Burning with anger after footballers returned (5)
I believe the answer is:
afire
'burning' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'anger after footballers returned' is the wordplay.
'anger' becomes 'ire' ('ire' can be a synonym of 'anger').
'after' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'footballers' becomes 'fa' (Football Association abbreviation).
'returned' is a reversal indicator.
'fa' in reverse letter order is 'af'.
'ire' put after 'af' is 'AFIRE'.
'with' is the link.
(Other definitions for afire that I've seen before include "lit up" , "in flames" , "Blazing - excited" , "Burning" , "Alight" .)