Queens Park Rangers have taken Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Adel Taarabt on a one-season loan.

The 20-year-old Moroccan international returns to Loftus Road after having a month long loan spell there last season.

QPR manager Jim Magilton told his club’s official website: “I’ve seen Adel plenty of times and I know he’s a player of undoubted ability.

“He’s a match winner on his day and will bring added competition to the squad.

“The fact we have been able to agree a deal to bring in someone of Adel’s quality shows the sort of direction this Club is heading in.

“If you can encourage a squad player from the Premier League to take the drop down to the Championship, then it shows what your intentions are.”

He added: “He will benefit from playing regularly and, given a run in the side, I am sure he will give us another dimension.

“Make no mistake, we are all very ambitious here – none more so than the players – and Adel’s arrival will bring vital competition for places which is needed for any squad that has ambitions to challenge.”

Lillestrom midfielder Bjørn Helge Riise has joined Fulham for an undisclosed fee.

The 26-year-old, who is the younger brother of John Arne Riise, has put pen to paper on a three-year contract at Craven Cottage.

Riise told his new club’s official website: “It is a dream come true for me to have signed for Fulham and I am looking forward to joining the team for pre-season training now the agreement is complete. Obviously I know Brede [Hangeland] and Erik [Nevland] very well from the National team and they have only good things to say about the Club.

“Fulham had a fantastic season last year under Roy Hodgson who is a Manager I admire very much, his record in Scandinavia speaks for itself and I am very excited about working with him over the coming months and to being part of Fulham Football Club at such an exciting time.”

Nottingham Forest have completed the signing of Tottenham Hotspur defender Chris Gunter for a £1.75m fee.

The Welsh international, who had a two-month loan spell at the City Ground last season, has penned a four-year deal at the City Ground.

The 19-year-old told his new club’s official website: “When the manager told me at the end of last season that he was looking to bring me back to the club I told him that if he could make it possible I’d love to come back.

“I wasn’t interested in moving anywhere else. I went away with Wales at the end of last season and came out in the media then and said the only place I wanted to be was Forest.

“There was never a temptation to look at other clubs who were supposedly interested. I wasn’t sure whether the reports were true or not because I didn’t bother to find out.

“I was just praying that this move would happen and I’m delighted it has.”

Manchester United have swooped to sign Newcastle United striker Michael Owen on a Bosman free transfer.

The former Liverpool and Real Madrid player has put pen to paper on a two-year contract at Old Trafford.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told his club’s official website: “Michael is a world class forward with a proven goalscoring record at the highest level and that has never been in question. Coming to Manchester United with the expectations that we have is something that Michael will relish.”

Owen added: “I had just begun to talk to other clubs when out of the blue Sir Alex phoned me on Wednesday afternoon, invited me to have breakfast with him the next morning during which he told me that he wanted to sign me. I agreed without a moment’s thought.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for me and I intend to seize it with both hands. I am now looking forward to being a Manchester United player and I am fortunate that I already know so many of the players here. I missed pre-season last year and am pleased that I will be starting at Carrington from day one.

“I want to thank Sir Alex for the faith he has shown in me and I give him my assurance that I will repay him with my goals and performances.”