It may be European soccer’s silly season, but it still provides one of the most exciting moments of the summer for any fan: the release of next season’s kits. Every year, each of the Premier League teams changes at least one of their shirts, alternating between home and away. (They also usually change the third shirt, but seldom wear it in competition.)

So if you’re looking for a handy directory of the new jerseys you’ll be seeing all over the Premier League next season, here it is. The 2009-2010 line has thrown up some interesting results, to say the least, beginning with Chelsea’s new away kit: a dark-and-darker blue striped affair with a fluorescent yellow trim. Read more...

The Premier League transfer mill is still churning as the teams return to preseason training to begin another marathon campaign. Of course, the defending champions Manchester United are already a changed side with the losses of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez and the arrival of Michael Owen, Luis Antonio Valencia, and Gabriel Obertan.

But the latest noise from Old Trafford brings news of one more intriguing transfer. According to the British press, United is prepared to shell out around $11 million for an 18 year-old Brazilian who does not even have 20 senior games under his belt for his current club, Gremio. The new alleged wunderkind’s name is Douglas Costa. Read more...

Any book about David Beckham’s tumultuous time in the United States was always going to generate some headlines. But when the first excerpt of a book that featured direct criticism from one of his most visible teammates came out this month, it practically generated an entire news cycle. All this just a week before Beckham makes his return to the Galaxy, in New Jersey on July 16 against the New York Red Bulls.

In their July 6 issue, Sports Illustrated reprinted a juicy excerpt from soccer writer Grant Wahl’s book, The Beckham Experiment, in which Landon Donovan openly vented his frustration with Beckham’s impact on him and the L.A. Galaxy. Specifically, he targeted Beckham’s aloofness with respect to his teammates and his lack of commitment. Read more...

Some of the biggest news around the English Premier League this summer had nothing to do with players, or even outrageous transfer fees. It was the changing balance of power among the league's broadcasters.

In close succession, ESPN made an aggressive play for a package of Premier League rights and Irish outfit Setanta Sports collapsed, leaving ESPN as Sky's lone remaining competition. But how will ESPN present it? Though ESPN has had experience showing soccer in much of the rest of the world, an interesting story in today's New York Times asks, "So is it time for British soccer fans to prepare for “soccertainment” when the new season begins in mid-August?" Read more...