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The best of the iconic Three Stripes

German sportswear giants adidas have been among the brand leaders in men's trainers for decades, and for good reason. The company produce top-quality footwear for a variety of purposes – from running shoes to specialised sports trainers and, of course, everyday lifestyle sneakers.

Choosing the best options available is no easy task with their back catalogue of retro classics and frequent new releases. However, that's exactly what we've done.

We've rounded up running shoes designed for both speed and distance – secure, waterproof footwear crafted to tackle challenging terrain in any weather and stylish trainers that are supremely comfortable and iconic in their design. Whatever you need from a shoe, one of these popular, high-quality models is sure to tick your boxes.

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• Best adidas trainers for comfort

  adidas Originals LA Trainer

  adidas£85.00 at adidas

  The stylish and breathable suede on the LA trainer mixed with a mesh upper makes them the best comfortable option from adidas. The shoe sits on a three-peg midsole for extra cushioning and a gum outsole for maximum traction. The bright royal blue and yellow colourway is a bonus point on these.

• Best iconic adidas trainer

  adidas Superstar

  adidas£85.00 at adidas

  Instantly recognisable, the adidas Superstar is a silhouette every trainer enthusiast needs in their collection. Having been originally designed for basketball and made iconic by hip-hop royalty, there's no denying the classic silhouette pioneered for comfort and durability in trainers outside the world of sports.

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• Best adidas trainers for style

  Y-3 Shiku Run

  adidas£212.80 at adidas

  The most innovative styles demand a top budget, and the adidas Y-3 Shiku Run designed by Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto is no different. The minimalist and serenity of Japanese style come through in these trainers with a layered mesh upper and monochrome three-stripes with a subtle X-ray effect. This is one for someone with an eye for style.

Who will Socceroos boss Graham Arnold pick for their round of 16 clash against Argentina?

Australia are getting ready for their first round of 16 appearance since 2006 in the World Cup as they are set to face the mighty Argentina.

The Socceroos' best performance in the competition is getting to the round of 16 in Germany in 2006.

They will be hoping to do better this time around after beating Tunisia and Denmark in the group stages.

Head coach Graham Arnold will be relying on experienced players such as Mathew Ryan and Aaron Mooy to lead the way, but there are some exciting youngsters coming through as well who could make an impact.

ALSO READ:World Cup 2022 Group D: Fixtures, results, standings, squads & full details

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  GOALKEEPERS

  Mathew Ryan is both the captain of the team and top choice between the sticks.

  Andrew Redmayne was the penalty shoot-out hero that helped Australia beat Peru in the qualifiers, while Danny Vukovic has experience from the previous World Cup.

  Name	Club
  Mathew Ryan	FC Copenhagen
  Andrew Redmayne	Sydney FC
  Danny Vukovic	Central Coast Mariners

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  DEFENDERS

  Aziz Behich boasts plenty of experience and gets the nod for Qatar, with Bailey Wright and Milos Degenek also making the cut.

  Harry Souttar, Joel King and Nathaniel Atkinson represent younger, but promising options in defence.

  Trent Sainsbury, however, was somewhat surprisingly left out.

  Name	Club
  Milos Degenek	Columbus Crew
  Nathanial Atkinson	Hearts
  Joel King	OB
  Fran Karacic	Brescia
  Bailey Wright	Sunderland
  Harry Souttar	Stoke
  Kye Rowles	Hearts
  Aziz Behich	Dundee United
  Thomas Deng	Albirex Niigata

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  MIDFIELDERS

  There's no looking past Aaron Mooy in midfield, with the talented playmaker having proven that he has what it takes to shine at the highest level.

  Ajdin Hrustic and Jackson Irvine have also shown what they're capable of in Europe, with a number of less experienced options keen to break into the team, too.

  Tom Rogic did not make the cut following his controversial decision not to make himself available for selection for the decisive qualification play-offs.

  Name	Club
  Aaron Mooy	Celtic
  Craig Goodwin	Adelaide United
  Jackson Irvine	St. Pauli
  Cameron Devlin	Hearts
  Riley McGree	Middlesbrough
  Ajdin Hrustic	Eintracht Frankfurt
  Keanu Baccus	St Mirren

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• MUSTAFA ABUMUNES/AFP via Getty Images
  

  ATTACKERS

  Mathew Leckie offers experience out wide, while Awer Mabil represents another strong option on the wings.

  Jamie Maclaren, meanwhile, will fancy his chances of seeing game time as well, having impressed through the middle previously.

  A lot of eyes will be on Garang Kuol, with the promising youngster recently earning a move to Newcastle United after enjoying a bit of a breakthrough season at Central Coast Mariners.

  Name	Club
  Mathew Leckie	Melbourne City
  Marco Tilio	Melbourne
  Jamie Maclaren	Melbourne City
  Craig Goodwin	Adelaide United
  Mitchell Duke	Fagiano Okayama
  Jason Cummings	Central Coast Mariners
  Garang Kuol	Central Coast Mariners
  Awer Mabil	Cadiz

Georginio Wijnaldum could leave a huge hole in Liverpool’s midfield after leaving as a free agent this summer, but former Red Paul Stewart believes that Youri Tielemans would be a great addition to Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Tielemans has been a steady and consistent member of Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City side since he joined on loan from Monaco in 2019, but this season has seen him impose himself on games a lot more as he registered the most shot-creating actions at Leicester with 109, but also made the second most tackles with 77, only behind Wilfred Ndidi.

This proves that he is now comfortably an all-round midfielder and one of the best in the Premier League, which means it comes as no surprise to see clubs like Liverpool interested in the Belgian.

The 24-year old is likely going to be at the centre of many transfer rumours this summer so Liverpool may face stern competition from Manchester City, that’s according to Stewart, who spoke exclusively to Transfer Tavern:

“It would be a great signing for Liverpool if they won the race for him, but I can see him going to Manchester City. For me, he is one of the standout midfielders in the Premier League.”

A lot of people who weren’t aware of how good Tielemams was certainly found out in the FA Cup final with his outstanding winning goal and Man of the Match performance for the Foxes.

If Liverpool are looking for a proven Premier League midfielder that mirrors what Wijnaldum did for the club, they could do much worse than try and tempt Tielemans away from Leicester.

GOAL assesses each Nigerian player in Friday night's stalemate with the Black Stars

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  Francis Uzoho (8/10)

  Maduka Okoye’s stand-in had a solid performance, making two decent stops from Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and Mohammed Kudus in either half.

  The goalkeeper was sharp to claim crosses into the area as well as smother loose balls from time to time.

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  William Troost-Ekong (7/10)

  Despite a lack of match action since the Africa Cup of Nations, the Watford centre-back had one of his better Nigeria games against the Black Stars, coping quite well against the threat of Felix Afena-Gyan.

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  Leon Balogun (7.5/10)

  The returning Rangers defender had a strong showing alongside Troost-Ekong, handling his defensive tasks fairly well and even carrying the ball into midfield intermittently when the Super Eagles struggled for ball progression.

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  Ola Aina (7/10)

  The Torino full-back rarely put a foot wrong at the Baba Yara Stadium and fashioned the away side’s best chance of the first half which Joe Aribo failed to convert.

Goal looks at the players whose deals are due to end, which of them could leave and who might still be at Old Trafford come 2019-20

Since 1995, the Bosman ruling has revolutionised football transfers, giving players the opportunity to break free of clubs at the end of their contracts, and the pre-contract agreement which has since been brought into the game means that from January 1 players with expiring deals can sign with potential new employers six months ahead of a move.

This January, Manchester United find themselves in the kind of position many clubs have been left in since Jean-Marc Bosman successfully petitioned the courts, with as many as 11 of their players holding contracts which are due to expire at the end of the current season.

The one thing they do have going for them is that eight of the 11 involved have club-option extension clauses written into their deals, which allows the Old Trafford hierarchy the freedom to add 12 months to their contracts if they are unwilling to let them go.

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  Matteo Darmian

  The Italian full-back barely gets a look-in at Old Trafford these days and Jose Mourinho admitted in the summer that United were ready to sell if the right offer came in.

  "Matteo wants to leave and I think when a player wants to leave, if the right offer arrives you have to try to be human and let the player follow his instinct, but not at any price," the manager said.

  “And, until now, the offers we got for Matteo are not even close to being accepted."

  The 28-year-old could well move in January if the right bid comes in having not made an appearance since the opening day of the season at a time when Mourinho was stretched due to post-World Cup holidays.

  But if a winter move doesn't materialise, United are almost certain to trigger the one-year option on his contract to ensure he doesn't leave for free in the summer. They are still likely to help Darmian find a move though in order to get some return on their 2015 investment.

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  David de Gea

  Mourinho stunned the United fan base last week by claiming he was not confident that De Gea would sign a new deal with the club.

  "I am not confident but I am not worried," he told in relation to the No.1 extending his contract. "I cannot find the word in English."

  De Gea has played down speculation since then but notably failed to commit. "What matters is the team and all of us being focused on what we need to focus on, which is winning games, rather than contracts or any topics that can be a distraction," said the Spaniard.

  With De Gea's contract due to expire in 2019, United do hold a one-year option. However, if there is no sign of a willingness on the player's part to sign a new deal then the club could be backed into a corner as this season draws to a close.

  Not yet 28 and considered by many to be the best goalkeeper in the world, De Gea is a hugely valuable asset and the prospect of him running his contract down and leaving on a free is one United will not be keen to risk. They could even consider a sale in the summer to get a fee if they are convinced the former Atletico Madrid man has his heart set on leaving.

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  Ander Herrera

  The Spanish midfielder has seen his game-time reduced by a great degree over the last 18 months to the point where his only Premier League start so far this season came as an emergency centre-back in the 3-0 loss to Tottenham.

  Having already seen the club pick up his one-year option last season, Herrera's commitment to the club could well end this summer although Jose Mourinho is keen for him and Juan Mata to stay at Old Trafford.

  "Juan and Ander, even if they are not playing a lot and not starting matches, by the personality point of view and character point of view, by what they represent in the modern society and in football, they are almost unique pieces that I also don't want to lose," said the manager when asked whether he wants to keep the Spanish pair.

  His character has won him countless fans since he arrived at United in 2014, but the 29-year-old may consider making a move to gain increased game time elsewhere if he believes his next contract to be his last during his peak playing years.

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  Phil Jones

  Like most United contracts, Phil Jones' deal includes a club option to tie him down to Old Trafford until the summer of 2020 and the Red Devils are highly likely to activate the extra year if only to command a fee for the centre-back next summer.

  With competition for places at the heart of defence being fierce and Jose Mourinho having publicly discussed the need for more quality in his position, Jones has slipped down the pecking order and is likely to fall further down the ranks as United go forward.

  As a result, the club could listen to offers in the summer once they have triggered their option, giving them the opportunity to cash in on the England defender before they are left facing the prospect of gaining no fee for him in 2020.

With the quarter-final line-up now set, Goal breaks down which teams look most likely to contest the final on July 11

The Euro 2020 quarter-finals are on the way, but who will lift the trophy at Wembley Stadium on July 11? 

Goal ranks all eight remaining contenders ahead of Friday and Saturday's games, from least likely to lift the trophy to tournament favourites…

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  8Switzerland | Last time: 15th

  Switzerland may have dumped tournament favourites France out during the last 16, but their path towards the final and potentially winning the whole competition still looks ridiculously daunting.

  They must face free-scoring Spain in the quarter-finals without their inspirational captain Granit Xhaka, who is suspended, and even if they see off La Roja, they will then need to beat either Belgium or Italy to reach the final.

  Nothing can be ruled out over the final week of Euro 2020 but, right now, Vladimir Petkovic's side are huge underdogs.

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  7Ukraine | Last time: 13th

  Arguably the weakest team left in the competition, Ukraine will have to pick themselves up and dust themselves off after what was a bruising, 120-minute-long victory over Sweden in the last 16.

  They now face the prospect of having to break down England in the quarter-finals, and though a potential semi-final against either Denmark or Czech Republic looks easier on paper, they are undoubtedly the team with the least talent left on their side of the draw.

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  6Czech Republic | Last time: 12th

  There is no doubt that Czech Republic are a growing force in European football, and their victory over Netherlands in the last 16 confirmed what many have been saying about their increasing strength heading into the tournament.

  A quarter-final meeting with Denmark would have delighted them heading into the tournament, and with Patrik Schick looking like Cristiano Ronaldo's main challenger for the Golden Boot, they will fancy their chances of progressing once more.

  They might be unfancied ahead of their clash in Baku, but the Czechs cannot be ruled out.

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  5Denmark | Last time: 9th

  Whether you believe in the power of momentum or not, there is no question that this Denmark side is riding some sort of wave as they continue to lift themselves following the trauma of their opening game of the tournament.

  The swatting aside of Wales was arguably the most complete performance of the last 16, and they now find themselves in a position where they are favourites to reach the semi-finals.

  In terms of quality, they are lacking compared to the four teams above them in these rankings, but there is no doubting their character and togetherness, and that could still carry them all the way to the final.

The Gunners new boys were in brilliant form against Everton while stars from Manchester United & Liverpool also make the grade

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  Wayne Hennessey | Crystal Palace

  The Welsh goalkeeper made seven saves for Palace in their 1-1 draw against Newcastle United.

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  Antonio Valencia | Manchester United

  Valencia recovered possession five times and made two interceptions in his team's win over Huddersfield Town.

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  Laurent Koscielny | Arsenal

  As well as finding the net, the France international made nine clearances in Arsenal's 5-1 win over Everton; the most of any player for the Gunners.

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  Marcos Rojo | Manchester United

  Rojo completed 94% of his passes against Huddersfield, with 36 of his 88 passes coming in the opposition half.

Former Premier League star Steve Howey believes that Aaron Ramsey could be attracted to the idea of a move to Everton, telling The Transfer Tavern that his time with Juventus has not worked.

The Italian club signed the Wales international on a free transfer in 2019 from Arsenal.

He signed a contract worth £400,000-per-week, according to BBC Sport, but he has struggled to really make a genuine impact in Turin.

Indeed, this season, the midfielder has made just 13 league starts and he has subsequently been linked with an exit from the club.

West Ham and Crystal Palace have both been linked recently, while the Toffees have also been touted as a potential landing spot for Ramsey.

Howey believes that the 30-year-old could be open to a potential return to the Premier League, having spent 11 years at the Gunners.

Speaking exclusively to TT, Howey was asked about the potential of Ramsey moving to Everton and replied: “Yeah, possibly. They like to play football under Ancelotti, he hasn’t settled, he’s had a couple of injuries as well, in and out of the team, and he’ll probably feel as though, he’s had two or three years there now, it might be the right time to come back.

“He’s certainly made some decent money over there and I think he might be looking at it, and thinking, to his family, I tried it, it wasn’t quite for me and injuries and whatever.”

West Ham United are edging closer to their first signing of the summer, albeit one for the youth set-up…

What’s the word?

Last week, the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee claimed that the Irons were set to sign Pierre Ekwah Elimby in the next few days. He told his Patreon page:

“Pierre Ekwah Elimby, who had been on trial at West Ham from Chelsea, is hoping to secure a move to the club in the next few days. It was claimed that he could be lured to the London Stadium, but the cost of the deal may have been a problem. It looks like the two clubs have reached an agreement and he is due to sign in the next few days.”

This has since been confirmed by Sky Sports’ transfer centre (via The Sun), who claimed that the Hammers had reached an agreement with Chelsea over a deal for the 19-year-old.

Rice 2.0?

Ekwah is a highly-rated youngster in the Blues’ youth ranks, so this move will be considered quite the coup for West Ham – one that could draw some similarities to that of Declan Rice later down the line.

The versatile French defender has been capped 13 times at U16 level and can play either centre-back or in holding midfield, a bit like the Hammers’ star man himself.

Rice joined Chelsea’s academy aged just seven but was released only seven years later at 14, and The Athletic have since revealed why they gave up on his potential.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-west-ham-news-transfer-rumours-the-latest-gossip-and-much-more” title= “Read the latest West Ham news, transfer rumours, gossip and more!”]

One reason was that he was thought to be not strong enough, another was interestingly his versatility, with one source claiming “one week he was left-back, the next he was at right wing.” And finally, the arrival of Joshua Colley from abroad put his place at risk.

The 22-year-old has since gone onto prove them wrong in abundance as he’s not only emerged as a reliable captain in the absence of Mark Noble, but a potential £70m signing amid interest from many of the Irons’ Premier League rivals.

It took him just a year to receive his first professional deal at the club and the Hammers will surely be hoping that Ekwah can follow suit.

Moyes has even reportedly taken a keen eye on the 6 foot 2 prospect’s performances during a trial, which will only bode well for his chances of replicating Rice in the near future.

Given that West Ham could be involved in a 50-plus game season next term, there’s every chance he becomes involved if he continues to impress the Scotsman.

If so, then the club’s hierarchy may have repeated their Rice masterstroke.

AND in other news, Hammers suffer blow in pursuit of “incredible” 30-goal target, Moyes will be fuming…

Former Arsenal and Everton striker Kevin Campbell believes Alex Moreno would be a great replacement for Ezgjan Alioski at Leeds United.

The Lowdown: Alioski replacement required

Alioski is expected to move on at the end of the season, having reportedly agreed to join Turkish giants Galatasaray. That will leave Leeds needing to sign a new left-back in the summer transfer window, with a host of names linked with the Whites in recent months.

One of those is Real Betis defender Moreno, who has made 21 appearances in La Liga this season, chipping in with two assists to date.

The Latest: Campbell rates Moreno highly

Campbell believes the 27-year-old could be the ideal man to come in for Alioski as he outlined to Football Insider why the Real Betis left-back could be the perfect fit for Leeds:

“Moreno, he’s a good player. He’s naturally a left footer and he likes to gets up and down that wing as often as possible. He has that attacking ability that Leeds will be after.

“I think he would be a great signing for Leeds. I really like him.”

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The Verdict: Could Leeds do better?

Moreno is an experienced figure who could fill the Alioski-shaped void at Elland Road, but it could be argued that there are better options to be found.

The Spaniard’s shortage of assists suggests a lack of attacking thrust – Marcelo Bielsa would surely want a forward-thinking full-back in the mould of Alioski – with an average of just 0.7 key passes per game in the league this season.

In comparison, Nicolas Tagliafico, another Leeds target, has averaged 1.1 key passes per match for Ajax in the Eredivisie, also getting one goal and three assists.

Moreno seems to be a solid transfer target, but Tagliafico appears the more experienced, superior choice if the Whites want to go up another gear in the Premier League next season.

In other news, a former Leeds player can’t understand Marcelo Bielsa’s treatment of one player this season. Read more here.