ARSENAL: The Emirates Stadium will host an England friendly next February if the new Wembley Stadium is not ready in time. The match, against opposition as yet to be named, will be England’s first in London for five seasons, since they lost 2-0 to Holland at White Hart Lane.
ASTON VILLA: Steven Davis has announced himself fit and available for Saturday’s opening trip to Arsenal. Last season’s player of the year missed the pre-season tour to Germany and the Netherlands because of a thigh strain, but has returned to full training. “It’s looking good,” he said.
BLACKBURN ROVERS: Ryan Nelsen has ended speculation about his future by signing a new four-year contract at Ewood Park worth £30,000 a week. The New Zealand defender was recently the subject of a bid of about £5 million from Portsmouth.
BOLTON WANDERERS: Sam Allardyce, the manager, has made a club-record bid of £5 million for Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, the PSV Eindhoven forward, according to reports in the Netherlands. The Dutchman has a £5.4 million buyout clause in his contract.
CHARLTON ATHLETIC: Iain Dowie has explained his decision to sign a third goalkeeper, Scott Carson, from Liverpool, to Stephan Andersen and Thomas Myhre. “I have spoken to them and that is the decision I have made,” the manager said. “Goalkeeping was an area we needed to strengthen.”
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CHELSEA: José Mourinho says that international friendlies have ruined the club’s preparations for the new season. “The players come back on Thursday, Friday is a day of recovery, we have a game on Sunday, so on Saturday we cannot work much. We cannot work, only play,” the manager said.
EVERTON: James McFadden has put an end to months of speculation about his future at Goodison Park by signing a new four-year contract. The Scotland forward, who was signed from Motherwell for £1.25 million in September 2003, has made 97 appearances for the club.
FULHAM: Chris Coleman is impressed with Ian Pearce, the centre back, who is expected to partner Philippe Christanval against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday. “Ian is in the best condition I’ve ever seen him,” the manager said. “He’s been our best defender in pre-season.”
LIVERPOOL: Robbie Fowler hopes to be fit for the start of the new campaign after being selected to play in a friendly away to Lincoln City last night. The forward, who has been struggling with a knee injury, was due to appear alongside Jan Kromkamp, Stephen Warnock and Neil Mellor.
MANCHESTER CITY: Stuart Pearce maintained last night that Sylvain Distin could yet stay at the club, despite being given permission to talk to Middlesbrough. “For financial reasons, I have to offer him the chance to look elsewhere, but it would not surprise me if he stays,” the manager said.
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MANCHESTER UNITED: David Jones, the midfield player, believes that he must make an impact in the first-team squad this season if he is to earn a long-term future at Old Trafford. “Every season is important, but this one particularly so,” Jones, who is still awaiting his Premiership debut, said.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Despite the club buying Julio Arca, a left back, and attempting to sign two centre halves, Andrew Davies expects to play a meaningful role for Middlesbrough this season. “I want to be part of what the manager is trying to achieve,” the defender, 21, said. “I don’t want to leave.”
NEWCASTLE UNITED: The club chartered a flight to bring Stephen Carr and Alan O’Brien back to Tyneside after Ireland’s international against Holland last night. With them were Freddy Shepherd and Glenn Roeder, who intended to watch Dirk Kuyt, the Feyenoord striker, play for the Dutch.
PORTSMOUTH: Sources in Italy claim the club have offered £12 million for Obafemi Martins, of Inter Milan. However, the Nigeria forward is said to be reluctant to move to the South Coast and is considering other offers, with Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and AS Roma reported to be interested.
READING: Brynjar Gunnarsson is fit to play in the first Premiership match in the club’s history, against Middlesbrough on Saturday, after recovering from a groin injury. The Iceland midfield player, who was sent home from the club’s pre-season tour to Sweden, is back in full training.
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SHEFFIELD UNITED: Neil Warnock is relieved that Steve Kabba, ruled out of Saturday’s opening match at home to Liverpool after tearing fibres in a hamstring muscle, will not be out for six weeks, as initially feared. “We are pleased that he has not torn a muscle,” the manager said.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Martin Jol believes Michael Dawson will cope with the extra responsibility that he will bear in the absence of Ledley King, the defender, who is out for another month with a knee injury. “Michael is young, but he’s a leader,” the head coach said.
WATFORD: Albert Jarrett has signed a one-year contract after being released by Brighton at the end of last season. The 21-year-old winger has also played for Milton Keynes Dons and was a schoolboy at Arsenal. “I can’t wait to take my chance here,” Jarrett told the club’s website.
WEST HAM UNITED: Danny Gabbidon believes that one of the challenges this season will be playing in the league three days after a European match. “We will have to step up our game,” the defender, who had a hernia operation in the summer, said. “I’m a bit short of fitness, but I will be ready.”
WIGAN ATHLETIC: Paul Jewell, the manager, has set Henri Camara and Emile Heskey, the forwards, a joint target of 27 goals for the new season. “If those two stay fit they can be very potent,” Jewell said. “If Henri can get 15 goals this time and the other striker [Heskey] 12, that would be great.”