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Cape Town City coach Olde Jan Riekerink says there are other players who can step in and fill the void left by forward Kermit Erasmus who left the club to join Mamelodi Sundowns.

Erasmus proved he is a seasoned player during the last Premier Soccer League PSL) campaign in which he ended with 13 goals, the best season tally in his career.

Having previously played in the Erevidisie for Feyenoord, Ligue 1 for Stade Rennais and Orlando Pirates, Erasmus was one of the most experienced players in Riekerink’s side.

But Riekerink feels he has enough cover to replace Erasmus who joined Sundowns in early October.

“We have some other options but for now it’s better to talk about the next game,” Riekerink told the media.

“Fagrie [Lakay] is an option, Tashreeq [Morris] is also an option for that game so they will be normally the first candidates. Of course, Kermit decided a lot of games with goals. Now that Kermit is not here, we will see that other players will stand up and show themselves. We will be sure of the next game.

“Our target at this club is that we always want to end in the top eight. Our ambition is that our team has to end as high as possible. I think we will emphasise on the fact that Kermit has left. Kermit was very important for us, he scored a lot of important goals. We will give opportunities to other players to excel.

“I am convinced with this group. We will find our way to score our goals and then other players will find their way to the goal. May it not be one player but several others.”

Other attackers Riekerink could be relying on include Mduduzi Mdantsane, upcoming Diego Appollis and Bafana Bafana player Thabo Nodada.

City’s 2020/21 season has started on a losing note after going down 1-0 to Orlando Pirates in last week’s MTN8 quarter-final clash.

They now prepare to host Chippa United in their opening PSL match on Saturday.

Paris Saint-Germain are “very lucky to have Neymar”, claims Lucas Moura, with a “top player” expected to lead another Champions League charge from the Ligue 1 title holders this season.

The Brazil international came agonisingly close to delivering European glory for the French giants in 2020.

They fell at the final hurdle against treble-winning Bayern Munich, but will be back for more in the current campaign and are due to open their quest for glory in a home date with Manchester United on Tuesday.

Neymar will be called upon to provide attacking inspiration once again in that contest, with fellow countryman Lucas backing a man he has played alongside at club and international level to push PSG into contention for more major honours.

A man who spent five years at Parc des Princes before linking up with Tottenham in January 2018 told Le Parisien of Neymar’s talent: “He's progressing every season. He's an impressive player. He started his career almost at the top but he continues to achieve great things. He's a top player.

“Paris is very lucky to have Neymar. Of course, he will help them again this season, he wants to win the Champions League with PSG. There is nothing more to say.”

While Neymar remains on the books at PSG, the French giants have parted company with two other experienced South Americans.

Thiago Silva and Edinson Cavani left the club as free agents over the summer, with both now in English football at Chelsea and Manchester United respectively.

Lucas is pleased to have another compatriot in London with him and believes a prolific Uruguayan frontman will deliver at Old Trafford once he is up to speed in the Premier League.

The Spurs forward added: “I'm happy for Thiago. He's closer to me here in London. I'm happy for him, he's one of the best defenders in the world, I've always said that. He plays for a great team.

“I’m happy for him and for Cavani too. It will undoubtedly be more difficult for him to play in the Premier League. There are a lot of great players.”

As PSG prepare to begin their latest continental campaign against United, Lucas and Spurs have progressed through the Europa League qualifiers to reach the group stage, where they will face LASK on Thursday.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has settled for Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee as the new coach for Harambee Stars hours after they parted ways with Francis Kimanzi.

Goal can exclusively reveal the Federation under Nick Mwendwa has already contacted Mulee, who is set to make a grand return to the team he coached and guided to the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations finals held in Tunis, Tunisia.

A source within the federation has confirmed to Goal the appointment of Mulee by stating: “We are set to unveil ‘Ghost’ after doing away with Kimanzi, the ceremony will be held on tomorrow [Wednesday] and he will be given a free hand to pick his backroom staff,” the source told Goal.

When reached for comment, Mulee told Goal he was not aware of the appointment but confirmed he had been approached to take over the mantle.

“I am just getting the information from you [on being appointed as Kenya coach],” Mulee told Goal. “But what I can tell you is that federation officials contacted me on Sunday asking if I am available to take over the mantle but I told them I cannot talk about a job, which already has a person.”

But when Goal told him Kimanzi had been fired and the seat was now vacant, Mulee said: “Let us wait and see, for now I don’t know anything about the job.”

In a shocking move which came after Mwendwa retained the mantle to run Kenyan football for another four years, FKF confirmed they had parted ways with the coach, who was only appointed to replace Sebastien Migne in August last year.

“Harambee Stars head coach Francis Kimanzi and part of his backroom staff have left the national team by mutual consent,” FKF said in a statement signed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and obtained by Goal.

“The Federation is immensely grateful to coach Kimanzi and his departing members of staff that include assistant coach Zedekiah Otieno and goalkeeper trainer Lawrence Webo for their exemplary work, dedication and unrivalled professionalism, which has strengthened Kenya’s chances of qualifying for the Afcon 2022 final tournament.

“The FKF has wished the departed members the best in their future endeavours while stating they will not comment on the issue again until a replacement is in place. All at the federation wish them well in their future endeavours, this even as the search for a replacement to take the national team forward begins in earnest.

“There will be no further comment from FKF until a new appointment is made, in the coming days.”

The tactician took over from Sebastien Migne after the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) held in Egypt. He led the national team to a 1-1 draw away to Egypt in the 2021 Afcon qualifiers before settling to the same scoreline at home against Togo.

On October 9, he led Kenya to a 2-1 win over Zambia's Chipolopolo in a friendly staged in Nairobi, but he will now not be part of the team to play Comoros in the Afcon qualifying doubleheader set for November.

Paul Pogba is a big fan of Marcus Rashford’s “special” talents, Kylian Mbappe has revealed, with the Manchester United midfielder raving about a current colleague in a manner that he reserves for a select few.

One World Cup-winning Frenchman has been aware of the potential in a Red Devils forward for some time, having graduated through the same Old Trafford academy system.

It was, however, when making a return to English football from Juventus in 2016 that Pogba was given a chance to line up alongside Rashford on a senior stage.

He has been impressed by what he has seen from the England international, with a talented 22-year-old becoming a role model for millions with his efforts on and off the field.

Mbappe, who is about to face Rashford in the Champions League as Paris Saint-Germain prepare to play host to United, is another member of the Red Devils winger’s ever-growing fan club.

He has seen firsthand what the versatile frontman is capable of, having witnessed him register a dramatic penalty at Parc des Princes in the spring of 2019, and is not surprised to hear a fellow countryman talk so highly of him.

Mbappe told reporters ahead of a continental clash with Rashford: “He’s one of the most dangerous forward players in England.

“Paul Pogba has spoken about how special he is and he doesn’t talk about players in such a way often.

“When you take a penalty in that situation, how much practice you have put on the training ground doesn’t matter. It’s about confidence and he’s a player who plays with so much confidence.”

Pogba is not the only familiar face that Mbappe will be hoping to disappoint when United pay their latest visit to Paris.

Anthony Martial is another international colleague of the highly-rated 21-year-old, and another player that he holds in high regard despite the regular rounds of questions that the Red Devils’ No.9 faces when it comes to filling a central striking berth.

“He’s a player I have a great understanding with,” Mbappe said of Martial.

“Playing with somebody as talented as Anthony makes your job easier.

“I’m sure he’ll have another big season with Manchester United and I look forward to playing with him for the national team again.

“He’s a very good friend but also a player that I connect very well with.”

Richarlison should be stung with a ban much longer than the standard three-game sanction for a straight red card, says John Aldridge, with the Everton forward having caught Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara with a “disgraceful” tackle in a dramatic Merseyside derby.

The Brazil international was given his marching orders in the closing stages of a thrilling encounter at Goodison Park.

He lunged into a mistimed challenge on Thiago and was immediately sent for an early bath.

Liverpool are still waiting to discover whether a Spain international playmaker will be joining Virgil van Dijk in being ruled out of their upcoming fixtures.

With that in mind, and with Thiago lucky to have escaped a potentially career-ending injury, Aldridge has called for the book to be thrown at Richarlison.

The former Reds striker told the Sunday World: “That tackle was disgraceful, there is no other word for it. He has gone over the top of the ball and that is the kind of tackle that can end a career.

“Thiago is 29 and if he breaks his leg badly there, he might struggle to get back to his best. So the red card was not enough for Richarlison.

“That should not be a three-game ban, it needs to be much more than that and if Thiago has got away with it, he is very lucky.”

Richarlison’s tackle on Thiago was far from being the only incident to cause controversy when two old adversaries locked horns.

Jordan Henderson saw a late goal ruled out by VAR after the tightest of offside calls, while Toffees goalkeeper Jordan Pickford avoided any form of punishment for a knee-high challenge on Van Dijk that has left the Dutchman with ligament damage and facing up to surgery.

“The best referee in the Premier League was made to look like a fool by VAR man Coote and there is no excuse for him not asking Michael Oliver to look at the replay on that challenge,” Aldridge added.

“I don’t think Pickford was malicious in that challenge as he is a keeper who makes a lot of mistakes and appears to panic at moments like that. It was a clumsy challenge rather than a reckless one, but everyone agrees it was worthy of a red card.

“The idea that the VAR official was too distracted by the tight offside decision to see the challenge on Van Dijk is a joke and this needs to be a moment when we look at who is in charge of the VAR decisions.

“Maybe we need to get more experienced referees in because Coote has a history of missing big calls and now he has missed another massive one.

“He was in charge of the Man United v Liverpool game last season and missed a clear foul on Divock Origi in the build-up to the United goal and was also at fault for missing a horrible challenge in the Chelsea v Spurs game last season.

“There is no excuse when you can see these incidents from so many angles and while VAR is useful for some aspects of the game, there is a huge problem if the technology is not used in the right manner.”

It was another difficult season in the top flight for Petaling Jaya City FC, who having flirted with relegation for large parts of the campaign, eventually rose to the occasion to finish comfortably in the top half of the table.

A finish that was supported by an unbeaten last five matches in the Super League that saw them claim two wins and three draws, in the process picking up nine valuable points that steer them well clear of relegation.

That run saw PJ City scoring 12 goals in five matches with Washington Brandao and R. Kogileswaran leading by example with three goal each as K. Devan found some form of a winning formula.

The experienced head coach now turns his attention towards the Malaysia Cup and with confidence high in the side, will be aiming to show that PJ City can provide a shock or two in the competition.

"Of course we have a specific target for Malaysia Cup but I don't want to reveal that yet before the draw has been done. Let's see who we get then we can manage our expectations. 

"There's no major injury concerns, everyone is either fit or close to being 100% and I'm sure the players will be ready to offer a challenge in the competition," said Devan.

This will be the third straight year that PJ City has qualified for the Malaysia Cup but the first two entries were far from memorable as they exited the competition in the group stages.

With the Control Movement Control Order (CMCO) activated in Klang Valley, Devan and PJ City have quickly shifted their training venue to Negeri Sembilan in order to continue training and maintaining fitness.

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and Harambee Stars coach Francis Kimanzi, alongside part of the technical bench, have parted ways.

The tactician took over from Sebastien Migne after the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) held in Egypt. He led the national team to a 1-1 draw away to Egypt in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers before settling to the same scoreline at home against Togo.

On October 9, he led Kenya to a 2-1 win over Zambia's Chipolopolo in a friendly staged in Nairobi, but he will now not be part of the team to play Comoros in the Afcon qualifying doubleheader set for November.

"Harambee Stars head coach Francis Kimanzi and part of his backroom staff have left the national team by mutual consent," FKF said in a statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and obtained by Goal.

"The Federation is immensely grateful to coach Kimanzi and his departing members of staff that include assistant coach Zedekiah Otieno and goalkeeper trainer Lawrence Webo for their exemplary work, dedication, and unrivalled professionalism, which has strengthened Kenya’s chances of qualifying for the Afcon 2022 final tournament."

The FKF has wished the departed members the best in their future endevours while stating they will not comment on the issue again until a replacement is in place.

"All at the federation wish them well in their future endeavors, this even as the search for a replacement to take the national team forward begins in earnest.

"There will be no further comment from FKF until a new appointment is made, in the coming days."  

Kenya are aiming at making it to the World Cup in 2026 and Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa revealed they are hopeful of achieving the objective.

"I don’t know how we will achieve it, but I am sure we will make it, in the next four years, I want to see Kenya in the World Cup," Mwendwa told Goal. "I don’t know if it will be the men’s team or the women’s team but I want to see Kenya represented at the world stage.

"This will happen soon, I want to put more emphasis on national teams and I know with proper planning, everything we want will be achieved."

Just days after Orlando Pirates stated they were in contract negotiations with Luvuyo Memela, he was unveiled as one of AmaZulu's high profile signings.

Also joining the KwaZulu-Natal side as new owner Sandile Zungu rebuilds the team are Siphiwe Tshabalala, Siphelele Mthembu, Sicelo Mkhize, Siphelele Nene, Makhehleni Makhaula, Limbikani Mzava and Samkelo Gwazela.

Last week, Pirates stated on their website that "the club is still in talks with 33-year-old Luvuyo Memela over extending his stay at the club, however, the two parties are yet to reach an agreement."

Clearly, it seems those talks must have broken down. Perhaps AmaZulu offered Memela more money, or, as he explains, the KwaZulu-Natal side convinced him to be part of an exciting new dawn at the club.

“AmaZulu want to achieve things and they have been in the top-flight for a long time," the attacking midfielder was quoted saying by the Citizen.

"I am very happy to be here. The ambition of the president here is very motivational and that’s why it didn’t take me long to join the team.”

In terms of his surprise exit from the Buccaneers, the Cape Town-born player, however, was not prepared to shed further light on the matter.

“I think that one, I can’t say much on it," the 33-year-old Memela said.

"But you know it’s the life in football and such things always happen. I don’t want to comment much on it, and what’s important now is that I am with AmaZulu and I am happy here,” he added.

Memela spent five seasons with Pirates after signing from National First Division club Cape Town All Stars.

He was popular with the supporters but failed to win any silverware during a period when Bucs lost three domestic cup finals, the final of the Caf Confederation Cup and also twice ended second in the league.

Memela could potentially make his debut for his new team on Saturday night when the Durban outfit hosts none other than his former side, Pirates.

The 2020 Malaysia Super League season has not been one to remember for Pahang as they only managed to finished 7th after losing in their final fixture away to Terengganu FC (TFC) which sealed their place in the mid-table.

It was a massive fall for the Elephants who had only just finished runner-up one season before but the departures of first Matthew Davies and then Mohamadou Sumareh put paid to their hopes of challenging for a higher finish.

But the biggest barrier for Dollah Salleh and his side to overcome was the injury troubles that kept hitting them with key players like Dickson Nwakaeme, Ivan Carlos and Faisal Halim struggling to maintain their fitness fight.

Because of the rise of Covid-19 numbers again in Malaysia, the Malaysia Cup has been moved from a 16 October start to 6 November, which gives plenty of encouragement to Faisal and co.

"I'm 80% recovered now and I believe that in a week's time, I will be able to play on the pitch again so the focus right now is to get completely fit. But it's not just me, there are several others who are working to get fit for the Malaysia Cup.

"We understand that why the matches are delayed. There's a lot to learn from this year because by middle of November, there's usually no more matches. This year will be different and we as players have to adjust to that," said Faisal.

The nippy winger is recovering from an ankle injury which he sustained in that 2-1 defeat at the hands of TFC after seemingly taking on the mantle left behind by Sumareh. 

The 22-year-old scored twice in the final seven matches of the Super League season that was played out five months after the initial first three matches was played including in the 3-2 defeat at the hands of Johor Darul Ta'zim.

He is fighting to get fit for the start of the final competition of the year together with Adam Reed, Zuhair Aizat, Nwakaeme, Herold Goulon and R. Dinesh.

Chris Mavinga has advised his former club Rennes to be focused when they take on Russian side FC Krasnodar in Tuesday’s Champions League game.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo international spent two years with the Red and Blacks before moving to Russia to play for Rubin Kazan and he is currently with MLS side Toronto FC.

The Red and Blacks will be featuring in the group stage of the top European competition for the first time in their history and are in Group E, which has experienced Premier League side Chelsea and Spanish club Sevilla.

Mavinga has counselled Julien Stephan’s men on how to approach the campaign, urging them to learn from German club RB Leipzig, who sprung surprises in the tournament last season to reach the semi-finals.

“I am not good at predicting but Rennes can create surprises. You don't have to calculate. Chelsea and Sevilla are used to playing these competitions but we have seen it with Ajax and Leipzig who have teams with young players, they played the games well,” Mavinga told Rennes website.

“They have come a long way. You have to say to yourself: ‘I am entering the field and I take full advantage of what I am going through’. It's not every day. You just have to give everything and not regret at the end."

The defender spent four years in the Russian Premier League with Rubin Kazan and has advised Rennes to be battle-ready against Krasnoda.

“At home, you have to take as many points as possible, be serious and focused. Krasnodar is less difficult among the clubs in the group. You have to play the game well,” he continued.  

“To play in the Champion's League is something magnificent and beautiful. You have to take advantage of these moments and gain as much experience as possible from the start.

“In the return leg, even if it is less cold than in Moscow or Kazan, the temperature may be an advantage for Krasnodar. When the teams came to play against us, it felt weird to play by -15 °.

“We were used to it, while our opponents had difficulty moving their limbs. It is sometimes profitable for Russian clubs. It will be necessary to be serious during the warm-up on the second leg.

“The journey will be long. The grounds are pretty good now thanks to the World Cup. There are nice facilities in Russia. In my time, it was at the end of construction but I saw that they were doing top-level stadiums.”

Mavinga joined Toronto FC in 2017 and has featured in more than 75 games for the club across all competitions, including 18 in the 2020 MLS campaign.

Bruno Fernandes has been backed to replace Harry Maguire as Manchester United’s permanent captain by Rene Meulensteen.

Fernandes has established himself as a talismanic figure at Old Trafford since his €55 million (£50m/$65m) move from Sporting CP in the last January transfer window.

The Portuguese has contributed 15 goals and 11 assists in his first 27 outings for United, adding a much-needed creative spark to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side while leading by example in the middle of the pitch.

The Red Devils have become a far more potent side going forward with the 26-year-old pulling the strings, and his inspirational presence has also been able to bring the best out stars who had previously been struggling for form in Manchester.

Fernandes is set to inherit the captain’s armband for the first time in a Champions League clash away at Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, with Maguire nursing a slight knock after a 4-1 win at Newcastle at the weekend.

Meulensteen, who served as Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant between 2007 and 2013, believes the ex-Sporting star is the ideal man to take up leadership duties having seen him raise the collective “standards” within the squad over the past 10 months.

“Bruno is an excellent choice because since he’s come to the club, he has given United what they were lacking,” the former United coach told talkSPORT.

"Some urgency, he plays with conviction, he plays with authority, he drives other players on.

“He’s a positive influence every time he steps on the pitch – and he’s not afraid to tell players when they don’t meet the standards. He’s got high standards about himself because you can see if he does miss a pass, he gets annoyed with himself and he will be the same with other players.

“Although he will say it, he’s not a negative person. He’s a very positive influence in the dressing room, players look up to him because he has proved to be such an important player for the team.”

Asked if he can see Fernandes succeeding Maguire as Red Devils skipper in the near future, Meulensteen added: “For me, I can see that because he’s been very consistent.

“He plays every game, his performances are nine out of 10. He always has an impact on the game.

“You want to have players [where you can say], ‘he’s on the pitch, the captain’s on the pitch, he will carry us over the line'.”

Ander Herrera has jumped to the defence of under-fire Manchester United star Paul Pogba and praised the Red Devils for signing the "right players" in the summer transfer window.

Pogba has come under intense criticism at the start of the 2020-21 campaign after failing to pick up from where he left off in terms of his performances post-lockdown.

The Frenchman played a key role in United's run to a third-place Premier League finish last term, silencing rumours of a possible move away from Old Trafford in the process, but his form has taken a turn for the worst over the past few weeks.

The 27-year-old started a 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace, a narrow 3-2 victory against Brighton and a 6-1 humbling at home to Tottenham before being dropped to the bench for the 4-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday.

Pogba annoyed many Red Devils fans while away on international duty recently as he  admitted he harbours dreams of a switch to Real Madrid one day , but United have since triggered the one-year extension clause in his contract which ties him to the club until 2022.

Former Old Trafford favourite Herrera, who joined PSG on a free transfer in 2019, has spoken out in support of his ex-team-mate as he prepares to come up against him in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

“I think he has everything - there are not many players like him,” the Spaniard said ahead of PSG's group-stage clash with the Red Devils at Parc des Princes.

“Pogba, he can play one-on-one, box-to-box, a little high, he definitely has got it all. He’s got all the skills and the talent. I think he plays well right now because of Bruno Fernandes.

“Before, we used to play more on the left and more on the right. Regardless, he's got the talent to be one of the best. 

“Now, I’m a Paris player, so I wish him the best. Tomorrow, it’s a different team and the fight is on.”

United's lack of activity in the summer market was well publicised, with deadline-day deals for Edinson Cavani, Alex Telles and Facundo Pellistri doing little to satisfy the club's frustrated fanbase after a failed pursuit for Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho.

However, Donny van de Beek also arrived at Old Trafford from Ajax earlier in the window, and Herrera thinks his old club made some shrewd moves which will help Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in his continued quest to bring back the glory days.

“They are progressing,” he said. "They have signed the right players, in my opinion. They are going to improve.

“They are progressing. I don’t think they are going backwards, I think they are going forwards.”

Herrera was on the winning side the last time United faced PSG in Europe, with a stunning 3-1 win in France sealing a memorable comeback for Solskjaer's men in the last-16 stage in 2018-19.

He is fully focused on contributing to the Red Devils' demise this time around though, and has stressed the importance of getting off to a good start in a group also containing RB Leipzig and Istanbul Basaksehir.

“I was a Manchester United player then so, of course, I was very happy with the outcome,” Herrera added. 

”We played a lot of new players. A lot of the first-team players were injured back then. We had hope and actually played well, and we won, so I was very happy.

“Now, it’s different. I’m a Paris player. I don’t know if I’m going to start or not. Whatever’s going to happen, I’m playing for Paris and Paris is in my mind. I’m going to play the best I can and make sure we win.

“Now it’s a game tomorrow, an important game for both. This is a group where you can’t make many mistakes because, if you do, you’re in trouble.”

Bruno Fernandes has dropped a Juan Mata selection hint to Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer while also talking up the potential of summer signing Donny van de Beek.

The Portuguese midfielder is set to captain the Red Devils when they open their 2020-21 Champions League campaign away at Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

Solskjaer is being forced to shuffle his pack for that fixture, with a number of players either ruled out or removed from contention for starting berths.

That could mean that Mata, who was included from the off in a 4-1 Premier League win over Newcastle last time out, retains his place for a heavyweight European contest.

Fernandes would appear to be in favour of that call being made, as he is a big fan of the World Cup-winning Spaniard, and also sees plenty of potential in the understanding he is building up with Dutch playmaker Van de Beek.

“I think it’s natural,” Fernandes told United’s official website of the partnerships being established in the middle of the park.

“Of course at the training ground you train all the time with them and you know each other and you know what is better for them and how they like to play.

“You say one name with whom I enjoy playing a lot and that is Juan. I think he is one of the smartest players, he knows what I want and how I want to play and he thinks really quickly.

“Sometimes the point is not being quick but thinking quickly and I think Juan is one of those kinds of players and I love playing with him.

“Of course, having Rashy [Marcus Rashford] in front is great. The players we have playing in our attack are unbelievable. They are quick, they have qualities and they can score.

“As you saw in the last game it was a good pass from me but some players not as quick as Rashy might have had the defender take them, but Rashy did very well and his first touch was amazing to control the ball towards the goal.

“Also Donny, he’s come from Ajax. I had a coach before from Sporting [Marcel Kaiser], he was Donny’s coach too at Ajax and I know how they want to play and how they like to play – they like that little one-two, that connection and that, if we can say, ‘tiki-taka’ football and Donny is one of those guys from the beautiful Ajax football.

“They teach that growing up and they give a lot of good players to the world. If you look at the semi-final they played against Tottenham [in 2018-19], most of the players from that team are playing in big clubs and doing well.

“I hope Donny can do a lot of things for us and I’m sure he will do. Of course though every player has to take time to get settled in the club and I think he is doing well, but he can do much better for us and he also wants to do much better.”

Bengaluru FC have signed Norwegian forward Kristian Opseth and Spanish defender Fran Gonzalez for the upcoming Indan Super League (ISL) season.

Opseth was a free agent after his contract ended with Adelaide United earlier this year. He made 21 appearances in A-League and scored six goals. Opseth has also turned out for BB Erzurumspor in the Turkish first tier. 

The 30-year-old started his career with Kaupanger, Norway before joining Förde IL Fotball. He burst onto the scene with his new club and scored 36 goals in just 40 appearances. 

In 2014, he joined Sogndal FC and in two years he made 54 appearances and scored 18 times. In the final year of his contract, he was loaned out to FC Bodø and at the end of the loan term, the transfer was made permanent. 

He once again found his goalscoring boots and in 47 matches, he scored 28 goals. 

Fran Gonzalez, on the other hand, makes the switch to the ISL side after his exploits with Mohun Bagan in the I-League last season. 

He was a key part of Kibu Vicuna's side that romped to the title. His versatility set him apart at Mohun Bagan. He played in the midfield as well as in defence for the Mariners and looked equally comfortable in both the roles. He ended up scoring 10 goals through the campaign. 

Gonzalez will fill the spot left vacant by Albert Serran who parted ways with Bengaluru FC after two seasons. 

Both players have signed season-long deals with the Blues.

Bengaluru FC have already signed Cleiton Silva and Opseth will be their second overseas attacking signing this window. They already have Erik Paartalu, Juanan and Dimas Delgado in the overseas contingent apart from Fran Gonzalez.

They have released Raphael Augusto from their squad and still have Jamaican striker DeShorn Brown on their payroll. 

Jordan Henderson hopes Liverpool will still be in the hunt for major silverware when Virgil van Dijk returns from “however many months” a knee injury is going to keep him sidelined for.

A talismanic part of the Reds’ plans is about to undergo surgery after suffering cruciate ligament damage.

A reckless challenge from Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford during an eventful Merseyside derby has left Van Dijk facing up to a lengthy spell on the treatment table.

He will be a big miss for Jurgen Klopp, with many already suggesting that the reigning Premier League champions will struggle to compete on multiple fronts without their Dutch centre-half.

Henderson is confident that the Reds can counter that loss, and that Van Dijk will come back even stronger, with everyone at Anfield pulling in the same direction as they seek to overcome adversity.

The Liverpool captain told the club’s official website: “It’s a tough one. It’s a big blow for us. For him personally, obviously. But for us as a team, a massive blow.

“I’m just gutted for him. So, it’s been a tough couple of days, I spoke to him yesterday. And it’s a difficult moment, but that’s when you need to be there for each other.

“I’ll be there as much as I possibly can for him, I’m sure the lads will do the same and his family certainly will, to help him through the journey he’ll go on.

“But I’m sure he’ll be back stronger. In the meantime we’ve got to do everything we can to help make us stronger and basically go and win as many games as we can for him, really.

“That’s down to us as players to make sure that when he is back and he is fit that we’re still fighting to be successful and fighting for trophies.

“You’ve got to use times like this to be stronger and to be even more together than we already are. And use it as a positive in some way – I know it sounds ridiculous at the moment, but that’s what you need to try to do. We need to try to look forward and try to help us in the next however many months Virgil will be out for.

“And also stick by him and be there for him whenever he needs us. But he’s a strong character, he’s strong mentally and he certainly will be back stronger and hopefully it’s not too long.”

While disappointed to have lost Van Dijk and dropped two points in a 2-2 draw with Everton at Goodison Park, Henderson believes there are plenty of positives for Klopp’s side to take from that outing as they prepare to open their 2020-21 Champions League campaign against Ajax on Wednesday.

He added: “I thought the performance was really good, especially the reaction from the previous game [a 7-2 defeat at Aston Villa]. We’re really happy about the performance level and the intensity that we showed.

“Goodison is never an easy place to go. I was really happy with the performance and we need to carry that on right the way through the season really.”

Per Mertesacker concedes that Mesut Ozil’s “focus has changed”, with football no longer the priority it needs to be for a man who remains firmly frozen out at Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta initially found a place for the World Cup winner that he once played alongside when taking the reins at Emirates Stadium.

Ozil, however, tumbled down the pecking order as competitive football headed into lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The former Germany international did not see a single minute of action on the back of Project Restart and has remained out of favour in 2020-21.

The 32-year-old has been left out of Arsenal’s Europa League squad and could find himself omitted from the club’s Premier League plans once a 25-man group is settled on for domestic competition.

Plenty have aired their surprise at seeing the talented playmaker suffer such a humbling fall from grace, but form and attitude questions are nothing new for Ozil.

Mertesacker – a former team-mate of the enigmatic midfielder with club and country – has now sought to explain why a man that Arsenal once broke their transfer record to sign is edging his way towards free agency in 2021 with no obvious role to play.  

Former Gunners captain Mertesacker, who is now the club's academy manager, told the Klick and Rush podcast: "A lot has changed away from the pitch.

"He got married, has a family... perhaps his focus has changed.

"Nevertheless, he is still happy and happy to play football.

"He's the only player I've played with for three teams - Bremen, Arsenal and also Germany. So, I'm very sorry that he's currently in a situation where he's not really used."

Arteta also took to leaving Greek defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos out of his Europa League plans, with summer moves being mooted for those on the fringes of his fold, but the Spaniard says the door is not being completely closed on anyone in north London.

He has said: "I spoke to them [Sokratis and Ozil] face to face before I released the squad and I explained the reason why the numbers that we had.

"It was really difficult to tell them that, but these are the restrictions and the rules.

"We have to respect that decision and try to train in the best possible way to help the team in that moment and see what happens in December."

Watford manager Vladimir Ivic has revealed Ismaila Sarr will be available for selection when they face Blackburn Rovers in Wednesday’s Championship game.

The fleet-footed forward was a target for a number of Premier League clubs after his stand-out performances for Watford last season in their failed quest to maintain their English top-flight status.

The forward scored five important goals in the division amid other dazzling displays, including his brace against Liverpool which ended the Reds' unbeaten run.

Despite being linked to many top sides including Liverpool, the 22-year-old will now continue his stay with Watford.

Sarr was left out of Watford’s game against Derby after returning exhausted from international duty with Senegal.  

Ivic has explained the winger is fully committed to the club and having returned to training, he will feature when they take on Blackburn on Wednesday night.

“He is with us. He stayed out because he was tired from his trip and now he works normal and is available for the game,” Ivic told the club website.

“I discussed with him a lot about his ability and he says he’s motivated and wants to be part of us. He’s one of the players who gives his maximum every day to the practice and I am satisfied he is with us now the window is closed.

“He is part of Watford and will show his quality and his potential. He is a fast player, who attacks the space and knows what to do one against one. He can give us different quality than other players.

“He is the guy who will show his potential and quality in the next games and to do it, he must work for the team because all of us work for the team. There is not one player in the world who can win the game: the team wins the game. Everyone needs to think about how they can improve the team.”

Sarr has only made two appearances in the Championship this season for Watford against Luton Town and Reading.

The forward will hope to help Watford secure their fourth win of the campaign at Vicarage Road.