Pieters pens Stoke extension

Mats Hummels has made one return in recent months by going back to Borussia Dortmund, and he is still open to the possibility of playing for Germany again.

World Cup winner Hummels, along with then Bayern Munich team-mates Jerome Boateng and Thomas Muller, was informed by Joachim Low earlier this year that he would not be considered for international selection going forward.

However, Hummels appears to harbour no ill feeling towards Low as he remains receptive to a call-up in the future.

For now, the 30-year-old centre-back is not giving the possibility too much thought.

If I m allowed to put on the Germany shirt again at some point, I would not resist it, he told Kicker.

I do not have that option at the moment and will use the international b…

Gareth Southgate is proud of the way England fans have turned the Three Lions song into a source of renewed support after admitting he couldn t listen to [it] for 20 years .

The nation has embraced the single by The Lightning Seeds, originally released for Euro 96, and turned it into a unifying way of celebrating their team s first appearance at a World Cup semi-final since 1990.

Fans have sung the lyrics from the stands in Russia, while the circulation of social media memes using the music has even led to the creation of the hashtag #itscominghome .

Southgate conceded the tune brings back painful memories from 22 years ago, when he missed the crucial penalty in England s semi-final defeat to Germany, and is happy to see it take on new meaning for a new genera…

Inter Milan’s fine season continued as they moved back to the Serie A summit after in-form Lautaro Martinez hit the only goal of the game to down Fiorentina.

It was a 22nd goal of the campaign for Martinez, who raced to the near-post to head home Kristjan Aslani’s 14th-minute corner.

Nico Gonzalez saw a second-half penalty saved as Inter secured the three points with a 1-0 win that extends their unbeaten run to 15 games.

Simone Inzaghi’s side have now 17 of their 21 Serie A games this season – equalling their previous record at this stage, set in 2006/07 under Roberto Mancini as they went on to win the league by 22 points.

Carlos Augusto thought he had given the visitors the lead with a close-range finish but was denied by brilliant defending by D…

Three famous football names have came under intense speculation in the last few weeks and months. Ipswich boss Roy Keane, Argentina coach Diego Maradona and Tranmere boss John Barnes were all undoubtedly great footballers but all three are struggling with very different managerial challenges.

Different challenges but same struggle

They may be worlds apart in their current positions but in the 1980 s John Barnes and Diego Maradona were footballing superstars. Maradona is also considered as one of the greatest footballers to have ever graced a football field. Barnes was considered one of best footballers of his generation, despite his form for England not being as consistent as his form for Liverpool. Roy Keane was key to Manchester United s rise to the top English footba…

Senegal will be hoping to finally match pre-tournament expectations and claim a first Africa Cup of Nations title in Gabon, but Tunisia represent a tough test in their Group B opener on Sunday.

The Teranga Lions cruised into the competition as the only side to win all four of their qualifiers, form which has helped them rise to 33rd in the FIFA rankings, the highest of all the African nations.

That fact inevitably attaches the favourites tag to them in some quarters, something Senegal are not unfamiliar with having produced a significant amount of talent since finishing as runners-up in 2002 – their best AFCON showing to date.

Coach Aliou Cisse – their captain in 2002 – has done his best to deflect suggestions Senegal are favourites, insisting they will ne…

Tottenham have rejected transfer bids from Premier League and Bundesliga clubs for defender Kevin Wimmer, according to the player s agent.

The 24-year-old, who joined from Cologne for a reported €5.1million in May 2015, has only played 270 minutes in the top flight this season and has been linked with a January move.

Mithat Halis, a representative from Wimmer s management company, says there is significant interest in the centre-back including from his former club but he expects him to stay at White Hart Lane as Spurs have rejected all bids to date.

Cologne made an offer. There have been a few offers from the Premier League and the Bundesliga. There is a lot of interest, Halis told ESPN.

Tottenham do not want to sell. All offers have been turned dow…

Stoke have confirmed Phil Jagielka and six other first-teamers will leave the club.

The Potters, who finished 16th in the Sky Bet Championship, announced their retained list on Wednesday with Morgan Fox and Nick Powell among some of the other notable names allowed to leave the bet365 Stadium.

Jagielka will turn 41 in August but did feature 30 times in all competitions for Alex Neil’s side during a season riddled with inconsistency.

Aden Flint, Sam Clucas, Tashan Oakley-Boothe and Demeaco Duhaney, who spent the campaign on loan at Turkish outfit Istanbulspor, have also been released with a “significant reset” being planned by the Potters ahead of the 2023-24 season.

Technical director Ricky Martin said: “It is well documented that we are looking to…

Toby Sibbick is looking forward to Hearts’ cinch Premiership trip to St Mirren on Saturday with more positivity than he felt the last time they faced the Buddies.

The 2-0 defeat at Tynecastle by Stephen Robinson’s side in April saw the Jambos leapfrogged by Aberdeen having sat third in the table since the start of 2023 and the loss signalled the end for head coach Robbie Neilson, who was replaced by Steven Naismith on an interim basis.

After a derby defeat by Hibernian, the Tynecastle side beat Ross County 6-1 before losing 2-0 to Celtic last week after going down to 10 men just before the break when Alex Cochrane saw red.

With four fixtures remaining, Hearts are in fourth place in the table – five points behind Aberdeen, one ahead of Hibernian and two ahea…

Marcos Flores will miss the rest of the A-League season after the star Central Coast midfielder ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Flores sustained the injury during training on Thursday and an MRI scan has confirmed Central Coast s worst fears.

The 2011 Johnny Warren medallist, who tops the Mariners scoring charts with three goals, will require a knee reconstruction.

It is my desire to improve every day, and for two hours each day I fight in training to be better, he said.

Yesterday was the day that, unfortunately, the injury had to happen to me. I will remain strong and hope to come back one day to Bluetongue (Stadium) better.

I trust in the medical team and trust that the Mariners as a family will look after me. Today I am in a li…

Chelsea winger Willian has revealed he is learning so much from Jose Mourinho after signing for the club in August.

The 25-year-old was signed for a reported £30million from Anzhi Makhachkala, where he had only played for seven months having joined from Shakhtar Donetsk the previous January.

And Willian feels settled at Stamford Bridge, stating that manager Mourinho was having a positive influence on his career.

My first impressions of Mourinho were really positive, he told FIFA s official website. He is one of the best coaches in the world and he said that he was delighted that I had come to Chelsea, and that he liked the way I play.

We talk a lot, and it’s really helping me. I’m learning so much.

Willian has made 20 appearances in all competitions f…