This season will be tougher for Chelsea and my players will have to be better than ever to retain Premier League title, admits Jose

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho admits his players must be better than ever to retain the

INTERVIEW BY ROB DRAPER IN MONTREAL: Jose Mourinho's voice is hoarse: two training sessions a day in Montreal as Chelsea prepare for the new season have taken their toil. Mourinho has enjoyed the preceding break, including a family holiday, and appearances at The Queen's Club watching Rafa Nadal. But the time for genteel summer pursuits is over. His desire to ensure his players don't settle for the complacency of being champions means that he has almost lost his voice in the first week of pre-season training communicating to them his desire.

Mourinho confirms Chelsea will make second £26m bid for Everton's Stones

KALLANG, SINGAPORE - JULY 18:  Olivier Giroud of Arsenal challenged by John Stones of Everton during the Barclays Asia Trophy match between Arsenal and Everton at the Singapore National Stadium on July 18, 2015 in Kallang.  (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Jose Mourinho has confirmed that Chelsea will make a fresh bid for Everton defender John Stones even though the Merseysiders insist their man is not for sale.

Mourinho: Falcao is over knee injury... we wouldn't have signed him otherwise

Jose Mourinho has insisted that Chelsea signing Radamel Falcao is full recovered from the knee ligaments injury he sustained in 2014 and that he can return to his best form at Chelsea.

'I'm proud that Roman let Cech leave for Arsenal... it was the right thing to do'

SINGAPORE - JULY 18: Petr Cech of Arsenal during the Barclays Asia Trophy match between Arsenal and Everton at the Singapore National Stadium on July 18, 2015 in Kallang. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

ROB DRAPER IN MONTREAL: Jose Mourinho has praised Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich for allowing Petr Cech to join Arsenal, admitting he would have attempted to dissuade him.

Walcott, Cazorla and Ozil all on target as Arsenal stroll to victory over Everton to lift Asia Trophy

Arsenal 3-1 Everton: Theo Walcott, Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil all score as Arsene

ARSENAL 3-1 EVERTON - MATT BARLOW IN SINGAPORE: Little more than a glorified training session maybe, but here was a friendly game to enhance a few of Arsenal's hopes and deepen some of Everton's fears. Arsene Wenger relaxed in his seat and enjoyed a fluent performance which suggested the Londoners were still in good rhythm and can extend a fine end to the last campaign into the next one.

Quigg proves class with second round KO of Martinez to retain world title

Boxing - Scott Quigg v Kiko Martinez WBA Super-Bantamweight Title - Manchester Arena - 18/7/15
 Scott Quigg celebrates after winning his fight
 Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl Recine
 Livepic
 EDITORIAL USE ONLY.

Scott Quigg retained the WBA super-bantamweight title with a devastating second round knockout of Kiko Martinez in Manchester on Saturday night.

F1 in mourning as Bianchi, 25, dies nine months after horror crash at Japanese GP which left him in a coma

Formula One driver Jules Bianchi, 25, has died in hospital nine months after crashing at the Japanese Grand Prix. The 25-year-old Marussia driver had been in a coma since October 2014.

Martinez slams Chelsea for unsettling defender Stones with £20m offer 

MATT BARLOW IN SINGAPORE: Everton manager Roberto Martinez has been left fuming at what he claimed was a blatant attempt by Chelsea to unsettle young defender John Stones.

The Open set for Monday finish for first time since 1988 as 45mph winds batter the Old Course causing chaos

The Open will finish on a Monday for the first time since 1988 and just the second time ever after severe weather caused chaos at St Andrews. Winds up to 45mph battered the Old Course.

Finn and Footit in frame for third Test as England look to beef up attack

England's selectors will consider freshening up the bowling attack for the third Test at Edgbaston, with Steven Finn and Mark Footit both in the frame for selection.

One minute he was pledging his future to Villa, the next he was signing for Man City... how Delph performed his dramatic U-turn

Fabian Delph left Aston Villa to sign for Manchester City in £8m deal which shocked the

Fabian Delph's £8million move to Manchester City will go down as one of the most controversial and bewildering in Premier League history. LAURIE WHITWELL chronicles the midfielder's dramatic week which ended with a U-turn.

Murray brothers beat Mahut and Tsonga in doubles to put Great Britain on verge of Davis Cup semis

Andy Murray and Jamie Murray beat France duo Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Nicolas Mahut

MIKE DICKSON AT QUEEN'S: Andy and Jamie Murray held their nerve in amid a feverish atmosphere to put Great Britain within sight of the Davis Cup semi-finals.

Pele taken to hospital for third time in eight months after fresh health scare

FILE - In this March 20, 2015, file photo, Brazilian soccer legend Pele smiles during a media opportunity at a restaurant in London. A Brazilian hospital says Pele is hospitalized in Sao Paulo. Mirtes Bogea, a press officer for the Albert Einstein hospital, said Saturday, July 18, 2015 she could only confirm Pele's hospitalization. She said she was not allowed to say when he was hospitalized or why. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth,File)

Brazilian legend Pele has been admitted to hospital for the third time in eight months. The 74-year-old spent two weeks in hospital in December and then underwent prostate surgery in May.

I'll never forget the good times we had: Ricciardo leads emotional tributes to Bianchi after driver's death

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Jules Bianchi died at the age of 25 on Friday night as a result of head injuries sustained at last October's Japanese Grand Prix. He 'fought right to the very end', his family said in a statement.

JONATHAN McEVOY: Bianchi will be a huge loss to F1, he was hailed as the nicest driver in motor racing

A senior press officer said privately that Jules Bianchi was the nicest driver she ever worked with: polite, accommodating, charming. That is how many in Formula One will remember him.

Mitrovic will complete £13m Newcastle switch with Serbian set for medical

Anderlecht's Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates after scoring the 2-1 goal during the Jupiler Pro League Play-off football match between RSC Anderlecht and Standard de Liege in Brussels, Belgium. 


AFP PHOTO/BELGA/ VIRGINIE LEFOUR   -Belgium Out-       
 (Photo credit should read VIRGINIE LEFOUR/AFP/Getty Images)

Aleksandar Mitrovic will complete his £13million move to Newcastle this weekend. The Serbian star will undergo a medical in the North East.

Man City close in on Roberts move as Fulham youngster arrives for medical

Manchester City are ready to make Fulham youngster Patrick Roberts their third English signing of the summer, with the midfielder undertaking a medical at Wilmslow Hospital on Saturday.

Oscar rejects Juventus overtures and plans for 'long' stay with Chelsea

Chelsea FC via Press Association Images
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Chelsea's Oscar during a training session on 17th July 2015 at the Montreal Impact Training Centre in Parc Champetre, Canada.

ROB DRAPER IN MONTREAL: Oscar has committed himself to Chelsea for the forthcoming season despite the interest of Italian champions Juventus.

Delph realised he had made a bad decision to reject us, says Pellegrini

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Fabian Delph is unveiled as Manchester City's latest signing

DOMINIC KING IN QUEENSLAND: Manuel Pellegrini hailed Fabian Delph's decision to join Manchester City and believes a 'special moment' triggered his extraordinary U-turn.

England struggle to turn tide in second Test as Australia make most of Lyth's dropped Warner chance and rack up the runs

Australia close in on victory over England in second Ashes Test at Lord's as visitors lead

PAUL NEWMAN AT LORD'S: Alastair Cook fell to one knee and bowed his head after falling in the 90s for the seventh time in Test cricket. It was not the failure to reach his 28th century that hurt Cook but the realisation that England's Ashes lead was slipping away. While the captain was there England still had a chance of avoiding the huge first innings deficit that should lead to Australia levelling this series on Sunday but with him went his side's best chance of somehow clinging on to that 1-0 lead.

Ashes fan left red faced after camera captures her taking tumble in the stands

Ashes fan takes a tumble while Alastair Cook gets ‘nervous nineties’ again - TALE OF THE

TALE OF THE DAY: Wickets weren't tumbling on Saturday night, but one spectator certainly was. Cameras zoomed in on a lady as she tried to sit down, but her seat was up and she crumpled to the floor. Friends roared with laughter, as did the rest of the ground when her embarrassing predicament was shown on the big screen.

OLIVER HOLT: Clarke's warriors go for the kill in Waugh-like fashion

OLIVER HOLT AT LORD'S: Michael Clarke's players knew this was the day when Australia could plant its foot on England's throat and move a giant step closer to winning the Second Test.

Stokes adamant England can 'survive 150 overs' and salvage second Test

Ben Stokes was defiant as England face an uphill battle to save the second Test at Lord's when he said: 'If there is any pitch on which to survive 150 overs, this is it.'

Ings will welcome the challenge for a place in Liverpool team from Benteke

DOMINIC KING: Danny Ings has welcomed the imminent arrival of Christian Benteke even though it has made his ambition of becoming a Liverpool regular even harder.

Sterling 'disappointed' with manner of Liverpool departure as £49m man is jeered by Reds fans during Man City friendly

Raheem Sterling admits he is 'disappointed' with manner of Liverpool departure as £49m man

Raheem Sterling has admitted he is 'disappointed' by the manner of his departure from Liverpool - as a section of fans booed him as he watched new club Manchester City's first pre-season match.

Once a Red... Former captain Gerrard wears Liverpool shin pads during Galaxy's comeback win

Steven Gerrard sports Liverpool shin pads on MLS debut for LA Galaxy as midfielder says he

Steven Gerrard says his starring role for LA Galaxy on his Major League Soccer debut made him feel 'like a kid again' and he completed the throwback to his youth by wearing Liverpool shin pads.

FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED: Toure is still City's kingpin and this could finally be Nasri's big year

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - JULY 18: Yaya Toure of Manchester City takes on the defence during the international friendly match between Melbourne City and Manchester City at Cbus Super Stadium on July 18, 2015 in Gold Coast, Australia.  (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Manchester City left it late to earn victory over sister club Melbourne City. Here's what our man in Australia DOMINIC KING learned from the pre-season friendly in Queensland.

Does Benteke's goal return justify £32.m transfer fee from Liverpool?

File photo dated 07-04-2015 of Aston Villa's Christian Benteke celebrates his goal PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Friday July 17, 2015. Liverpool have made a £32.5million bid to trigger the release clause of Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke. See PA story SOCCER Liverpool. Photo credit should read Nick Potts/PA Wire.

Liverpool are edging closer to a deal to bring Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke to Anfield but do the stats justify the £32.5m transfer fee on the Belgian striker?

Man United will reject all bids for De Gea unless Real Madrid offer Ramos

SEATTLE, WA - JULY 16:  David de Gea of Manchester United in action during a first team training session as part of their pre-season tour of the USA at VMAC on July 16, 2015 in Seattle, Washington.  (Photo by John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images)

IAN LADYMAN IN SEATTLE: Manchester United have all but given up on David de Gea signing a new contract but will only consider letting him leave if they can capture Sergio Ramos.

After 12 hours and four holes (yes, just four) Johnson takes lead at wind-delayed Open

Dustin Johnson maintains one-shot lead over Danny Willett at The Open after weather

DEREK LAWRENSON AT ST ANDREWS: A rancorous, unsatisfactory day at The Open, filled with controversy, farce and all too little golf, reached its marathon conclusion on Saturday night with a new halfway leader as Dustin Johnson birdied the 18th hole to nudge ahead of the total posted the previous evening by Englishman Danny Willett (remember him?). It took the gifted American almost exactly 12 hours to complete little more than four holes left over from the previous afternoon as tortuous delay followed tortuous delay, owing to high winds that stubbornly refused to obey the forecast and lie down.

Is Woods nearing the end after missing third cut in four majors?

Tiger Woods looks done  after missing another major cut to bow out of The Open

RIATH AL-SAMARRAI AT ST ANDREW'S: In among Saturday's weather carnage, a gust of wind sent Tiger Woods' scorecard flying across a fairway. He gave chase but no-one would have blamed him if he let it disappear on the breeze.

Spieth and Johnson fume after being made to play 32 minutes of round

CHRIS CUTMORE IN ST ANDREWS: Jordan Spieth was among the players left furious at the R&A;'s decision to resume play at The Open on Saturday morning amid 45mph winds.

Matsuyama aiming to become first ever Japanese major winner

CHRIS CUTMORE AT ST ANDREWS: Jordan Spieth may well have his eyes on a third major of the year, but Japan's Hideki Matsuyama is eyeing a equally big feat if he was to win this year's Open.

TEE ROOM: Donald and Westwood are game for laugh during wind delays

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Some stars were able to keep their sense of humour during Saturday's delays. Lee Westwood tweeted 'The 11 o'clock announcement seems to have been blown away!'

Schneiderlin makes instant impression with winner five minutes into his debut as Man United new boys shine in tour victory

Manchester United 1-0 Club America: Morgan Schneiderlin header on debut hands Louis van

CLUB AMERICA 0-1 MANCHESTER UNITED - IAN LADYMAN IN SEATTLE: Morgan Schneiderlin's header after five minutes split the teams as Manchester United started their pre-season campaign with a narrow win over Club America. There were encouraging performances from all of United's new signings on the opening match of their US tour

Nasri scores late winner as City kick off tour of Australia with Melbourne win

Manchester City 1-0 Melbourne City: Samir Nasri scores late winner as new boy Raheem

MELBOURNE CITY 0-1 MANCHESTER CITY - DOMINIC KING IN QUEENSLAND: The technique was faultless, the strike was unstoppable and the goal was good enough to win a game a far bigger magnitude than a friendly.

FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED: Cazorla was a revelation and Walcott looks in the groove too

MATT BARLOW IN SINGAPORE: Theo Walcott, Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil all got on the scoresheet as Arsenal cruised to a 3-1 win against Everton to secure the Asia Trophy.

Ramos is going nowhere, insists Benitez in blow to Manchester United's hopes of landing Real Madrid star

Manchester United target Sergio Ramos is not leaving Real Madrid and is an integral part of the La Liga giants' plans, according to new boss Rafa Benitez.

Van Gaal critical of American pitches after One Direction concert leaves poor surface for Man United's friendly

SEATTLE, WA - JULY 17:  Manager Louis van Gaal of Manchester United walks off after the International Champions Cup 2015 match between Manchester United and Club America at CenturyLink Field on July 17, 2015 in Seattle, Washington.  (Photo by Matthew Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images)

Louis van Gaal has expressed concern over the standard of American pitches after Manchester United beat Club America on an imperfect surface at the Seattle Seahawks stadium on Saturday

Benitez's first game in charge of Madrid ends in shoot-out defeat as Odegaard joins Ronaldo and Bale in Melbourne friendly

Real Madrid 0-0 Roma (pens 6-7): Rafa Benitez's first game ends goalless but loses on

REAL MADRID 0-0 ROMA (6-7 ON PENALTIES): Rafa Benitez's first game in charge of Real Madrid is not one that is likely to be remembered as both teams lumbered to a disappointing draw - only to lose on penalties.

Payet hits double on debut as West Ham see off Southend

Southend 2-3 West Ham: Dimitri Payet stars on debut as £11m signing nets twice in win

SOUTHEND 2-3 WEST HAM: Dimitri Payet's West Ham career got off to the perfect start on Saturday as he scored twice in a victory against Southend at Roots Hall.

Cabaye makes debut but Palace suffer defeat to Germans

Union Berlin 2-0 Crystal Palace: New boy Yohan Cabaye makes debut but Premier League side

UNION BERLIN 2-0 CRYSTAL PALACE: Yohan Cabaye made his first appearance for the club but was unable to help them avoid a defeat against Union Berlin.

Still got it! All-action Gerrard inspires LA Galaxy comeback from two goals down

Los Angeles Galaxy 5-2 San Jose Earthquakes: Steven Gerrard shines and scores in

LA GALAXY 5-2 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES - SAMI MOKBEL IN LOS ANGELES: You're 2-0 down inside 25 minutes; what do you do? Give the ball to Steven Gerrard. That was Liverpool's default answer for nearly 20 years. It seems it's the same for the LA Galaxy. Even here in Hollywood, you'd struggle to find a script more far-fetched than this.

Liverpool continue their pre-season travels as they touch down in Adelaide   

Liverpool continue their pre-season travels as they touch down in Adelaide   

 The latest venture of Liverpool's hectic pre-season campaign has seen Brendan Rodgers' men land in Adelaide prior to their match against Adelaide United.

Man United to rival Chelsea in race to sign £22m Barcelona forward Pedro

IAN LADYMAN IN SEATTLE: Manchester United are considering boosting their £150million forward line still further by bidding for Barcelona star Pedro.

Chelsea and Spurs warned over plans to move into Wembley by Prem chief

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 10:  Chief Executive of Premier League Richard Scudamore speaks to the media during the announcement of the Premier League's UK live broadcasting rights auction on February 10, 2015 in London, England. It was announced that Sky and BT Sport will pay the Premier League £5.136 billion to share the live TV rights for three seasons starting from 2016-17. (Photo by Tom Dulat/Getty Images for Premier League)

MATT BARLOW: Tottenham and Chelsea have been fired a warning as they pursue plans for a temporary move to Wembley Stadium by Premier League supremo Richard Scudamore.

Spanish government honour Casillas and Xavi after pair end La Liga careers

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Hoogte/REX Shutterstock (4903752g)
 Iker Casillas
 Fortuna Sittard and FC Porto  International friendly football match at the Trendwork Arena in Sittard, The Netherlands - 15 Jul 2015

The Spanish government has honored Iker Casillas and Xavi Hernandez for their long and successful careers at Real Madrid and Barcelona that ended this summer.

Muller hits double before Alcantara and Lewandowski wrap up victory for Bayern

Bayern Munich 4-1 Valencia: Thomas Muller hits double before Thiago Alcantara and Robert

BAYERN MUNICH 4-1 VALENCIA - Manchester United targets Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski both got on the scoresheet as Bayern Munich cruised to a comfortable win over La Liga outfit Valencia.

Froome fuming after claiming urine was thrown in his face amid accusations of doping at Tour

Chris Froome fuming after having 'urine' thrown in his face amid accusations of doping at

Chris Froome claimed he was drenched in urine and called a 'doper' after enhancing his Tour de France lead on a 14th stage won by fellow Briton Steve Cummings.

Coca-Cola tell FIFA to reform or they will end £30m-a-year sponsorship deal

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JUNE 03: A policeman stands in front of the FIFA headquarters on June 3, 2015 in Zurich, Switzerland. Joseph S. Blatter resigned as president of FIFA. The 79-year-old Swiss official, FIFA president for 17 years said a special congress would be called to elect a successor. (Photo by Philipp Schmidli/Getty Images)

Coca-Cola have told FIFA they must have a complete overhaul or risk losing their multi-million pound sponsorship. The soft drinks giants want an independent person to oversee reform.

Man United spree to continue as Van Gaal eyes at least two more signings

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal talks to reporters during a news conference Wednesday, July 15, 2015, in Bellevue, Wash. Manchester United is in the Seattle area for an international friendly soccer match against Mexico's Club America on Friday. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Louis van Gaal has admitted he still has unfinished business in this summer's transfer window - with the Manchester United manager wanting 'to improve at least two positions' to his squad.

Madrid sign Espanyol keeper Casilla... so, will they still move for De Gea?

Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez (R) vies with Espanyol's goalkeeper Kiko Casilla (L) during the Spanish league football match RCD Espanyol v FC Barcelona at¬?the Cornella-El Prat stadium in Cornella de Llobregat on April 25, 2015.  AFP PHOTO / LLUIS GENE        (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images)

Real Madrid have announced the signing of goalkeeper Kiko Casilla from Espanyol in a deal which could have implications for their pursuit of Manchester United's David de Gea.

Bing
   

MORE STARS OF SPORT

Rogers escapes serious injury after being hit on back of head at Lord's in clash that brought back memories of Hughes tragedy

Chris Rogers escapes serious injury despite being hit on the back of the head in clash

Australia opener Chris Rogers was lucky to escape with only a small cut behind his ear after being struck on the back of his helmet, in the same area that fellow Aussie batsman Phillip Hughes was hit in the tragic accident which took his life. Rogers was struck while taking evasive action from a James Anderson bouncer with the first delivery on day two of the second Ashes Test at Lord's. A hush descended around the ground before it was clear Rogers had only suffered a minor injury as team doctors treated the cut.

Johnson hoping Aussies' devastating bowling spell will re-open 'scars' of England's batsmen

Mitchell Johnson happy to re-open 'scars' as Australia dominate England at Lord's

LAWRENCE BOOTH: Mitchell Johnson spoke of re-opening 'scars' after England's top order disintegrated on Friday in the second Ashes Test at Lord's.

We're in a great position... let's just hope it doesn't rain, jokes Marsh

Rookie all-rounder Mitchell Marsh celebrated his first Ashes wickets and said he wants more as Australia look to level the series against England at Lord's.

NASSER HUSSAIN: England's top order resembled rabbits in the headlights

Ashes 2nd Test. Lords. England v Australia. day 2
17/06/15: Kevin Quigley/Daily Mail/Solo Syndication
Joe Root out bowled by Johnson for 1

Friday night's exhilarating final session was the perfect illustration of how much international cricket has to do with a player's mental strength.

MARTIN SAMUEL: England's batsmen were weak, weak, weak

Ashes 2nd Test. Lords. England v Australia. day 2
17/06/15: Kevin Quigley/Daily Mail/Solo Syndication
Adam Lyth out for 0

MARTIN SAMUEL AT LORD'S: Suddenly, it's 2013 all over again. Mitchell Johnson is ferocious, England are in disarray and if this Test last five days it will only be due to the weather.

It's surreal to be leading at The Open, says Willett (and even his mum is stunned!)

Danny Willett hits his stride at St Andrews with superb second round... and even his mum

DEREK LAWRENSON AT ST ANDREWS: It has been well documented his father is a Church of England vicar but who knew his mother is the one who brings him back down to earth? 'Well done on making the halfway cut,' texted Elisabet Willett, shortly after son Danny had completed his second round at the Open Championship at St Andrews.

Sir Knit's stylish exit: Faldo bids farewell to St Andrews in jumper he wore during 1987 triumph

Sir Nick Faldo bids farewell to St Andrews as British great makes stylish exit 

JONATHAN McEVOY: There was never going to be a Claret Jug at the end of the rainbow that appeared as Sir Nick Faldo took his leave of St Andrews for ever.

Willett has taken the Open by storm... so, who is the 27-year-old sensation?

The 27-year-old Yorkshireman is the son of a Church of England vicar - the Reverend Steve Willett, whose parish church is Christ Church at Hackenthorpe, Sheffield - and a maths teacher.

CHARLES SALE: ECB aiming to avoid future clash between Ashes and Open

SPORTS AGENDA: Members of the England Cricket Board plan to make it a priority that the Lord's Test does not clash with The Open golf championship again.

'All joy and no tears' as Watson calls time on his Open glories

ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND - JULY 17:  Tom Watson of the United States celebrates after putting on the 18th green during the second round of the 144th Open Championship at The Old Course on July 17, 2015 in St Andrews, Scotland. This is Watson's last Open Championship.  (Photo by Warren Little/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

This is not how it was meant to end for Tom Watson. In his dreams, he must have imagined a sunny, mid- afternoon stroll over the Swilcan Bridge to the cheers of swollen galleries.

Southampton off to a flyer as they ease past Koeman's old club Groningen in Holland

FC Groningen 0-3 Southampton: Ronald Koeman's men get off to winning start on mini

FC GRONINGEN 0-3 SOUTHAMPTON: Southampton got their pre-season trip to Holland off to a winning start with a 3-0 win against FC Groningen. Jose Fonte, Sadio Mane and Graziano Pelle were all on target as the Saints cruised to victory in front of a crowd of more than 12,000 against manager Ronald Koeman's first club.

Sidwell nets early goal and Arnautovic doubles lead as Hughes side end tour on high

Singapore Select XI 0-2 Stoke City: Steve Sidwell nets early goal and Marko Arnautovic

SINGAPORE XI 0-2 STOKE - MATT BARLOW: Stoke City ended their pre-season tour of Asia on a high after Steve Sidwell and Marko Arnautovic grabbed goals.

This is the hardest decision I've ever made, claims Delph as he joins City days after pledging his future to Villa

Fabian Delph signs for Manchester City... just days after the captain declared he was

Fabian Delph has signed for Manchester City after performing his second U-turn in the space of six days to leave Aston Villa in an £8million deal.

Firmino: I chose Liverpool because they wanted me for a year... thought of Anfield crowd gives me goosebumps

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Liverpool new boy Roberto Firmino has revealed that the club were chasing his signature for more than a year before signing for the Anfield club earlier this summer.

West Ham face potential clash with Inverness in Europa campaign as Southampton begin against Vitesse

James Tomkins of West Ham United celebrates scoring the winning  goal

West Ham United are on course for a 'Battle of Britain' meeting with Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League

Bellerin commits future to Arsenal as right back signs new long-term deal

SINGAPORE - JULY 16:  Hector Bellerin of Arsenal relaxes in the pool after a Gym Session in the hotel on July 16, 2015 in Singapore.  (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Hector Bellerin has signed a long-term deal with Arsenal, the FA Cup holders have announced, meaning the young right back will remain at the Emirates for the future.

Liverpool manager Rodgers rules out loan move for Gomez and vows to use new signing this season

Teenager Joe Gomez will have a chance to make his mark at Liverpool next season after Brendan Rodgers confirmed the defender will not be loaned out. Gomez has impressed while on tour.

Wenger will be Arsenal manager for years to come, he still has the hunger and passion, insists Gazidis

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis admits he can see manager Arsene Wenger staying at the club for years to come as the Frenchman prepares for his 20th season in charge.

Atletico Madrid president confirms they are in talks with Chelsea for Luis

Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has revealed his club is in talks with Chelsea regarding left-back Filipe Luis' possible return to the Vicente Calderon stadium this summer.

TRANSFERS: Club-by-club guide to all the summer Premier League deals

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With Premier League clubs up and down the country hoping to strengthen their squad and offload dead wood, Sportsmail has every summer move covered with this handy guide.

PRE-SEASON GAMES: Keep track of all your side's fixtures and results

Liverpool fans show their support during the match between the Melbourne Victory and Liverpool at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia.  


(Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 24 2013

The big kick-off in the Premier League may still be in August, but the hard work begins long before for top flight clubs across the country.

NEW KITS: The strips your team will be wearing next season...

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As Premier League sides unveil their new kits for the 2015-16 season, Sportsmail will keep track of them all as they are released and rate them out of 10.

With Delph gone and Benteke set to follow... it's no wonder Villa boss Sherwood had his head in his hands during draw with Braga

Braga 0-0 Aston Villa: Liverpool target Christian Benteke watches from stands as Fabian

BRAGA 0-0 ASTON VILLA - LAURIE WHITWELL IN PORTUGAL: Tim Sherwood struck a relaxed pose as he stepped out onto the pitch at the Estadio Da Nora, this modest stadium in the Algarve where three dusty walls and one stand line the pitch. Hands in the pockets of his tracksuit bottoms, he looked calm in the late-evening Portuguese sun. But his mind must have been whirring. Fabian Delph, the player he made captain, was in the process of completing his move to Manchester City and Christian Benteke, although here in body is long gone, to Liverpool. 

Brazilian wonderkid Kenedy trains with Chelsea team-mates for the first time

Chelsea joined by Brazilian youngster Kenedy for the first time as Jose Mourinho steps up

Brazilian youngster Kenedy was among a 24-man group of Chelsea players training in Montreal on Friday as Jose Mourinho continued his double sessions in a bid to get his side up to speed with their Barclays Premier League rivals.

Blind ambition? Arsenal stars take part in bizarre event during Far East tour

Arsenal stars continue to excite Singapore following as they hold lively hotel party for

Arsenal's pre-season got underway in the 2015 Barclays Asia Trophy Tournament, in Singapore on Wednesday, as they comfortably beat a Singapore Select XI 4-0.

Lampard's New York City debut delayed again due to calf injury

NEW YORK, USA - JULY 12:  Frank Lampard (R) and his girlfriend Christine Bleakley (C) watch the MLS match between Toronto FC and New York City at Yankee Stadium on July 12, 2015 in New York City.  (Photo by Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images)

Frank Lampard's New York City bow will be delayed by another week with a calf injury suffered in training ruling him out of this week's clash with New England Revoultion.

Vidal deal is not done yet, warns Bayern Munich chief Rummenigge

epa04837459 Chilean soccer player Arturo Vidal attends a hearing at the Warranty Tribunal of San Bernardo, south of Santiago, Chile, 08 July 2015. Vidal reportedly reached a deal with prosecutors and will now avoid trial after crashing his car whilst under the influe nce of alcohol in June during the Copa America 2015 soccer tournament.  EPA/FERNANDO NAHUEL

Bayern Munich are close to signing Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal but chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge says a deal is not yet done.

Special 'Stevie Cam' to capture every moment of Gerrard's LA Galaxy debut

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 11:  Steven Gerrard of LA Galaxy on his debut during the International Champions Cup match between Club America and LA Galaxy at StubHub Center on July 11, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.  (Photo by Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images)

SAMI MOKBEL IN LOS ANGELES: US broadcasters plan to capture every moment of Steven Gerrard's MLS debut against San Jose Earthquakes through 'Stevie Cam'.

Benzema could still join Arsenal as Wenger eyes 'exceptional player'

Just a few days after hinting his summer of shopping may be finished Arsene Wenger promised 'an exceptional player' might tempt him.

Martinez issues another hands off message to clubs eyeing McCarthy

Roberto Martinez has tried to soothe the fears of Everton supporters with another firm denial that James McCarthy will not be allowed to leave

Barcelona target Pogba 'is not for sale', insist Juventus

Juventus insist that Paul Pogba is not for sale despite reports in Spain linking the highly-coveted midfielder with a move to Barcelona. Pogba is also a target for Manchester City and PSG this summer.

Australia leave it late with two tries in final six minutes to see off rivals South Africa

Australia 24-20 South Africa: Wallabies sensationally defeat Springboks in dramatic Rugby

AUSTRALIA 24-20 SOUTH AFRICA - CHRIS FOY IN BRISBANE: Australia kick-started their countdown to the World Cup 'Pool of Death' with an extraordinary comeback to trump the Springboks with two tries in the last six minutes.

Aldo confirms he's ready to do battle with McGregor... and would even fight in his rival's backyard

Jose Aldo confirms he's ready to go toe-to-toe with Conor McGregor... and would even fight

Jose Aldo has insisted he is ready to face Conor McGregor - and is prepared to travel to Ireland. The UFC featherweight champion was forced to pull out of his fight with the Dubliner at less than three weeks' notice.

Mayweather steps up training ahead of September 12 bout as Berto says he's 'up for the challenge'

Floyd Mayweather returns to gym ahead of September 12 bout... as potential opponent Andre

Floyd Mayweather is yet to announce who he will fight on September 12, in what could be his last professional bout before retiring, but he has stepped up his preparation by returning to the gym.

Japan suffer setback after announcing National Stadium will not be ready in time for 2019 Rugby World Cup

World Rugby says it is 'extremely disappointed' that Japan's new National Stadium will not be ready to host games at the 2019 World Cup, after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe revealed

Matfield tips youthful South Africa to spring out of the blocks in Rugby Championship opener with Australia 

South Africa head into the opener with Australia with an inexperienced midfield, but Victor Matfield is confident his side can combat Australia's veterans.

Scotland seal place in World T20 following 23-run victory against Oman 

Scotland secured their place in next year's World Twenty20 after beating Oman in their final qualifier and then getting the result they needed from the match between Holland and Kenya.

Burgess to play at centre for England if selected for World Cup as Lancaster looks to replace Tuilagi's physicality

BAGSHOT, ENGLAND - JULY 08:  Sam Burgess stretches during the England training session held at Pennyhill Park on July 8, 2015 in Bagshot, England.  (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Stuart Lancaster has revealed that Sam Burgess will play in the centres if he is selected for England's final World Cup squad.

Tomic apologises after being charged with 'resisting an officer without violence' after Miami hotel row

Bernard Tomic was arrested on Wednesday night after throwing a wild party in the penthouse suite of the W Hotel in South Beach, Miami. According to an arrest report, hotel security was initially called to his room after a number of fellow guests complained about noise and loud music. But when security asked Tomic, 22, to turn the music down the tennis ace became aggressive and slammed the door in a guard's face. He was then asked to leave the ocean front property by hotel management who also called police. Astonishingly, when officers arrived on the scene Tomic, who is the 25th ranked player in the world, said he was standing his ground and still refused to leave the hotel. He was eventually arrested and taken into custody. The 6'4", 210 lbs was transported to a nearby jail where he was booked for trespassing and resisting arrest. He was later released on $2,000 bail.

Pictured: Mugshot of Bernard Tomic
Ref: SPL1069296  160715  
Picture by: Splash News

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Australian No 1 Bernard Tomic has apologised after he was arrested in Miami on Wednesday. Tomic was charged with 'resisting an officer without violence' after police were called to his hotel room.

Price left close to tears after third career KO casts doubt over future

SCHWERIN, GERMANY - JUNE 07:  David Price of Great Britain in action during his heavyweight fight against  Yaroslav Zavorotnyi of Ukraine at Sport- und Kongresshalle on June 7, 2014 in Schwerin, Germany.  (Photo by Boris Streubel/Bongarts/Getty Images)

JEFF POWELL IN GERMANY: David Price's first thought was for those around him after he suffered the most devastating of the three knock-outs which have damaged his career.

I wasn't getting the top rides any more so I had to quit, admits Hughes

NEWBURY, ENGLAND - JULY 18:  Richard Hughes poses at Newbury racecourse on July 18, 2015 in Newbury, England. Hughes is due to retire from the saddle in two week times after the Goodwood Festival meeting.  (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)

Champion jockey Richard Hughes says the fact that many of the top rides in the Richard Hannon stable are no longer his made it easier to announce his early retirement from the saddle.

As £49m Sterling becomes most expensive ever star aged 21 and under, here's who he beats in the top 10... and were any of them were as bad as United flop Anderson?

Raheem Sterling is now the world's most expensive player who's 21 or younger after

When Raheem Sterling put pen to paper on a £49million move from Liverpool to Manchester City on Tuesday, the diminutive winger became the world's most expensive player under the age of 21. At the tender age of 20, Sterling has signed a five-year contract with Manuel Pellegerini's side, worth around £180,000 a week.

With Manchester United set to move Blind to left-back, what next for £27m man Shaw?

Manchester United defender Luke Shaw faces make-or-break year at Old Trafford

When Manchester United paid £27million for Luke Shaw a year ago, the fee raised fewer eyebrows than Raheem Sterling's move to Manchester City. It was a phenomenal amount of money for a teenage left-back but Shaw looked as close to being a surefire bet as you can possibly get. Roll forward 12 months and Shaw faces a make-or-break season at Old Trafford that could affect his entire career.

JEFF POWELL: Fergie wouldn't have paid 49p for Sterling, let along £49m... he only bought men with character

When Sir Alex Ferguson broke transfer records it was not for spoiled boys of uncertain commitment, febrile laddies who might feel too tired to play 90 minutes of football.

CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES: QPR start off against Charlton

Jamie Mackie poses on his return to QPR

Take a look at the full breakdown of the Sky Bet Championship fixtures as the likes of Hull, Burnley, Derby and Middlesbrough go in search of promotion.

LEAGUE ONE FIXTURES: Hasselbaink kicks off at home to Scunthorpe

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Take a look at the full breakdown of the Sky Bet League One fixtures as Sheffield United take on the likes of Wigan, Peterborough and Millwall for promotion.

LEAGUE TWO FIXTURES: Sheringham begins career against Notts County

Teddy Sheringham, West Ham United coach.
Matt Lawless Feature at West Ham.
Pic Andy Hooper

Take a look at the full breakdown of the Sky Bet League Two fixtures as favourites Portsmouth look to beat the likes of Oxford and Leyton Orient to promotion.