Hull City busy ahead of Premier debut

City’s European dream could be over while Villa stroll

Mutu to pay over £13 to Chelsea

Pompey and McKay charged by FA

The Beast set for move to Rome

Sven recalls veteren Blanco to Mexican Squad.

With just forty-eight hours to go before their first ever game in the top level of the English league, Hull City have once again had a busy day and have confirmed the signings of Wigan striker Marlon King on a season-long loan and Anthony Gardner in a £2.5m deal from Tottenham. King is Hull’s eight signing ahead of their first season in the top flight while Gardner is the club’s record signing. It has also been rumoured that boss Phil Brown has signed a new three year deal with the club.

Manchester City suffered a humiliating home defeat by Danish side FC Midtjylland in the first leg of their Uefa Cup second qualifying round tie while, Aston Villa beat FH Hafnarfjordur 4-1 to almost certainly seal their place in the next round. Gareth Barry played and scored and probably ends the speculation over whether he will join Liverpool.

Fifa has ordered former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu to pay his former club £13.68m in damages for breach of contract after he tested positive for cocaine. Chelsea signed the Romanian from Parma for £15m in 2003 but the following year he tested positive and was given a seven-month worldwide football ban.

Dimitar Berbatov is still a wanted man and the saga took another twist today with Barcelona expected to make a bid for the Bulgarian international. At a press conference today Tottenham boss Juande Ramos was still confident that Berbatov would start the season at White Hart Lane.

Portsmouth and agent Willie McKay have been charged by the Football Association with breaches of rules in relation to the transfer of Benjani Mwaruwari to and from the club. Under the FA’s football agents regulations, agents are prohibited from acting for two different clubs in two consecutive transactions involving the same player.

Roma and Real Madrid have agreed a fee for the transfer of Brazil forward Julio Baptista for nine million euros plus up to a further two million if he plays a certain number of games and helps his new team into the Champions League.

Cuauhtemoc Blanco has been named in Sven-Goran Eriksson’s 25-man Mexico squad for the World Cup qualifier against Honduras after a one-year absence. The 35-year-old Chicago Fire forward last played for the Tricolor as Mexico finished third in the 2007 Copa America.

Kevin Taylor