Spanish striker Roberto Soldado has spurred on Tottenham. AFP
Spanish striker Roberto Soldado has spurred on Tottenham. AFP
Spanish striker Roberto Soldado has spurred on Tottenham. AFP
Spanish striker Roberto Soldado has spurred on Tottenham. AFP

Money well spent by big-spending Premier League clubs


Richard Jolly
  • English
  • Arabic

Arsenal

Have they spent well? Yes and no. Mesut Ozil is a world-class player, the first superstar Arsene Wenger has signed for years. Yet they failed to get Luis Suarez, Gonzalo Higuain or any other major striker.

Strong areas now The same as they always were passing midfielders, creators and wingers. Ozil joins Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla and co.

Weak areas now Apart from Olivier Giroud, the injured Lukas Podolski and the untried newcomer Yaya Sanogo, they lack out-and-out forwards.

Best signing Mesut Ozil - though Mathieu Flamini on a free transfer could be a useful acquisition.

Have they spent well? They have spent strangely, spending £50 million (Dh285.8m) on wingers, an area where they already had enviable strength. They missed out on Wayne Rooney and did not sign a defender.

Strong areas now Oscar, Eden Hazard, Juan Mata, Willian, Andre Schurrle, Kevin de Bruyne … Chelsea had a creative trio last year. Now they have six flair players.

Weak areas now The midfielder Marco van Ginkel, 20, has come in but no defender has arrived and they remain over-reliant on the veterans John Terry and Frank Lampard.

Best signing Samuel Eto'o - A bargain at £5m. Still one of the best strikers in the world.

Have they spent well? Yes. Brendan Rodgers has made eight signings, bolstering every department of the team, without spending huge money and while keeping Luis Suarez.

Strong areas now The defence, with Mamadou Sakho, Tiago Ilori and Kolo Toure all added; so far, Liverpool look a lot more solid. Victor Moses should bring pace and incision on the flanks, as well.

Weak areas now Missed out on the elite signing they wanted. Rodgers hoped to bring in another match-winner in the attacking third.

Best signing Simon Mignolet. The £9m goalkeeper has begun with three successive clean sheets, including some vital saves.

Have they spent well? Yes. Learnt the lessons of last season, bought early and were prepared to pay the price for high-class players who the manager wanted. In Jesus Navas, they added width, which they lacked last year.

Strong areas now Most of them. Manuel Pellegrini has two players for every position. His striking quartet may be the strongest in the Premier League.

Weak areas now Not many, although they could do with more competition for Joe Hart's place in goal.

Best signing Alvaro Negredo. The £20m forward has scored twice and looked ominously sharp in his three cameos to date.

Have they spent well? They have not spent much. They had a huge budget and high aims. David Moyes wanted two central midfielders and a game-changer. He failed on both fronts, with Ander Herrera's move collapsing embarrassingly on Monday night.

Strong areas now Unchanged Robin van Persie's goals; Wayne Rooney, who they have kept; the winning mentality of the old guard.

Weak areas now Now the midfield is not as strong as Moyes had hoped. They have too few genuine blue-chip players.

Best signing Marouane Fellaini. The only major signing but the £27.5m Belgian was terrific with Everton and knows Moyes well.

Have they spent well? Very. Reinvested the Gareth Bale money in seven players, some of enviable class. And made a profit.

Strong areas now Attack, now that Roberto Soldado has joined. The centre of midfield, where Paulinho and Etienne Capoue have begun well and Christian Eriksen is an excellent player. Potentially, the flanks with the record buy Erik Lamela's arrival.

Weak areas now None, really. The question is if any of the arrivals can be as devastatingly effective as Bale was in turning draws into wins.

Best signing Roberto Soldado. The £26m forward is the striker Spurs have needed for years.

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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?

The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.

A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.

Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.

The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.

When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.

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The specs

Engine 60kwh FWD

Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry

Power 204hp Torque 360Nm

Price, base / as tested Dh174,500 

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PROVISIONAL FIXTURE LIST

Premier League

Wednesday, June 17 (Kick-offs uae times) Aston Villa v Sheffield United 9pm; Manchester City v Arsenal 11pm 

Friday, June 19 Norwich v Southampton 9pm; Tottenham v Manchester United 11pm  

Saturday, June 20 Watford v Leicester 3.30pm; Brighton v Arsenal 6pm; West Ham v Wolves 8.30pm; Bournemouth v Crystal Palace 10.45pm 

Sunday, June 21 Newcastle v Sheffield United 2pm; Aston Villa v Chelsea 7.30pm; Everton v Liverpool 10pm 

Monday, June 22 Manchester City v Burnley 11pm (Sky)

Tuesday, June 23 Southampton v Arsenal 9pm; Tottenham v West Ham 11.15pm 

Wednesday, June 24 Manchester United v Sheffield United 9pm; Newcastle v Aston Villa 9pm; Norwich v Everton 9pm; Liverpool v Crystal Palace 11.15pm

Thursday, June 25 Burnley v Watford 9pm; Leicester v Brighton 9pm; Chelsea v Manchester City 11.15pm; Wolves v Bournemouth 11.15pm

Sunday June 28 Aston Villa vs Wolves 3pm; Watford vs Southampton 7.30pm 

Monday June 29 Crystal Palace vs Burnley 11pm

Tuesday June 30 Brighton vs Manchester United 9pm; Sheffield United vs Tottenham 11.15pm 

Wednesday July 1 Bournemouth vs Newcastle 9pm; Everton vs Leicester 9pm; West Ham vs Chelsea 11.15pm

Thursday July 2 Arsenal vs Norwich 9pm; Manchester City vs Liverpool 11.15pm

 

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6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 (PA) | US$95,000 | (Dirt) 2,000m
7.05pm: Meydan Classic Listed (TB) ) | $175,000) | (Turf) 1,600m
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) ) | $135,000 ) | (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy Group 3 (TB) ) | $300,000) | (T) 2,810m
8.50pm: Curlin Handicap Listed (TB)) | $160,000) | (D) 2,000m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB)) | $175,000) | (T) 1,400m
10pm: Handicap (TB) ) | $135,000 ) | (T) 2,000m

Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
While you're here
How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less