Leven: No Pilgrims contact

Lorient striker Jeremie Aliadiere has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a hip injury.

The former Middlesbrough man aggravated the injury in the 4-0 Coupe de France defeat to Evian last week and did not feature in the league win over St Etienne at the weekend.

It has now been revealed that the 30-year-old will miss the remaining games against Reims and Paris St Germain and may be ruled out for France's friendlies against Uruguay and Brazil in June.

Aliadiere's form this season has led to speculation that he may be called up by Didier Deschamps but that chance now looks remote.

"I've had pain in my hip for some time now," he told ligue1.com. "I fell awkwardly in the match against Toulouse and since then I've been playing through the pain.

"Since that last match, the pain has been a lot worse and I haven't been able to train - I've just been receiving treatment.

"In my opinion, I won't play again before next season."

The Manchester United centre-half has called time on his international career after 81 appearances with the 34-year-old citing a desire to focus on his club career as an over-riding factor.

Ferdinand has formed a key part of the England defence in recent years, establishing partnerships with first Sol Campbell and, perhaps most famously, John Terry.

The former West Ham man was due to captain his country at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa only to suffer a knee injury in training which ruled him out of the tournament.

Carragher appeared in the first two games of that tournament and is in no doubt he would have significantly more than his 38 caps had Ferdinand not been around.

The 35-year-old, who retires at the end of this season, said: "If he'd retired years ago I might have got a few more games!

"He has been a great player.

"He's a similar age to me so it was always going to come up (competition for places) at one time or another.

"He and John Terry were the cornerstones of the England side for 10 years - which made it difficult for me to get in - but two great players and I wish him well."

Roy Hodgson is due to name his England squad for the friendlies against Republic of Ireland and Brazil on Thursday and it was thought Ferdinand had a chance of being involved despite the furore that accompanied his withdrawal in March.

The defender was recalled for crucial World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Montenegro, only to withdraw citing an "intricate and pre-planned training regime".

Danny Mills played with Ferdinand both for Leeds and England and the former full-back believes the withdrawal earlier this year will have played a big part in his decision.

"I don't think it's a great surprise after what happened last time," Mills told Sky Sports News.

"Rio obviously wanted to be in the squads then realised with all his rehabilitation, he wasn't going to be able to play back-to-back games.

"That effectively ruled him out of anymore double headers if you like and possibly also ruled him out of tournament football for England.

"He possibly would have made himself available for the next friendlies and the games in the summer but he's probably looked at it and thought actually, after what happened last time, the chances are Roy Hodgson may not select him.

"So maybe Rio has done the right thing, has retired before there is a chance that he doesn't get selected."

Harry Redknapp was the man who signed Ferdinand as a youngster at Upton Park and was his manager when he made his England debut in 1997.

Ferdinand left east London for Elland Road in 2000 and moved to Old Trafford less than two years later but Redknapp has revealed that the Premier League champions were making enquiries long before that.

"I loaned him to Bournemouth and Man United came in," the QPR manager told talkSPORT.

"(Chairman) Martin Edwards rang Bournemouth football club, he rang Mel Machin who was the manager and asked Mel how much he wanted for the young centre-half.

"They'd seen him play on the Saturday at Rochdale or somewhere and Mel said 'well he's only on loan, he belongs to West Ham'. Martin Edwards didn't realise that.

"He came on and wanted to buy him and I said 'he hasn't got a price, he'll be the best defender in Europe one day'.

"Eventually he ended up a Man Utd but for an awful lot of money."

He added: "We knew from day one he was going to be a special player.

"He was lightning quick and graceful on the ball.

"He had everything."

Wright was charged with violent conduct by the Scottish Football Association's compliance officer following Saturday's 4-0 defeat to the Hoops.

A hearing will take place tomorrow at Hampden where a judicial panel will determine whether Wright is guilty.

The centre-back appeared to catch Lustig with an arm as the pair attacked the ball at a Saints corner.

St Johnstone host Motherwell on Sunday needing to win to have any chance of pipping Inverness to a Europa League place.

Howe guided his side to four wins and a draw which saw them promoted to the second tier for the second time in their history and it was no surprise to see him rewarded with a nomination for the manager of the month award.

The former Burnley boss will come up against Yeovil manager Gary Johnson and Doncaster's Brian Flynn.

Arter, on the shortlist for the player of the month gong, finished the campaign in style, playing every minute of their final five games and scoring a vital goal against Carlisle.

He faces competition from Oldham forward Matt Smith and Leyton Orient defender Romain Vincelot.

Having won the Championship in style last season, the Berkshire club are preparing for life in the second tier once again.

Reading have just six wins to their name and saw relegation confirmed with three matches still remaining.

There have been positive signs since Nigel Adkins took over as Reading manager on March 26 and captain McAnuff believes next term will be a lot better.

"It has been overwhelmingly disappointing," he said. "We feel we should have got a better points haul than we have done.

"Of course, the goal was to stay up and we have not achieved that so ultimately it is very disappointing.

"I think you can see in our performances that progress has been made [under Adkins].

"From our point of view, I think it is a positive that we have had that time to work with him before the start of next year when we can hit the deck running.

"He has had time to feel us out and vice-versa. He knows what he is going to need over the summer and what we are capable of so I think that will help us going into next season.

"From our point of view, I think it is a real plus that we have kept the real core of the squad together that won the title.

"We've got players that know how to get out of the league and that the Championship is as much about the mental side as the physical.

"We know what the demands are going to be and feel we will have a fighting chance next year, especially with the time we have had under the new gaffer."

Those chances could be harmed if the vultures swoop for any of Reading's standout players.

Alex McCarthy, Jem Karacan and Adam Le Fondre are amongst those linked with a move, while it is understood QPR and Cardiff are interested in McAnuff.

"I am happy here," the Royals skipper said. "I have been here a very long time now and feel really settled at the club.

"My immediate thought is to try and get back in the Premier League with Reading and have a good year next year after what has been a disappointing one this year."

Reading travel to fellow promoted side West Ham on the final day of the campaign and last night came close to getting a result against Manchester City.

Sergio Aguero gave City the lead late in the first half at the Madejski Stadium, before Reading valiantly attempted to force a leveller.

Only last-ditch defending and the fine form of Joe Hart kept the Royals at bay, with Edin Dzeko making it 2-0 in the closing stages.

"It would have been nice to get a result," McAnuff added.

"They are a top, top team and we've got to be better from a goals against point of view. It doesn't matter who we are playing, both goals were sloppy and it was disappointing.

"We had a few chances and I think if Pavel [Pogrebnyak]'s one had gone in it might have been a slightly different story.

"Credit to the lads, we pushed on in the second half and tried to get something from the game and caused them a few problems.

"As I say, they are a decent team and will always create a few chances but in the second half I thought we more than held our own."

The 29-year-old is a free agent after departing the U's and has been linked with a move to John Sheridan's Plymouth.

But despite being flattered with the link, Leven said no contract had been made.

"I'd heard from my agent there was a club interested, but Argyle wasn't the name mentioned," he told the Plymouth Herald.

"But I'm certainly also aware of Plymouth's potential and that they are sleeping giants in this division, so I would, of course be interested."

The Scot played 67 times for Oxford in his two seasons at the Kassam before suffering a season-ending knee surgery.