£6m Ledley bid fails but Stoke land Higginbotham and Soares

There was an element of desperation about Stoke City's transfer activity as the newly promoted Premier League club last night bid a club-record £6m for the Cardiff City midfielder Joe Ledley, only to have it rejected by the Championship club. But they were more successful in bringing back the former captain Danny Higginbotham from Sunderland on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

Higginbotham, who was later joined by the Crystal Palace midfielder Tom Soares for another undisclosed fee, left last season for £3m. "It was a bit of a mad rush to get down here," he said. "It has been a long day but it was worthwhile and I'm delighted to be back. I think we have a real chance this season. With the players who got them promoted and the players who have come in, I don't see why we can't go from strength to strength."

Jon Parkin moved from Stoke to Preston, again for an undisclosed fee, where he joined the Republic of Ireland striker Stephen Elliott, who arrived at Deepdale from Wolves for an undisclosed fee and on a three-year-deal.

Harry Redknapp added another defender to Portsmouth's squad by taking the Algerian left-back Nadir Belhadj on loan from the French club Lens until the end of the season and he later loaned the defender Martin Crainie to Charlton until January.

Torino have signed the Bolton Wanderers midfielder Blerim Dzemaili on a one-year loan, and the Poland striker Ebi Smolarek has joined the Trotters on a season-long loan from Racing Santander.

NEC Nijmegen have signed the Fulham striker Collins John on a free transfer and Rachid Bouaouzan also joined the Dutch club on loan from Wigan Athletic, who loaned the forward Antoine Sibierski to Norwich City. Julian Gray has joined Fulham on loan from Coventry City.

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