West Ham have completed the signing of Mexico international Edson Alvarez from Ajax for an undisclosed fee.

The 25-year-old has agreed a contract until June 2028 with the Europa Conference League winners.

He strengthens the Hammers’ midfield options following the sale of former captain Declan Rice to Arsenal.

West Ham manager David Moyes told the club website: “The midfield area was one we were especially keen to strengthen this summer – and Edson will complement the other options we have in that department.

“He’s an experienced international player, who has enjoyed great success for both club and country during his career to date.”

Alvarez, who began his career with Mexico City-based Club America, moves to the Premier League after clinching two Eredivisie titles during his four-season stay with Ajax.

He has been capped 69 times by his country, winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2019 and 2023, in addition to travelling to the World Cup in 2018 and 2022.

“It’s a hugely sentimental moment for me in my career,” he said. “To join a club like a West Ham is a dream for me and my family.

“The Premier League is a special league, the best league in the world, and I think my style will suit it.

“I now have a responsibility to West Ham and the West Ham family and I will give absolutely everything for the shirt.”

West Ham, who will play in the Europa League this term, begin the new season at Bournemouth on Saturday.

Bethany England is optimistic the launch of the Premier League season will not distract football fans from the Lionesses’ quest to lift a maiden World Cup.

The European champions kick off their Colombia quarter-final at 11:30am UK time on Saturday, one hour before Arsenal and Nottingham Forest begin their new campaigns at the Emirates.

The Lionesses’ last-16 clash against Nigeria was watched by over five million people on BBC TV, while tournament organisers have said they are on track to reach an audience of two billion viewers worldwide.

Forward England said: “It’s important that we keep, I think as we’ve seen over the last few years and since the Euros especially the amount of numbers that have grown in the women’s game and people’s interest and viewing numbers.

“I think hopefully we can still engage the fans enough to want to watch us and I know there’s a lot of people that have turned to women’s football because they’ve enjoyed watching us. It’s not just because the men aren’t playing.

“So hopefully we can continue that because we want to make sure that those viewing numbers are as high as possible, whether they choose to watch the men’s game or not.

“We can’t affect that. I think ultimately we’re going to go and try and put out our best performance and give the fans something to watch, and that they will want to keep coming back and watching us.”

England was part of Sarina Wiegman’s squad who lifted the Euro 2022 trophy last summer, a result that captivated the country and launched an unprecedented, record-breaking season of attendance and viewing figures for the Women’s Super League (WSL) and sold-out international contests at Wembley.

The European final took place on July 31, several weeks before the opening weekend of the Premier League.

England, 29, left Chelsea for Tottenham in January and finished as the WSL’s third-best goal-scorer behind only England team-mate Rachel Daly and Jamaica captain Khadija Shaw, whose side were beaten 1-0 by the Lionesses’ South American Saturday rivals Colombia.

England did enough to stand out to Wiegman, and not just to earn a ticket to Australia.

The Spurs striker has so far twice been rewarded with playing time as a substitute, and converted a critical spot-kick against Nigeria in the Lionesses’ dramatic 4-2 win on penalties.

England added: “I was in that situation last summer where I didn’t play and it was tough, but for me, this tournament has been very much different and it’s been an amazing feeling, and a very proud moment for me to have been able to have stepped onto the pitch for my national team in a major tournament.

“And I think it’s important, I remember having this conversation with some of the girls the other day, that you think it’s the end of the world because you’ve not played your part, but you’re all playing your part. And that’s exactly what I had to learn from myself last year, was that it might seem at the time like it’s really difficult but it really is worth it.”

A World Cup quarter-final seems a universe away from England’s early days.

Nine years ago, still several seasons before the WSL turned professional in 2018, she was doing night shifts at the the Wellington Street chippy in Barnsley while balancing football with Doncaster Belles alongside her A-levels.

England added: “When I look back to working in the chippy, doing a shift until 5am and clearing up drunk people’s food or alcohol bottles, I’m now playing in a major tournament. That for me is very much a ‘pinch me’ moment.

“Everyone’s story is different, everyone has got their own way in which they got here. I think it’s quite special because it’s really humbling as well that with things like that you are just a normal person but then you come to a tournament like this and think ‘wow, there are millions and millions of eyes watching me in these moments’.

“I just have to make sure I’m at my best and ready because you’re always watching us no matter what we do.”

Premier League referees’ chief Howard Webb says the change in approach on added time is here to stay, despite early criticism from top-flight players and managers.

Referees in competitions worldwide have been instructed by the game’s lawmakers to measure time lost to stoppages more accurately, an approach first adopted at the World Cup in Qatar last year where an additional 11 minutes and six seconds were played on average in the group stage.

Webb said the change was necessary as football gets to grips with the “dark arts” of time-wasting, with a a more robust approach set to be taken to dealing with players who delay restarts in play.

Sunday’s Community Shield lasted over 105 minutes, with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola saying the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which sets the game’s laws, had not consulted with managers and players over the change in approach.

Manchester United defender Raphael Varane echoed those criticisms on Monday, saying the change, allied to a congested calendar, was “damaging” to the game.

Whereas ‘rule of thumb’ approaches had been used in the Premier League for certain stoppages last season – 30 seconds per goal celebration and substitution for example – referees and their wider team will now be asked to be more exact.

The Premier League anticipates the change in approach will increase the length of the average match in the coming season by three minutes and 23 seconds compared to last season – going up to 101 minutes and 49 seconds.

Webb, the chief refereeing officer at Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), said: “As far as I’m aware and concerned (the change in approach on added time) is here to stay.

“I appreciate we’re hearing two sides of a coin here, but there was also a lot of noise around the need to do something around increasing effective playing time and getting more game for people who are paying good money to go and watch football.

“IFAB have acted undoubtedly with good intentions to try to deal with this. Last season a quarter of the games in the Premier League went above 100 minutes. I am expecting it to settle down.

“For sure there’s more dark arts in the game than previously. Everybody tells me that, and I see that myself as well. One of the things that will hurt us here is if we’re not consistent with this in the way that we play it. We have to be. It can’t be a flash in the pan. It can’t be a short-term campaign.”

In response to Guardiola’s assertion around a lack of consultation, Webb said: “Certain things change each year in terms of the laws of the game. IFAB is the organisation that ratifies changes.

“There is a consultation process that goes into that. There is a way people can feed into the process.

“Obviously, when something is ratified at (IFAB’s) AGM, it comes our way to deliver. By the end of this week I will have done at least 17 pre-season briefings, so people are aware what is coming. I am really keen to keep engaging, consulting and getting feedback and embracing the feedback and comparing it against other feedback we get.

“We have to find where the benefit is with any changes we want to apply. Is it frustrating? No. I know consultation does exist from our side, that is what we can control and we will keep engaging.”

The other major initiative from a refereeing perspective is a clampdown on poor behaviour from players and managers as part of a wider move to improve conduct, including among fans.

Webb said: “For too long our officials have not necessarily been able to make that differentiation (between passion and unacceptable behaviour) or have chosen for whatever reason to turn a blind eye or a deaf ear to certain things.

“But the power of example is so strong and we are seeing a lot of examples (of bad behaviour) and all the numbers are tracking in the wrong direction around what’s happening in the game in this area.

“We’re seeing grassroots officials have a bad experience too often and this has got to change in our sport and we’re determined collectively within the game to do this.”

Webb also confirmed audio from VAR decisions – including some clips where errors were made – would be aired on a monthly basis.

It follows on from Webb appearing on Monday Night Football towards the end of last season to talk through some incidents from earlier in the season in a bid to provide greater transparency around VAR.

What the papers say

Chelsea are hoping to finally secure the signature of Brighton star Moises Caicedo, the Guardian reports. The club are hoping to finalise the deal as soon as possible so he can be available to play in their opening match against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Manchester United are keen to sign Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, who the Daily Mail says is worth around £30million.

Dutch left-back Ian Maatsen is being chased by Burnley and now West Ham, according to the Daily Mail. The 21-year-old impressed in his pre-season fixtures for Chelsea with West Ham hoping to gain his services on a loan deal.

Italian champions Napoli are interested in Brighton’s 19-year-old forward Julio Enciso, the Telegraph reports.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Benjamin Pavard: Manchester United are hoping to bring the Bayern Munich defender to the club to reunite with former France international team-mate Raphael Varane, French news outlet L’Equipe says.

Max Aarons: The Athletic reports the Norwich City right-back was set for a move to Leeds United, but Bournemouth look set to move in on the deal.

The Premier League may have to scrap its mid-season break due to the overcrowding of the football calendar.

The change could come into effect next season with FIFA’s revamped 32-team Club World Cup set to take place in the summer of 2025, as well as a larger-scale World Cup the following year.

The Premier League introduced the break – which this season will take the form of a structured two-week period in January – in 2018 in a bid to ease the workload on players, but chief executive Richard Masters admits it is under discussion as it could become unworkable.

“It is one of the things we are discussing with the FA and EFL. We want the Premier League, the big cup competitions and the EFL to flourish and that requires an adjustment,” he said.

“It is the last season where it’s recognisable under the current international match calendar, where the Premier League starts on a particular weekend and the FA Cup final has its own weekend and you have the Champions League after that and a mid-season player break in the middle.

“A lot will have to change because of the additional European dates. We are also very much aware of the changes to FIFA’s competitions. The World Cup is getting bigger, an additional group stage game is going to be added. Inevitably that’s going to take up more calendar space.

“You obviously have the views of the players’ union and the players being expressed very strongly now.

“From a leagues perspective, the European Leagues and World Leagues Forum are very clear on this, there has to be a forum for domestic competitions to be able to discuss the impact of regional and global decisions on the calendar.

“There’s lots of dialogue with UEFA, very little dialogue with FIFA.”

There were almost double the usual amount of yellow cards shown over the first weekend of the EFL season as the crackdown on time-wasting and player behaviour came into force.

Masters expects the same in the top flight until players and managers get used to the law changes.

“I think these things will level out,” he added. “It’s not the first crackdown that the governing bodies have had, in relation to surrounding referees for example.

“Players and managers need time to adjust and actually the officials need time to adjust.

“But over a period of time, rather than it to sort of dissipate and not have impact, everyone’s behaviour adjusts and things settle down.

“There will be more yellow cards. I don’t know whether a doubling of yellow cards is a good thing or a bad thing. It certainly sends a message that the officials are true to their word.”

Ex-Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy is chasing millions of pounds of back pay from his former club and is selling his house in a bid to avoid bankruptcy, the High Court has heard.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is seeking a bankruptcy order against the France international over a nearly £800,000 tax debt, a specialist judge was told.

The hearing in London on Wednesday comes less than a month after the 29-year-old was cleared of rape and attempted rape at Chester Crown Court.

Jacquille Jarrett, representing HMRC, said proceedings at the Insolvency and Companies Court had previously been postponed pending the outcome of the criminal trial and for a settlement of Mendy’s debt from backdated salary or the sale of his property.

“There has been no contact from the debtor,” Jarrett said, adding: “The agreement advises that an update would be given to HMRC but no contact was made.

“We look to secure a bankruptcy order today.”

Mendy’s accountant, who refused to give reporters his full name, told the hearing the now Lorient defender “was found not guilty in respect of those very serious criminal charges against him”.

He said Manchester City had not paid Mendy, who was not present at Wednesday’s hearing, since September 2021.

The accountant said Mendy’s agent is “in negotiations with Manchester City to get the back pay on the basis that he has been found not guilty”.

The sum is “in the order of nine to 10 million pounds gross”, the accountant told the court.

He also said Mendy’s house in Cheshire is being marketed by estate agent Savills for £5million.

“He himself has moved back to France where he comes from,” the accountant said.

“I would like to ask for a short extension because I am told very firmly by his agent that the pay issue will be resolved from Manchester City.

“He was very short of money indeed, the cost of the legal case were over one million pounds.”

Mendy left City in June at the expiration of his contract, having not played for the European champions since August 2021.

He has since signed a two-year deal with French club Lorient.

Judge Clive Jones told Wednesday’s hearing that Mendy’s HMRC debt is £788,409.

Criticising Mendy, the judge said: “I’m very unimpressed at the lack of information that’s been provided both to HMRC and to the court prior to this hearing.

“That, I really think, is the wrong step for him to take,” he said, adding that Mendy must attend any further hearing or be legally represented.

The judge adjourned the bankruptcy proceedings to 11am on October 4 to allow Mendy to sell his house.

He said he has been told there is “more than sufficient equity in a house”, adding that “time should be given to enable payment to be made”.

“I also bear in mind that there are also negotiations in place about the backdated pay,” the judge said, adding that Mendy could be being paid “a large sum in wages” in France.

On July 14 this year, jurors found the full-back not guilty of a charge of rape and one of attempted rape, following a three-week trial at Chester Crown Court.

Mendy had been on trial for a second time, the jury failing to reach verdicts on the allegations made by two women.

In his first trial, lasting six months and ending in January, he was cleared of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to four other young women or teenagers.

Luton have signed former Chelsea and Everton midfielder Ross Barkley on a free transfer.

Former England international Barkley, 29, spent last season at Ligue 1 club Nice following his departure from Chelsea by mutual consent.

Barkley – who played for England at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and also had a loan spell at Aston Villa – could make his debut for the Hatters in their opening Premier League match at Brighton on Saturday.

“Why Luton? Going from the Conference to the Premier League is a great story and for me personally to be back in the Premier League, it’s great motivation,” Barkley said on the Luton club website.

“I’m still relatively young and over the last couple of years I’ve not played as much as I’d have liked.

“But I’ve reserved a lot of energy and looked after myself, so it’s great to be here now as I’ve got a lot to show but I’m ready and feeling motivated.”

Luton manager Rob Edwards is confident Barkley can bring something different to his squad as their embark on a first Premier League campaign after winning the Sky Bet Championship play-off final.

“Ross brings loads of experience at the top level, has international experience and brings an X-factor,” Edwards said.

“He gives us something different, he has that ability to make something out of nothing and we need that in the Premier League. He’s got all the tools required to make a difference for us.

“It’s really exciting for the football club. We want the fans to be excited and they should be about Ross’ arrival.”

The company responsible for creating the new font on Premier League kits believe they have come up with a design that will sit alongside previous era-defining styles.

Only a trained eye may notice that the typeface for the players’ names and numbers, as well as the Premier League logo on the sleeve, will be different this season as the league ordered an update for just the fourth time since a uniform font was introduced in 1997.

Avery Dennison, a global materials science and digital identification solutions company, were tasked with the redesign and came up with a “fresh and modern” take, while also increasing visibility.

After being given the seal of approval by commentators such as Martin Tyler and Jim Proudfoot at a test event at Brentford’s stadium, the design was revealed in March.

With famous moments in Premier League history intrinsically linked to the kits players were wearing, Avery Dennison believe they have struck the right note with this design.

“It was just the fourth time the Premier League has changed them so we wanted to create something that would stand the test of time,” senior marketing manager John Ellison told the PA news agency.

“We are confident we have done that. Names and numbers are part of the identity of supporting a football club and we believe our design will create memories that are associated with this design for fans for many years to come.”

With some instantly-recognisable designs of the past, whether it be the shadow-effect of the 1997 design or the more sleek version that was introduced in the late 2000s, it would have been easy to head down memory lane.

But that was never an option as the Premier League brief was an “evolution not a revolution”.

“It’s important to look at the historical designs but they did not heavily influence the final outcome,” Ellison added.

“The Premier League have only changed the design a number of times and when you look back over 30 years, you can see they were right for the time but that doesn’t mean you’d draw too much from those historical designs.

“We knew we wanted something fresh and modern. We tried to run in line with the evolution but the underlying principles were that it would be easily legible and all about visibility at distance.

“It quickly became apparent they weren’t after a revolution, they were after an evolution.

“They wanted to move on from where they are but not flip things on their head. They wanted to build an identity that stayed true to the look of their current branding.”

Avery Dennison, who used automation in the manufacturing process to reduce waste, were also committed to sustainability, with their plant in Norway powered by renewable energy from a nearby glacier.

Ellison added: “Sustainability is at the core of everything we do. At Avery Dennison we use many pioneering and proprietary processes to produce our names and numbers.

“We are committed to sustainability and aim to exceed all industry standards.”

The design was debuted in the Premier League Summer Series in the United States recently and will get its first UK airing when the new campaign kicks-off with Manchester City’s visit to Burnley on Friday.

What the papers say

A player swap between Manchester United and Everton could see Harry Maguire leave the club that signed him from Leicester for £80million in 2019. The Independent reports Everton are considering the move for the 30-year-old while The Daily Mail says United are interested in Everton midfielder Amadou Onana.

United are also willing to open contract talks with Aaron Wan-Bissaka after the transfer window closes, according to the Daily Mail.

The Times says if Tottenham captain Harry Kane leaves the club, they will look towards Gent’s 21-year-old Nigerian striker Gift Orban.

Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney could leave the club on loan to Real Sociedad who are interested in his services, the Telegraph says.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Douglas Luiz: The North London rivalry is moving into the transfer market this summer as Arsenal and Tottenham fight for Aston Villa’s 25-year-old midfielder, Football Insider said.

Neymar: Multiple reports suggest the superstar could leave Paris St Germain and move to Saudi Pro League team Al-Hilal but only if he was able to spend a season at Real Madrid on loan.

New guidelines on added time and player behaviour are set to dominate the debate in the early weeks of the new domestic season in England.

Here, the PA news agency takes a closer look.

– What has happened?

Referees in the Premier League and the EFL, in line with every other competition around the world, have been instructed by the game’s lawmakers to more accurately calculate time lost to stoppages this season – including goal celebrations, substitutions and VAR checks.

The approach was first adopted at the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year, where on average FIFA found 10 minutes and 11 seconds were added to matches at the finals.

– Why is this being done?
The idea is to clamp down on time-wasting and increase effective playing time. The game’s world governing body FIFA found that while added time was up in Qatar compared to the 2018 finals in Russia, effective playing time increased from 55 minutes and 41 seconds in Russia to 59 minutes and 47 seconds in Qatar.

– What has been the impact in England so far?

Arsenal have been early beneficiaries of the new approach, scoring in the 11th of 13 added minutes at the end of the Community Shield on Sunday to draw level against Manchester City before going on to win on penalties. The match lasted 105 minutes and 45 seconds, well above last season’s Premier League average of 98 minutes and 31 seconds.

Games averaged over 100 minutes in each division of the EFL over the opening weekend, with the highest average recorded in League Two – 107 minutes and four seconds.

– What has the reaction been?
While the feedback received in Qatar was largely positive, the approach has faced some early criticism in the English game.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Manchester United defender Raphael Varane have hit out at what they say is a lack of consultation with players and coaches over the introduction of these guidelines.

The chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, Maheta Molango, has met with members of the union over the summer – including Varane during meetings with both Manchester clubs last week. The PFA said players expressed concerns over the impact of this new guidance across the course of a long season, having already pushed back at a “completely unsustainable” calendar

– What do the game’s leaders say?

FIFA referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina insists the change in approach will be beneficial in cutting out time-wasting, and is confident added time levels will drop when players realise there is no benefit to trying to waste time. He pointed out that even in Qatar there was a drop-off as players adapted – with 11 minutes and six seconds added on average in the group stage, dropping as low as seven minutes and 15 seconds in the last 16.

He also pointed out the approach would not make a massive difference in the Premier League – citing the fact that 10 minutes or more had been added in four of the 10 top-flight matches played on the first weekend in March this year.

– Is there really an impact on player workload?
Global players’ union FIFPRO says there could be, if the levels of added time witnessed in Qatar were sustained across a season. A report it commissioned earlier this year said the changes in added time could equate to three extra games per season for the players with the highest workloads currently.

– What else is new?

Players and coaches can expect to see a tougher and more consistent approach from officials towards dissent and abuse, as part of a wider effort to improve conduct across the board in the English game.

Referees have been instructed to show at least one yellow card where two or more players confront them, while players and coaches in the professional game who repeatedly or seriously abuse officials can expect to face tougher financial sanctions from the Football Association. In the grassroots game, such actions will lead to points deductions this season.

Fan behaviour is also being looked at, with the game’s authorities determined to pursue criminal charges against anyone found to be involved in football tragedy abuse, in addition to clamping down on pitch invasions, drugs and pyrotechnics at games.

Dejan Kulusevski has vowed to do “everything” in his power to help convince Harry Kane to stay at Tottenham.

Kane ignored the noise around his future to score four times in Spurs’ 5-1 friendly victory over Shakhtar Donetsk on Sunday.

The England captain remains the subject of intense interest from Bayern Munich, who are reported to have lodged their latest offer for the forward on Friday, although no outcome of the bid has been announced.

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New Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou hailed Kane’s professionalism after his four-goal salvo and his team-mate echoed those sentiments.

“He scored four goals, so very good,” Kulusevski exclaimed.

“Nah, he’s unbelievable. Honestly, his mentality, I can learn from him like everybody. He just goes out and performs day in day out.

“He’s a true professional. I’m happy I helped him score today but of course we want him to stay and we’ll do everything to make him stay.”

Asked whether it would be beneficial to have Kane’s future sorted sooner rather than later, Kulusevski admitted: “I think it would. On the other hand, you can only control what you can control. We players cannot do anything about it.

“We work our hardest, try to stay ready and the players that manage it, it’s up to them.”

The uncertainty over Kane does not appear to be going away but Tottenham are close to the signings of Micky Van De Ven and Argentinian youngster Alejo Veliz, the PA news agency understands.

Both Wolfsburg centre-back Van De Ven and Rosario Central forward Veliz are booked in to have medicals on Monday and – if their transfers are finalised in time – they could be set to make the trip to Barcelona for Tuesday’s final pre-season match of the summer.

It will be the last chance for Postecoglou to get his squad attuned to his front-foot, progressive style of football before their Premier League opener away to Brentford on Sunday.

Kulusevski, after being accustomed to a pragmatic and counter-attacking approach under Antonio Conte previously, is relishing the attacking brand brought in by the Australian.

“It is fun actually. I love it,” he said.

“You have to be physically very good, I love that too. I’m enjoying having a lot of ball higher on the pitch, so I’m very grateful to have him (Postecoglou).

“I like him a lot. Also in half-time he was very angry because we stopped playing for five minutes and you cannot be like that.

“You have to play always. Just because you’re tired, you (can’t) let them have the ball. Things happen like that. So I like him a lot and I’m looking forward to improving under him.”

Kane broke the deadlock from the penalty spot after 38 minutes of Sunday’s friendly with Shakhtar, but the visitors levelled before the break through Kevin Kelsy.

Postecoglou’s half-time hairdryer worked a treat though, with Kane heading home James Maddison’s cross soon after before Kulusevski’s through ball saw the forward clinch his hat-trick in 55 minutes.

There was still time for Manor Solomon’s saved effort to be tapped home by Kane for his fourth and his replacement Dane Scarlett grabbed a fifth with the last kick of the match.

Kulusevski did concede there will be an adjustment period for Tottenham under Postecoglou.

He said: “Everything takes time in life, but the thing is we really, really have to believe in it. It’s not enough if he’s trying to make us believe. We all have to do it.

“But we’re in a good way, I think. This was the first game when we played 90 minutes. We’re happy, we ran a lot. It was quite good.

“Last season, maybe we scored one and then we tried to protect the result. So, of course we have to improve but second half was very, very good.

“He (Postecoglou) said we always have to play. Don’t shoot away the ball, don’t stop pressing, don’t waste time. Always play, play the same and don’t think about the score or the time. Just play and have fun.

“We all want to score much more. When we go 1-0, we want to score the second, not back off. So, we all we want to score much more.”

Manchester United defender Raphael Varane has hit out at the “damaging” new guidelines on added time and conduct for this season’s Premier League and asked why players’ opinions are not being heard.

Competitions around the world have been instructed to more accurately calculate time lost to stoppages this season, including goal celebrations and VAR checks.

Arsenal equalised in the 11th of 13 added minutes at the end of Sunday’s Community Shield against Manchester City and went on to win on penalties.

The game’s lawmakers, the International Football Association Board, said in March that the approach to calculating added time was “positively received” when it was first tested at the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year and would be rolled out worldwide.

However, Varane says the changes have been brought in “despite our previous feedback” and are placing too much pressure on players.

He tweeted on Monday morning: “We had a meeting last week with the FA. They recommended from the referees new decisions and rules.

“From the managers and players, we have shared our concerns for many years now that there are too many games, the schedule is overcrowded, and it’s at a dangerous level for players’ physical and mental well-being.

“Despite our previous feedbacks, they have now recommended for next season: longer games, more intensity, and less emotions to be shown by players. We just want to be in good condition on the pitch to give 100 per cent to our club and fans. Why are our opinions not being heard?”

Varane retired from international football at the age of 29 earlier this year, likening the slog of the top-level game to being in a washing machine.

The new guidelines on added time have been introduced to tackle timewasting and increase effective playing time.

FIFA found 10 minutes and 11 seconds of added time were played on average in Qatar, an increase on the average for the previous World Cup finals in Russia, but also found effective playing time was up in Qatar by more than four minutes compared to Russia.

However, the impact of the extra added time on players over a sustained period has already been highlighted by their global union FIFPRO, which reported earlier this year that the changes would amount to the equivalent of up to three extra games per season for players with the highest existing workloads.

“As a player I feel very privileged to do the job I love every day but I feel these changes are damaging our game,” Varane added.

“We want to be at our maximum level, the best we can be and put on amazing performances for fans to celebrate every week.

“I believe it is important that we, players and managers, highlight these important issues as we want to protect the game we love and give the fans our best.”

Varane’s remark about “less emotions to be shown by players” appeared to be a reference to a new code of conduct designed to improve the behaviour of players, coaches and fans at all levels of the English game announced last week.

It has been launched with the support of all of the football authorities, with the Professional Footballers’ Association understood to have helped shape the new guidance.

Referees will be expected to take a more consistent and tough line when players surround them to challenge decisions. Officials should issue at least a yellow card where two or more players confront them.

Players and coaches who seriously or repeatedly abuse referees could face increased financial penalties from the Football Association, while a tougher line is set to be taken against fans involved in football tragedy abuse.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag does not see Saudi Arabia’s eye-catching spending as a problem for the Premier League as England remains the go-to place for top players.

The football landscape has been disrupted by the ambitious Saudi Pro League since world star Cristiano Ronaldo’s winter move to Al Nassr made ripples.

The Saudi splurge shows no signs of abating, with Al Hilal making a world-record £259million bid for Paris St Germain star Kylian Mbappe.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said Saudi Arabia has changed the market after Riyad Mahrez joined Al Ahli, but United boss Ten Hag does not see it as a problem for the Premier League.

“I think in Europe it has an effect because there is some money over there and it will attract players,” the Dutchman told the PA news agency.

“But I don’t see it in this moment as a problem for the Premier League because the Premier League is the league where the big players want to play.

“That is not in competition with a league like America or Saudi Arabia.”

Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante completed moves to Al Ittihad, with Roberto Firmino, Edouard Mendy and Mahrez switching to Al Ahli this summer.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has joined Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq, with Ruben Neves and Kalidou Koulibaly leaving the Premier League for Al Hilal.

Former Aston Villa and Everton midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger has questioned Jordan Henderson’s support for LGBT+ issues after the Liverpool captain made his controversial move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq.

The 41-year-old came out as gay in 2014 and was the highest-profile footballer to do so.

Henderson’s move to the Middle East has been criticised due to his alliance with LGBT+ groups and the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign.

Homosexuality is illegal and punishable by death in Saudi Arabia, while the state stands accused of a host of other abuses including placing harsh restrictions on women’s rights and the right to political protest.

“So Jordan Henderson finally gets his move to Saudi Arabia. Fair play to him, he can play wherever he wants to play,” Hitzlsperger posted on social media.

“Curious to know though how the new brand JH will look like. The old one is dead!

“I did believe for a while that his support for the [rainbow emoji] community would be genuine. Silly me…”

Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from July 24.

Football

Tributes flooded in for Trevor Francis.

James Maddison hit the target!

Wilfried Zaha said goodbye to Crystal Palace.

Harvey Barnes made his Newcastle debut without having a training session with his new club.

United released their new away kit.

Shrewsbury were thwarted.

England defender Esme Morgan reveals all to Jill Scott.

Jude Bellingham enjoyed his first outing as a Real Madrid player.

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A post shared by Jude Bellingham (@judebellingham)

Cricket

Australia hit back.

Isa Guha continued the lookalike banter.

Formula One

Lando Norris was still celebrating his second-successive runners-up finish.

Max Verstappen salvaged his broken winner’s trophy.

Valtteri Bottas was already looking towards this weekend’s race at Spa.