Many questions are asked about the Qatar World Cup, but the politics of its friends and allies is the issue that, in the current climate, is least easily brushed away.

Southampton have had a £12million bid accepted for Hull City striker Shane Long. Ronald Koeman wants a proven Premier League performer.

CHRIS WHEELER: Amid all the headlines and hype this summer, it would be easy to forget that City won the title race last season.

Captain Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal now have the forward firepower to mount a long-overdue sustained assault on the Barclays Premier League title.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has donated £30,000 to help Sweden's learning difficulties national team travel to the INAS World Football Championships.

West Ham's first Premier League game of the season against Tottenham will set fans back as much as £77 for an adult ticket.

Arsenal are dark horses to win the Premier League title after signing Alexis Sanchez, according to former Tottenham chairman Lord Alan Sugar.

SAM CUNNINGHAM: There are times when keepers pull off seemingly impossible saves - and Watford had to rely on one of those from Jonathan Bond.

RICHARD GIBSON: Souleymane Doukara netted a brace to help Leeds past League Two Accrington and show the incoming Billy Sharp a starting place is not guaranteed.

The Capital One Cup has officially kicked off with the usual upsets and drama. Here's a summary of the best from the first round.

When the talk turns to the greats of European football it is easy to rattle off the names of Paisley, Guardiola and Mourinho.

Arsenal have another speed merchant in their ranks after Theo Walcott revealed that his club sprint record has been broken.

Real Madrid's stars could be showcasing their skills Down Under next season after it was revealed that the club are in talks about playing pre-season games in Melbourne next year.

Crystal Palace co-chairman Steve Parish has hinted that the Eagles are ready to take Wilfried Zaha back to Selhurst Park.

Chelsea assistant first-team coach Jose Morais has taken a one-year sabbatical in order to become the manager of Saudi Arabian side Al-Shabbab.

LAURA WILLIAMSON: Another year, another Arsenal captain bidding farewell. Thomas Vermaelen became the fifth skipper to leave the club in the past nine years.

CRAIG HOPE: Alan Pardew thinks Siem de Jong will be the new Teddy Sheringham of the Premier League.
De Jong completed his £6million move to Newcastle in July.

Elche midfielder Carlos Sanchez, nicknamed 'The Rock' is expected to jet into England on Tuesday to complete a £4.7million switch to Aston Villa.

Arsenal are set to turn to Olympiacos centre-half Kostas Manolas in their search for Thomas Vermaelen's replacement.

Manchester City playmaker David Silva has signed a new five-year contract. The Spain international has won two Premier League titles with City.

Brendan Rodgers believes Raheem Sterling will have teams running scared this season as he tipped the England winger to maintain his relentless progress.

SIMON JONES: French club Metz are ready to lodge a complaint with UEFA after their proposed deal with West Ham for Diafra Sakho collapsed. 

SIMON JONES: Manchester City defender Karim Rekik is poised for a return to PSV Eindhoven on loan after impressing at the Eredivisie club last season.

SIMON JONES: Blackpool manager Jose Riga has revealed that he is looking to bring another TEN players to the club before the end of the transfer window.

Liverpool defender Martin Kelly will complete a surprise £1.5m switch to Crystal Palace on Tuesday.

Leeds United are in talks with Southampton over a deal for striker Billy Sharp.

QPR have appointed Glenn Hoddle as first-team coach. QPR boss Harry Redknapp wants him to implement a 3-5-2 formation.

Hatem Ben Arfa has cancelled plans to meet with Newcastle United supporters on the same day the club holds an open training session at St James' Park.

Manchester United's Javier Herndanez 'needs to leave' Old Trafford and move to an 'extraordinary team' like Juventus, according to Miguel Herrera.

Patrick Vieira 'can't believe' Carlo Tavecchio has been elected as the new president of the Italian Football Federation amid a furious racism row.

Carlo Ancelotti has told Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United to forget about signing Sami Khedira.

Stoke boss Mark Hughes has admitted he is interested in signing Norwich winger Nathan Redmond.

CHARLES SALE: The FA will need Roy Hodgson to do what he does best - talk a good game - to avoid the new Wembley attracting its lowest crowd.

Willy Caballero has promised he will fight to keep Joe Hart out of the Manchester City team after starting ahead of the England goalkeeper at Wembley..

Diego Costa has apologised for his part in knocking Chelsea out of the Champions League when he was playing for Atletico Madrid.

Legia Warsaw have formally outlined their plan to fight against the dramatic Champions League elimination that handed Celtic a shock European lifeline.

Olympiacos want Nicklas Bendtner. The Dane has been training on his own since his release from Arsenal so that he is ready to make his next move.

Liverpool weighing up Samuel Eto'o as a potential candidate as they look to bring in a striker. Eto'o is available following his release from Chelsea.

Eric Abidal has been officially unveiled as an Olympiacos player. The French left-back signed for the Greek champions early last month.

Arsenal playmaker Santi Cazorla has poured cold water on speculation linking him with a return to Spain this summer.

Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel has hailed the arrival of Dejan Lovren to the club.

Tottenham are trying to sell or loan out players before they push forward on more major signings. Franco Baldini is busy across Europe looking for new signings.

Click here for all the fixtures for the 2014-15 Barclays Premier League fixtures with our week-by-week guide to all the games.

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