Ipswich Town

On the backing of music superstar and Ipswich Town fan Ed Sheeran, McKenna said: "It's been really nice, he has been an ever-present since I have been at the club and I know he is a lifelong supporter and very passionate.

"He is a global superstar and one of the most talented musicians in the world and to have him endorsing what we do is a great boost for the football club and we are really grateful."

Follow our Ipswich Town page for fan views, opinion, expert analysis, stats and more

Ipswich Town

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna on the preparations his team have put in for the start of the new season: "We have had a long pre-season. We are seven weeks in, we have had some good fixtures and we feel as ready as we can be.

"We have had a few challenges and a smaller group than we have wanted so it's been a really busy summer.

"We are looking forward to seeing the fruits of some of that hard work."

Follow our Ipswich Town page for fan views, opinion, expert analysis, stats and more

Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has been speaking in his news conference today about the prospect of the Tractor Boys' return to Premier League football, after 22 years away.

He said: "The group has worked so hard for the opportunity we have in front of us this season. The supporters have waited a long time.

"[The overall feeling] is great excitement, We know the scale of the challenge and what is ahead of us but it's going to be wonderful season."

Follow our Ipswich Town page for fan views, opinion, expert analysis, stats and more

Arsenal

On team news, Mikel Arteta said: "We were really short in numbers [in back-line, last season] more demands, more games, we had to put another player in the back-line.

Arteta confirmed Jurrien Timber is fit and available.

He added that Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney are not ready yet.

Visit our Arsenal page – if you’re on the app, hit the bell icon at the top of the page and choose to receive news alerts. If you’re on a browser and signed in, press ‘follow’ and you’ll see more Arsenal content.

Ipswich may not have been in the Premier League for 22 years but that hasn't dimmed the optimism at Portman Road.

The Tractor Boys have added Man City's Kalvin Phillips to their ranks and have now agreed a fee for Blackburn Rovers' Sammie Szmodics.

Kieron Dyer believes Kalvin Phillips could be a huge acquisition for his former club Ipswich.

"We’re talking about great managers, David Moyes is a great manager and he had him at West Ham and he couldn't get the best out of him," said the former Ipswich man, discussing Phillips.

"Even when you look at the greatest manager in Pep Guardiola, and yes they’ve got Rodri, but everyone seems to be a success at Man City eventually. Usually, it takes them a season to adapt and he hasn’t quite adapted.

"It’s going to be a challenge for Kieran McKenna to get him up and flying but if they do - Gareth Southgate was talking throughout the European Championships how important he was for England.

"I just touched on the [Ipswich] team and they haven't got any Premier League experiences so they are all going into the unknown; for the fans, for Kieran if they can raise their game.

"But we know Kalvin Phillips, if he's on top of his game, he's proven in the Premier League, he's proven on the international stage. It is a massive signing, it's probably the biggest signing in Ipswich's history for 10, 15, 20 years."

Listen to the Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town have confirmed the signing of Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips on a season-long loan.

The 28-year-old England international, who has 31 caps, made 10 appearances for West Ham in a loan spell last season after struggling for first-team football at City.

Phillips has made only six starts for the Etihad outfit since completing a £42m move from Leeds in July 2022.

Ipswich said that he "could be available" for their Premier League opener at home to Liverpool on Saturday.

"This is a day I’ve been waiting a number of weeks for now and I’m very happy to be here," Phillips told the Ipswich Town website, external.

"I’ve had some great conversations with players I know here and also with the manager, who I have obviously heard a lot about, and I’m excited to be here and be part of his team, playing how he likes to play the game."

Phillips added: "I want to play as many games as possible, enjoy playing football again and help the team win as many games as possible in the Premier League."

Image source, PA Media

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

Manchester City are not immune from giving huge contracts to players they subsequently can't get rid of.

After giving Joao Cancelo a new contract in 2022 that doesn't expire for another three seasons, City now have a problem.

Cancelo fell out of favour with manager Pep Guardiola and has had spells on loan with Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

But Barca didn't want Cancelo back and so far there has been no offer good enough to tempt City into a deal.

A little bit like Erik ten Hag with Jadon Sancho, it could mean Guardiola has to welcome Cancelo back into the fold.

It is definitely a situation to monitor before the transfer window closes in a fortnight.

Many people are tipping Arsenal to win the Premier League and in some ways I understand why, but their title hopes really come down to what Manchester City do, and if they dip or not.

Mikel Arteta's side can not do much more than last season, when they took the title race to the final day, but they really need to get off to a flyer. I think they will.

Wolves were another team who faded badly in the final few weeks of last season but their manager, Gary O'Neil, still exceeded expectations after taking charge only days before it started.

He has got some work to do on his squad because they still need to replace Pedro Neto and Max Kilman, who both left in the summer, and this is a tough game for them to kick off with.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Wolves

More from Wolves boss Gary O'Neil as he discusses losing two key players and his plans before the transfer window closes:

"We knew fairly early that Max [Kilman] and Pedro [Neto] would leave in this window. We've worked really hard in identifying what happens from there, and that’s currently being worked on.

"As far as I’m aware things are still moving forward, we are doing our best to enhance what we already have.

"My focus is solely on the players that I have, building and working my socks off to get the most out of them and give them the best opportunity to show what they are.

"So I don’t really like talking about new arrivals and what might and might not happen. As I said, we knew the window would potentially get this way.

"I have identified targets I think can help us and hopefully, we can get deals done before the end of the window."

Follow our Wolves page for fan views, opinions, expert analysis, stats and more.

Arsenal

Mikel Arteta refused to comment about Mikel Merino but on the transfer window still being open he said: "Before the season we had two objectives. The main one was to make sure that we are very much in love with our players and find ways to improve them because that's the main thing and then are are certain opportunities in the market to improve the squad we have to look at that, that's what we are trying to do."

On what might be needed to go one step further and win the league he said: "Break more of those records again and win more points that's for sure. It won't be enough [last season's levels]. With the level we are competing with and every season is getting harder we are going to have to improve again that's for sure."

Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was asked whether the Gunners need to sign a striker: "We have great strikers already."

Arsenal

Arsenal Boss Mikel Arteta on whether they are ready for the season: "Well we are really excited. We have been missing the competition for many weeks - too long for us. We are so willing to start, really enthusiastic about it. We had a really challenging pre-season but managed to adapt and it was a great challenge for everybody.

"Playing different conditions, we took it as an opportunity and a good challenge.

"The team has looked really sharp, looked at it and desperate to play."

Arsenal

Image source, Getty Images

No talk about not be ready for the start of the season, Mikel Arteta says his players are "really excited" and "looking sharp".

More to follow.

Alex Howell
BBC football news reporter

The season’s preparations are finished and Mikel Arteta is set to speak at his first pre-match press conference of the Premier League season.

The Gunners have finished in second place for the last two seasons but last season felt like a big step in the challenge to topple Manchester City as they took the title race to the final day.

Arteta is an intense character and will always be looking for a way he can make up the small percentages that make all the difference over a long campaign.

We have seen the innovative way he delivers team talks on Amazon's All or Nothing documentary and there have been reports that he hired pickpockets at a team meal to make the point to players to be alert at all times.

The Arsenal squad is also continuing to evolve. Arteta has brought in Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori as he continues to build a physically imposing and defensively resilient team.

Arsenal are also in talks with Real Sociedad for Mikel Merino but a traditional number nine is still not in the building so it will be interesting to hear if Arteta thinks they need one.

Wolves

More from Wolves boss Gary O'Neil on Matheus Cunha, who missed the club's final three games of pre-season with an injury: "He’s fine and he’s raring to go. He's worked really hard to get back as quick as he has. He's feeling very, very good. He's had a good week's work, he’s trained everyday on the grass. I have no concerns around him and it’s a big boost for us."

Wolves

Image source, Getty Images

Wolves boss Gary O'Neil on whether his team are ready for the new season: "We’ve had a really good pre-season, the boys are in very good spirits with an understanding on what we are trying to do. [Matheus]Cunha is back fit, trained the week, so he’s back with the group. Nelson [Semedo] missing, obviously with his red card of the last game of last season, but we are in a good spot and ready to go to give a good account of ourselves."

Right, we have Wolves manager Gary O'Neil and Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca coming up next...

Manchester City

Finally, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on whether they will look to add to the squad after selling Julian Alvarez and losing Oscar Bobb to injury:

"Maybe or maybe not, we will see. I'm really pleased with the squad I have, we will see. I'm set. We will see what happens in the market. We can continue to January in that way or maybe we will add some players."

Follow our Manchester City page for fan views, opinion, expert analysis, stats and more.

Manchester City

More from Pep Guardiola on whether his Manchester City side are ready for the start of the season after Erik ten Hag said Manchester United are not.

"We prioritise the rest," he said, with players who featured in the Euro 2024 final only returning to training at the start of this week.

"I would love to give more time but it is what it is. I demand the best on Sunday against Chelsea. When the players are fitter and better, they have to be better.

"We have to [be ready]. I don't know what will happen. Everyone knows we aren't in the best condition but we have a desire to do well. I think there are a lot of teams right now that aren't perfect.

"What I have learned is that the season is so long. You have to be ready physically and mentally. For that, you need rest. We try to do our best in the condition we were in. The players that are here will have to do their best."