Leverkusen, Germany - Bernd Schneider is hungry to play again after his worst career injury and is even looking ahead at the 2010 World Cup.

The Bayer Leverkusen and Germany midfielder hopes to return to Bundesliga action before the end of the year from a back injury which has sidelined him since April.

"It's getting better. I have started working with the ball again, said Schneider, who turns 35 on November 17.

London, Oct 31: England coach Fabio Capello reckons that David Beckham will be a great acquisition for AC Milan after the midfielder finalised his loan switch to the Italian giants.

Madrid - Brazilian striker Edu de Souza is out of action for around six weeks due to injury, his Spanish club Real Betis announced on Friday.

Kiev - Ripples from the world financial crisis have shut down most Ukrainian preparation work for the Euro 2012 football championship, government officials said Thursday.

As much as 80 per cent of the infrastructure projects needed in the former Soviet republic to host the premier sports event have come to a complete stop for lack of funding or because of administrative difficulties, said Evhen Vilinsky, a spokesman for Ukraine's Euro 2012 preparation ministry.

Pretoria  - South African security forces will have six extra helicopters at their disposal for the 2010 World Cup in the country, Nathi Mthethwa, the Minister of Safety and Security confirmed Thursday.

Two helicopters have already been purchased while a further four will be delivered by the end of the year.

"The security preparations and equipping of the police for the 2009 Confederations Cup and the 2010 World Cup are progressing well," said Mthethwa.

Munich  - Several leading Italian clubs are interested in signing Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger, but club manager Uli Hoeness said Thursday he was confident of keeping the midfielder at the German champions.

The 24-year-old Germany international's current contract expires at the end of the season and Hoeness said Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus had shown an interest in the player.

However Hoeness said Bayern "would come up with something" to keep Schweinsteiger at the club he has played for since joining as a youth team player.

Hoeness said Bayern would also be offering midfielder Ze Roberto a new contract although the 34-year-old Brazilian has said he wants to leave at the end of the season.