Former Holland international Edgar Davids looks set to return to Ajax, the club where he started his career.

Davids, 33, was a product of Ajax's youth team and formed a key part of the 1995 European Cup-winning side that also included Clarence Seedorf, Michael Reiziger and Nwankwo Kanu.

He went on to play for AC Milan, Inter Milan, Barcelona and Juventus before spending last season at Tottenham where he helped them to a fifth place finish in the Premiership.

After missing out on the Dutch World Cup squad, Davids now appears keen on a move back to his first club.

If the deal goes through he will join former Holland team-mate Jaap Stam, who will also be an Ajax player next season.

Tottenham were thought to be keen to hold on to the experienced midfield dynamo, but now appear resigned to losing him.

The north London club, who narrowly missed out on a place in next season's Champions League, have been linked with St Etienne's Didier Zakora as a potential replacement.

Zakora, who will be at next month's World Cup with Ivory Coast, has though attracted attention from a number of top clubs, meaning Spurs could face competition for his signature.

Ajax coach Henk ten Cate has admitted he would welcome having Edgar Davids at the club after the midfielder revealed he wants to end his playing career in Amsterdam.

The 33-year-old is currently plying his trade with Tottenham, but has told the newly-appointed Ajax boss that he would love to return to the Eredivisie club.

And Ten Cate would be happy to have him on board.

"Davids would find it terrific if he joined Ajax," Ten Cate told RTL TV show Voetbal Insite. "But there is of course a price tag around his neck and that can make it very difficult.

"I do hope that he joins us though - together with Jaap Stam he's a guy who doesn't need a captain's armband to have authority.

"They can make the young players understand what is needed to reach the top and even more importantly, what they need to do to stay there."

Ajax are also eyeing up full-back Gabri of Barcelona and AZ Alkmaar captain Denny Landzaat.

"I would love to include Gabri but he has a big salary in Spain so it all depends on how badly he wants to play football," added Ten Cate.

"Landzaat is also a great player but he's not top of my priority list."

David Pleat's chalkboard The priority for Arsenal is obvious: keep Barcelona's brilliant Brazilian quiet and then think about attacking.

Barcelona are hardly a one-man team but Arsenal do need to put special emphasis on trying to nullify Ronaldinho. The extra midfielder that Arsène Wenger uses in the Champions League can play an important role in that and the right-back Emmanuel Eboué has to be aware of when to show the Brazilian infield and when to encourage him down the line.

Barcelona enjoy great success when the ball is delivered early out of defence to Ronaldinho, and Arsenal need to threaten that pass to force the ball elsewhere. To make that happen the extra midfielder, probably Freddie Ljungberg, has to drop back and help Gilberto Silva and Cesc Fábregas.  If Ljungberg comes deep it will allow either Gilberto or Fábregas to shuffle towards Ronaldinho and form a cluster around him with Eboué and Alexander Hleb, trying to make Barcelona build up through another area.

Against Juventus at Highbury, Robert Pires was the link striker who dropped into midfield when the Italian side gained possession, and it worked brilliantly. Pires was inspired and helped to outnumber Patrick Vieira and Emerson in the centre of the pitch.

This challenge is different because Arsenal want to snuff out Barcelona on the left and their opponents play three in central midfield rather than Juventus's two. Arsenal will have to cope with the holding player Edmilson and with Deco and Andrés Iniesta, who provide passes to the wide front players, Ronaldinho and Ludovic Giuly.

If Ronaldinho gains possession Eboué must tighten quickly and then what he does will depend on how far from goal they are. From 30 yards out or closer, Eboué must try to force Ronaldinho on to his left foot - his weaker one. Ronaldinho can still cross on the run with his left foot but I believe Eboué has the strength, speed and intelligence to cut out the ball with a right-foot challenge. The important thing for Eboué to realise is he cannot allow Ronaldinho to come on the inside for a pop at goal or killer pass.

When play is further out and there is no shooting opportunity, Eboué has to force Ronaldinho inside into the pack so one of the midfielders can get a bite at him, making a tackle or interception. In both situations the key is to get Ronaldinho into the area which poses less immediate danger.

Jaap Stam held Ronaldinho well for Milan for two-thirds of the semi-final at San Siro. Ronaldinho had some joy when he went infield, which is something Arsenal's midfield need to be tuned into, and it will be interesting to see what he does when Eboué looks to attack. Cafu came on for Stam for the last phase of that game and Ronaldinho called his bluff by staying wide and high up the pitch when the full-back went forward. Normally you would expect a player to track back but Ronaldinho has earned special privileges and used the space that Cafu conceded to hit on the break.

Arsenal need to make sure they threaten Barcelona as well as staying tight and I think José Antonio Reyes can play a big part by drawing the right-back Oleguer towards him and creating room for Thierry Henry on that flank, where he is so dynamic. Reyes needs to reproduce the form he showed in Madrid and be brave physically and mentally to position himself to receive the ball at the earliest opportunity.

If Reyes then runs effectively at Oleguer, the full-back will most likely feel obliged to get tight and Reyes can look to hit quick balls down the line for Henry, which will drag Carles Puyol out of the centre and leave room for the attacking midfielders to burst into. The key is for Arsenal to be much more positive with their support to Henry than in the semi-final at Villarreal.

Oleguer might be instructed to hold his ground to deny Henry that space, but then Deco has to cover across and that will take him away from influencing attacks and give Arsenal more room in central midfield.

I see this final as the biggest tactical battle to have faced Wenger's cool, analytical mind. It is hard to call but I believe the first goal will be crucial and Arsenal will need it. I hope there is one more success story for them on their great European adventure.

By now most of you will have come across Dale Granger's interview with Jake White, published in yesterday's Argus, in which the Springbok coach outlines his probable squad of 45 ahead of the midyear internationals. It’s a squad that looks to have a backbone of familiarity, but one or two decisions scream out from the anticipated list — and in particular, an open side flanker who has every right to wonder what he has to do to get a Springbok look-in.

Ten Cate, who celebrated with one million Barca fans their championship win yesterday, is yet to comment on the move.

The Dutchman is said to have been given a big budget for the summer market - with Ajax having already secured Jaap Stam from AC Milan for next season.

Milan are making a third attempt to sign the Spanish international as they seek a replacement for Ajax-bound Jaap Stam betting.

Salgado's first option is to stay at Real, however he has become disillusioned with life at the Santiago Bernabeu after losing his place to Cicinho and also the boardroom chaos that has engulfed the club this year.

Former Manchester United defender Stam had hoped his calf problem would have eased in time for the first-leg tie but he was not named in Milan's travelling party for the game.

With Brazilian Cafu still sidelined and captain Paolo Maldini not ready to start -- although he will feature on the bench - Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said that experienced former Italy international defender Alessandro Costacurta was likely to play at right back.

Costacurta, who is 40 next month, turned in an impressive display in Milan's 3-1 Serie A win over Fiorentina on Saturday and Ancelotti said he would check on his fitness before deciding his line-up.

"If Costacurta is in good shape then I will turn to him," said Ancelotti who added he was confident his team could get a positive result in Lyon.

"The team are in one of their best periods of form and when things are like that we always manage to get a result," he said.

Ronaldinho insists victory over AC Milan tonight could signal the start of a dynasty for Barcelona. The Catalans are favourites to reach the Champions League Final as they hold a 1-0 lead from the semi final first leg, as well as topping their domestic league by eight points.

Milan enjoyed a period of domination in the early nineties and Ronaldinho is convinced success in this tournament could trigger a similar era in Barcelona's history. "We want to make history here at Barca like Milan have done in the past and we have a lot of respect for their achievements," said the Barcelona striker, whose club last won the Champions League in 1992.

"We have everything in place here to make that possible and to win the competition. It is important the club wins major competitions because although we have a great team, we need to turn that into trophies. We have to prepare ourselves properly for this match but we are very motivated and looking forward to playing."

Ludovic Giuly's goal in the first leg at the San Siro separates the sides going into the return fixture and Barcelona can welcome back Deco from injury and Henrik Larsson from injury to bolster their squad. But Ronaldinho is still expecting a titanic struggle for the right to meet Arsenal in the Champions League Final.

"We are up against a great team and I will be facing strong defenders in either Cafu or Jaap Stam spreads," he added. "I am ready to face either. I know Cafu as I have played with him on numerous occasions and Stam is a very strong player, but I am fully fit and looking forward to the game.

"The team needs to play in the same way as we did in the first game. It is important we now forget the result in Milan and go out expecting a difficult game. For me, everyone in the team is important and my job is to go out and provide as many good passes as I can and help the team get to the final."

Milan's Clarence Seedorf will be pulling out all the stops to prevent Barcelona from reaching the final, but claims the fact he was once at arch rivals Real Madrid will have no bearing. The Dutchman, who is the only player to win the trophy with three clubs, has made it clear reaching the Champions League final for the second straight season is motivation enough and holds no grudges against Real's bitterest rivals.

"We have come here with the belief that we can win and get to the final," said the 30-year-old. "My only aim is to win for Milan and win a trophy for the club but it will be a difficult match against tough opposition. I expect more or less the same game as the one in the first leg because Barca are a side which does not change home or away as they always play the same style.

"This is going to be a special match for us and it is an honour to be playing in it. Barca have been playing well for a while so it is not a surprise to see them in this position and it is going to be also a big game for them in order to win something after the good football they have shown recently. They have a slight advantage from not playing at the weekend but it is nothing major."

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti hopes to be able to choose from a full squad for the crunch tie, which will mean having to decide between Brazil captain Cafu or Jaap Stam at right back.

AC Milan have received a boost ahead of their UEFA Champions League semi-final decider against FC Barcelona with Cafu and Filippo Inzaghi declaring themselves fit.

Cafu confident
Brazilian Cafu underwent treatment after Milan's 3-1 Serie A win at FC Messina Peloro on Saturday, along with striker Andriy Shevchenko, but the right-back has insisted he will be fine for the second leg, saying: "I'm fine, I've recovered and I'll be ready for Wednesday's game."

Inzaghi recovered
While the 35-year-old Brazilian appeared as a late substitute during the 1-0 home defeat by Barcelona, striker Inzaghi missed the match with a virus. However, the 32-year-old, who has not played since 9 April but scored two vital goals in the quarter-final victory against Olympique Lyonnais, will be available.

Nesta worry
Coach Carlo Ancelotti's selection concerns now lie elsewhere. Alessandro Nesta, Massimo Ambrosini and Kaká were all taken off in the first 30 minutes of the Messina game, with Italy centre-back Nesta the main worry with a thigh strain. The 30-year-old could be replaced by Jaap Stam odds in central defence if he fails to overcome the problem.

IT was hoped that someday, Nemanja Vidic would develop into the new Steve Bruce or Jaap Stam.

It was also hoped that his no-nonsense style would be the perfect foil for Franz Beckenbauer-wannabe Rio Ferdinand.

But based on last night's performance against Spurs, the 24-year-old burly centre-back is still some way from the finished article. 

Sir Alex Ferguson's faith in him saw the Scot shell out a rumoured 7 million ($21m) to prise Vidic away from Spartak Moscow.

Still, transfer fees have nothing to do with actual form. Think Juan Sebastian Veron, Kleberson and Eric Djemba-Djemba.

While Manchester United's 2-1 win means they still have a mathematical chance of catching Chelsea in the title race, it was Vidic's below-par display that marred an otherwise ruthless performance from his team-mates.

Not for the first time, Fergie has bought a player that, so far, hasn't lived up to the hype.

In the Serb's case, that hype was supposed to spell out 'Aggressive marker. Uncompromising tackler. Strong in the air. Bedrock of defence.'

Perhaps, the disclaimer should read: 'Product could malfunction in Premiership environment.'

Sure, it looked promising at first. After all, his partnership with Ferdinand at the back helped the Red Devils stage a late rally for the title with a run of nine consecutive wins.

Nine days ago, it was Vidic's bone-shattering challenge that won the ball for Mikael Silvestre to cross for Wayne Rooney's opener in the 2-0 win over Arsenal.

But despite the initial rave reviews from his first eight starts, his ninth match in Man U's first XI was tarnished by errors that made him look like United's former French escargot Laurent Blanc.

After an uneventful first-half, it all fell to pieces as Vidic crumbled under relentless Tottenham pressure.

It started in the 52nd minute, when his confidence was shot to pieces as the tiny Jermain Defoe found the strength and will to nudge past the centre-back in a high-ball situation before lobbing just over Edwin van der Sar.

Less than 60 seconds later, Vidic threw Spurs another unexpected lifeline. Only this time, the ball ended up in the back of the net.

As Michael Carrick curled his corner in, everything about Vidic's technique for his defensive header was wrong.

Instead of going for distance to propel the ball up and away from harm, he jacknifed in mid-air and sent it downwards.

The ball struck an unsuspecting Ferdinand and rebounded past the goalkeeper, who could do nothing as Jermaine Jenas swooped in for an easy tap-in.

From there, Vidic's day went from bad to worse.

Abandoning his post in the 61st minute, the man who helped Serbia and Montenegro concede just once in the World Cup Qualifiers clattered into Silvestre as he went for the same ball as the Frenchman. Bad miscommunication.

Then with Tottenham pressing for the equaliser, Vidic gave away several needless free-kicks in the danger zone.

Choking Lee Barnard in the 79th minute and climbing all over Defoe two minutes from time, he practically baited Spurs to put one away from a dead-ball situation.

Add in another slip-shod header that played John O'Shea into trouble in the 81st minute, one gets the impression that the new Bruce/Stam is far from what he's cracked up to be.

He passed the test in his first eight games for Man U. But Vidic was really taught some harsh lessons in his ninth.

Now, especially with Chelsea beckoning in 10 days' time, we will really see what he's made of.

AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti believes his team's greater experience in Europe will give them the edge in the Champions League clash against Barcelona.

The two teams meet in their semi-final first leg at the San Siro on Tuesday night.

The Rossoneri beat Juventus to the title in 2003 and were runners-up to Liverpool last season and many of those Milan players will feature against Barca.

"This is our third Champions League semi-final in four years," said Ancelotti.

"We are used to these type of games while Barcelona are not."

In the knockout stages this season, Barcelona eliminated Chelsea and then Benfica while Milan overcame Bayern Munich and Lyon, respectively, to reach the last four.

"At the moment, Barcelona and Milan are the two teams in Europe that express the best football," said Ancelotti.

"I think the two games against Barcelona are going to be beautiful, there will be no lack of quality."

Milan are peaking at the right time, going into the game on the back of Friday's 1-0 Milan derby triumph against Inter - a result that gives them an outside chance of stealing the Scudetto as they now stand just five points behind leaders Juventus with four Serie A games remaining.

"We are in very good shape right now," said Ancelotti.

"I hope the team wins and if we don't concede a goal it would be even better."

Ancelotti revealed that Barca's Brazilian sensation Ronaldinho will not be man-marked during the game, something which his former team-mate at Milan, Barca boss Frank Rijkaard, will be happy to hear.

"We've never played man-mark tactics," said Ancelotti.

"We will try to control Ronaldinho in the zone where he will play but he will not have a specific marker."

The Spaniards will be relieved Milan striker Filippo Inzaghi is out of action with flu.

Inzaghi's goal against Lyon in the quarter-final tie allowed Milan to progress but Ancelotti still has Alberto Gilardino who, despite having yet to find the net in European competition, is one of the biggest talents in Italy.

There is also the awesome talent of the team's top scorer, Andriy Shevchenko.

Shevchenko, who has netted nine goals in the Champions League this term, is confident that even without Inzaghi Milan will come up with the goods.

"The absence of one player shouldn't hinder a team," he said.

"We will not have Inzaghi but we have other great players that are sturdy replacements."

The Ukrainian forward does not consider the clash to be a showdown between Ronaldinho and himself.

"This game is not Shevchenko versus Ronaldinho," he said.

"The most important thing is the group, the spirit of the group.

"We have an experienced team and are ready for everything."

The good news for Ancelotti is the recovery of central defender Jaap Stam who missed the Milan derby through injury.

Carles Puyol has confessed that he would like to join Milan if he ever leaves Barcelona.

AC Milan will need a miracle to catch Juventus and win the Scudetto but you would not know it by the moods in the two camps.

Milan, who go into this weekend's game against Chievo nine points behind Juve with six games left to play, are all smiles because they are now the only Italian club still alive in the Champions League.

Juve are so upset at their quarter-final elimination against Arsenal that they have decided not to talk to the press next week.

Milan, meanwhile, are only too happy to re-live their dramatic late goals against Lyon.

Progress into the semi-final has given them a chance to make amends for last season's second-half collapse against Liverpool in the Champions League final in Istanbul.

"I am really satisfied," said coach Carlo Ancelotti.

"After Istanbul many thought a cycle had come to an end.

"But they were wrong because this team can still do very well and we are very close to reaching the final in Paris."

The Rossoneri will have the added pressure of defending the pride of the Calcio after neighbours Internazionale were surprisingly eliminated by Villarreal.

"I am saddened by Inter's exit more than that of Juve," said Ancelotti.

"After all, Juve still have the Scudetto to look forward to.

"It wouldn't surprise me if Inter sacked (coach Roberto) Mancini even if he has done a good job, I feel sorry for him."

Ancelotti has not had an easy campaign, having had to constantly deny rumours of a possible move to Real Madrid despite him signing a contract extension with the Rossoneri.

"I am very happy at Milan," he said.

"I have never been close to Real Madrid or tempted to leave this club."

Aside from Europe, Ancelotti's side are focused on finishing second in Serie A after Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Lecce all but ended their title hopes.

The Rossoneri are well aware they will face a battle against Inter, who are two points behind them and will be desperate to finish second best.

With Inter taking on Ascoli on Saturday before the Milan derby next Friday, the pressure will be on Ancelotti's men as they host a determined Chievo.

Rivals Chievo have never beaten Milan at the San Siro but will be inspired by their recent positive run which has seen them take seven points of a possible nine.

Beppe Pillon's outfit hold the last European qualifying spot and are determined to increase their current two-point advantage over Lazio.

"We are in a good position," said Pillon after his team's 2-1 triumph against Livorno.

"We will fight until the end because we have the strength and determination to do so."

Pillon will be forced to rearrange his midfield line, with Luciano serving a one-match ban and Paolo Sammarco and Federico Giunti out injured.

However, the men from Verona hope to recover midfielder Andrea Zanchetta and defender Lorenzo D'Anna who have struggled with minor injuries throughout the week.

AC Milan welcome back captain Paolo Maldini who will replace injured defender Jaap Stam in the starting XI.

Ancelotti is set to rest Milan's top scorer Andriy Shevchenko and play with the in-form Filippo Inzaghi alongside Alberto Gilardino in attack.