Argentine Crespo tops India auction

NEW DELHI - Argentine legend Hernan Crespo emerged as the star attraction among a host of semi-retired world stars auctioned in Kolkata on Monday to play in a new soccer tournament in India.

Crespo was picked up for an annual salary of $840,000 by the Barasat franchise to play alongside district-level players over seven weeks in the proposed Premier League Soccer (PLS).

Italy's World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro went for $830,000 to Siliguri, Robert Pires of France fetched $800,000 from Howrah, Nigerian Jay Jay Okocha got $550,000 from Durgapur and Robbie Fowler of England was sold to Kolkata for $530,000.