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Juventus midfielder Alessandro Del Piero is eyeing further trophies after signing a one-year contract extension with the club on Thursday.The 36-year-old has been at the club since 1993, winning five Serie A titles to go with his Coppa Italia and UEFA Champions League crowns.

Del Piero, a 91-time Italy representative, is also a World Cup winner after the Azzurri claimed the 2006 title in Germany.

He said settling the deal with the club was an easy process, despite talks going on since last autumn.

“It wasn’t difficult to reach an agreement. There wasn’t that much to discuss. What needed to have been done was done,” Del Piero said.

“We chose today to do it and it is a nice day.”

Despite his glittering success at the club, Del Piero said he still had more to achieve with Juventus.
“This team and this club should always have the maximum ambition and it is right to always think about winning,” he said.

The veteran said it was a nice surprise to sign at the club’s new stadium with his previous contract due for expiry next month.

Even at 36 years of age, Del Piero said he shared a similar passion for the game as he did when he was first starting at Juventus.

“The sensations are excellent, beautiful, just like they were in 1993,” Del Piero said.

“I’m happy to be here because as I have always said, I wanted to play for another year. The passion and love with which I train and play has helped me a lot and will continue to help me.”

Club president Andrea Agnelli reaffirmed the simplicity of the deal between Juventus and one of their club legends.

“Alessandro told me that he wants to continue to be the captain of Juventus and wishes to win another Scudetto in the new stadium,” Agnelli said.

“These words made me happy. Today’s signature is just a physical action. Del Piero can still give a lot on the pitch and send a message of the club’s values to his teammates.”

“He will also help us a lot next season, which for us will be one of redemption.”

Del Piero’s former youth coach Antonello Cuccureddu said a loan deal was moments away from being organised for Del Piero when former manager Giovanni Trapattoni was in charge.

He remembers watching him while he impressed for Serie B side Padova.

“It’s hard to imagine a career like he has had, but there was that hope back then when you saw what he could do. Innate class, he made the difference,” Cuccureddu said.

Arsenal will be without both Abou Diaby and Thomas Vermaelen when they face Portuguese side Braga in their opening Champions League group game on Wednesday.

Diaby injured his ankle during the Gunners' 4-1 win against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday while Belgian defender Vermaelen has an Achilles problem.

Meanwhile, boss Arsene Wenger has backed north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur to have a successful European campaign.

Spurs have been placed in a tough Champions League group after being given a scare by Young Boys in the play-offs, but Wenger believes Harry Redknapp's squad is strong enough to do well in Europe's premier competition.

He said:"It is hard for everybody but Tottenham have a quality squad. They have brought William Gallas and Rafael van der Vaart and, if you look at the number of players they have now, you don't even speak about David Bentley who they bought for £17million.

"They have Robbie Keane, Nico Krancjar, Luka Modric, Van der Vaart, Roman Pavlyuchenko, they have the quantity. In central defence I don't know but they must have six or seven central defenders so they have a big enough squad to deal with the physical demands.

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"I believe you adapt to this level of football very quickly, the difficulty is to switch quickly from Champions League to the championship because the Premier League is very demanding. That is difficult, but they have a big squad. They haven't done it by accident and I believe they have what it takes."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Arsenal fans are all in complete agreement over their latest transfer target, as an overwhelming majority voted to swoop for Lucas Torreira this summer.

According to various reports, Arsenal are in the race to sign Sampdoria’s Torreira this summer.

The feisty little midfielder has bundles of energy, and would inject a lot of life into Unai Emery’s new look Arsenal side.

Napoli and Everton have also been linked with moves for the Uruguayan, who is valued at £27m by Transfermarkt, but the Gunners are thought to be leading the pack, with a report from the Mirror even claiming he will complete a medical this week.

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Averaging 2.8 tackles and 2 interceptions per game along with an impressive 87 per cent pass success rate, the 22 year-old could completely transform Arsenal’s midfield, and give the likes of Ramsey and Xhaka a lot more freedom.

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Fans are completely in favour of a summer swoop, with a whopping 92 per cent backing a move for the 5 ft 5 defensive midfielder.

You can find the full poll results down below…

New Leeds United manager Paul Heckingbottom takes charge of his first match when his team face Sheffield United in a Yorkshire derby at Bramall Lane on Saturday, and the 40-year-old may choose to change the formation against the Blades.

Former boss Thomas Christiansen favoured the 4-2-3-1 system during his six months in charge of the Whites, but his successor often used a 4-1-4-1 formation at previous club Barnsley.

This meant that the Tykes had two out-and-out wingers and two more creative players in the middle of the park ahead of a player sitting in front of the back four, and Leeds certainly have the personnel to line up like that against Chris Wilder’s men this weekend.

Heckingbottom is likely to go with a back four of Vurnon Anita, Pontus Jansson (if he is fit to start), Matthew Pennington and Laurens De Bock, and new boy Adam Forshaw may well be asked to play the role just in front of the two centre-backs at Bramall Lane.

The new width would allow Gianni Alioski to remain on the wing, while Stuart Dallas could make a rare start on the opposite flank after his cross led to Sol Bamba putting through his own net in the 4-1 defeat against Cardiff City last weekend that saw Christiansen get the chop.

That would leave Ronaldo Vieira, Kemar Roofe and Pablo Hernandez fighting for the two spots in the middle, with Pierre-Michel Lasogga or Tyler Roberts likely to start up top.

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It will certainly be interesting to see what Heckingbottom decides to go with on Saturday, as he looks to get off to a positive start and end the club’s run of seven matches in all competitions without a win.

Tottenham are in a state of utter disarray at the moment. Meandering towards a season of disappointment with the Premier League top four challenge flagging and Europa League hopes now almost non-existent. The blame though is shifting; the animosity towards Sherwood is being replaced by more vitriol targeted at the club more generally.

Clearly there are concerns about boardroom level management; the new stadium, StubHub as well as the mismanagement of the playing squad and general poor treatment of fans are all emotive topics for Spurs fans. This is far from a happy club.

Last night capped off a preiod of discontent at Spurs with a 3-1 reverse at the hands of an impressive Benfica side. Sherwood was quick to praise the opposition who clearly arrived with a well-constructed plan and carried it through with ruthless efficiency, but Spurs themselves were disappointingly spineless. Man for man Spurs have the better side, but as a collective the North Londoners fall woefully short of what is required.

In years gone by Spurs have had their standout players, the like of Carrick, Berbatov, Modric and Bale were all rightly treated as the luxury assets they were; for me though in the current squad every player is readily dispensable.

So what next?

There are so many players in the Spurs squad that have underwhelmed, and more worryingly just don’t look like they care. Paulinho and Vertonghen have been playing with one eye on their flight to Rio; and many Spurs fans probably now hope that ticket is one way. Clearly there needs to be some drastic changes at the club, but is there anything that can be salvaged from the mess at White Hart Lane?

Spurs need a focal point, someone to build the side around; at the moment it is nothing more than a chaotic mess of individuals with no orchestrator. Spurs have missed Luka Modric for a number of years, in my opinion their biggest loss in the modern era, but in a certain diminutive Dane I believe they have the answer.

It would be difficult to suggest anyone had a good game last night; but Christian Eriksen offered more last night in brief spells than the rest of the Spurs side combined. At the moment he is just one ill-fitting cog in a crumbling machine, he needs to be made the main man.

The only man to drive forward, to actually try to create something meaningful rather than to sit back deliberatively, Eriksen was my standout man last night and he has been for the whole season. At just 22 people already expect a lot from the prodigious Dane, but if Spurs put their faith in him I think they will be rewarded.

The greatest Spurs sides down the years have been built around a playmaker, from the late great John White to Luka Modric, the idea of a tempo setter has been central to the clubs successes. In Christian Eriksen Spurs have the new breed, someone with the vision and passing range to unlock a defence in a split second and turn a game.

It seems bizarre that Sherwood is intent on playing the Dane out of position, last night he was forced out wide to make way for Harry Kane playing in what the manager described as a ‘Rooney role’. When you spend big money on the best players, at least play them in their natural positions.

Everyone else at Spurs is expendable as far I am concerned; the likes of Vertonghen and Paulinho are welcome to walk if their valuation is met.

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Spurs’ summer experiment just saw them buying top-level players that weren’t gauged towards any particular system. This summer it is time to rewind and build back from the foundations, with Eriksen at the heart, Spurs need to incorporate players that complement him and will flourish in a team built around him.

Expect this summer coming to be as turbulent as the last. Spurs need a makeover, and only a select few should be safe from the White Hart Lane axe.

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Newly promoted Southampton have confirmed they are investigating an incident involving goalkeeper Artur Boruc during their 2-1 defeat to Tottenham on Sunday.

It is alleged that the goalkeeper threw a water bottle in to the St. Mary’s crowd and began swearing at supporters following Spurs’ second goal.

And it is believed that Saints had initially looked at the video footage and insisted the Polish stopper had done nothing wrong, but the club have since announced they will be looking further into the incident.

A club statement said: “Southampton Football Club can confirm that it is investigating allegations of an incident involving Artur Boruc that occured towards the end of the first half during Sunday’s match against Tottenham Hotspur.

“The club takes such allegations extremely seriously and will deal with the matter in the appropriate manner.”

Boruc, who signed from Serie A side Fiorentina on a free in September  made his Saints debut in their 4-1 defeat away to West Ham earlier this month.

Since their promotion back to the Premier League, Southampton have managed to win only one of their first nine matches and have conceded a league high of 26 goals.

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Their poor defensive record has not been helped by the fact Boruc is the third goalkeeper manager Nigel Adkins has used so far this season, but he is expected to start against Leeds United in Saints’ Capital One Cup fourth round tie at Elland Road tonight.

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Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata won’t have much rest this summer but insists he is ready to shine for both club and country over the coming months, as reported by The Daily Record.

What’s the story?

The Belgian international is in on his way to the World Cup in Russia and is in line to feature prominently for Roberto Martinez’s squad given the injury doubts surrounding legend Vincent Kompany.

The defender has played in matches against Portugal, Egypt and Costa Rica recently and could end up being an unlikely starter in the country’s group matches.

The Hoops kick-off their summer qualifiers before the tournament in Russia is even over and as such could even be without the likes of Boyata or Mikael Lustig initially.

However, the 27-year-old insists he will be ready to go for Brendan Rodgers’ side when he returns to Glasgow.

As quoted by The Daily Record, Boyata said:

It will be a long season with the World Cup – and coming straight back for Champions League qualifiers with Celtic – but for me that is no problem. The World Cup and Champions League are the two biggest places you can be as a player – it is a challenge that excites me.

I worked hard to get here – and if I am needed to play then I will play. He (Kompany) has been working very hard to be ready – and he is an important leader for us. We hope he is available but if the coach needs me I am ready to do my job.

Should Celtic be worried that Boyata is involved too heavily for his country over the coming weeks?

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Fantastic learning experience

There have been doubts about Boyata’s ability to play at the highest level for Celtic, with the player making a number of high profile errors in his time in Scotland. Gaining experience in an elite squad like Belgium’s can only be a massive positive for the Hoops, especially if he goes on to feature in a tournament such as the World Cup.

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The Hoops should have plenty about them to make it through the early rounds of Champions League qualifying and by the time the step up in competition comes, Boyata should be available and ready to continue his decent progress under Brendan Rodgers, with the exposure to elite competition in Russia only preparing him better.

Southampton’s season is in need of rejuvenating as they currently sit in the relegation zone of the Premier League.

With just hours to go before the transfer window slams shut, supporters have been hoping for some good news.

Spartak Moscow winger Quincy Promes has been heavily linked with a switch to St Mary’s.

The Dutchman has scored 12 goals and created eight assists in 22 appearances in all competitions for the Russian outfit.

Southampton’s interest is understandable as Quincy is capable of treating the club’s attacking ailments.

However, according to BBC Radio Solent Sports Editor Adam Blackmore, Promes is unlikely to arrive at St Mary’s before tonight’s deadline, and instead could join the club in the summer.

The Saints’ current predicament leaves them one point adrift of safety and given that they have not won a league game since November, there is a chance that they will drop into the Championship come May.

With that in mind, it may be difficult to persuade Promes to join the coastal outfit if the club get relegated.

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The majority of Southampton fans have been left furious with the latest developments.

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Manchester United fans must have looked on at the Monday night showdown between Chelsea and City with a degree of envy. It was less than a year ago that United would have found themselves in a Premier League table topping contest, but those days now seem long gone.

Instead of a title tilt, United are finding themselves heavily embroiled in a peripheral contest for that last Champions League place, how the mighty have fallen. But could this all have been different had they put their faith in the wily Portuguese tactician rather than the dour Scotsman they now have at the helm?

For many United fans Monday night represented a case of what might have been for them, seeing the magical Mourinho in action, a man surely with the touch to steady an ailing United ship and bring them back on course.

I don’t doubt Mourinho’s credentials, and clearly he would have been the better appointment at least in the short term, but for me it wouldn’t have made a lot of difference. United’s problems run a lot deeper than simply managerial, and to simply dispense with Moyes would be a clear oversight. Moyes’ tactics and selections may at times be quizzical, but for me he isn’t getting enough wrong alone to explain the worrying downturn in form.

The reality for United is that Ferguson in his latter days was holding together a side on the decline, something that he should be applauded and criticised for in equal measure. The managerial issue has been a fall for United’s problems; the deeper issue is a squad that is worryingly lacking in quality. Maybe you can blame Moyes for not averting the crisis, a bolder Mourinho may well have pressed the owners harder for the revamp they needed, but in the end the fault is at boardroom level as much as it is with the manager.

For all his magic I really doubt Mourinho could have done much more than Moyes with the current United squad. Lacking the quality in the centre of the park, their impressive attack unit has been stymied of any really service and given the weaknesses in an ageing backline you can start to see the problem.

I don’t doubt Mata’s quality, but was he really the pressing need at United?

This is actually where Mourinho would have seen a bit of sense. Signing defensive midfielders is never the most captivating of deals for fans, but someone in the Nemanja Matic mould could have had a far more profound affect on United’s season. United aren’t missing a top level manager, they are missing someone to actually co-ordinate improvements to their playing staff. Mourinho has always been a man to control everything of a footballing nature and maybe David Moyes has left too much up to an unconvincing Ed Woodward. I doubt we would have seen the current transfer window shambles under David Gill’s tenure.

I think United fans yearning for Mourinho are looking for the quick fix, a simple answer to the woe they now find themselves in. It isn’t that simple, and the current state of disarray has been building for a while now and it is a shame that those with power at the club couldn’t see it.

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Mourinho’s appointment may well have necessitated a revolution at the club, transforming it from the verge of ruin, but based on squad alone the difference would have been negligible. Moyes is becoming an easy target and a scape goat for the chaos at United, those with genuine affection for the club should be venting their frustration elsewhere.

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Recent events in the NFL would probably have me rethinking the direction behind all this. The biggest sports league in America was officiated by a group of referees who are normally extremely far removed from the pro game—and it told. But that aside for now, it shouldn’t be something that will ever crop up in England (because some of the things that happen in American sports would seem unbelievable to most who are unfamiliar). But regardless of how good or bad referees in the Premier League and even Europe are, isn’t it time they started to respect the game a little more?

I’m still a little stunned that the football governing bodies from Uefa down to the domestic leagues advocate this respect campaign between players and referees. I even remember a handful of times where referees would point to that “respect” badge on their sleeve indicating that they’re in charge and should be, well, respected. That’s all fine, and it’s right, but doesn’t it work both ways?

There’s been plenty of talk about players crowding around a referee to influence a decision. It’s a problem that needs to be worked on a little harder to remove from games. But I have a real problem with the way referees shoo players away, practically telling them to eff off should they walk with purpose towards him. Embarrassingly, for the referee in question, Clarence Seedorf was yellow carded not too long ago for asking the referee what a hold up in the game was for. It’s arrogance from the officials, and how disrespectful and cowardly do you have to be to yellow card one of the most highly respected ambassadors of the game for asking a question?

Captains should be able to talk to the referee whenever there’s a stoppage in the game. It works in other sports like the NHL, whereby a player who is not one of the captains is given a two-minute minor penalty. Enforce something similar in football and we’ll be better for it.

But referees—however not all of them—live in this bubble where they can’t and won’t allow anyone to prove them wrong. And here’s the real kicker: a lot of the time they know they’ve made a mistake. They’re so well protected through not having to give post-game interviews and having the governing bodies impose bans and fines for anyone who seriously threatens their integrity that they do in fact get away with murder.

You want strong referees in the game, especially for high-profile matches. I’m still not entirely sold on some of the referees in the Premier League and their ability to officiate at this level. But their arrogance is at times infuriating. A lot of the time they don’t seem to know the rules, or at least they don’t do much to keep any form of consistency. When is a dive in the box a bookable offence and when is it not? Are any senior referees putting their hands up to make a genuine case to smooth out these issues?

The incident at Old Trafford a number of seasons ago between Manchester United and Tottenham was a good example of the carefree attitude of referees. Mark Clattenburg’s casual fling of his arm to indicate a controversial goal was embarrassing. Is that the best we have? And don’t any of the two captains dare approach him to question the decision, they’ll promptly be booked for such an act.

Massimo Busacca’s decision to send off Robin van Persie for his shot on goal at the Nou Camp a second after the whistle blew for offside was beyond any realm of logic and smacked wholly of arrogance. It didn’t make any sense and it’s something that isn’t enforced by other referees around Europe. Busacca, coincidently, was one of Europe’s senior officials. If memory serves, Arsene Wenger was given a fine for questioning the referee following his ridiculous decision.

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In a recent postseason match in the MLB between the St Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves, an incident occurred that brought up one of those rules that you hardly ever see in a game. It prompted many experts in the game and news outlets to point out the ruling and summarise what it meant and how it applied to that particular event. Needless to say it was extremely controversial. One of the pleasant things to see was the umpires explain their decision following the game in a press conference. Whether the call was right or not, at least we got to hear from them rather than have some retired official paraded around on TV giving his take.

I’m not buying this respect campaign from officials because it seems they’re immune to any form of confrontation or questioning. They don’t care what kind of effect their decision will have in the bigger picture and further down the line, and a lot of the time it seems they go into a game with a preconceived agenda.