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Thiago Alcantara is not the kind of player that Liverpool could have signed prior to Jurgen Klopp’s arrival at Anfield, says Neil Mellor, with the Reds now shopping in the market for “world-class” talent.

The last change in the dugout on Merseyside was made back in October 2015.

Brendan Rodgers had been ushered through the exits as major silverware remained elusive, paving the way for former Borussia Dortmund boss Klopp to be appointed.

A highly-rated German tactician has been given the time and funds required to get Liverpool back on top of domestic and continental games, with Champions League and Premier League crowns captured.

Considerable value has been found in the transfer market along the way, with Spain international playmaker Thiago among the latest to have been snapped up.

He was prised from Bayern Munich’s clutches on the back of a treble-winning 2019-20 campaign for the German giants, with that deal proving how attractive Liverpool have become.

Former Reds striker Mellor told Gentingbet, with an exciting new addition having made an eye-catching debut off the bench in a 2-0 victory over Chelsea: “Thiago is a super signing. It had been spoken about for a while and you wondered whether it would get over the line but where you have to give him and the manager credit is how he settled in so quickly.

“The manager made the decision that he should come on at half time and he had a big impact on the game. He was always available, he made the record for the most passes in Premier League football in one half - he was always available, whether on the right, left or in the middle of the park, he was always available for the pass.

“He gives them something different to what they have had in midfield previously. Whenever he got the ball, it was one or two touch, everything was done very quickly. He did really well, especially considering that was his first bit of football since the Champions League final.

“In terms of pushing Liverpool on to the next level, I’m not quite sure what the next level for the club would be! However, he is a world-class player who is around other world-class players. So, they will all thrive off each other.

“It adds competition for places in midfield and it allows Liverpool to freshen things up with the amount of games they will be playing. 

“Liverpool are one of the best teams in Europe but before Klopp came, they wouldn’t have been able to bring in players of this quality. That’s credit to the football that is being played but also the standard that Liverpool now have that a player like Thiago wants to come and play for them and I’m sure he will add quality over the season.”

Liverpool backed up their capture of Thiago with a £41 million ($52m) deal for Portuguese forward Diogo Jota, and Mellor admits there may be more arrivals to come as the Reds face calls to bring another commanding centre-half into their squad.

“While the transfer window is open, there will always be players linked to Liverpool,” Mellor added.

“You don’t know what is around the corner, there could be a possible injury where they then need to strengthen in that area.

“There have been conversations about Liverpool defensively, I thought Fabinho did brilliantly filling in at centre-half [against Chelsea] but Joe Gomez will be fit for the Arsenal game which will be a boost.

“So, with it being a short window until the transfer window opens again in January, I’m not too convinced there will be too much more activity but the Jota transfer came from nowhere, so if Liverpool find the right target, they will certainly look to bring them in.”

Mido says he is intrigued to see how Ronald Koeman reacts to public criticism of Barcelona by Lionel Messi, saying that the Dutchman effectively ended his career at Ajax following his own outspoken attacks on the club.

Messi publicly admonished Barcelona on Friday following their decision to sell Luis Suarez to Atletico Madrid.

Koeman deemed Suarez to be surplus to requirements shortly after being announced as successor to ousted coach Quique Setien. The Uruguayan striker is now crossing the Liga divide to link up with Atletico, with a memorable six-year spell with Barca being ended.

Messi posted on Instagram: “I had already begun to imagine it but today I went into the dressing room and it truly dawned on me. It's going to be so difficult to not continue to share every day with you both on the pitches and away from them.

“We're going to miss you so much. We spent many years together, many lunches and many dinners. So many things we will never forget, all the time we spent together.

“It will be strange to see you in another shirt and much more to come up against you on the pitch. You deserved a farewell that fit with who you are: one of the most important players in the history of the club. Someone who achieved great things for the team and on an individual level.

“You did not deserve for them to throw you out like they did, but the truth is that at this stage nothing surprises me anymore.”

Mido wonders how noted disciplinarian Koeman will regard the club being so publicly attacked by their own player, saying the Dutch manager was unforgiving when he criticised Ajax - but appeared to indicate that he does not think Messi, as a major star, will be treated in the same way he was as a young player.

Mido wrote on Twitter: "I want to see Koeman's response to Messi's words about Suarez. Koeman slaughtered me and ordered Ajax to sell me because I talked in the media about the team, although I was just 18. Of course, I'm not comparing myself to Messi, but today's move will prove to me a lot of things I wished time would".

Koeman and Mido fell out in 2003, resulting in the Egyptian being sold to Marseille. The striker had previously complained of being played despite having injuries and had said he wanted to leave the club before changing his mind, while the manager was unhappy with the player's effort during training and matches.

After a loan at Celta Vigo, Mido moved to Marseille, and later spent a nomadic career with Roma, Tottenham, Middlesbrough, Wigan and West Ham United, among others.

Dele Alli would be a shrewd addition for Arsenal at £50 million ($64m), says Ray Parlour, with the out-of-sorts England international told he could rediscover his spark by crossing the fierce north London divide from Tottenham Hotspur.

Jose Mourinho has dropped the 24-year-old down the pecking order at Spurs, with there “too many players” of a similar ilk at the Portuguese’s disposal, he claims.

Transfer talk has been sparked, with potential moves to Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain mooted.

The window is open until October 5, with Parlour suggesting that Mikel Arteta should join the bidding. He concedes that Tottenham are unlikely to enter into talks with a direct rival, but Arsenal could ask questions amid their ongoing efforts to bring another goal-scoring midfielder into their ranks.

Former Gunners winger Parlour told talkSPORT: “He’d be more of a fit than Jorginho, if I’m being honest. I’ve always said they are lacking goals from midfield.

“I don’t think Spurs would sell Dele Alli to Arsenal, I think there would be uproar from the Spurs fans if that happened.

“He would certainly be a good fit. I’m trying to think what he would be worth. I would say £50m has got to be the marker.”

Parlour added: “One thing about Arsenal, I think they are lacking goals from central midfield areas, so he could tick that box. He does score goals, he will probably get you 10 from midfield if he plays on a regular basis. Whether he could get more under Arteta, I don’t know.

“What he has done with the other players, certainly they are responding to Arteta. I’m sure Dele Alli would be exactly the same. I’m not saying Jose Mourinho can’t get more out of Dele Alli, maybe he is still pushing now.

“Arsenal fans would be pretty happy because you’re getting a quality player off your rivals. If he started playing week in, week out, started putting in performances like we saw when he joined Spurs, then I’m sure they would be delighted.”

Arsenal have already signed one attacking midfielder from a London rival in this transfer window, bringing in Willian on a free after his Chelsea contract expired.

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Line-ups have been announced and the big question will be whether JDT will line up with three at the back in the absence of a recognised right back in their starting XI or will Aidil Zafuan or Afiq Fazail fill in there.

As for PJ City, there are no real surprised with Devan's selection and it will see Amer Saidin face his former employers for the first time since moving to PJ City prior to the start of the 2020 season.

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The match will be played on 25 September 2020 at 9 p.m.

Match details

Preview

JDT are on an incredible run in this shortened 2020 Malaysia Super League season having stayed unbeaten going into this MD9 and are close to retaining yet another league title. It will all be over should JDT managed to beat PJ City and Kedah failed to achieve a similar feat in their own match against Pahang tomorrow.

After the big 6-1 win over Selangor in the last match, head coach Benjamin Mora said centre back Mauricio dos Santos Nascimenton will be tested before deciding if the big Brazilian can feature in this match, but otherwise JDT will have their full arsenal in tow for this away trip, apart from the long term injury to Hariss Harun.

PJ City were the team that ended JDT's unbeaten run in the MSL last season and that is what K. Devan's boys will have to do all over again if they hope to get something from this match against the reigning champions. But that will be no easy task for a team currently languishing in the bottom half of the table, just a point outside of the relegation zone. 

PJ City have yet to win since matches resumed, with two defeats and three draws against Terengganu FC, Selangor, Kedah, Sabah and Melaka. Goals have been hard to come by for them, averaging 0.875 goals per game and forward R. Kogileswaran sitting on top of their goalscoring charts with two goals.

Past meetings

Malaysia Super League standings after MD7

Hamari Traore has urged Rennes not to lose concentration when they take on Saint-Etienne in Saturday’s Ligue 1 game.

The 28-year-old right-back featured prominently as the Red and Blacks secured their second consecutive win against Monaco last time out.

The Mali international believes his side can extend their winning form at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard if they can remain focused on their own performance.

“All the matches are can cause surprises. You always have to be on top to play good matches,” Traore told the club website .

“Saint-Etienne is a great team with good players. It's up to us to stay focused on ourselves as we've always done. Hopefully, we can get something there.”

Rennes are unbeaten in the 2020-21 Ligue 1 season, accruing 10 points in their opening four games after clinching a draw against Lille and victories over Montpellier, Nimes and Monaco.

Traore is delighted with Rennes' form so far, praising their tenacity as well as the unrelenting support from the fans.

“The team grows, the mentality too. We are a team that never gives up. You can score at any time. Even when there are 15 seconds left, we believe in it until the final whistle,” he continued.

“We try to do the maximum and not give up, like our supporters who continue to encourage us until the end. Their encouragement does us a lot of good.

“It's good. Now we have to keep our feet on the ground and continue to work well. The league has just started. It is the continuity that is most important and that is what is most difficult. You have to find the consistency to continue to progress.”

Traore, who joined the Red and Blacks in 2017, recently renewed his contract with the club until 2023 along with Faitout Maouassa.

“We stayed because there is a beautiful project. We are in a good team. We grow as the club grows,” he continued.

“We want to keep moving forward. We will see what happens next, but it bodes well. This is my fourth season in Rennes. I feel good. Everything is going well.”

Traore has featured 24 times for Mali national team since he made his debut for the West African country against Burkina Faso in 2015.

He will be expected to play a key role for the Eagles in their World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Atletico Madrid have offered Edinson Cavani a one-year contract with the option for a further 12 months, Goal can reveal.

The offer comes days after Atletico completed a deal to sign Luis Suarez from Barcelona for €6 million (£5.5m/$7m) - now they are looking to bring his Uruguay international team-mate to Wanda Metropolitano.

However, there is a major hurdle in the way of the deal - Diego Costa. Atletico must sell the Spain international striker before they can sign Cavani, as they cannot afford the wages of all three star strikers.

Cavani is a free agent, having departed Paris Saint-Germain over the summer, however he will still command a hefty wage from whichever club he eventually signs for.

Atletico have regularly been mooted as a potential destination, and contacted Cavani in 2019 but were unable to complete a deal. However, Goal have learned that there has been renewed contact in recent days between the club and the striker's representatives.

The offer on the table is a one-year contract for Cavani, with another season as an option should Atletico qualify for the Champions League in 2021-22.

They are also offering Cavani a good annual wage, although it is less than the €10m (£9m/$11.5m) he was earning at PSG as Atletico feel the pinch of both UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules, and the worldwide economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

It is money that is making Cavani's move to Atletico so complicated. They must move on Costa first, but the veteran striker's €10m wages mean they are struggling to find suitors before the October 5 deadline.

Should Costa leave, a deal for Cavani would likely be a formality. The possibility of linking up with Suarez, as he did for Uruguay for several years, is an enticing prospect.

Last season Cavani, 33, scored seven goals in 22 matches in all competitions for PSG.

Despite being a veteran of the game, Cavani has been linked with clubs in several top leagues after leaving Paris, including Barcelona, Benfica, Manchester United and Leeds United. He has even been linked with clubs back in South America but remains highly regarded in Europe and is set to stay for at least a couple more seasons.

Simba SC have rubbished reports linking their midfielder Clatous Chama to rivals Young Africans (Yanga SC).

The Zambian international has of late been the subject of transfer speculation in the Tanzania league with his contract with Simba running down in July 2021.

Simba information officer Haji Manara has now come out to clarify that they will not lose their star player to rivals Yanga because their style of play does not fit him.

“If you want Chama to play well, he needs a team that can possess the ball and if he goes to Yanga, how will he play and they don’t have that kind of play?” Manara asked a question during an interview with Studio +255 Global Radio as quoted by Sokaletu.

“First of all they don’t have money to buy the player, his contract with us stands at 100million dollars, does Yanga have the money to break the bank and buy the player?

“I want to ask Simba fans not to get worried, those are rumours in social media, they don’t have any truth in it, we are not ready to allow Chama to leave, he is also committed to Simba and that is the case.”

In a recent interview, Simba coach Sven Vandenbroeck revealed he would love to keep Chama at the club.

“Whenever a player's contract is over, he becomes free to make his decision but if he continues to perform like this, maybe it will be hard to let him go,” Vandenbroeck is quoted by Daily News.

“For now, I cannot comment much because I do not know what is in the head of Chama and the Board Members. I can only say that if he will continue to play like this, I will be the happy coach and will want him to stay.”

Chama has been a key player for Simba and only last season he led the side to win a treble – Community Shield, a league title, and FA Cup.

He was also voted the Most Valuable Player and midfielder of the year in the 2019-20 campaign.

Simba are preparing to face promoted side Gwambina FC in their next league match at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium this weekend.

Arsenal are continuing to be frustrated in their attempts to sign Thomas Partey despite talks progressing with Atletico Madrid over a deal for Lucas Torreira.

The Liga outfit have set their sights on the Uruguay international, who has been told he is free to leave the Gunners following two years at the club.

Italian side Torino are also long-term admirers of the 24-year-old, but Madrid are at the front of the queue for the midfielder - who they view as a replacement for Hector Herrara - and remain deep in discussions with the Gunners over a deal.

Torreira has already agreed to join Diego Simeone’s side, who completed the signing of his compatriot Luis Suarez from Barcelona on Wednesday night.

But talks with Arsenal have so far failed to reach a successful conclusion, with cash-strapped Atletico insisting any deal has to only be a loan for the season.

Arsenal, however, want to sell Torreira permanently to bring in money to help them land Partey, their priority target for the summer, before the transfer window closes on October 5.

Partey is currently at Atletico, but sources have confirmed to Goal that the Spanish side are so far refusing to even discuss the possibility of including the Ghana international in any deal for Torreira.

Talks between the two clubs are continuing, with Arsenal hoping they can reach some sort of compromise. Atletico, for their part, remain insistent that the only way Partey will leave this summer is if his £46 million (€50m/$58m) release clause is triggered.

Torreira, meanwhile, continues to train with Mikel Arteta’s squad and sources at the north London club have praised the professional attitude he has been showing throughout the past fortnight despite the uncertainty that currently clouds his future.

Arsenal would be open to the possibility of him joining Atleti on loan for the season, but only if the deal includes an obligation to buy next summer.

Those guaranteed funds would then at least help with a potential move for Partey before the October 5 deadline, with the 27-year-old understood to be very keen on a switch to Emirates Stadium.

But despite the appeal of a move to Arsenal, sources close to the player have told Goal that he is remaining 'calm' over the situation and will continue to train in the 'most professional manner' out of respect to Atletico.

The midfielder is happy in Madrid and will not try and force his way out of the club to try and engineer a move to England.

Partey and his representatives understand Atletico’s stance and he will continue to work as normal ahead of the new La Liga season while waiting to see if Arsenal trigger his release clause.

Should that happen, then Goal has been told it is very likely the player will quickly agree to a move to England.

Zambian Super League side Zesco United have appointed Numba Mumamba as the new head coach.

Mumamba is taking the mantle at Zesco United to succeed George Lwandamina, who was let go earlier in the week for a poor 2019/20 season.

Under Lwandamina, the Ndola club failed to retain the league title and had a poor Caf Champions League campaign that ended in the group stage without a win.

Timu ya Ziko finished fifth on the league log and now will not participate in the upcoming continental matches after being part of the tournament in last eight seasons.

Nkana FC – the league champions - Napsa Stars, Green Eagles and Forest Rangers will fly the Zambian flag in the Caf competition.

Mumamba, 42, has signed a three-year contract with Zesco United and his hopes would be to resuscitate the confidence of the giants. The tactician has had achievements in Zambia as he won the Super League title in 2016 and followed it with an Absa Cup trophy in 2017.

“[Numba] Mumamba is one of the finest young coaches to have emerged from the Zambian game in recent years. He has managed at the top level of Zambian football and he knows the domestic game very well,” Zesco United CEO Richard Mulenga told the club’s website.

“I would like to take this opportunity to welcome him to Zesco United. His track record of success is ideal to take this club forward.”

The former Zanaco midfielder will now work with the former Buildcon FC and Young Africans (Yanga SC) assistant coach Noel Mwandila, who has been appointed as the first assistant coach.

“We are delighted to announce the appointment of [Noel] Mwandila as the first assistant coach to Mumamba. I wish to further announce that Emmanuel Siwale remains the second assistant to our new coach,” Mulenga added.

The club has already signed three players ahead of the new season in a bid to build a stronger side than the one that struggled last season.

Lazarous Phiri, Bruce Musakanya and Kelvin Kampamba have already been confirmed by the Ndola-based outfit who are yet to confirm the acquisition of former Yanga striker David Molinga.

Zesco United are already in pre-season training camp.

Raul Jimenez remains “open to everything” as he continues to spark talk of interest from the likes of Manchester United and Juventus, but the Wolves striker will not be pushing for a move away from Molineux.

The 29-year-old has established a reputation as one of the most complete frontmen in European football.

His skill set is attracting plenty of admiring glances from outside of the West Midlands, with leading sides in England, Italy and Spain said to be closely monitoring his situation.

He is tied to a long-term contract at Wolves, but big-money bids could free him from his current surroundings – with Liverpool having already prised Diogo Jota from Nuno’s clutches in a £41 million ($52m) deal.

Jimenez is shutting no doors on the transfer front, with the Mexican previously admitting that he finds the interest he is generating to be “cool”, but he is in no rush to take on a new challenge.

Speaking at an event at Mexico's London embassy to celebrate the country's independence, the talented forward told reporters: “I have three more seasons left [on my contract].

“If I stay here at Wolves, I’d be very happy. We know that anything can happen and there could be a change. I’m open to everything.

“I already had the luck to play some games [in the Champions League]. It’s something incredible and it’s in my plans to play again, but first I have to do what I have to do with Wolves.”

Jimenez has previously graced European football’s elite club competition with Benfica, with a move to England made in 2018.

His stock has soared since then, with 46 goals recorded through 102 appearances for Wolves, but he admits to not being entirely sure where he was heading when a switch to Molineux was first mooted.

Jimenez said: “I did not know [where Wolverhampton was].

“The little I knew of England was London, Newcastle. I knew very little about England and I didn’t know anything about Wolverhampton.

“It was one of the best decisions I’ve made. It was difficult because I was with the national team in Denmark and that’s where the offer came to me.

“They told me about the club, about the project. I said 'it’s not a well-known team' and I had to investigate. It was an interesting choice and to this day I do not regret having taken it.”

Jimenez is already up and running in the 2020-21 campaign, with two more Premier League goals added to his tally, and Wolves will be back in action on Sunday when taking in a trip to West Ham.

Mikel Arteta and Edu will “get it done” for Arsenal before the summer transfer window closes, says Kevin Campbell, with Houssem Aouar and Thomas Partey expected to end up at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners have been able to welcome fresh faces into their ranks since the 2019-20 campaign came to a close, with Willian and Gabriel Magalhaes among those snapped up.

Talismanic club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has also signed a new contract, leading to plenty of cause for optimism in north London.

Arsenal are now working on finalising their recruitment plans, with a number of comings and goings still being mooted.

Lyon playmaker Aouar and Atletico Madrid midfielder Partey have been long-standing targets for the Gunners and Campbell believes deals will be pushed through before October 5.

The former Arsenal striker told Gentingbet: “Central midfield is the key area for Arsenal and there’s talk of Thomas Partey and Houssem Aouar, from Lyon, and I think they’re the two key positions.

“Thomas Partey is a defensive type midfielder, but he's got so much to his game, he can go box to box and, really, he can do it all.

“Aouar is a creative player who can play numerous positions across midfield and even across the front.

“So, I think those are the two players who have been heavily linked to the club and are in talks of coming in. I think Arteta and Edu will get it done, in the end.

“I'm not sure how quick it will be and it might be right up to the deadline date, but I think Arsenal will get it done.”

It has been suggested that Arsenal could explore the option of part-exchange deals in order to land top targets, with Lucas Torreira and Alexandre Lacazette being linked with moves to Atletico.

Campbell hopes to see the latter stay put, with the former frontman of the opinion that the France international still has plenty to offer.

He added: “I don’t follow rumours, but losing Lacazette would be a big blow for Arsenal, there’s no one else in the squad who can do what he does for the team.

“Lacazette is an integral part of what Arsenal do and I do think he’s committed to the club. He also has a really good relationship with Aubameyang and it’s a relationship that Arsenal really should be looking to utilise on the pitch.

“They've looked really good when they have played together and I don't really see Lacazette leaving to be a progressive move from Arsenal.”

Orlando Pirates are set to part ways with Austin Muwowo ahead of the new season, Goal can exclusively reveal.

According to a source within the Sea Robbers camp, the Zambia international is on the list of players coach Josef Zinnbauer has indicated are not in his plans for the upcoming campaign. 

"He's on the list of players likely to leave the club," the source told Goal.

"The only thing that the club is weighing up is whether he should be released or be sold.

"As things stand, no team has shown interest in him and that alone could force the club to terminate his contract."

Muwowo joined the Buccaneers at the start of the 2019-20 season with high expectations but he struggled to break into the starting line-up under both Rhulani Mokwena and Zinnbauer. 

He was limited to just two appearances all-season, with both coming in the league and amounting to 18 minutes after coming from the bench. 

The left-footer was seen as somebody who can challenge the likes of Luvuyo Memela, Vincent Pule, Paseka Mako and Kabelo Dlamini for a place in the starting line-up.

However, things turned out differently as Zinnbauer stuck with the tried and tested upon his arrival in December 2019. 

Now, with the arrival of Deon Hotto, the technical team has some tough decisions to make before the closing of the transfer window in November, and Muwowo could be forced out of the club. 

Muwowo still has two more years on his contract with the Soweto giants, and should the club opt to terminate it if they can't sell him to another club, then the former Nkana FC man will have to negotiate his exit package with the management. 

The Buccaneers are in the process of rebuilding the team, having brought in four new players to increase competition for places in the starting line-up. 

Collins Makgaka, Terrence Dzvukamanja, Thulani Hlatshwayo and Hotto all joined the club this week. 

And more players are expected to join ahead of the 2020-21 season, especially in the attack and goalkeeping department where they have looked thin. 

As things stand, Wayne Sandilands is the club's No.1 while Joris Delle is considered the club's second-choice goalkeeper. 

Liverpool still need to be looking at bringing in another centre-half, says Steve Nicol, but the Reds have been warned against paying “silly money” for Napoli star Kalidou Koulibaly.

A Senegal international currently plying his trade in Serie A is considered to be a perfect fit for the Premier League champions.

With Virgil van Dijk already a colossus at the heart of their back four, adding another commanding presence alongside the Dutchman would make Jurgen Klopp’s side even stronger.

Napoli, though, have made it clear that they will not be dropping their asking price for Koulibaly amid coronavirus-enforced financial difficulties for many clubs around the world.

With reports suggesting that it will take upwards of €100 million (£91m/$117m) to put a deal for the 29-year-old in place, Nicol is not convinced that Liverpool should be narrowing their focus on one player.

The former Reds defender told ESPN FC: “If the money is right [it’s a no-brainer]. But clearly, they’re asking for silly money.

“The chairman at Napoli is well known for being tough to deal with. 

“If it’s silly money it won’t happen, but I’d like to see it happen. 

“The guy is absolutely in the prime of his career, he’s a great centre-back. Any team on the planet would like to have this guy, but it depends on the money.

“I think Napoli will be asking for too much money, so I don’t think it’ll happen. But it would be nice if it did.” 

Klopp has stepped up his recruitment business at Anfield of late, bringing in Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota from Bayern Munich and Wolves respectively.

Greek left-back Kostas Tsimikas is the other fresh face on Merseyside and Nicol hopes one more deal will be pushed through before the next deadline passes on October 5.

The Scot added: “The only real question mark is at centre-back.

“Joe Gomez hasn’t started the season particularly well, Van Dijk didn’t start the season particularly well.

“If there’s a wish list, it would be another Van Dijk-esque type player, a dominant centre-back who can play but is hard-nosed as well. That would be the wish list, but to be honest, we shouldn’t complain, Liverpool are not in a bad position.” 

Liverpool opened 2020-21 with defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield, but have since rattled off wins over Leeds, Chelsea and Lincoln across Premier League and Carabao Cup competition as Klopp’s side start to hit their stride.

Muhoroni Youth FC chairman Moses Adagala has warned that Kenyan football is headed in the wrong direction after the exit of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) Limited.

The KPL has been running the top-tier in the last 15 years but their contract officially came to an end on September 24 after the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) failed to renew the deal.

Adagala, who is a known critic of Nick Mwendwa’s office, said the gains made by the KPL will be reversed in a big way.

“It is a sad state of affairs for our country's football; handing over the running of the league from KPL to FKF is unfathomable and a curse to our beloved game. 'It will end in premium tears' summarises the whole circus,” Adagala stated in a Facebook post.

“May I remind you that KPL has done a lot to bring the league to where it is right now. We are ranked among the top professionally run leagues in Africa courtesy of this body that we are dumping like hot charcoal.

“At least show some courtesy to appreciate KPL for the work they have done. The future of our game is now oblique thanks to your efforts.

“I am sure that KPL was the best thing to happen to our game and my conscience is clear that withdrawing from it is a mistake that will hit us below the belt. It might take us a decade or more to be back where we are right now.

“Time shall vindicate me and other like-minded football lovers. A decision has already been made, we shall live by it and face whatever comes our way.”

The administrator – who is also Chemelil Sugar’s chair – criticised fellow chairmen who have supported the transition of the league management from the KPL to the FKF.

“Football is believed to be made in Nyanza and Luhya lands but I'm saddened by the actions of some of the chairmen originating from these areas,” Adagala continued.

“The likes of Erick Oloo of Ulinzi Stars, Ken Ochieng of Zoo FC and Western Stima’s Laban Jobita; you have decided to bury the game by supporting the heinous act of this transfer.

“I wish to warn all those who played a role in this that when the time comes your names will be written in history books and all football lovers will judge you harshly.

“You will have nowhere to hide or put your heads. It is through such horrendous actions that we chased SuperSport as the league sponsor when our league was receiving the much-needed sponsorship and viewership beyond the borders.

“To date, we have not recovered from the fallout.”

Adagala vied and lost the Kisumu chairman’s post in the recently held FKF county elections.

Sofapaka president Elly Kalekwa has acknowledged they have to accept and move on after the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) refused to extend the contract with the Kenyan Premier League (KPL).

The contract between the two bodies came to an end on Thursday, September 24, 2020, and with FKF boss Nick Mwendwa already stating they will not renew it, Kalekwa, who sits in one of the committees of the KPL, has now said they have to accept and move on.

“If the contract has ended and FKF are not ready to renew, what else can we do?” Kalekwa posed a question to Goal. “We have to accept and move, we don’t have any powers to ask them to renew, they have already made up their mind.

“It is beyond us, they have decided and we don’t have anything we can do, there is nothing we can do.”

On whether the KPL deserved to be handed a contract extension, Kalekwa said: “We did a good a job despite the challenges, we tried our best, we did our best and I am happy with what we did at KPL.”

On Thursday, Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula also waded into the issue, saying the KPL had done a good job and deserved a contract extension.

“KPL did a good job and I sincerely do not think anyone can match their good job. They had a good management structure, were well-organised, and also brought sponsors on board,” Shimanyula told Goal on Thursday.

“I am saying they should have completely remained because KPL Limited was run by a board that was not answerable to anyone else.

“They were very independent, unlike a scenario where the office bearers are nominated by the FKF president. In such a case, there is no independence because the president can dictate to the nominees what to do thereby manipulating the office and influencing decisions.”

The KPL was operated and run as a private limited company which was formed under the Companies Act of Kenya and was fully owned and managed by the 18 member clubs, with each being a shareholder.

It was affiliated to the FKF, who was also a shareholder and voting member of the KPL Board of Directors, with non-voting members including the Kenya Football Coaches Association and Kenya Football Referees Association.

Arsenal should have been looking to beat Manchester United to the signing of Donny van de Beek, claims Ian Wright, with the Dutchman warned the presence of Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes at Old Trafford will make it difficult for him to make the desired impact.

A £35 million ($46m) deal has seen Netherlands international midfielder swap life in his homeland at Ajax for that in the Premier League.

United’s approach for the 23-year-old came out of the blue, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer already well stocked for creative playmakers.

Another has been added to the pot, with Van de Beek opening his goal account for the Red Devils on his debut as he stepped off the bench in a 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace.

Plenty are suggesting that he can thrive in Manchester, but Wright believes that north London would have been a better landing spot.

The Arsenal icon told the Kelly & Wrighty Show: “He's somebody that I wish that someone like Arsenal could have taken.

“When you look at Pogba, what he's doing, and you look at Bruno Fernandes, that is Donny van de Beek's position.

“People are thinking they are going to see Van de Beek, Fernandes and Pogba - I don't think that's going to happen.

“As much as he can play the No.6, that's not his preferred position to play.

“So again, spend the money, yeah he's a great player and yeah take him, but you've still got to look for the players that you know are going to improve your team.

“Listen, Donny van de Beek will be a good player for Man United as time goes by because he's a quality player. Is he what they need right now? But I'm delighted for him.”

Van de Beek’s agent, Sjaak Swart, has revealed that Arsenal were initially in the running for Van de Beek’s signature, but struggles to find the required fee allowed United to swoop in.

Swart told Showtime: “Yes, they really wanted him. But they just couldn’t get the money for a transfer.

“Even the biggest clubs struggle. Arsenal is a great club, but Manchester United will certainly be an interesting adventure.

“There were more clubs with interest, such as Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Juventus and Arsenal. There were six in total.”

Despite having started working on their privatisation process since 2019 and last month saying that the process would be completed by mid-September, Selangor were curiously absent from the list of 12 Malaysian teams that have completed the privatisation/separation process announced by the Malaysian FA (FAM) earlier this week.

According to the Red Giants secretary-general Johan Kamal Hamidon, their process has been held back by one minor yet bizarre matter; the 33-time Malaysia Cup champions haven't been able to come up with a permissible new crest.

FAM has stipulated that clubs formed out of the current football associations (FA) need to register a new crest, as required by Asian Football Confederation (AFC) regulations. Selangor however are adamant on using their current FA crest as the new football club (FC) crest.

"We've been delayed because we're still finalising the logo (crest), that's why we haven't completed the submission process," explained Johan to Goal via telephone call on Thursday. "The current [FA] crest is very valuable to us, and initially we negotiated to retain it. However, the AFC is very adamant on the crest change. 

"We only want to change a few minor things, but the problem is, we then can't register it as a new crest as it would be too similar to the parent logo. It would be like trying to trademark the Nike swoosh design as your own by simply changing the name to Niko or Niki." 

On top of needing a completely new crest, another issue that has bogged down their effort to retain their FA crest is that it includes the Selangor state government crest at the top of it, which requires their newly-formed FC to seek the state's approval. 

Current Selangor crest

Regardless of the last-minute snag, Johan insists that they will be able to complete their privatisation process before its September 30 due date. 

We've finalised our design, so it shouldn't be a problem. I'm not too concerned about it because we'll submit our documentations to FAM by today (Thursday, September 24) or tomorrow. We've found a solution, which is the most important thing, and the best solution is to preserve as much as we can from what we have now.

"Basically, the Selangor FA has agreed to hand over the rights to alter its logo to the new [club] company; the Red Giants FC. So now the rights to manage and alter the crest is with the FC, and the FC is currently working on passing the requirements stipulated by the AFC. To be honest, there won't be too many changes [on the crest]. It's still the old trademark, but with extended or minor alterations to the parent logo. We just need the AFC to decide that the changes are acceptable," he said.

Goal also asked the club official about the 'SFC' logo that the club have used this year on many of their merchandise.

"That was never intended as the new crest, it was just to signify the privatisation process."

However, he explained that the Red Giants are not against the idea of a crest change, only that they have their own plans for the move.

"We have our own timeline for the crest change, we want to do it at the right time and now is not, so that's why we've been reluctant to come up with a new crest now.

"The privatisation push has always been approached from top down. There's no right or wrong to it, but I believe that a crest change would be more suitable once Selangor achieve something more significant under its president; the Crown Prince [of Selangor, Tengku Amir Shah]. We want to unveil a new crest with the unveiling of a new Selangor," noted Johan.

The importance of having a stable and dependable defence cannot be overstated in football, be it anywhere around the world. It is no different in the Indian Super League (ISL) as well.

A strong defence has been the hallmark of most of the champion sides in the ISL, as ATK will attest to in the previous season. A frugal defence meant that a swashbuckling Chennaiyin attack was muzzled to an extent by ATK in the final.

Chennaiyin FC this time around will be looking to build a strong rearguard as they hunt for their third ISL title in the upcoming season. After renewing the contract of Brazilian defender Eli Sabia, they have now roped in Bosnian Enes Sipovic to partner him in central defence.

Expectations will be high on the 30-year-old who is set to become the first-ever Bosnian to play in the ISL when season seven starts later this year in Goa. However, the ISL is not a new commodity for Sipovic who admits that he had been following the league ever since its inception in 2014.

India is a country that has always fascinated Sipovic and his family and he jumped at the chance of joining a club from the country. But the former Oțelul Galați (Romania) player is not coming on vacation. In his own words, he means business.

"Like I mentioned, I have been aware of the ISL and Chennaiyin FC from the very first season in 2014. And India as a country and the place has always fascinated me, my wife and my family. I am a big fan of the Indian culture, especially Bollywood already," Sipovic told Goal.

"But I am not coming to India as a tourist now. I am coming with an objective to help my team achieve success. I will work very hard to give the fans and the club all the joy that it deserves.

"And it is a tremendous honour for me to become the first player to represent Bosnia in the ISL."

In addition to his fascination with India, a conversation with head coach Csaba Laszlo also played a huge part in Sipovic deciding to try out his luck in India. He has evidently bought into Laszlo's plans for the club.

Of course, it would not have hurt that Lazlo was born in Romania where Sipovic spent a considerable amount of time in his early years as a player.

"My conversations with the coach have been very productive, and I can say that he is one of the main reasons for me to join Chennaiyin FC," he revealed. "He has explained to me what he expects of me, in terms of tactics and training. And I am very excited for the challenge.

"His plans are very clear, to help the club begin and finish the season on a high. And we as a team will do everything possible to achieve that vision."

To his credit, Sipovic is aware of the achievements of Chennaiyin FC in the past, including some of the star players who have played for the club.

"I have been aware of the club, especially since the first few seasons with legends like Marco Materazzi and Elano being a part of the club. There is a lot of success and history that the club has accumulated in a short period of time.

"So I am very happy to follow in the footsteps and become part of such a beautiful club, which is made so by it's wonderful fans. It is a pity we will not be able to play in front of them, in the city of Chennai. It is something that truly makes me sad, but it is what it is and we must respect the situation."

Standing tall at an impressive 6'6", Sipovic is certain to tower over opposition attackers in the Chennaiyin penalty box. Add to the fact that his partner Eli Sabia is also 6'2" tall, the Marina Machans will have an advantage when it comes to defending aerial balls and set-pieces.

Sipovic admits that heading and interceptions are his strengths and that he is looking forward to his partnership with Sabia.

"Headers, interceptions and football intelligence are my strengths as a defender, in my opinion. Football intelligence, especially, is the most important as a defender which is to anticipate the attacking strategy of the opponent.

"I am so happy that I will be playing alongside Eli Sabia. I have seen his videos, he is a great player. I believe we will strike a good partnership and go about our job efficiently," he assessed.

Interestingly, Sipovic is set to replace Romanian defender Lucian Goian at Chennaiyin this season. Sipovic had played against Goian during his time in Romania with Otelul Galati but doesn't think Goian would be remembering the episode.

"I have played against Lucian Goian at the start of my career. I was very young, around 18-19 years old. I don't think he remembers that game! I haven't had a chance to speak to him so far, about Chennaiyin FC and the ISL," he explained.

Having been a bit of a journeyman in his career, Sipovic has played in Morocco, Belgium, Saudi Arabia and most recently in Qatar before he took up Chennaiyin's offer. The 'all-weather' experiences will help him adapt better to India and the climate in the sub-continent, feels Sipovic.

"Yes, I do have experience of playing in Asia, especially the Gulf countries where the weather is extremely hot and harsh. I have played matches in 48 degrees in the previous season, and in Saudi Arabia. Same in Morocco, when I played in the African Champions League. It was very, very hot. I have coped with those conditions.

"Fortunately, my body is prepared for everything. In Romania, I have played in -10 degrees. So it doesn't matter, I adapt myself very fast!"

Such a battle-hardened attitude will be something that Chennaiyin FC will hope shines through in the Bosnian's maiden campaign in India.

It was never about playing in the I-League or Indian Super League (ISL) when he signed for East Bengal, says Gurtej Singh.

The six-foot tall defender admitted to Goal that he had an offer from Hyderabad FC when he signed for the Red and Golds toward the end of March this year.

"Whether in the I-League or ISL, I have signed for East Bengal club. Hyderabad were offering me an extension but I wanted to fulfil my dream of playing for East Bengal and for the trust that the officials showed in me," Singh said.

"East Bengal is such a big club. When I was a little boy, I used to go with my father to watch JCT's matches. Whenever we saw East Bengal visiting, it felt like a big club has come. From there itself I thought that I would love to play for East Bengal some day. I want to achieve a lot with East Bengal," he added.

The story of Gurtej making a come-back from the second division to the ISL could well continue with his current side's eminent entry in the ISL as East Bengal have picked up the bod papers to enter the ISL.

The 30-year-old has made 42 appearances in the ISL with FC Pune City (2017-2019) and Hyderabad FC (2019-20) and feels that his decision to quit from Bengaluru FC is the one that bore the fruits for him.

"My experience in the ISL has been very good so far. I have been playing continously (consistently) for three seasons now, with 42 appearances. Only at the beginning I was a bit nervous as I came directly from Fateh Hyderabad, from the second division. Eventually, with the experience and exposure, I got used to it. 

"I played a few AFC Cup matches at Bengaluru and (then coach) Ashley Westwood wanted to sign me again but I felt that I got very little game time over there. So I discussed with my father and decided that I rather play at a lower division club than signing (for Bengaluru) and sitting out for another season," he explained.

Having won the I-League title with both Churchill Brothers (2012-13) and Bengaluru FC (2013-14), the former JCT player also targets to break into the Indian national team.

"I want to give my best to break into the Indian national team and the same time achieve whatever I can with East Bengal," he signed off.