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A Footy Fan’s Guide to Moldova

Some of the must-know stuff about following England in Moldova. More key facts on the way tomorrow.

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Moldovans drink more alcohol than anyone else in the world.  

It’s hard to believe that England doesn’t top the rankings of the volume drinking league, but underperformance in our national sports is not confined to the pitch. It is true, the Moldovans consume more alcohol per person, per year than any country in the world.

Moldova have a pure alcohol consumption per capita rate of 18.22 litres, this essentially means that every Moldovan person over 15 years of age drinks an equivalent of a whopping 880 pints of 4% proof beer every year; even Andy Carroll would have a hard time keeping up with that!

Moldova has more inconsistent weather in September than England.

In September, Moldovan weather has been known to fluctuate between highs of 37.3°C and lows of -2.4°C, all within a few weeks!

England fans travelling to Moldova will no doubt act like classic English tourists and only prepare for a heat wave on their travels. Many fans in the Zimbru Stadium will be wearing shorts and a t-shirt, some will be wearing nothing more than patriotic tattoos and face paint! Let’s hope there isn’t a freak minus climate on Friday!

Moldova has a faster internet connection than the United Kingdom, America and 150 other countries.

Forget England’s internet speed making streaming football like looking at a flick book, Moldova has one of the fastest internet connections in the world.

Unfortunately, Moldova doesn’t quite have the budget to use Usain Bolt in their internet advertising campaigns, but the figures speak for themselves.

With an average download speed of 20.69 Mbps, England fans should have no problem streaming Friday night’s match on the internet once they’re removed from the stadium for drunk and disorderly behaviour. Assuming of course the Moldovans frown on drunk behaviour.

The exchange rate of Moldovan Leu to Great British Pounds is 0.0508

Moldova is renowned as one of the poorest countries in the world; over 80% of the population are currently below the poverty line. The wealth that English fans will suddenly have, and the price of living will certainly be an eye opener this week.

The average monthly wage in private sector employment in Moldova per month is just 3000 Lei (around £150), making goods considerably cheaper for the English.

But the one price that the fans will care about most is the cost of a pint of beer, which is just over 50p. At that price if they drink enough they could save money.

And finally… Moldova produce girls like Xenia Deli.

No beer goggles needed here!

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Premiership Preview: United and City to restore order

Swansea and Everton look to maintain their 100% records but all eyes are on the Manchester clubs

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Title Race

Man City V QPR Saturday, 17.30

Southampton V Man Utd Sunday, 16:00

Mancini will settle for a damp imitation of the final day classic and a straight-forward 3 points. QPR will draw strength from City’s porous defence which leaked two at Anfield but the west-Londoners themselves have conceded 6 times already this season. Knowing football, this could be 0-0.

Manchester United should win comfortably at St Mary’s the following afternoon. The Saints were defeated at home to Wigan last weekend despite their promising 10 minute burst against City. United, however, are vulnerable on the counter-attack; the Kagawa-Van Persie axis will have to over-compensate for the holes at the back.

Back Rickie Lambert to stun Fergie on 3strikers

 

Top Four

Tottenham V Norwich  Saturday, 15.00

West Brom V Everton  Saturday, 15.00

Liverpool V Arsenal Sunday, 13:30

Newcastle V Aston Villa Sunday, 16:00

David Moyes’ men have deservedly gained the early season plaudits after an uncharacteristically stellar start but they face a tough trip to unbeaten West Brom this Saturday. Another win for the Toffees would reaffirm the strength of their Champions-League-place challenge.

Winless north London sides Arsenal and Tottenham will be desperate to arrest their slide down the table. Spurs have the easier fixture at home to vulnerable Norwich whilst the Gunners travel to top-four chasing Liverpool. The Anfield side excelled against the champions and will test Wenger’s newly-drilled defence.

Newcastle should overcome bottom-of-the-table Aston Villa with ease at St James’ Park.

Advise Moyes to start Kevin Mirallas on The Insider

 

Relegation Battle

West Ham V Fulham Saturday, 12:45

Wigan V Stoke Saturday, 15.00

Swansea V Sunderland Saturday, 15.00

None of the above sides currently reside within the relegation zone but West Ham, Wigan and Swansea could all be in the relegation dog-fight come May regardless of their starts to the season.

Big Sam will be keen to put points on the board in his first London derby of the season to build on the win at Upton Park against Villa first time out. Roberto Martinez will try to replicate Wigan’s home form of last season against dogged Stoke.

Michael Laudrup can do no wrong at Swansea but would be content with a point against Martin O’Neill’s men.

Tip Michu’s hot-streak to continue on 3strikers

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Deadline day shocks: 5 of the best

Ahead of tonight’s 23.00 cut-off, here are five surprise deals from the past to whet your appetite for the day ahead

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deadline day.jpeg

 

1 The Argentinian Invasion, 2006

West Ham United had just been promoted. Carlos Tévez and Javier Mascherano were two Argentina internationals linked with a move to a European giant Inter. The marriage was as unexpected as it was nefarious – the signing breached third-party player ownership rules. It was also short-lived as both players left for ManU and Liverpool after a season. Biggest losers were Sheffield Utd when Tevez scored against Man United on the final day to send them down but keep the Hammers up. Neil Warnock bleated and Sheffield Utd sued and were compensated. The Hammers’ £5.5m fine was small punishment for retaining  Premiership status. Relegated Sheffield United now languish in League One.

Back Tevez to score his 4th of the season on 3strikers.

 

2 The Night Football Ate Itself, 2011

Last year’s January window end-point is the stand-out deadline day to date. The sale of Fernando Torres to Chelsea for £50M was the catalyst for the £35M signing of Andy Carroll by Liverpool. The sums were unprecedented and, in the case of the latter, simply unfounded. In a global recession, the gargantuan sums were far moved from world-wide belt-tightening. Football had lost touch with reality.

Select Rodger’s Caroll-free Liverpool side on the Insider.

 

3 Wayne ‘Always A Blue’ Rooney turns Red, 2004

Newcastle had made the first move in the race to sign “The Next Paul Gascoigne” but Manchester United were always the favourites to secure Rooney’s signature. Old Trafford fans did begin to worry on the day when it emerged that the Evertonian had been sent for two medicals but this was actually precedent at the time. The eighteen-year old Bluenose had succumbed to Fergie’s Red Army.

Have a punt on RVP to score for the second consecutive weekend on 3strikers.

 

4. City Revolution Has A Samba Beat, 2008

City were expected to make a statement after Sheikh Mansour’s take-over. Chelsea had sealed Abrahovmich’s maiden summer five years earlier with the signing of Claude Makelele of Real Madrid. However, the latest “richest club in the world” went one better and invested in the mercurial Brazilian Robinho from the Spanish giants. They even pipped Chelsea to the deal (unbeknown to the player himself).

Tip Chelsea’s new Brazilian Oscar to start on the Insider.

 

5. Ashley Cole and William Gallas Play Musical Chairs, 2006

The swap deal across London between Cole of Arsenal and Chelsea’s Gallas has gone into the annals of footballing notoriety. Cole had almost “swerved off the road” after being offered just £55K a week by his boyhood club and forced a move. He has gone on to win 8 tophies. Gallas went potless at Arsenal and ended up at Tottenham. Rough justice.

Nominate the capital’s finest forwards on 3strikers.

 

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5 to Watch: Who will get Strauss’ opening bat?

The England captain leaves a gaping hole opening the innings, as well as at the helm of the side. Will the selectors go for youth or experience?

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Strauss retires on his terms

1. Joe Root

The Yorkshire right-hander is the favourite to get the nod and has been lauded by former England captains and two of the county’s favourite sons, Geoff Boycott and Michael Vaughan. Root’s average of 48.28 in the county championship this season reflects his readiness as well as his potential. His age may count against him though – he is only 21 years-old – and he could be deemed too raw.

 

2. Nick Compton

Denis Compton’s grandson would be a more conservative choice; he is the stand-out pick on form and experience. The 29 year-old averages 97.84 this season, including 4 hundreds and 7 fifties. The Somerset man picked up an injury which kept him out of t20 finals day last weekend.

 

3. Jimmy Adams

Adams has scored over 8,000 first class runs at 38.32 and has been unlucky not to have been given the nod by England. The thirty-one year-old left hander has excelled for Hampshire over the past decade and averages 47.22 this season having been made captain this summer. Although on the fringes of an international call up for some time; his chance may have passed.

 

4. Michael Carberry

The Hampshire left-hander is currently a one-test wonder. He featured against Bangladesh in 2010 with a highest score of 34. Injury has prevented him for adding to his single cap and blighted his game again this season but Carberry’s quality is proven – 43.72 first class average across 131 matches – and the thirty-two year-old should not be discounted even though he is not a long-term proposition.

 

5. Alex Hales

Hard-hitting Hales made the headlines earlier this summer with his superb t20 knock of 99 against the West Indies but a test call might be too soon for the promising Notts man. The twenty-three year-old right-hander averages just 30.70 in the longer format this summer.

Alastair Cook made his test debut at twenty-one. He must decide whether he wants a companion in his mould.

 

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5 key ingredients for Champions League glory

Ahead of the Champions League draw today, we list the core requirements for Arsenal, Chelsea and the Manchester clubs

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UEFA Champions League draw

1. Consistency

Holders Chelsea weaved an unlikely path to unlikely European Cup glory. They haven’t provided a credible blueprint for their English compatriots to follow. This season the boys from the Bridge (and the rather attractive girl physio) will throw away their own manual and look for consistency from the off. The Manchester clubs failed to progress from the group-stages last season, and Arsenal haven’t advanced beyond the last 16 for two years.

 

2. Away form

Roberto Di Matteo’s men famously qualified for the final at the Nou Camp but good fortune in Barcelona clouded the bigger picture. Chelsea had previously lost in Naples and Leverkusen, and failed to win away from home in the group stages. City see-sawed in the Group of Death and picked up just 3 points on the road. United and Arsenal only recorded one more point on their travels.

Pick Di Matteo’s side this weekend with the Insider.

 

3. Goals

Chelsea’s triumph was under-pinned by a strong defence but their crown was founded on clinical finishing as well. When they needed to score four times at home to Napoli, they produced; Arsenal, on the other hand, fell one goal short against Milan. City and United did score freely in the group-stages but they sacrificed attack for defence.

Fancy Balotelli to fire on Saturday? Select him on 3strikers.

 

4. Defence

The combination of defensive solidity and offensive spark is the Holy Grail in European competition. Attacking football is in vogue so quality in defence is paramount. Chelsea were lauded for their defence last season but they only kept five clean sheets across the competition. Arsenal kept ten consecutive clean sheets en route to the 2006 final.

Note to Fergie – Fielding Michael Carrick at centre-half is inadvisable.

Pick two centre-backs for United on the Insider.

 

5. Flair

Roman Abramovich has demanded attacking football for years and his wish is manifest at last with Eden Hazard pulling the strings in midfield. The Chelsea owner was appalled by his team’s under-dog status in Barcelona and has splashed the cash to make-over his side.

United, City and Arsenal are unlikely to sacrifice aesthetics but their fans may be prepared to forgo style for points.

Vote for Giroud to break his duck on 3strikers.

 

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A 5 Point Guide to Transfer Deadline Day

The defining evening of the season is almost upon us. Which clubs will triumph in the last chance saloon?

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1. The expected movers

The summer-long sagas of Andy Carroll and Clint Dempsey must end this week. The futures of Daniel Agger, Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen (yes, he still lives) should also be resolved.  At this point, the destinations of all of the above remain unclear and names such as John Heitinga are only being added to the departure lounge. Hold on to your hats …

Nominate 3strikers who are staying put ahead of this weekend.

 

2. London calling

Serial transfer activist Harry Redknapp may have left the Lane but the capital should still be home to much of the day’s activity. Replacement AVB and QPR boss Mark Hughes will compete for the spotlight, and Arsenal also have money to spend. Chelsea must be spent … surely?

Select QPR’s last old-school line-up with the Insider

 

3. The unexpected

No-one could have predicted Robinho’s move to Manchester City back in 2008. What could TDD 2012 have in store? Drogba and Anelka are being linked with a return to the Premiership only months from their departure and it is only Tuesday morning. Joey Barton to Real anyone?

Vote for Doyle and Rhodes on 3strikers to persuade them to stay

 

4. Jim White on Sky Sports News

Sky Sports News is essential viewing throughout but Mr White’s appearance come 20.00 to oversee the last minute moves is the annual high-point. His pitch and pallor rises as time passes and by the time Big Ben chimes 23.00 Jimbo is delirious. What will become of him this Friday?

Show your manager where they are going wrong on the Insider.

 

5. Manchester City

Mancini has been muzzled all summer and has demanded action this week starting with the conclusion of his chase for Scott Sinclair. Fergie has claimed United’s spending is over. City are expected to provide a riposte to the RVP move as they shuffle their forward pack. It couldn’t be Rooney could it?

This week will decide the title-race.

Select born-again Carlos Tevez on 3strikers. Who will be on City’s roster this time next week?

 

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Advantage Blue Corner: Premier League Round Two

Chelsea, Manchester City and Everton can all press home their early season advantage this weekend

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Title Race

Man Utd V Fulham Saturday, 15:00

Chelsea V Newcastle Saturday, 17:30

Liverpool V Man City Sunday, 16:00

 

Chelsea could go six points clear of their nearest title challengers on Saturday night but Newcastle will provide Roberto Di Matteo’s men with their toughest test of the season. The Stamford Bridge side have sacrificed some of their solidity at the back for offensive flair and Pardew’s front-men could take full advantage. Manchester City could close the gap on Chelsea the following day and consolidate their advantage over neighbours Manchester United who were defeated first time out at Goodison Park. In-transition Liverpool are the visitors at the Etihad. Fulham will travel to Old Trafford full of confidence after their five-star show last weekend. RVP should make his full debut.

Nominate Ba and Cisse to rule the Bridge on 3strikers- the game where you select your top 3 goal scorers for this weekend.

 

Top Four

Aston Villa V Everton Saturday, 15:00

Tottenham V West Brom Saturday, 15.00

Stoke V Arsenal Sunday, 13:30

 

Everton will be looking to build on their shock win and assert themselves as top four challengers at Villa Park. Moyes’ men last finished 4th in 2005 and their highest finish since then was 5th in 2008 and 2009. North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham, who finished third and fourth respectively last season, both face tricky fixtures. Stoke have become The Gunner’s bogey team in light of Bolton’s decline and Spurs face an in-form West Brom buoyed by their convincing opening day defeat of Liverpool. Arsene Wenger and AVB will be desperate to win to silence their doubters in and outside the clubs.

Advise Moyes to name an unchanged side with The Insider

Relegation Battle

Swansea V West Ham Saturday, 12:45

Norwich V QPR Saturday, 15:00

Southampton V Wigan Saturday, 15:00

Sunderland V Reading Saturday, 15:00

 

Swansea vs West Ham was billed as a relegation six-pointer before last weekend and it remains a critical fixture in the basement battle regardless of the opening day results. Norwich and QPR both prop up the table and the pair need to bounce-back after their respective 5-0 drubbings last weekend. Red tape will prevent the west Londoners from fielding a vastly different back-line despite splashing the cash this week. Newly promoted Southampton and Reading equipped themselves well first-time out; both sides will hope to record at least a point against Wigan and Sunderland who finished in the bottom half of the table last season.

Vote for Michu to strike twice on 3strikers

 

 

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Top 5 surprises: Premiership Round 1

You would never have predicted this lot. Our round up of the 5 biggest jaw droppers from last weekend's Premiership

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1. The Manchester Meltdown

Manchester United’s defeat at Goodison Park was the biggest turn-up. The media-anointed title favourites were almost flattered by the result; Shinji Kagawa’s trickery was undermined by Carrick at the back, and RVP struggled to get into the game and then struggled when he got into it. There was almost an upset at the Etihad too with Saints taking a 2-1 lead with 20 minutes to go. forcing City  to reprise their league winning 3-2 comeback over QPR.

Start Van Persie against Fulham with The Insider. Or predict who’ll start for your Premier League team to earn points.

 

2. Top scorers

The race for the golden boot is currently headed by Mladen Petric of Fulham and Michu and Nathan Dyer of Swansea who all scored twice at the weekend. It was quite a weekend for the bookies in the goal-scoring stakes. Even Stamford Bridge’s forgotten man Lukaku bagged the last goal for West Brom.

Is this going to be a season for a wholeset of new names in the goalscoring charts?

Choose your favourite wild-card for top 3 goal scorers of the next round of matches on 3strikers

 

3. UnFamous Five

No-one would have selected Fulham and Swansea as the two most likely Premiership teams to score five unanswered goals on day one. The former were not expected to better last season’s 9th place and the latter have been tipped for relegation. However, both sides topped the table on Saturday night.

Back Laudrup to name an unchanged side on The Insider

 

4. Sometimes money does pay

Thanks to Messrs Torres and Carroll, we have become used to big money flops of late but this summer’s big signings already look the part. Eden Hazard dictated the game for Chelsea and Santi Cazorla carved out seven chances for toothless Arsenal. The jury’s still out on the likes of Giroud, Allen and Borini, but Oscar also looked useful off the bench for The Blues.

Can Giroud redeem himself at Stoke? Have your say on 3strikers

 

5. The Pardew shove

The most memorable moment of the weekend was Alan Pardew’s sending-off for pushing a linesman during Newcastle’s win over Tottenham. It was an unseemly, unnecessary and inauspicious beginning for Pards – as he very quickly pointed out to anyone who would listen. But, it could have been worse. He could have been Brendan Rodgers.

Pick Pardew’s team on the virtual touch-line with The Insider

 

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5 ODI game-changers in the England vs SA battle

This is now war. SA stole the top spot in World Test match cricket from England. Now they will want to do the same in the one-day format.

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1. The absent titans

Kevin Pietersen has been omitted for England and South Africa have chosen to rest Jacques Kallis. The former averages 41.84 (SR 86.76), and the latter averages 45.26 with the bat (SR 72.97) and 31.69 with the ball. Two huge names and presences absent. So who will step up?

England will expect Ian Bell  to replicate his form of earlier this summer (47.25 av vs Australia). Graeme Smith will resume his partnership with Hashim Amla at the top of the order and will focus on his batting without the pressure of captaincy.

 

2. Test Hangovers

After a gruelling final test at Lord’s in a compelling three-match series, both country’s key men will have to switch back on after just three days rest. There are three big questions.

Will Jonny Bairstow maintain his form? Can the Proteas ODI vice-captain Amla continue his hot-streak? And, will the South African fast-men have the beating of the English batting again?

3. The Specialists

England have selected five non-test players, including Ravi Bopara. Eoin Morgan will be expected to build on his resurgence in form this summer whilst Samit Patel offers another spin option. Seamers Jade Dernbach and Chris Woakes will put pressure on the regulars.

South Africa also have five additions to their squad headed by Wayne Parnell. All-rounders Faf du Plessis and Justin Ontong could both make the side.

The series could be decided by which of the one-day specialists finds a run of top form – and it will need to be top form to win this series.

4. The Number 1 Ranking

England are unbeaten in 7 home ODI series and have climbed to the summit of the rankings. South Africa now have the opportunity to accede the number one spot just like they did at test level.

AB de Villiers will be determined to win his third consecutive series as captain after wins in New Zealand and at home to Sri Lanka.

5. T20 World Cup Focus

England T20 captain Stuart Broad has been rested for this series ahead of England’s defence of its T20 World Cup crown in Sri Lanka next month. Broad disappointed in the test-series and needs to find form. But does this reflect a focus on the battles to come rather than the battle in hand?

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Premier League Transfers: 2012/2013

Player Ins and Outs to date

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Arsenal

Players In: Santi Cazorla (Malaga) £15m, Olivier Giroud (Montpellier) £12m, Lukas Podolski (Cologne) £11m.

Players Out: Robin van Persie (Manchester United) £24m, Carlos Vela (Real Sociedad) Undisclosed, Manuel Almunia (Watford) Free, Tom Cruise (Torquay) Free, Gavin Hoyte (Dagenham & Redbridge) Free, Jeffrey Monakana (Preston) Free, Rhys Murphy (Telstar) Free, Benik Afobe (Bolton) Loan, Joel Campbell  (Real Betis) Loan, Denilson (Sao Paulo) Loan, Ryo Miyaichi (Wigan) Loan, Pedro Botelho  (Atletico Paranaense) Undisclosed.

 

Aston Villa

Players In: Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord) £3.2m, Matthew Lowton (Sheffield United) £3m, Karim El Ahmadi (Feyenoord) £2.5m, Brett Holman (AZ Alkmaar) Free.

Players Out: James Collins (West Ham) £2.5m, Emile Heskey (released), Reece Caira  (Western Sydney Wanderers) Free, Carlos Cuellar (Sunderland) Free, Connor Taylor (Walsall) Free.

 

Chelsea

Players In: Eden Hazard (Lille) £32m, Oscar (Internacional) £25m, Marko Marin (Werder Bremen) £6.5m, Thorgan Hazard (Lens) Undisclosed.

Players Out: Didier Drogba (Shanghai Shenhua) Free, Salomon Kalou (Lille) Free, Jacob Mellis (Barnsley) Free, Marko Mitrovic   (Brescia) Free, Jeffrey Bruma  (Hamburg) Loan, Thibaut Courtois  (Atletico Madrid) Loan, Ulises Davila  (Sabadell) Loan, Kevin de Bruyne (Werder Bremen) Loan, Matej Delac  (Guimaraes) Loan, Ben Gordon (Birmingham) Loan, Rohan Ince (Yeovil) Loan, Tomas Kalas  (Vitesse Arnhem) Loan, Milan Lakovic  (Guimaraes) Loan, Romelu Lukaku (West Brom) Loan, Patrick van Aanholt  (Vitesse Arnhem) Loan, Sam Walker (Bristol Rovers) Loan, Jose Bosingwa (Released).

 

Everton

Players In: Steven Pienaar (Tottenham) £4.5m, Steven Naismith (Rangers) Free.

Players Out: Jack Rodwell (Man City) £12m, Tim Cahill (New York Red Bulls) £1m, Joseph Yobo (Fenerbahce) £2m, Joao Silva  (Levski Sofia) Undisclosed, Aristote Nsiala  (Accrington) Free, Adam Forshaw (Brentford) Free, Connor Roberts (Cheltenham) Free, James Wallace (Tranmere) Free, Marcus Hahnemann (Released), James McFadden (Released).

 

Fulham

Players In: George Williams (MK Dons) Undisclosed, Mladen Petric (Hamburg) Free, Hugo Rodallega (Wigan) Free, Sascha Riether (Cologne) Loan.

Players Out: Marcel Gecov  (Gent) Undisclosed, Richard Barroilhet  (RKC Waalwijk) Free, Dickson Etuhu (Blackburn) Free, Andrew Johnson (QPR) Free, Danny Murphy (Blackburn) Free, Pavel Pogrebnyak (Reading) Free, Bjorn Helge Riise  (Lillestrom) Free, Orlando Sa  (AEL Limassol) Free.

 

Liverpool

Players In: Joe Allen (Swansea) £15m, Fabio Borini (Roma) £11m.

Players Out: Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina) £5.5m, Dirk Kuyt (Fenerbahce) £1m, David Amoo (Preston) Free, Fabio Aurelio  (Gremio) Free, Craig Bellamy (Cardiff) Free, Stephen Darby (Bradford) Free, Joe Rafferty (Rochdale) Free, Maxi Rodriguez (Newell’s Old Boys) Free, Henoc Mukendi (Northampton) Loan, Toni Silva (Barnsley) Free.

 

Manchester City

Players In: Jack Rodwell (Everton) £12m.

Players Out: Greg Cunningham (Bristol City) Undisclosed, Gai Assulin   (Racing Santander) Free, Ahmad Benali  (Brescia) Free, Andrea Mancini  (Real Valladolid) Free, Wayne Bridge (Brighton) Loan, Omar Elabdellaoui (Feyenoord) Loan, Owen Hargreaves (Released).

 

Manchester United

Players In: Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund) £12m, Nick Powell (Crewe) £3m, Robin van Persie (Manchester United) £24m,

Players Out: Park Ji-sung (QPR) £2m, Ritchie De Laet and Matthew James (Leicester) £2m, Tomasz Kuszczak (Brighton) Free, Oliver Norwood (Huddersfield) Free, Paul Pogba (Juventus) Free, Ben Amos (Hull) Loan, Reece Brown (Coventry) Loan, John Cofie (Sheffield United) Loan, Fabio Da Silva (QPR) Loan, Sean McGinty (Oxford) Loan, Michael Owen (Released).

 

Newcastle United

Players In: Gael Bigirimana (Coventry) £1m, Curtis Good (Melbourne Heart) £400,000, Romain Amalfitano (Stade de Reims) Free.

Players Out: Leon Best (Blackburn) £3m, Fraser Forster (Celtic) £2m, Danny Guthrie (Reading) Free, Michael Hoganson (Derby) Free, Tamas Kadar   (Roda JC) Free, Peter Lovenkrands (Birmingham) Free, Alan Smith (MK Dons) Free, Daniel Taylor (Oldham) Free.

 

Norwich City

Players In: Robert Snodgrass (Leeds) £3m, Michael Turner (Sunderland) £1.5m, Jacob Butterfield (Barnsley) Over £1m, Steven Whittaker (Rangers) Free.

Players Out: Andrew Crofts (Brighton) Undisclosed, Matt Ball   (Stevenage) Free, Josh Dawkin (Braintree) Free, Adam Drury (Leeds) Free, Zak Whitbread (Leicester) Free, Aaron Wilbraham (Crystal Palace) Free, Daniel Ayala (Nottingham Forest) Loan.

 

Queens Park Rangers

Players In: Samba Diakite (Nancy) £3.5m, Park Ji-sung (Manchester United) £2m, Junior Hoilett (Blackburn) Fee yet to be decided, Robert Green (West Ham) Free, Andrew Johnson (Fulham) Free, Ryan Nelsen (Tottenham) Free, Fabio Da Silva (Manchester United) Loan.

Players Out: Paddy Kenny (Leeds) Undisclosed Fitz Hall (Watford) Free, Heidar Helguson (Cardiff) Free, Paddy Kenny (Leeds) Free, Peter Ramage (Crystal Palace) Free, Danny Shittu (Millwall) Free, Rowan Vine (St Johnstone) Free, Akos Buzsaky (released), Danny Gabbidon (released), Gary Borrowdale (released), Lee Cook (released), Bruno Perone (released).

 

Reading

Players In: Chris Gunter (Nottingham Forest) £2.3m, Adrian Mariappa (Watford) £1m, Pierce Sweeney  (Bray) Undisclosed, Danny Guthrie (Newcastle) Free, Garath McCleary (Nottingham Forest) Free, Nicky Shorey (West Brom) Free, Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham) Free.

Players Out: Michail Antonio (Sheffield Wednesday) £700,000, Mathieu Manset   (Sion) Undisclosed, Tomasz Cywka (Barnsley) Free, Michael Hector (Shrewsbury) Loan, Angus MacDonald (AFC Wimbledon) Loan, Joseph Mills (Burnley) Loan, Karl Sheppard (Accrington) Loan, Gozie Ugwu (Yeovil) Loan.

 

Southampton

Players In: Jay Rodriguez (Burnley) £7m, Steven Davis (Rangers) £800,000, Nathaniel Clyne (Crystal Palace) Undisclosed, Paulo Gazzaniga (Gillingham) Undisclosed.

Players Out: Dan Harding (Nottingham Forest) Undisclosed, Bartosz Bialkowski (Notts County) Free, Harlee Dean (Brentford) Free, Ryan Doble (Shrewsbury) Free, Lee Holmes (Preston) Free, Tommy Forecast (Gillingham) Loan.

 

Stoke City

Players In: Michael Kightly (Wolves) Undisclosed, Jamie Ness (Rangers) Free.

Players Out: Danny Collins (Nottingham Forest) £500,000, Ryan Brunt (Leyton Orient) Free, Andrew Davies (Bradford) Free, Jonathan Woodgate (Middlesbrough) Free, Florent Cuvelier (Walsall) Loan, Matthew Lund (Bristol Rovers) Loan.

 

Sunderland

Players In: Carlos Cuellar (Aston Villa) Free.

Players Out: Asamoah Gyan (Al-Ain) £4m, Michael Liddle (Accrington) Undisclosed, George McCartney (West Ham) Undisclosed, Michael Turner (Norwich) Undisclosed, Marcos Angeleri  (Estudiantes) Free, Trevor Carson (Bury) Free, Jordan Cook (Charlton) Free.

 

Swansea

Players In: Jose Manuel Flores (Genoa) £2m, Michu (Rayo Vallecano) £2m, Jonathan de Guzman (Villarreal) Loan.

Players Out: Joe Allen (Liverpool) £15m, Ferrie Bodde (Released), Scott Donnelly (Released).

 

Tottenham

Players In: Jan Vertonghen (Ajax) £9.5m, Gylfi Sigurdsson (Hoffenheim) £8m.

Players Out: Ledley King (retired), Niko Kranjcar (Dynamo Kiev) £5.75m, Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow) £5.5m, Steven Pienaar (Everton) £4.5m, Lee Angol (Wycombe) Undisclosed, Ben Alnwick (Barnsley) Free, Oscar Jansson  (Shamrock Rovers) Free, Ryan Nelsen (QPR) Free, Kudus Oyenuga  (Hayes & Yeading) Free, Ryan Fredericks (Brentford) Loan, Bongani Khumalo (PAOK) Loan, Massimo Luongo (Ipswich) Loan, Louis Saha  (released).

 

West Brom

Players In: Ben Foster (Birmingham) £3.5m, Markus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen) Free, Claudio Yacob (Racing Club) Free, Yassine El Ghanassy (Gent) Loan, Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea) Loan.

Players Out: Simon Cox (Nottingham Forest) Undisclosed, Keith Andrews (Bolton) Free, Paul Downing (Walsall) Free, Lateef Elford-Alliyu (Bury) Free, Marton Fulop (Asteras Tripolis) Free, Joe Mattock (Sheffield Wednesday) Free, Nicky Shorey (Reading) Free, Somen Tchoyi  (Released).

 

West Ham

Players In: Modibo Maiga (Sochaux) £4.7m, James Collins (Aston Villa) £2.5m, Alou Diarra (Marseille) £2m, George McCartney (Sunderland) Undisclosed, Raphael Spiegel  (Grasshoppers) Undisclosed, Mohamed Diame (Wigan) Free, Stephen Henderson (Portsmouth) Undisclosed, Jussi Jaaskelainen (Bolton) Free.

Players Out: Sam Cowler (Barnet) Undisclosed, Jordan Brown (Barnet) Free, Julien Faubert  (Elazıgspor) Free, Abdoulaye Faye (Hull) Free, Robert Green (QPR) Free, Frank Nouble (Wolves) Free, Freddie Sears (Colchester) Free, Marek Stech (Yeovil) Free, Ravel Morrison (Birmingham) Loan, Pablo Barrera  (Undisclosed).

 

Wigan

Players In: Ivan Ramis (Real Mallorca) £4m, Fraser Fyvie (Aberdeen) £500,000, Ryo Miyaichi (Arsenal) Loan, Arouna Kone (Levante) Undisclosed.

Players Out: Mohamed Diame (West Ham) Free, Chris Kirkland (Sheffield Wednesday) Free, Hugo Rodallega (Fulham) Free, Lee Nicholls (Northampton) Loan, Ryan Watson (Accrington) Loan.

 

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