As of next year the Mill hopes to see more clubs take a leaf out of Portsmouth's book. Michael Appleton has signed 10 players the day before the season starts, a staggering influx at Fratton Park that has left the Mill stunned, delighted and perturbed in equal measure. Pompey's desperate late scramble is an inspiration – a remarkable act of bravura that will have Champ Man players across the country bowing down to their screens in awe of Appleton. Praise him, praise him with great praise.

The additions are sure to lift the miasma on the south coast – one signing is enough to get fans excited, but 10? Well, lord knows how that must feel. It is not out of choice that Portsmouth have acted in such a fashion, but it has got the Mill thinking: wouldn't it be more exciting if every club's signings had to be made on the Friday before the campaign begins? What a day that would be.

André Villas-Boas would be hopping around like Willy Fog on a Pogo Stick should that realistic proposition ever come to fruition. He is hoping to lure Raul Meireles across London to Tottenham once Luka Modric's departure is finally confirmed. The midfielder played under Villas-Boas at Chelsea and Porto and could find playing time limited under Roberto Di Matteo at Stamford Bridge this year. Spurs, meanwhile, have given up hope of signing João Moutinho and Yann M'Vila.

Liverpool may have completed a deal for the Morocco midfielder Oussama Assaidi but have been thwarted in trying to bring Nuri Sahin on loan to Anfield. Arsenal have made an 11th hour bid for the Real Madrid midfielder as Arsène Wenger contemplates selling Alex Song to Barcelona. Brendan Rodgers is looking to bring more players in though and could be tempted by the Tottenham centre-half Michael Dawson.

Celtic have been blessed with some wonderful strikers over the years. Henrik Larsson, Kenny Dalglish, Chris Sutton, Mark Viduka, Jorge Cadete … but there is room for one more great name in the Hoops pantheon. Step up Nikola Zigic, that lightning quick, lethal centre forward who has been banging them in for Birmingham City. Neil Lennon believes Zigic will follow in the footsteps of the Parkhead greats and is attempting to secure a loan move for the Blues forward, with Celtic paying his wages.

Stuart Taylor, the goalkeeper who has made 68 league appearances in 15 years, has been linked with a move to Reading on a one-year contract. Adam Federici is presumably quaking in his boots.

Southampton have suddenly got a bout of the yips on the eve of the Premier League season. Nigel Adkins must have come into training yesterday, taken one look at his assembled bunch of players, and thought "Christ, we've got to play Manchester City on Sunday." The Saints have made a £6m bid for Blackpool's winger Matt Phillips, an improved offer for the Vitesse defender Alexander Büttner and a surprise swoop for Bologna's Gastón Ramírez.

Finally, Steve Bruce has made free agent Nigel Reo-Coker a target for Hull City.