Arsenal
Galatasaray have confirmed they are in talks to sign out-of-favour Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Eboue. Eboue struggled for first-team action with the Gunners last season and his departure has been expected after he was not handed a squad number ahead of the new season. And the 28-year-old Ivory Coast international, who joined the Gunners in 2005, looks set for a move to Turkey after Galatasaray revealed talks had started. "Galatasaray has begun negotiations with Arsenal FC for the transfer of Ivorian-Belgian professional football player Emmanuel Eboue," a statement on Galatasaray's official website read. "The public will be updated about the developments."Aston Villa
Alex McLeish has tipped midfielder Fabian Delph to make a big impact in the Barclays Premier League this season. The 21-year-old has struggled to build on the huge promise that prompted Villa to sign him from then League One club Leeds two years ago. Injuries have certainly played their part, and Delph spent most of the summer recovering from an ankle problem, but he was given a starting role in Saturday's 0-0 draw with Fulham and produced an impressive performance. McLeish said: "He wasn't happy we didn't take him to Portugal (for a pre-season friendly against Braga) but it was for his benefit and he gave a great performance (on Saturday). I told him `the doctor thinks it's best you stay here to recuperate`. He is very elegant on the ball. He's got athleticism. If we can keep the injuries at bay and protect him then he'll be a great asset for this club. If you consider the team that finished last season, there's four players not playing from that. We had one new face in the team and it's a chance for him (Delph) to make the breakthrough."Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn are wearing the Prince's Trust logo on their shirts for the forthcoming season instead of a sponsor's brand. The partnership will see the club donate the space on their kit to the charity instead of selling it to a commercial venture. Aston Villa became the first top-flight club to give publicity to a charity three years ago when they carried the name of a local children's hospice on their shirts. Blackburn's £5m sponsorship deal with Crown Paints expired at the end of last season and the team wore the logo of owners Venky's, the Indian poultry firm, on their kit for their recent matches in the Barclays Asia Trophy. But the club say they decided to reject commercial sponsorship offers to link up with the charity. Simon Williams, Rovers' head of commercial and marketing, said the club had a history of running Prince's Trust programmes for disadvantaged young people in the area and was committed to fund-raising for the charity throughout the season. "The club has enjoyed a strong and productive relationship with the Prince's Trust since 2005 and this agreement takes that relationship onto another level," he said. "The exposure the Prince's Trust will obtain as our shirt partner will greatly increase the level of awareness for the charity and hopefully encourage fund-raising for the fantastic work they do with young people."bolton wanderers
Rangers have confirmed they have rejected a bid in the region of £400,000 from Bolton for Gregg Wylde. The 20-year-old winger is in the final year of his contract and has been the subject of speculation over his future after so far failing to agree a new deal. However, the Scottish champions are keen to retain his services and have knocked back an attempt by the Barclays Premier League club to sign the youngster.Chelsea
Fernando Torres was many fans' pick of the Chelsea players on display during the 0-0 draw with Stoke that opened the season, and following the match the striker confirmed his condition is good. "I feel very fresh with pace and sharpness," Torres said, "so I am happy with that but not with the 0-0 because a striker always wants to score. It is our work so I would like to score every game but it is not possible. I am only 27 and I have not forgotten how to score and play well. Last season was a season to forget for me, a lot of things happened, but it is in the past and now I want to look forward. This season I am sure is going to be very nice for Chelsea and for myself." Everton
Tim Cahill has no plans to retire from international football and has set his sights on Australia's top goal-scoring record. "It's a big thing for us to play for Australia and you do it whenever you can," he said. "It has given me some of the best moments of my life and I won't give that up. It is not in my mentality to stop. Would you say to Steven Gerrard or John Terry or any of the top players for England that now you are 31, will you stop playing for England?" The midfielder, who has scored 24 goals in 53 appearances for his country of birth, is just five goals shy of former Perth Glory striker Damian Mori's all-time top scoring record for Australia. And after adding to his tally against Wales in midweek, the former Millwall man is eager to continue his prolific record. "I am now close to Damian Mori's goals record for Australia - and I would love to beat it," said Cahill. "I love football. You try as hard as you can for your club and your country, too."Fulham
Martin Jol has reiterated that he wants to bolster his forward line before the end of the transfer window. Jol has said since he arrived at Craven Cottage earlier this summer that he is looking to strengthen his options. The Dutchman is happy with Bobby Zamora and Andrew Johnson, but wants more resources without having to push Clint Dempsey into a forward role. "I feel there is more to come from Zamora and Johnson but (in the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa) - we played too many long balls to Bobby. I'd like to add a few things going forward," he said. "We saw on Saturday if we swap our No 9 I have to put Clint Dempsey there and I don't want to do that. That's why we will try to do something in the transfer window. Does that mean a striker is my priority? Maybe. We are not going to be able to compete financially with some of the other teams but the spirit here is great."Liverpool
Liverpool's newest signing Jose Enrique made a good impression on his debut but has promised there is plenty more to come. The Spaniard found out less than 24 hours after his £6m signing from Newcastle that he would be starting in Saturday's 1-1 home draw with Sunderland because of an injury to Fabio Aurelio. Enrique hardly put a foot wrong against the Black Cats and it was not immediately apparent he had been involved in just one training session prior to his appearance at Anfield. The 25-year-old is seen as the long-term solution in a position which has been a problem area for the side in recent years and the player is looking forward to building on his debut. "I am very happy because I only arrived the day before and I played my first game," he said. "I was surprised. I only found out a few hours before kick-off. I knew Fabio had not trained but it was only that morning they told me. I am very happy (with my debut) but I am not really happy with the result. I think in the next few games, if I continue to play, it will be easy to understand players of this quality. It was just about defending first, because that is my job. I have plenty more days to train with the team and understand."manchester city
Kolo Toure has returned to training after the Football Association lifted some restrictions imposed when the player was banned for six months for taking a prohibited substance. The Ivory Coast international was suspended from all football activity after admitting he had inadvertently taken bendroflumethiazide in some water tablets, packaged as dieting pills, that he obtained through his wife. His ban expires on 2nd September but Press Association Sport understands the FA have relaxed certain conditions in order for the 30-year-old to work with the squad to get his sharpness back. It is believed City made a case that the player should be allowed to work with his team-mates in order to be available for selection immediately once his ban expires. Toure returned to training in the last few days and will be targeting a return to City's match-day squad for the home match against Wigan on 10th September. The FA employed a similar policy when they allowed goalkeeper Paddy Kenny to return to training towards the end of his nine-month ban after testing positive for ephedrine while playing for Sheffield United two years ago.manchester united
Ashley Young has admitted he would rather score earlier than maintain the Manchester United tradition of leaving it late. Although not an injury-time effort like the one Nani produced to defeat Manchester City in the Community Shield a week earlier, there was less than 10 minutes on the clock when the Red Devils grabbed their winner at West Brom on Sunday. Young's attempt to claim his first United goal seems certain to end in failure given his cross-shot was off target until it struck the unlucky Steven Reid and ended up creeping past Ben Foster. More importantly for Young and his team-mates, though, it got the Red Devils' Premier League title defence off to a winning start. "I would rather goals came before then," said Young. "But it is always special when goals come late. Then you have to defend the lead, which is what we did. It was always vitally important to get off to a winning start. A lot has been said about our away form last season. If we can build on this result, I am sure we will be out to retain the title again."Newcastle United
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has described Joey Barton as "a great player" but doesn't envisage a move for the Newcastle midfielder. The 28-year-old was centre of attention when the two sides drew 0-0 at St James' Park on Saturday as he was involved in the incident which saw Gunners debutant Gervinho sent off. That came after a summer which saw Barton made available on a free transfer - and linked with Arsenal in some quarters - following his criticism of the Magpies' transfer policy. Wenger said: "Nobody dismisses signing Joey Barton but I don't think we envisage doing that at the moment. I like the courage of the player. He's a good player. Sometimes there's trouble with his temper but he's a great player." He added jokingly: "Maybe the way to sort Barton out is to sign him. Maybe that's the solution."Norwich City
Manager Paul Lambert insists there is no danger of him getting caught up in the hysteria that surrounds the Barclays Premier League. The Canaries made their top-flight return after a six-year absence with Saturday's 1-1 draw against Wigan at the DW Stadium. For Lambert - who has guided the Norfolk club to back-to-back promotions over the last two seasons - it was a first taste of England's elite division, but the Scot is determined to treat the 2011/12 campaign as business as usual. "I never read too much into it," Lambert said. "It is the same as with League One and the Championship - your emotions are totally focused on the game. I know the prestige and media attention of it, but I just try to stay the same as how I have always been."Queens Park Rangers
Neil Warnock is hoping he can sign more players before the transfer window closes. "All managers work within whatever restraints you have. The players we have signed have been excellent value for what we have got," he said. "I would love two or three top players in the next fortnight. I am confident we will get them. If everything is sorted [with the takeover], I am sure the club can take a giant step towards staying up like we tried to plan from the word go."stoke city
Asmir Begovic has paid tribute to Stoke City's backline after they stifled a potent Chelsea attack and helped secure a goalless draw against the Barclays Premier League title contenders. While the Bosnian was forced into two world class saves during the second 45 minutes, he recognised the job that was carried out in front of him by his team-mates and was quick to lavish praise on them for their efforts. "It's an absolute honour to play behind the team we have here," he told the club's official website. "The work ethic and dedication they showed out there was absolutely phenomenal really. They defended unbelievably well and restricted a world class side to just a handful of chances from outside of the penalty area, and that takes some doing. We look very tight at the moment. That's three competetive games now and three consecutive clean sheets, so from a defensive side of things we really can't ask for any more than that."sunderland
Phil Bardsley cannot believe Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was prepared to sell Wes Brown on the evidence of his Sunderland debut. The two former United defenders lined up together in the Black Cats defence for Saturday's 1-1 Barclays Premier League draw at Liverpool in which Brown demonstrated exactly why manager Steve Bruce was so keen to sign him this summer. Like 31-year-old Brown, Bardsley began his career at Old Trafford and knows Ferguson well, and he is delighted the Scot decided his new team-mate was surplus to requirements. He said: "Sir Alex makes some decisions and this one has come in favour of us because if Wes plays like that, he's up there as one of the best centre-halves in the country. I have played with him before and I know what he can do. When he plays like he did on Saturday, he's top-class. He's got unbelievable composure and in the air he wins everything. Overall, he's a fantastic player and a great lad as well. We have just got to keep him on the pitch. He's had a few injuries in the past, but he's made a tremendous start."Swansea City
With six new arrivals this summer, manager Brendan Rodgers has bolstered his options as the Swans embark on a first Premier League adventure. And on-loan Tottenham defender Steven Caulker pointed out he is already benefiting from his move to the Liberty. "In every position we have strength in depth," he added. "For me, I've got the likes of (Garry) Monk, Ashley Williams and (Alan) Tate competing for the centre-back spots and that brings the best out of everyone. Everyone has that inner belief and hunger to fight for your place. We are all best friends off the pitch but on it we are all trying to show that we are better. It's all part of the game. For me, it has been nice to freshen up on the ball work. My last two loan spells have not been this style of football, so it's been good to get back on the ball and have that confidence to receive the ball from the goalie and pass it out. I was encouraged to play that way at Tottenham, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it already."tottenham hotspur
Jermain Defoe is determined to hit the ground running on both team and personal fronts this season. "There are some big games coming up," said Defoe, who has been in fine form in pre-season and scored the winner in the final friendly against Athletic Bilbao. "I've always said the first five or six games are so important. You want to get off to a good start, set your stall out and show all the teams that you mean business. It's important that we get off to a good start and on a personal note, as a forward, you want to get a few goals as quickly as possible and take it from there. In my experience, if you score a few goals in the first few games, it sets you up for the rest of the season."west bromwich albion
Nottingham Forest have completed the signing of striker Ishmael Miller from West Brom. The Reds have paid an initial £1.2m for the 24-year-old, who has signed a three-year deal at the City Ground. "Ishmael is still a young player but has loads of experience and a lot to prove," said Forest manager Steve McClaren. "He wants to play, which is why he is coming to Forest. He's the type of player we want at the club. He's young and ambitious and fits the criteria perfectly." Miller, McClaren's fifth signing, began his career at Manchester City and made 17 Premier League appearances before joining West Brom on loan. He made a permanent switch to The Hawthorns in January 2008. The former England Under-21 international spent the second half of last season on loan at QPR and helped the London club win the Championship title. He scored 21 goals in 80 appearances for Albion.Wigan Athletic
Having scored the first goal of the season for Wigan Athletic, midfielder Ben Watson almost made it a winning start to the 2011/12 campaign with an effort in the closing stages that agonisingly struck the outside of Norwich's post in the 1-1 draw and rebounded clear. Watson had found the back of the net after just 20 minutes, converting from the penalty spot after a foul on Franco Di Santo inside the area, and admitted he thought he netted a brace with five minutes of the match to go. "I didn't think it was in when I hit it, then I saw it turning and thought it was in, and was gutted when it hit the post," he said. "If it had hit the inside of the post it would have probably gone in, but it was one of them days for us. You have to keep going, though, and even after that we had chances to score the winning goal. If you think back to last season, I hit the post against West Ham with a few minutes to go and we went on to force a winning goal. Sometimes, though, it's not to be and on another day we could have scored two or three."wolverhampton wanderers
Leeds United have re-signed Republic of Ireland striker Andy Keogh on loan from Wolves until January. The move for the 25-year-old Irishman, who began his career at Elland Road as a trainee, could be made permanent at the turn of the year. Boss Simon Grayson told the club's official website: "Andy will strengthen our striking options. He's got plenty of experience, having played a lot at this level and in the Premier League. He's also returning to the club where he started his career so he knows what it's like here and understands the place." Keogh failed to make a senior appearance during his time at Leeds and joined Scunthorpe for £50,000 early in 2005 following an initial loan spell. He scored 23 goals in 96 appearances for the Iron before joining Wolves for £600,000 in January 2007. He spent the first half of last season on loan at Cardiff and the second half at Bristol City.
