Tottenham Plot Shock Swoop For Arsenal Defender

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is plotting a shock raid on bitter rivals Arsenal for right-back Bacary Sagna, according to The People.

It is understood that France international would be prepared to make the move to Arsenals foes having grown disillusioned with the impending departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri as well as the clubs six-year silverware drought.

Redknapp is keen to sign an experienced right back despite the emergence of England Under-21 star Kyle Walker.

And after making an audacious swoop for Arsenals William Gallas last summer, he wants to repeat the trick with Sagna one of the Premier Leagues top right-backs.

Gunners manager Arsene Wenger is determined to hold on to Sagna, who is regarded as one of the most influential characters in the teams changing rooms and his disaffection will be viewed with alarm at the Emirates.

The 28-year-old was a £9million signing from Auxerre in 2007 and he would not be allowed to go for anything less.

Redknapp is impressed by Walker, who has been out on loan at Aston Villa and QPR, but he believes the youngster could develop into a quality right winger in much the same way that Gareth Bale moved from left-back to the left wing.

Man United Target £14m Newcastle Star To Bolster Midfield

Manchester United has identified Cheick Tiote as the man to beef up their midfield.

Sir Alex Ferguson's team may have won the Premier League without too many alarms last season but there is till concern at Old Trafford that the centre of midfield is a bit lightweight. Michael Carrick is more of a passer than a destroyer with Anderson seemingly a jack of all trades but master of none. Darren Fletcher remains the one real dynamic performer but with the Scotland international still recovering from a debilitating virus, there is a definite lack of bite and industry in the heart of the United team.

Tiote would certainly add both those attributes after an excellent debut season in England since arriving from FC Twente last summer for £3.5m. His muscular displays saw him win many favourable comparisons with Chelsea enforcer Michael Essien and he was indeed the subject of interest from the Londoners in January prompting Newcastle to give their man a new contract after just six months at the club.

The Blues were expected to renew their interest in the Ivory Coast international following the injury to Essien in pre-season training that has sidelined him for six months but instead it is United that are showing the strongest interest. With money not an issue on Tyneside due to the £35m windfall that the Magpies received from the sale of Andy Carroll to Liverpool, The Red Devils will need to offer in excess of £14m to get their man.

Juventus Looking To Take Alex On Loan

Juventus has shown interest in Chelsea defender Alex, but the Bianconeri are hoping to bring the Brazilian on loan with an option to buy at the end of the season.

The Old Lady is looking for defensive reinforcements and they have now set their sights on Chelsea’s Alex.

The Italian giants have been linked with a £7.5m move for the 29-year-old, but La Gazzetta dello Sport says that Juventus are only interested in a loan deal.

The Bianconeri are reluctant to splash the cash on the injury prone defender and would rather bring him on loan with an option to buy his contract at the end of the season.

Should Chelsea reject the loan offer, Juventus will turn their attention to Uruguay international Sebastian Coates.

Arsenal Consider £20m Offer For Everton Defender

Arsenal is expected to make a renewed bid for Everton defender Phil Jagielka this week as the club come to terms with the imminent departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasr, according to the Daily Mail.

Fabregas is due to fly to Barcelona on Monday to complete his £35million move, and Samir Nasri will be sold to Manchester City for £20m.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is also still searching for a midfield replacement for Fabregas, having ruled out Valencia's Juan Mata, but is adamant he will not pay over the odds for players despite raising up to £55m from the sales of his star duo.

Fabregas will finally complete his protracted move to boyhood club Barcelona on Monday when he undergoes a medical, but Barca manager Pep Guardiola has appeared to criticize the premature euphoria of his players Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol, who had used Twitter to announce the Fabregas deal on Friday.

Guardiola said: 'Cesc is still an Arsenal player. When I want to know the latest on the matter I don't look at the tweets of Pique and Puyol. I speak to the directors and they tell me that matters are very advanced but some papers unsigned.'

Fabregas will wear the No 4 shirt at Barca, the shirt once worn there by Guardiola himself.

Given Everton manager David Moyes is unwilling to sell Phil Jagielka, only a £20m bid is likely to succeed, but Arsenal are reluctant to pay that for a player who is 29 this week.

A source close to Jagielka said he is 'ambitious for Champions League football but sensible', indicating that he will not agitate for a move unless Everton decide to sell him.

Manchester United Chase Mario Goetze

Manchester United has switched their attention to Borussia Dortmund’s Mario Goetze after missing out on Wesley Sneijder.

Sir Alex Ferguson was looking to reinforce his midfield with the Inter star, but the deal fell through as the Dutch international was not prepared to take a pay cut to join United.

Sunday Express now reports that United have turned their attention to Borussia Dortmund superstar Mario Goetze, who has enjoyed a remarkable start to the season.

The 19-year-old first helped Borussia win their opening game against Hamburger before scoring a goal as Germany beat Brazil in midweek.

The German club is not willing to sell their most prized asset, while the player himself is adamant he is happy in Dortmund, but the recent reports suggest that a £20 million offer could make BVB chiefs change their minds.

Manchester United, however, face a stiff competition from Barcelona and Real Madrid, as the Spanish giants are also keen on the youngster.

Porto Agree To Sign Standard Liege Duo

Porto is set to sign Steven Defour and Eliaquim Mangala, Belgian newspaper Le Soir has revealed.

The Dragons have been keeping tabs on the Standard Liege duo for quite a while and they appear to have agreed a transfer fee with the Belgian club.

The total cost of the transfer will be around €13 million, with both players set to sign five-year deals at Dragao.

According to the Belgian newspaper, Standard Liege have scheduled a new conference for Monday to announce the departure of the two players.

Midfielder Steven Defour has been linked with a number of top European clubs in the past, including Manchester United, but the interest in his services subsided as he missed big part of last season through injury.

Eliaquim Mangala has earned rave reviews for his defensive performances last season and the 20-year-old has now jumped at the opportunity to join a bigger club.

Atalanta Confirm Denis Deal

Atalanta has made it clear they will sign German Denis from Udinese in the next few days. “There’s no maybe about it.”

The deal has been done to bring the Argentine striker, nicknamed El Tanque, to the Stadio Azzurri d’Italia this summer.

“There’s no maybe about it. We are just waiting for his agent Leo Rodriguez to arrive so we can put pen to paper with Denis,” said Atalanta director Pierpaolo Marino.

“As for further reinforcements, we lack nothing in terms of creativity and quality. We will only make more changes based on the needs of the squad.

“The President doesn’t hold back from making personal sacrifices for the good of Atalanta.”

It is going to be a tough campaign, as the newly-promoted side start from -6 points due to the betting scandal that saw Cristiano Doni and Thomas Manfredini banned for three years.

The Bergamo club has already lodged an appeal against the punishment.

Manchester United Pair Contemplate Moves To Premier League Rivals

Blackburn Rovers are looking at bringing two Manchester United stars on loan to Ewood Park.

Their manager Steve Kean confirmed the approach, with much speculation about which players are the subject of Rovers' interest.

It is believed that one player would be one of Danny Welbeck and Federico Macheda to add firepower up front.

The other would be to add culture to the midfield, with either Tom Cleverley or the teenage Paul Pogba brought in.

"I had a chat with Sir Alex after Paul Scholes' testimonial about a couple of players and that is ongoing," said Kean.

"I don't want to name names because I want to be respectful of Manchester United and Sir Alex," said the Rovers manager.

"We have a good relationship. He has taken one of our players. I saw him at the Premier League managers meeting as well and hopefully we can keep that relationship up and if we do want to loan a player then he will be complimentary to what we are trying to do.

"I don't want to name names but the loan market is definitely something we can look at."

Tony Fernandes Poised To Buy Queens Park Rangers

Tony Fernandes could be announced as the new owner of Queens Park Rangers on Monday in a deal that would mean the Asian businessman taking control of the club from Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, in partnership with Lakshmi Mittal, who already owns 33%.

If the deal goes through it is not yet clear if Ecclestone will sell all his 66% holding in the west London club and whether Briatore will retain his 1% stake. However, given the strained relationship Mittal and his son-in-law, Amit Bhatia, have with the Formula One impresario and the former grand prix team principal Briatore, it is thought Ecclestone is likely to sell all his shares.

Ecclestone has said in the past that QPR would be for sale for £100m but the financial details of the deal being struck by Fernandes and Mittal are unknown.

Bhatia, who resigned as chairman in May in protest at ticket-price hikes and the direction the club was taking is likely to return to the board if Fernandes is successful in his attempt to take control.

A source close to the Air Asia and Team Lotus team owner told Observer Sport: "Until the deal is done [it] is not done. But we are hopeful that by Monday it could be complete. It will involve Tony buying into the club and taking charge alongside Mittal."

Arsenal And Tottenham Fight Over Inter Milan Star Transfer

Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are on high alert after Cameroon star Samuel Eto'o admitted on Saturday he could leave Inter Milan.

The 30-year-old said while he is in talks with Russians Anzhi Makhachkala, he could yet stay with Inter Milan or even head to England - where Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is certainly keen on a new forward.

Anzhi, from the capital of the restless Russian republic of Dagestan, are in advanced negotiations with Inter for the striker in a reported 20-30 million euro transfer.

Press reports in Italy suggest he's also been offered between 15-20 million euros a season.

However, speaking at a press conference in Douala, Eto'o told journalists that he doesn't yet know where he will be playing this season.

"The negotiations (with Anzhi) are ongoing, you must be patient," he said according to media in Cameroon and Italy.

"There's nothing to say I will leave and nothing to say I will stay, there could still be a surprise from England.

"Wait until the end of the transfer window (at the end of the month) which is coming up soon.

"The truth is I'm still under contract with Inter Milan.

"When I leave here I'll go and continue the negotiations."

Eto'o is the most decorated player in African history having won the Champions League three times, twice with Barcelona and once with Inter.

The four-time African player of the year also won three league titles with Barca and one with Inter while with Cameroon he has twice won the African Cup of Nations.

He began his career with Real Madrid before having loan spells with Leganes, Espanyol and Mallorca, whom he then joined permanently.

He helped Mallorca to a Copa del Rey victory in 2003, earning a move to Barca the next year.

He joined Inter in 2009 in a swap deal involving Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with the Italians also receiving 50 million euros.

Anzhi have only had one full season in the Russian top flight but have become a major player since they were bought by Russian billionaire Suleyman Kerimov, who has poured money into the club.

Despite the dangers in Dagestan, where a low-level Islamic insurgency has made the republic very unstable, Anzhi have already managed to attract the likes of Roberto Carlos and Yuri Zhirkov.

They play their home matches in Makhachkala but the players live and train in Moscow for security reasons.

Chelsea Hijack Man City Transfer Of Serie A Ace

Chelsea have entered the race to sign Fiorentina winger Alessio Cerci, meaning Manchester City could well miss out on his signature.

Man City boss Roberto Mancini has made no secret of his interest in the 24 year-old Italian, but equally has made it quite clear that he is frustrated with the board's slow approach to the transfer market.

"[Cerci] is a good, young player, who could be an option," revealed a smiling Mancini yesterday.

The smile soon disappeared though when he talked about the lack of progress made with signings.

"Last year was the same too,"

"I don't understand this. I thought we could get all the players we needed three or four weeks ago. But here we are and the deals aren't closed.

"I asked for [Nasri] two months ago. I'm worried because I don't have this player today and I probably won't have him tomorrow. We play three games in August and I am worried."

Andre Villas Boas is thought to be concerned by the lack of width in the Chelsea team, so perhaps Alessio Cerci would be a valuable asset at Stamford Bridge.

Blackburn Rovers Complete Deal For Bruno Ribeiro

Blackburn Rovers have confirmed the signing of Brazilian full back Bruno Ribeiro, who signs a three-year deal with the club, signing on a free transfer.

The defender has spent part of pre-season with the club on a trial basis and has done enough to convince new manager Steve Kean that he should be part of his plans for the forthcoming season.

Ribeiro pulled on the blue and white shirt over the pre-season, starring in the clubs victories over Accrington Stanley and Kilmarnock and also linked up with the squad at their pre-season training camp in Austria.

This gave manager Kean the chance to cast an eye over his new signing and allowed for the Brazilian to get to know his new team mates.

The 28-year-old Ribeiro joins from Brazilian club Gremio Barueri and the transfer offers him the chance to move away from his homeland and try to establish himself in the English Premier League.

Manager Steve Kean has been relatively busy in the transfer of late, with the most notable signing being striker David Goodwillie from Dundee United, who will be expected to provide the goals for the Lancashire outfit.

Arsenal Tell Man City: Carlos Tevez For Samir Nasri

Arsenal has sensationally told Manchester City: Give us Carlos Tevez and you can have Samir Nasri. Hitman Tevez has been trying to get out of Manchester all summer.

And with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger under growing pressure to bring in a top buy, the Gunners have suddenly come up with their shock proposal.

Midfielder Nasri had hoped to sign for City by yesterday lunchtime after being promised a £180,000-a-week deal.

But Arsenal - also on the verge of losing skipper Cesc Fabregas - has blocked the move while they see if they can sort a swap with Tevez.

The Gunners will have to make a cash adjustment in City's favour for the Argie because the club's top scorer is valued at £50million.

The best Arsenal can get for Nasri is £25m as there is only one year remaining on the French star's contract - meaning he could walk for nothing next summer.

However, Arsenal are hoping to get the Tevez fee down by £10m.

And they believe they can come to an agreement over his wages which could be as much as £200,000 a week.

Tevez has said he wants out of City to be closer to his family in Argentina but London is only 200 miles nearer South America than Manchester.

However, SunSport understands Tevez would be delighted to join Arsenal in a move which would be a massive boost for their fans.

An Arsenal insider said: "Tevez would be just the signing to give everyone a lift.

"There is a lot of work to be done yet but if there is a will on all sides it can happen.

"Nasri wants to get to City, Tevez wants to get out and Wenger needs a new star to get everyone off his back.

"It seems like win-win all round."

Liverpool Make £16m Player Plus Cash Offer For Star Man

Liverpool has stolen ahead of Arsenal in the pursuit of Bolton Wanderers defender Gary Cahill.

According to ESPN, the Merseyside club has offered £12m and French striker David Ngog in part exchange in order to bring Cahill to Anfield.

With Jamie Carragher in the twilight of his career, it is only natural that Kenny Dalglish is looking for his successor, but it may come as somewhat of a surprise that he is not looking to promote from within.

While Martin Kelly cut his teeth for Liverpool last season at right back, it is widely believed that he will ultimately ply his trade in the centre of the defence – and of course Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger offer more experienced options when fit.

Gary Cahill is a proven centre half at Premier League and international level. He would be a risk free signing even at such a price, while there has been a feeling within the Liverpool hierarchy that David Ngog would not make the grade as a 20 goal per season man at a top club.

Tottenham And Chelsea In Last Chance To Sign Radamel Falcao

London rivals Spurs and Chelsea are locked in a head-to-head battle to sign Porto striker Radamel Falcao.

Harry Redknapp has reportedly eyed up a £35 million bid for the Colombian star, while Stamford Bridge could also be a potential destination for the forward as he has previously worked with new Chelsea boss Andres Villas-Boas.

If either club is to get their man then they will have to fight off competition from the two Madrid sides, with Real and Atletico both keeping an eye on developments.

Portuguese newspaper A Bola has said that Jose Mourinho is even prepared to wait until the start of next season to get his man, while Atletico's president Enrique Cerezo confirmed that Falcao 'is an objective of ours'.

Last season, Falcao scored 17 goals as his Porto side won the Europa League, including the only goal in the final against Braga.

Spurs have been hoping to bring in a top class striker all summer, with moves for Giuseppe Rossi and Alberto Gilardino among those reported.

It comes as Redknapp appears to have lost patience with current strike force Robbie Keane, Peter Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko.

Keane was sent out on loan last season and is wanted by Leicester City, Stoke City have bid for Peter Crouch and Pavlyuchenko's future has been in doubt for some time.

Vela Set For La Liga Loan

Arsenal forward Carlos Vela is set for a loan move in Spain, according to the player's agent.

Vela, 22, has already had loan spells in Spain with UD Salamanca and Osasuna since signing for Arsenal in 2005, and he spent time last season at West Brom.

With the Mexico international still not deemed ready for first-team duties at Arsenal, agent Eduardo Hernandez has revealed a return to La Liga could be sealed within days.

He told ESPN: "I'm going to fly to London tonight to finalize things with Arsenal.

"We have three teams in Spain that have made offers and we think that playing in Spain would be a good move for Carlos. Arsenal are happy for him to go out on loan and we hope to find a solution by next week."

Cruzeiro Interested In Signing Keirrison On Loan

Cruzeiro is interested in the loan signing of Barcelona's out-of-favour striker Keirrison, Lancenet reports.

The Brazilian forward signed for Barcelona in the summer of 2009 for €14 million. And although labelled as a hot prospect, he has failed to make a name for himself in Europe.

Keirrison has struggled for form during his loan spells at Benfica, Fiorentina and Santos, with the Brazilian side cutting his stay short earlier in the summer to allow him to find a club where he can flourish.

Spanish sources have suggested that Keirrison could spend the season with Barcelona's B squad, but fresh speculation in Brazil indicates Cruzeiro are willing to sign him on a temporary basis.

Cruzeiro, who have a record of just over one goal per match this term, are reportedly only receptive to the idea of covering part of Keirrison's wages.

Jan Vertonghen On Inter Radar

Inter are considering making a move for Ajax defender Jan Vertonghen as they are looking to bolster their defensive options ahead of the start of the 2011-12 Serie A campaign, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports.

New head coach Gian Piero Gasperini isn't convinced Christian Chivu is the right man to fill in the position of left central defender in his 3-4-3 formation and sees Vertonghen as the perfect addition to his back-line.

The 24-year-old defender has a contract until the summer of 2013 with Ajax, but has a limited fee release clause in his deal.

Ajax's Danny Blind recently revealed that Vertonghen's buy-out clause is over €20 million (£17.5m), but the Eredivisie champions could be tempted to cash in on their skipper if an offer in the region of €12m (£10.5m) comes in.

Vertonghen was previously linked with Manchester City and Arsenal, but a move to the Premier League never materialized.

Juventus Set Sights On Signing Franck Ribery

Juventus have extended their search for a wide midfielder and earmarked Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery as a possible transfer target.

Having already been linked with moves for Fiorentina's Juan Manuel Vargas, and Schalke's Jefferson Farfan for the left wing, Sky Sport Italia now claims the Turin-based outfit are looking at the the France international.

The 28-year-old has only just resumed action for Bayern after an injury, but Juventus are keeping their options open and could be ready to make a last-minute offer for him.

Antonio Conte suggested his side were not quite complete on Friday as they have been unable to sign a wide man to play on the left.

Michel Bastos said he was staying with Lyon, despite being courted by Juventus this summer, while Fiorentina have already turned down a bid for Vargas.

However, despite Conte wanting to recreate the team's golden age, signing Ribery would require a considerable effort as Bayern have often said they are unwilling to sell their best players this summer.

28-year-old Ribery is tied to the German club until 2015.

Valencia Stay In Ogbonna Chase

Despite Torino’s denials, reports continue to suggest Valencia is pushing to sign Italy defender Angelo Ogbonna.

Toro President Urbano Cairo has been adamant he received “no worthwhile offers” for the 23-year-old.

However, reports from Spain point to Valencia stepping up their bid to €6m.

It is still a long way off Torino’s €10m price-tag, especially considering he plays in Serie B.

Ogbonna recently received two call-ups to the Italy squad under Cesare Prandelli, although he has not yet been given a senior cap.

Milan, Napoli and Juventus have also shown an interest in the Under-21 international.

Mazzarri Hopes For Rossi Deal

Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri is hopeful the club will sign Giuseppe Rossi from Villarreal.

Rossi had attracted interest from Barcelona and Juventus earlier this summer, but Villarreal have been reluctant to sell. Even so, Napoli has made public their interest in the Italy striker and Mazzarri feels he would be a major boost for the Champions League.

"We need 22 players in the squad - that's also what Mourinho says," Mazzarri said. "If someone offers me Giuseppe Rossi, I would be happy.

"Until now the names that have been mentioned weren't at Giuseppe Rossi's level and that's why I've always said I don't want other forwards but, as for Rossi, I hope he arrives tomorrow. That would be a great present and would make us take a step up in terms of quality."

There have been rumours that Rossi's arrival could mean the exit of Ezequiel Lavezzi, but Mazzarri hopes Lavezzi, Edinson Cavani and Marek Hamsik all stay put.

"Yes, I want him [Rossi], but with Lavezzi," he said. "I wouldn't have any problem leaving one of Rossi, Cavani, Lavezzi and Hamsik on the bench, not least because we'll be playing every three days.

"I want to manage top players - whether it is Rossi, Tevez, Nilmar or Balotelli. I'd love to manage four top quality forwards."

Barclays Premier League: Man City vs. Swansea

Argentina striker Carlos Tevez will sit out Manchester City's opening game of the Premier League season. The Blues skipper only returned to training this week and, with his future still uncertain, manager Roberto Mancini does not feel it is worth pushing the 27-year-old into the Eastlands fray. Tevez's international colleague Sergio Aguero may be involved for the first time since his club-record £38million move from Atletico Madrid, although Mancini reckons he could contribute only 45 minutes at best.

Captain Garry Monk is a major doubt for Swansea. The defender, who signed a new three-year contract earlier this week, is struggling with a foot injury and may have to wait for the home clash with Wigan to make his first appearance of the campaign. Goalkeeper Michel Vorm comes straight into the squad after completing his move from FC Utrecht and will battle fellow new signing Jose Moreira for the starting berth. Danny Graham, Leroy Lita, Wayne Routledge and Steven Caulker are also in line to make their debuts at Etihad Stadium.

Man City (from): Hart, Pantilimon, Taylor, Richards, Zabaleta, Savic, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Kolarov, Boyata, Johnson, Barry, De Jong, Milner, Silva, Toure, Weiss, Wright-Phillips, Balotelli, Dzeko, Aguero.

Swansea (from): Vorm, Williams, Taylor, Caulker, Tate, Bodde, Britton, Orlandi, Beattie, Graham, Sinclair, Dyer, Cornell, Dobbie, Routledge, Monk, Cotterill, Lita, Moore, MacDonald, Moreira, Rangel, Harley, Agustien, Butler.

Betting Recommendation

Manchester City has been made one of the favourites to win the Premier League this season. However, they must win their English Premier League season opener against Swansea City if they are to be considered genuine title threats. Despite losing the Community Cup after going two goals ahead during half-time, Man City looks odds on to beat newcomers Swansea in the opening game. Man City to win this match easily with probable score of 2-0 or 3-0.

Barclays Premier League: Wigan vs Norwich

Premier League survivors Wigan host top flight new-boys Norwich in an intriguing season opener at the DW Stadium.

Both sides go into the game on a high, the Latics after their last day survival at Stoke and the Canaries after securing back-to-back promotions.

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez will be looking to get off to a flier this term after the Latics were hammered 4-0 by Blackpool in the opener at the DW last term and spent the rest of the season struggling.

A good start is equally important to Paul Lambert as the Canaries aim to do better than the last time they were in the top flight in 2004/05, when they suffered a heart-breaking final day relegation.

Both sides have undergone changes in the summer - Wigan have lost talisman Charles N'Zogbia to Aston Villa and Tom Cleverley has returned to Manchester United, while Norwich have brought in seven new signings and six have exited Carrow Road.

Wigan look set to be without midfielder James McCarthy for Saturday's opener.

The Republic of Ireland international twisted his ankle in last week's pre-season friendly against Villarreal and Latics boss Martinez has given him only a 10 per cent chance of being involved.

Striker Hugo Rodallega is available after returning late to pre-season training following his involvement with Colombia in the Copa America but defender Antolin Alcaraz, who reached the final with Paraguay, will be given more time to regain full fitness.

Norwich are hopeful Wales midfielder Andrew Crofts (ankle) and full-back Russell Martin (calf) will be fit for the clash.

Striker James Vaughan, signed from Everton, and centre-back Elliott Ward are sidelined after picking up minor knee injuries during pre-season training in Germany.

Anthony Pilkington could be included in the squad as the former Huddersfield winger continues his rehabilitation from a serious ankle injury.

Possible starting XIs

Wigan: Al Habsi, Caldwell, Boyce, Figueroa, Gohouri, Watson, Moses, Diame, McArthur, Rodallega, Sammon.

Norwich: Ruddy, Naughton, Whitbread, De Laet, Tierney, Bennett, Johnson, Hoolahan, Surman, Holt, Morison.

Betting Recommendation

Wigan has been made favourites this term to be relegated to the Championship next season. Wigan narrowly escapes the drop last term, eluding the relegation zone by just three points. Meanwhile, doubts remain over whether Antolin Alcaraz and Hugo Rodallega will start for the Latics or not, with the pair having only recently returned to the first-team fold following their extended post-Copa America break. James McCarthy, who missed three months of action last season, is extremely doubtful after picking up an ankle knock against Villarreal last Sunday.

Norwich is also one of the favourites to go down next season. Last season, in the Championship, Norwich is one of the most interesting team to watch, scoring the most goals, with 83 goals, at the same time conceding 58 goals. Norwich were hit by knee injuries to James Vaughan and Elliot Ward during their pre-season training camp in Germany back in July and the pair have no chance of making it at the DW Stadium. Steve Morison arrived at the club from Millwall in the summer but is likely to start on the bench as Paul Lambert sticks to trusted striking duo Grant Holt and Simeon Jackson.

The game between Wigan and Norwich can already be considered a six pointer, as both teams battle to avoid relegation from the English Premier League against one another at the DW Stadium on Saturday. Wigan's form in season openers is nothing short of atrocious, having lost five of six in their past curtain raisers in the top flight. Their pre-season form, however, has been quite the opposite - the Latics have won four of five encounters, drawing the other - meaning Martinez's men may be poised to reverse their opening day fortunes. Expect a win for Wigan, beating Norwich by 2-0 or 2-1 scoreline. Elmander has left for Galatasaray while Lee Chung-Yong suffered a broken leg during its pre-season friendly game.

QPR will be looking forward for their first Premier League home game after being absent from the top flight for 15 years. However, I believe Bolton will have the resilient to hold QPR to a draw.

Barclays Premier League: QPR vs Bolton

Queens Park Rangers will welcome Bolton for their first Premier League game at Loftus Road in 15 years.

The West London club claimed the Championship title last season and will have survival as their ultimate target this year.

Neil Warnock has not been provided with lavish funds to reshape his squad ahead of an arduous and long campaign, despite the vast wealth of his multi-millionaire owners.

Jay Bothroyd, Danny Gabbidon, Kieron Dyer and goalkeeper Brian Murphy have all been signed on free transfers, while DJ Campbell was snapped up for £1.25million from Blackpool.

Debuts

All the outfield players will be handed their Premier League debuts on Saturday as Warnock looks to harness their top-flight experience.

Talisman Adel Taraabt will be a key figure for Warnock this campaign and if the Yorkshirman can find a way to cajole his Moroccan genius, he will be a problem for most teams in the division.

Owen Coyle has been busy this summer at the Reebok Stadium and has swelled his ranks with new signings.

Midfielders Darren Pratley and Nigel Reo-Coker arrived on free transfers from Swansea and Aston Villa, respectively.

Tyrone Mears and Chris Eagles arrived from Burnley for a combined fee of £3million, while Turkey international Tuncay comes in from Wolfsburg on a season long deal.

Tuncay is set to miss the game as he has yet to be granted a work permit, while Reo-Coker and Eagles are expected to make their Premier League bows for the Trotters.

Coyle, though, will definitely be without Mears and Lee Chung-yong, who both sustained broken legs during the pre-season.

Bolton endured a terrible end to the last campaign - losing five of their last six games - and they will want to begin this one by erasing that memory.

Probable starting XIs

QPR: Cerny, Orr, Gabbidon, Shittu, Hill, Dyer, Derry, Taraabt, Faurlin, Bothroyd, Campbell.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen; Steinsson, Knight, Cahill, Robinson, Eagles, Muamba, Reo-Coker, Petrov, Davies, Klasnic.

Betting Recommendation

QPR have retained the services of two main architects of its success in winning the Championship last season, experienced manager Warnock and mercurial captain Adel Taarabt. This partnership also appears to be its best hope to remain in the Premier League. In addition, Warnock has recruited strikers Jay Bothroyd and DJ Campbell from Cardiff and Blackpool respectively, as well as defender Danny Gabbidon and injury-plagued winger Kieron Dyer.

Bolton Wanderers last season have improved, not in the position in the standings, but rather in its style of play. They are playing with a mixture of free flowing attacking football, compared to a direct style used in the previous seasons. These improvements are mainly provided by Korean midfielder, Lee Chung-Yong and their Swedish striker, Johan Elmander. However, both players will be missing in the game against QPR for a very different reason. Elmander has left for Galatasaray while Lee Chung-Yong suffered a broken leg during its pre-season friendly game.

QPR will be looking forward for their first Premier League home game after being absent from the top flight for 15 years. However, I believe Bolton will have the resilient to hold QPR to a draw.

Barclays Premier League: Fulham vs. Aston Villa

Bobby Zamora will lead the Fulham attack against Aston Villa despite having a broken hand.

The England striker suffered the injury playing at NK Split in the Europa League two weeks ago, but played the return leg while wearing a protective cast and will do the same on Saturday. John Arne Riise is likely to make his Premier League debut for the Cottagers but his brother Bjorn Helge is out with a minor hamstring problem and Simon Davies (knee) is also unavailable. Jol had worried that this weekend's clash in London would be called off due to the unrest in the capital.

With the game now being given the go-ahead, Jol is relishing his return to the English top flight after spending the last six weeks playing Europa League qualifiers against sub-standard opposition. "We are very happy that the game is on," Jol said. "The main thing was that we wanted to play football.”I don't see there is a lot of difference in playing friendlies (or playing in the Europa League qualifiers). It wasn't as if we were playing Inter Milan or Ajax. It was Crusaders and Split. "Hopefully it will have given us enough preparation for the season." Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish has virtually a full squad to pick from.

Striker Darren Bent and central defender James Collins have recovered from shoulder and back injuries respectively which prevented their involvement with England and Wales this week. Charles N'Zogbia and Shay Given are poised for their league debuts following their summer arrivals with Rangers target Carlos Cuellar (knee) the only player unavailable for selection. McLeish has called for patience from Aston Villa fans accustomed to demanding success as he sets his sights on a season of "steady progress." In an ideal world, McLeish would like to surpass the 2010-11 achievement of finishing ninth and challenge for a European spot. But he is also realistic after losing several experienced players this summer, including Stewart Downing and Ashley Young, and having to reduce a sizeable wage bill.

McLeish is looking for some of the club's promising youngsters, such as Fabian Delph, to make their mark plus players out in the cold under Gerard Houllier in Stephen Warnock and Stephen Ireland. The Scot said: "We've lost some very experienced players, don't forget, and we are looking for young players to make the breakthrough.”That might not happen so people may have to be patient in terms of where we finish in the league. We finished very healthily in ninth position after the first half of last season was difficult. "If we can maintain a steady progress throughout the season, that would be heading in the right direction.”Would a top 10 finish would be okay? I think that would terrific. I think that would be an achievement for the players but we will try and aim higher than that."

Betting Recommendation

Fulham’s new boss Martin Jol had the opportunity to gather a few competitive games thanks to the Europa League qualifying albeit against weaker sides. Fulham have beaten Crusaders from the Northern Ireland and Split of Croatia to qualify for the next playoff round. Thus, Martin Jol’s men should be match fit and more settled ahead of the clash with Aston Villa.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa, also with new manager, Alex McLeish, who made the controversial switch from relegated Birmingham City to cross-city rivals Villa in the off-season, have suffered from the lost of key men in Ashley Young and Stewart Downing. With both starting wingers leaving the club, McLeish will most likely field Marc Albrighton and his newly acquired winger from Wigan Athletic, Charles N’Zogbia, alongside with Stilian Petrov and Barry Bannan in the middle.

The lost of the key men in Downing and Young, in my opinion, has weakened the midfield area for Aston Villa. N’Zogbia prefers to take players on rather than putting crosses in for the always dangerous Darren Bent. Fulham to beat Aston Villa will be my choice for this game together with a small wager on Fulham winning to nil.

Arsenal Sign Costa Rica's Joel Campbell

Arsenal have agreed terms with the Costa Rican side Deportivo Saprissa to sign the striker Joel Campbell. The 19-year-old was in his country's squad for the Copa América and the Under-20 World Cup.

Arsenal revealed on Friday that the transfer is subject to the completion of "formal agreements and processes". The manager Arsène Wenger told www.arsenal.com: "Joel Campbell has already shown that he is a player with great ability and has also performed well on the international stage at a young age.

"We look forward to the formalities of the transfer being completed and working with Joel when he joins us at Arsenal."

Campbell is predominantly left-footed and has made six full international appearances, scoring twice. He scored on his debut in a 5-0 win over Cuba at this year's Concacaf Gold Cup, helping his side reach the quarter-finals.

Campbell has had two seasons in his native Primera División, where he played for Deportivo Saprissa and on loan at Puntarenas, making a total of eight league appearances.

Man United And Arsenal In £10m Battle To Sign France Playmaker

Manchester United and Arsenal are set to battle it out for highly-rated France playmaker Marvin Martin.

The Sochaux midfielder burst onto the scene last season with a series of outstanding performances that saw him dubbed the 'French Xavi'.

Interest is mounting in the 23-year-old, with free-spending PSG as well as Arsenal and Manchester keen on the France international.

Martin has revealed he would be tempted to move if the terms on the table were acceptable to both Sochaux and himself, with the Ligue 1 outfit reportedly demanding a fee in the region of £10m.

The Red Devils are on the lookout for a replacement for the retired Paul Scholes and have turned to Martin after growing frustrated in their pursuit of Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder, who is demanding a staggering £200,000 week in wages.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has received glowing reports on the France international having sent several scouts to monitor the youngster's Ligue 1 performances last term.

While Arsenal scout Giles Grimandi is big admirer of Martin having watched him progress from Sochuax's prestigious youth academy to the clubs first-team squad and has urged Arsene Wenger to make a move for the diminutive midfielder.

Martin is a number of candidates Wenger is considering to replace the soon to be departed Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, with Valencia's Juan Mata and Shakhtar Donetsk’s Jadson linked with a move to the Emirates.

Spurs To Offer Cash Plus Bassong To Land Samba

Spurs have stepped up their interest in Blackburn defender Chris Samba and are ready to offer cash plus Sebastian Bassong as part of the deal.

The Congo international has expressed his desire to leave Ewood Park, despite signing a new five-year contract earlier this year.

It’s been reported that Arsenal is his preferred destination, but north London rivals Spurs look in pole position to land the 27-year-old stopper.

And they are ready to part company with 26-year-old Bassong, who has fallen down the pecking order at White Hart Lane, in a bid to push the deal through.

The Cameroon international joined Spurs from Newcastle in 2008 and started just 12 league games last season.

Catania Sign Free Agent David Suazo

Catania have snapped up free agent David Suazo, the club said via a statement on Friday.

The 31-year-old was expected to rejoin Cagliari after leaving Inter in June following the expiry of his contract at San Siro.

The forward spent a few weeks training with the Sardinian side, but recently left after being told that a deal was not forthcoming, giving Catania the chance to land him instead.

A statement on the club's official website reads:

"Calcio Catania S.p.A communicates to have acquired David Suazo on a permanent basis. Suazo signed a one-year deal until June 30, 2012, but he has to option to extend until 2013."

The Honduras international was at Inter last season but he never featured.

Roma Look At Thiago Alcantara

Roma are looking to another Barcelona and Spain young talent, as they resume a bid for Thiago Alcantara.

The 20-year-old has shot to fame in the last few months with pre-season appearances for Barça.

He also made his senior Spain international debut in their 2-1 friendly defeat to Italy this week.

Former Barcelona B Coach Luis Enrique has already brought Bojan Krkic over to Roma and is reportedly setting his sights on Alcantara.

His contract with Barcelona runs to 2013 and he has quickly become very hot property on the transfer market.

Thiago Alcantara was born in Italy because his father, Brazilian Mazinho, was playing for Lecce at the time.

He grew up largely in Spain and has opted to play his international football for his adopted country.

Zenit St. Petersburg's Fernando Meira Will Sign For Real Zaragoza

Zenit St. Petersburg coach Luciano Spalletti has confirmed that defender Fernando Meira is on the verge of joining Real Zaragoza.

The Portugal international has the subject of a rumoured move to the Zaragoza since last summer, when the Spanish side first baulked at the 33-year-old's transfer fee.

However, the two clubs now appear to be edging closer to an agreement for Meira, who joined Zenit from Galatasaray in 2009 for €4.5 million.

The centre-back has been a fringe figure at Zenit since the arrival of compatriot Bruno Alves from Porto last summer, and is looking to move on as a result.

"Yes, Meira will effectively be transferred to Zaragoza. He needs playing time, so he cannot stay in the team," AS quote Spalletti as saying.

The former Benfica and Stuttgart man is regarded as a replacement for Matteo Contini, who has been loaned out to Siena.