Sheffield United vs Tottenham: Capital One Cup match preview

Giant killers Sheffield United will be hoping to pull off another memorable cup upset when they entertain Premier League opponents Tottenham on Wednesday.

The Blades, who go into the tie having lost 1-0 at White Hart Lane, have already knocked out third-placed Southampton of the Premier League on route to the semi-finals. And with Marc McNulty and Jamal Campbell-Ryce in a rich vein of form, fans will be hoping for another memorable evening at Bramall Lane.
Meanwhile, Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs side will be aiming to recover from their shock 2-1 defeat at home to Premiership strugglers Leicester in the FA Cup and safely book their passage to Wembley.
 
KICK OFF: 7:45PM
PAST THREE MEETINGS:
Tottenham 1 - 0 Sheffield United, League Cup, Wed 21 Jan 2015
Sheffield United 2 - 1 Tottenham, Premiership, Sat 10 Feb 2007
Tottenham 2 - 0 Sheffield United, Premiership, Tue 22 Aug 2006
STATS:
In the first season of the Premier League, Sheffield United crushed Tottenham 6-0 at Bramall Lane.
Tottenham’s last victory at Bramall Lane came in the fourth round of the 1990/91 League Cup - winning 2-0
Spurs have managed only three victories in their last 15 visits to Bramall Lane.
The North Londoners have a 3-0 head-to-head record against Sheffield United in the League Cup.
ODDS:
Sheffield Utd- 4/1
Tottenham- 5/6
Draw- 14/5
TV: Sky Sports 1

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Preview: Chelsea vs. Liverpool

© Getty Images

By Jack Prescott, London Correspondent
Filed: Monday, January 26, 2015 at 15:26 UK

Last Updated: Tuesday, January 27, 2015 at 13:17 UK

 

 

Chelsea and Liverpool meet at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday for the second leg of their League Cup semi-final, with the tie hanging in the balance.
The two teams played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at Anfield last week as Raheem Sterling's second-half strike cancelled out Eden Hazard's first-half penalty.
Chelsea's away goal gives Jose Mourinho's side the slightest of advantages ahead of the return leg in West London, though the away-goals rule will not come into play unless the game is still level after extra time.
The Blues were humiliated on the weekend with a shock 4-2 defeat at home to Bradford City in the FA Cup fourth round, so beating Liverpool has taken on extra significance for the team and their quest for silverware.
Meanwhile, Liverpool make the trip to the Bridge on a 10-game unbeaten run in all competitions. Brendan Rodgers's men have seemingly turned the corner in recent weeks following a shaky first half to the season.
Not counting last week's first-leg encounter between the clubs, Chelsea and Liverpool's only other clash this season saw Chelsea earn a 2-1 win on Merseyside in the Premier League.
The hosts are expected to welcome back a number of key names after they were rested against Bradford. The likes of Thibaut Courtois, John Terry, Cesc Fabregas, Hazard and Diego Costa are all likely to be recalled.
Brad Jones and Joe Allen remain sidelined for the visitors, but reports have suggested that Daniel Sturridge could start on the bench after a lengthy spell out of action with hamstring and thigh problems respectively.
Chelsea:
Form in League Cup: WWWD
Form in all competitions: LWWWDL
Possible starting lineup: Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Luis; Matic, Mikel; Willian, Fabregas, Hazard; Costa
Liverpool:
Form in League Cup: WWWD
Form in all competitions: DWWWDD
Possible starting lineup: Mignolet; Johnson, Skrtel, Sakho, Moreno; Henderson, Lucas, Gerrard; Markovic, Coutinho, Sterling
Sports Mole says: 2-0

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Man Utd: which players should Van Gaal keep at Old Trafford?

There has been lots of talk this week about whether Radamel Falcao is staying at Old Trafford beyond the end of the season - but there are many more Manchester United players whose futures are uncertain.

Eighteen United players who have played in the Premier League for the club are out of contract this summer, or within 18 months.
Not many of them have warranted a new deal with their performances this season and I am not surprised there is talk of another big clear-out by manager Louis van Gaal, rather than a rush to offer them new deals.
Since he took charge at United last summer, Van Gaal has got rid of 15 players either permanently or on loan.
He has more decisions to make about who stays and who goes as he continues to rebuild his squad, but there are 10 players who I don't think should be offered a new contract.

Out of contract at the end of 2014-15

Seven Manchester United players are out of contract in the summer of 2015

Tyler Blackett, from youth
Age: 20	Defender	PL starts 2014-15: 6

Injuries meant Van Gaal gave him his debut and it is hard to judge him properly at the moment, with so much upheaval in the United defence. However, you do not play for United at such a young age if your manager does not believe in you. VERDICT: KEEP
Did you know? Blackett made his debut in Van Gaal's first competitive game in charge of United, playing on the left of a three-man defence in their 2-1 home defeat by Swansea on the opening day of the season.

Paddy McNair, from youth
Age: 19	Defender	PL starts 2014-15: 7

Thrown in for the same reasons as Blackett, and has had to deal with the same issues. Again, one for the future. VERDICT: KEEP
Did you know? In nine league games this season, McNair has played in nine different three- or two-man central-defensive combinations.

Michael Carrick, £18m from Tottenham in 2006
Age: 33	Midfielder	PL starts 2014-15: 11

Carrick is the oldest outfield player in United's squad, but his role does not rely on pace or covering a lot of ground. He is still one of their best midfielders - great on the ball and a calming influence when he plays. Worth another year. VERDICT: KEEP
Did you know? United have won 63.6% of Premier League games with Carrick in their starting XI this season, compared with 30% without him.

Tom Cleverley, from youth
Age: 25	Midfielder	PL starts 2014-15: 18

Aston Villa have the chance to buy him for £7m this month as part of his loan deal but I think his price has gone down since he moved there in September. There will not be a queue of clubs for him in the summer. VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Cleverley has started 17 Premier League games for Villa this season, and one for United, but is yet to score or provide an assist.

Darren Fletcher, from youth
Age: 30	Midfielder	PL starts 2014-15: 4

After missing so much football because of his illness, I am sure he now wants to play regularly and he is not going to be able to do that at United. If I was him, I would leave, and I am not surprised there is plenty of interest in him. VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Fletcher has only played more than 45 minutes in three league games this season, and has not done so since August.

Anderson, £20m from Porto in 2007
Age: 26	Midfielder	PL starts 2014-15: 0

Only still at the club because they cannot get rid of him. VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Anderson played just 40 minutes for United in the whole of 2014. He came off the bench for 20 minutes in United's 4-0 League Cup defeat by MK Dons on 26 August and did the same in the 0-0 draw with Burnley on 30 August.

Radamel Falcao, season-long loan from Monaco
Age: 28	Striker	PL starts 2014-15: 7

He is expensive - his wages are £265,000 a week and turning his loan into a permanent move would cost United £43.5m in the summer.
His injury record and fitness is a concern but I would still keep him because, if he has got over the serious knee injury he suffered in January last year, he is undoubtedly a world-class striker.
I don't think United will sign him though - the writing was on the wall when he was left out of the squad for Sunday's defeat by Southampton, which I thought was the wrong decision.
He needs to play regularly - if he does that he will produce. If he doesn't play week in, week out, there is no point signing him permanently. VERDICT: KEEP (BUT I DON'T THINK UNITED WILL)
Did you know? Falcao has played the full 90 minutes just twice in his 12 appearances so far for United.

Out of contract at the end of 2015-16

11 Manchester United players are out of contract in the summer of 2016

David De Gea, £18.9m from Atletico Madrid in 2011
Age: 24	Goalkeeper	PL starts 2014-15: 21

Has developed into one of the best goalkeepers in the world. United should make it a priority to get him tied down on a new deal as quickly as they can. But the problem might be if Real Madrid do come in for him - if they do, it might be very difficult for United to keep him. VERDICT: KEEP (IF THEY CAN)
Did you know? Of PL keepers to play a minimum of 15 games this season, De Gea ranks third in terms of his save-to-shots rate (73.42%), behind Swansea's Lukasz Fabianksi (75.56%) and Aston Villa's Brad Guzan (74.16%).

Victor Valdes, free transfer in 2015
Age: 33	Goalkeeper	PL starts 2014-15: 0

Valdes turned 33 on 14 January but is still young for a goalkeeper. Van Gaal said the former Barcelona keeper joined this month as a number two but says he will fight to be number one. In an ideal world, United would keep hold of De Gea and Valdes - I know I would - but who knows whether that will happen? VERDICT: KEEP
Did you know? While with Barcelona, Victor Valdes won six La Liga titles and the Champions League three times.

Anders Lindegaard, £3.5m from Aalesund in 2010
Age: 30	Goalkeeper	PL starts 2014-15: 0

Has slipped further down the pecking order with the arrival of Valdes. VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Anders Lindegaard's last competitive game came in Man Utd's 4-0 away win against Newcastle United on 15 April 2014.

Phil Jones, £17m from Blackburn in 2011
Age: 22	Defender	PL starts 2014-15: 10

With Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand leaving in the summer, he had the chance to step up and grab his place at centre-half by the scruff of the neck. He has not done that. A good player, but not good enough for United. VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? United have won 20% of PL games this season with Jones starting, compared with 72.7% without him in the starting XI.

Chris Smalling, £7m from Fulham in 2010
Age: 25	Defender	PL starts 2014-15: 10

A great athlete but not a good enough footballer. Also switches off too often. VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Smalling has made more clearances (76) and blocks (8) than any other Man Utd player in the PL this season.

Jonny Evans, from youth
Age: 27	Defender	PL starts 2014-15: 8

As with Jones and Smalling, I don't think what Van Gaal has seen of Jonny Evans this season is going to make him rush out and give him a new deal. He is the best of those three on the ball but he is not a commanding centre-half and Van Gaal is not going to think he can build his team round Evans at the back. VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Evans has averaged a pass every 1.24 minutes in the PL this season, the best rate of any defender in the top-tier (min 450 mins played).

Rafael, £2.5m from Fluminese in 2008
Age: 24	Defender	PL starts 2014-15: 6

Can lose concentration defensively but offers a lot when he goes forward. I would buy a new right-back but keep Rafael as a squad player. VERDICT: KEEP
Did you know? Rafael ranks in the top 10 for dribbles by PL defenders this season, embarking on a dribble every 34.53 minutes, the ninth-best figure for a defender (min 450 mins played).

Ashley Young, £17m from Aston Villa in 2011
Age: 29	Wing-back	PL starts 2014-15: 11

This time last year, he was one of the players I thought should leave United but he has turned things around and has been one of United's best performers as a wing-back this season. VERDICT: KEEP
Did you know? United have lost only once in the Premier League this season with Young in the side (W6 D6 L1), with that defeat coming on the opening day against Swansea.

Nick Powell, £3m from Crewe Alexandra in 2012
Age: 20	Midfielder	PL starts 2014-15: 0

His season-long loan at Leicester has been cut short,  and he did not play for them much either. Needs to drop down to the Championship and get some games. VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Powell made three substitute appearances, totalling 40 minutes, in three months with the Foxes.

Robin van Persie, £24m from Arsenal in 2012
Age: 31	Striker	PL starts 2014-15: 20

I am torn. He is a legend of the Premier League but will turn 33 soon after his Manchester United contract ends in the summer of 2016.
Unlike with Carrick and Valdes, who are both older than Van Persie, age is a factor here because of his position.
I would keep him next season because he has definitely still got a lot to offer.
But after that, his age might mean his best days as an out-and-out striker, who has relied on his reactions and pace while playing on the shoulder of the last defender, are behind him.

Van Gaal must decide whether to offer Van Persie a new deal

So the end of his current deal might be the time for him to move on, and think about a lucrative move to somewhere like the MLS in the United States.
He has had an amazing career but there will be no sentiment from Van Gaal either when the decision is made. VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Van Persie has scored 56 goals in 96 games in all competitions for United and his strike-rate of 0.58 goals per game puts him fourth in the club's all-time list behind Tommy Taylor (0.69), Ruud van Nistelrooy (0.68) and Denis Law (0.59).

Javier Hernandez, £6m from Guadalajara in 2010
Age: 26	Striker	PL/LL starts 2014-15: 2

Van Gaal has already sent him out on loan, and he has not featured much for Real Madrid this season. Hard to see a way back for him at Old Trafford. VERDICT: CAN GO
Did you know? Hernandez has played just eight times for Real Madrid this season in La Liga, and only one of those has been a start (vs Levante in October).

Rebuilding will not be cheap

I said at the start of January 2014 that Manchester United must spend £200m to rebuild their squad to the standard that once made sides visiting Old Trafford feel helpless.
With David Moyes signing Juan Mata for £37m soon after that, and his successor Van Gaal spending £150m in the summer, they have almost spent that amount already but it still feels like a lot of work needs to be done.
Van Gaal needs to rebuild the centre of his defence and sign another midfield player, so you are looking at another £100m or so on top and it is clear that his rebuilding job has only just begun.

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Everton: Kevin Mirallas substituted over injury not penalty miss

Kevin Mirallas was substituted at half-time in Everton's 0-0 draw with West Brom because of injury rather than his penalty miss, Roberto Martinez says.

Left-back Leighton Baines is Everton's regular penalty-taker, but ceded spot-kick duties to Mirallas and the Belgium winger struck the outside of the post.
"Kevin felt his hamstring was getting sensitive. It was a precaution," the Everton boss told BBC Radio 5 live.
"They are not related. The talking point is because we missed it."
Martinez says Baines did not have a problem with Mirallas, who converted from the spot in Everton's penalty shootout defeat by West Ham in the FA Cup last week, taking the kick instead of him.
"Normally Leighton takes the penalties but we have a few players in the squad capable of taking them," Martinez added.
"Leighton was quite happy to let him take it because he felt confident and right in that moment.
"There is no big issue in that. It became an issue because he couldn't find the back of the net."
However England assistant manager Gary Neville, covering the game for Sky Sports, disagreed.
"What he's done there at 0-0, taking it off the major penalty taker, which is what it looks like has happened, is a despicable breach of team spirit," Neville said.
"To go against team orders, you do not do that."
Meanwhile, Gary Brabin has left his role as manager of Conference side Southport to join Everton's coaching staff.
The 44-year-old began a second spell in charge of the Sandgrounders in October 2014 and guided them to the third round of the FA Cup this season, where they were beaten 1-0 by Derby County.

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Chelsea star Diego Costa out of Spain squad with hamstring injury

Chelsea striker Diego Costa has withdrawn from the Spain squad because of a hamstring injury.

The 25-year-old had been rumoured to be suffering from a similar problem last week, but showed no signs of the injury when netting twice in the Blues' remarkable 6-3 victory at Everton on Saturday.
Chelsea paid Atletico Madrid £32m for Costa's services in July and he has begun his stay at Stamford Bridge in positive fashion - scoring four to lead the Premier League goalscoring charts in the early stages of the season.

The extent of the injury is not yet known but Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will be hoping that Costa, who had a hamstring problem at the tail-end of last season, has shrugged off the problem by September 13, when his side host the only other Premier League team with a 100% record, Swansea.
A statement from the Spanish Football Federation said: "Diego Costa is not available for selection because of an injury to the hamstring muscle in his left thigh. All imaging tests will be sent to Chelsea."
Spain have called 19-year-old Barcelona striker Munir El Haddadi into their squad in Costa's place as they prepare to open their Euro 2016 Qualifying campaign by hosting Macedonia at the Bernabeu on Monday.

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Frank Lampard named in Manchester City’s Champions League squad

Frank Lampard may be on loan from New York City but he now has another chance to mix it with Europe's elite. Photograph: Matt Dunham/AP

Manchester City have named the on-loan Frank Lampard in their 21-man Champions League squad.
City are permitted only 21 names in the A squad rather than the usual 25 as a sanction for breaching Uefa’s financial fair play regulations.
The restrictions also limit City to 16 non-homegrown players, but the departure of Álvaro Negredo to Valencia on Monday spared their manager Manuel Pellegrini a difficult decision.
The Serbian defender Matija Nastasic, strongly linked with a move away prior to Monday’s transfer deadline, is not included in the A squad but will still be able to play matches as he was under 21 at the turn of the year and can be part of the B squad.

City’s A squad

Hart, Caballero, Sagna, Kompany, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Mangala, Clichy, Demichelis, Boyata, Fernando, Milner, Nasri, Navas, Lampard, Silva, Fernandinho, Touré, Dzeko, Agüero, Jovetic.

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Transfer Window Review: Manchester United

The Red Devils have spent big to try and break back into the top four, sanctioning over £150 million in deals to recruit Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao and more

Life after Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill is still proving difficult for Manchester United. Ed Woodward came dangerously close to overseeing another summer of woeful disappointment in the transfer market before sanctioning over £100 million in spending over the final fortnight to provide Louis van Gaal with some much needed squad reinforcement. 

Goal assesses where the Dutchman has been left by a summer in which United broke records in a bid to return to the rarefied air of the Champions League.
 

BEST SIGNING

The arrival of Radamel Falcao on a lucrative deadline day loan deal may have been the one to get United fans salivating, but Angel Di Maria is unquestionably the best player to move to Old Trafford this summer.

At £59.7 million the Argentine was vastly overpriced, but Louis van Gaal has acquired the man perhaps more decisive than any in Real Madrid’s defeat of city rivals Atletico to win la Decima in May, as well as arguably the second most important player behind Cristiano Ronaldo at Santiago Bernabeu last season.

Di Maria boasts a professionalism and work rate that would shame footballers with a fraction of his talent. He has also refined his game in recent years to the point where he is capable of being decisive almost anywhere across the midfield, and versatility will be a valued attribute as Louis van Gaal’s Old Trafford revolution gathers pace.

Real Madrid may well regret selling him. United won’t regret signing him. 

WILDCARD SIGNING

For the majority of football supporters, last summer’s World Cup provided the first opportunity to get a good look at Daley Blind.

Yet in scouting terms it may also have been a bit of a red herring – Van Gaal deployed Blind as a left wing-back for the Netherlands but, with Luke Shaw and Marcos Rojo also arriving at Old Trafford at great cost this summer, this is unlikely to be his regular position for United.

Blind is most comfortable as a defensive midfielder. He lacks elite pace but possesses a good understanding of the game and the kind of polished technical skill set demanded from any of Ajax’s best academy graduates.

Moving from the Eredivisie to the Premier League will be a big step up, however, especially if United’s ongoing injury crisis forces Van Gaal to play his £14m man as a central defender to begin with.

Blind is a promising talent but the jury remains out.

PLAYER THEY SHOULD HAVE SIGNED

Cesc Fabregas and Toni Kroos would both have been excellent signings for United, but neither were attainable for Ed Woodward as soon as Chelsea and Real Madrid became involved. And while a fit Arturo Vidal would bolster any midfield in the world, United’s greatest need this summer was in defence.

The list of top quality ball-playing centre-backs who were realistic targets for Woodward this summer is a short one. Mehdi Benatia, however, stands out. Bayern Munich didn’t move to sign the Morocco international for £21m until late in the transfer window and with no World Cup commitments, it doesn’t seem unreasonable to suggest that United could have stolen a march on their rivals if they had been more decisive in their identification and pursuit of targets.

Benatia’s stock has risen sharply in the European game since joining Roma from Udinese in July 2013, and the 27-year-old was a key figure as Rudi Garcia’s men pushed Juventus surprisingly close in the Serie A title race last season.

Strong, reasonably quick and comfortable on the ball, Benatia possesses the attributes to succeed in any major league. His age and profile would also have made him a welcome addition to a United defence desperately short of leadership and experience.

PLAYER THEY WILL MISS MOST

United fans who were never enamoured with Danny Welbeck pointed to his modest goalscoring record at Old Trafford – just 29 goals in 142 appearances - and the £16m which Arsenal paid and claimed it was good business.

Such an argument is slightly strange in itself, given that United spent over £150m on new signings this summer and overpaid for almost every player they bought.

Of course, Welbeck may never repay the faith Arsenal have shown in him. But, at just 23 years old, he still has plenty of time to undergo a similar career transformation to the one Daniel Sturridge has enjoyed at Liverpool over the past 18 months.

Welbeck has never seemed as dangerous as Sturridge but he has rarely been played as a central striker. He also has strength, considerable pace and a tactical intelligence and work rate which established him as one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s go-to men in big matches.

United are also losing more than a talented young player. Salford-born Welbeck is arguably the best academy graduate to emerge at Old Trafford since the Class of 92, and represented one of the club’s few remaining on-field links to the local community.

"Someone like a Danny Welbeck has been part of United's identity and that has been broken,” Mike Phelan, former assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson, told BBC Sport.

The presence of Welbeck provided a sense of where United have come from. Replacing him with Falcao highlights the wider trend of where the top end of English football is going – one United can no longer convince themselves that they are apart from.

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France 1-0 Spain: Remy belter sees off Del Bosque's men

The new Chelsea signing finished a fine team move midway through the second half to earn Didier Deschamps' side an impressive friendly win

France recorded an impressive 1-0 friendly win over Spain on Thursday thanks to a fine second-half goal from Loic Remy.

Remy moved across London from QPR to Chelsea last Sunday and celebrated the move by coming off the bench to clinically secure victory for his national side.

The 27-year-old's path to Jose Mourinho's first team is likely to be blocked by Diego Costa, who has enjoyed a prolific start to life in the Premier League - quite at odds with his tough baptism on the international stage.

Costa made it five goalless appearances for Spain, largely isolated and starved of service as Vicente del Bosque's team made a tentative start to their new era.

Spain's dismal World Cup defence in Brazil was followed by three stalwarts of their golden era - Xavi, Xabi Alonso and David Villa - retiring from international football.

Del Bosque also sent out a side with one eye apparently on Monday's opening Euro 2016 qualifier against Macedonia and his men lacked cohesion throughout.

It was left to France to provide the game's eye-catching moments, with the impressive Karim Benzema wrongly having an effort chalked off for offside before Remy settled matters.

Dani Carvajal was one of three debutants in the Spain line-up and the right-back was alert to scramble the ball away from Antoine Griezmann after Moussa Sissoko enjoyed an early burst down the visitors' left.

David de Gea was kept busy, first denying Benzema after he was played onside by Real Madrid team-mate Sergio Ramos before comfortably saving from Paul Pogba.

Pogba looked on as Benzema failed to make clean contact with his wonderfully judged 25th-minute ball into the box, while a deflected drive from Cesc Fabregas that looped gently over Hugo Lloris' crossbar was the closest Spain came in the opening half.

Benzema connected cleanly to send a rasping 20-yard effort goalwards six minutes before half-time but De Gea was equal to the task once more.

France thought they had the lead in the 50th minute when Benzema crowned a crisp team move with an impudent flick, only to be adjudged offside. Replays suggested the striker was level with the ball as Sissoko provided a low cross.

Raul Garcia's debut ended after an hour with David Silva's introduction and the Manchester City playmaker finally lent a touch of cohesion to Spain's attacks, although Mathieu Valbuena's shot past the near post in the 64th minute was a clearer opening than anything the visitors had enjoyed.

The winning goal arrived in pleasing fashion with 17 minutes remaining. France's build-up play was incisive once more and Valbuena darted onto Sissoko's clever flick to unselfishly cut back for Remy to rifle past De Gea.

Silva glided beyond a challenge to shoot narrowly past the far post with seven minutes to play - a fleeting reminder of the mesmerising style Spain must rediscover as they rebuild.

However, Benzema capitalising on slack late defending to draw a sharp stop from De Gea perhaps demonstrated how much work must be done.

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Welbeck keen to emulate 'idol' Henry at Arsenal

The England striker joined the club in a £16 million deadline day deal, leaving boyhood club Manchester United, and is keen to make his mark in north London

New Arsenal signing Danny Welbeck has revealed that he wants to leave an indelible mark at the Emirates by emulating his "idol" Thierry Henry.

The Gunners paid Manchester United £16 million to acquire the England international on transfer deadline day, with Welbeck set to go straight into the first-team following Olivier Giroud’s injury setback.

And the 23-year-old has now aired his determination to prove that Arsene Wenger was right to lure him to London.

“I loved watching Thierry Henry since I was a little kid,” he told Arsenal Player. “My two idols are Ryan Giggs and Thierry Henry so to come to the club where he was and had so much success at is something you can look up to and try to stamp your own print on the club.

“There's definitely competition and I think once you come to a big club, there is always going to be competition.

“Unfortunately there are a couple of injuries at the moment but I think once everyone is fighting fit, everybody will want to be on the pitch scoring goals and that's healthy competition for the squad.”

Welbeck also promised to give the fans “100 per cent in every single game” as the Gunners look to mount a title challenge this season.

“I play with my heart on my sleeve and I'm always going to give my best,” he added. I'll try to give them so many happy days in the coming future.

“I know a lot about Arsenal. I don't think there are many people in England who won't know about Arsenal and what a big club this is. The stadium is fantastic and the team has got a legendary manager and magnificent players who have also been brought in.

“It seems like a family club and that's something that's really enticing. I'm so glad to be here.”

Welbeck, who featured in England’s 1-0 win over Norway on Wednesday, could make his Arsenal debut against Manchester City after the international break.

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Costa & Luis in, Luiz & Cole out: Inside Chelsea's Transfer Window

Jose Mourinho repeatedly wrote off his "little horses" last season but did so safe in the knowledge that grand plans to reshape his squad were afoot.

Few clubs acted as swiftly or as decisively in the transfer market this summer, with Chelsea securing five of their six signings by the end of July.

Sales, too, were handled quickly, Mourinho ruthlessly culling a number of so-called 'key' players to ensure that the club ended the transfer window in the black.

The first crucial acquisition identified was that of Diego Costa, Mourinho long having decided that a strikeforce of Samuel Eto'o, Demba Ba and Fernando Torres was simply not good enough. Indeed, Torres and Ba scored just 10 goals between them in the Premier League last season, while Eto'o hit nine himself.

Unsurprisingly, Mourinho axed all three this summer - Torres joining AC Milan on loan, despite repeatedly airing his desire to remain at the club, Ba heading to Besiktas for around £4.5m and Eto'o signing for Everton.

Due to Mourinho's mistrust of his strikers, Costa was identified as a principal target early in 2014 and negotiations to bring the striker to Stamford Bridge from Atletico Madrid began in March. A protracted deal, talks continued throughout April before Chelsea closed a deal worth £35 million in May.

Ironically enough, the major breakthrough in negotiations came in the immediate aftermath of Chelsea's Champions League semi-final clash with Atletico Madrid, a match in which Costa scored to help Atleti to a 3-1 win and the final of Europe’s elite club competition.

Costa himself revealed to Goal his reasons for joining Chelsea before the official confirmation was made public, saying: "I've wanted to play in the Premier League for a while. Chelsea are one of the greatest clubs of the world so there are many factors that make you take a decision like this."

His move was officially completed on July 15, Costa agreeing to sign a contract worth £150,000 per week in west London. He has already scored four goals in three Premier League appearances.



Left-back Filipe Luis, another player lured from Atletico Madrid, this time as a result of Ashley Cole's departure, swiftly joined him at Stamford Bridge.

The latter was allowed to leave for Roma upon the expiration of his contract – the Italians beating off competition from Tottenham, Liverpool and Milan to land their man.

Another early deal, Chelsea entered into advanced negotiations with Atletico over the signing in June and wrapped up the deal less than a month later, Luis eventually signing just three days after Costa.

Yet perhaps the finest acquisition of the summer – and the most surprising – was that of Cesc Fabregas. Heavily linked with Arsenal – who chose not to activate a buy-back clause in their former captain's contract – Fabregas was also the subject of interest from Manchester City, Manuel Pellegrini's side tabling a bid around the same time as the Blues.

Yet a charm offensive saw Fabregas – who had been made available by Barcelona in May – opt for Stamford Bridge and he completed his £30m move in June.  There was one more stunning deal to come, with Mourinho not yet satisfied with his attack, and Didier Drogba completed an emotional homecoming soon after. Mourinho said that Chelsea "belonged" to Drogba after his deal was rubber-stamped and the Ivorian will provide support to Costa and fellow new signing Loic Remy for the remainder of the season. Another interesting case, Remy was first sounded out over a move when Drogba suffered an injury in pre-season training, only for him to recover ahead of time.

Yet Torres's departure to Milan saw the Blues reignite their interest and agree to pay his buyout clause to acquire him from QPR, with Remy the club's final addition of the summer transfer window following the arrival of youth star Mario Pasalic from Hajduk Split.

The signing of Remy surprised many, especially considering the France international reportedly failed a medical at Liverpool earlier in the season, causing a move to Anfield to collapse.

Yet, despite all the arrivals, Chelsea find themselves in rude financial health. Having spent over £80m, the Blues moved to shift some deadwood from their squad and managed to recoup a staggering £40m for David Luiz from PSG.

Amidst heavy interest from Barcelona, the French giants entered into negotiations over a deal before the World Cup and the deal was pushed through quickly, with Luiz interrupting his preparations with Brazil to undergo a medical with the Ligue 1 giants. Mourinho failed to truly find a role for Luiz during last season and has publicly insisted that he preferred using the centre-back partnership of John Terry and Gary Cahill as opposed to fielding the erratic Luiz.

His performances at the World Cup vindicated Mourinho's reasoning.



The Portuguese also received £28m for Romelu Lukaku, a player with whom he repeatedly failed to gel. In fact, the Belgium international told Chelsea of his desire to leave Stamford Bridge in June and the club were subsequently inundated with enquiries, with Wolfsburg and Juventus showing serious interest in signing the striker. Yet Lukaku chose to ponder his options at the World Cup and eventually opted to sign for Everton, having scored 15 goals during a highly successful loan spell at Goodison Park in 2013-14.

Such was Everton's desire to acquire their top target, they agreed two separate deals with Chelsea; one permanent and one to take him on loan for another season. Eventually, they ended up smashing their transfer record.

Having also banked over £37m from the sale of Juan Mata to Manchester United in January, and £17m from Kevin De Bruyne’s move to Wolfsburg, it could be said that Chelsea are, in fact, in profit from their summer dealings.

Having also shifted high-earners Cole, Lampard, – who amazingly joined Manchester City on loan, having agreed to sign for the Premier League champions' partner club, New York City FC – Ba and Torres from their wage bill, there are significant funds available should Mourinho decide to enter the transfer market once again in January. Indeed, there is a feeling that a bid could be tabled for Paul Pogba, with the surplus cash used to put together an extremely lucrative package for the France international.

Chelsea monitored Pogba throughout the summer window and were prepared to offer a "staggering" deal to the 21-year-old, though Juventus's plus-£60m valuation eventually scuppered the move. With the Blues' financial firepower in play, however, a renewed pursuit should not be ruled out.

Yet it is not just about permanent deals for the club. Chelsea have gained a reputation in recent years for establishing a large and almost labyrinthine loan network for their young players and this summer saw no fewer than 18 players – including the likes of Victor Moses, Marko Marin, Torres and Christian Atsu – leave on short-term deals.

The hope, of course, is that the younger generation of players acquire the requisite skills to step into the first-team should they be needed upon their returns. A fine example of that strategy is Thibaut Courtois. The Belgium international established himself as one of the finest goalkeepers in world football during his three consecutive spells at Atletico and has now returned to west London to take the No.1 shirt from Petr Cech.

Such is the confidence in Courtois' ability at Chelsea, Petr Cech was told to find a new club in the summer, though, despite interest from Monaco, PSG and Real Madrid, no deal materialised.

Should youngsters like Bertrand Traore and Thorgan Hazard – younger brother of Eden – impress whilst out on loan, they may be able to follow in Courtois' footsteps and take the long-route into the starting XI.

With Mourinho finally keen to lay down some roots in his managerial career – and having geared his recent recruitment drive towards building a squad capable of prolonged and unequivocal success – he will certainly be around to see them develop.

But following this summer's headline-grabbing acquisitions, they will have a fight on their hands to avoid sitting next to Cech on the Stamford Bridge bench.

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Can Hull and Steve Bruce get the best out of the enigma Hatem Ben Arfa?

A controversial outcast at Newcastle United, Hatem Ben Arfa has moved to Hull on loan for the rest of the season. Photograph: David Davies/PA

The mood inside Hull City’s cramped, slightly old-fashioned, training ground at the end of a narrow lane in the quiet, leafy, village of Cottingham was highly charged yet sunnily optimistic. Steve Bruce spent hours closeted in an office with the club’s owners, Assem Allam and his son Ehab, closing a series of deals capable of ensuring that Monday 1 September 2014 would be remembered as the most dramatic 24 hours in Hull’s transfer history.

By early afternoon Abel Hernández , the Uruguay striker, had joined from Palermo for a record-breaking £10m and Matt Wild, the secretary, was fully occupied processing paperwork relating to the £3.5m acquisition of West Ham’s Mohamed Diamé.

Around the same time Sky Sports News showed pictures of Hatem Ben Arfa leaving Newcastle United’s training ground. The richly gifted, if high-maintenance, France international pointed his car towards the city’s airport but he was merely heading for the nearby upmarket enclaves where many of Alan Pardew’s players live.

It seemed Ben Arfa had successfully resisted Pardew’s attempts to off-load him to Besiktas or Birmingham and was probably bound for some shopping at his local Waitrose en route home.

Undeterred, Newcastle’s frustrated manager instructed his board to “do whatever it takes” to move on a player he had exiled from all first-team involvement following disputes about long-ball tactics, fitness and work-rate . Soon afterwards a phone rang in Cottingham.

By timely coincidence Bruce was hankering after another attacker or two capable of getting behind defences in the style of Shane Long, the forward sold to Southampton earlier this summer. Hull’s manager explored the possibility of recruiting Marseille’s André Ayew before eventually opting to take Southampton’s incisive but injury-prone Uruguay international Gaston Ramírez on a season-long loan.

At the end of a summer also featuring the permanent signings of Jake Livermore, Michael Dawson, Tom Ince, Andrew Robertson, Harry Maguire and Robert Snodgrass many coaches might then have called it a day but, particularly with a knee injury sidelining Snodgrass for six months, Bruce had a nagging sense something – or someone – was missing.

Even so it was starting to get dark by the time Ben Arfa began the three hour journey south. A motorway delay and a detour via York dictated the 27-year-old did not arrive at Cottingham until almost 11.45pm, by which time Hull had obtained a two-hour deadline extension from the Premier League. At 00.57am they finally announced the signing.

The ensuing anger and disappointment of those Newcastle fans to whom this quintessential No10 had become a cause célèbre testifies to the high-risk nature of Pardew’s strategy - and the scale of the opportunity open to Bruce.

Dubbed “a genius” by Gérard Houllier, his former coach at Lyon, Ben Arfa delights in deconstructing the best defences. Admittedly this unfulfilled talent requires subtle handling but Bruce has always regarded man-management as his strong suit while it is hoped the ability of Hull’s Egyptian owners to speak to Ben Arfa – whose parents are Tunisian and who is very bound up in his North African heritage – in Arabic will further help him settle into a side suddenly packed with pace, power and creativity.

The Allams’ obsession with re-branding the team as “Hull Tigers” remains contentious but Bruce could hardly wish for more supportive owners as he endeavours to compensate for last week’s surprise Europa League elimination.

With £40m (a £25m net spend) invested in squad refurbishment he can survey what Phil Brown, one of his predecessors, labelled the training ground’s “War Room” and feel equipped with more than adequate weaponry for an assault on the top half of the Premier League.Still only 24, Hernández represents a marquee addition, possessing a healthy record of seven goals in 14 appearances for Uruguay and one virtually every three games at Palermo. “Abel’s arrival highlights just how far Hull have travelled in a short space of time,” reflected Bruce.

Culture shock must be overcome but the integration process at a club which 11 seasons ago were playing in English football’s bottom tier should be accelerated by the presence of Hernández’s compatriot Ramírez.

While Diamé promises to complement Tom Huddlestone’s measured passing with midfield dynamism, Dawson – keen to prove a point to Tottenham – should bolster the defence. With Ince adding intricate invention and Robertson impressive in a left-sided defensive role following his £2.85m arrival from Dundee United, Hull look very well balanced – not to say in serious danger of being glamorous.

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