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Lionel Messi “wants to finish his sports career at Barcelona”, claims Victor Font, with the Camp Nou presidential hopeful confident that a return to Catalunya for Xavi would help to convince an Argentine icon to stay put.

A battle for power at a La Liga heavyweight continues to rage, with elections still pencilled in at present for January 24.

Font is hoping to spring a surprise in that vote and prevent Joan Laporta from returning to the boardroom for a second time.

Whoever emerges victorious will have a number of issues to contend with after taking office, with the future of club captain Messi still the most pressing concern for Barca to address.

The six-time Ballon d’Or is yet to commit to a new contract and, having made one push for the exits in 2020, will drop into the free agent pool at the end of the season.

Messi has vowed to make no future call until the current campaign comes to a close, with the South American airing his happiness under Ronald Koeman.

Font believes another change in the dugout would give the 33-year-old even more reason to stay, with his plan being to bring club legend Xavi back to his roots from Qatari outfit Al Sadd.

“Messi has explained it, he ideally wants to stay here and finish his sports career at Barca” Font told Mundo Deportivo.

“Before the summer, when there was the great frustration, he had always said that the most important condition for him is to have a winning and competitive project. 

“We have a winning, competitive project, with people like Xavi. This relationship between Xavi and Messi exists, I believe that is one of the main reasons and guarantees that Messi will feel very comfortable with our project and we will have many options to continue.”

Having been in regular contact with Xavi, Font was quizzed on whether the World Cup winner has been discussing his plans with Messi.

He added: “I don't know what they're talking about, I know they're in contact because they have a relationship, but I don't know to what extent or the details of what they talk about.”

Messi has been freed to speak with suitors outside of Spain with another transfer window now open, but he is keeping the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain waiting as he mulls over his options.

Arsenal have revealed that Richard Garlick will be taking on the role of director of football operations at Emirates Stadium, with the Gunners bringing in further assistance for Mikel Arteta and Edu.

Garlick, who is currently director of football at the Premier League, has previously spent time working at West Brom.

He will be stepping into a void created by Huss Fahmy’s departure from Arsenal in October 2020.

Contract talks will be an important part of Garlick’s new role, with it his responsibility to ensure that the best possible talent is kept available to first-team coach Arteta.

Technical director Edu and academy manager Per Mertesacker also form part of the backroom team in north London.

“Richard Garlick is joining Arsenal as Director of Football Operations,” read a statement from the Premier League heavyweights.

“Richard, who is currently Director of Football at the Premier League and was previously Director of Football Administration at West Bromwich Albion, will join the club in the coming months.

“He will be a member of the Arsenal executive team and will be working closely with Technical Director Edu, Manager Mikel Arteta and Academy manager Per Mertesacker.

“His responsibilities will include football operations in the first team and academy, all player contract management and relationships with football’s governing bodies.

“Richard, a qualified solicitor specialising in sports law, has been at the Premier League since 2018. He was previously at West Bromwich Albion for eight years.”

Arsenal have seen a number of prominent figures behind the scenes vacate their roles over recent months, with some tough decisions being taken.

A freshening up of the ranks is intended to help deliver a reversal in fortune on and off the field.

Arteta has started to turn the tide on a Premier League stage of late, with three successive victories lifting the Gunners away from relegation danger.

They are also through to round four of the FA Cup and the last-32 of the Europa League, while another transfer window swung open on January 1 and presents Arsenal with an opportunity to further bolster their ranks for the second half of the 2020-21 campaign.

Edinson Cavani can be a "big weapon" as Manchester United seek to deliver a psychological blow to Liverpool at Anfield, according to Dimitar Berbatov.

United will travel to Merseyside to take on the defending Premier League champions on Sunday afternoon, with three points currently separating the two sides at the top of the table.

A 1-0 win at Burnley on Tuesday night saw the Red Devils reach the summit after New Year's Day for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson's final season in 2012-13, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is now being tipped to bring a 21st league title to Old Trafford come May.

Cavani returned to Solskjaer's starting line up at Turf Moor after serving a three-match ban, with his physical presence and shrewd link-up play giving the team a valuable outlet in the final third of the pitch once again.

The 33-year-old has scored four goals in 15 appearances since joining United on a free transfer in October, despite mainly being used from the bench, and Berbatov thinks he could have a vital role to play at Anfield this weekend.

The former Red Devils striker also thinks the Burnley match-winner Paul Pogba is capable of being a thorn in Liverpool's side, but he wants to see his old club keep things "simple" in a heavyweight clash they can ill-afford to lose.

"I think it's going to be an even game, both teams have got a strong attacking force with very quick players upfront in [mohamed] Salah, [Sadio] Mane, [Anthony] Martial and [Marcus] Rashford," Berbatov told Betfair.

"I think if Cavani is going to play he has that experience and intelligence to know how to unlock a defence like Liverpool and he can be a big weapon.

"If Pogba continues like he did in the last game, with that desire to get up and down the pitch with his big strides, technique and vision, then he will also cause problems.

"At the back, as long as United don't overcomplicate things, play simple, take the ball and give it to someone else with one or two touches then I think United will be okay.

"In my opinion, it's more important for United not to lose, one point can be a big difference at the end of the season and it can make you champions."

The ex-Bulgaria international added on the bearing a positive result against Liverpool could have on the title race: "If United win it will be a big blow for Liverpool psychologically, it will also be a big statement to the Premier League and United will be sending a message that we are back.

"However, if they do win, they can't sit there and enjoy it because six points is nothing in the Premier League and that's something we've witnessed before.

"It will be a great boost for the team and the confidence if they do win but you don't stop and smile, you must build on it until the very last game and you're singing 'we are the champions', which is a great feeling.

"I hope they can believe that they can bring the title back to Old Trafford. Just like they have already surprised people by reaching top spot, they can surprise everyone at the end of the season by becoming champions."

Paul Pogba has gone missing on too many occasions for Manchester United, admits Rene Meulensteen, with the World Cup winner challenged to maintain the standards he has set over recent weeks.

A France international midfielder has played his way back into form during the 2020-21 campaign.

The impact expected of him since his transfer in 2016 is now being made, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer getting match-winning performances from a club-record signing.

Pogba’s latest appearance saw him make the difference in a trip to Burnley, with his solitary strike enough to settle a tight contest at Turf Moor and take United to the top of the Premier League table.

The 27-year-old is starting to thrive alongside Bruno Fernandes – with the Portuguese playmaker in need of assistance from somewhere – and Meulensteen hopes a man whose ability has never been in doubt can silence his critics for good and bring exit talk to a close.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s former right-hand man told Stadium Astro after seeing Pogba produce a man of the match display at Burnley: “It was a very good performance from Paul.

“I have been one of his critics over the last few months because I believe we can expect more from Paul. This is the performance we all want to see, the fans want to see.

“He is important for the team, he drives the team on, he’s winning his duels and is important in scoring goals. That’s what you want to see.”

Meulensteen added on Pogba’s renaissance: “There was another game at home to Aston Villa where he played okay, but I thought this time he was in the game right from the word go.

“A lot of times you see Man United play and you think ‘is he actually playing?’

“We know the impact that Fernandes has had, he is always there, always busy and trying things. I thought he faded out of the game a little bit in the second half, but that doesn’t matter as long as you have got Paul to step up to the plate, which he did.

“The key for me is that we need to expect those kinds of performances from him week in, week out. He can do that, I know that. He has showed that, and that is what he needs to show in the upcoming games.”

United could do with Pogba delivering in their next Premier League outing, with Solskjaer set to take his side to Anfield on Sunday for a meeting with reigning champions and old adversaries Liverpool.

Robbie Fowler feels that East Bengal would have been in a better position on the Indian Super League (ISL) table had Bright Enobakhare joined them at the start of the season.

Enobakhare was one of East Bengal's mid-season signings along with Raju Gaikwad and Ankit Mukherjee. But the Nigerian, particularly, made an instant impact and has scored twice in his three games in East Bengal colours, prompting Fowler to term him 'a great player'.

"When you've been knocking on the results you want (but not getting them). And then someone comes in (mid-season) and does remarkably well, of course, those kinds of questions will be asked. Let's be honest. He's a great player. So when you are a great player coming into the side, of course you're going to make them better. 

"If he was here from the start of the season, I think it's fairly obvious (East Bengal would be in a better position). Great players take charge of games, score goals and make good players better around themselves."

East Bengal are now all set to face Kerala Blasters against whom they managed a 1-1 draw previously, with Jeakson Singh scoring a late equaliser. But Fowler's side have not lost since that game and are on a five-match unbeaten run. The mini resurgence of sorts has seen them climb up the table and sit on the ninth spot. 

"It's fairly evident that we have had a tough start and we all know why. I think we are starting to look a little bit better and grow into games. I think we look more like a team than we did at the start [of the season]. More credit to the boys and certainly to the lads who have come in," said Fowler.

"It's just a case of trying to implement, maybe a lot quicker than what we envisaged. But we have to continue. There's plenty of points to play for. We know that teams will win and lose games and we know that it's all about us and what we do to try to combat the opposition and remedy ourselves. We're in a good place but we're not getting carried away."

Kerala Blasters have also shown improvement and have picked their two wins of the season in their last four games.

"We have expected every single game [to be tough] regardless of the opposition," Fowler said. "We go into every game believing that we can get a [positive] result and that's just our ethos and mentality. There are teams like Kerala who are in a rich vein of form and likewise other teams who are not in a rich vein of form but no games are easy."

The Liverpool legend suggested that Anthony Pilkington might not be available against Kerala.

Fowler, while acknowledging that he has a target for the team to achieve this season, implored his boys to continue to build on their performances.

"We have a target which we want to hit. But it's not for me to go on record and say (what it is) because I don't want to let our team and fans down in case we miss the targets. Of course, whenever you go into a season or a game, you have targets and obviously you want to match them. All that we need to do is keep doing what we're doing. You keeping playing as well as you can, keep competing in games and we've done that from the start of the season regardless of what people think about the results. 

"The results earlier in the season weren't favourable for us but we were actually playing okay. We proved that we can play against some of the good teams in this league and we want to continue. So obviously, the target is to try and win the next game. The short-term target is to take each game as it comes. 

"I know it's a massively cliched answer but in football you have got to be ready for what's about to come and the challenges that are waiting."

Andy Robertson admits to being in a “difficult situation” when it comes to Steven Gerrard, with the Liverpool left-back a self-confessed Celtic fan, but he does expect a Reds icon to return to Anfield in a managerial capacity at some stage in the near future.

A man still held in the highest regard by those on the red half of Merseyside has been cutting his coaching teeth in Scotland.

Gerrard has turned Rangers into title hopefuls across his time in Glasgow, with a 21-point lead held over Old Firm rivals Celtic in the current campaign.

Robertson, whose allegiances lie very much with the Hoops, concedes that he finds it difficult to wish a Liverpool great well during his time at Ibrox.

The Scotland international has told Jamie Carragher on the Greatest Games Podcast: “It’s a difficult situation isn’t it?

“You come into Liverpool’s training ground. He’s plastered all over the place, everyone loves him, everyone wants him to do well.

“I want him to do well...but I’ve been brought up as a Celtic fan to not like anything to do with Rangers.”

Carragher quipped back: “So that’s an exclusive, Andy Robertson doesn’t like Steven Gerrard!”

Robertson, who has helped Liverpool to Champions League and Premier League crowns during his time at Anfield, added on a man who continues to be billed as the natural successor to Jurgen Klopp: “Not quite because I think he’ll end up here one day. All jokes aside he’s done an unbelievable job up there.

“He’s took it to a new level this season and Celtic have struggled to keep up.

“Hopefully over the next six months Celtic close the gap and get to 10 in a row because it would be historic – but it’s not looking too likely now.”

Gerrard has attempted to steer around the debate that has seen him linked with a return to Anfield, but an emotional homecoming does hold obvious appeal to the former Liverpool and England captain.

He has told The Athletic: “I get asked this question a lot and, for me, what will be will be. Would I love to be the coach of Liverpool one day? Is it a dream? Of course.

“It’s a club that means everything to me but we’ve one of, if not the best, managers in the world who has been absolutely incredible since he came through the door and the success he’s delivered in the last couple of years means that Liverpool are in a fantastic place. Long may that continue.”

Chelsea have released Lucas Piazon after nine years, with the attacker agreeing to a four-and-a-half-year contract with Portuguese side Braga.

Braga will not pay a fee for Piazon, who is still to complete a medical with the Primeira Liga side.

The Blues have been keen to trim their loan group ahead of new FIFA regulations coming in the summer that limit clubs stockpiling senior talent.

The transfer was delayed, however, after Rio Ave refused to give up the registration for Piazon to a rival, despite Chelsea having the contractual right to recall and sell their player.

The 26-year-old was forced to wait for his move while club lawyers and FIFA's TMS department got involved in resolving the dispute to allow the transfer to go through.

Piazon played only three times for Chelsea since joining the club in a £5 million ($7m) move from Sao Paulo back in 2012.

He was the joint longest-serving senior player on a contract at the club along with Cesar Azpilicueta, but spent the majority of his career on loan at several different clubs.

Part of Piazon's desire to leave the loan group is to find a permanent home for his young family, having had his first child during the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

At Braga, he will be reunited with former Rio Ave manager Carlos Carvalhal, who brought him to the Portuguese league.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are trying to trim Frank Lampard's first-team squad and are looking to find solutions for Fikayo Tomori and Marcos Alonso, while they would consider an exit for Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Tomori is attracting interest from unnamed clubs in the Premier League as well as AC Milan. The two Spain internationals, meanwhile, are proving more difficult to offload due to their high wages.

Emerson Palmieri will stay put despite almost joining Juventus in the summer transfer window and Chelsea will opt to keep Rudiger, who had briefly explored a January move.

Tino Anjorin, Lewis Bate and Henry Lawrence are also considering loan moves away as Chelsea's first-team squad is so large, limiting chances for the next crop of academy players.

Chelsea called up all three to train with the first-team ahead of their FA Cup third-round match with Morecambe, but only Anjorin made the squad against the League Two side.

Baba Rahman, meanwhile, has two loan offers in from unnamed clubs in Spain and Germany, while Danny Drinkwater is among the players who are allowed to leave.

Chelsea also rejected a £3m offer from Rostov for Ike Ugbo and are seeking £5m for the in-form 22-year-old striker, who is on loan at Cercle Brugge.

Dani Ceballos has explained the reasons for his second loan spell at Arsenal, with the Spanish midfielder of the opinion that he has “improved” considerably during his time at Emirates Stadium.

The 24-year-old initially linked up with the Gunners during the summer of 2019.

His creative qualities were expected to be put to good use in English football, but he drifted in and out of the team under Unai Emery.

Another countryman has since taken the reins at Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta prepared to offer Ceballos regular game time.

Those outings are said to have taken the classy playmaker’s game to greater heights, with the decision to head out of Santiago Bernabeu in back-to-back campaigns being justified.

Ceballos has told Arsenal’s official website: “There's nothing more important than a coach having faith in you and asking you to come back. That's why I made the decision to come back to this club. The pressure he put on the club to bring me back here was key.

“The main reason I decided to come back was because I had real faith in the project led by Mikel. We did quite well at the end of last season, and I think the confidence that the coach and my team-mates showed in me was what made me come back to this great club.

“I told Madrid that I wanted to come back to Arsenal because during the first year I'd learned a lot about a new league. I'd improved a lot both physically and tactically, and after Mikel came in, the standard of my football improved. I think the best decision for me this year was to remain in the Premier League with Arsenal and keep working with a coach like Mikel Arteta.

“Since joining Arsenal I've become a much more mature player and I make better decisions. People knew my attacking game but nobody knew that winning duels and winning the ball back could be part of my game too. I think I've improved that side of my game a lot – the same goes for my positioning on the pitch.

“I think the FA Cup win was really important in terms of giving us confidence going into this season. I think we need to build on that this season.

“I think this team has lots of good players and a lot of room for improvement, and I'm absolutely convinced that we'll achieve big things. If we all pull in the same direction and if we all stick together, it will be a lot easier. I'm sure that this team has everything it needs to be successful.”

Ceballos, who has admitted that he intends to return to Madrid at the end of the season, has taken in 60 appearances for Arsenal across his two stints in north London.

Mikel Arteta has told David Luiz to focus on football rather than worry about his contract situation as he enters the final six months of his current Arsenal deal.

Luiz, who joined Arsenal from Chelsea in 2019, will be a free agent in the summer - with talks over extending his stay in north London yet to begin.

The 33-year-old has had a mixed spell with the Gunners following his move from Stamford Bridge and is far from a guaranteed starter nowadays, with Gabriel Magalhaes, Rob Holding and Pablo Mari all potentially ahead of him in the pecking order.

But the experienced Brazil international is still an invaluable member of the squad, as he showed with a fine performance alongside Mari in the FA Cup win against Newcastle last weekend.

So Arteta has not ruled out handing him a new deal, but says everyone’s focus right now should be on football.

“We will see what happens,” said the Arsenal boss. “There are a lot of things happening around the club, a lot of decisions to make. I don’t want to rush any decisions.

“I just want players to be focused. They know that they have six months left or eight months left, whatever it is, some of them a year. They know that.

Their contracts are like that, we cannot change that. We cannot change all the contracts right now. I think it is time to be focused.

“We have been through a difficult period in the last few weeks and I just want people to focus on football. If you do what you have to do on the football pitch, you will deserve the chance to keep with us if this is what you want.”

Luiz's appearance against Newcastle last weekend was the first time he had featured in a match since Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat at Everton on December 2019.

The centre-back had been sidelined through illness, the latest in a series of enforced absences he has had to endure since the start of the campaign.

“David had a really difficult season because he had three different things that have kept him away from training and games, which is unusual for him because normally he is always available,” said Arteta.

“He had to play the other day after a two, two-and-a-half week period [out] - and he had to play 120 minutes.

“I think he was exceptional. Just the way he handled the game against a difficult No.9 like Andy Carroll and to play for 120 minutes as well at his age, without much training, was a real test and I really liked what he did.”

Arteta added: “David is fantastic. He is one of the leaders in the dressing room.

“He is one of the most experienced players, he has won everything in the game. He is so good with the young kids.

“When you look at people who can help and be a role model, he is always with them, he is always supporting them, giving them confidence and advice. It is great to have someone like him around.”

Odion Ighalo has opened the door to a potential switch to MLS as he approaches the end of his loan spell at Manchester United.

The Red Devils surprised many when they snapped up Ighalo from Shanghai Shenhua on a six-month deal in last year's winter transfer window.

The 31-year-old scored five goals for United in the second half of the 2020-19 campaign, despite mainly being used as a substitute, providing valuable cover for Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford in the final third of the pitch.

United decided to extend Ighalo's loan through to 2021 at the start of June, but he has been starved of regular minutes in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad since the start of their latest campaign.

Edinson Cavani's arrival at Old Trafford on a free transfer saw the Nigerian frontman fall completely out of favour, with the 31-year-old only managing four appearances in all competitions so far this season.

Ighalo will return to his parent club at the end of the month, but he is not planning to stay in China for the long-term having already pinpointed the United States as a possible next destination.

"I have been watching MLS and the league is doing well and I would like to play in the MLS," the Shanghai Shenhua loanee told ESPN. "I have to wait for offers and if the opportunity arises, I will take it because the league is doing well and it is a good life and I would love it.

"Lots of players go there. Even Gonzalo Higuain from Juventus is there, also Giovanni dos Santos. Why not? I would like to go there if an opportunity arises. Being an experienced player, going there, doing well. It is an opportunity if it comes for me.

"The David Beckham club [Inter Miami] is growing, so if an opportunity arises why not?"

Regardless of where Ighalo ends up in the near future, he says playing for United has been the pinnacle of his career and that he will look back on his time at Old Trafford with great pride.

"It was a good one and a tough one, before I came to United I never thought I would play," he said. "I'm a Reds fan.

"If you ask anybody where I grew up, we fight because of Manchester United. We quarrel and argue. So when my team didn't do well they would start to insult and argue with me and I cried. I can tell you I'm the happiest man on earth for my dream to come true, I fulfilled my dream.

"I remember the night my agent called me to tell me Manchester United wanted me, it was 10 or 11pm. Shanghai time. I was under my bed naked, I didn't sleep until daybreak.

"I don't care about a pay cut, I just want go to Manchester United because this is my dream. I was under my bed shivering and walking around my room and I did not sleep until 6am.

"I'm fulfilled as a football player, if I don't achieve anything from now when I finish my career I am fulfilled."

Gabriel Martinelli being forced back onto the sidelines for a prolonged period of time would have been “heartbreaking”, says Kevin Campbell, with the former Arsenal striker relieved to hear that the Brazilian’s latest knock is not as bad as first feared.

The talented 19-year-old broke down just four games into his return to the Gunners fold from a long-term knee problem.

Martinelli was ruled out of a meeting with Newcastle after turning his ankle in the warm-up, with Mikel Arteta admitting afterwards that he was not expecting good news.

Arsenal have, however, offered an encouraging update on their South American forward, saying in a post on the club’s official website: “Gabi turned his right ankle during the warm-up against Newcastle United on Saturday and was subsequently taken out of the starting line-up.

“Gabi has progressed very well and we’re hoping that he will return to full training with the squad in the next few days.”

Campbell has welcomed that assessment, with the former Gunners striker as relieved as Martinelli is that he will not be forced onto the treatment table for long.

He told Football Insider: “I wasn’t quite sure what the issue was.

“He has been out for such a long time that when he picks up an injury in the warm up you fear the worst.

“Fingers crossed he is going to be back in training this week so it does not look to be that bad. It is great news for the football club, great news for him and a relief for him.

“He put in so much work to get himself back fit, and he was so impressive against Chelsea, to get injured again would have been heartbreaking. I am really pleased for him.”    

Martinelli, who hit 10 goals during his debut campaign at Emirates Stadium in 2019-20, missed nine months of football due to the coronavirus lockdown and a serious knee injury picked up during training in June.

He has told the Daily Mail of a long road to recovery: “I was about to receive the ball and felt a little pain on my knee.

“Not enough for me to stop practising, but, while we were on the finishing session, I told them that I was in pain. They told me to rest and, if I felt the pain the next day, to let them know.

“When I woke up, I felt it but I was able to walk. I thought it was nothing at first, but it was a pain I'd never felt before. I went to the club for the examinations and they said it was not good and I would need surgery. It broke me. I cried a lot.”

Mikael Silvestre has ruled Manchester United into the Premier League title race and boldly suggested that Manchester City will not be in the running.

The battle for domestic supremacy in English football appears set to go down to the wire this season, with several sides harbouring realistic ambitions of chasing down the ultimate prize.

United have moved to the top of the table, with defending champions Liverpool next up for them.

Leicester are also in the mix, while Chelsea and City are under pressure to deliver after investing heavily in the construction of star-studded squads.

Jose Mourinho will also hope to have Tottenham in contention if inconsistencies can be ironed out in north London.

Silvestre, though, claims that just three teams will sustain challenges for the crown, with a man who captured four titles during his playing days at Old Trafford telling Ladbrokes: “For me there are only three teams in this year's title race: Man Utd, Liverpool, and I'm going to put Leicester in there as well.

“It's a wide-open season and it's good for Man Utd to be in the race instead of playing catch-up and looking on from a distance.

“Now it's just a case of staying up there. They're in a very positive position at this point in the campaign.”

Former France international Silvestre added on the reversal in fortune being enjoyed by the rejuvenated Red Devils: “The great thing is that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hasn't changed anything in recent weeks. From United's poor run to where they are now, he's stuck to his plans and his ideas.

“Solskjaer didn't have to change anything; it was more that the players had to respond to what he was asking them to do.

“United had a fantastic run at the back end of last season, then they managed to bring in some names where the club identified weaknesses and clearly they're now back on track. Ole just wanted that consistency and it looks like it's back now.

“When you know the man (Solskjaer), you know he has values and that's why he was given the job; he reflects what United is about. As a United player you need to ignore the noise in the media – as a manager even more so.

“The staff are all united and behind the manager. There's enough quality in there to challenge for the title. But football is a funny game; you can't afford to relax because you'll slip down one or two more places in the table.

“You need to stay focused. I wouldn't have predicted Man Utd to be at the top of the table in January back at the start of the season, but that's the beauty of the game.

“They've taken advantage of other teams' misfortunes. It's why the Premier League in general is so interesting. It's great to see United in that position; I'd call it a very good surprise.”

Brazilian forward Alexandre Pato has flirted with a return to San Siro, stating that it is his dream to head back to AC Milan and that he could form a formidable strike partnership with Zlatan Ibrahimovic should the Rossoneri pick him up as a free agent.

Pato has been looking for a new club since terminating his contract with Sao Paulo in August of last year, as the 31-year-old former prodigy looks to continue his career on the pitch.

Milan are currently in the market for another striker as they look to add some additional firepower to a squad that is challenging for the Serie A title – and Pato feels that he could be the man to fill that spot.

“I hear that in Italy there may be clubs interested in me,” the attacker told Gazzetta dello Sport. “I would like to make it very clear that, at 31, I'm not looking for a big-money contract, but for a project that I like. If I was in it for the money I would have stayed in China.

“How could I not feel nostalgic [about Milan]? We're talking about 150 games, 63 goals, a Scudetto and a Supercoppa Italiana. It would be a dream to return to Milan, which is in my heart.”

Asked if he would be fine with playing second fiddle to Ibrahimovic, Pato added: “I would say yes, what's the problem? But I wouldn't come to be a deputy, I would play a couple of games and convince the coach [to keep me in the starting line-up].

“No, come on, let's say that maybe we could play together. We would make a great couple.”

Milan are one of the few sides that have space in their squad for a non-EU player, with Fiorentina also on that list, and the injury-prone Pato insists that he is fit, healthy and more mature as he looks to land one of those premium spots.

“My body is fine, I'm fine, and my head is different from the last time [I was in Italy],” he went on. “I know what I can give and what I have to do: Will is everything and I have it. I see Europe in my future, especially Italy. 

“I think I can still do very well in Serie A as long as there's space in a team for someone with a non-EU passport.

“I will evaluate what's feasible. Fiorentina are an excellent club with many champions and a good team. Besides, it's a beautiful city.”

Kibu Vicuna is not concerned about Kerala Blasters' woeful defensive record as long his side scores more goals than they concede. Vicuna is expecting his side to do the same against East Bengal on Friday.

The Blasters have just the one clean sheet in the 2020-21 edition of the Indian Super League (ISL) and have thus far conceded more goals (19) than any other team this season.

"We are trying to improve the balance and try to not concede goals while creating chances offensively. The most important is not conceding goals (how many goals you concede) but to score against your opponent. If you concede but you score (more than you concede), the morale is high," the Spaniard remarked.

Vicuna opted to go for a two-man front pairing in Gary Hooper and Jordan Murray in their latest 3-2 win over Jamshedpur on Sunday but the coach insisted that it's style over formation for him.

"Every game is different. So what we are doing is looking at the players we have and the structure we are more confident in and trying to put the best team possible. It's true that Gary and Jordan performed well together in the last game," he also addressed questions over his constantly changing backline.

"When you have to correct things, you have to look for the best formation. During the season, you also have physical problems and injuries [and suspensions]. We are always looking for the best formation for every game. We are also working on how to be more competitive in the teams as our objective is to get the three points."

Kerala have issues to solve, however, in defence with Lalruatthara suspended after picking up a red card. Vicuna hinted that he might use new signing Juande, Sergio Cidoncha's replacement, in defence given that Vicente Gomez and Jeakson Singh have been combining well in midfield of late.

"He (Juande) can help us in different positions. He's a fantastic defensive midfielder but can play in other positions as well, like as a central midfielder. We are happy that we have this possibility. So we will see during the match what we are going to do," the former Mohun Bagan coach stated.

Meanwhile, Juande is confident that Kerala Blasters can turn their season around from a second from bottom position, presently with 9 points from 10 games.

"I saw a lot of games during quarantine. I think we only need to fix the small details. I only come here to help. So it's not much pressure for me but football as I have played in my entire life. I have good confidence in this team," he said.

Coach Zdravko Logarusic claims his Zimbabwe squad can defy all odds to have a good showing at the 2021 African Nations Championship.

Players from the Southern African country have experienced inactivity as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak. They last played competitive football when the country’s top-flight season ended on November 30, 2019.

However, the veteran tactician who had previously led Sudan to the biennial African football showpiece is positive that his team can shake off their coronavirus-induced rust to pull a shock in Group A.

“I have seen more than 40 players who have the potential to play for the national team but it’s very hard to select players who haven’t played football for nine, 10 months,” Logarusic told the media, as reported by Caf.

“Anyway, we will try our best to see how things go. We have tried our best as the technical team to give most players in the top-flight a chance to prove themselves.

“We will certainly try our best. We need to improve in every area of the game and hopefully, by the time we leave for Chan, we will be in better shape as a team.

“The players haven’t played football for eight, nine months and for sure every aspect of their game needs to be improved.

“It’s like what we have done in the past weeks has been pre-season and it’s difficult to judge which player can do well.

“Zimbabwe is full of talent and I think we will have a team to start working with. The players are breaking camp and I have urged them to try and be disciplined over this short period.”

Zoned in Group A alongside hosts Cameroon, Mali and Burkina Faso, the Brave Warriors will begin their campaign on January 16 versus the Indomitable Lions at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaounde.

Four days later, they take on the Stallions at the same venue before trying the Eagles for size on January 24.

Zimbabwe are making a fifth Chan and their best outing remains a fourth-place finish achieved in South Africa 2014. There, they lost the third-place match to the Super Eagles with Chinonso Obiozor’s 85th-minute strike settling the encounter at the Cape Town Stadium.

Amad Diallo says he is targeting Premier League and Champions League glory after completing a "dream" move to Manchester United.

United reached an agreement to sign Diallo from Atalanta for £37 million ($51m) on the final day of the summer transfer window.

However, the final deal was subject to personal terms and work permit, with the Red Devils forced to apply for a governing body exemption before the winger could obtain a visa.

The Manchester outfit submitted the relevant paperwork on January 1 and received approval on the same day, with Diallo officially becoming the first player to be registered under post-Brexit rules six days later.

The 18-year-old, who only made five senior appearances for Atalanta, has been handed the No.19 shirt previously worn by the likes of Marcus Rashford and Dwight Yorke, with big things now expected of a man who has already been likened to club legend Cristiano Ronaldo.

Diallo expressed his excitement after being unveiled at Old Trafford on Wednesday before outlining his ambitions for both domestic and European success in the famous red shirt.

“I’m over the moon to be here. I’m so excited to start here at Manchester United. It’s a dream come true and I can’t wait to start and play with the guys," he told United's official website.

“I’m a little bit too anxious to say this given it’s just the start [of my time here] but my dream is to win the Premier League and the Champions League with Manchester United. That is my aim and goal.

Diallo has been in regular contact with fellow Ivorian Eric Bailly since being snapped up by the Red Devils, and he also thinks that Paul Pogba will have a key role to play in helping him to settle into his new surroundings over the next few months.

“Eric will be a definite reference point for me. I’ve actually already been in touch with him over the last few months and we’ve been chatting," he said.

"I’ll be asking him for advice and will be listening to all he says, and also the other players who speak French and Italian like [Paul] Pogba for example, he will be another good reference point for me.”

Diallo added on his Atalanta departure: “It’s been a little bit strange these last few months. I would have hoped to have played a little bit more with Atalanta, but it wasn’t possible. 

“I’ll always be grateful to Atalanta, they’re fantastic people starting from the coach to the president of the club. They have always supported me and have always been there for me, so huge thanks to them of course and it’s thanks to them that I am here now.”

Simba SC have moved on after the Mapinduzi Cup defeat to Young Africans (Yanga SC) on Wednesday in Zanzibar.

Simba were beaten 4-3 from the penalty shootout after the match had ended with the scoreline tied at 0-0. The penalty misses by Joash Onyango – who was named the man of the match – and Meddie Kagere were responsible for their final loss.

Through a social media post, the Wekundu wa Msimbazi have stated the focus now is on the Caf Champions League games as well as the Mainland Premier League title defence.

“You are our generals and we, as Simba supporters, love you so much,” Simba’s post read. “Let us now move forward and represent the country at the international level and also fight to ensure we defend the league title.”

The local giants reached the group stage of the Champions League after seeing off Nigeria’s Plateau United and FC Platinum of Zimbabwe in the first and the second preliminary rounds respectively.

Upon landing on Group A, Simba were handed AS Vita, champions Al Ahly and El Merreikh.

On the domestic front, they face a huge task of defending the title as they have already lost two games and sit second to Yanga who are unbeaten after 17 matches. The Msimbazi club though have two games in hand owing to their Champions League participation.

Although they lost at the penultimate stage of the Mapindiuzi competition, the club’s Chief Executive Officer Barbara Gonzalez stated she is convinced they have a strong team.

Simba had to navigate a condensed programme to book the Yanga date, as explained by Gonzalez.

“Our players deserve to be lauded because they fought hard,” the CEO said. “Penalties have no owner and luck was not on our side. Four games in six days and two back-to-back? I would continue to insist that we have got a good team.”

Simba had to participate in the Mapinduzi competition without 11 players who were excluded on various grounds. They were also under interim head coach Selemani Matola who took charge after the exit of Sven Vandenbroeck.

Matola is expected to continue as an assistant coach when a new man is appointed after a thorough vetting process.

Aston Villa’s home date with Everton on Sunday has become the latest Premier League game to be postponed during the coronavirus pandemic.

A “significant” Covid-19 outbreak at Villa Park has forced Dean Smith’s side to take decisive action.

An FA Cup third-round clash with Liverpool did go ahead, albeit with an U23 side fielded by the Villans, but a meeting with Tottenham that was due to take place on Wednesday was called off.

With a number of first-team players and staff still in self-isolation, the West Midlands outfit have been forced to accept that a tie with Everton will have to be fit into an already testing schedule at a later date.

A statement on the club’s official website reads: “Aston Villa can confirm that Sunday’s scheduled Premier League fixture with Everton has been postponed.

“The club would like to express its immense gratitude to the medical experts who have helped us to get a significant Covid-19 outbreak under control, as well as the Premier League board and our fellow clubs for their understanding during this period.

“We expect that members of the first team squad and staff who are healthy and safe to return to training will do so on Sunday when the isolation protocols will have been observed.

“The club continues to wish all those affected by the virus a speedy recovery.

“Our Premier League fixture with Newcastle United, which was postponed as a result of a similar outbreak at their training ground, will now take place on Saturday, January 23 at 8pm.”

Everton have no complaints at seeing their pre-match plans disrupted, with the right decisions being taken by all concerned.

The Merseyside outfit have said in a statement of their own: “Everton's away match against Aston Villa, scheduled to be played on Sunday 17 January at 12pm, has been postponed by the Premier League Board.

“Following the rescheduling of Villa’s game against Tottenham Hotspur, which was due to be played last night, a significant number of players and staff remain in isolation. As a result, the Premier League Board has agreed to Aston Villa’s request to postpone the match on Sunday.

“Newcastle United’s postponed match at Aston Villa, which was due to be played on 4 December 2020, has been rescheduled and will now be played on Saturday 23 January at 8pm, live on Sky Sports.

“The Premier League, in consultation with its clubs, has enhanced its Covid-19 protocols, in addition to reimplementing a twice-weekly testing programme as the heath of players and staff remains the priority. The protocols, which strengthen key elements of the existing guidance, came into immediate effect last week.”