Dynamo forward Artem Milevskyy has been handed the No 10 jersey following Ismaël Bangoura's move to Stade Rennais FC...

With FC Sheriff targeting a tenth successive title, the big question for many Moldovan fans is which side will provide the perennial winners with their biggest challenge as the new season gets under way on Sunday.

The Czech Republic showed useful form ahead of January's UEFA European Futsal Championship by reaching the semi-finals at the prestigious Grand Prix in Brazil while Ukraine ended sixth and Hungary came 12th.

Nigerian international striker Julius Aghahowa has returned to FC Shakhtar Donetsk, the 27-year-old rejoining the final UEFA Cup holders on a free transfer from Turkish Süper Lig club Kayserispor.

Michael Owen has completed his move to Manchester United FC with Red Devils' manager Sir Alex Ferguson saying the 29-year-old "is a world class forward with a proven goalscoring record".

UEFA Champions League group-stage contenders Chelsea FC have increased their attacking options by signing Manchester City FC's 19-year-old frontman Daniel Sturridge on a four-year contract.

New Villarreal CF defender Iván Marcano said the prospect of playing European football was one of the crucial factors in his decision to make a reported €6m switch from Real Racing Club.

LOSC Lille Métropole goalkeeper Mickaël Landreau is facing a long lay-off as he sustaining a serious knee injury just five days after joining the UEFA Europa League side from Paris Saint-Germain FC.

Galatasaray A have completed the double signing of goalkeeper Leo Franco from Club Atlético de Madrid and Olympique Lyonnais winger Kader Keita, with both agreeing three-year contracts.

UEFA Europa League third qualifying round contenders FC Metalist Kharkiv have signed midfield player Oleh Shelayev as a free agent after the 32-year-old was released by FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.

The 2008/09 season saw over 1,000 doping controls carried out in Europe's major club competitions with two players testing positive: one for asthma medication salmeterol, one for anabolic steroids.

On his first official day as Chelsea FC manager Carlo Ancelotti quelled any doubts over the future of captain John Terry and compared him to his former skipper at AC Milan, Paolo Maldini.

FC Twente striker Eljero Elia has joined fellow summer signings Zé Roberto and Robert Tesche at Hamburger SV as the Bundesliga side prepare for UEFA Europa League third qualifying round action.

Gary Twigg's move from the lower reaches of Scottish football to Shamrock Rovers FC in the Republic of Ireland's top flight is being touted as the bargain of the year after a free-scoring introduction.

Norway coach Jarl Torske has promised his charges will entertain at the UEFA European Women's U19 Championship as they strive to improve on their runners-up finish a year ago.

UEFA Champions League hopefuls ACF Fiorentina have announced the signing of centre-back Cesare Natali from Torino FC for a reported fee of €2m, the 30-year-old agreeing a three-year deal.

Christoph Daum has returned to Fenerbahçe SK for a second spell as the club's coach and the Turkish side have also been busy in the transfer market, bringing in centre-back Fábio Bilica from Sivasspor.

UEFA Europa League play-off contenders Heart of Midlothian FC have signed defender Dawid Kucharski from KKS Lech Poznań, with the 24-year-old joining new arrivals Suso Santana and Ian Black.

Armin Veh conceded that the pressure is on after he succeeded Felix Magath as coach of German champions VfL Wolfsburg, telling uefa.com it is "not a normal situation and a very difficult one too".