After Wayne Rooney announced his retirement from England duty, many wondered who would replace him as captain of the national side.

The Three Lions have played twice since Rooney walked away, and they are due to play their final World Cup qualifiers against Slovenia and Lithuania in the coming days and still do not have a permanent skipper.

Manager Gareth Southgate has given the armband to Jordan Henderson and Harry Kane on separate occasions.

Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has not given his backing to either candidate, but rather to Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli.

The player is only 21 years of age and made his senior England debut in 2015, but Collymore feels that the former MK Dons player has all the attributes to take on the role.

In The Mirror, the football pundit wrote:

“I know he can be spiteful, he can be antsy and that even his manager Mauricio Pochettino had a little pop the other day. But this is the boy who needs making into a man and if Gareth Southgate were to make him captain ahead of the World Cup finals we’d see the boy fly.

“Some of you will say the captaincy would take away some of his flare but that’s utter tosh and I’m sick of players being mollycoddled. Responsibility isn’t a bad thing, it’s a great thing, and while Harry Kane is getting on with scoring the goals Alli could be marshalling the team from midfield.

“He could lead England into the next two or three tournaments — he really is the outstanding choice.”

A large number of football fans disagreed with Collymore, with many questioning Alli’s maturity.

The Tottenham star will be unable to feature in England’s qualifier against Slovenia at Wembley on Thursday as he will be serving a one-match ban for swearing with a middle-finger salute in the nation’s previous match.

Everton jumped right out of the gates in the summer with regards to their transfer spending.In the end, the Merseyside outfit crashed through the £100m barrier, recruiting the likes of Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane and Gylfi Sigurdsson.Wayne Rooney also made an emotional return to his boyhood club after spending 13 years at Manchester United, but the financial ambition has not matched the ambition on the pitch.In eight Premier League games, Ronald Koeman’s men have won just two, which has left them two points above the relegation zone.[ad_pod id=’leo-vegas’]Pressure has been piling onto the Dutchman’s shoulders for weeks now, but it will be feeling much heavier this morning following Thursday night’s Europa League result.After recorded a defeat and a draw in their first two group matches, the visit of Lyon to Goodison Park was a must win, but it was not to be as the team were beaten 2-1.Not only did they lose, but unsavoury scenes marred the encounter, with one fan appearing to punch out at Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes while holding a child.The scuffle broke out after Ashley Williams pushed the shot-stopper into some advertising hoardings in front of the Gwladys Street end.On Twitter, former Celtic striker and BT Sport pundit Chris Sutton gave his assessment of the result and responded to a fan who hit out at the ex-footballer’s continued criticism of Everton’s spending.

Ripping open the case of a new FIFA game is a yearly tradition for most football fans, and whilst there’s a lot of familiarity in this year’s iteration, FIFA 18 is a very different game to any offering in the series thus far.

With single player games modes clearly taking precedent this year, the hard work certainly shows. The rebuilt career mode makes the game far more entertaining, with dynamic transfer dealings and improved video content making the mode far less repetitive. Narrative-based mode ‘The Journey’, which follows the career of Alex Hunter, is also far more engaging and entertaining, also returns and should keep players invested for its duration.

The online modes haven’t been neglected either, with Ultimate Team getting a few minor tweaks to make the gameplay more fluid, whilst Seasons Mode remains as addictive as ever as you look to move up through the leagues.

As is the case every year, updated squads and kits make the game fresher, offering something different for seasoned FIFA veterans regardless of which mode they play. Likewise, improved dynamic lighting and refined graphics make the game a sight to behold, with the benefits of the Frostbite Engine coming to the foreground.

The game is not without flaws, and some players may dislike the reduced pace that this iteration in the series offers, but for the casual player it ticks all of the boxes. FIFA is, at its core, a football game, but as with every year, the improvements made to the latest offering make it a title that fans will find hard to put down for the next 12 months.

Chelsea fans have not had an awful lot to shout about over the last few weeks, with their team losing against Manchester City and Crystal Palace in the Premier League, in addition to drawing at home to Roma in the Champions League.

It did appear that the Blues would lose their third straight Premier League match when Watford took a 2-1 lead in the second period of Saturday’s clash at Stamford Bridge.

Indeed, the Hornets were threatening to score a third and fourth as Marco Silva’s side committed players forward each time they broke into the final third.

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Chelsea showed their metal on home soil, however, with the Premier League champions ultimately running out 4-2 winners to secure a massive three points.

On Sunday morning, Chelsea’s official Twitter account reminded the supporters of what had occurred at Stamford Bridge, and as expected, the response section was full of praise for a team that have been short of confidence in recent games.

A selection of the best reaction can be found below:

Arsenal want around £30m for Mesut Ozil in January, with Manchester United thought to be interested, according to the Daily Star.

What’s the word?

Ozil, as well as teammate Alexis Sanchez, have been surrounded by transfer speculation for the better part of a year.

There were suggestions that the pair would leave the Emirates in the summer, but moves never materialised.

Both players come to the end of their current contracts next summer, which means that they could leave Arsenal for free if they opt against signing new deals.

With that in mind, it seems that the club are willing to sell mid-season, and the Daily Star claims that a £30m price tag has been placed on Ozil’s head.

The publication adds that Jose Mourinho is keen to take the German midfielder to Old Trafford.

Is £30m a fair price?

Ozil has struggled for consistency since moving to Arsenal from Real Madrid in 2013.

The 29-year-old is commonly accused of ‘going missing’ in big games and failing to make an impact when he is needed most.

On the one hand, the midfielder is capable of producing moments of brilliance, and if he moves to United, he could rediscover that form.

Ozil’s inconsistency may lead some to question the £30m price tag, but in a market where a footballer can be bought for around £200m (Neymar), then he figure is rather modest.

However, potential suitors may argue that the fee should be much lower considering that the midfielder can leave for nothing next year.

Christian Ziege only represented Tottenham Hotspur for three years, but it would be fair to say that the German made a serious impression on the English club’s supporters.

After spending seven years in the Bayern Munich first team, Ziege joined AC Milan, where he spent two seasons before representing Middlesbrough and Liverpool in the Premier League.

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Then came a move to Tottenham in the summer of 2011, and he scored seven Premier League goals in 47 appearances for the London club.

One of those came in the North London derby against Arsenal, and ahead of this weekend’s clash between the two bitter rivals, Ziege was keen to take a trip down memory lane.

It was an absolute cracker from the 72-time Germany international, with David Seaman simply unable to prevent the ball from finding the back of the net.

It is a massive weekend for Tottenham as they look to pick up what would be a huge three points at the Emirates Stadium, and the fans will be hoping that Ziege’s strike will be repeated by one of the current crop on Saturday afternoon.

Arsenal forward Alex Iwobi posted on his official Twitter account after starting in Arsenal’s 1-0 win against Burnley on Sunday, but the angry reaction he got from the Gunners fans suggests they weren’t impressed with his performance.

The 21-year-old was making just his fifth start of the season in the Premier League with Mesut Ozil absent through injury, but he struggled to make an impression in the final third before being replaced by Jack Wilshere in the 67th minute.

Arsene Wenger’s men took all three points when Alexis Sanchez scored an injury-time penalty to move the north London outfit up to fourth in the table, and Iwobi was obviously happy that the team dug deep and picked up the three points.

Arsenal supporters were quick to react to Iwobi’s social media post, and while one said he was “seriously gutted” by his display, another said he was “disappointed”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Real Madrid are considering a January move for Liverpool midfielder Emre Can, according to Corriere dello Sport.

What’s the story?

The midfielder’s current contract at Anfield expires at the end of the season and there are no indications as yet that the German intends to sign a new one.

Juventus have been heavily linked with a move for Can, but now Corriere dello Sport report that Madrid have taken an interest.

The report claims that manager Zinedine Zidane is keen to add a central midfielder to his squad when the transfer window reopens next month.

Given that Can’s deal expires next summer, the midfielder could be available for a cheaper price in January.

What can Liverpool offer?

The Germany international recently told the Liverpool Echo that his reluctance to sign fresh terms at Anfield has nothing to do with money.

Presumably it is about game time and the club’s ambitions, but the midfielder did not expand on the reasons to the media.

Can has started 10 of the Reds’ 15 Premier League games this season and four in the Champions League.

The 23-year-old is far from a bit-part player, but he is yet to really cement himself in Jurgen Klopp’s side.

The Merseyside outfit are a way off being genuine title contenders, so with Juventus and Madrid showing an interest, it would be hard to turn them away.

However, Can could find himself in a position where he is struggling to grab a regular place in his new team, particularly if the midfielder moves to the Bernabeu.

The Manchester United fans in the Transfer Tavern are hoping their club can complete the signing of at least 1 attacking player this summer, and recent reports from Sky Sports suggest they could be presented with an ideal opportunity to do just that. 

The Breakdown

According to Sky Sports West Ham United are closing in on a double deal to sign both Jack Wilshere and Andriy Yarmolenko, with the latter joining in a deal worth £17.5 million. A fee for the player has already been agreed and he is now expected to undergo a medical at the Hammers’ pre-season training base in Switzerland.

By all accounts it appears that Manuel Pellegrini will bring the Ukraine international to the London Stadium this summer in a deal which is bound to delight the supporters, however, his arrival could pave the way for Marko Arnautovic to leave the club.

United were linked with a move for the Austrian earlier in the summer but no official bid has been made as of yet, however, Yarmolenko’s transfer could convince West Ham to sell him for the right price.

Yarmolenko is a player who, like Arnautovic, is comfortable operating on both wings and at centre-forward, so the new recruit is well-placed to fill the void left by West Ham’s top-goalscorer last season in the event that he departs the club.

The 28-year-old’s arrival in East London could open the possibility for United to raid the Hammers for their prize asset on the back of a scintillating season in which he almost single-handedly carried his side to safety at the spearhead of the attack, scoring 11 goals and providing 8 assists in the process..

At 29-years-of-age Arnautovic is in the peak of his career and appears to have found his rhythm in the Premier League, so there’s no doubt that he merits a step up to Champions League football.

With time running out to play in Europe’s most prestigious club competition, the natural lure of a move to United will certainly give Arnautovic something to think about this summer, so Mourinho should make a bid for his services to add a physically powerful and technically gifted talent to his attacking options.

Manchester United fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

According to a report from The Scottish Sun, Everton have ended their interest in Celtic left back Kieran Tierney. The 21-year-old has been repeatedly linked with a move to Goodison Park given current first-choice left back Leighton Baines is entering the twilight of his career, but it appears that the Scotland international is set to remain at Parkhead this summer. 

And while interest is still likely to remain in the supremely talented defender, this news that Everton are out of running is surely the best Celtic fans have received so far this summer.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, Tierney was always going to attract attention this summer given the incredible start to life he has made at Celtic Park, what with the 21-year-old only breaking through into the first team for his debut back in April 2015, yet he has since become Brendan Rodgers’ number one left back.

The nine-times Scotland international has played 130 times for the Bhoys in the last three years or so and has earned many rave reviews in that time, with his attacking exploits of particular note to many in the Tavern given he has laid on 31 assists in that time.

And with several impressive displays in their European adventures in the last few years, not least in their 3-3 draw with Manchester City back in September 2016 which reportedly interested Citizens chief Pep Guardiola, the 21-year-old looks destined for huge things in the game.

And that is why news that Celtic have held firm to put Everton off Tierney is likely to be very well received by Bhoys supporters, as Rodgers’ side simply cannot be in the business of selling their best players if they are to continue improving and developing under the ex-Liverpool boss.

The Scottish giants are currently streets ahead of everyone else north of the border but are likely to be keeping a close eye on things down the road at Rangers, what with new boss Steven Gerrard making some very shrewd additions in their quest to compete at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

What do you think of the World Cup so far? Let us know

And while they are dominant in Scotland, Rodgers’ side have ultimately disappointed in Europe in the last few years, with many of our resident Celtic fans hopeful for better having lost in the last-32 of the Europa League last season.

And to go further in Europe, and indeed maintain their domination north of the border, they have to keep their best players, not least those that can produce the goods both in the present, and indeed the future – Tierney is one of those.

Thus, while the Tierney transfer saga isn’t necessarily over just yet, Everton’s decision to end their interest is sure to come as the best news Celtic fans have received so far this summer.

Celtic fans… what do you think? Let us know!