Where Wayne Rooney will be plying his trade next term may be in question but his determination to hit the ground running is not as the Manchester United captain has already started pre-season training.
The 31-year-old is seriously considering a move away from Old Trafford after 13 medal-laden years, having found playing time restricted under Jose Mourinho.
Rooney’s status with England has also declined, with the country’s all-time top scorer and most capped outfield player left out of the last two squads having been eased out of the starting line-up and captain’s armband.
Whether the forward can force his way back into Gareth Southgate’s thoughts ahead of next summer’s World Cup is uncertain, as is the forward’s club future.
However, Rooney’s drive to kick on next term is unquestionable.
The forward is report4edly back in the UK and already getting into shape for the new campaign, despite United not heading on their pre-season tour until July 9.
Rooney has been away with his family during the off-season - a period he intended to use to make a final decision on his club future.
Perez stay on at Real Madrid
Florentino Perez will serve another term as Real Madrid president after standing unopposed for re-election, the club have announced.
The Madrid electoral board met overnight and, with no other candidate putting themselves forward for election ahead of the deadline, it was confirmed that the long-serving Perez would continue in the post.
The 70-year-old is now set to remain as president of the European and Spanish champions until 2021, taking his overall stay in the position to 18 years.
A club statement read: “In Madrid, on 19 June 2017, at 00:01 hours, the electoral board of Real Madrid met at their headquarters in order to deal with and decide the issues listed below.
“As no other candidature was put forward to the board and by virtue of article 40, paragraph E, item 2 of the current articles of association within the club, is it proclaimed that Mr Florentino Perez Rodriguez is president of Real Madrid.”
Madrid also confirmed the make-up of the club’s board of directors.
Perez returned as Madrid president for a second spell in 2009 and will now set to serve his third successive four-year tenure.
New faces at Arsenal
Arsenal have added to their backroom staff with two key personnel appointed to their medical and legal departments.
Huss Fahmy has joined the club to work alongside transfer negotiator Dick Law on player contracts, while fitness expert Darren Burgess is set to link up with the Gunners next month.
Bayern dismiss Ronaldo rumours
Reports linking Uefa Champions League winner Cristiano Ronaldo with a possible move to Bayern Munich if the Portuguese decided to leave Real Madrid were a hoax, the German champions said on Monday.
Bayern president Uli Hoeness has pledged a big-name signing in the close season and Italian media had reported in recent days the German champions were interested in Ronaldo.
“We are used to a lot of speculation about possible comings and goings during the transfer period,” said Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in a club statement with the headline “Hoax of the Day for the Ronaldo rumours”.
“As a rule we do not comment on these rumours but now in the case of Cristiano Ronaldo we want to make it clear once and for all that this rumour lacks any foundation and must be confined to the real of fables.”
Modric investigated over trial testimony
Croatian prosecutors said on Monday they were opening an investigation into whether Real Madrid’s Luka Modric gave false testimony at the trial of Dinamo Zagreb’s powerful former chief, Zdravko Mamic.
In a statement, prosecutors said they were probing “a Croatian citizen born on 1985” over suspicions of giving “false testimony on June 13 at a tribunal in Osijek” regarding a contract he signed in July 2004.
Mamic is accused -- along with his brother Zoran Mamic and two others–f abuse, power and graft that cost the former Croatian champions more than $17.6 million.
Cash was allegedly embezzled through fictitious deals related to player transfers, and Modric was called last week to testify over the details of his 2008 transfer from Dinamo to Tottenham Hotspur.
From there he joined Real Madrid in 2012.
The prosecutors alleged that, when questioned last week, Modric falsely said he had signed an annex to a contract with Dinamo over conditions for future transfers in July 2004.
Morelos joins Rangers
Striker Alfredo Morelos will be part of Rangers’ Europa League squad after the Ibrox side beat Uefa’s transfer deadline to seal his signature.
The Ibrox outfit confirmed the signing of the 20-year-old from Finnish side HJK Helsink on a three-year deal just hours after learning their first two qualifying-round opponents.
Manager Pedro Caixinha is pinning his hopes on the youngster’s scoring record as he prepares Rangers for their first European clash in six years.
Rangers have been drawn against Progres Niederkorn of Luxembourg, with the winner of that tie progressing to a second-round showdown with Cypriots AEL Limassol or St Joseph’s of Gibraltar.
Champions League draw is made
Austrian champion Salzburg will play either Maltese club Hibernians or Estonian team FCI Tallinn in the second qualifying round of the Uefa Champions League.
Salzburg’s presence in the draw threatens the place of RB Leipzig because both have ownership links with energy drink Red Bull. UEfa should decide this month if the clubs breach integrity rules designed to prevent two clubs that share an owner from playing in the same competition.
Salzburg have priority because it is a national champion. Leipzig were runners-up to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
Also in the second qualifying round, Celtic will play either Northern Ireland’s Linfield or San Marino’s La Fiorita.
Matches will be between July 11 and 19.
Trepca will make Kosovo’s Champions League debut in the first qualifying round, from June 27 to July 5, against Vikingur.
Oscar sparks fight in China
Brazilian international Oscar triggered a mass brawl in the Chinese Super League as players and staff from his Shanghai SIPG side and opponents Guangzhou R&F fought on the pitch.
After the former Chelsea midfielder appeared twice to fire the ball deliberately at Guangzhou players, he was rushed by several opponents. Oscar fell to the ground and a melee broke out.
The fight erupted just before half time in Sunday’s clash at Guangzhou R&F, where Andre Villas-Boas’s SIPG were attempting to keep up the pressure on league leaders Guangzhou Evergrande.
Oscar sparked the confrontation when he lashed the ball twice at R&F players.
The home side’s Chen Zhizhao retaliated, pushing the 25-year-old Brazilian to the ground. Then players, coaching staff and substitutes poured off the benches and waded in as Oscar lay face-down on the pitch.
When order was restored after pushing and shoving, R&F’s Li Tixiang and Shanghai’s Fu Huan were dismissed and three others were booked.
Oscar was unhurt and the fiery encounter finished 1-1 to leave SIPG four points behind reigning champions Guangzhou Evergrande.
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport