The curtain is ready to be pulled up and the season is just hours away. Does that mean we’re lacking in gossip? Not a bit of it. Well, maybe a bit less than usual but some nonetheless.

Joleon Lescott has been the subject of this summer’s drawn-out saga. We have one every year - think Rooney, Berbatov and Gareth Barry last year. David Moyes is still not happy, say The Daily Mail. The Scot says that Mark Hughes has been underhand and has blown his chance of landing the defender. We shall see.

Maybe though, Moyes has resigned himself to losing Lescott. He’s linked with Spartak Moscow winger Vladimir Bystrov, 25, a loan deal for Valencia's Argentine midfielder Ever Banega, 21 and defender Isaac Vorsah of Hoffenheim. The last of those shows Moyes may have been getting his retaliation in early.

Flagrant speculation time. Chelsea are prepared to pay £42m for Sergio Aguero, say The Sun who also say that Liverpool want Aston Villa’s James Milner, which looks like being a costly one from here.

Villa are closely linked with sizzled Spur David Bentley according to The Times. Over at The Sun, there is talk of Harry Redknapp saying that Bentley does have a future at White Hart Lane.