ROME AP Italian first-division club AS Roma is close to purchasing French second-division team Nice in an effort to improve its youth development program. A spokesman for the Roman club which is owned by Italian industrialist Francesco Sensi said Tuesday that negotiations with Nice had entered the final stage. ``But the formal final agreement has not yet been reached'' the spokesman said. Club officials said the control of the French team was intended to enable Roma to develop some of its prospective talent and scout for others young players in France and in other countries. ``Nice would be a sort of breeding-ground for young players and for those players Roma can't immediately field'' the spokesman explained. Roma is in second place behind Fiorentina in the Italian league standings while Nice is the last in the 20-team French second division. APW19981201.0530.txt.body.html APW19981201.1203.txt.body.html