Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis accepts the club's young squad are about to enter a crucial season - and it will soon be time to deliver on their potential. "Fundamentally we believe in the squad that Arsene has been developing," said Gazidis. "I certainly acknowledge this is a big year for us - and it is a big year for those players. We talk about potential, but at some point potential needs to deliver. At the end of the day it is not enough for Arsenal to be just competing and reaching the top four. I do believe that it is a very creditable performance by a group of young players, but at the same time I also think that every player in our squad, our manager, and me, has higher ambitions. We need to keep hungry in that way. If we ever felt that coming in the top four was good enough, then we should not be doing what we are doing."

 Gabriel Agbonlahor, James Milner and Craig Gardner have been given extra time off after being involved with England Under-21s in the European Championship finals in Sweden until the end of June. They did not arrive back in this country until last Tuesday. They will not link up with Martin O'Neill's squad until next week but even that extension means they will have had barely a fortnight off. O'Neill has spoken in the past of the fear of players suffering from football burn-out. Striker Agbonlahor and wide midfielder Milner could face 12 months non-stop football as they are strong candidates to be part of Fabio Capello's senior England squad for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa next June and July. O'Neill is to keep a close eye on those two in particular during pre-season for signs of fatigue. They were virtual ever presents for Villa last season before linking up with the Under-21s at the beginning of June.

 Alex McLeish is adamant he has no plans to sign former Manchester United midfielder Quinton Fortune even though he is training with the club. The 32-year-old was released by Belgian club Tubize at the end of the 2008/09 season but has linked up with Blues as a favour to one of McLeish's friends while he looks for a new club. McLeish said: "We're just training Quinton as a favour. I know a mutual friend and he asked if I could provide facilities for Quinton. There's not a deal on the table for Quinton, he is not on trial and it is purely a favour."

 Sam Allardyce believes he has been priced out of a move for Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy. The former Manchester United forward has slipped down the pecking order at the Bernabeu and Allardyce was interested in bringing the 32-year-old back to England. However, the Rovers manager said the Dutchman's wages were proving prohibitive to any move, with his current level of fitness also contributing to his decision not to pursue any transfer. Van Nistelrooy missed much of last season with a knee injury. "I think probably Ruud, from a salary point of view, is out of our reach," he said. "And I think he is not going to be fit until September, so that is not going to be what we are looking for at the moment. We need someone right now who can join up with the squad as soon as we can." 

 New signing Sean Davis is looking forward to linking up with former Portsmouth team-mates Matt Taylor and Andy O'Brien at the Reebok Stadium. The 29-year-old has dismissed suggestions he was reluctant to move north, having also previously played for Tottenham and Fulham, and knows Taylor and O'Brien will ease the transition. "I'm really looking forward to getting back and I'll be raring to go at the start of the season," the midfielder said. "I just want to come to Bolton, enjoy my football and help take the club forward. People have said that I have been reluctant to move north in the past, but this proves that is not the case. My former Portsmouth team-mates Matty Taylor and Andy O'Brien are both at Bolton so they should help me settle in."

 Manager Owen Coyle has told French winger Fabrice Pancrate he will have to impress him in person to stand a chance of signing for the Clarets. The 29-year-old is out of contract after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, for whom he scored 10 goals in 91 league appearances, but Coyle will not consider a move until he has seen the player in action for himself. "He's been a top player in France for five years and these players are often reluctant to come on trial," he said. "He's got a good pedigree, but I'm not prepared to offer him something having not seen him in the flesh."

 Chelsea have denied suggestions they have left captain John Terry in the dark over transfer interest from Manchester City. Reports had suggested that Terry is unhappy nobody at the club has spoken to him since City tabled a bid last week. But Chelsea scoffed at suggestions there had been no dialogue with their club captain and confirmed they had spoken to him recently about the situation. A Chelsea source said: "It is total nonsense to suggest that the club has not spoken to John Terry recently. We've spoken to him a number of times. He is well aware of our position that he is not for sale and he was pleased that both the club and the manager publicly took that position as we discussed it with him."

 Leeds have confirmed that academy starlet Luke Garbutt has left the club to join Barclays Premier League side Everton. The 16-year-old left-back has been linked repeatedly with a move to Goodison Park in recent weeks and the Whites have now confirmed the move. A statement on the club's official website said: "Leeds United made the player an exceptional offer to join the club initially as a scholar and then as a professional player. We're disappointed that the player chose to join Everton."

 Roy Hodgson insists a simple lack of fitness at this early stage of pre-season proved the Cottagers' downfall in their 2-1 defeat by Australian A-League side Gold Coast United. Danny Murphy put Fulham ahead after 16 minutes at Skilled Park but as the match wore on the visitors struggled to match their spirited opponents. Brazilian striker Milson came off the bench to head home the equaliser after 80 minutes and New Zealand striker Shane Smeltz struck the winner from close range with four minutes remaining. "We did quite well for 60 or 70 minutes, considering it was our first game after just four days of training," said Hodgson. "After they scored their first goal there was always going to be a lot of pressure on us and some of our guys just aren't used to that pressure."

 Phil Brown has expressed his pride at Hull City's failed pursuit of striker Michael Owen. Brown was keen to bring the England international to the KC Stadium after his Newcastle United contract expired at the end of last month. The Tigers manager was quietly confident a deal could be brokered; however, his hopes were scuppered when Barclays Premier League champions Manchester United threw their hat into the ring for his services. Sir Alex Ferguson quickly thrashed out a two-year deal for the free agent, but the failed transfer pursuit did not leave a bitter taste in Brown's mouth. "We had hoped to meet with Michael before we went to Italy but when you're up against Manchester United, you know you're on the back-foot," he said. "To be in a two-horse race with Manchester United for an England international gives me great pride. He was ready to consider coming to Hull City but he has joined the champions of England. You can't argue with that but for me it was positive to see us in the running."  

 Manager Rafa Benitez dismissed rumours that full-back Fabio Aurelio will be out for six months with a knee injury. He said: "One, maybe two months, I expect him back by then. Certainly not six."

  New City striker Roque Santa Cruz is back on familiar ground at the club's training camp in southern Germany. It was a familiar haunt for him when he played for Bayern Munich and then Blackburn, where he worked under City manager Mark Hughes. But rather than dreading the resumption of training, the thought of teaming up with Hughes, assistant Mark Bowen and first team coach Eddie Niedzwiecki was one that Roque says he relished. Santa Cruz said: "I know they like to train as well as possible and as hard as they can to take you to the limits. They do it so you can bring the best of your talent onto the pitch. It's a great place to concentrate on your fitness and get yourself ready."

 Everton captain Phil Neville will miss playing against Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portuguese winger completed his move to Real Madrid. Former United defender Neville said: "From an English football point of view I was gutted to see Cristiano Ronaldo leave. I think he brought a lot to the Premier League, everyone enjoyed playing against him, he is the best player in the world and he entertains people. We want the best players to be playing in the Premier League because we feel we play the best football and we have the best product over here. Real Madrid are spending money but I still believe the Premier League is the best, the most exciting, the most honest, the most entertaining and we can be proud of that."

 Sulaiman Al Fahim's takeover group have plans in place to make sure Portsmouth will have a strong squad heading into the new season. Al Fahim's adviser Ivo Ilic Gabara has reassured Pompey supporters the new regime will not waste any time once the official takeover has been completed - with executive chairman Peter Storrie ready to move for new players as soon as the ink is dry. "We will sit down with the management team when the takeover is completed and discuss what is needed at that stage," Gabara said. "There are obviously plans to talk about what is needed for the season ahead. We can't move on with those plans until Mr Al Fahim is the owner of Portsmouth Football Club. His main priority at this time lies with completing the purchase of the club. But there is a belief that everything remains on course - and once the purchase is complete, he will be able to move on quickly from there. We can assure Portsmouth supporters that everything remains on schedule."

 Defender Leon Cort wants to know whether he has a future at the club having spent most of last season sidelined by the form of Ryan Shawcross and Abdoulaye Faye. The 29-year-old centre-back made just nine Barclays Premier League starts as manager Tony Pulis' first-choice pairing played a significant part in securing top-flight survival. As Cort enters the final 12 months of his contract he is keen to play regularly but knows he has much to do to earn a place in the first team. "I don't like to just be playing the odd game but at this level there is a lot of competition at every club," he said. "Ryan and Abdoulaye have done really well when they have played together. Me and Ibrahima Sonko have been frustrated on the sidelines, but it is out of our hands. There's no use crying and sulking about it. But if I am not in the manager's plans, I would like to know as soon as possible. All I can do is come back to pre-season, work hard and take it from there. If I do leave in the next couple of months, I will have had a great time here." 

 Paul Collingwood took time out of his preparations for the Ashes to champion Sunderland's bid to bring the football World Cup to the city. The 15 cities hoping to host the matches if the Football Association win the tournament finals in 2018 or 2022 have submitted their applications, among them Newcastle-Gateshead as well as Sunderland. England cricketer Collingwood, a life-long Black Cats supporter, is confident the Stadium of Light would prove a fitting venue, and that the people of the north-east would be excellent hosts. He said: "I have seen some great matches at the Stadium of Light and the atmosphere in the ground can be phenomenal. The thought that we could see World Cup games played there is very exciting and I know that the people of Sunderland and the north-east would make every match a really special occasion."

 Adel Taarabt has confirmed his desire to leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer after failing to break into Harry Redknapp's first team. The 20-year-old forward has spent the past two-and-a-half seasons at White Hart Lane, but failed to make a single Barclays Premier League start. The Morocco international made seven Championship appearances last season for QPR, scoring once while on loan at Loftus Road. He said: "There are clubs that want me who are ready to give me a chance. I want to improve and prove my talent. If I stay at Tottenham I wouldn't be able to do that. I want to leave. 

 West Ham United have announced the signing of defender Jack Lampe from non-league side Harlow Town. The 17-year-old impressed coaches at Upton Park after spending time with the Barclays Premier League club on trial. Lampe has now put pen to paper on a one-year deal with Gianfranco Zola's team and is eagerly anticipating the next chapter of his fledgling career. "Joining West Ham is massive for me," he told West Ham's official website. "It's just a dream come true. I've always wanted to be in an Academy playing with good players and to a good standard. Now, I hope to become a regular in the reserves this season and earn another contract. I can't wait to start working at West Ham now. The move has come about quite quickly and I can't wait to get going."

 Former Wigan player and manager Graham Barrow has returned to the club as a first-team coach. The 55-year-old is reunited with Latics manager Roberto Martinez, whom Barrow signed as a player when he was manager in 1995. "This club has always been special to me, and it really is a dream come true to return here," said Barrow, who previously worked as a coach at Altrincham. "I've worked with Roberto in the past, and he's a bright lad with lots of ideas who is very unique in what he has to offer to the club. The way he had Swansea playing attractive football and getting results at the same time was magnificent." Martinez revealed Barrow was always a first-choice member of his backroom staff.  "Graham has not only been a good mentor to me over the last 15 years, but a genuine friend, and I have often asked for his advice," he told the club`s official website. "But I have not appointed him for sentimental reasons. He is a terrific football brain, and it is wonderful to have another true Wigan man on board."

 Chief executive Jez Moxey has hinted a loan deal for Chelsea defender Michael Mancienne could be on the cards. England Under-21 international Mancienne has already had a short stint at Molineux having spent three months of last season at the then Championship club. The youngster's performances were so impressive that England manager Fabio Capello even called him up for the friendly against Germany. "Michael has never left our thinking but I don't think Chelsea will allow him to leave on a permanent basis," Moxey said. "We've not necessarily finished our business. We haven't used a loan yet so they are available to us."