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Black Cats in keeper crisis

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Sunderland are 8/13 to be the top North East club in the Premier League but are facing a goalkeeping crisis after failing to persuade David James to sign.

The Black Cats now have one fit goalkeeper on their books – new boy Simon Mignolet - who has never played in the Premier League.

First-choice keeper Craig Gordon has been ruled out of the first two months of the season with a broken arm, but Bruce has insisted he will not renege on allowing Marton Fulop to join Ipswich.

Bruce wanted to bolster his squad by signing James, who had rejected new terms at Portsmouth but the England goalkeeper chose to join Championship outfit Bristol City as it was nearer to his home in the South West.

To make matters worse, the only other goalkeeper on the books – Trevor Carson – suffered a shoulder injury on the eve of Sunderland’s weekend friendly against Leicester.

Bruce had to draft in youth-team stopper Ben Wilson to sit on the bench at the Walkers Stadium.

The Sunderland boss (Sunderland 125/1 to be top Northern club) admitted that going into the new campaign with just Mignolet and Carson available was a “gamble” he was uncomfortable with – and now Carson’s injury means he will have to explore the possibility of signing another keeper on loan.

“Craig Gordon is out for at least another six to eight weeks, Marton Fulop is on the cusp of joining Ipswich – I’m not going to stop that one – and Trevor Carson got injured on Friday,” Bruce told the Newcastle Chronicle.

“That leaves you gambling, and in the Premier League I’m not really one for gambling. We need to make sure we are all right.

“We have got two outstanding young goalkeepers in Trevor and Simon Mignolet; that’s why I have let Fulop go. He made his intentions clear and I can understand.

“But we didn’t envisage the problem that Gordon’s had. It knocked us sideways.

“We will see how Trevor is but we may look to bring a keeper on loan. We’ll see what’s out there.”

Mignolet impressed against Leicester, making a string of saves, but he is unproven at Premier League level and it would be asking a lot to throw him in at the deep end.

But Bruce said: “You could see why we’ve brought him in. He has presence and made some good saves.

“But for Simon it was terrific. He has shown in pre-season we have a top, top young keeper.”

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Strikers could stay at Stoke

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Strikers James Beattie and Dave Kitson could both be available to boost Stoke City’s firepower in the new season, manager Tony Pulis has admitted (Stoke 15/2 – to be top Midlands club).

The duo have been linked with moves away from the Britannia Stadium, after falling from favour at the end of last season.

And they were both left at home on Saturday when the Potters beat Burnley 2-1 at Huddersfield’s Galpharm Stadium. Beattie has played less than 45 minutes of pre-season so far, while Kitson has been confined to playing in second-string friendlies.

But Pulis said supporters should not read much into that.

Pulis told the Sentinel: “Beattie trained with the other players who never came, because I wanted to give Mama Sidibe, Ricardo Fuller and Tuncay time in the middle.

“James would have just sat it out, so he had a training session back at the ground instead and I’m told he worked his socks off.

“Beattie and Kitson are both Stoke City players.

“At the moment they are working hard to keep fit and if we need them, we need them.”

Beattie’s future at Stoke (3/1 for top half finish) has been in major doubt since he clashed with Pulis over the manager having allegedly gone back on his word regarding the club’s Christmas party. The player initiated a club disciplinary action against Pulis, but it went against him.

Kitson failed in his first season at the Britannia Stadium but won his place back for a time last season and looked to have impressed Pulis, finishing with eight goals in the campaign – three of them coming on loan with Championship side Middlesbrough.

Beattie played in 24 games last season and only scored two goals – both in the 2-1 win against West Ham in October. But he had scored seven in 16 games at the end of 2008/09.

Beattie has been linked with a £1.5m move to West Brom, but Pulis refused to comment on the speculation.

The Potters manager also said there was “no truth whatsoever” in reports that he had tabled a £9m bid for West Ham striker Carlton Cole.

However, he said: “We are not just after a striker, but three or four players if we can.

“We have money to spend, but it’s got to be the right players at the right prices.”

City are shortly to learn the extent of injuries to midfielders Glenn Whelan and Rory after both went off during the first half against Burnley.

Whelan looked the more serious after pulling up with a calf strain that could sideline him until the start of the season on Saturday week.

Delap went off after his back locked, but Pulis was hoping to see him back in training ahead of tomorrow’s friendly at Bristol Rovers.

Player-of-the-year Matthew Etherington remains under treatment for the groin injury sidelining him on Saturday.

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Wenger unhappy with squad rules

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Arsenal boss Arsene WengerArsenal boss Arsene Wenger has revealed he believes the new 25-man squad rule introduced by the Premier League is a “disastrous decision for football” (Arsenal 7/1 to win the Premier League).

Premier League clubs must now name a squad of no more than 25 players for the Premier League season.  The deadline to hand in final squad lists is 1700 BST on September 1 (the same time the transfer window closes) and clubs can make changes during the January transfer window.

Eight of the 25 players must also be ‘home grown’, although the definition of home grown is fairly broad.  To qualify as home grown, players must have spent three years between the ages of 16-21 registered at a club in England and Wales.  This means Arsenal players such as Spanish captain Cesc Fabregas, Brazilian midfielder Denilson, Frenchman Gael Clichy, Danish international Nicklas Bendtner and Cameroonian midfielder Alex Song all qualify.

However, Wenger is still not happy with the limitations that have been put in place and fears the decision to restrict clubs to a squad of 25 is a mistake.

“I am not a big fan of it because it puts, first of all, many players without clubs,” explained the Arsenal boss.

“Secondly it puts the clubs in a weak position most of the time in the transfer market because when you already have 25 players and you buy another one, you know you have 26 and now have to get rid of one. So when you buy a player, you have to integrate into the transfer how much it will also cost to get rid of a player.

“This is a disastrous decision for football and for the players. I was quite amazed that the union [PFA] accepted that. For the clubs as well it is a very bad decision.”

Wenger has so far been fairly quiet in the transfer market, adding just Moroccan striker Marouane Chamakh and French defender Laurent Koscielny, from Bordeaux and Lorient respectively, to his ranks so far.  The French tactician has revealed he is seeking at least one more defender before the new season gets underway.

Arsenal kick-off their Premier League campaign with a tricky trip to Anfield to face Liverpool on August 15 (Opening day fixtures – Game with most goals, Liverpool v Arsenal 8/1).

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Redknapp considers City raid

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Tottenham Hotspur (3/1 to finish in the top four) boss Harry Redknapp could look to Manchester City in a bid to add to fresh faces to his squad ahead of the Premier League season.

Spurs could have a busy campaign if the club manage to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League and a big and competitive squad will be key to his team’s chances of success this term.

Redknapp has had attempts to sign West Ham United captain Scott Parker and former Chelsea playmaker Joe Cole fail in this transfer window.

The former Hammers manager believes that he could pick up a couple of good players from City this summer.

The Eastlands club continue to be the big spenders in the Premier League as they push for Champions League qualification themselves having been beaten to fourth spot in the top flight by Spurs last season.

With a growing squad the Blues (9/2 to win the Premier League) will be looking to offload player no longer required at the Manchester club and Redknapp will be looking to capitalise on this.

He said in The People: “One or two walk through the door and it gives everybody a lift. I hoped Joe Cole would have done that if he’d come here but I think there are one or two out there who would do the same – maybe from Manchester City.

“I reckon there’s two or three players out there where you don’t have to spend any real money on. I think there will be a lot of loans about, because teams are going to loan people out just to get them off the wage bill.

“City look like they might have to do that with one or two because they’ve got a big squad so it will be interesting,” he added.

Stephen Ireland could be one of those player who will be service to requirements at Eastland but Redknapp believes that players valuation of around £11m is too much for Spurs to spend on that kind of player.

The manager at White Hart Lane is dealing with problems in the club’s defensive personnel with Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate both dealing with long term injury issues.

He said: “At the moment Jonathan Woodgate is struggling, Ledley’s come back but his knee’s not great, so we’ve got to be careful.”

Spurs will begin their Premier League campaign against City at White Hart Lane on August 14 in one of the big matches from the opening day of the season.

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Messi enters Fabregas saga

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Argentina and Barcelona's Lionel MessiLionel Messi has stated that he is confident that Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas will return to Barcelona (Barcelona 7/2f to win the Champions League).

The Argentine forward, who lit up the Nou Camp last season, was speaking to Cuatro, a Spanish television station, and has become the latest star name to enter the ongoing saga.

Fabregas himself has made it no secret that he would like to return to Barcelona after starting his career there as a youth-team player. He moved to North London in 2003 and admitted on Friday that he is torn between playing for the two clubs he loves.

The midfielder has many friends at the Catalan giants, many of whom graduated through the La Masia academy with him. They have spent a large amount of the summer pleading with him to return and Messi is the latest star name to add his opinion.

He said: “It is no secret that Cesc is my friend. The whole world knows that and I would love him to sign for Barca.

“I hope that the matter can be resolved soon and I’m confident that in the end it will be resolved in the way that Cesc can be a Barcelona player.”

The story has been the most enduring of the summer, along with the potential transfer of another Spaniard – Fernando Torres at Liverpool.

Fabregas still has five years remaining on his Gunners contract and manager Arsene Wenger has challenged him to help Arsenal win the silverware that he so desperately craves (Arsenal 7/1 to win the Premier League).

However, it appears that that Arsenal boss is starting to lose patience, challenging the Spanish star to make up his mind regarding his future. After Arsenal’s first Emirates Cup game on Saturday, Wenger admitted that “In the last six months, this story has made our lives difficult” before insisting that only Fabregas can put an end to the speculation.

Wenger surmised: “Only Fabregas can clear the air when he comes back from holiday.

“I cannot master what is written in the newspapers, I can only master our decisions.

“Cesc has five years to go [on his contract] and that’s it.

“The speculation does not stop – who can stop the speculation? Only Cesc, that is how I feel.”
He also spoke of his frustration regarding the whole saga by saying: “He has not played today, we have just played a football game and I sit here speaking about Fabregas.”

Fabregas is currently on an extended break following his World Cup exploits in South Africa, exploits which were fruitful as Spain won the tournament. They have now been installed as 7/2 favourites to win the 2012 European Championships in Poland and the Ukraine.

Seeing the success that his former academy colleagues are enjoying at Barcelona – who won La Liga last season – clearly holds huge sway for the Arsenal captain yet how this saga plays out remains unclear.

Gunners fans will be hoping that he does stay at the Emirates but this story is likely to rumble on and on even if he does.

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Ozil keen on Premier League move

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Mesut OzilGermany (5/1 to win the 2012 European Championships) playmaker Mesut Ozil has admitted that he would love a move to the Premier League this summer.

The midfielder has highlighted English giants Manchester United and Chelsea as two clubs that he would relish playing for.

Ozil has one year left on his current deal with Bundesliga side Werder Bremen, who could be keen on cashing in on the player now before he can walk out on the club on a free next year.

It’s reported that an offer of around £12m could take the Turkish born midfielder away from the German club, a valuation that both United and Chelsea (13/8 to win the Premier League) can easily afford.

Ozil believes that there are five clubs from around Europe that he would love to play for.

He said: “There are four or five clubs in Europe that you would have to say as a player would be a dream to play for.

“When you are looking at moving clubs it’s impossible not to pay attention to the Premier League and even more impossible not to pay attention to Manchester United and Chelsea.

“I am a winner and, when I am looking for a new club, I simply look at where I can be the most successful and where I can win the most trophies,” he added.

Ozil came to prominence following the World Cup in South Africa this summer where he helped Germany reach the semi-final of the tournament.

The 21-year-old put in some strong performances on the biggest stage of world football and this has attracted the eye of some of Europe’s top clubs.

Ozil also mentioned Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona as two of the clubs he would look to play for in the future if he has the opportunity.

However, the Germany international understands that he is still contracted to Werder Bremen and that he may have to wait to make a move to a bigger club.

He said: “I am under contract with Werder for another year and it is impossible for me to say if a deal will be done this summer.

“They may decide that they want to keep me for another season or they may decide to sell me this summer so they can get some money for me. That is up to the club.”

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Ancelotti targets European challenge

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Chelsea manager Carlo AncelottiCarlo Ancelotti believes his Chelsea players can bounce back from World Cup disappointment to win this season’s Champions League (Chelsea 6/1 to win 2010/2011 Champions League Outright).

A whole host of Blues stars endured tough times in South Africa, despite expecting to have big tournaments with their countries.

Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and John Terry suffered an early exit with England, while French duo Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda, and Ivory Coast frontman Didier Drogba, crashed out in the group stages.

But Ancelotti feels his stars have the mental steel to respond in the right fashion, as Chelsea look to build on last season’s Premier League and FA Cup double.

Speaking to the Sun, the Italian admitted: “All my Musketeers, including Drogba, Malouda, Lampard and Terry, have played in a World Cup, which has lowered their profile.”

Ancelotti has made no secret of the fact that, following his domestic success last season, his main target in the new campaign will be the Champions League.

Having won the tournament with AC Milan (4/1 to win 2010/2011 Serie A title) as a player and a coach, Ancelotti knows exactly what is needed to lift club football’s biggest trophy.

He added: “In my first season with Chelsea, we won the Premier League, FA Cup and Community Shield. But I missed out on the Champions League, so that is now my dream.

“At the moment everything here in London is good. But I know if we do not keep winning that things will soon change for me.”

Chelsea will start the new season with a clash against rivals Manchester United in the Community Shield at Wembley next Sunday.

They then kick-off the new Premier League campaign with a home game against newly-promoted West Bromwich Albion on August 14 (Chelsea 1/7, West Brom 11/1, Draw 11/2 – Match Betting).

With the English top-flight looking a more open league this campaign, Ancelotti is well aware how important it will be to get off to a good start.

The ex-AC Milan boss concluded: “We must quickly rediscover the enthusiasm we had last season and the same good football.”

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Birmingham eye spending spree

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Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish with goalkeeper Ben FosterBirmingham are 9/4 to finish in the top 10 of the Premier League and Blues boss Alex McLeish is hoping to boost their chances of doing so by adding another four players to his squad.

The Blues were one of the surprise packages of last season when, after winning promotion from the Championship, they managed to finish in the top 10.

Many had them down as relegation fodder but McLeish built a side that upset the form book and the Scot is now hoping for much of the same in the new campaign.

McLeish has already made a couple of shrewd signings when drafting in Nikola Zigic and Ben Foster but he wants more and is also keen on Wigan winger Charles N’Zogbia.

The Blues boss admits that the Frenchman might be out of his reach for now but the ambition is there and McLeish is clearly intent on trying to move the club on to the next level.

“That one looks as if it is dead at the moment,” he said of the N’Zogbia move. “I’m not saying totally dead, but it looks like a difficult one, given the asking prices.

“Whether we can go to that level I’m not so sure, so maybe that’s for another day. We are looking at three or four other situations.”

McLeish has the backing of new owner Carson Yeung and the money is there for him to spend where he sees fit. The main problem for the Blues is that other clubs in the Premier League have much more and trying to bridge the gap with the top clubs is becoming almost impossible.

It is not too long ago that clubs like Birmingham could start the season with a real hope of making the top seven, which could lead to a place in Europe, but now it looks as though the top seven are starting to forge a gap between themselves and the rest.

Manchester City, Aston Villa and Tottenham have emerged as serious Champions League contenders and when you add them to the ‘big four’ that have dominated in recent seasons, it is hard to see Birmingham getting into Europe via the league.

The Blues are 22/1 to make it into the top six but that looks highly unlikely unless the likes of Villa have a shocking campaign and Birmingham capitalise.

McLeish will no doubt say that staying in the Premier League is the number one objective but he will have his sights set high again and a top 10 finish will again be the order of the season.

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Trotters target goal machine

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Bolton Wanderers star Ivan KlasnicBolton are 4/1 to be relegated from the Premier League next season but Ivan Klasnic could get them the goals to ensure that this is not the case if he re-signs from Nantes.

The Croatian impressed while on loan with the Trotters last season and managed to chip in with eight goals despite struggling with injury.

Klasnic has an eye for goal and Wanderers boss Owen Coyle would love to get him back on board if a deal can be hammered out with Nantes and the player.

The French club are happy to let him leave on another season-long loan deal but want Bolton to pay his wages, which are said to be as high as £60,000 a week.

Bolton want Nantes to foot some of the bill and unless a compromise can be reached, the deal will not happen.

“I have said all along that if we can get something sorted financially with Ivan, then I would love to have him back at the football club,” Coyle revealed.

“But finance does play a part – and without getting into the bits and pieces, he’s on a fantastic contract at his club. That’s the only thing standing in our way, nothing else.

“I think Ivan is a top class player who will score goals in my team. But if it’s too rich for the football club, it’s too rich.”

Strikers who can score goals in the Premier League are a rare commodity and Coyle has so far struggled to find one at the right price, meaning he has turned his attentions back to Klasnic.

The Croatian has already proven himself and if Coyle is not careful he could lose the player to a Premier League rival. Most clubs are in the hunt for a new striker with Blackburn, Birmingham and Newcastle in particular all keen to strengthen.

Coyle wants to move Bolton on to the next level and a top 10 finish (10/3) is not out of the question if he can get the right striker on board, and Klasnic could be that man.

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Wenger wants Fab year in league

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Arsene Wenger has told captain Cesc Fabregas the best way to follow up his World Cup glory is to help Arsenal win the Premier League this season (Arsenal 7/1 – Premier League 2010/11 Outright).

The gifted midfielder helped Spain to become world champions in South Africa earlier in the summer with his club future in the balance.

Fabregas, 23, is wanted by former club Barcelona whose stars – including Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Carles Puyol – have all gone on record backing the deal.

The Gunners, naturally, do not want to lose their best player although Fabregas himself is understood to be keen to make the move to his boyhood club.

However, Wenger insists Fabregas still has his whole career in front of him and wants the versatile midfielder on board for a title tilt in 2010/11.

The Frenchman said: “The best way to show you are committed is that you give your best when you walk on the football pitch and he has always done that.

“When you sign a contract it means we are committed to a player to pay him and keep him no matter what happens.

“There is a great attitude and spirit inside the squad and Cesc Fabregas can help us achieve these targets.

“He is now at an age, 23 years old, and he has just won the World Cup. I believe he will grow in authority again for next season.”

Wenger added: “The biggest achievement for him now is to help us win the championship.”

Arsenal have not won the Premier League since 2004 and their last silverware came a year later when they beat Manchester United on penalties in the FA Cup final (Arsenal 7/1 – FA Cup 2010/11 Outright).

They continue their build-up to the new season in the Emirates Cup without Fabregas who has not returned to training yet after the World Cup.

Wenger’s men take on AC Milan on Saturday evening with fellow midfielders Abou Diaby, Denilson and Alex Song also ruled out with slight knocks (Arsenal 8/11, draw 12/5, AC Milan 16/5 – 90 minutes).

Wenger told reporters: “You will see some young players like Emmanuel Frimpong and Jack Wilshere, also the new players like Marouane Chamakh and Laurent Koscielny.

“It will be good to see them in a competitive environment. That will be interesting.

“I will also learn what condition we are in physically, because we have worked quite hard and with two weeks to go it is important that we can last in the games.

“The third point is how ready are we with our team play? How sharp is our passing, and quick movement off the ball?”

Celtic and Lyon are also involved in this summer’s Emirates Cup.

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