Key events
Ben Fisher
A bit of news from the Wales camp: Craig Bellamy has confirmed Andrew Crofts, who is on the coaching staff at Brighton, and James Rowberry, the former Newport manager, as assistant coaches.
Bellamy’s first game in charge of his country is at home to Turkey in the Nations League next month, before a trip to Montenegro in the same competition. Chris Gunter, Alan Knill, Jack Lester and Tony Roberts have left their roles.
“As soon as I knew there was an opportunity to be Craig’s assistant it grabbed me straight away,” Crofts said. “To represent Wales as a player was incredible for me and my family, and to now represent my country as an assistant coach is an indescribable feeling.”
Ed Aarons
Mikel Arteta has revealed that he will resume talks over extending his contract after the transfer window shuts next week but insisted he is committed to Arsenal.
The Spaniard has one year remaining on the contract he signed in May 2022 and is understood to have held initial talks about an extension after missing out on the Premier League title to Manchester City last season by a point.
But while Arteta would not comment on the imminent arrival Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad after Arsenal agreed a £33m fee for the Spain midfielder on Thursday, he did admit that the talks over his new deal have been hold over the last few weeks as they attempt to finalise their squad for the new season.
“The focus has been on the transfer window,” said the Arsenal manager. “We had quite a lot of things to do and discuss. We are on it and we will take care of that in the right moment.”
Oh, no, Everton. How many transfers this summer have been driven purely, or even primarily, by PSR?
Newcastle: Howe says he wants Trippier to stay
Eddie Howe says he’s been surprised by the stories linking Kieran Trippier with a move away from Newcastle this week. Everton have been one of the clubs linked with the England full-back who was left out for the Magpies last week, with Tino Livramento favoured instead.
Asked if he believed Trippier would stay, Howe said: “I hope so. I can never answer these questions with absolute certainty because it’s football and the transfer window is always unpredictable. But my wish is that he stays here and continues to play for us.
“The situation is business as usual. I’m surprised at a lot of the stories that have come out.
“He’s a valuable member of the squad. His professionalism has been first-class. He’s trained really well since he’s come back from the Euros.
“He’s only had two weeks training, hence the decision to not start him at the weekend and Tino has had a very good pre-season. That’s the situation. He continues to be really valued by all of us.”
Isn’t this exactly the kind of thing a manager says right before that player departs? Thoughts welcome on email.
There’s good news for Manchester United and West Ham to be deciphered from the PSG squad named to face Montpellier tonight. Manuel Ugarte is not in the squad, as his move to United edges ever (tediously) closer, while Hammers’ target Carlos Soler is absent too.
Arsenal: Arteta plays down talk of Merino and Nketiah moves
Mikel Arteta refused to speak about Arsenal transfer target Mikel Merino ahead of their trip to Aston Villa.
The Gunners are believed to have agreed an £28m upfront fee for the Real Sociedad midfielder.
“You know I cannot talk about any player that is not with us. There’s still time in the market,” said Arteta on the Spanish international. “I don’t know, soon. The full focus is on the players we have at the moment.”
Eddie Nketiah has been linked with a move to Nottingham Forest, but Arteta suggested he will be involved at Villa Park. “I expect Eddie to train with us today and to be prepared for tomorrow. Whatever happens will happen.”
“Super Fab! To hell with his age!” – Fabian Hürzeler already has a Euro-pop anthem in his honour, via high-energy duo The Pitstop boys. Enjoy.
Brighton’s Fabian Hürzeler is the Premier League’s youngest ever manager, but he’s not afraid to lean on others for experience, as he admitted yesterday ahead of the Seagulls’ clash with Manchester United. Former Red Devil Danny Welbeck is among the Brighton players who are older than Hürzeler and James Milner is seven years his senior. The German also has no shortage of managerial inspirations …
Hürzeler said: “You can’t copy any other philosophy. I the end I want to build my own philosophy, I want to bring my own ideas on the pitch.
“But learning has no finish line, so I always want to learn from other coaches. If you work in Germany, of course you follow German coaches who worked in the Premier League.
“Jurgen Klopp is a big, big role model for me, also [Thomas] Tuchel with his achievements. Julian Nagelsmann, he achieved amazing things for his young age.
“There are a lot of German coaches where I try to get some elements of their behaviour but also in the Premier League when you look at how Pep Guardiola, how Arteta are transforming their teams into world-class teams, you can take out of this elements.
“From every coach and from every chance, I try to learn something because I love to watch football, I love to learn.”
Speaking of transfer rumours …
The big preview piece. Pressure on forwards at Arsenal and Villa? More new arrivals around the Premier League? Sean Dyche under the pump already at Everton? Let’s take a look.
Preamble
Happy Friday, gang! The Premier League is well and truly back and with the summer transfer window drifting towards its final week too, there’s no shortage of juicy news bits to keep us all sated.
Something else rather shocking happened last night too – Chelsea won a game in straightforward fashion, even if it was against the equivalent of a League One side, meaning no disrespect to Swiss stragglers Servette FC.
The first week of the Premier League season was a tad underwhelming in my humble opinion, but this week we’ve got Brighton v Manchester United, Aston Villa v Arsenal and Wolves v Chelsea which could all provide some upsets. The Championship rarely disappoints either. Here, we’ll keep you across all the previews, press conferences and, of course, those precious pieces of transfer tittle-tattle. Probably some confirmed deals, too. Let’s go!