Stoke City have re-signed centre-back Danny Higginbotham from Sunderland on a busy transfer deadline day for the Premier League new boys.

The 29-year-old Higginbotham penned a three-year deal after the two clubs agreed an undisclosed fee.

And the club beat the deadline to secure the signings of midfielders Tom Soares and Michael Tonge.

Soares, 22, arrived from Crystal Palace for £1.25m, while Tonge, 25, cost £2m from Sheffield United.

Both players have signed four-year contracts.

Soares, whose fee could rise to £2m, is a Palace academy graduate and has also played for England Under-21s.

"We are delighted to have captured a very talented young English player like Tom," chief executive Tony Scholes told the club's official website.

606: DEBATE All in all, it's been a pretty good transfer window for us scfc-boothen-girl

"He is a player the manager rates extremely highly and we believe he will prove to be an excellent signing for the club."

Tonge has been with Sheffield United for eight years, making more than 250 appearances for the club.

"I am delighted to have signed a player like Michael," said Stoke manager Tony Pulis. "I have been a long-time admirer of him and he will bring a lot to our squad.

"He can play in a number of positions, which is important, and he will add some balance to the squad."

Higginbotham, a former Manchester United defender, joined the Black Cats from the Potters for £2.5m last summer.

He has also played for Southampton and Derby after starting his career as a trainee at Old Trafford.

"He was a huge success here last time and did very well at Sunderland so to get him back is brilliant news," added Scholes.

Derby defender Tyrone Mears has joined Marseille on a season-long loan, according to the French club.

Marseille, who are seeking cover for full-back Laurent Bonnart, said on their official website that they will have an option to buy the 25-year-old.

Last week, Rams boss Paul Jewell said Mears had no future at the club after his unauthorised trial with Marseille.

Mears joined Derby from West Ham last season and appeared 25 times as the Rams suffered Premiership relegation.

Mears flew to France on Thursday after Jewell had refused to sanction a loan deal between the clubs.

And Jewell insisted: "To me, he's just insulted the whole football club - the players, the staff, chairman, but more importantly the supporters.

"I'll tell you now, he'll never play for Derby again while I'm manager. Who does he think he is? It's an absolute affront to Derby County. I am absolutely raging.

"I don't want him here. I don't want him here at the football club anymore, that's for sure. If he wants a move, he can go.

"Tyrone Mears has no future at Derby. This is a brilliant place to work and he's just signed his death warrant."

Derby chairman of football Adam Pearson added: "To take off without being given permission and go on trial beggars belief.

"There is little doubt he will be disciplined in the most severe way possible.

"We are prepared to sell him but the price will have to be right. He is a proven player with a transfer value."

Arsène Wenger will rotate an unchanged squad for the Premier League clash with Newcastle at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Arsenal were left nursing minor problems with Samir Nasri (sickness), Theo Walcott (knee) and William Gallas (knee) after Wednesday’s victory over Twente. However, at Friday’s press conference the manager revealed positive news.
 
It means he will select from the same squad this weekend – but he will not be selecting the same team.

“There were doubts over William Gallas, Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri but they are OK,” said Wenger. “They are all available.

“It will be the same 18 as against Twente but I will rotate a little bit.”

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Arsène Wenger is satisfied that his Champions League fixture list will NOT affect his assault on the Premier League title.

Arsenal will rack up the air miles during the Group Stage with trips to Dynamo Kiev, Fenerbahce and Porto. Wenger would prefer opponents closer to home than Ukraine, Turkey and Portugal but, significantly, Arsenal will host European opposition in the days before vital Premier League clashes with Manchester United and Chelsea in November.

Wenger knows that will aid his preparations for two of the biggest games of Arsenal's campaign but insists that much will also depend on the results his side muster in their first three Champions League group games.

"It's better [to be home] than away [before Premier League games] I must say but it depends as well on what kind of position you are in the group stage of the Champions League," said Wenger. "It depends on what sort of security you have in the Champions League group stage at that time.

"Basically for the quality of the Premier League it's good that so many teams are in Europe and they stay in for as long [as possible]. It evens a little bit the physical strain on all the teams in the Premier League."

On paper Chelsea have a more straightforward task in Europe - they face AS Roma, Bordeaux and Romanian debutants Cluj - and will be expected to qualify quickly. Wenger acknowledges that a flying start in Europe can help on the domestic front.

"It gives you an edge in the Premier League if you qualify early because you are not under stress to give absolutely everything in one important group game, the fourth, fifth or sixth. That could give you an edge," he admitted.

"But it is very difficult to predict as well that you will qualify early. For example Manchester United have Villarreal, we know by experience that to go to Villarreal is not easy.

"They finished in front of Barcelona last year while Celtic is always a difficult game for anybody in the Premier League."

Arsène Wenger has called on Uefa to eject teams saddled with huge debt from European competition.

The Arsenal manager was responding to the announcement on Thursday that Michel Platini would be launching a probe into the major financial challenges facing European football. The Uefa president aims to manufacture a “level playing field” for teams. Wenger is big fan of the investigation.

“It is very welcome,” he said. “I think teams who have [these] deficits should be kicked out of Europe.

“The only way to go is that there is a control over all of Europe, and I think it will go that way whether you like it or not. Uefa will bring in a control of the management of every individual club.

“It is very important for the fans of the competition first, and it is very important that every club lives with the resources they have available. Clubs should not speculate and then after one year they cannot pay the salaries for the next seasons.”

Gael Clichy believes the perfect way for Emmanuel Adebayor to answer any remaining critics is to simply find the net.

The full back was speaking after Arsenal’s 4-0 victory over FC Twente in midweek when a minority of the Emirates Stadium crowd give the striker a luke-warm reception as he replaced Robin van Persie after 64 minutes.

“It is difficult for the fans,” admitted Clichy. “But I am sure if he starts scoring and in December is on 15 or 20 goals, everything will be fine.

“The big thing is to feel you are wanted from your club, your manager, your team-mates and the fans.

“It was a big disappointment for them to see what happened during the summer. But Ade is a big, big player and last year he showed he has the quality to be one of the best in Europe.

“We just have to be behind him.”