Tony Pulis has warned new signings Eidur Gudjohnsen, Marc Wilson and Jermaine Pennant they must work hard to get into the Stoke team.
The Potters chief was delighted with his transfer deadline day arrivals, while he also re-signed midfielder Salif Diao on a two-year deal at the Britannia Stadium. And, while Pulis expects the new boys to help the Potters move on a level in the Premier League, he has warned them not to expect an easy ride at the club.
Former Chelsea and Barcelona hitman, Gudjohnsen, and Diao have immediately been handed a 'mini pre-season' fitness program to get them up to speed with the rest of the squad, while Wilson and Pennant have been warned they will not walk into the first XI after their moves from Portsmouth and Real Zaragoza respectively.
"If they work as hard as the rest of the players do, with that little bit of extra quality they have, you hope it will make us a better team," said Pulis.
"Over the next 12 days Eidur will do a mini pre-season with Salif and hopefully be ready for Aston Villa (on September 13)."
Ryan Giggs claims the imminent return of Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville and Anderson makes Manchester United's squad look 'really strong'.
The Red Devils veteran feels Sir Alex Ferguson's line-up is capable of producing the goods this season after the disappointment of missing out on the Premier League and Champions League last term. And Giggs says the news that Ferdinand and Anderson moved closer to a first-team return from respective knee injuries in the reserves' Manchester Senior Cup win against Oldham on Wednesday will strengthen their case for success.
Add to that veteran full-back Neville's comeback and Giggs feels confident they will overcome the challenges that lie ahead.
He told United's official website: "The squad is looking really strong.
"We've got Rio to come back in, Nev hasn't played yet, and Anderson is back too. So it's looking really good.
"We'll need everyone because it's a long season. The manager realises that."
Tottenham have been boosted by the news striker Jermain Defoe does not need a groin operation and will not be absent for a month.
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp feared being without the 27-year-old hitman throughout September after it was decided the only way to treat a niggling groin problem was for him to go under the knife.
However Defoe revealed that he felt no pain in the groin during his goalscoring performance in the Champions League qualifier win against Young Boys 10 days ago. And, after featuring against Wigan on Saturday with no problems, the club's medical team opted to shelve the surgery indefinitely.
It means Defoe will be fit for England's Euro 2012 qualifiers against Bulgaria on this Friday evening and in Switzerland next Wednesday. And Redknapp will hope he comes through those matches unscathed as Spurs face West Brom at the Hawthorns next weekend before starting their Champions League group stage campaign at Werder Bremen on September 14.
Tottenham starlet Gareth Bale was the subject of a 'big money' offer from a mystery club, according to Wales coach John Toshack.
The 21-year-old Wales international has enjoyed a renaissance in form over the past nine months and was rewarded for helping Spurs secure a Champions League place last term with a new four-year contract in May. However Toshack has confirmed that Bale's importance to the Londoners did not prevent another club from making a bid to sign him during the transfer window.
Ahead of Wales' Euro 2012 qualifier in Montenegro on Friday, the former Real Madrid coach told a press conference: "It was a big-money bid - it's big money to me anyway. You'll have to ask Tottenham, they know about it.
"Gareth is aware people are looking at him and people are interested."
When asked the identity of the club which made the offer for Bale, Toshack added: "I wouldn't do that out of confidence for the people who have informed me."
Meanwhile Toshack is hopeful that Bale can take his excellent club form into the international arena to help Wales make a strong push to qualify for the European Championships.
He added: "He's still a young lad and there's things he has to learn but there are a lot of people looking at him and taking an interest in him.
"I just hope he can take his club performances into our games at international level.
"He's in Champions League football now which is another platform for him to show what he can do and if he steers clear of the injury problems he has had he's got everything going for him to be a big, big player."
West Ham are believed to have turned down the chance to sign Everton's Yakubu after the Toffees asked for £5million for the striker.
The Hammers are known to have been keen to bolster their attacking ranks this summer and with Yakubu slipping further and further down manager David Moyes' pecking order are believed to have been interested in the Nigeria international.
A deadline day move had been on the cards after the Hammers contacted Everton but the east London club reportedly turned down the chance to sign the former Portsmouth forward, feeling the Toffees' valuation was too high.
Despite being linked with a move away Moyes has decided to name Yakubu in his 21-man squad for the Premier League season.
Clubs are obliged to name a maximum of 25 senior players who can feature for them in the league, although they don't have to name players under the age of 21 which is why the likes of Jack Rodwell and Jose Baxter don't feature on the squad list.
Everton squad: Tim Howard, Iain Turner, Jan Mucha, Tony Hibbert, Leighton Baines, Phil Jagielka, Seamus Coleman, Johnny Heitinga, Sylvain Distin, Leon Osman, Tim Cahill, Mikel Arteta, Steven Pienaar, Marouane Fellaini, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, Phil Neville, Jermaine Beckford, Victor Anichebe, Yakubu, Louis Saha, James Vaughan.
Steve Bruce says he is hopeful Sunderland can keep up their decent record against the top four ahead of a tough run of fixtures.
The Black Cats travel to Wigan after the international break but then face Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United in consecutive weekends.
Bruce's side have a good record against the sides who have finished in the top half, recording wins over Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham last season, as well as last week's 1-0 victory over Manchester City.
Bruce believes the big sides bring out the best in his team and has backed his squad to cause further upsets when they face the likes of Arsenal and United later this month.
Bruce said: "The fixtures are difficult, but that is the Premier League. Going into the end of the month, we know there is a run of fixtures - but we had them last year.
"We had a run of fixtures where we thought, 'Oh, I don't fancy that', Liverpool and Arsenal at home back-to-back.
"But we beat them both - and went to Wigan, Birmingham and Burnley and lost. You can never call it, but certainly, the big teams brought out the best in us."
Michael Essien believes Chelsea are good enough to win the Champions League and defend their Premier League title this season.
The Blues are sitting top of the league after the opening three matches with a perfect record and look as though they have picked up from where they left off last season.
Chelsea claimed the double last year but Essien has set his sights on winning the Champions League, the one trophy that has evaded the west London outfit since Roman Abramovich look over.
"As a team, we have won every domestic trophy and so it's only natural that we have the hunger for the European Cup." Essien told the Daily Star.
"That is not to say we don't care about the Premier League, FA Cup or Carling Cup.
"We want to win every competition we enter this season - and we will do all we can to win them all."
The Ghanian gave his backing to his team mates just a day after Chelsea had named a 19-man squad to play in the Premier League which features just four homegrown players.
Chelsea squad: Ashley Cole, John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ross Turnbull, Petr Cech, Branislav Ivanovic, Michael Essien, Ramires, Yossi Benayoun, Didier Drogba, John Mikel Obi, Florent Malouda, Jose Bosingwa, Yury Zhirkov, Paulo Ferreira, Salomon Kalou, Alex, Henrique Hilario, Nicolas Anelka.
Stephen Hunt has returned to light training after his foot injury and believes he could be back in action by October.
The Republic of Ireland international joined Wolves from Hull in June having not featured for the Tigers since February after picking up the problem playing for them.
Having undergone surgery to correct the issue Hunt has finally returned to light training, much to the relief of manager Mick McCarthy who has suffered a string of bad luck with injuries recently.
Hunt believes he should be back the week after the October internationals, although says he won't be pushing himself too hard for fear of suffering a setback.
Hunt said: "I've been out on the pitch jogging for the first time since being here.
"It was the first time I'd set foot on the green grass and it was only a slow pace, but it all helps.
"But when I'm back in full training, hopefully I can get a full two weeks then and see where I am after that. The next step will be to get a pre-season under my belt.
"Then there's another international break in October, and hopefully by the time those games come around, I shouldn't be too far away."
Newcastle United's Steven Taylor has been included in their 23-man Premier League squad and boss Chris Hughton hopes he will stay.
Taylor, who is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury, has been placed on the transfer list by the St Jame's Park side after failing to agree terms on a new deal.
However, the defender has been included in Newcastle's 23-man squad and boss Hughton remains hopeful a deal can be reached with Taylor.
Andy Carroll has not been included in the squad as he is under 21, managers can use as many players under the age of 21 from within their squad as they wish and as such Hughton did not need to name Carroll as he is eligible anyway.
Goalkeeper Fraser Fortser has been handed a place in the squad despite the fact he is currently on loan at Celtic.
Newcastle squad: Sol Campbell, Steven Taylor, Shola Ameobi, Joey Barton, Danny Guthrie, Peter Lovenkrands, Jose Enrique, Alan Smith, Leon Best, Fabricio Coloccini, Jonas Gutierrez, Steve Harper, Kevin Nolan, Wayne Routledge, Danny Simpson, Ryan Taylor, Mike Williamson, Xisco, Fraser Forster, Tim Krul, James Perch, Cheik Tiote, Hatem Ben Arfa.
Christian Poulsen says he will adapt to the English game and believes he will get better after being named in Liverpool's 21-man squad
The Danish star completed his move from Juventus to Anfield during the summer transfer window as a direct replacement for Javier Mascherano and has so far failed to shine in his handful of appearances.
However, the 30-year-old says he has enjoyed his experiences of English football so far and believes given time he will adapt to the pace of English football.
"When I came here I had not played since the World Cup so I feel I need some time to get into the rhythm," said Poulsen.
"But last Thursday (in the second leg against Trabzonspor) I did better than in the first game."
Poulsen will get plenty more chances to get better at Premier League level after being included in Roy Hodgson's 21-man squad for the league campaign, along with the manager's other summer signing Brad Jones, Paul Konchesky, Fabuo Aurelio, Milan Jovanovic, Raul Meireles.
Liverpool's 21-man squad: Jamie Carragher, Joe Cole, Stephen Darby, Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson, Brad Jones, Paul Konchesky, Jay Spearing, Daniel Agger, Fabio Aurelio, Ryan Babel, Milan Jovanovic, Dirk Kuyt, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Lucas Leiva, Raul Meireles, Christian Poulsen, Pepe Reina, Maxi Rodriguez, Martin Skrtel, Fernando Torres.
