First-team football is the tonic as Hleb nears a return to Stuttgart

Alexander Hleb could be on his way back to Stuttgart, according to reports in Germany and Italy. The Belarus international appears to have turned down a move to Inter Milan due to the limited prospects of regular football under Jose Mourinho. After a difficult season with Barcelona, the 28-year-old midfielder would reportedly prefer to find a club who can guarantee him first-team action and Stuttgart have been monitoring his situation for several months now.

Suttgart are intensifying their interest after seeing moves for Real Madrid's Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Vagner Love of CSKA Moscow break down. They are discussing a possible loan move for Hleb, who represented Stuttgart between 2000 and 2005 before joining Arsenal. Hleb had been part of the exchange deal which saw Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Samuel Eto'o switch allegiances earlier this week, but according to reports in Italy, he has turned down the chance to join the Nerazzurri, opening the path for a return to Germany.

Last season's runners-up in France, Marseille, will play their first home game of the season away from the Stade Velodrome because an inquiry into an accident that killed two workers earlier this month has not been completed. The home game against Lille on Aug 16 will instead be played at Montpellier's Stade de la Mosson. On July 16, two workers were killed and eight injured when part of a roof of a stage built for a scheduled Madonna concert collapsed.

* Agencies