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Former Ghana international Nii Odartey Lamptey supports CK Akonnor's decision to augment the Black Stars with new additions for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and World Cup qualifiers.

Akonnor, who assumed duty as Ghana boss in January, has been tasked to qualify the Black Stars for, and win the continental gathering in Cameroon and as well as steer the team to the global showpiece in Qatar. 

To achieve his objectives, the former Asante Kotoko coach has set his sights on securing the services of Ghanaians in the diaspora, including the England-born duo of Tariq Lamptey and Eddie Nketiah. 

“Our major objective is to win a trophy so it’s a key agenda for every coach," Nii Lamptey told Peace FM. 

"Every coach has his philosophy but I believe you must have a large pool of players so that in case a player is unavailable, you can easily replace him. 

"It has been a long time since we won a trophy so winning it is important but having a good team will help you during tournaments.

“CK is now building his team so he will use a lot of methods. Selecting new players is the right thing because in case of anything, it will help him get some replacements. It's a good decision that he is starting with that."

Aside from Arsenal's Nketiah and Brighton and Hove Albion's Lamptey, Akonnor has also targeted the Belgium-born and Anderlecht duo of Jeremy Doku and Francis Amuzu, Dutch-born brothers Derrick Luckassen (also of Anderlecht) and Samuel Brobbey (Ajax) and the French-born trio of Elisha Owusu (Gent), Enoch Kwateng (Bordeaux) and Alexander Djiku (Strasbourg).

"The most important thing is those who were born in Europe. Some of them are eager to play for the Black Stars," Akonnor recently told Starr FM, having earlier confirmed making contact with Nketiah's family over nationality switching discussions.

“That is what we want to do. Look at Nigeria, I think they have done that in a very nice way.

“They have brought a lot of guys who were born in Europe and the Nigerian team is now transformed so we are trying to do the same with the national team.”

 Akonnor will have his first taste of match action as Ghana boss in November when the Black Stars face Sudan in an Afcon qualifying double-header. 

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA FC) have confirmed midfielder Erisa Ssekisambu has left the club.

The club’s head of communication Moses Magero made the announcement as the club restructures after losing the Ugandan Premier League title to Vipers SC.

Magero revealed the attacking midfielder saw his contract expire and thus will not be part of the squad that is expected to feature for the 2020/21 assignments.

The Ugandan signed a one-year deal with the capital city club from Gor Mahia as a free agent and the contract expired on June 6, 2020.

Ssekisambu’s agent Ronnie Mwine had previously denied rumours the star was set for a KCCA exit and argued he was in talks with club officials regarding a possibility of extending the deal.

The star is a league winner twice having won it at Uganda Revenue Authority (URA FC) six seasons ago. He lifted it with Vipers again in 2016 but his one-year stay at Kassasiro Boys means he will leave without a title after Vipers were declared winners of the cancelled season.

Rumours have indicated a number of Zambian Super League sides are trailing the Ugandan and his exit will now allow him to expedite talks with his suitors.

He leaves KCCA having helped them beat Proline FC, now relegated, in the Fufa Super Cup curtain-raiser in August as his two goals helped the 13-time Premier League winners emerge with a 4-1 victory at the StarTimes Stadium in Lugogo.

Ssekisambu’s departure comes a day after goalkeeper Jamil Malyamungu left on August 22 after three seasons with the local giants.

Jackson Nunda has already left to join Sam Ssimbwa’s URA, goalkeeper Tom Ikara and Eric Ssenjobe were lured to Police FC by coach Abdalla Mubiru while Mike Mutyaba has retired.

KCCA will also miss full-back Muspaha Kizza who has penned a three-year deal with Montreal Impact of Major League Soccer. The Ugandan defender will, however, remain at the club on a loan deal until December.

Nicholas Kasozi, Muzamir Mutyaba and Saddam Juma are also understood to be on their way out.

In a bid to wrestle back the league title from the Venoms, KCCA have signed Stefano Loro, Ashraf Mugume, Charles Lwanga, Samson Kigozi, Dennis Iguma, Bright Anukani and Brian Aheebwa.

Arsenal have moved a step closer to signing Gabriel Magalhaes from Lille, with the 22-year-old undergoing a medical in London today.

The Gunners have been finalising a five-year contract with the Brazilian defender at their London Colney training base after he arrived in the capital on Monday morning.

Arsenal agreed a fee, believed to be around £25 million ($33m) with Lille last week, and Gabriel is now set to become their second signing of the summer after the arrival of Willian from Chelsea.

Manchester United had made contact with the player’s representatives late last week with hopes of hijacking the deal, while Napoli and Everton had also had bids accepted by the Ligue 1 side.

However, Arsenal had always been confident of sealing a move for Gabriel after making him their top defensive target for the summer transfer window.

Mikel Arteta had made the addition of a left-footed centre-back a priority this summer, and he will now be hoping Gabriel clicks with William Saliba, who has already started pre-season training after returning from his loan spell at Saint-Etienne.

The process of completing the transfer was complicated by the two-week quarantine period imposed upon arrivals from France, with Arsenal following government rules at all times since his arrival to the UK.

Once the deal is fully completed and formally announced, Arteta and Arsenal will believe they have two of Europe’s most promising young defenders in Gabriel and Saliba.

That is real cause for excitement for a side which hasn’t always convinced at the back in recent seasons, though it will also likely lead to some departures.

With David Luiz, Rob Holding, Sokratis, Shkodran Mustafi, Calum Chambers and Pablo Mari also at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal will now have eight central defenders in their squad – though Chambers, Sokratis and Mari are all set to miss the start of the new season through injury.

Of those two, Chambers and Sokratis could still be set to leave the club.

Fulham are believed to be interested in taking Chambers back to Craven Cottage after he impressed on loan there in 2018-19, while Napoli are reported to hold an interest in Sokratis.

He and Mustafi, who both have just a year left on their current contracts, will be allowed to leave for the right price.

Yanga SC chairman Mshindo Msolla has urged members to come through and help them sign two more players to reach the foreign quota as allowed by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF).

The 27-time champions have so far acquired the services of five foreigners including Mukoko Tonombe, Michael Sarpong, and Tuisila Kisinda. Farouk Shikhalo, Lamine Moro, and Haruna Niyonzima have been with the team.

"We have two spaces for foreign players which will take the total to 10," Msolla said as quoted by Mwanaspoti.

"Our sponsor has played a huge role in helping us to get other foreign players, and now it is up to the members to help the team sign the remaining two.

"The two are not yet in negotiations with the club; however, if we will not bring them in the current window, then we can do it in the short transfer window."

Timu ya Wananchi have held talks with Burkina Faso forward Yacouba Songne and the two parties have reached an agreement on working together. Angolan Fernandes Guimares is also another player who the Jangwani Street-based side is targeting.

Most of these targets were signed in the absence of the head coach after the dismissal of former tactician Luc Eymael in July for disparaging comments about the club, the fans and the TFF. 

Recently, Cedric Kaze was confirmed as the new head of the team's technical bench.

"Those who are enquiring about the coach, we have already got [Cedric] Kaze who is from Burundi and was initially working in Canada," Msolla confirmed in an initial interview. 

"We are in the process of ensuring his travel arrangements are in order so that he can join us soon and start his job."

Kaze has reportedly made a demand that Yanga appoint former Azam goalkeeper Vladimir Niyonkuru as the new goalkeeping coach.

That position fell vacant when Timu Ya Wananchi did not renew Peter Manyika’s contract at the end of last season.

Yanga will also need to get a new assistant coach after Boniface Mkwasa left and joined rivals Ruvu Shooting as head coach.

Kaze will take charge of Yanga who are looking to end Simba SC’s latest dominance. Simba won a treble last season and their league success means they have kept the title in three consecutive campaigns after taking it from their archrivals.  

Former Kaizer Chiefs winger Junior Khanye feels coach Ernst Middendorp should opt for Itumeleng Khune as the first-choice goalkeeper ahead of current number one Daniel Akpeyi.

Khune has been blighted by fitness issues over the past two seasons, with Akpeyi taking up the Bafana Bafana star’s number one spot while being mostly deputised by Bruce Bvuma.

But Akpeyi has faced a difficult spell in Chiefs’ last four games by conceding seven times against Bidvest Wits, Polokwane City, Bloemfontein Celtic and lately Stellenbosch.

Khanye’s placing of the blame on Akpeyi comes after Middendorp vowed the Nigerian will be the Amakhosi's first-choice goalkeeper for the remainder of the current Premier Soccer League (PSL) campaign while freezing out Khune.

“A clever coach knows how to balance his team. The guy today [the 1-1 draw against Stellenbosch]…the system he approached the game with today [is] very disappointing, I must say,” Khanye told iDiski.

“The goalkeeper conceded five goals in two games [prior to the Stellenbosch match]. I’m talking about Daniel Akpeyi. The game they played against Bloemfontein Celtic he conceded three, today he conceded one. Let’s not talk about the Bidvest Wits game, let’s start with the game against Bloemfontein Celtic and Polokwane City, [five goals in two games]. It means in the last three games he has conceded six goals. It’s too much.

“A clever coach would have rested him [Akpeyi]. He should have been rested. I’m sure… even though Chiefs are not playing good football, Khune would have helped them. In terms of marshalling the defence. Today the goalkeeper has conceded again. I’m very disappointed with the Chiefs coach.”

Akpeyi has managed to keep nine clean sheets in 23 league appearances this season while conceding 22 goals.

Khune, on the other hand, has featured in two league matches and shipped in no goals.

Chiefs have one win in their last five games with two defeats and as many draws.

Jiangsu Suning striker Tabitha Chawinga is delighted about her bright start to the season after contributing a goal in her Chinese Women's Super League side's 3-2 opening triumph over Hebei China Fortune on Sunday.

Chawinga continued from where she left off last season, scoring Jiangsu's winner in her first match in 2020 against Hebei after a nine-month hiatus occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.

The 24-year-old, who featured for the opening 45 minutes of the contest, believes her team deserved the victory against the newly-promoted side in the five-goal thriller.

"I am very happy and excited that we started the season on a winning note," Chawinga told Goal.

"As the champions, every team will be aiming to beat us but we got our goals early and that was enough to give us the victory, although it was a tough game.

"We almost threw away our lead in the first half because a number of top players are yet to join the team, including [Elizabeth] Addo and the coach was also trying to make some changes to manage the team better.

"We're happy with the win and I think we truly deserved it. We will aim to continue to build on that in our upcoming matches this season."

The Malawi international last kicked the ball on December 2 when her brace helped Jiangsu defeat Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels 2-0 to finish as runners-up at the AFC Women's Club Championship.

Overall, she helped Jiangsu to a quadruple, including the first Chinese title since 2009 last season, scoring 38 goals and claimed three top scorer awards along with the Player of the Year.

Having scored 12 goals in 14 matches last season, Chawinga opened her 2020 campaign account with Jiangsu's third of the match against Hebei.

And she could not contain her joy as she opened up on making a scoring start and target for the season while reflecting on her lockdown experience in China. 

"Besides the win, I am very delighted about getting myself on the scoresheet," she continued.

"Being unable to play football for about nine months was not easy but I am happy to start the season well and also score in my first match.

"It was a rough experience to be indoors for months and being unable to go out for training and no chance to work out during the coronavirus in China. I'm glad now that football is finally back.  

"I really do not have any personal goal target this season but I am determined to continue working hard to score as many as possible to help the team.

"I'm happy with my progress here [in China] with Jiangsu and hoping to help the team achieve greater success than we did last season."

She will hope to continue her impressive start when they take on Henan Jianye in their next league fixture on Wednesday.

Bidvest Wits claimed the Premier Soccer League's (PSL) third spot despite dropping points in a 0-0 draw with Maritzburg United at Tuks Stadium.

In what was their fourth draw since the season's restart, Wits picked up a point against Eric Tinkler’s side to come eight points behind leaders Kaizer Chiefs with four games remaining.

It was Wits’ third goalless share of the spoils since the return of football in South Africa.

But while they now boast a seven-match unbeaten streak, the students have been undone by five draws in that run, the form which has compromised their league title chances.

A point was not enough for their opponents Maritzburg to move from position six on the standings, settling on 41 points.

Victory continues to elude Maritzburg who have recorded two draws and a defeat since the resumption of the season, a run which is in stark contrast to a four-match winning streak prior to the coronavirus-induced break.

With Tinkler’s men firing blanks on Monday, they would be hoping to pick themselves up in their next match against Highlands Park.

Elsewhere at Lucas Moripe Stadium, AmaZulu moved from the bottom following a 2-2 draw with Bloemfontein Celtic.

Lehlohonolo Majoro found the back of the net for a second-straight game while Justice Chabalala scored an own goal to earn AmaZulu a point against Celtic who came from behind twice via Lesotho forward Sera Motebang and Ndumiso Mabena.

It was a crucial point for Usuthu who had dropped in form following their 1-1 upsetting of log leaders Chiefs just before the suspension of the campaign.

Having returned to draw with Baroka and a defeat by Wits which condemned them to the foot of the table, the share of spoils with Celtic saw AmaZulu dreaming of preserving their top-flight league status.

For Celtic, it was another outing which marked their inconsistency after recording a draw and a win in their last two league games.

The draw saw the Free State outfit moving a rung up to 10th position on the log as they now seek to improve their chances of a top-eight finish in their next match against Wits.

AmaZulu face Black Leopards in their next game.

Arthur has bid an emotional farewell to Barcelona as the Brazil midfielder heads to pastures new with Juventus.

The 24-year-old will link up with the Serie A giants after moving in a €72 million (£66m/$81m) deal in June, with Miralem Pjanic – six years his senior – moving in the opposite direction.

Arthur’s exit from Camp Nou has been a messy one. In April, he said he was only interested in staying at Barcelona but, after being shown the door, he refused to play for the club in their Champions League campaign after returning to Brazil.

Now, though, he has perhaps sought to repair some burned bridges as he sets about establishing himself at Juventus.

“Saying goodbye is always difficult, even more so [because I am] leaving behind a place that has become my home,” Arthur said in a video posted on Twitter.

“An incredible city, that will remain forever in my heart. Where everyone received me as another Catalan, showed me a new culture, helped me to grow as a player and, especially, as a person.

“I am leaving a group of brilliant players. I'm very lucky to have played alongside them and, most of all, I am grateful for their support as good people with huge hearts.

“The crowd won me over from the first day, made me proud to play for them and to wear one of the greatest shirts in the world.

“They showed me care and respect that I will never forget.

“Today is the day to say goodbye, but I am taking everything with me in my heart forever.”

Arthur’s desire to remain at Barca was made clear four months ago, when he said: "There is always speculation but my idea is clear. The only option that interests me is staying at Barcelona.

"The supposed interest of big clubs is always flattering and a positive sign, but my mind is on playing for Barcelona for many years."

His arrival at Juventus will no doubt provide new head coach Andrea Pirlo with a welcome selection headache, with Rodrigo Bentancur, Aaron Ramsey and Adrien Rabiot also available to play a similar role.

Victor Osimhen has joined his new teammates at Napoli for their pre-season trip to Castel di Sangro in Abruzzo.

The Stadio San Paolo outfit have begun preparations for the 2020-21 season in earnest following their seventh-place finish in the Serie A table last term.

Osimhen joined Napoli on a five-year deal in July after an impressive debut season in the Ligue 1 with Lille where he scored 13 goals in 27 appearances.

After his brief summer break, the 21-year-old linked up with his new teammates in Naples before their journey to Castel di Sangro on Monday morning.

Also included in the 34-man squad are Senegal's Kalidou Koulibaly, Algeria duo Adam Ounas and Faouzi Ghoulam.

Napoli will spend the next two weeks in Castel di Sangro and they will be engaged in two friendly matches before concluding their retreat with a friendly game against Serie C outfit Teramo on September 4.

They have been scheduled to play Aquila and Castel di Sangro in a triangular match on August 28.

Osimhen will have his first training session as a Napoli player on Monday afternoon which will be opened to 1000 fans due to the coronavirus restrictions in Italy.

Although the fixtures have not been confirmed, the 2020-21 Serie A season has been earmarked to start on September 19.

Ronald Koeman is determined to be a success back at Barcelona and Jordi Cruyff says the Dutchman’s desire to get the club “back to where it should be is shared by everyone”.

Another change in the dugout has been made at Camp Nou on the back of a disappointing end to the 2019-20 campaign.

A humbling 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League proved to be the final straw for Quique Setien.

Barca have turned to a familiar face for inspiration as they seek to get back on track, with Koeman charged with the task of returning a fallen giant to its feet and convincing the likes of Lionel Messi to stay put.

He is ready to embrace that challenge, as he prepares to take on a dream job, and Cruyff believes a man who once played in the ‘Dream Team’ managed by his father Johan is the ideal candidate to deliver a reversal in fortune for the Blaugrana.

Jordi told Sport: “In difficult moments like the one Barça are experiencing right now, it's always best to remember someone who identifies with the club and who knows its idiosyncrasies.

“That's why names like Ronald Koeman and Xavi Hernandez are always welcomed by Barça fans after wearing the shirt and never hiding away from the fact they would love to manage the side one day.

“No one can deny that Koeman has shown his great desire, including saying it bravely, that he wants to take on this difficult task.

“But he knows this club better than anybody, its famous atmosphere, how painful every defeat feels and how special every success is. He's in sync with Barça and its supporters. This will ease his integration into the role.

“For him, the easy option would have been to stay with Holland and lead them into Euro 2021. But he preferred to take over a similar role at Barcelona, fresh after a humiliating defeat at the hands of Bayern, and with a summer overhaul staring him right in the face.

“Koeman will have the backing from supporters because they want to see one of their own succeed. He added Henrik Larsson to his staff, another player who impressed during his time at Barça. In Alfred Schreuder he has the man who played a key role in Ajax's destruction of Real Madrid last season. Two names who inspire confidence. 

“Koeman knows the task at hand and the challenges facing him. It's time for painful changes but he brings a needed calmness to that process as well. But Koeman also crucially brings a lot of illusion and desire to succeed. That illusion, that desire to bring Barça back to where they should be, is shared by everyone.”

Koeman is still settling into a new post after being handed a two-year contract, but is reported to have met with his players and informed those that do not form part of his plans that they are free to move on.

Sunday Oliseh has praised Bayern Munich after winning the Champions League title ahead of Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday.

The Bravarians secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Ligue 1 champions in the final of the European competition at Estadio da Luz to clinch the highly coveted trophy.

Kingsley Coman scored the all-important winning goal with a fine header after he was set up by Joshua Kimmich moments before the hour mark.

With the Champions League triumph, Hans-Dieter Flick’s men, thus, completed their treble, having also won the Bundesliga title and the German Cup.

The German top-flight was the first to resume after the outbreak of coronavirus forced major leagues across the world to a hiatus while Ligue 1 was abruptly concluded.

Oliseh believes the early resumption of the Bundesliga contributed to the Bravarians’ success and explains other factors that led to their triumph in the European competition.

“The Germans [Bayern Munich] once again excel thanks to better organisation, foresight and hard work,” Oliseh tweeted.

“[It] restarted before every other league, with such a scenario in mind, looked physically better with a clear game plan and got lucky too. They just won the treble! League, Cup and ECL.”

Oliseh enjoyed success in the Bundesliga during his playing years, where he featured for FC Koln and Borussia Dortmund.

The 45-year-old made 53 league appearances for the Black and Yellows during his four-year stay and helped the club win the 2001-2002 league title and finish as runner-up in the Uefa Cup that same season.

Oliseh also played for Italian giants Juventus, Dutch outfit Ajax, Reggiana and Genk among others before his retirement.

The former RFC Liege midfielder had 54 caps for the Super Eagles and was part of the side that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations.

Oliseh has served as Eupen sporting director and managed Vervietois, Nigeria and Fortuna Sittard since he started his coaching career.

Tom Rogic’s decision to leave Celtic for Qatar has come as a surprise to Australia coach Rene Meulensteen, as he feels that the 27-year-old midfielder has “Premier League quality”.

Rather than moving south when he leaves Scotland, it appears as though the Socceroos star will instead be heading for the Middle East.

Rogic is reported to have an agreement in place that will take him away from Parkhead after seven years in Glasgow. He had been tied to a contract by the Hoops through to 2023, with a desire on their part to retain the services of a player who has been a productive creative influence when fit.

Both club and player are, however, now pulling in different directions and Meulensteen is surprised to see the decision taken to head away from Britain by a player who still has so much to offer.

The former Manchester United assistant manager, who now works alongside Graham Arnold with the Australia national side, said in the Daily Record: “I’m really quite surprised a Premier League club, or a top Championship team, or even a team elsewhere in Europe that’s pushing for Champions League or Europe League hasn’t come for him.

“He’s at a great age and has fantastic qualities and is tactically also very intelligent. Used well, in the right system, he can be a big asset for a lot of teams.

“He has Premier League quality, but you need to adapt in your mindset because stepping onto the pitch at Celtic you know you’re probably going to win. That’s not the case in the Premier League where you have to do far more without the ball and it’s a lot more demanding.

“It’s about being adaptable and deciding to graft every day in training because there are no easy games at that level. I don’t see an issue with Tom being able to do that and perhaps he does have other things on the table, but if Qatar has come calling then there will also be a financial benefit for him in what is probably an under-rated and under-appreciated competition.

“The standard of the league in Qatar has jumped in recent years and they’ve invested heavily in local talent and not just foreigners. Top players like Xavi and Ronald de Boer played there, and so many others.

“The stadiums are new, getting around is easy in a small country and the league is played when the heat’s not so bad. In terms of resources and environment, it’s excellent, and I don’t think Tom’s game would suffer by going there.

“Tom's been at Celtic a long time. He loves the club and has won a lot of trophies there. I’ve asked him previously whether he’d like to move to the Premier League but I think he’s always been content at Celtic.

“Don’t forget they’re a huge club and you can never under-estimate winning, it’s the greatest feeling. You can never get enough. But now, where he’s limited with his game time, he might see this as an opportunity to try something different.”

Ernst Middendorp has referred questions around Itumeleng Khune's continued exclusion from matchday squads to the Kaizer Chiefs management. 

Khune, 33, has been a noticeable absentee for Amakhosi since the resumption of the season as Middendorp has stuck to his guns by using Daniel Akpeyi as his preferred first-choice this season. 

Bruce Bvuma has sat on the bench thus far, and Middendorp isn't prepared to reveal more on his reasons for keeping Khune away from the team.  

"I think, regarding Itu, if you need a little bit more in terms of details, I refer you to the management of Kaizer Chiefs. Probably, they will give a little bit more information," said Middendorp as quoted by City Press. 

Middendorp, however, confirmed that Khune was training with his teammates, saying they continue to monitor his progress. 

He revealed that from the technical team's point of view, there is something missing in Khune's game, and that's all he was prepared to say. 

"Itu is in training. We have a very clear identification of our current situation, how far he is to go in competition and to be prepared for selection." 

"At the moment, what we have seen as a technical team, there is something missing - that's all I can say," added Middendorp.  

The Ventersdorp-born shot-stopper has featured sparingly for the Glamour Boys this season with just two league appearances under his belt. 

Middendorp previously said he would use Khune in the Nedbank Cup but Amakhosi crashed out in the Last 16, losing on penalties to Highlands Park and that proved to be the goalkeeper's last game before the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Just a few days ago, Middendorp reiterated that Chiefs will finish the season with Akpeyi as their No.1, subsequently closing the door on Khune's possible return in the remaining four matches of the season. 

Akpeyi was instrumental in Amakhosi maintaining their position at the top of the log this season but he has come under scrutiny again after conceding seven goals in four matches since the restart of the season. 

In the process, the Naturena-based outfit has managed just one win, losing once and drawing the other two matches.   

Bruno Fernandes is a Manchester United captain of the future, according to former Udinese manager Andrea Stramaccioni, with the Portuguese considered to boast all of the qualities required to be a leader at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils moved to snap up a talented playmaker from Sporting in the January transfer window.

Having monitored Fernandes for some time, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were hoping to see a calculated mid-season gamble pay off.

The 25-year-old midfielder has exceeded all expectations in England, with a role quickly taken up as an integral part of United’s plans.

Fernandes has claimed that there is even more to come, having already shown himself to be a useful source of goals and assists, with an ambitious performer targeting continuous improvement.

It could be that his talismanic presence sees him inherit the armband at some stage, with Stramaccioni of the opinion that the Portugal international would make a fine skipper for United.

He told Sky Sports of a player he worked with in Italy: “Bruno is a very good boy, a very good person. He is a really hard worker, he’s positive.

“When we were at Udinese he worked a lot and his approach was always positive.

“He can certainly captain Manchester United, he is a really talismanic player. He is loved by the fans, respected by his team-mates – even from opponents.

“To be captain of Manchester United is something really, really important. I hope he will be.

“I think now we don’t need to think about this kind of thing, he has to think about keeping his performance at a high level, as he is doing, and step by step gain the respect of everyone around him – the media, the fans – and continue to keep a high level.”

It could be that Fernandes is reunited with Stramaccioni in English football further down the line, with the Italian tactician revealing that he has come close to landing prestigious posts in the recent past.

He added: “I was close in the past to Sheffield Wednesday, but it was four or five years ago.

“Then I was in touch with Aston Villa, two years ago. Then I was very close to Watford, because it is the same owner of Udinese.

“Premier League, Championship, with respect for all the other leagues, I think they are the best leagues in the world.”

Harvey Elliott “really loves Liverpool” and boasts the “elite mentality” required to become a senior star for the Premier League champions, claims his former Fulham youth team coach Jack Johnson.

At 17 years of age, the highly-rated midfielder is already part of Jurgen Klopp’s first team squad.

On the back of being lured away from Craven Cottage in the summer of 2019, Elliott has gone on to take in eight appearances for Liverpool.

Youngsters are being given a chance to make their mark within star-studded ranks at Anfield, with academy graduates and encouraging signings seeing a prominent platform handed to them.

Johnson expects Elliott to make the most of his opportunities, with the boyhood Liverpool fan living the dream on Merseyside as he looks turn undoubted potential into a lengthy career at the very top of the game.

“Harvey’s a Liverpool fan and he really loves Liverpool,” Johnson told the Blood Red Podcast of a player he worked with from U12 level at Fulham.

“And nothing ever seemed to faze Harvey. He just wants to play football. It doesn’t matter if it's in the back garden or in front of 100,000 – I don’t think his heartbeat would change. He takes everything in his stride. He just wants to play football – and wants to win.

“His mentality is elite. That’s why he is where he’s at. Working at an academy, you see a lot of very good players, who have got tricks and have got skills, but you could tell from quite early on that he had that elite mentality.

“As I said earlier, some people may think he’s quiet, but it comes from a place of being really focused. We’d have analysis sessions and he’d be really clever. He’d sit where he’d get the most out of that analysis session. You may have one or two boys in the group who, if you sit next to them, they might distract you. But he made sure he sat away from that.

“He’d have the banter and the jokes at the right time, but when there was information to be given, he’d be at the front, taking it all on board. So, yes, elite mentality from the kid.”

Johnson added on his experiences with Elliott: “My first impressions? Good player! Good feet, skilful, knew the game, and like a lot of players who are highly thought of, would play up a year. He was a good character. He was quite a quiet lad – not in a shy way, in a real focused way.

“He knows what he’s at the club for; he knows what he’s come to training to do – and that’s improve and be the best he can be, every single training session and every single game. So, quiet, but that was down to being really, really focused. 

“At U12s, technically he was probably the best in the group, but I think the turning point was when he developed physically – and he took real ownership of that himself. He went away and worked really hard on his sprinting, and when I came back across him with the U15s, two or three years later, he was a different beast.”

Joshua Kimmich has revealed that Bayern Munich had a "feeling of invincibility" during Sunday's Champions League final in Lisbon.

Bayern became the first side to win the competition with a 100% record after picking up an 11th consecutive victory against Paris Saint-Germain at Benfica's Estadio da Luz.

Hansi Flick's side had scored 18 goals in total during knockout stage wins over Chelsea, Barcelona and Lyon, but the Ligue 1 champions provided a far sterner test in the showpiece event.

PSG wasted several guilt-edge openings in the first 45 minutes, while Robert Lewandowski went closest for Bayern as he hit the woodwork with a poacher's shot after spinning expertly in the box.

Thomas Tuchel's men continued to try and soak up pressure and hit their opponents on the break early in the second period, but the Bundesliga outfit were eventually able to make their dominance of possession count just before the hour mark.

Kimmich provided the assist for Kingsley Coman to beat Keylor Navas in the PSG net with a well-placed header, sparking wild scenes of celebration among the Bayern players and staff.

The game ultimately ended 1-0, with Flick delivering a sixth European Cup to Allianz Arena to add to the Bundesliga title and DFB Cup his side had already won in 2019-20.

Kimmich has acknowledged the fact that Bayern weren't at their free-flowing best against PSG, but also admitted that the squad was always confident of success after their unprecedented run to the final.

“It is the biggest day of my career. I can’t describe what it means to be on the pitch with a team like this one," the German midfielder told the club's official website.

“Winning a title like that with brothers is the best you can achieve. Hansi Flick has given us a very good feeling in the camp and given us a lot of confidence right from the off.

“Each victory has given us more and more confidence. When you make mistakes, someone else makes up for them.

“We weren’t without mistakes (in the final) either, but we had a slight feeling of invincibility. I think we deserved to win this competition.”

Bayern forward Thomas Muller added on becoming a two-time Champions League winner: “It feels incredible. We’ve been on a journey, we’ve come relatively far from how we felt in the autumn, and then we went on a run that was sensational.

“We’ve also deserved this feeling. We have the team spirit – the boys are ready to toil. We also rode our luck and had Manuel Neuer between the sticks.

“It wasn’t our best game, but we hung in there and now we’re on top.”

Ernst Middendorp has admitted that having Kaizer Chiefs striker Samir Nurkovic unavailable for the match against Mamelodi Sundowns will be a huge loss. 

Nurkovic is suspended for the top-of-the-table clash after receiving his fourth yellow card against Stellenbosch FC on Sunday night. 

And Middendorp said he will have to find solutions from within the squad now that he will be without his best striker for the encounter that could decide the destination of the PSL trophy.    

"It's a huge loss, there is no doubt about it," Middendorp told the media.  

"At the moment, we must look at finding solutions but let me try and find the solution inside the squad in the way that we can strategise but it's very painful for me and for us as a club."  

Ironically, Nurkovic replaced the injured Leonardo Castro who pulled a hamstring in the first half of the 1-1 draw with Stellies. 

This was Middendorp's way of avoiding Nurkovic to get booked but the injury to Castro forced him to throw the Serbian marksman onto the pitch.  

The 61-year-old mentor had not received Castro's medical report after the game but he confessed Chiefs cannot go to the Sundowns game without two of his best attackers this season. 

"I have really not gotten feedback from my medical team about Leonardo Castro," confirmed Middendorp.   

"But we definitely cannot expect to have Samir and Castro out for such a huge game. They have been on form and very successful for the club this season," he added.

The Nurkovic and Castro partnership has yielded 20 of the 46 league goals scored by the Soweto giants this season. 

Should Castro fail to recover on time for this crunch encounter on Thursday then Middendorp could be forced to start with Lazarous Kambole and Khama Billiat upfront.

Kambole finally opened his goalscoring account for the Soweto giants against Stellenbosch, and Middendorp would hope he can deliver again when it matters the most. 

The clash could also see the return of Lebogang Manyama who missed the Stellenbosch match due to a niggling injury while there is also Dumisani Zuma who could play high up the field and has goals in him.     

Liverpool are running the rule over young goalkeeper Javier Cendon, who is training with Jurgen Klopp’s first-team squad.

The 19-year-old Spaniard has joined up with the Reds at their pre-season camp in Austria, and sources have told Goal he has impressed staff, including goalkeeping coach John Achterberg, with his displays.

Liverpool are now considering whether to offer the teenager a contract upon their return to Merseyside later this week. 

Cendon left Villarreal at the end of last season, and would be seen as a possible option for Barry Lewtas’ under-23 squad rather than a first-team player. He is expected to be given the chance to continue training at Melwood while the club make a decision.

Liverpool are well stocked in terms of senior goalkeepers, with Adrian set to be understudy to Alisson Becker once again. Caoimhin Kelleher, who made four senior appearances last season, will again be third choice.

Kamil Grabara, the Poland under-21 international, is expected to depart on loan, with Hamburg and PAOK Salonika among those interested in signing the 21-year-old. Grabara spent last season at Huddersfield, and also has suitors in the Championship.

Loris Karius will be sold if a buyer can be found. The German has been with the squad in Austria, but was not involved in Saturday’s friendly against Salzburg – Alisson and Adrian shared duties while Kelleher was an unused substitute – and has been told he has no future at the club.

Montpellier are among the clubs to have made enquiries, though Karius himself has insisted he is in no rush to make a decision.

At academy level, Liverpool released three goalkeepers over the summer, with Shamal George, Dan Atherton and Kai McKenzie-Lyle all departing.

Fabian Mrozek, a 16-year-old, was signed from FC Wroclaw and will join up with the under-18s. The Reds already have two more young Poles, Viteszlav Jaros and Jakub Ojrzynski, competing for places at under-23 level, along with Ben Winterbottom, signed from Blackburn last year.

Cendon, meanwhile, was part of the Villarreal under-19 squad which reached the final of the Dallas Cup last year, and has represented Spain at youth level.

Jose Mourinho has revealed the secrets of his success, including how to handle the football media world, in an insightful conversation with Ted Lasso.

The Tottenham manager is a Premier League veteran, having also managed Chelsea and Manchester United in the English top flight, and he passed on some advice to the newest man in the dug-out.

Lasso has been appointed as manager of AFC Richmond for the new Premier League season  but faces a steep learning curve in England after previously only coaching an American football team at college level.

However, Mourinho looks to have taken the inexperienced coach under his wing, offering him advice on various aspects of coaching on and off the field.

Having won two Champions Leagues as well as three Premier League titles, Mourinho knows exactly what it takes to be a success and outlined the key things any manager needs to make it at the highest level.

"But in football, there are no shortcuts," Mourinho explained on a call to Lasso. "First, you must identify players you can rely on."

Mourinho has had many inspirational leaders in his teams throughout his career, from his early success with Porto as well as at Inter and Real Madrid, while his current Spurs team is spearheaded by England talisman Harry Kane.

Equally important for most Mourinho teams are his reliable and impenetrable backlines, with the Portuguese having made a name for himself using tactics his critics labelled as 'parking the bus' but which proved extremely successful.

"Next, defence: the opposition cannot score, you cannot lose," Mourinho insisted.

Perhaps the most important lesson taught by Mourinho to newcomer Lasso was how to deal with the media - something any new coach in the Premier League will have to deal with, especially if results do not go their way.

The 57-year-old announced himself to the British public by labelling himself as 'The Special One', but having been on the wrong end of FA fines for post-match comments on opponents and referees, he knows exactly when and what to talk about in interviews.

"Finally, you must learn how to handle the English press," Mourinho continued. "I’m going to tell you exactly what to say: 'I prefer not to speak.'"

Having confused Lasso with the statement, Mourinho clarified the meaning, telling the American coach that these five words are crucial to surviving any interview, especially if asked a tricky question that could result in a fine or suspension.

"No, that’s what you say to the press. 'I prefer not to speak.'"

Watch Ted Lasso exclusively on Apple TV+