Feyenoord have announced that Dirk Kuyt has retired after inspiring the club to their first Eredivisie title in 18 years.
The 36-year-old club captain has been a crucial figure in Giovanni van Bronckhorst s side this season and scored all three goals in the 3-1 win over Heracles that clinched their first title since 1998-99.
The club confirmed on Wednesday that Kuyt will now focus on studying to take up a non-playing role in Rotterdam, under the guidance of technical director Martin van Geel.
Kuyt made a personal announcement on Wednesday morning to head coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst, that he will continue training for the next few days and then stop playing football the club said via a statement.
Our captain Dirk has just announced his retirement f…
Fiorentina are weighing up summer bid for Galatasaray midfielder Blerim Dzemaili, .
Viola have been looking for ways to reinforce their midfield department and the former Napoli star is the latest player on their wish list.
Dzemaili has struggled during his first season in Turkish Super Lig and he would probably relish the opportunity of returning to Italian Serie A.
Meanwhile, Fiorentina coaching staff believes the player s extensive top-flight experience in Italy would make him a valuable member of the squad.
Blerim Dzemaili, 29, moved to Italian Serie A from Bolton Wanderers, joining Torino in the summer of 2008.
He left Granata after a single season and spent next two years at Parma before moving to Stadio San Paolo in 2011.
Dzemaili…
Barcelona target Frenkie de Jong has confirmed he will not leave Ajax after helping his team qualify for the group stages of the Champions League.
Eredivisie giants Ajax held Dynamo Kiev to a 0-0 draw in Ukraine on Tuesday, ensuring they progressed thanks to their 3-1 home win in the first leg.
De Jong has long been linked with Barcelona, with the LaLiga champions reportedly still keen to strengthen their midfield ahead of Friday s transfer deadline.
But the 21-year-old insisted he is going nowhere after Ajax booked a seat at Europe s table.
Maybe someday I ll join Barcelona, but not this season, he told NOS. I m staying at Ajax. I think it will be a good year.
We ve made it! incoming!
— AFC Ajax (English) (@AFCAjax_EN)
Newcastle United have bolstered their defence ahead of a return to the Premier League with the signing of Florian Lejeune from Eibar.
The centre-back becomes the Magpies second arrival of the close-season following the permanent switch of Christian Atsu from Chelsea.
Lejeune has put pen to paper on a five-year deal at St James Park, meaning he will stay at Newcastle – promoted as champions under Rafael Benitez last season – until 2022.
I m very happy to have signed. Newcastle United is a big club, and I m very happy to be here, Lejeune told Newcastle s official website.
When you have a manager like Rafa Benitez who wants you, you are very happy to come. Since I ve been in touch with the manager, it was an easy decision for me to come here.
…
Former Premier League chief executive Rick Parry feels that top-flight clubs in England could work together to standardise the cost of tickets for away supporters.
The issue of ticket prices hit the headlines again this week after a group of Liverpool fans boycotted Tuesday s game at Hull City because they were being charged up to £50 per ticket, while Stoke City supporters paid £16 at the KC Stadium earlier in the season.
Parry, who was the Premier League s first chief executive before going on to fulfil the same role at Liverpool between 1998 and 2009, believes that while it is important for clubs to retain the right to set their own pricing structures, there is room for collective responsibility when it comes to away fans.
The Premier League is owned by…
Angel Di Maria s performances in the absence of Neymar and Edinson Cavani are a gift to Paris Saint-Germain boss Thomas Tuchel.
Di Maria hit a brace in Tuesday s 3-0 win over Dijon in the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France – the latest in a string of impressive performances over recent weeks.
The Argentina international excelled in the 2-0 Champions League win over his former club Manchester United earlier this month, with PSG having headed to Old Trafford without Neymar and Cavani due to respective metatarsal and hip injuries.
Tuchel feels ex-Real Madrid man Di Maria s long-established pedigree on big occasions has been vital to his team during a tricky period.
Di Maria won the Champions League with Real Madrid, I was watching his matches and he wa…
Jose Mourinho needs time to implement his ideas at Old Trafford if the glory days of Alex Ferguson are to return to Manchester United, according to Juan Sebastian Veron.
During his 26 years at Old Trafford, Ferguson won 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups and two Champions League crowns.
The Scot retired in 2013 and United have only won three trophies since then – the 2015-16 FA Cup and the EFL Cup and Europa League in the following campaign.
David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Mourinho have all been tasked with filling the hole left by Ferguson s departure.
Mourinho has come under fire this season with United languishing eighth place after 12 matches, but former United midfielder Veron believes the Portuguese could still prove to be the right man.
…
Record caps holder Wesley Sneijder has been left out of the Netherlands squad for the crucial World Cup qualifying double-header against Belarus and Sweden.
Sneijder has scored 31 goals in 132 international appearances, but has not been called up by manager Dick Advocaat for the crunch games.
The Netherlands are third in Group A, four points behind leaders France and three points adrift of second-placed Sweden.
They travel to Belarus on 7th October before hosting Sweden in Amsterdam three days later as they look to qualify for the World Cup in Russia next year.
There is also no place in the squad for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie, but Ryan Babel will be hoping to make a first appearance for his country since 2011 after his fine recent form for Besiktas.…
Scotland crashed out of the Women s World Cup in controversial fashion after Argentina fought back from three goals down to draw 3-3 on Wednesday.
Following 2-1 defeats to both England and Japan in their opening Group D matches, Scotland needed victory to stand a chance of progressing into the last 16, and they looked to be cruising through as one of the best third-placed sides when Erin Cuthbert put them 3-0 up in the 69th minute at Parc des Princes.
Kim Little s effort had got things rolling for Shelley Kerr s side, before Jennifer Beattie s header improved matters early in the second half.
But Argentina hauled one back five minutes after Cuthbert s close-range strike, with Lee Alexander s own goal setting up a grandstand finish.
The VAR then …
Leon Goretzka rejected interest from the Premier League, LaLiga and Serie A in order to join Bayern Munich, head coach Jupp Heynckes has said.
The Bundesliga champions announced on Friday that a deal has been reached to sign the midfielder when his Schalke contract expires after the end of the season.
Goretzka had been linked with the likes of Liverpool, Barcelona and Juventus before agreeing to a four-year deal at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge described the move as good news for the Bundesliga and Heynckes is also delighted to see a young Germany international stay on home turf.
I talked to [assistant coach] Peter Hermann, who worked with Leon Goretzka at Schalke, about him, he told a news conference. He said Leon has a ver…