Having missed a large slice of last season through injury, Joey Barton, the combative and often controversial midfielder, is keen to make up for lost time, starting at Old Trafford on Monday night. Chris Hughton, the Newcastle manager, says the one-cap England international's pre-season form has been fantastic, and it will be like landing a new big-money signing if Barton can recapture his previous best form he showed at Manchester City a few years ago. But with 75,000 Manchester United fans sure to be goading the troubled former City player with the famously short-fuse, it could all end in tears.
Not long ago, Kenwyne Jones, the much-travelled front man, was the source of a bitter and protracted feud between Sunderland and the Champions League aspirants down in London, Tottenham. Both clubs fought tooth and nail to secure the services of the giant Trinbagonian striker. So it seems odd that, barely one season on, he has been allowed to depart the Stadium of Light for a relatively modest fee, and to an unlikely destination. Tony Pulis, the Stoke manager, will think he has got a bargain and will most likely trim his strike force which already contains James Beattie, Tuncay, Dave Kiston and Mamady Sidibie.
The sale of Kenwyne Jones, the Trinidad & Tobago striker, to Stoke City, could prompt a chain reaction at Sunderland, with Steve Bruce, the manager, keen to re-invest the money by signing Charles N'Zogbia from Wigan. While the Britannia Stadium starts to look like a home for ex-Sunderland, the Stadium of Light is becoming the same for players who have Newcastle and Wigan on their CVs. Titus Bramble, the former Magpies defender, also rejoined Bruce earlier this summer from Wigan. Deals for Nedum Onuoha, the Manchester City defender, and Danny Welbeck, the Manchester United forward, are also on the table.
Having made his 100th appearance for Republic of Ireland in a friendly against Argentina on Wednesday night, Robbie Keane should be looking forward to the upcoming season with glee upon his return to White Hart Lane. The striker has been making all the right noises about wanting to do the business for Spurs this term, having been farmed out on loan to Celtic, the Scottish club, for the second-half of last season in order to see more game time. However, it seems an open secret that Harry Redknapp, the Spurs manager, would like to cash in on the popular forward in order to free up funds to bid for Aston Villa's Ashley Young. * Compiled by Paul Radley and Gary Meenaghan