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Jordan Henderson is a Champions League, Club World Cup and Premier League title winner at Liverpool, but the Reds captain says Jurgen Klopp’s side “can be a lot better”.

It is difficult to see how the Merseyside outfit could take their game to even greater heights.

They were a dominant force on a domestic scene in 2019-20, with a first English top-flight crown in 30 years secured in record-setting style.

Prior to that, continental and global trophies had been captured, with Klopp smashing open the floodgates on the silverware front.

The challenge now is to maintain those standards, and Henderson believes there is more to come from Liverpool as individuals and a collective.

He told the club’s official website on not looking back at previous triumphs: “For me, there’s no real point to do it now because I still don’t feel I’ve finished, I feel there’s still a lot more to come.

“We can be a lot better. I know people will say, ‘Well, how?’ but trust us, in certain games we’ve played, in training sessions, we can still improve. Individuals can still get even better again.

“I still feel as though there is a lot more to come from all of us and if we want to be one of the best teams, then you need to do it consistently – you can’t just do it for a few years and then that’s it. You need to keep going and going and going.

“I look at what a lot of ex-players that have won trophies have said; it’s hard to win one but then it’s even harder to then win another one and another one and keep going.

“I can certainly see that and we understand that, so it’s just about basically doing what we’ve been doing for a long period of time and focusing on the right things, not getting carried away and not getting too down.

“There will be moments within a season where you maybe have a loss of form, or you’re not playing particularly well or whatever. You will have those moments and it’s about how you deal with them – and we always deal with situations in the right way and we need to continue to do that if we want to be successful again.”

As successful as Liverpool have been over the last two seasons, Henderson is adamant that everyone connected with the club is looking forward and remain as hungry as ever to savour more glory.

The England international added ahead of a Community Shield clash with FA Cup winners Arsenal on Saturday: “What’s happened in the past is incredible but it’s the past. You’ve always got to focus on what’s in front of you and that’s the most important thing.

“For us, it’s about being better. When we just lost the title – not last season, the season before – I can remember the total points was 97 and normally that wins you the Premier League, but on this occasion it didn’t and everybody was saying, ‘Well, where are you going to go from here? How are you going to improve?’ Next season we finish [with] 99.

“So it’s about improving, it’s about being better and you can’t have any limits on that. You’ve just got to keep giving absolutely everything, you’ve got to keep working harder than you ever have before, staying hungry. We’ve definitely got that mentality within this dressing room.”

Adama Traore has been one of the most impressive talents in the Premier League in recent seasons with Wolves and his exploits have earned him deserved international recognition.

The jet-heeled winger appears set to declare for Spain as he looks to play a part in their Nations League and European Championship campaigns, but has other options available to him due to his heritage.

So why has the 24-year-old opted to throw his lot in with La Roja? Goal takes a look at Traore's international eligibility and the teams he can play for.

Adama Traore is eligible to play for two teams at international level: Spain and Mali.

He plays for Spain because he is a Spanish national who was born just outside Barcelona and grew up in the country, emerging as a graduate of Barca's La Masia academy before making the move to England.

He has represented La Roja at all youth levels and is expected to nail his colours to the Spanish mast after being included in Luis Enrique's squad for games against Germany and Ukraine in September 2020.

Traore is also eligible to represent Mali at international level thanks to the fact that his parents are from the African country and he thus possesses a birthright to Malian nationality.

It was reported that Traore and his brother Moha had declared for Mali in 2014, but those reports were subsequently contradicted when he played for Spain Under-21s in 2018.

Despite the fact that he appeared committed to Spain at that point, speculation persisted that he would eventually opt to play for the country of his parents, particularly after he was pictured with a Mali jersey.

However, he hinted in an interview with BBC Sport at the beginning of 2020 that he would ultimately commit to Spain - this despite withdrawing from a Spain squad in November 2019.

"About Mali, they came to my house. We spoke and after that, the guy posed for a picture giving me a Mali shirt" said Traore.

"With Spain I didn't go because I was injured. When the time comes, you will see which team I decide.

"But if Spain come again I will be in a position to go and train with Spain."

He will remain eligible for both teams until he makes a competitive senior appearance for one and, until such a scenario, Mali will not give up hope of persuading him to join them.

Interestingly, in March 2020 it emerged that the west African team's football association attempted to pull out the big guns in order to convince the Wolves winger into a change of allegiance.

They enlisted the services of former Sevilla and West Ham striker Frederic Kanoute, who made a similar decision during his playing career to declare for Mali, having been born and raised in France.

"If he is listening to me right now - I am heading your way, Adama," Kanoute said in an interview with BBC Sport.

"The Mali FA has called me to say 'please, please go and see him because you speak perfect Spanish so you can convince him' and so on.

"I would like him to [play for Mali] but I will tell him the truth that it is obviously going to be a struggle and that it is not going to be so comfortable to play for an African national team.

"But the people give you back so much and he has the opportunity to make something big with a very, very talented generation that we have in Mali, so I will try to convince him."

As Kanoute pointed out, playing for Spain or Mali would be two entirely different experiences.

Spain are former world champions and two-time European champions, who are consistently in the top 10 in the FIFA world ranking, unlike Mali, who have never tasted glory on the continental or world stage.

However, a major consideration is the fact that the competition for places in the Spain squad is much greater than it would be for Mali, where he would almost certainly be a guaranteed starter.

Traore's stock is currently very high though, with links to clubs such as Liverpool, Barcelona and Real Madrid persisting, so he could be forgiven for backing himself with the country of his birth.

Gor Mahia have continued with their transfer activities this window after confirming the arrival of winger John Macharia.

The ex-Kenya U-20 player has inked a two-year contract to join the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions ahead of the new season which is slated to kick off in October.

“In a bid to strengthen the squad ahead of the new season, Gor Mahia have acquired the services of John Macharia,” Gor Mahia stated on their official website.

“Macharia who is a winger has signed a two-year contract deal with K’Ogalo. He previously featured for Thika United, FC Kolkheti and FC Saburto-2 of Georgia.

“Macharia is excited to join the Green Army and is looking forward to working closely with the technical bench and his teammates to win more trophies for the club.”

Macharia moved to Georgia in 2017 where he was snapped by FC Kolkheti Poti from National Super League side FC Talanta; the club having been home to midfielder Amos Nondi (now at Dila Gori) and Eric ‘Marcelo’ Ouma (now at AIK Fotboll).

Earlier this year, Macharia was training with Georgian Liga2 side FC Rustavi as he worked out ways to get a better team.

On Friday, Gor Mahia also unveiled striker Tito Okello from Ugandan Premier League (UPL) champions Vipers SC.

The Kenyan champions have been hit hard this transfer window, losing a number of key players among them defender Joash Onyango, who signed for Simba SC of Tanzania.

Others are goalkeeper David Mapigano to Azam FC, winger Dickson Ambundo to promoted side Dodoma Jiji, winger Boniface Omondi and goalkeeper Peter Odhiambo both to Wazito FC.

Other players set to leave Gor Mahia include captain Kenneth Muguna who is negotiating with Petro Atletico of Angola, defender Charles Momanyi to KCB while Ghanaian Jackson Owusu, left for his native country and the club is not sure whether he will return.

By virtue of being declared the KPL champions after the league was ended prematurely in mid-March owing to the effects caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Gor Mahia will carry Kenya’s flag in the Caf Champions League.

Macharia becomes K’Ogalo’s third signing after Okello and goalkeeper Levis Opiyo, who arrived from promoted side Nairobi City Stars.

Nemanja Matic has decided to call time on his international career with Serbia, allowing the experienced midfielder to focus his full attention on events at Manchester United.

At 32 years of age, and with 48 caps to his name, the former Chelsea star believes the time has come for him to step aside.

He no longer wishes to be considered for selection by his country, with the path being cleared for a new generation to step up in his absence.

Serbia had been hoping that Matic would stay on for the foreseeable future, as they can still qualify for next summer’s European Championship.

That event is among those to have been pushed back by 12 months amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Matic could have lined up in a play-off semi-final meeting with Norway had he kept himself in contention.

The winners of that contest will then face either Scotland or Israel in November for the right to compete in the rescheduled Euro 2020.

Serbia, though, will have to make do without Matic and find an alternative option to fill an important role in the middle of the park.

Vladimir Matijasevic, sporting director of the nation’s football federation (FSS), told reporters of a big call from Matic: “Other than saying it was time for younger players to take over, Matic did not state any other specific reasons for quitting.

“We respect his decision. He is 32 years old and he's had an exerting club season.

“European club football is demanding and hence we are aware that we'll have to inject fresh blood into the national team.

“We've got several players who are over the hill and we realise that some of them may call time on their international careers in the next year or two.”

Prior to facing Norway in the Euro play-offs, Serbia have UEFA Nations League outings against Russia and Turkey to take in at the start of September.

Only three members of the squad named for those fixtures – Aleksandar Kolarov, Stefan Mitrovic and Dusan Tadic – are over the age of 30, with 13 of those selected aged 25 or under.

That suggests that a freshening up of the ranks is already happening and that Matic will be left to watch on from afar as he looks to help United chase down major honours over the course of the new three-year contract he signed in July.

A vote of no confidence has been presented against Josep Maria Bartomeu and the Barcelona board as supporters and club members seek the immediate resignation of the president and his officials, as the Camp Nou side plunges further into crisis.

Many have been calling for Bartomeu to step down for some time, with the entrepreneur's time in charge of the Catalan side largely seen as a disaster.

A disastrous transfer record has played its part, with the squad unbalanced to the point that Martin Braithwaite was brought in as an emergency signing due to the club having no attacking back-ups during an injury crisis.

After losing Neymar to PSG for a world record fee, the signings of Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele have been unsuccessful, with the huge windfall gained being wasted on big-money flops.

Most thought an 8-2 thrashing in the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich was the lowest point in Bartomeu's tenure, as manager Quique Setien was shown the door in the wake of that defeat.

However, Lionel Messi has now made it clear that he wants to leave the club, while new head coach Ronald Koeman has told star striker Luis Suarez – a close friend of Messi – that he has no long-term future in Catalunya and should find a new club.

The latest developments have forced the hand of the club's official members - known as socios - with a vote of no confidence backed by presidential candidates Victor Font, Jordi Farre and Lluis Fernandez-Ala.

Eight separate supporters' groups are also involved, including Compromissaris FCB, Dignitat Blaugrana, El Cor Blaugrana, El Senyor Ramon, La Resistencia del Palau, Manifest Blaugrana, Seguiment FCB and #Noiestwitterbarca.

Leader of the Manifest Blaugrana group Marc Duch led the calls for Bartomeu and co to step down with immediate effect, stating: “We demand the immediate resignation of the current FC Barcelona board and the current state of affairs to be put in the hands of others for the good of the club.

“It is the first motion that has been made on a universal basis. We ask the members to take responsibility for the current situation of the club.”

The motion will require 16,000 signatures to go ahead, a tough ask given the global pandemic. Duch's hope is the club will make it possible for individuals to provide their support in other ways.

“It's a hindrance,” Duch added. “But we can't change the state of things. We will pass on to the club a battery of proposals to make the process as easy and safe as possible for all members. We are in the middle of a pandemic and perhaps Barca will provide other facilities.”

Of course, the hot topic around the Blaugrana at present is the future of Messi, but Duch admits that is completely out of their hands. He said: “That matter is on another table, not ours.”

FC Goa's new signing Jorge Ortiz, who turned 28 in April, is excited by the prospect of playing in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the peak of his career. 

Speaking at a virtual press conference on Friday, the Spaniard said that he was particularly impressed by the consistency in the club's approach to football. Over the years, the Gaurs have been able to create a unique identity in Indian football and they have chosen a young coach in Juan Ferrando to take over the project which was so well managed by Sergio Lobera until last season. 

"The decision to choose Goa was very simple. The big reason was that the club has been consistently doing well in the last few years and another reason is that players whom I have played with before only had good things to say about the club," Ortiz began. 

"Also, in terms of my age, I am reaching the peak of my career. It's a different challenge to be able to perform in the peak time of my career. The club has also chosen a young coach who is obviously planning for a long term project. So that motivated me to sign up for the club."

With the arrival of the new coach, there are new faces in the Goa dressing room. The winger believes it is important to be part of a good dressing room in order to be successful and is hoping to experience the same with the Gaurs. 

"It is very important to be a part of a good dressing room, especially because I am playing outside Spain for the first time. To know the people I will be playing and working with is very important. I have been part of a good dressing room and the results showed because of that. 

"Given the fact that FC Goa have seen a lot of success in the previous seasons with a stable dressing room, it was very important to see the names that came in and who have always been here."

"I don't feel any sense of pressure in that respect (replacing big names at the club). Whenever you go to a different club, you try to make your point and you don't rest on your past laurels. Also, the club will be playing in Asia (ACL) for the first time, the challenge is no longer to perform well in the ISL but also to perform at a better level. So for me, it's always about focusing on my objectives and improve my own numbers."

Ortis was part of Atletico Baleares's team that played the Segunda Division B play-offs in July 2020 and the winger knows exactly what it feels like to play behind-closed-doors due to Coronavirus pandemic. The ISL 2020-21 season is also set to be organized in a similar manner. 

"When I was playing my last few matches in Spain in the play-offs, we played behind closed doors. It affects any player because you sign for the fans. Even when I signed for Goa, I was told a lot about the fans. So I hope, as soon as the situation gets better, we can see fans back in action. Ultimately, we have to ensure that the players remain united and motivate each other. 

"Hopefully, we can continue to do good things on the pitch to have something we can celebrate with the fans at the end of the season. When we achieve a season like that, whatever is happening around us will only remain a footnote rather than become the main story."

Pitso Mosimane has warned that Mamelodi Sundowns only reduced the points in the PSL title race but there's still the issue of goal difference which could affect their chances of beating Kaizer Chiefs to the crown.

The Brazilians narrowly edged out Amakhosi 1-0 in Thursday's top-of-the-table clash at Orlando Stadium and subsequently moved level on 53 points with them. 

However, Chiefs remained at the summit of the log due to their superior goal difference of +21 compared to Sundowns' goal difference of +16 going into the final three league matches. 

As a result, Mosimane reiterated that the league title is still Amakhosi's to lose, adding that it's not in Sundowns' hands. 

"We have reduced the points but in football, there are goals. So, we have not reduced the goals," Mosimane told the media.  

"So, the championship is not in our hands. I am still saying, the championship is in Kaizer Chiefs' hands to lose, not us. We are underdogs. We are chasing and they are leading," he said. 

While the win against Chiefs was important, Mosimane said it didn't mean that Sundowns have already clinched the league title, stating that both teams have tough fixtures ahead of them this weekend.  

"I have been long in this championship race. You've got to grow proper and respond to what is happening. If you going to get excited like now we won the match, you think you won the league, we haven’t won the league. There is more stress, there is more pressure for everybody; for us and for Chiefs," he continued.

Chiefs take on Bidvest Wits while Sundowns will be at home against Polokwane City on Sunday. 

"Chiefs have got stress against Wits. We also have stress against Polokwane City." 

"So, we have been in this game for long and my players have been there and we have been to Champions League. I mean we have to respond. We have got the right mentality for this (the title race) and we have been going for the championship for the last six to seven years.

He added: "We have the culture, we have the mentality, and we know what to do." 

Sundowns were seen having with 10 players behind the ball in the latter stages of their match against Chiefs, and Mosimane admitted results are more important than good football at this stage of the campaign. 

"Are we playing very well? No. Are we looking like Mamelodi Sundowns? No. But do we want to fight for the title? Yes.

"So, we will do what we need to do to win the title, not what we need to do to show that we can do much better or whatever - this is not the time, and it’s the time to win the championship," concluded the Kagiso-born mentor.  

Andy Robertson has admitted to a dressing room “falling out” with Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane.

The incident in question occurred during their Premier League meeting with Aston Villa in November 2019.

Jurgen Klopp’s side had burst out of the blocks heading into that contest in the West Midlands, rising to top the table during a faultless run for the Reds, but they faced a stern test of their title credentials against Villa.

Dean Smith’s side took the lead on home soil through Trezeguet and appeared destined to claim an impressive scalp as the clock ticked down.

However, Robertson’s first league goal of the season restored parity three minutes from the end, before Mane then snatched a dramatic winner in stoppage-time.

Klopp admits that he could not have predicted that those two would be the men to complete a remarkable turnaround. That is because the pair had been involved in a heated exchange at the interval.

“Want to talk about half time?”, Klopp asked Robertson during an ‘On This Day’ discussion with BT Sport.

“The first time me and Sadio ended up falling out,” the Scottish left-back replied.

Klopp added: “At half time, nobody could have thought these two players would end up deciding the game.”

Robertson said: “We should maybe try it more often if it gets me some more goals!”

The Liverpool defender has been far from prolific throughout his time at Anfield, with the target found on just four occasions. He has, however, contributed 30 assists to the Liverpool cause and has struck up a fearsome understanding with Mane down the Reds’ left flank.

They may not always see eye to eye – with Mane also clashing with Mohamed Salah at times - but they have found a way of causing opponents all kinds of problems.

Both have become key men in Klopp’s plans, helping to deliver Champions League, UEFA Super, Club World Cup and Premier League title success to Merseyside.

They now have another piece of silverware in their sights, with Liverpool set to make their return to action in 2020-21 when taking in a Community Shield clash with FA Cup winners Arsenal on Saturday.

Premier League side Crystal Palace have announced the signing of Eberechi Eze from Championship club Queens Park Rangers.

The young midfielder signed a five-year deal with the Eagles that will see him remain at Selhurst Park until 2025 after successful medicals.

The Anglo-Nigerian has been with Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium outfit since 2016 following his impressive performances with Millwall's youth team.

The midfielder played 104 games for Rangers and last season he scored 14 goals in 48 appearances across all competitions to help the club maintain their Championship status.

On Friday, Eze completed his move to the Selhurst Park outfit and has expressed his delight with the transfer.

"As a football club, I feel like there are great players here and it’s a brilliant opportunity for me to come and be with these players, to link up with them and to really push on," he told the club website.

Palace chairman Steve Parish also expressed his excitement with the signing of the Anglo-Nigerian and assures the club will help the midfielder’s growth.

"Eberechi is a player whose development we have followed closely. We are delighted he has chosen to sign for us over the other clubs that were interested and we feel that this is the right club for him to continue his development,” Parish said. "With our Academy recently securing Category 1 status, this further illustrates our focus on youth as we look to consolidate and improve upon our position as a Premier League club."

Eze will link up with Ivory Coast international Wilfried Zaha, Ghana forward Jordan Ayew and Senegal defender Cheikhou Kouyate at Selhurst Park.

The midfielder has featured for England U20 and U21 teams but he is still eligible to play for Nigeria since he has not represented the Three Lions at senior level.

Eze has been a long target for the West Africans and has previously stated he is open to switching his allegiance to Nigeria.

His addition will strengthen the Super Eagles, who finished third at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Jurgen Klopp admits there is "no chance" of Liverpool signing Lionel Messi from Barcelona this summer.

The Argentine star rocked the world of football earlier this week by communicating his desire to change clubs, leading to a host of transfer stories across Europe.

Manchester City have been strongly linked, as have Inter, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus with Messi, at 33, ready to challenge himself outside of La Liga for the first time in his club career.

Interest in the story, naturally, is high across the world, but Klopp says a move to Anfield can be ruled out for certain.

Speaking on Friday at a press conference to preview the Community Shield against Arsenal, he said: "Interest? Yeah, who doesn't want to have Messi in their team?!

"But no chance. The numbers are absolutely not for us, so we don't even have to start thinking about it! It is clear, there is no chance.

"But... good player, to be honest!"

Klopp was later asked how he would react if Messi were to sign for Manchester City, and what that would mean for the Reds' title chances.

"It would obviously help Manchester City!" he said. "It would make it even more difficult to beat them - and it was already very difficult.

"For the Premier League it would be great, 100 per cent. Having, I think, the best player in the world come to the league would obviously help. I'm not sure the Premier League needs a boost, but it would be a boost.

"It would be interesting to see as well. Messi never played in another league than Spain. Football is different here, so I actually would like to see it. But I'm not sure if I will."

Discussing Liverpool's transfer business - the Reds have added only Kostas Tsimikas, the Greek left-back, to the squad which won the Premier League last season - Klopp hinted that there was still time for new arrivals.

"I don't know what will happen to be honest," he said. "There is a long time until October 6 [the transfer deadline]. We will see what other teams will do but we are more or less in our situation, and we will deal with our situation like we always did.

"I think the philosophy of this club is pretty clear. We will see how much we can and how much we want to spend. There is nothing really to say about it."

Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp doesn't think this is the right time to criticise Khama Billiat despite some below-par performances this season. 

The Zimbabwe international has come under fire with the majority of Amakhosi who feels he doesn't even deserve to feature for the club.    

However, Middendorp said he will continue to field the player because of his willingness to play for the badge, adding that Billiat will continue getting his full support.  

"I can tell you only that as long as a player is willing and as long as a player has an ambition to everything that is possible to his abilities currently, they get all the support from my side," Middendorp told the media. 

While Middendorp admitted the 30-year-old attacker hasn't been at his best this season, he says the only to keep the spirit in the team going is to rally behind every player, including Billiat. 

"Unfortunately, he's doing it the way we know he can. At the moment, I think I said, already two weeks ago, that I have to support him and I am really asking each and everybody to please keep supporting him," said the German mentor. 

The 61-year-old tactician believes Billiat is still one of the best players in the current squad before adding that every Chiefs player needs all the support from the fans ahead of Sunday's league encounter against Bidvest Wits.  

"It makes no sense at the moment to criticise negatively a player just because he's not fulfilling the expectation as he usually does. He's one of the best, I know," added Middendorp.

"And we know that the whole club is a little bit different at the moment. We cannot discuss it. At the moment, the focus on the Sunday game [against Bidvest Wits] and the other thing is to ask for support."

Billiat missed the start of the season with a long-term injury but he came back and forced his way into Middendorp's starting line-up towards the end of last year. 

However, things have not gone in his favour as he's only found the back of the net once in 14 league appearances for Chiefs this season with the club heavily relying on the likes of Samir Nurkovic, Leonardo Castro and Lebogang Manyama for goals thus far. 

The absence of both Nurkovic and Castro was felt in Thursday's 1-0 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns as Billiat started on the bench and even after coming on as a second-half substitute, the talented attacker had a little impact upfront. 

The Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has warned clubs to make sure they do transfer activities before deadline day.

The exercise which kicked off on August 1 is set to close on August 31 and the federation through media and communications officer Clifford Ndimbo has told clubs to make sure they conclude their transfer activities before then because they will not extend the deadline.

“Let me urge all clubs in the top-flight league, First Division League (FDL), Second Division League (SDL) and Serengeti Women's Premier League to continue signing players since we will not add more days after the end of the stamped date,” Ndimbo is quoted by Daily News.

Ndimbo has also urged clubs faced with problems to sign players to work closely with the federation so as to get help.

The transfer window saw Simba SC raid their rivals Yanga SC for the services of midfielder Bernard Morrison, a transfer which saw the latter lodge a complaint with the TFF as they claimed the player was still contracted to them until 2022.

However, the TFF later ruled in favour of Simba and the Ghanaian forward, and thus the player will don the red jersey of Simba in the new campaign.

Other top signings so far include Simba raiding Kenya’s Gor Mahia for the services of defender Joash Onyango. The burly defender thus joined the list of Gor Mahia players to have moved to Simba, among them Francis Kahata, Dan Sserunkuma, and Meddie Kagere.

Simba have also signed Zambian player Larry Bwalya from Power Dynamos while Yanga have signed Angolan midfielder Carlinhos from Interclube.

The 25-year-old started his development at Petro Atletico in the youth team in 2009 and was eventually promoted to the senior team in 2013 but was loaned to Porcelana Cazengo.

Carlinhos is a full player for the Angola national team, which is commonly referred to as Palancas Negras and has made 10 appearances. He also has continental experience having played eight times with Petro Atletico in the Caf Confederation Cup.

He was part of the team that won the Angola Cup in the 2017 season.

Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum is wanted by Ronald Koeman at Barcelona, sources have confirmed to Goal, but the Dutchman is not pushing for a move and there is no offer on the table yet.

The versatile 29-year-old had a switch to Camp Nou mooted the moment another managerial change was made in Catalunya. Having previously worked with Koeman in the Netherlands national team set-up, Wijnaldum emerged as an obvious option for Barca to explore.

He has entered the final 12 months of his contract at Anfield and Liverpool are eager to avoid losing any players as free agents. No extension talks have taken place on Merseyside for some time, though.

Barcelona are aware of that but are yet to formalise their interest by approaching Liverpool.

The Reds have no desire to sell at this stage and have been offered no indication by Wijnaldum that he is looking for a move. The uncertainty surrounding his contract is, however, keeping all options open.

Liverpool have several factors to take into consideration as they assess the situation. Wijnaldum’s age, along with his wage packet and role in Jurgen Klopp’s plans, will be considered.

He played more minutes for the Premier League champions in 2019-20 than any other midfielder at Anfield and was selected to be one of the Reds’ vice-captains behind skipper Jordan Henderson.

Koeman, however, was able to get the best out of him at international level and there is obvious appeal to be found in working with a familiar face at another of world football’s biggest clubs.

Any deal at this stage, though, would require Barca to free up funds from sales.

Were they to move players out in the current window and find themselves in a position to make a bid, then a suitable fee would have to be agreed with Liverpool.

The Reds would be reluctant to discuss such matters as things stand, but their situation could also change over the coming days and weeks.

Bayern Munich playmaker Thiago Alcantara continues to be heavily linked with a move to England, and his arrival could pave the way for departures.

Any agreement, however, is far from certain and Wijnaldum is expected to start for Liverpool when they face FA Cup holders Arsenal in the Community Shield on Saturday.

GSM’s investment director Hersi Said has revealed Simba SC tried to hijack their move for Angola international Carlinhos but failed miserably.

The 27-time league champions had lost their captain Papy Kabamba Tshishimbi, who was not willing to renew his contract and were desperate to get his replacement.

Subsequently, the official has explained how Wekundu wa Msimbazi officials tried and failed to convince the Angolan to join them instead.

"[Simba SC representatives] went to Ethiopia to try and convince Carlinhos to change his mind but they did not understand the protocols set by the government [owing to Covid-19]," Hersi told Wasafi FM.

"So on reaching Ethiopia, our brothers from Simba were quarantined because the country is under restrictions. They did not manage to meet the player; so they gave him a call but Carlinhos told them money cannot convince him to change his mind, and that he is coming to Yanga SC."

The Jangwani Street-based side official has also revealed the midfielder came to Young Africans willingly and it was not because of money.

"Carlinhos is a financially stable player and he did not join the team because of money," Hersi added.

"He came to the team willingly and because of his passion for the game. Even some of his Angola friends and fans questioned his move to the club: They wondered why a player of his calibre chose to come to Tanzania.

"Many people tried to soil our reputation but the player insisted he is joining us and he eventually did."

The 25-year-old started his development at Petro Atletico in the youth team from 2009 and was eventually promoted to the senior team in 2013 but was loaned to Porcelana Cazengo.  

He eventually made a return to his parent team and went on to make 87 league appearances, scoring 11 goals in the process. He later joined Interclube which also participated n the Girabola.

Carlinhos is a full international for the Angola national team, which is commonly referred to as Palancas Negras and has made 10 appearances. He also has continental experience having played eight times with Petro Atletico in the Caf Confederation Cup.  

He was part of the team that won the Angola Cup in the 2017 season.    

Bafana Bafana midfielder Dean Furman has officially joined League Two side Carlisle United. 

The tough-tackling player has penned a one-year deal with the English side, meaning he's contracted to them until the end of the 2020-21 season which gets underway in early September. 

According to the club, Furman underwent a week-long trial before he was offered this deal.  

Furman left South Africa in June following the expiry of his contract with SuperSport United. 

This was after letting the Tshwane giants know of his intentions to return to the UK and be with his family.   

Furman's new manager Chris Beech is confident the acquisition of the midfielder could work out to be excellent for the club given the player's experience. 

"This one could work out to be an excellent signing for us, and I’m delighted we’ve managed to do it," Beech told Carlisle's website. 

"I was aware of Dean when he moved to Oldham from Rangers years ago. As a young player, he made a real impact and subsequently moved into the Championship with Doncaster."

What excites Beech the most is Furman's ability to dictate matches in the middle of the park and he feels he will improve the teammates around him. 

"He’s such an intelligent footballer, with the ability to dictate a game - his retain and regain of the ball is exceptional and he adds leadership and maturity into that area of the pitch when it’s needed,"  added Beech. 

"Dean will, one hundred percent, help to improve our other midfield players through the application of his work, and that’s a huge plus for me. We’ve got some real talent in the building and I’m excited to see that progress.

"He’s been playing his football in South Africa but had a desire to come back to the UK to raise his family.

"Whilst there were lucrative offers for him on the table to go abroad again, he’s foregone that to buy into our journey, and he’s another that wants to be successful."

Beech isn't worried that Furman is already on the other side of 30 and he was actually impressed with his level of fitness during his week-long trial. 

"Dean’s on the older side of players we’ve recruited this summer at 32, with it typically being the young energy we’ve gone for, but nevertheless he’s one that’s in fantastic shape, super fit, and usually tops the stats in terms of distances covered in training, the game retains and regains during the time he’s been with us," concluded Beech. 

"He's a great pro with a great attitude, and I’m looking forward to him making us even better." 

Houssem Aouar has seen moves to Arsenal and Manchester City mooted, but the highly rated Lyon playmaker has told those asking questions of his future: “I haven’t left yet”.

Various landing spots have been mooted for the 22-year-old midfielder since he broke onto the scene at Lyon. He has remained loyal to his Ligue 1 employers as others have departed, but the current window could be the one where he finally departs.

Lyon, despite making the Champions League semi-finals in 2019-20, have no European football to look forward to in the upcoming campaign. That is leaving them vulnerable to raids, with several prized assets attracting admiring glances.

Aouar falls into that category, with leading sides across the continent keeping a close eye on his situation.

Premier League giants are said to be heading that queue, as the likes of Arsenal and Man City mull over moves to bring more creativity into their ranks, but no deals have been done yet.

Quizzed by L’Equipe on whether he would find it difficult to bid farewell to Lyon at a time in which he would be denied the opportunity to say goodbye to fans amid coronavirus-enforced shutouts, Aouar said: “I haven’t left yet. So I haven’t asked this question.”

The youngster remained coy when asked about his international ambition. A first call-up to the senior France squad has been secured, with Didier Deschamps eager to offer Aouar a prominent stage on which to shine.

Regular football in familiar surroundings could help to keep him in contention for Les Bleus heading towards a rearranged European Championship in 2021.

Asked if those thoughts have entered his head, Aouar repeated: “I haven't left yet!”

With the Lyon starlet giving little away, the line of questioning was tweaked a little. Rather than pressing the issue of what could happen, Aouar was instead asked what he would like to do.

He replied: “That one is very tough. I want us to start the league well, and that we beat Dijon, to start with.”

Lyon are set to open their 2020-21 campaign on Friday with a home date against Dijon.

Ligue 2 side Amiens have announced the signing of Nicholas Opoku on a season-long loan from Serie A side Udinese.

The defender has been with the Italian club since the summer of 2018 when he joined from Tunisian side Club Africain.

The centre-back made 19 league appearances for the White and Blacks before teaming up with the Unicorns temporarily in January.

Opoku only featured seven times for the Stade de la Licorne outfit before the outbreak of coronavirus in March which forced the 2019-20 season to be abruptly concluded.

The defender returned to his parent club following the expiration of his loan contract with Amiens but has now sealed another temporary deal with the French club.

The Stade de la Licorne outfit also have an option to acquire the 23-year-old permanently after satisfactory performances.  

“Amiens SC and Udinese have agreed to loan Nicholas Opoku,” read a statement from the club website.

“Amiens SC are pleased to announce the return to the club of Nicholas Opoku. Already loaned to Amiens SC last season, Nicholas Opoku returns to Picardy for this new 2020-2021 season. “

Opoku started his career in his country, Ghana, with Kumasi Corner Babies before joining Berekum Chelsea in 2016.

After a season with the club, he moved to Tunisia to team up with Club Africain and made 18 league appearances for the North African club before moving to Italy to sign for Udinese.

Opoku has featured for Ghana U17 and U20 teams and made his senior international debut against the United States in July 2017.

The 23-year-old centre-back has now made four appearances for the West Africans and will hope to feature consistently for his new club for a chance to enjoy regular call up to the Black Stars.

Tanzania Mainland League side Simba SC have been ranked seventh on the list of African clubs with a massive following in social media platforms.

Wekundu wa Msimbazi have been on the rise as far as online presence is concerned, and their efforts to improve in this facet have paid dividends. In the released list, the 21-time league champions have acquired two million followers.

On Facebook, they have managed to get 668,000 followers while Instagram has one million. The Msimbazi-based side have 332,000 followers on Twitter with the remaining 90,000 subscribers coming from YouTube.

"We represent the country well, some are unknown where they are," Simba reacted on their Facebook page which was seen as a direct taunt to their bitter rivals Yanga SC.

Egyptian giants Al Ahli lead the list with 29 million subscribers in all the social platforms, followed by Zamalek who are on 12 million. Raja Club Athletic are third with six million followers.

South African top tier sides Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates are in the fourth and fifth positions, with five and four million followers respectively, while Mamelodi Sundowns are 10th with one million subscribers.

Other teams in the top ten list are Pyramids, who are placed sixth with three million subscribers, Wydad Athletic Club who are eighth with two million while Club Africain are ninth with a million followers. 

Simba have been pushing to become one of the best teams in the continent on and off the pitch.

Recently, chairman Mohammed Dewji revealed his ambition for the Tanzania giants.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi sealed a treble last season – Community Shield Cup, Mainland Premier League title, and the FA Cup – and will thus be the country’s flag bearers in the Caf Champions League for the third season in a row.  

"I am not pleased with winning the domestic titles," Dewji told reporters in an earlier interview. "My goal is the Caf Champions League.  

"Our goal is to keep on the pace to compete and win the Mainland Premier League, but also to reach the Champions League’s group stage and if we can win it.

"We have currently set GPS to our players that monitor the players’ performance by measuring heartbeats per second, resting heart rate and average heart rate to get each player statistics."