​Former Arsenal and England captain Tony Adams is set to become the new president of the Rugby Football League (RFL) in 2019, taking over from current head, Andy Burnham.

Adams, now 52, had become linked with the job after the charity that he started in 2000, Sporting Chance, worked in partnership with the RFL’s welfare programme. He has said in the past he is passionate about working with everyone in sport to raise the profile of mental health problems, gambling and substance addictions. 

Adams said in a statement, as reported by ​Sky Sports: “It will be an honour to become the next President of the RFL. 

“I am passionate about working with everyone in the sport to raise the profile of mental health, wellness and resilience, for players and for everyone in Rugby League. 

“I’d like to play my part in championing this brilliant sport on the national stage.” 

Adams made over 500 appearances for ​Arsenal, lifted two Premier League titles, three FA Cup’s and earned 66 England caps. He started his charity, Sporting Chance, in 2000, following his personal struggles with alcohol and drug abuse. 

The former England captain’s charity has helped more than 400 RFL players since its launch as Adams has been closely linked with the game. Sporting Chance has gone on to be heavily linked with other professional sports players across a variety of games as it helps fight mental health struggles.

Current RFL Chairman Brian Barwick added: “Tony Adams is known and respected throughout sport and beyond, not only for his outstanding playing career with Arsenal, but more recently for his pioneering work with Sporting Chance.”

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Bundesliga outfit TSG Hoffenheim’s rise through European football’s hierarchy over the last few years has been nothing short of breathtaking.

In 2016, Die Kraichgauer finished just one point above the relegation play-off place in the league table and behind the likes of Darmstadt, Ingolstadt, Hamburger SV and FC Köln, all of whom are now playing in the second tier of German football.

Within one year, inexperienced head coach Julian Nagelsmann guided Hoffenheim to a fourth-place finish. In his second full year in charge, Hoffenheim finished third in the Bundesliga table and ahead of Borussia Dortmund to guarantee Champions League football in Sinsheim.

Scouting chief Lutz Pfannenstiel explained how impressive having European football played at a club like Hoffenheim really is, but he added that all of their success is largely due to their managerial wonderkid Julien Nagelsmann.

“It‘s a great achievement for our young club to play Champions League to grow and establish ourselves internationally,” Pfannenstiel told 90min. “For our young players, it’s essential to get this special experience to become better and better. 

“We hope also in the future we will reach the international places, so we’re going to grow constantly.

“The big change was that we got Julian Nagelsmann as the new coach. He and our sporting director Alexander Rosen wanted different types of players, so we adjusted our scouting markets.

“We stopped our philosophy to buy mostly players from international leagues and focused on players from the Bundesliga, which we could afford.”

One such player was two-time Borussia Dortmund youth player, Kerem Demirbay. 

The Germany international joined the club for £1.5m just months after Nagelsmann’s arrival at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena and, as if in parallel with his head coach’s rise, Demirbay is among the most highly rated midfielder’s in the league.

“He is a complete midfielder with a great balance between offensive creativity and hard defensive work,” Pfannenstiel added. “If a player in his position also can score then you have the complete package.”

This season, Demirbay has been sitting back slightly deeper in the midfield, and his performances haven’t gone unnoticed by Jurgen Klopp, who is believed to be interested in bringing the midfielder to Liverpool.

“Demirbay can play on various positions,” he continues. “He is not just technically but also tactically strong. His ability to solve pressure situations as well as playing the deadly pass makes him very important.”

Demirbay is not the only Hoffenheim player to be going above and beyond this season either. Arsenal loanee Reiss Nelson has followed in Jadon Sancho’s footsteps by lighting up the Bundesliga in his first ever season in Germany, scoring six goals.

“We looked at him many times before signing him. We were convinced about his talent,” Pfannenstiel concluded. 

“I think Hoffenheim is a very attractive club, with an outstanding coach, a young team and excellent conditions. He can develop in a team which plays offensive football in a calm environment. If I were 18 again, I would love to play for Hoffenheim.”

The England Under-21 international is already making a statement for his inclusion into the senior national team, and many expect that Nelson will be called up by Garth Southgate before he returns to Arsenal in 2019.

Following their match against Manchester City on Wednesday, Hoffenheim will only have three league games left before the end of the first half of the season – known as the Hinrunde Germany.

Hosting second-placed Borussia Mönchengladbach will be first up for Nagelsmann’s side before a trip to SV Werder Bremen, while mid-table side Mainz 05 make the short journey south on the last matchday before the Winterpause.

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Arsenal playmaker Mesut Özil will be available for selection when the club takes on Qarabağ in their final Europa League group stage match on Thursday.

The World Cup-winning midfielder has been out of action for over a month following a back injury, with his last appearance coming back against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 11 November.

Arsenal have maintained their unbeaten run even during Özil’s absence, but the club have confirmed on their official website that the German will be available for Unai Emery once again in mid-week.

Aaron Ramsey has also returned to full training this week and has been declared fit by Arsenal’s medical team, while Shkodran Mustafi is going to be assessed before Qarabağ’s trip to the Emirates.

Most importantly for Arsenal, Özil’s return will see their first team squad boosted when they travel to Southampton on Sunday, a team who have often proved to be the Gunners’ bogey team over the last few years.

All eyes will then be on December’s second North London derby, where Tottenham will travel across town to take on Emery’s Arsenal in the quarter final of the Carabao Cup.

Özil was forced to sit out of their first meeting earlier this month due to his back problems, where Arsenal secured a breathtaking 4-2 win, so the German will be eager to feature in the 11th North London derby of his career. 

It will prove to be a fantastic opportunity for both teams to crown this season off with a piece of silverware, something which has so far alluded Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham.

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​Arsenal are said to be keen on pursuing Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar after his impressive performances for the French outfit so far this season.

Aouar has been turning heads across Europe with his displays for Lyon and he has already managed to bag five goals and four assists in all competitions. He was the stand out performer in a recent Champions League tie against Manchester City, sparking rumours of a potential big money move in January.

Reports from France suggested that ​City were expressing an interest in the 20-year-old and now, according to France Football (via ​Sport Witness), ​Arsenal are also looking to make an approach for his services.

Unai Emery is said to be impressed by Aouar’s versatility in midfield and sees him as a potential replacement for the outgoing ​Aaron Ramsey, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the season.

Whether or not the Gunners are able to qualify for the Champions League this season could prove to be a deciding factor. If they were to make a move, it would more than likely come at the end of the season for a fee rumoured to be worth €40m.

This news is in spite of the fact that Lyon’s president Jean-Michel Aulas has already insisted that he does not wish to sell Aouar, no matter what offer is on the table.

“A departure for Houssem Aouar? The door is totally closed for our most successful hope, who has come from the academy. I think he is the future of Lyon.” he told ​RMC Sport.

“There will be very few departures this winter. We are not planning to let the world go this summer, we want to keep our players.”

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