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Premier League Preview & Fixtures

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Premier League Preview & FixturesIn need of a footy fix? Euro 2012 a major disappointment? Well, the good news is the new Premier League season is only weeks away - and the Football League and SPL is even closer. So who has your team signed up for the new season?

As usual the big spenders have been United, City, Chelsea and Arsenal with abfew new managerial faces to watch out for in 2012-13.

United have added Japan midfielder Shinzi Kagawa to their lineup and added Crewe youngster Nick Powell to the squad on a four-year deal. Powell, 18, won the League 2 player of the year award last season.

But United's attempts to sign Everton defender Leighton Baines could stall after Goodison boss David Moyes told his bard he would resign if the player was sold.

Moyes may have a tougher chalenge keeping Socceroo Tim Cahill, who is believed to have been offered a deal to sign for Chinese side Guizho Renhe.

Back to United, where German champions Borussia Dortmund are adamant they will not be selling Polish striker Robert Lewandowski for £40million.

Champions Manchester City have been relatively quiet during the pre-season.

After splashing the cash like no other in previous years the only possible signing could be France striker Karim Benzema.
Paris Saint-Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti will push Sir Alex Ferguson to sign Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric.

Spurs are in disarray after failing to win a Champions league spot, with manager Harry Redknapp on his way - so Modric may well be sold to raise funds for a new coach.

New coach? David Moyes of Everton and Roberto Martinez of Wigan are the hot favourites.

European champions Chelsea (doesn't that sound good), having snapped up Belgian Ace Eden Hazard and Werder Bremen's Marko Marin, are keen on Malaga's Chilean striker Jose Salomon Rondon. Didier Drgba has ben released.

On their managerial front, the club is expected to confirm Roberto Di Matteo as their new manager after Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola turned them down.

The Blues have also signed promising Anderlecht star Charly Musonda, 15, rated as one the best prospects in European football.

Arsenal are chasing France striker Olivier Giroud with Russian Andrey Arshevin reportedly off to Zenit St Petersburg.

Iceland international Gylfi Sigurdsson is set to join Liverpool in a £7m deal after a season on loan at Swansea, new Kop manager Brendan Rodgers, who also could make a summer move for either Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge or Barcelona frontman Cristian Tello now that Dirk Kuyt has left for Turkey. Salamon Kalou has also been linked with a move to Anfield.

Fulham are keen to sign Newcastle's Danny Simpson, with QPR and Norwich waiting in the wings.

Wigan are keen on Greece winger Dimitris Salpingidis, 30, who is available on a free transfer. While goalkeeper Mike Pollitt has agreed a new one-year deal.

Robert Huth has signed a three-year contract extension to remain at Stoke until 2016.

Aston Villa's new boss Paul Lambert is interested in AZ Alkmaar's Denmark defender Simon Poulsen, having already signed Socceroo Brett Holman from the club to replace the released Emile Heskey. Lambert is also planning to move the Villa Park dug-outs so he can be closer to the Holte End fans.

His successor at Carrow Road, Chris Hughton, is reportedly resigned to losing young star Kyle Naughton to Villa Park.
New West Brom manager Steve Clarke is closing in on the capture of goalkeeper Ben Foster from Midlands rivals Birmingham.

West Ham, who have tabled a £4million offer for Wolves' winger Matt Jarvis and Blackburn striker Yakubu, have signed Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Newcastle have been told they will need to significantly up their initial offer of £4million for Vurnon Anita if they want to sign the Ajax midfielder.

Robert Green is set to join QPR after agreeing a £50,000-a-week deal at QPR with his former club West Ham making a £1.2million bid for Dijon left-back Samuel Souprayen.

Stoke look like snapping up the unwanted Michael Owen, given a free by United and other new boys Southampton have signed Burnley striker Jay Rodriguez for £6 million and are interested in Scottish international goalkeeper Craig Gordon, given a free transfer by Sunderland.

And finally, for all our Welsh fans, Swansea City have a new manager, with a promise to kepp the wonderful passing game of last season; Danish legend Michael Laudrup.

In Scotland Artur Boruc says he would keep the door open to a return to Celtic as he confirmed his desire to leave Fiorentina - but the big news is across the city at Ibrox.
Glasgow Rangers could be made to reform and start again at the bottom tier of Scottish football after a deal with the taxman to sort out their debts collapsed. The Revenue, who are owed over £21 million by the Ibrox club, opposed proposal to pay off debts.

More next month but when does it all kick off?

EPL starts all over again on Saturday, August 18. The SPL in Scotland gets underway on August 4.


EPL PRE-SEASON FIXTURES
Arsenal
July 14 Southampton (St Mary's - Memorial Cup). July 14 Rangers (St Mary's - Memorial Cup). July 24 Malaysia XI (Kuala Lumpur). July 27 Manchester City (National Stadium, Beijing - China Cup). July 29 Kitchee (Hong Kong). August 5 TBC (Abuja Stadium, Abuja).
Aston Villa
July 14 Burton Albion (Pirelli Stadium). July 18 Philadelphia Union (PPL Park, Chester). July 21 Chicago Fire (Toyota Park, Chicago). July 24 Portland Timbers (Jeld-Wen Field, Portland). August 4 Nottingham Forest (City Ground). August 11 Wolves (Molineux).
Chelsea
July 18 Seattle Sounders (CenturyLink Field, Seattle). July 22 Paris Saint-Germain (Yankee Stadium, New York). July 25 MLS All-Stars (PPL Park, Chester). July 28 AC Milan (Sun Life Stadium, Miami).
Everton
July 14 Morecambe (Globe Arena). July 18 Dundee United (Tannadice). July 21 Motherwell (Fir Park). August 5 Blackpool (Bloomfield Road).
Fulham
July 15 Real Betis (Guangxi Sports Center, Guangxi, Nanning Tournament).
Liverpool
July 21 Toronto (Rogers Centre, Toronto). July 25 Roma (Fenway Park, Boston). July 28 Tottenham (M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore).
Manchester City
July 27 Arsenal (National Stadium, Beijing - China Cup). July 30 Malaysia XI (National Stadium, Bukit Jalil).
Manchester United
July 18 Amazulu FC (Durban). July 21 Ajax Cape Town (Cape Town). July 25 Shanghai Shenhua (Shanghai Stadium, Shanghai - China Cup). August 5 Valerenga (Ullevaal Stadium, Oslo).
Newcastle
August 11 Cardiff (Cardiff City Stadium).
Norwich
August 3 MK Dons (Stadium MK).
QPR
July 14 Thai All Star XI (Ramajangala National Stadium, Bangkok). July 18 Football Association of Sabah Select XI (Likas Stadium, Sabah).
Reading
July 14 AFC Wimbledon (Kingsmeadow). July 21 Quarteirense (Quarteira Stadium, Vilamoura). July 24 Sheffield Wednesday (Quarteira Stadium, Vilamoura. July 27 Olhanense (Quarteira Stadium, Vilamoura). August 4 Bournemouth (Steward Stadium. August 11 Crystal Palace (Madejski Stadium).
Southampton
July 14 Rangers (St Mary's - Memorial Cup). July 14 Arsenal (St Mary's - Memorial Cup. July 21 Evian (Stade Joseph-Moynat). July 28 Ajax (St Mary's. August 4 Wolves (St Mary's). August 7 Bristol City (Ashton Gate). August 11 Udinese (St Mary's).
Stoke
July 24 Columbus Crew (Crew Stadium, Columbus). July 28 Orlando City (Citrus Bowl, Orlando). August 1 Sporting Kansas City (Livestrong Sporting Park, Sporting). August 7 Yeovil (Huish Park).
Sunderland
July 19 Seongnam (Suwong Stadium, Peace Cup), July 22 Hamburg (Peace Cup). July 27 Hartlepool (Victoria Park). August 8 Derby County (Pride Park). August 11 Leicester City (King Power Stadium).
Swansea
July 24 Colorado Rapids (Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City). July 31 San Jose Earthquakes (Buck Shaw Stadium, Santa Clara).
Tottenham
July 24 LA Galaxy (The Home Depot Center, Carson). July 28 Liverpool (M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore). July 31 New York Red Bulls (Red Bull Arena, Harrison). August 9 Valencia (Estadio Mestalla).
West Brom
July 19 Malmo (Swedbank Stadion). August 4 Sheffield Wednesday (Hillsborough). August 10 Nottingham Forest (City Ground).
West Ham
July 7 Austria Vienna (Generali Arena, Prague). July 14 Southend (Roots Hall). July 17 Oxford United. July 21 Colchester Utd. 25 July FC Rot-Wieb Erfurt (Steigerwaldstadion, Erfurt). July 27 Dynamo Dresden (Glucksgas Stadion, Dresden). July 29 Energie Cottbus (Stadion der Freundschaft, Cottbus). August 4 Ipswich Town.

Check out where to watch Euro Cup 2012 in Sydney ... click HERE

 

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