Jenson Button was gassed by burglars before having £300,000 worth of belongings stolen from his house in the south of France. Criminals pumped anaesthetic gas into air conditioning vents and then broke into the F1 star's holiday villa while he and his wife Jessica were out cold. The burglars took Jessica Michibata's £250,000 engagement ring as well as a number of other possessions that totalled over £300,000.
Was this the day England won the Ashes? After Australia were bowled out for 60, Root hits stunning century to build 214-run lead
PAUL NEWMAN AT TRENT BRIDGE: There have been some classic Ashes Trent Bridge moments in modern memory, from Gary Pratt running out Ricky Ponting in 2005 to Ashton Agar making a name for himself here two years ago before Jimmy Anderson hauled England home. But there has never been anything quite like this.
Walcott and Gibbs pay tribute to Broad as Arsenal pair copy Ashes star's reaction to Stokes' catch
Stuart Broad celebrated with a look of sheer amazement etched across his face after Ben Stokes flung himself to his right and dismissed Adam Voges with an incredible one-handed catch during a whirlwind first session at Trent Bridge on Thursday. The Nottinghamshire bowler later took to Twitter and expressed his delight at the day's play as England seized control of the fourth Ashes Test against Australia and Broad proclaimed: 'Not sure I could do that face again if I tried.'
Aberdeen suffer Europa League exit as Kazakhs edge through at sold-out Pittodrie
ABERDEEN 1-1 KAIRAT ALMATY (agg 2-3) - BRIAN MARJORIBANKS AT PITTODRIE: Aberdeen were knocked out of the Europa League in the third qualifying stage with a 3-2 aggregate defeat by Kairat Almaty. In front of a full house at Pittodrie, the Dons could only claim a 1-1 draw to end their hopes of progressing to the play-offs.
Farewell, Angel... PSG unveil £44m United flop Di Maria
Angel di Maria has finally been confirmed as a Paris Saint-Germain player after the French giants bid the the Argentine winger 'bienvenido' (welcome).
Southampton fans arrested after violence breaks out before Europa League clash
The lead-up to Southampton's Europa League qualifier second leg against Vitesse Arnhem in Holland was marred by violence. A large section of the Arnhem town square had been transformed into a Southampton fan zone and for most of the afternoon the travelling support were enjoying the hot weather and mingling with Vitesse fans.However, later the situation turned ugly at Korenmarkt when fighting broke out and bottles and chairs were thrown.
Everton midfielder McCarthy signs new five-year deal
James McCarthy has signed a new five-year contract keeping him at Goodison Park until 2020.
Bit tired, Alexis? Arsenal star finally returns after summer break... and Wenger refuses to rule him out of opener against West Ham
Alexis Sanchez could play some part in Arsenal's first Premier League game of the season against West Ham after returning to London Colney. The former Barcelona forward, who netted 16 Premier League goals during his debut campaign, was back in training for the first time on Thursday after enjoying an extended break following his Copa America success with hosts Chile last month. Sanchez was pictured being put through his paces by fitness coaches Craig Gant and Tony Colbert as he looks to make a speedy return to Arsene Wenger's first-team.
Ouch! McIlroy posts pictures of injured ankle as world No 1 says 'I've come long way' in fitness bid
Rory McIlroy has given fans a glimpse of how his ankle is recovering as he bids to be fit for next week's US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.
Messi's moment of madness: Barcelona star headbutts Roma rival in 'friendly' match at Nou Camp before grabbing him by throat
Lionel Messi narrowly escaped being sent-off after headbutting Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa as Barcelona's friendly with Roma became anything but friendly. Roma knew they were in for a frustrating evening at the Nou Camp chasing the shadows of the European champions but it was Messi who lost his cool in the end.
'No f**** given!' Hamilton caught with cigar but F1 champ doesn't care as he enjoys Barbados
Lewis Hamilton shows off his 'preposterous behaviour' - by revealing an image of him smoking a cigar.
Australia name strong team with Hooper, Pocock and Giteau to face New Zealand in crunch test ahead of the World Cup
Openside flankers Michael Hooper and David Pocock will start a Test match together for the first time as Australia coach Michael Cheika reshuffled his side for their Rugby Championship decider against New Zealand in Sydney on Saturday. Hooper will assume the specialist openside role while Pocock will shift to the back of the scrum at No 8 for the clash, which also doubles as the first game of the Bledisloe Cup.
Sunderland snap up French international M'Vila from Russian side Rubin Kazan on season-long loan
Sunderland have completed the signing of French international Yann M'Vila on a season-long loan. The 25-year-old arrives from Russian side Rubin Kazan and becomes Dick Advocaat's fifth signing of the summer.
THE PICK OF MAILONLINE'S SPORTS WRITING
Premier League WAGS: How the finest other halves in football line up ahead of season
Just as a new Premier League season heralds the arrival of new players to boost a clubs fortunes comes a crop of new beautiful women who keep their spirits high. The current crop of top-flight wives and girlfriends have a range of strings to their bow, with many of them stars in their own right from former world No 1 tennis player in Ana Ivanovic, Manchester United signing Bastian Schweinsteiger's girlfriend, to the traditional models, actresses and TV presenters.
Newcastle new boy Toney eyes Premier League chance after leaving Northampton
Ivan Toney has set his sights on making a Premier League breakthrough after joining Newcastle United from League Two Northampton Town.
The Ashes
STARS OF SPORT
- MailOnline Fantasy Football is back... and you can pick Euro stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to boost your Premier League side
- Cristiano Ronaldo makes brief appearance in new underwear shoot Cristiano Ronaldo appeared in shoot for the fourth range of his CR7 underwear collection
- McIlroy posts pictures of ankle and says 'I've come a long way' in bid to be fit for US PGA Rory McIlroy has given fans a glimpse of how his ankle is recovering
- Premier League WAGS: How English football's finest other halves line up ahead of new season Beautiful women on the arms of some of English football's leading players
- FIFA 16 trailer for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One features Ronaldo and Messi as USA women's team star The FIFA 16 trailer has been released
Rugby World Cup
MORE STARS OF SPORT
- Injured Ronaldo watches Audi Cup final at home with family... as his best friend strikes Real Madrid star's trademark tip-toe stance
- Drogba watches on as Montreal Impact hold New York Red Bulls Didier Drogba watched as his new club Montreal Impact held the New York Red Bulls
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Game Boys! Carragher and Neville renew rivalry on new FIFA computer game
Sky Sports pundits Carragher and Neville were in battle once again
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Beck to the future: Former United star Beckham shows off former club's new kitDavid Beckham showed off United's new adidas shirt in LA
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Hamilton goes paddle boarding with pup Coco after partying with Rihanna in BarbadosHamilton has continued to make the most of the F1 mid-season break
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Megs! Tottenham youngster Dele Alli gets the better of Real Madrid star Luka Modric
Tottenham new boy Dele Alli is staking a claim for a first-team place already
- Scott hopeful of convincing comedian Whitehall back into horse ownership Assitant trainer George Scott keen to entice Jack Whitehall back
- Sandro in cheerful mood as QPR star trains with Brazil side Internacional while awaiting work permit The 26-year-old Brazilian has been left in limbo
- Welcome to Manchester, Ana! Bastian Schweinsteiger takes tennis star girlfriend Ivanovic out for dinner ahead of season opener against Spurs
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Tottenham flop Dos Santos gets a rousing reception from the LA Galaxy fans after joining from Villarreal
Former Barcelona star given a huge welcome
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Watch the moment world superstar Ronaldo dresses up as a homeless man with a beard to stun passers-by with freestyle tricks in Madrid city centre
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Mancini hands 'secret note' to old favourite Sneijder during clash... but what did it mean?Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini was reunited with the Galatasaray star
- Hamilton enjoying F1 break in Barbados as he parties with Rihanna in annual parade Lewis Hamilton joined Caribbean pop singer in her native Barbados
- Liverpool striker Balotelli works up a sweat in a sauna Mario Balotelli relaxed and enjoyed some time with his best friend ahead of new season
- Sanchez enjoys end of his summer holidays with trip to Eiffel Tower Alexis Sanchez will return to Arsenal training this week after his extended break
- Man United captain Rooney eyes new goal as NSPCC ambassador Wayne Rooney signed up as the NSPCC's first ambassador for childhood on Monday
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Ronaldo 'buys Jorge Mendes a Greek island for wedding present'Ronaldo and James Rodriguez were among guests at super-agent Mendes' wedding
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Ronda relaxes in RIO after defeating Correia in 34 secondsRonda Rousey made the most of her stay in Rio by attending Flamengo's match against Santos
- Stoke keeper Butland delighted to meet boyhood hero Casillas Butland fulfilled a boyhood dream when he met his hero growing up Iker Casillas
- Isner three-peats in Atlanta after straight sets victory over Baghdatis Top seed Isner cruised to his third consecutive Atlanta Open title
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Blues brothers: Ferguson hails Rooney after Man United ace dons Everton shirt for his testimonial
Duncan Ferguson praised Wayne Rooney
- Different ball game: Wozniacki impresses LA crowd by throwing ceremonial first pitch Wozniacki proved she is capable of serving up an ace even without a racket
- Brit Crawford begins training camp with Dallas Cowboys The Cowboys got down to business ahead of the new NFL season at training camp in Oxnard
- Murray and Peers win Hamburg Open doubles Jamie Murray and John Peers produced a battling performance against Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah
- DEENEY: 'Going to prison was the best thing that ever happened to me' Watford's Troy Deeney opens up to OLIVER HOLT about his past
- Which ex-Premier League star has veered to the dark side? This tough tackler showed the force was with him as he posed for a photo on his bike
- Is Mo in too deep? Mo Farah was in high spirits while on holiday as he prepares to defend his 5,000m and 10,000m titles at the World Championships
- Imagine this pair together at the back! Defensive legends Carles Puyol and Paolo Maldini - 40 years worth of experience between them - met up in Ibiza
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Don't worry, I'm mobile! Sevilla striker 'fine' after Watford clash
Sevilla striker Ciro Immobile has reassured fans after a serious-looking head injury
- New United, new kit, new stripes: Red Devils model adidas strip for 2015-16 season Man United have gone back to the future with their new adidas shirt
- 'I'll keep him out of Walkabout tonight! Broad jokes about Root ban after England win Root was banned from celebrating latest Ashes victory at bar
- Beefy Ronaldo tucks into steak after returning from Real Madrid tour Looked delighted to be back as had been missing home cooking
- Workout with the baddest woman I know! Joshua hails Ennis-Hill after workout Anthony Joshua hit the gym with Golden Girl of London 2012
- Villa unveil £8m Veretout from Nantes Aston Villa have unveiled French midfielder Jordan Veretout after the 22-year-old put pen to paper on five-year deal
- Depay's threads worth £9,923 as United's new star makes stylish return from US tour Memphis managed to look particularly sharp at Manchester Airport
- Legia Warsaw match abandoned after Duda is hit with a stone thrown from the crowd Trouble at Europa League qualifier against Kukesi in Albania
- Everton new boy Cleverley spends time with his wife... at popular Man United haunt Tom Cleverley was back in Manchester at Wing's Chinese Restaurant
- United are heading in One Direction... Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata were met by boy band member Niall Horan in their changing room at Soldier Field
- 'When they can't stop you they foul you' Agbonlahor fumes over injury in 'friendly' Aston Villa forward showed picture of his leg in a bandage
- Broad and Root wish 'cheerful' Anderson a happy 33rd birthday England's spearhead was the subject of some social media banter from his team-mates
- Can City win back the title? At a stretch! Silva and Co show off novel way of strengthening for new season City stars used fence stretchers in training
- Ibrahimovic promises 'very big surprise' with his next career move Zlatan Ibrahimovic posed for a piucture with best pal Maxwell, then set tongues wagging
- Chelsea goalkeeper Begovic unveils surprise new cover star of Rory McIlroy PGA Tour golf game: himself! He's no Jordan Spieth, that's for sure
- Drogba mobbed by fans after touching down in Canada to start new chapter in MLS Chelsea legend Didier Drogba has signed for Montreal Impact
- Bayern new boy Vidal trains with team-mates for the first time after making £28m move Arturo Vidal was beaming as he met up with Pep Guardiola
- Szczesny sets sights on silverware after joining Roma on loan Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is keen to make the most of his season in Italy
- Manchester United's greatest adidas kits As the Red Devils prepare to unveil their new adidas home kit, Sportsmail looks back at 10 of the best
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Zidane scores wonder try (yes, TRY) for France legends against Toulon
France 98 World Cup winners play 45 minutes of football before second half of rugby
- McClean shows off 'Enid Bagnold' tattoo during pre-season friendly against Walsall West Brom star is not one to shy away from making a statement
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Neymar makes most of holiday in Ibiza as Brazil star prepares for Barcelona return
Neymar will report back to training with giants Barcelona soon
- VIDEO: Ramos, Isco and Nacho in swimming pool headers Real Madrid players relax in the pool with a game of headers after defeating Inter Milan
- Arsenal got lucky when they signed Cech, admits Flamini Petr Cech has certainly made an impression on his new team-mates since leaving Chelsea
- From footballer to fisherman... how Bowyer left the pitch behind and is now focusing on the pond Lee Bowyer reflects on his new goals in sport
- Loftus-Cheek comes up against THREE Oscars and Cuadrados in tricky Chelsea clip The technical wizards at Stamford Bridge have produced another video
- Boateng becomes first footballer to sign for Jay Z's sports label Bayern star seals deal with 'Roc Nation Sports' and celebrates with rap mogul in New York
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Atletico boss Simeone proves he's still in shape during holiday to Marbella with model girlfriend Carla Pereira
Argentinian boss looks in good shape - Jose the joker! Mourinho leads training ground prank as Terry and staff are caught out with icy water Jose Mourinho played a joke on his players
- Friends reunited: Everton hero Cahill catches up with former boss Moyes Tim Cahill met up with his former manager David Moyes
LATEST MATCH REPORTS
- Astra Giurgiu 2-1 West Ham (agg 4-3): Slaven Bilic's side crash out of Europa League as Constantin Budescu nets crucial double
- Vitesse Arnhem 0-2 Southampton (0-5 agg): Graziano Pelle and Sadio Mane on target as Saints seal Europa League play-off spot
- Barcelona 3-0 Roma: Lionel Messi headbutts Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa before scoring just seven minutes later
- Bayern Munich 1-0 Real Madrid: Robert Lewandowski scores in 87th minute to win Audi Cup as Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale are rested
- Tottenham 2-0 AC Milan: Nacer Chadli and Tom Carroll on target as Spurs impress in final pre-season clash
- Qarabag 0-0 Celtic (agg 0-1): Ronny Deila's Bhoys edge into Champions League play-off round
- Real Madrid 2-0 Tottenham: Gareth Bale strikes against his former club after James Rodriguez's opener in Audi Cup clash
- Bayern Munich 3-0 AC Milan: Arturo Vidal makes home debut as Munich coast to Audi Cup final date with Real Madrid
- Dagenham 1-0 Crystal Palace: Connor Wickham handed debut by Alan Pardew as Eagles suffer loss in final pre-season match
- Stuttgart 4-2 Manchester City: Defensive horror show for Manuel Pellegrini's side as they suffer pre-season pasting in Germany
- BREAKING NEWS: Jenson Button and wife Jessica Michibata were GASSED by burglars who broke into their St...
- Gary Neville set to miss the start of season as he and brother Phil fly to Australia after father Neville...
- Vitesse Arnhem 0-2 Southampton (0-5 agg): Graziano Pelle and Sadio Mane on target as Saints seal Europa...
- BREAKING NEWS: Kim's pregnant! Andy Murray and his new wife are expecting their first baby just four months...
- Manchester City target Diego Godin transfer and could trigger Atletico Madrid defender's £28m release clause
- Astra Giurgiu 2-1 West Ham (agg 4-3): Slaven Bilic's side crash out of Europa League as Constantin Budescu...
- Paul Pogba set to brush off Premier League interest and stay at Juventus having landed the prestigious No 10...
- Tottenham considering swoop for £15m-rated QPR striker Charlie Austin as move for Saido Berahino stalls
- Stuart Broad skittles Australia for 60 before Joe Root century puts England in control on day one of fourth...
- Theo Walcott and Kieran Gibbs pay tribute to Stuart Broad as Arsenal pair copy Ashes hero's reaction to Ben...
- Australia innings could be detailed in just 140 characters... short attention spans mean this is Twitter era...
- Joe Root becomes leading runscorer in series as Stuart Broad records best Ashes figures by a seamer - Top...
- Australia's batting techniques were exposed at Trent Bridge... there is a time and a place for attacking...
- Stuart Broad hails Ashes demolition of Australia as his greatest day as England bowler takes stunning 8-15
- Kevin Pietersen to tone it all down as he brings out another book in October
- Aberdeen 1-1 Kairat Almaty (agg 2-3): Dons suffer Europa League exit as Kazakhs edge through at sold-out...
- Angel di Maria transfer confirmed by PSG as Manchester United flop finally completes £44m move
- Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere faces 'few weeks out' with more injury heartache after fracturing his...
- Chelsea misfit Mohamed Salah completes Roma loan with option of permanent switch
- Stoke City captain Ryan Shawcross out for at least two months as he has surgery on recurring back injury
- Barcelona 3-0 Roma: Lionel Messi headbutts Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa before scoring just seven minutes later
- BREAKING NEWS: Jenson Button and wife Jessica Michibata were GASSED by burglars who broke into their St Tropez villa and stole her £250,000 diamond engagement ring while they were out cold
- The Ashes 2015 RECAP: England vs Australia cricket coverage from day one of the fourth Test at Trent Bridge
- Manchester United XI: Pedro addition would give Louis van Gaal a formidable frontline... here's how they could line up next season
- Premier League WAGS: How English football's finest other halves line up ahead of the 2015-16 season
- Angel di Maria transfer confirmed by PSG as Manchester United flop finally completes £44m move
- Lewis Hamilton shows off his dance moves and smokes cigar in Barbados as F1 star says 'zero f**** given' during parade
- Arsenal could sign Karim Benzema from Real Madrid if Arsene Wenger's side offer club record £45m transfer fee for striker
- Arsenal crock Jack Wilshere set for another spell on the sidelines after injuring ankle
- Transfer News LATEST: Pedro, Angel di Maria, Baba Rahman, Emmanuel Adebayor and more from Premier League and Europe
- Memphis Depay asks to wear Manchester United's iconic No 7 shirt this season
- Jose Mourinho is a fool if he thinks Arsenal are negative... he knows better than anyone that a win is a win
- Chelsea 0-1 Fiorentina: Jose Mourinho's side lose final pre-season match as Gonzalo Rodriguez scores first-half winner (and Kurt Zouma shows his frustration by crashing into Ricardo Bagadur)
- Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho admits he fears for crocked striker Diego Costa
- Manchester City target Diego Godin transfer and could trigger Atletico Madrid defender's £28m release clause
- Arsenal kid Serge Gnabry to join West Brom on loan as Arsene Wenger sends Germany youth international out to gain experience
- Arsenal players can lean on Petr Cech to help them get over the winning line in the Premier League while Jose Mourinho looks in a panic at Chelsea - TACKLE KEOWN
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger refuses to rule Alexis Sanchez out of West Ham opener as Chile star returns to training following break
- Toni Kroos snubs Gareth Bale during loss against Bayern Munich... but all is forgiven as Real Madrid pair make up on flight home
- FA ramp up disciplinary crackdown on players feigning injury to get opponents dismissed with a risk of a three-match ban
- MOST READ IN DETAIL
THE ASHES
POMICIDE! Aussie newspapers tear into their Ashes flops... and the fans join in with brilliant images mocking batting collapse
Australia have received a hammering in their national press after collapsing in the fourth Test at Trent Bridge on Thursday. So quick was the collapse that Australia's newspapers were able to cover it in their Friday editions despite Sydney, for example, being nine hours ahead of the UK. Former players, fans and celebrities also had their say on Twitter as Australia were subjected to a whole host of jibes.
Clarke concedes the end of his career is looming but insists he's ready to keep Ashes dream alive
Going into the fourth Ashes Test at Trent Bridge facing a 2-1 deficit, his own form was the hottest subject as he faces a match that could be make or break for him as far as his tenure is concerned.
LATEST FOOTBALL NEWS
Should Jose be worried? Late crunching Zouma foul leaves bad taste as champions Chelsea end pre-season without single win
CHELSEA 0-1 FIORENTINA - OLIVER TODD AT STAMFORD BRIDGE: Five games, three losses, no wins. It's hardly the form of champions but Jose Mourinho is playing down Chelsea's stuttering preparation for the new campaign. Gonzalo Rodriguez scored the winner as Fiorentina recorded an unlikely win against a much-changed Blues side, for whom Kurt Zouma was fortunate not to be sent off for a ludicrous chest-high challenge late on.
Meet 'Ben 10': Afobe outgunned Kane last year with 32 goals... now English star wants to be Wolves' superhero in promotion push
Benik Afobe spotted a familiar face as he arrived at the Czech hotel hosting the England Under 21s this summer. Called up late by Gareth Southgate to the European Championship as a replacement for the injured Saido Berahino, another young English striker shouted his name. 'It was eight o'clock and they were all eating,' says Afobe. 'As soon as I walked into the dinner hall, Harry said to me, "Ah, you beat me by one!"'
Drogba watches on as his new side Montreal Impact hold New York Red Bulls to a draw in MLS
MONTREAL IMPACT 1-1 NEW YORK RED BULLS: New signing Didier Drogba watched from the stands as his new club Montreal Impact held the New York Red Bulls to a 1-1 draw on Wednesday evening.
Watch out, Cristiano... now your mates are using that tip-toes trick in your photos!
Cristiano Ronaldo may have missed the Audi Cup pre-season tournament, but he was still keeping a close eye on Real Madrid's progress in Munich. The Portuguese forward shared an image of Instagram on Wednesday night as he watched his Real Madrid lose to hosts Bayern Munich in the final. Ronaldo posed alongside his older brother Hugo, his son and best friend - who striked the forward's familiar tip-toe stance.
Celtic are through to Champions League play-off after battling to draw with Qarabag in Azerbaijan
QARABAG 0-0 CELTIC - STEPHEN MCGOWAN: For Celtic this was a nondescript Champions League stalemate to savour. In European football's equivalent of the Wild West, Scotland's champions produced a result and performance as disciplined and welcome as the identical aggregate score against Sweden's Elfsborg two years ago.
Aston Villa defender Clark signs new five-year contract with Sherwood's side
Ciaran Clark has committed his long-term future to Aston Villa by signing a new five-year contract with the Premier League club. The 25-year-old defender ascended through Villa's youth-team ranks to become a key member of the first team. He said on the club's official website: 'I'm absolutely thrilled to sign a new contract. I've been at Aston Villa since I was a kid and I want to continue to play for this fantastic football club.
COUNTDOWN TO THE NEW PREMIER LEAGUE SEASON
Depay, Firmino, Afellay... which new Premier League star will prove to be an instant hit?
Remember Ruud van Nistelrooy's debut season at Manchester United in 2001? - 23 Premier League goals, 10 in the Champions League and the PFA Player of the Year award. Not bad. It's always difficult for players to hit the ground running in a new country: some shine, some flounder. Here Sportsmail gives you the lowdown on 10 summer arrivals you might not be familiar with but who have the potential to be instant hits in their debut season in the Barclays Premier League.
CLUB-BY-CLUB GUIDE TO PREMIER LEAGUE
- ARSENAL - Cech could prove crucial in title race
- ASTON VILLA - Can they cope without Benteke?
- BOURNEMOUTH - Unforgettable year beckons
- CHELSEA - Champions still look formidable
- C PALACE - Expectations soar after Cabaye buy
- EVERTON - Fears over spending shortage
- LEICESTER - Cute signings offer fans fresh hope
- LIVERPOOL - Rodgers is under pressure for more
- MAN CITY - Sterling in but squad still looks short
- MAN UTD - Will Van Gaal be left striker light?
- NEWCASTLE - Will McClaren prove worth?
- NORWICH - Neil makes solid summer signings
- SOUTHAMPTON - Koeman adds depth in squad
- STOKE - Barca influence can raise side
- SUNDERLAND - Advocaat should avoid dogfight
- SWANSEA - Monk eyes more progression
- TOTTENHAM - Lack of stellar signings
- WATFORD - Flores spends big for top-fight return
- WEST BROM - Lambert adds experience
- WEST HAM - Billic must avoid drop in goodbye
COUNTDOWN TO THE RUGBY WORLD CUP
England's Rugby World Cup hopefuls enjoy star-studded 'Carry Them Home' gala before Lancaster reveals his final squad on Friday
As preparations intensify ahead of the forthcoming World Cup, Stuart Lancaster's squad took some time out from the training paddock to attend the official England rugby dinner on Wednesday night. Chris Robshaw and the rest of his team-mates were in attendance for the celebration dinner at Grosvenor House in what will prove to be a seismic week for several players in the squad. On Friday, Head coach Lancaster is set to axe up to nine players from his 45-man squad following their high-altitude training camp in Colorado.
They really are the All Blacks! New Zealand will live up to their name with new boots for the Rugby World Cup
Colourful boots have become a regular spectacle throughout rugby and football in recent years but New Zealand have taken a stand against the bright creations. The All Blacks will instead live up to their nickname this season after collaborating with adidas to create the 'Blackout' range of boots - meaning entire team will be head-to-toe in black at the upcoming World Cup 2015 tournament
OTHER SPORTS NEWS
Hunt hits the heights: British star grabs gold glory in front stunning Kazan vista
Gary Hunt of Britain swept to victory in the final of the high diving at the World Championships. Hunt, the silver medalist two years ago, held on to his lead from Monday's first three rounds to take the gold medal with a total score of 629.30 points. Jonathan Paredes of Mexico was second on 596.45, while Artyom Silchenko of Russia pleased the home crowd on the banks of the Kazanka River, winning the bronze with 593.45.
Pakistan legend Akram caught up in Karachi shooting scare as police search for gunman after alleged 'road rage' incident
A gunman has opened fire on Pakistan's legendary former cricket captain Wasim Akram in an apparent incident of road rage in the southern city of Karachi. Senior police officer Munir Sheikh said the incident took place when the left-arm fast bowler was on his way to coach a training camp at the city's National Stadium. 'It is apparently an incident of road rage,' he said, adding that police were searching for the gunman.
RACING
THE BEST WRITING IN SPORT
He's one of football's most colourful characters, but with just days until the new season, why has no-one signed Barton?
Joey Barton has a detailed way of introducing himself on his personal website: 'Footballer. Question Time guest. Philosophy student. Future coach. Fluent French speaker. What has become of me?' Forgetting for a moment the diversity of his character, he poses an interesting question. What has happened to Joey Barton? When will he resurface?
He's spent £70m to take Liverpool back into top four... so, can Rodgers defy the bookies who think he's first out?
MIKE KEEGAN: There is a view that when Liverpool came so close to winning the Premier League in 2013-14 it was down to a Scouse alignment of the stars. Forget the work of Brendan Rodgers, they had an on-fire Luis Suarez (signed by Kenny Dalglish), the miracle of an injury-free Daniel Sturridge, and no pesky midweek Euro trips to shift attention from their Stevie G led obsession with winning the trophy that matters the most at Anfield.