There's 18 year-old Czech Michal Papadopulos who has joined on loan for a year from Banik Ostrava, and a proper signing in Mr Spock look-alike Daniel Karbassiyoon from Roanoke.

Icelandic prospect Olaf-Ingur Skulason has returned to Arsenal after a loan spell back in Iceland.

See Arsenal.com.

No official word as yet on the rumour about Cesc Fabregas. Let's hope it is all true, he's been the star of the World Youth Finals in Finland and his 5 goals in 3 games have taken Spain to today's final against Brasil (see Fifa.com preview). Top scorer so far, not bad for a midfielder. Fabregas scored the golden goal that took them to the final, 3 minutes from the end of extra-time after the Spain-Argentina semi finished 2-2 (see Fifa.com report).

If, in fact, Arsenal have not yet secured Fabregas, then it's not going to be any easier after this tournament. If they did managed to nab him before these performances on the world stage, then it will have been another outstanding piece of business.

Rupe adds...
Thanks to everyone who wrote in telling me where Roanoke is (I'm so lazy!). Apparently there are several but according to David Ellcock this one's in rural Virginia on the east coast and "one of the first places to be settled, if only for a brief time in 1585, by the English in North America". Curt Dyke adds that it's "one of the places in the US where grass-roots soccer has really taken hold to try and develop professional American soccer players" and Ben Pope says it's a "pleasant enough small town". Big enough to have it's own paper though. Finally John Rodriguez directs us to this page which has oodles of relevant Karbassyoon quotes and info.

No-one so far has confirmed whether Daniel has pointy ears or not. Frankly, I'm disappointed.