Former England international Scott Parker has decided to call time on his almost 19-year professional football career, it was announced in a statement. The 36-year-old plied his trade for Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle, as well as played 18 times for England, which he captained in 2012.

"I have enjoyed so many incredible moments during my career," Parker wrote in the statement.

If Wayne Rooney can accept a bit-part role as opposed to the mainstay he was at English football giants Manchester United a few years back, the English forward could have a future at the club, former United star Ryan Giggs said.

"Wayne is a proven goal scorer," Giggs told Sky Sports News. "Give him a chance, Wayne will score. It is whether he can put up with not being first choice or whether he can develop his game, which I had to around the same age -- not being certain to play every game, but playing 25-30 games and contributing."

Former Inter Milan coach Frank de Boer on Monday was appointed as the coach of English Premier League (EPL) football club Crystal Palace for three years.

De Boer has previously managed Dutch club Ajax and won four consecutive Eredivisie titles with them. His move to Inter Milan didn't work out anywhere near as well, with the former Dutch international skipper sacked less than 3 months into the job.

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero on Monday ruled out leaving the English football club and insisted that he is very happy and will stay with the Manchester outfit until the end of his contract.

Aguero lost his place to Gabriel Jesus of Brazil in City's starting XI in 2017, prompting wild speculation that the 29-year-old Argentine would leave Manchester this summer.

Manchester United midfielder and French international Paul Pogba on Friday praised his club's head coach Jose Mourinho and said the Portuguese deserved to be called as "The Special One".

The 24-year-old also said that the trust Mourinho has placed in his players helped them grow better as a player. Pogba has made 30 appearances with United in 2016-17 season scoring five goals in all competitions.

Former Newcastle United midfielder and Ivory Coast footballer Cheick Tiote died at the age of 30 after collapsing during training on Monday.

Tiote played for Beijing Enterprises in the second division of the Chinese league. The player had been taken ill after training. He was subsequently rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.