The top stories making Friday’s back pages in the UK…
The Sun: Alex Ferguson hopes his new strike quartet will emulate his Treble-winning forwards of 1999.
Also: Arsene Wenger admits losing Robin van Persie to Manchester United is the bitterest pill he has ever had to swallow.
And: Nuri Sahin was last night urged to stall on a move to Liverpool – by Arsenal.
Daily Mirror: Sir Alex Ferguson says Manchester United now have a strikeforce to match the Treble stars of 1999.
Also: Arsene Wenger has admitted he did not want Robin van Persie to strengthen “the enemy” and hoped to sell him to a foreign club.
And: Tottenham are ready to make a move for Chelsea midfielder Raul Meireles as a replacement for Real Madrid-bound Luka Modric.
Plus: Scott Sinclair has put Manchester City on red alert by refusing to sign a new deal at Swansea.
Daily Star: Sir Alex Ferguson believes he is on his way to creating the best strikeforce in Europe after a smash-and-grab raid for Robin van Persie.
Also: Roy Hodgson says the Premier League is strangling England’s brightest young stars.
Daily Mail: Sir Alex Ferguson last night warned his rivals that he had assembled one of the most fearsome strike forces in Europe as Manchester United tied up their £24million capture of Arsenal’s Robin van Persie.
Daily Express: Sir Alex Ferguson has warned the Premier League that his fab four strikers are set for a goals party like it’s 1999.
Also: Andre Villas-Boas has held his hands up for the first time and admitted he got it wrong at Chelsea.
Metro: Joey Barton is on the verge of completing a one-year loan deal to Marseille.
Also: Thomas Vermaelen has warned Arsenal they must put Robin van Persie’s departure behind them and focus on launching a sustained assault on the Premier League.
And: Andre Villas-Boas insists the Luka Modric transfer saga will not disrupt preparations for his first match in charge of Tottenham this weekend.
Plus: Sir Alex Ferguson admits the arrival of Robin van Persie at Manchester United has revived memories of his 1999 team.
Daily Telegraph: Arsene Wenger has admitted that he was determined to sell Robin van Persie to a club abroad rather than rivals Manchester United but that Arsenal were forced into a corner by their captain’s refusal to sign a new contract.
The Times: Sir Alex Ferguson believes the arrival of Robin van Persie could help to turn Manchester United’s attack into the most feared in Europe.
Also: Adam Johnson has said he may have to leave Manchester City in search of regular football.
The Guardian: Sir Alex Ferguson believes Robin van Persie is a “fantastic player” and feels that Manchester United may now have the best strikeforce in Europe.
The Independent: Portsmouth completed the signing of nearly a whole new side yesterday when 10 players joined the troubled club just in time for their opening League One game at home to Bournemouth tomorrow.