


Transfer merry-go-round: Three promoted clubs need to get a move on

The publication of the new season's fixtures, fully 18 days after the FA Cup final, should have concentrated minds in the search for new talent, especially among promoted clubs. Imagine Birmingham, Burnley and Wolves contemplating the list and realising, perhaps for the first time, how daunting is the task awaiting them. One of the sub-plots of the summer has been the tendency of the two Midlands clubs to pursue the same players. Wolves struck first in securing the Red Star Belgrade forward Nenad Milijas, but failed in their attempt to sign Coventry's defender Scott Dann, who joined Birmingham instead. Here is The Independent on Sunday's comprehensive list of players (and managers) linked with English clubs in the past seven days.

Arsenal Sébastien Bassong (Newcastle) ch/fb; Marouane Chamakh (Bordeaux) fw; Felipe Melo (Fiorentina) mf. Signed: Thomas Vermaelen (Ajax) ch.

Aston Villa Tom Huddlestone (Tottenham) mf; David Wheater (Middlesbrough) ch; Matthew Upson (West Ham) ch.

Birmingham Barry Ferguson (Rangers) mf; Jordi Gomez (Espanyol) mf; Roger Johnson (Cardiff) ch; Didier Zokora (Tottenham) mf.

Bolton Moumouni Dagano (Al-Khor) fw; Sean Davis (Portsmouth) mf; Paul Robinson (West Bromwich Albion) fb.

Burnley Jason Scotland (Swansea City) fw.

Chelsea Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Internazionale) fw; Andrea Pirlo (Milan); Glen Johnson (Portsmouth) fb; Philippe Mexes (Roma) ch; Daniel Sturridge (Manchester City) fw; Carlos Tevez (Manchester United) fw; David Villa (Valencia) fw; Yuri Zhirkov (CSKA Moscow) mf.

Everton Kyle Naughton (Sheffield United) fb.

Fulham Robert Acquafresca (Cagliari) fw; Jo (Manchester City) fw; Paul Scharner (Wigan) mf. Signed: Stephen Kelly (Birmingham) fb.

Liverpool Glen Johnson (Portsmouth) fb; Micah Richards (Manchester City) ch; Carlos Tevez (Manchester Utd) fw.

Manchester City Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona) fw; Jermaine Pennant (Liverpool) mf; Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn) fw; Carlos Tevez (Manchester United) fw; Kolo Touré (Arsenal) ch.

Manchester United Robin van Persie (Arsenal) fw; Victor Valdes (Barcelona) gk.

Sunderland: Richard Dunne (Manchester City) ch; Jermaine Pennant (Liverpool) mf.

Tottenham Sébastien Bassong (Newcastle) ch/fb; Gabriel Heinze (Real Madrid) fb; Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Real Madrid) fw; Arjen Robben (Real Madrid) fw; Nigel Reo-Coker (Aston Villa) mf.

West Ham Mario Balotelli (Inter) fw; Luis Jimenez (Inter) mf; Mancini (Inter) fw.

Wigan Djibril Cissé (Marseille) fw; Steven Fletcher (Hibernian) fw. Signed: Jordi Gomez (Espanyol) mf.

Wolves Signed: Marcus Hahnemann (Reading) gk.

Meet the new boss?

Newcastle Alan Curbishley. Southampton Kevin Keegan. Swansea Gus Poyet; Paulo Sousa.

West Bromwich Albion Aidy Boothroyd; Darren Ferguson; Alan Irvine; Derek McInnes.

Key: gk = goalkeeper; fb = full-back; ch = centre-half; mf = midfielder; fw = forward.