The Football Association has charged Kolo Touré with violent conduct for allegedly elbowing Newcastle United's Alan Shearer in the back at Highbury on Sunday.
Touré faces a three-game ban if he accepts the charge or is found guilty at a hearing scheduled for tomorrow, and would automatically miss next Tuesday's Premiership match at home to United.
Arsenal are to appeal an FA decision to fine them the paltry sum of £10,000 for using an unlicensed agency Dutch company Foursports.
Arsenal are to consider launching an appeal against the fine:
From The Times:
'The negotiations concerned Quincy Owusu-Abeyie's elevation from a scholarship to professional terms at Highbury and did not concern any transfer dealings with another club.
Arsenal admitted to paying the company, listed on the official Fifa website, an agent's fee of £2,000 via the FA, but feel their transparency in the matter has been punished by the governing body.
A spokesman for the Gunners said: "It is important to note that the player was already a scholar registered with Arsenal and that the negotiations were not in relation to a transfer. The players representative is a partner in a company run by a Fifa licensed agent with whom the initial discussions were held. Arsenal mistakenly also believed that the representative was a licensed players agent. The agents fee of £2,000 was paid by Arsenal to the company through the English FA. The incident was at worst a technical misdemeanour of administration and the club is contemplating an appeal, as it feels the penalty is disproportionate to any offence which may have been committed."
The FA warned the club as to its future conduct and the suspended transfer ban will last for two years from the first of next month.
The ban will be activated in the event of a further proven breach of the Players' Agents Regulations before Fifa or The Football Association. If activated, the ban will prohibit the club from any national or international transfers from the commencement and duration of the next operative transfer window.