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Swansea City manager Steve Cooper has hinted Ghana attacker Andre Ayew is in contention to feature for the club on Friday, despite concerns over his fitness.

Ayew sustained an injury while playing for Ghana against Sao Tome and Principe in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Sunday, heightening concerns about his availability in the Jack Army's imminent games.

Swansea are set to play as guests of Birmingham City in a matchday 39 fixture in the Championship on Friday.

“Some of the boys haven’t returned from international duty," Cooper said in his team news at a press conference on Wednesday, as reported by his club’s official website.

“Andre is back, but he had a bit of a knock playing for Ghana.

“Conor [Roberts] came off against Cardiff. When Conor walked off we thought he may have pulled his hamstring and could be out for two to three weeks.

“But it was nerve damage, rather than a strain, which is a positive. So those two players have a chance of playing but aren’t training at the moment. We’ll see how it goes by the time Friday comes around."

Ayew's injury sent a wave of worry around the Swansea fraternity, owing to his talismanic performance for the club in their quest for Premier League promotion.

In 38 matches played by the Jack Army so far this term, Ayew has featured in 36, helping propel the side to third on the league table.

The 31-year-old started in all but one of his 36 matches and registered 14 goals and two assists, leaving him as the club's leading scorer for the term.

“Marc [Guehi] will join up with the team in Birmingham. He flies into there with England Under-21s, so he’ll see us there. He plays at 5 pm today, so we’ll see how he gets on," Cooper added.

“Ryan Manning is travelling back too as we speak, as he’s returning from Ireland duty.

“So we’ve had a bit of managing to do in terms of all of that as the game is on Friday, but we’re in good shape.”

Ayew's 14-goal haul leaves him only two strikes adrift of last season's tally.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has paid tribute to Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero following the news that he is to leave the Premier League giants this summer - but was coy on whether he would like to sign the Argentine.

Arteta worked closely with Aguero at Etihad Stadium during his time as No 2 to City manager Pep Guardiola, before moving to Arsenal to take on the head coach role.

Aguero will be available on a free transfer at the end of this season, but Arteta played down a potential move for the 32-year-old, although he was fulsome in his praise of the striker's character.

What did Arteta say?

Speaking at his press conference on Thursday, the Arsenal manager said: "Anyone who has been close to Sergio would say the same thing. He's been one of the main faces that has lifted that project.

"You need some leadership, you need some quality players to create those moments, to start to build that project. It's not only the way he plays, it is his charisma, his personality - he is loved by everybody at that club."

Pressed on whether Arsenal could swoop to sign Aguero on a free transfer, Arteta said with a laugh and a smile: "We will see what happens with him in the future."

Where will Aguero go next?

The 32-year-old will leave City as a free agent in the summer after establishing himself as perhaps the club's greatest ever player. The Argentine has scored 257 goals in his City career, becoming far and away the club's all-time top scorer.

Aguero also helped City to major team success, winning four Premier League titles, one FA Cup and five League Cups.

Barcelona have reportedly been keeping a close eye on Aguero's situation this term with a view to bringing him in on a free transfer this summer. The 32-year-old could link-up with close friend and international team-mate Lionel Messi at Camp Nou, but he is also attracting interest from French champions Paris Saint-Germain.

It has even been reported that Aguero could yet stay in the Premier League, with Manchester United now being linked with an audacious bid for his services, as are Chelsea and Arsenal. Juventus have also been touted as a possible destination.

Further Reading

Mikel Arteta has hailed the form of Alexandre Lacazette and reiterated that the forward’s future will be decided in the summer.

The 29-year-old has put in some excellent performances of late, including the dramatic late equaliser during the 3-3 draw with West Ham, with many believing he should be starting as the central striker ahead of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

And speaking ahead of Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Liverpool, Arteta was keen to give credit to his in-form forward.

What has been said?

When asked about Lacazette’s run of form since the turn of the year, the Arsenal boss said: “He has been in really good form for months now.

“He is sustaining that level, scoring goals and providing the team with something different as well. His work rate has been phenomenal and it’s what we want.

“We need those type of players hitting the best level because over the course of the season we have been missing goals, that creativity in the final third and we need those players to step in and make the difference for the team.”

What’s the latest on Lacazette’s future?

The France striker will have one year left on his Arsenal contract at the end of the season and has been linked with several clubs in recent weeks.

Long-term admirers Atletico Madrid are believed to be weighing up a summer move, while Sevilla and Roma are also said to be interested.

Arteta is not concerned, however, and says a decision on offering Lacazette a contract extension will be made once the current campaign has come to an end.

“I’m always happy when people talk about our players and speculate,” he said. “That means they are doing well and getting attention from other clubs.

“The situation with Laca we will address in the summer, speak to him, propose the future we want and that’s it.

“Now I just want players focused and only focused on performing and getting the best out of them for the team.”

Will Arsenal’s end to the season be an important factor?

Arteta admits that the next few months will play a big part in determining what the club can and can’t do when it comes to his plans this summer and what money will be made available.

“Everything is related to where we are, how much we win and where we are playing next season. There are no exceptions,” he said.

“We all need to be clear with that and more with the context we have right now in our industry.”

Further reading

Azam FC have received a major boost ahead of their Tanzania Mainland League assignment against Mtibwa Sugar following the return of Zimbabwe attacker Prince Dube from injury.

The forward, who has been the key player for the ‘Ice-cream Makers’ in this campaign, suffered a thigh injury during their league match against Mwadui FC on March 6 and was substituted in the 25th minute in the game that eventually ended 0-0.

He went on to miss the 3-0 win over debutants Ihefu FC as well as the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers where the Warriors sealed a place in the finals in Cameroon. However, the Chamazi-based charges have confirmed the player is training and ready for their next assignment.

"After being out for about two weeks nursing a muscle injury on his left thigh, Prince Dube has finally returned to training this week in preparation for competitive games," the club confirmed on Thursday.

It is a relief for coach George Lwandamina who is hoping to have all his key players available as he targets to challenge Yanga SC and Simba SC for the league title.

The 2014 champions have now lost Dube to injury twice this season; the first one came at the end of the first round of the league when he injured his left arm during their match against rivals Yanga.

The injury forced Azam to seek further treatment outside Tanzania with the striker travelling to South Africa and he underwent successful surgery in Cape Town to fix a broken ulnar bone on his left forearm.

The injury forced the player to stay out of action for six weeks and at that time, he had already managed to score six goals in the league.

Azam are currently placed third on the table with 44 points from 24 matches, six points adrift of table-toppers Young Africans, who have 50 points while champions Simba are second on 45 points but they have played four fewer matches.

Timu ya Wananchi have played 23 matches whereby they have won 14, drawn eight and lost one. Reigning champions Mnyama have played 20 and have managed 14 wins as well as four draws and two losses.

Harambee Stars striker Michael Olunga has spoken about his impact at Al Duhail SC where he still requires time to settle down.

Olunga joined the Qatar top side after making his name with Kashiwa Reysol in Japan and has now revealed his focus will shift to the next season where he will begin the campaign with Al Duhail.

"I have played six games and I have scored three goals and there are three games before the season ends," Olunga told Goal.

"So, I cannot say there is a huge chance of doing something great as the main priority now is to learn from my teammates and hope maybe next season I will have good days.

"Al Duhail is a good team and I am happy to play for them. What remains is to work hard and represent Kenya and hope that I will get many goals that can help me break as many records as possible."

The former Gor Mahia star explained his move to Qatar after his success in Japan's League 1.

"Qatar is a good place to play football because recently, they hosted the Fifa Club World Cup and next year, there will be a World Cup there," he added. "That means they have invested a lot in matters of soccer and good players are joining their league."

Olunga added Abdallah Hassan and the rest of the national team did a better job against Togo even though they had failed to grab an Africa Cup of Nations ticket. Hassan has scored in the last three games for Kenya and is slowly emerging as a promising figure for the Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee side.

"He is a good player and looking at his performance in the Premier League shows how he has been impressive. He has also been playing almost all the games for Bandari," continued the former Tusker striker.

"But let me say, it is not Abdallah only, it is about all the players, they did a good job. The stars, especially the local ones impressed me even when some of us were not available for the game.

"One could not tell the difference that there was a lot of changes in the starting team. That is also a good indication that our local football is growing and that any player who is given a chance to play for the national team is capable of doing a great job."

Harambee Stars will reunite before June in order to prepare for the World Cup qualifiers.

Harambee Stars and Elfsborg defender Joseph Okumu has revealed his desire to play in Europe's top five leagues amid reported interest from Scottish champions, Rangers.

The reported Rangers interest comes as centre-back Filip Helander is linked with a move to the Premier League. Okumu has been a key player for the Swedish side and the Scottish champions see him as a capable replacement should Helander leave.

Aston Villa and Leicester City are the Premier League sides that have been linked with Helander, 27, whose departure could open a chance for Okumu to find another European club after two seasons with Elfsborg.

"It’s not just about what one side wants, it’s about the bigger picture,” Okumu said as per Rangers News.

"When the time is right, I am sure that I will move on and there will be a mutual agreement between me and Elfsborg. If it is not the right time, then I’ll stay.

"I can not say any specific country or league. It all depends on which bids come, and it is only then that I will have to decide what suits my playing style best. I hope to play in one of the top five leagues in Europe."

In January, the former Chemelil Sugar star was a subject of a reported £2m interest from an unnamed club, a move that did not materialise in the end as he remained in Sweden.  

As he outlined what his dream is, the towering centre-back also spoke about Brazil centre-backs David Luiz and Thiago Silva.

"When I grew up, I looked at many different players and took inspiration," said Okumu. "But above all, I looked at David Luiz and Thiago Silva. They have influenced my style of play."

Okumu, a national winner of the secondary school games in 2014 with Kakamega High School, has never looked back since he featured for Kenya in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Egypt. 

An injury to Brian Mandela gave the 23-year-old a perfect chance to announce himself to the world as he joined Elfsborg after the tournament.

Okumu joined Chemelil Sugar after completing his high school education at Kakamega High School. He remained at the club for only six months before venturing outside the country where he joined Free State Stars of South Africa.

He left for the USA and joined AFC Ann Arbor in 2018 before leaving for his former club Real Monarchs.

Should the Rangers move happen, he would be following in the footsteps of Victor Wanyama who featured for Celtic before he switched to the Premier League.

Former Orlando Pirates, Cape Town City, SuperSport United and Maritzburg United head coach Eric Tinkler says he would accept the position of South Africa coach if it was offered to him.

At the same time though, he has played down his chances of getting the call from Safa.

“Obviously I would never turn down an opportunity such as coaching the national team. That will always be a great opportunity, but to be honest with you I don’t think that call will come‚” Tinkler was quoted saying by Businesslive.

The Bafana hot seat was vacated on Wednesday by Molefi Ntseki, who was axed by Safa after failing to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The 1996 Afcon winner (during his playing days) has meanwhile called into question the lack of progress made by the senior national team over the past decade.

“It was highly disappointing that we failed to qualify, and the question is ‘what has happened to Vision 2022?’. The other question ‘is what has happened over the past 10 years?’

“We had a symposium in 2011 where all of these issues about youth development‚ structure and identity of the national team were discussed‚ but nothing has happened.

“What we have seen is that the senior men’s national team is going backwards [while] the women’s national team has made fantastic strides in the right direction‚ despite the fact that they don’t get the same resources," Tinkler said.

The 50-year-old also feels that it's become too easy to make coaches the scapegoat when teams fail in South Africa.

"I am sorry‚ but to continuously put the blame on coaches is something I completely disagree with," he commented.

“First and foremost, we have to be looking at ourselves within the hierarchy of football, and the players also need to start looking at themselves.

“This business of blaming coaches all the time must come to an end because there is only so much a coach can do. Once the players are out on the field‚ they need to produce and the coach can’t score the goals. They are the ones who are in charge and it is too easy to blame the coach.”

Kylian Mbappe says there has been no progress on him signing a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain, amid speculation linking him with a transfer this summer.

The PSG star has been linked with moves to Real Madrid and Barcelona, as well as Liverpool in the Premier League, with his contract in Paris due to expire in 2022.

Mbappe said that he has no new updates to provide on whether he will pen a new deal with the Ligue 1 champions, and that he is staying quiet on the matter until talks have progressed further.

What did Mbappe say?

Speaking to RTL after France's 1-0 World Cup qualifying win away to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mbappe said of a new PSG contract: "If it had progressed, I would have come to talk about it already. Of course, I will talk about it when I have made up my mind."

Mbappe also said he feels he is put under a harsher media spotlight than many of his international peers, partly because of his status with the Ligue 1 champions, and that he just wants to play for a club where he feels settled and happy.

He said: "Of course it [criticism from the media] gets tiring, especially when you play for a club in your country and you give everything for your national team. After a while it gets tiring.

"It's different for players who play abroad and only come back here for the national team. I'm there all the time, they speak about me a lot more. It's a different context [to other players], but I knew it would be like that when I signed for Paris. We'll see.

"Of course it plays a part [the pressure from the media having a bearing on his future], but it's not just that. The most important thing is to feel good where you are, and to have fun every day."

Could Mbappe leave PSG this summer?

Mbappe is currently the second most expensive player in history, having been signed from Monaco by PSG in a €145m ($171m/$125m) deal in 2017 - which included €35m (£30m/$41m) in add-ons.

His worth has only gone up at Parc des Princes as he has helped the French champions earn three successive Ligue 1 titles and reach the Champions League final, while also becoming a World Cup winner at international level.

However if he declines to sign a new contract before the summer, it could spark a bidding war across Europe if PSG decide they need to sell their star asset to avoid risk losing him on a free transfer in 2022.

Further Reading

Malaba Youth Development Authority (Myda) FC head coach Abdulswamadu Musafiri has blamed the lack of top-tier experience for his team's struggles in the first round of the Ugandan Premier League.

The debutants have had a struggling start to life in the top-tier and they are second-last on the table. With SC Villa coming on Thursday, the tactician believes his charges are ready and players are confident compared to the initial round.

"We are very ready for the SC Villa game and each game we play on our side will be a cup final because we badly need the points and we know we can [get them]," Musafiri said ahead of the game.

"I know in the first round we had players who were on their first coming in the top-tier. They were not used to the big crowd, feared big names but now I have confidence in them they have the experience and our second round will be different from the first round."

The tactician further believes the team needs 21 points in the remaining 15 games to survive relegation in the ongoing campaign.

"It is true we managed three draws and just a single win totalling six points to our name keeping us second last from the bottom," Musafiri added.

"Our second round kicks off against SC Villa and we know it very well that three points are our target. We need like six wins and three draws and all that needs hard work."

In the initial meeting, the 16-time champions claimed maximum points after winning 1-0 thanks to a Faisal Kazibwe strike.  

"It wasn’t our day because we missed some clear scoring chances and Villa got one chance which they utilised well," the coach recalled.

"[But Villa] are coming to our home and we have been training hard here because we badly need those points. We have rectified our mistakes against Villa away and we are very ready.

"We have never won at home this season and the Villa game is our first win in the making."  

The former champions finished the first round of matches with 25 points and as a result, they are placed seventh on the table.

Gareth Southgate has praised Kalvin Phillips after the Leeds United midfielder started all three of England's most recent World Cup qualifiers to put himself in contention for a place in the squad at the delayed European Championship.

Phillips played more minutes than any other outfield player across the games against San Marino, Albania and Poland, with the Three Lions kicking off their qualification campaign with three wins from three.

The 25-year-old, viewed by many as a deputy for the injured Jordan Henderson, will now be pushing hard to be included in Southgate's squad for the Euros in the summer, with the England boss having been impressed with what he's seen from the Leeds midfielder.

What has Southgate said?

"We're really pleased with what Kalvin has done," the Three Lions boss told reporters at his post-match press conference. "We were going to pick him last March when he was in the Championship [before the pandemic hit]. He came in in August before he had played in the Premier League.

"Kalvin has been a great addition to the group. Super boy, great humility, [a] very, very good player. [He] is really reliable with his rebounding of the ball in midfield. His athleticism is critical."

The former Middlesbrough manager also discussed the importance of Phillips' role, alongside fellow midfield pivot Declan Rice, in helping England to survive a scare against Poland following Harry Maguire's late winner.

He added: "We contemplated making a change for a long time but our attacking players were all having an impact. Declan and Kalvin giving us that stability in front of defence was key. We stuck with it. Sometimes you have to hold your nerve and stick with what you believe to be right."

Phillips' rise through the England ranks

Three years ago, the Whites academy graduate had not even been involved with the Three Lions at junior level and was somewhat off the radar playing for Leeds in the Championship.

But the arrival of Marcelo Bielsa has helped transform his game, with the Argentine converting him into a more defensively-minded midfield option and expanding his repertoire upon his arrival at Elland Road.

Southgate also feels that Phillips' manager at club level has been crucial to his progress, stating: "Marcelo has done an excellent job in developing him as an individual but he has a lot of good qualities that are of his and his family's making and I know they'll be very proud."

Phillips was selected in the EFL Championship Team of the Year in the 2018-19 season and he was at the heart of their successful charge back to the top-flight the following campaign.

The 25-year-old hadn't even played in the Premier League when he was handed a first cap for England back in September, claiming three more on top of that in 2020.

Since then, Phillips has earned a further three caps in 2021 - all in the starting XI - and he'll undoubtedly be in Southgate's thoughts when it comes to selecting his squad for the European Championship in the summer.

Further reading

Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan voiced his frustration with Wednesday's stunning 2-1 defeat to North Macedonia, insisting that such results can't be allowed to happen. 

Gundogan scored from the spot in the second half to equalise against the visitors in the World Cup qualifier, but Eljif Elmas struck an 85th-minute winner to stun the 2014 World Cup champions.

The defeat was Germany's first in a World Cup qualifier since a 5-1 loss to England back in September 2001. 

What was said?

"We cannot allow that to happen," Gundogan said in quotes on the German national team's official website.

"North Macedonia were more or less in our box twice and we made it easy for them. We tried to work chances, but we only managed to score once. The way we conceded both goals was poor."

Germany head coach Joachim Low was equally frustrated, adding: "We’re thoroughly disappointed. We simply looked too tired today. There wasn’t an energy about our play and we made too many mistakes going forward.

"When we moved the ball around quickly, we looked dangerous. Our opponents sat deep and we couldn’t find a way to break them down. All in all, it was disappointing."

Schweinsteiger believes Germany could've lost by more

The bigger picture

Germany began this month's World Cup qualifiers with wins against Iceland and Romania, meaning they are still in decent shape after three matches. 

Low's side are tied for second place in Group J, three points behind Armenia, who have started qualifying with three wins from three.

Germany will have a difficult group at this summer's rescheduled Euro 2020, with matches against Portugal, France and Hungary set for June.

Further reading

England manager Gareth Southgate and defender Harry Maguire rallied behind John Stones after the defender bounced back from his mistake against Poland on Wednesday. 

After Harry Kane gave England an early lead, Stones got caught in possession and gifted Poland an equaliser in the 58th minute. 

But Stones would redeem himself late on, as his headed assist to Maguire helped seal a 2-1 win in World Cup qualification.

What was said?

Speaking to ITV Sport, Southgate said: "He managed to compose himself for the rest of the game and had a part in the winning goal which was important - you can fold in those moments and he didn't.

"He's been having a good season and he's made a mistake tonight. He knows that but he bounced back during the game and he's got to keep doing that."

Maguire added: "John has been brilliant this year. Defenders make mistakes and when we do we get scrutinised. He made up for it with a great header at the back post.

"I said to him to just keep going. We don't like making mistakes but sometimes we are at fault for goals. We are not perfect. He is in great form and he will come back strong."

The bigger picture

Stones has seen his place with England and Manchester City come under threat in recent seasons, in part due to his penchant for making high-profile errors. 

But the 26-year-old has returned to form this season, forming a strong partnership at City with new signing Ruben Dias. 

Stones has already surpassed his total minutes from last season as City continue to chase an unprecedented quadruple. 

At international level, Stones has also come back into the fold for England and emerged as a strong candidate to start at this summer's rescheduled Euro 2020 tournament. 

Stones started all three of England's World Cup qualifiers this international break, all of which were wins for the Three Lions. 

Further reading

Harry Kane became England's all-time top penalty scorer with his goal from the spot against Poland on Wednesday.

Kane opened the scoring in the 19th minute of the World Cup qualifier at Wembley, before Poland equalised in the 58th minute through Jakub Moder. 

But England would prevail 2-1 after Harry Maguire's late winner, making it three wins from three to begin qualification for Qatar 2022.

Kane's record

With his 10th career international goal from the spot, Kane broke the Three Lions record that was previously held by Frank Lampard. 

In addition, Kane has now scored on all seven days of the week for England, becoming only the third player to do so for the Three Lions, after Wayne Rooney and Lampard.

The Tottenham striker has been in prolific form for England in recent years, as he has now been involved in 30 goals in 21 European Championship/World Cup qualifying matches (22 goals, 8 assists),

Kane has scored at least once in each of his last 12 such appearances, stretching back to October 2017.

With 34 international goals, Kane continues to chase down Wayne Rooney's all-time England record of 53. 

Kane is already sixth on England's all-time scoring chart, with just Rooney, Bobby Charlton, Gary Lineker, Jimmy Greaves and Michael Owen ahead of him.

What's next for Kane?

The Spurs star will be back with his club side at the weekend, with Tottenham set to face Newcastle on Sunday.

Tottenham currently sit sixth in the Premier League, three points outside of the top four. 

Further reading

Championship side Watford have revealed Ismaila Sarr is working hard in an effort to return from his hamstring problems.

The winger has been on the sidelines since featuring for the Hornets in their victory over Rotherham United on March 16, where he scored.

The forward suffered a hamstring injury in the encounter which has seen him missed his side’s last outing against Birmingham City.

Sarr did not also feature for Senegal during the international break due to injury where the Teranga Lions recorded back-to-back draws with Congo and Eswatini in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Ahead of their encounter with Sheffield Wednesday, Watford have provided an injury update on the 23-year-old.

“Ismaila Sarr [hamstring) is working hard in an attempt to be back in contention for Friday’s game,” read a statement from the club website.

“Head coach Xisco Munoz will make a late decision as to whether he’s included in the matchday squad for the visit of Sheffield Wednesday.”

The forward has been playing a significant role for the Hornets since joining the side from French club Rennes in the summer of 2019.

Sarr has featured in more than 65 appearances across all competitions and in the current campaign, he has been consistent for Xisco Munoz’s men.

The winger has featured in 34 games across all competitions, scoring nine goals and providing nine assists, amid other dazzling displays.

Sarr will hope to get a chance to continue his fine performances against Sheffield Wednesday if he is confirmed fit for the match.

His contribution this season has helped the Hornets to their current second spot on the Championship table after gathering 75 points from 38 games.

Victory over Sheffield would further boost their automatic promotion to the Premier League at the end of the 2020-21 campaign.

On the international scene, Sarr has 32 appearances for the Senegal national team and will hope to put his injury woes behind him and join the rest of his teammates when they start their preparation for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.