Football Briefs: DC United coach confirms Rooney interest

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

DC United coach Ben Olsen has confirmed the club's interest in signing Everton's Wayne Rooney but added any deal to take the English striker to Major League Soccer had yet to be completed.

Former England captain Rooney has been subject to intense speculation over the last few days, with multiple British media reports saying that a deal had been agreed "in principle" for him to move to the US

"Certainly the deal is not done but obviously there is some interest from our end," Olsen told American website TMZ on Friday.

Rooney, who rejoined his boyhood club Everton from Manchester United in July last year, scored 11 goals in the first half of the campaign but has failed to nail down a starting place under manager Sam Allardyce.

Allardyce said on Friday that Rooney has not requested to leave the Merseyside club but he would be "comfortable" if any player wanted to move on.

The 32-year-old Rooney will have an opportunity to complete a move to DC United when the MLS mid-season transfer window opens on July 10.

Arsenal hit with FA charge for failing to control players

Arsenal have been charged by the English Football Association (FA) with failing to control their players during Wednesday's 3-1 Premier League defeat at Leicester City.

The incident occurred in the 75th minute of the game, when Leicester were awarded a penalty following a foul on Demarai Gray and Arsenal's players surrounded referee Graham Scott to protest against the decision.

Arsenal were charged with "failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion," according to a statement on the FA twitter account @FAspokesperson.

Jamie Vardy tucked home the spot-kick to put Leicester 2-1 up on the night, before Riyad Mahrez added gloss to the scoreline with a late solo effort.

Arsenal have until 1700 GMT on Wednesday to respond to the charge.

Neymar hints at PSG stay after social media picture post

Brazil forward Neymar posted a picture of himself wearing the 2018-19 Paris St Germain home shirt on Saturday amid growing speculation that he could leave the French champions at the end of the season.

"Proud to wear the new jersey and to continue giving you joy," the 26-year-old striker, who is recovering from foot surgery, posted on his verified Twitter account.

Media reports claim that Neymar, who joined the Ligue 1 club from Barcelona for a world record 222 million euros ($265.11 million) last August, has told PSG directors he wanted to leave the club after only one season.

The most recent articles say the Brazilian wants to move to Spanish giants Real Madrid, who originally tried to sign him in 2013 before he opted to join Barcelona from Santos.

Spanish newspaper Marca reported on Friday that the player's father and agent, Neymar Sr, had told PSG his son wanted to leave immediately.

It said his father met Real directors in December on the day Cristiano Ronaldo received the Ballon d'Or in Paris.

Neymar has been out of action since spraining his ankle and fracturing his fifth metatarsal on Feb. 25, which led him to undergo surgery in Brazil as he bids to regain fitness in time for the June-July World Cup in Russia.

Brazil defender Alves out of World Cup with knee injury

Brazil's Paris St Germain defender Dani Alves will miss the World Cup due to a knee injury which requires surgery and he could be out of action for up to six months.

Alves, who plays for French champions Paris St Germain, limped off near the end of Tuesday's French Cup Final win over third-tier Les Herbiers.

The Brazilian team doctor, Rodrigo Lasmar, flew to Paris to examine the player and decided surgery was necessary after diagnosing an injury to his right anterior cruciate ligament.

"It is clear that the Daniel Alves’s call up for the period of preparation, friendlies and consequently the World Cup, is impossible," the Brazilian Football Confederation CBF said.

Brazil will play warm-up matches against Croatia on June 3 and Austria seven days later, before kicking off their World Cup campaign on June 17 against Switzerland.

The five-times world champions will then play Costa Rica and Serbia in Group E.

Alves, 35, is one of the squad's most experienced players with 107 caps.

His absence in Russia will be a blow to Brazil coach Tite, who values not just his technical ability but also his effect on the dressing room, where he is one of the most popular players.

'Underdogs' Australia can reach knockouts in Russia: Luongo

Australia's Group C rivals at the World Cup may see them as the weakest link but that could work to the Socceroos' advantage and help them reach the knockout rounds in Russia, midfielder Massimo Luongo has said.

Coach Bert van Marwijk has set the Socceroos the goal of reaching the last 16 from a group that also features France, Peru and Denmark.

Avoiding three straight defeats might be classed an achievement for 40th-ranked Australia, who lost all three group games in Brazil four years ago, but Luongo said they could spring a surprise, particularly if they have a good opener against France in Kazan.

"If we get a result against them we've got two games to go and anything can happen," Luongo said in comments published by state broadcaster ABC.

"I'm confident we can qualify from our group.

"As far as the teams we're playing against, I think they all look at us as, maybe, the weakest side in the group.

"We use that to our advantage ... we've been the underdog before."