New Tottenham goalkeeper Michel Vorm tweets:, external "Thanks to players, staff, fans and friends in Swansea. Amazing to be part of our Premier League journey. Will miss everybody and wish you all the best."

Vorm joined Spurs on Thursday along with Ben Davies, who also left the Swans.

Brazil striker Fred has returned to Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk and his compatriot Ismaily is expected to follow him back shortly.

The two Brazilians were among six South Americans who refused to return to Shakhtar as a result of the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

The club will base themselves in Kiev and play their fixtures in Lviv while the conflict continues.

West Bromwich Albion are facing a challenge from other clubs in their pursuit of Costa Rica international Cristian Gamboa, reports the Birmingham Mail., external

The Baggies were close to clinching a deal worth around £2m with Rosenborg for the 24-year-old, but Hull City have now expressed an interest in taking the defender to the KC Stadium.

Bayern Munich forward and reported Liverpool and Juventus target Xherdan Shaqiri says there is little truth in reports linking him with a move away from the German champions.

Shaqiri, 22, played 21 times in all competitions last season before scoring three times for Switzerland at the World Cup.

On Facebook, he posts:, external "I would like to give my view on the rumours. As you all know, I am currently on holiday, so I am not concerning myself with other clubs, nor do I speak to any journalists.

"My contract with Bayern runs until 2016. My advisors are in regular contact with the people in charge at Bayern, which is why there is no reason for speculation."

All morning we have been asking for your opinions on pre-season friendlies. How much benefit do they have? Are they a marketing exercise? Tweet us on #bbcsportsday.

Edd Scicluna:, external Pre-season fixtures can give the younger squad members a chance to prove their ability whilst playing alongside the 1st team.

Image source, Getty Images

Paul Scholes has a future on Manchester United's coaching staff, reports the Daily Mail., external

Scholes, who made 718 appearances for the club, assisted caretaker manager Ryan Giggs at the and of last season but openly criticised United's players - including Wayne Rooney - in a column written for a betting company during the summer.

"We still value Paul and his qualities very highly," said a United source. "As far as we are concerned the door remains open."

A reminder you can keep up to speed with the Commonwealth Games on our dedicated index and on a full live text commentary of day one.

There is currently lawn bowls, hockey and weightlifting under way. It is an eclectic mix.

Liverpool will focus on signing Chelsea left-back Ryan Bertrand having missed out on Tottenham's Ben Davies, reports the Daily Star., external

The Reds are keen on Bertrand, who spent part of last season on loan at Aston Villa, in a deal which could be worth around £8m if Blues boss Jose Mourinho gives it the go ahead.

"What we can't do is spend for the sake of it," says Reds manager Brendan Rodgers. "You only spend the money if the players are there. The good thing with the owners is the money is there if the right players are available."

Cardiff Blues announce the signing of Gareth Anscombe on a long-term deal from Waikato Chiefs in New Zealand.

The move will inevitably increase the possibility of the 23-year-old, who can play fly-half or full-back, breaking into Warren Gatland's Wales squad ahead of next year's World Cup.

Gatland is an admirer of Anscombe, who qualifies to wear the red shirt through his Welsh mother.

BBC Sport's Simon Stone, following Manchester United's pre-season tour

Image source, BBC Sport

"It's Wednesday night. It's football. It must be time for a barbie.

"It might not quite be the experience European fans endure in mid-winter. But in the US 'soccer' is a summer sport. And these fans were not alone in bringing the outdoors to the game in Pasadena."

Manchester United beat LA Galaxy 7-0 in Louis van Gaal's first game in charge.

We have been asking you what you learn from friendlies? Have you seen your side this summer and was it worthwhile?

Image source, Getty Images

Michal Koziol:, external From today's early morning game we could learn one thing - keep an eye on Ander Herrera. Magnificent vision and precision!

Unsimple Simon:, external Friendlies important this season for teams to see if they have the squad they think they have. Lamela scoring has to be great news.

Glenn Sissen:, external Friendlies nowadays are all about marketing and becoming a bigger brand, helps if you win them though!

The Croatian Football Federation confirms it will be looking into claims that Manchester City's Seko Fofana was racially abused during an elite development squad match against HNK Rijeka on Tuesday.

Youth-team manager Patrick Vieria took his side off the field when Fofana claimed he was targeted by opposition players before being sent off.

"Fight against racism (and any sort of discrimination) is one of the key components of our president Davor Suker's programme and that is why we will have a good look into this matter," the Croatian Federation said in a statement.

Colin Montgomerie is through the first three holes of the British Senior Open, external at Royal Porthcawl in par.

The 51-year-old goes into the tournament as one of the favourites, having won the US Senior Open earlier in the month.

America's Tom Watson is one over early in his round, as is Ian Woosnam, with Bob Tway leading on two under.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez reveals he would "love to extend" Romelu Lukaku's stay at the club and expects transfer movement in the coming days.

The Blues have acquired Gareth Barry from Manchester City, but have no agreement with Chelsea over a permanent deal for Lukaku, who scored 16 goals on loan at Everton last season.

"There are areas that need to be strengthened and over the next few days we are going to get the three, four players we need just to finalise the squad facing the huge demands with European football ahead of us," Martinez told Talksport., external

Dan Roan
BBC Sport

"No Jess Ennis-Hill, no Katarina Johnson-Thompson, & now no Mo Farah. Glasgow 2014 having little luck with the big English names."

Big news then that the star of England's Commonwealth Games team Mo Farah will not compete in Glasgow.

Image source, Getty Images

The 31-year-old last raced in America in June but will remain in a training base in Font Romeu to prioritise his recovery from illness.

"The sickness I had two weeks ago was a big setback for me," he says in a statement. "Training is getting better here in Font Romeu but I need another few weeks to get back to the level I was at in 2012 and 2013."

For more on this story, follow our Commonwealth Games live text commentary.

Some big breaking news just reaching us - Mo Farah has withdrawn from the Commonwealth Games.

The double Olympic champion has not recovered from a recent illness.

The capture of James Rodriguez shows the Spanish league is now the best in the world, according to his Real Madrid team-mate Gareth Bale.

Los Blancos will start the season with Rodriguez, Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema as their forward options.

"The Spanish League is the most exciting and the world's top players play there," says ex-Spurs star Bale. "The Premier League is a great league but we are attracting the best players to La Liga."

Barcelona will also boast a mouth-watering forward line with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez at their disposal.

Elsewhere on Wednesday, Crystal Palace earned a 2-2 draw with American side Columbus Crew thanks to goals from Glenn Murray and Jake Gray, while Sone Aluko and Yannick Sagbo netted for Hull City in a 2-1 win at York City.

Sunderland did not have to travel far to face Hartlepool and duly picked up a 3-0 win.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is comfortable in upsetting one of his top-name goalkeepers this season, as Peter Cech and Thibaut Courtois battle for a starting position.

Cech, now in his 11th season at the club, played as Chelsea drew 1-1 with Austria's RZ Pellets WAC.

"One won't be happy. But the Chelsea supporters will be happy and they're more important than players. If supporters have Cech or Courtois they will be happy because they know we're in safe hands," says Mourinho., external

"We have to make decisions, but we're paid to make them and I'm really happy with the situation."