The Newcastle Jets have signed Swiss defender Dominik Ritter to a one-year contract.

Ritter has been playing with Swiss Challenge League club FC Winterthur since the 2009/10 season but made just six appearances for the team last season.

Ritter was initially loaned to Winterthur from FC Basel, where he was a member of their under-21 squad and also made the senior team for one appearance.

However the Jets have opted to give him a chance as coach Gary van Egmond gets the opportunity to build his squad, having inherited a team from former coach Branko Culina, who was sacked just before the league kicked off last year.

Dominik can play as fullback, which is his preferred position, or a left side stopper, van Egmond said.

He has a lot of pace, he wil…

Michel Platini retains the support of the Football Association in his bid for the FIFA presidency, despite being banned by world football s governing body.

Platini and current FIFA president Sepp Blatter were suspended for 90 days by the FIFA Ethics Committee on Thursday as investigations into their conduct continue.

Blatter is being investigated by the Swiss Attorney General, having been accused of making a disloyal payment in 2011 to Platini. 

Both men have denied any wrongdoing, with the UEFA chief earlier on Thursday releasing a strongly worded statement lambasting a deliberate leak – which is insidious in nature and… is essentially an attempt to damage my reputation shortly before news of the sanctions was announced by world football s governing body.

Paulo Dybala is a genius and will become one of the best players in world football, according to Juventus team-mate Blaise Matuidi.

Since arriving from Palermo in 2015 the diminutive forward has earned rave reviews at the Allianz Stadium, scoring 59 goals in all competitions for the Bianconeri.

He is Juve s joint leading goalscorer in Serie A this season with 14, while also laying on three assists for team-mates as Massimiliano Allegri s side battle Napoli for the Scudetto.

Dybala s qualities have impressed Matuidi since his arrival from Paris Saint-Germain in August, with midfield partner Miralem Pjanic also catching the France international s eye.

I see him [Dybala] becoming a very, very big player, Matuidi told L Equipe.

With the ball, he s a…

Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli is the world s best player for his age, according to manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Alli, 21, has been named the PFA Young Player of the Year in the past two seasons and is enjoying another good campaign for Spurs.

The England international has scored six goals and provided nine assists – the most of any Spurs player – in the Premier League this season.

Pochettino was full of praise for Alli – who turns 22 next month – and said he found criticism of the midfielder hard to understand.

When you compare Dele Alli, 21 years old, with all the players in the world – not only in Europe, in the world – I think he is the best, he told UK newspapers.

In his age. In his form. Assists and everything. But, and I don t…

Sky Sports understands that Burnley have rejected an offer from Besiktas for defender Ben Gibson.

The Turkish giants were keen on signing the twenty-six-year-old initially on a temporary basis though the Clarets have turned down the approach.

The former Middlesbrough captain arrived at Turf Moor last summer but has struggled to cement a first team place, largely due to suffering two separate hernia injuries in the last twelve months.

He made just one Premier League appearances, with a couple outings also coming in both the FA Cup and the qualifying rounds of the Europa League.

He did however score on his league debut for Sean Dyche’s side, though it was no more than a consolation as they were thumped 5-1 by Everton on Boxing Day.

Gibson …

Liverpool defender Joel Matip has signed a new long-term contract, the club have confirmed.

Centre-back Matip – whose previous contract was set to expire at the end of the season – finalised terms at the Reds Melwood training base on Friday.

The 28-year-old s new deal will reportedly keep him at Anfield until 2024.

It s a great feeling to be a longer part of the club. It s really just a great feeling, Matip told Liverpool s website.

From outside, you know Liverpool is such a big club – but when you are inside, then you really get a feeling for how big the club is. In all the countries, the supporters are everywhere. It s a massive and big club that I think every player would want to play for.

We have a young and talented team and I think …

Lionel Messi is set to break Diego Maradona s record of the most World Cup appearances for Argentina after being named in their starting XI against Poland.

The late, great Maradona played 21 games at World Cup tournaments and Wednesday s match at Stadium 974 will be Messi s 22nd on this stage.

But Messi will be hoping that is not the only way he can eclipse Maradona at the 2022 World Cup.

Argentina find themselves in a tricky position heading into the Group C encounter, with elimination a real possibility.

If La Albiceleste lose, they will be knocked out, while a draw may not be enough to take them through to the last 16 either.

Although regarded by many as the greatest player ever, Messi s legacy will forever be tinged by World Cup failure if he …

Jack Grealish scored his first international goal as England cruised to a comfortable 5-0 win over Andorra in World Cup qualifying Group I on Saturday.

Gareth Southgate named a largely second-string outfit at the Estadi Nacional but they had no problem dispatching a side ranked 153 places beneath them, Ben Chilwell setting them on their way in the 17th minute with his first international goal. 

Bukayo Saka added a second before half-time, while Tammy Abraham, James Ward-Prowse and substitute Grealish sealed the most routine of wins in the second period. 

A sixth win in seven group games means England move onto 19 points at the summit, while Andorra remain in fifth on three points. 

England went ahead when Chilwell lashed home from 10 yards after bei…

Michael McGlinchey s has been rewarded for his superb form by being handed a new two-year deal by the Central Coast Mariners.

The 26-year-old midfielder has ensured the Mariners have hardly missed Tom Rogic after the youngster s sale to Celtic in January, putting in a series of outstanding performances.

The Mariners have now warded off the advances of rival A-League teams with McGlinchey s previous deal set to expire at the end of the 2012-13 season by tying the New Zealand international down on a new contract.

Negotiations between club and player had been ongoing for some time, but McGlinchey will now be a Mariner until at least the end of 2014-15 season.

It has been going on for a while now and I am just happy to have reached an agreement so that I ca…

Michael Owen has defended himself against claims he abandoned Newcastle following their relegation from the English Premier League in 2009.

After an injury-hit four years at St James Park, the striker went on to sign for Manchester United, where he often struggled for game time.

The 33-year-old joined Stoke City after leaving United last year, and has since announced he will retire at the end of the season after failing to make an impact at the Britannia Stadium.

The former Liverpool man has now denied claims he opted not to remain with Newcastle in the Championship, insisting the club did not offer him a new deal.

He tweeted: Newcastle fans, following my Football Focus interview, plenty of you tweeting me saying you don t blame me for getting injured but…