Briefs 2-Blackburn sign Chile midfielder Villanueva on loan

Aug 2 (Reuters) - Sports news in brief from around the world:

Soccer - Blackburn Rovers have signed Chile midfielder Carlos Villanueva on a year-long loan from Chilean club Audax Italiano with a view to a permanent deal, the Premier League club said on their website (www.rovers.co.uk).

The 22-year-old Villanueva, Chile's player of the year in 2007, has agreed terms on a subsequent three-year deal in the event of a successful first year in England.

Soccer - Fulham's Finnish goalkeeper Antti Niemi requires a second operation on his injured left wrist, the Premier League club said on their website (www.fulhamfc.com).

Niemi, 36, underwent surgery on the wrist in June but after he continued to experience discomfort, tests revealed further damage and he will have a another operation next week.

Soccer - FIFA president Sepp Blatter has urged the Philippines to raise the standard of their national team and pledged to support a project to develop the game there.

"This project will be close to my heart. I will give this project the priority so that football can become the leading sport in Philippines," Blatter was quoted as saying on the Asian Football Confederation website (www.the-afc.com). Unlike most Asian countries, soccer is a minor sport in the Philippines and its national team stand 169th in the FIFA rankings. (Editing by Sonia Oxley)