Week in preview: No loyalty bonus

"I've always said from day one that this was the place I wanted to be and it was a club going in the right direction, a club going places," said the player as he reached the personal milestone of 250 appearances for his 'beloved' club.

He had just recorded his 100th goal in a lilywhite shirt and secured the Carling Cup – his first piece of silverware – six weeks before.

"I wanted to be part of that and I want to continue to be part of it for as long as I can," he stressed. "I'm more at home here and everyone here makes me feel so welcome. As long as I have that, I'll always feel part of the club."

That was three months ago. Now, Robbie Keane, the Tottenham striker and vice-captain, is on the verge of joining Premier League rivals Liverpool after "his head has been turned" by declared interest from the Merseyside club. He signed a five-year contract at White Hart Lane only 14 months ago.

Unfortunately, Keane's situation is not unique. This week, with the season fast approaching and teams entering a period of serious preseason training, could see some of the league's major players abandoning their clubs for greener pastures. Some of them pledged their future as recently as the beginning of the summer.

After Chelsea's demoralising end to last season, Frank Lampard, the midfielder who sits seventh in their all-time leading goalscoring list, said he expected to sign an extension to his contract to keep him at Stamford Bridge.

"I hope we can come to a conclusion," said the England international. "I am pretty confident we can. I have said that many times before."

Two months on, he is being touted to renew friendships with Jose Mourinho, his former manager, at Inter Milan. Mourinho insists it is easier for Lampard to join at the end of the season, when his contract expires, but there is no doubting the player has given considerable consideration to moving to Italy. Fear of losing Lampard for free next summer could force Chelsea's hand this week.

Emmanuel Adebayor, at Arsenal, might follow Lampard out of England. The Togo forward has expressed his gratitude to Arsene Wenger for giving him the chance to play in the Premier League, yet his agent has sounded out a move to either AC Milan or Barcelona.

The north London side seem resigned to losing their star striker, who was joint second with Fernando Torres in the scoring charts last season and who, more tellingly, signed a long-term deal with the club a year ago.

Player-power has usurped the clout of the written contract and today's top stars are able to switch allegiances almost on a whim.

Gareth Barry, idolised as club captain at Aston Villa, felt the brunt of fan frustration when he was jeered throughout the club's friendly against Walsall on Tuesday night, all because of Liverpool's very public pursuit of the midfielder. A resolution is expected this week.

Loyalty has been confined to the past in top-flight football, and that's without mentioning the wantaway winger at Manchester United.