Premier League kick-off: team news, previews and more – live!

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has just given his Friday press conference. Here’s a snippet:

I think when the transfer window closes it’s a great feeling of relief. Now it’s done, we know what we’re looking forward with and I’m delighted with the players we’ve signed. That’s not the feeling inside the club, and that’s not the feeling with the fans I’ve met. They’re excited with the ones we’ve got. Of course there’ll always be fans out there wanting to sign players. The players are here now, they’ve been shown that trust and we believe in them.

Breaking news: Ilkay Gundogan signs three-year contract extension at Manchester City

Ilkay Gundogan has signed a new three-year contract extension with Manchester City, the Premier League champions have announced. The German midfielder, who had just entered the final year of his previous deal, is now committed to the club until 2023. The news ends speculation over the future of the 28-year-old, who joined City from Borussia Dortmund in 2016.

Gundogan told the club’s website: “I am very happy to have signed the new contract. I have hugely enjoyed the last three years here at City and everyone at the club has helped make me feel at home from my very first day. It’s a privilege to be a part of this team, playing the style of football we do and winning trophies. It’s very difficult to do that and I’m delighted to be a part of it. I’m really excited about what we can go on to achieve in the next few seasons.”

Gundogan’s first season at City was cut short by a serious knee injury but he has been a key part of the club’s back-to-back Premier League triumphs over the past two campaigns. Their drector of football, Txiki Begiristain, said: “Ilkay’s new deal is more excellent news for our club. He has shown how important he is to the team and has played a huge part in everything that we have achieved so far. We are thrilled he has committed his long-term future to Manchester City.”

Hello world!

It’s the big kick-off! The Premier League season gets under way tonight in a kick-off even bigger than this one:

So there’ll be team news and press conference-based updates, as well as the continued fall-out from the freshly-closed domestic transfer window and whatever other wild excitement is being tossed around the world of football like so feathers in a hurricane. Welcome!