Manchester United have not ruled out the possibility of Rio Ferdinand being fit enough to feature in the opening Premier League game of the season against newly-promoted Newcastle United on August 14.

There were fears that the former West Ham United and Leeds United defender was set to be sidelined for several months when he suffered a knee ligament injury in early June.

Ferdinand sustained the injury in England's first training session after they arrived in South Africa and was unable to play any part in the team's ill-fated World Cup campaign.

However, a United spokesperson has told the club's official website that Ferdinand is set to be out of action for ten weeks, meaning he should be fully-fit by mid-August.

If the 31-year-old is not ready for that clash he could be available to feature in the Premier League game at Fulham or the 28 August clash against West Ham United at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, reports suggest Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to launch a £15million bid for Bolton Wanderers defender Gary Cahill.

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The veteran United boss is keen to add some central defensive cover for Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic who both missed large chunks of last term through injury.

Real Madrid continue to be linked with Vidic and United currently have only Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling as back-up for their first-choice central defensive partnership.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Midfielder Javier Mascherano's agent claims reported interest from Internazionale is a 'dream' for the Liverpool ace.

The Argentina captain's future at Anfield has been the subject of much debate following a below-par last campaign for the Merseyside club and the subsequent departure of manager Rafael Benitez.

Both Barcelona and reigning European champions Inter were reported to be interested in signing the defensive midfielder before the World Cup.

Benitez has since been appointed by Inter and agent Walter Tamer has admitted the lure of working with the Spanish coach again would be great for Mascherano.

The 26-year-old has yet to holds talks about his future with new Reds boss Roy Hodgson.

"After the World Cup, he has switched off but it's clear that he is happy to be a target of top clubs in the transfer market," Tamer told Corriere dello Sport.

"Last season, it was the European champions Barcelona that wanted him and this year it's Inter, the current Champions League winners.

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"For him to be linked to Inter has a magical taste. It's a dream.

"Think about it, the strongest team in the world wants him, a team where many of Mascherano's compatriots play and a side that is guided by a coach with whom Mascherano has a personal bond."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Since the final whistle blew at Eastlands on May 5th, Tottenham fans were licking their lips at the prospect of talent that would join the club due to their Champions League status. Nearly three months have since passed and the most mentioned possible signings of Craig Bellamy and Scott Parker are anything but tasty.

But the lack of players entering the front door of White Hart Lane disguises perhaps the biggest plus of the pre-season period, the nullity of those leaving from the exit.

In recent times, Spurs have failed to keep hold of their best players, the likes of Michael Carrick, Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov all left in search of more likely success with ‘bigger’ clubs. The past season’s achievement however has raised the north-Londoners to a platform where they can prepare for the new season without the fear of having to replace the key members that got them there.

Stability is craved by every club but is becoming increasingly harder to achieve due to the trend of aiming for instant success. Tottenham on the other hand, are showing (for once) that they are on the right track. None of the first team has been linked with moves away from the club; even faint whispers of Luka Modric to Manchester United and Gareth Bale to Inter Milan were quashed as soon as they appeared.

Harry Redknapp has shown he has faith in his current squad and has every right to. With one of the lowest average age squads in the Premier League and strength in depth in nearly every position, this Spurs squad is growing and improving, together, with each step it takes.

Seeing rivals Arsenal being pestered for their captain and Liverpool having to sell their anchor man plus still unsure of their goal machine’s future while silly Spurs have their feet up with no such worry is something that no fan could have written a year ago.

Written By Andrew Vou

With the PL season nearly upon us, let’s see the WAGS that will be keeping the players on their toes. Click on image to VIEW gallery

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To say the transfer window (so far) has been uneventful is tantamount to saying the Arctic is a bit nippy, as the majority of Premier League clubs are seemingly being careful with their finances. In some cases clubs simply have to sell before they can buy, much to the frustrations, no doubt, of many managers and supporters.

The lack of spending at the top of the Premier League has surprised many, especially given the open nature of last season’s title race. You would have thought the likes of United and Chelsea would have looked at a big outlay this summer, to ensure the also-rans remain at an arm’s length in their pursuits of the title. Only City have made substantial moves this summer, although you do feel that they may well struggle to strike a balance. This means this season’s race for the title, Champions League and Europa League places are very much as they were last year, unless we witness a major change in the transfer wind in the coming fortnight.

The media is predicting that a transfer storm is set to erupt, but it begs the question as to whether Newcastle really need to partake in some last minute shopping.

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Does Hughton need to bring any players in before the transfer window shuts in 16 days time and if so who would you like to see him bring in?

The transfer window always reminds me of Christmas. Full of expectation, excitement and then suddenly it becomes something an anti-climax once it is over. Some are happy with their presents, while others are left seething at the lack of effort that was put in. City fans are undoubtedly happy with their lot this summer, although others are bound to be disappointed.

It has been a relatively quiet transfer window as clubs remain cautious with their transfer spending, given the current climate. Chairman may have had little option but to be prudent, but it doesn’t stop supporters feeling slightly disappointed that a few more gambles haven’t taken place. Surprisingly a lot of managers have actually been sympathetic towards the situation, highlighting the curse of high wages that has made transfer dealings all the more difficult, rather than bemoaning the lack of backing from their club chairman, while others have simply made the best out of the stagnant transfer market, negotiated well and brought in some real bargains.

So how has Everton’s transfer window been and have you been happy, or disappointed, by the progress that has been made? Has David Moyes done enough to ensure that the Toffees will be challenging the top four this season? Do you foresee any last minute deals in the last 24hrs of the transfer window?

The captain of your team should be reserved for the most influential player in your side. He should be the one player who can rally the team in times of crisis and show great leadership on the pitch. Usually, these players would be one of the more senior members of the side who had greater experience than that of their peers. However, the recent spate of Premier League captains has put paid this traditionalist notion of what a captain should be and exposed the captain’s armband as little more than a title.

All of the other duties commonly associated with the captain’s role have been perpetuated by the iconic images of captains such as Bobby Moore and Roy Keane who have epitomised the leadership that we so readily associate with the captain position. But these days, the captain is used more as a political tool rather than a position of any real responsibility.

For example, Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini decided to strip Kolo Toure of the captain’s armband at the beginning of the season and hand it to Carlos Tevez. This is in spite of the fact that Tevez had previously been vocal in his criticism of Mancini in relation to his training methods. Mancini’s reasoning behind his decision was a desire to see Tevez interact more with the squad and the captain’s armband would help facilitate this. Mancini’s decision is indicative of a need to pander to and massage the egos of the “top” players to ensure that they perform to the best of their ability by giving them an illusion of responsibility that they haven’t earned.

Captaincy can be also used as a means to instil confidence in a player that has otherwise been lacking. Arsene Wenger did this with Manuel Almunia when he handed the error-prone goalkeeper the armband in Cesc Fabregas’ absence. On paper, Alumunia doesn’t instantly strike me as captain material. He isn’t renowned for his communication skills as evidenced by the amount of goals Arsenal concede through set-pieces and crosses into the box and he hasn’t proved to be an authoritative leader during his time at Arsenal. While he is one of the more senior members in the Arsenal squad, the cynic in me is saying that Wenger’s decision to select Almunia as captain despite his lack of credentials has everything to do with increasing his goalkeeper’s confidence in the light of widespread criticism of Almunia in his time at the Emirates.

Tottenham’s pre-game build up for Saturday’s 1-1 draw against West Brom was dominated by talk about who was going to captain the side in Michael Dawson’s absence. Harry Redknapp caused a bit of a commotion when he suggested that William Gallas was in the frame to claim the captain’s role at the Hawthorns. The possibility of giving William Gallas the captaincy after only a few weeks at the club is somewhat questionable. There has not been sufficient time for Gallas to establish a sufficient rapport and understanding with his new teammates for him to lead the side effectively. Add to that the fact that his last captain’s role ended with Gallas being stripped of the armband by Arsene Wenger due to his emotional, petulant behaviour and you can see why Gallas would not be an ideal choice.

The role of the captain has become somewhat emblematic in this country. However, the image of the captain as team leader has been diluted by the individuality that is becoming increasingly pervasive in the modern game as the captain’s role is becoming a hollow honour.

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Chelsea midfielder Yossi Benayoun has been ruled out for up to six months by an Achilles injury sustained while on international duty with Israel.

The 30-year-old will go under the knife in Finland at the start of next week, having suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during training.

A brief statement on the Blues' official club website read:"Yossi Benayoun will undergo surgery on his Achilles on Monday.

"The Israel international returned to the club from international duty last week and will now be out of action for approximately six months."

Benayoun, who only moved to Stamford Bridge in the summer from Liverpool, has recently been sidelined by a calf problem and has not featured for his club since the 4-3 Carling Cup defeat to Newcastle United in late September.

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The former West Ham United and Racing Santander schemer has scored once in six appearances for Chelsea to date.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Everton captain Phil Neville has urged midfield ace Steven Pienaar to sign a new contract to extend his stay at Goodison Park.

The 28-year-old's current deal runs out next summer, with a host of clubs keeping tabs on the South African playmaker.

Neville told the Daily Echo:"To be fair to Steven he's got that hanging over him, but he keeps playing well for us.

"It would be a massive blow to lose him. He's such an influential character.

"But it happened to Joleon Lescott a few years ago and we didn't want him to move. It's happened to other big players – we as players can't do anything about it.

"You can say to Steven every minute of every day that we don't want him to leave, but at the end of the day it's his decision.

"He's from South Africa, he's played in Ajax, then Dortmund now he's been to Everton and had the happiest days of his career I think. The club wants him to stay, but there's not much else we can say.

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"He's probably weighing up his options now and you just hope for our sake that he signs.

"I wouldn't want another player delving into it, if I was in this situation. It's between the manager, Steven and the chairman. It's just up to Steven to make the right decision now."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

“Cristiano Ronaldo’s second goal for Real Madrid against Racing last week summed up the ludicrous nature of the off-side law in its present form for me.”

“When he can stand unmarked, 35 yards beyond defenders who have pushed out, and then run legitimately onto the ball to score a goal from a position that gives him a clear, unfair advantage over the defence, then something’s clearly wrong.”

I have to say that I agree with Andy Gray’s comments made last week. It would be fair to say that the situation has become so confused that you would struggle to find a player, manager, coach or referee that would be able to give you a definite definition of what qualifies for on or offside.

With so much controversy surrounding goals being scored at the moment is it now time for UEFA or FIFA to intervene and clear up what Andy Gray calls “muddied waters.” As long as there is doubt, you can’t blame the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo who try to exploit the uncertainty.

In March of this year FIFA president Sepp Blatter held talks with Leandre Negre president of World Hockey and discussed replicating hockey’s move to abolish the off-side rule altogether. The move proved more exciting and attractive for the spectators of the game. Getting rid of the off-side rule would eliminate the idea of the beautiful game and promote route one football!

I whole heartedly disagree with abolishing the off-side rule completely. Still, the rule in its current form is causing too much controversy and needs to be sured up. I never want the game to be so black and white that there is little room for debate and manoeuvre, but I am calling for changes.

As the rule stands “A manager is now well within his right to tell his striker ‘don’t worry too much about getting back on-side because if we break we’ll try to play the ball down the flank and you can sneak in the way Ronaldo did and get your goal.”

How’s this for an option? A line between the half-way line and the 18 yard box. It would mean players could not be off side between these two lines. Would this not spread the game out whilst preventing teams from playing long balls up to their front men? Sometimes when goal kicks are being taken it is clear to see that all the out field players are congested around the half way line. Would this put a stop to so many controversial goals? It’s only a thought!

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So what changes can be made? Do we introduce video technology? Do we introduce even more officials? Tell me!

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Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing has called on the club's owners to make money available in January so that manager Gerard Houllier can sign a new striker.

The England international is concerned by the growing injury worries at Villa Park now that senior forwards John Carew and Emile Heskey are out of action.

With Gabriel Agbonlahor just back from injury himself and youngster Nathan Delfouneso their only other option, Downing believes action must be taken if Villa are to succeed in the Premier League this term.

"We've got one (experienced) striker at the moment in Gabby and he has just come back from injury," he said.

"It would be unfair to put a lot of pressure on young Nathan to manage right through the season. If you look at things, as they are at the moment, I would say we probably do need a striker.

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"But we probably need four or five players, not just a striker."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email