Rome - AC Milan are set to be among the big clubs keen on signing Samuel Eto'o, the Cameroon star striker who appears set on leaving Barcelona at the end of the season.

La Gazzetta dello Sport wrote Wednesday that the footballer's agent, Josep Maria Mesalles, last week met Milan officials to resume contacts that had taken place already a year ago.

Eto'o has bickered frequently with coach Pep Guardiola, leaving little room for him to renew a contract that expires in 2010 and likely setting the stage for a departure in the summer.

Modena, Italy  - Italian sports car maker Maserati has expanded its range with an upgraded version of the Quattroporte and has hinted at a new drop head model for the autumn.

The four-door limousine is already no slouch and thanks to an extra 10 brake horsepower from its 4.7-litre engine, the makers in Modena promise enhanced performance.

Revised software for the six-speed automatic gearbox enables the V8 unit to rev happily above 6,000 rpm, freeing up more power for acceleration and top speed.

Rome - AC Milan defender Alessandro Nesta has successfully undergon

Rome - AC Milan are continuing negotiations to obtain the full ownership of English veteran David Beckham, who joined the Devils in late December on a loan deal from Los Angeles Galaxy.

Italian media Tuesday quoted Milan vice president Adriano Galliani as saying that "Friday could be the decisive day."

The 33-year-old England midfielder is due back to the US club on March 8, but the perfect way he has fitted in at Milan has convinced both him and the Serie A club to convert the loan into a transfer deal.

Cagliari, Sardinia - In a surprise result Tuesday, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's conservatives triumphed over Sardinia's centre-left governor and Tiscali internet company-founder, Renato Soru, in the island's regional elections.

With most of the ballots counted, Soru garnered 43 per cent compared to the centre-right candidate Ugo Cappellacci's 52 per cent.

In the weeks ahead of Sunday and Monday's voting, Berlusconi frequently appeared at rallies across Sardinia in a show of solidarity with the relatively unknown Cappellacci.

La Maddalena, Italy  - With its jagged cliffs and fjord-like coves, Italy's Maddalena Archipelago, in the Gallura region off the north-east coast of Sardinia, is like a Mediterranean version of Norway.

Designated a national park 15 years ago, the scattered seven main islands and numerous islets are alive with palm trees, small juniper and stone pine forests and gigantic oleander bushes. They also have wonderful beaches rimmed with bizarre rock formations.

Maddalena is the largest island and the only one inhabited year-round. At the moment, it is busy preparing to host the G8 summit of the leading industrialized nations in July. Ferries arrive at La Maddalena, the island's principal town, every half-hour from Palau, on Sardinia.