The paper has employed a lip reader to study the footage, and she claimed Schmeichel mouthed 'Fxxx off. . . little black sxxx' at Leeds' striker Rod Wallace.

 French winger Robert Pires, who has been courted by Newcastle and Paris St Germain, has agreed to stay at Metz until after the 1998 World Cup finals.

  Pires, currently out for a month with a knee ligament injury, is under contract with Metz for a further three years and told club president Carlo Molinari at the weekend he would stay at least until the end of next season.

  Joe Royle is hoping to sign QPR winger Trevor Sinclair in time to pitch him into Everton's match against Manchester United.

  Sinclair, 24, who cost QPR GBP800,000 from Blackpool three years ago, is keen on the GBP5 million that will take him to Goodison.

  The clubs have had talks and if QPR can line up a replacement - the top target is Blackburn's Stuart Ripley - the deal will go through.

   Royal is also keeping tabs on Monaco midfielder Laurent Viaud who has been in England for a trial with Everton.

  'If I give satisfaction, there's a good chance it will happen,' said Viaud, referring to his chances of joining Everton before the March 31 transfer deadline.

  Viaud said Everton wanted to see him in action in a full match.

  Derby boss Jim Smith has launched a worldwide bid for a new striker after being turned down by Aston Villa's Tommy Johnson.

  Johnson refused to even talk terms with Smith even though the clubs had agreed a GBP2.3 million fee.

  Smith, who is waiting for a work permit for Costa Rican Paulo Wanchope, is preparing a raid for GBP3 million-rated Russian Igor Simutenkov, who will be released by Italian club Reggiana before they are relegated from Serie A.

  Dalian Atkinson gets the green light to kick-start his career with manchester City this weekend after being frozen out for 11 months.

  The former Aston Villa striker left Turkish club Fenerbahce last April but had his registration withheld and wages stopped.

  He was told he could play again after FIFA intervened.

    Alexander Manninger, goalkeeper of Austria's Casino Graz, has been signed by Arsenal.

  Manninger will become the first Austrian to join an English Premier League side when he leaves Graz at the end of this season.

  Austrian news agency APA said the 19-year-old had agreed to a six-year deal and Graz manager Peter Svetits said: 'All I can say is that it is the largest sum ever paid for an Austrian player.'   'We just have to agree on a few minor details of the contract,' he said.

  Graz are reported to have wanted around GBP700,000 for Manninger, who was under contract with them until 2001.

  He signed for Arsenal after impressing manager Arsene Wenger in a two-day trial at Highbury this week.

  Arsenal's first-choice goalkeeper David Seaman is recovering from a knee operation and his deputy John Lukic is sidelined with a poisoned toe.

  Both men could be nearing the end of their careers. Seaman is 33 and Lukic is 35.

  Manninger became Graz's number one goalkeeper last October after a brilliant performance in the San Siro stadium in his first European match - a UEFA Cup tie against Italy's Internazionale.

 Tottenham's GBP2.6 million Norwegian striker Steffen Iversen may be out for the rest of the season with a knee ligament.

  Iversen was carried off three minutes from the end of Saturday's 1-0 White Hart Lane win against Leeds and has had a scan on the injury.

   Spurs physio Tony Lenaghan is not giving up hope of a reasonably swift return.

  'We will wait for the result of the scan to see the extent of the damage,' Lenaghan said.

  Ron Atkinson will leave Coventry - the club that promised him a job for life - in the close season.

  Coventry chairman Bryan Richardson said: 'We have not had any negotiations about another contract for Ron. We wouldn't stand in his way of another job although I must stress we are not throwing him out of the door.' 



New racial rumpus for Schmeichel