Football

I'm assuming Ashley plans on installing a swear jar in the directors' box, as an aid to circumventing the financial fair play order.

Now that the deal taking Andy Carroll to West Ham is essentially tied up, I expect Simon Mignolet's unwelcome but probably inevitable move to Liverpool to start gathering pace soon. Bog off, Brendan!

Will any transfer this summer eclipse Luna?! Do us proud, Antonio!

^A stellar (sorry) signing!

I do declare Mexico will avenge themselves in Rio. You heard it here first .

This Confederations Cup has been a magnificent competition, I've already enjoyed it more than the last World Cup. Spain are now mixing their trademark measured possession game with bursts of direct brilliance, just like old times. Also, Italy's win over Japan was, quite simply, one of the most thrilling games I've ever seen. A real injustice that the Japanese came away from the group stages without a point.

Not watched any football in a month. Absolutely loving it.

I'm not missing the domestic slog in the slightest but as stress-free summer sidelines go, the Confederations is as good as it gets. It may be the best football I've seen all year.

I reckon we'll definitely sign Paulinho after Confederations Cup.

Matthew Syed versus the intellectual giants of Sky Sports News, not to mention former fake Irishman and absolutely AWFUL Racing Post 'tipster' Tony Cascarino.

That was brilliant. Unlike such hard hitting news stories as 'here's David Moyes arriving at Carrington', I'm assuming it won't be getting shown on the usual loop, which is a great shame as he even had Tony 'Angelos Epithemiou' Cascarino on the verge of talking sense towards the end.

The revolution begins. Glory or insanity awaits, or perhaps just a quiet lower mid-table season. That works too.

Is Mannone seen as Mignolet's replacement or will he be the number two? Should I read anything into Sunderland's other signings all being free transfers?

Is Mannone seen as Mignolet's replacement or will he be the number two? Should I read anything into Sunderland's other signings all being free transfers?

I’m expecting more arrivals soon, though I doubt we’ll be slinging money around at anywhere near the rate we used to. It looks as if bringing promising youngsters in for relatively modest fees is becoming the new club policy - most probably with a view to selling them at a substantial profit in two or three years’ time.

Mannone I'm not too sure about, but my gut feeling is that he’ll start the season as a backup for Kieran Westwood who, while not in the same class as Mignolet, should prove a capable enough replacement for the already sadly missed Belgian Brick Wall.

Excited to see Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang arrive at BVB. Welcome, young sir.

I know it's not the newest news but Paulinho will sign for Tottenham in the following few days. Makes me wonder what formation will play AVB next season with Sandro, Paulinho and Dembele in the first 11.

I know it's not the newest news but Paulinho will sign for Tottenham in the following few days. Makes me wonder what formation will play AVB next season with Sandro, Paulinho and Dembele in the first 11.

The 4-3-3 system seemed to serve AVB pretty well towards the back end of last season, and a midfield trio of Sandro, Paulinho and Dembele behind a front three of Bale, Lennon and AN Other sounds to me like a winner.

If you could also find the time to sell us Danny Rose at a knockdown price, then all the better.

I thought the only thing Spurs were served towards the end of last season was humble pie. Boomtssh, thank you, thank you.

I know it's not the newest news but Paulinho will sign for Tottenham in the following few days. Makes me wonder what formation will play AVB next season with Sandro, Paulinho and Dembele in the first 11.

The 4-3-3 system seemed to serve AVB pretty well towards the back end of last season, and a midfield trio of Sandro, Paulinho and Dembele behind a front three of Bale, Lennon and AN Other sounds to me like a winner.

If you could also find the time to sell us Danny Rose at a knockdown price, then all the better.

That's what I've thought about the 4-3-3 formation, but we'll definitely buy at least another striker. As for Danny Rose, I think he'll break in the first team, Assou-Ekotto was poor last season and Naughton wasn't good enough.

It's also interesting to see what we'll do with the three attacking midfielders, Holtby, Sigurdsson and Dempsey.

Interesting to see Sunderland bring Big Jozy back to England. I remember him looking utterly bereft of grace at Hull (but then again who didn't?!) though of course he was barely 19 then and has been banging them in for fun over at AZ for a good while now. He's also impossibly good on FIFA 12!

Interesting to see Sunderland bring Big Jozy back to England. I remember him looking utterly bereft of grace at Hull (but then again who didn't?!) though of course he was barely 19 then and has been banging them in for fun over at AZ for a good while now. He's also impossibly good on FIFA 12!

Quite honestly, the only memory I really have of his spell at Hull was from the time we played them at the KC (he got himself involved in a decidedly childish spat with Alan Hutton, which led to a double sending-off), but like any self-respecting armchair observer attempting to run the rule over a potential new signing, I’ve been watching assorted videos of his AZ exploits on YouTube. He looks to have all the necessary ingredients to make a go of life in the Premier League - pace, quick feet, brute strength, finishing - even a somewhat unlikely talent for curling free-kicks into the top corner. In a perfect world, he’d do for us what Lukaku did for West Brom last year, though of course, time will tell!