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Tanzania Mainland League side Azam FC have completed the signing of attacking midfielder Ismail Aziz Kada.

The Chamazi-based side have been strengthening for the new season and are aiming at improving every department. It is for this reason the team is moving fast to make signings that will help the technical bench achieve their objectives next season.

"Azam FC are delighted to announce the signing of attacking midfielder Ismail Aziz Kada from Tanzania Prisons on a two-year contract deal," the Chamazi-based side confirmed on Monday.

"The player passed his medical test before signing the contract before Azam's CEO Abdulkarim Amin."

The 2018/19 FA Cup champions have revealed the reason behind the signing of the swift midfielder.

"The technical bench under the leadership of coach Aristica Cioaba had recommended his signing and the club acted and brought him on board," the club noted.

"The player has had a good season with Tanzania Prisons after scoring five goals and created as many." 

Aziz is the fourth player to be signed by the 2014 Tanzania Mainland League champions. Others who have joined Azam are Awesu Awesu from Kagera Sugar, Ally Niyonzima from Rwandan side Rayon Sports and Ayoub Lyanga.

Lyanga, who was a free agent after his contract expired with Coastal Union has explained the reason behind joining Azam.

"I have talked to my brother who played for Azam before, Daniel [Lyanga] who was at the club last season, he has told me a lot about the club, he has told me what to expect at the club and how ambitious the club is, so I will strive to push the club from where he left it," Lyanga told reporters.

"My brother also played a key role for me to sign for Azam, he told me a lot about the team, and my target now is to help the team, and make sure Azam remains as one of the best teams in the country and even beyond the borders."

On how he feels after signing the deal, Lyanga said: "I thank God for the chance to play for Azam and I thank all those who were behind the deal and those who have supported me, and I am happy to sign for Azam.

"My main target is to help Azam and it is the reason I did not wait for even a second to come here when I knew they were looking for my services, I have always wanted to play for this great club and I thank God I now have the chance to show them what I can do."

Jose Mourinho is in danger of being “left out to dry” at Tottenham, claims Jermaine Jenas, with the Portuguese lacking the backing he needs in order to compete with the Premier League elite.

Mourinho was acquired by Spurs in November 2019 after they took the decision to part with Mauricio Pochettino.

He has, however, already faced questions over his philosophy at Spurs and is not expected to be handed a transfer war chest in the summer window.

Jenas believes that will work against the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss, with expectations now about to be reined in despite the lack of boardroom support.

The former Tottenham midfielder told the Daily Mail: “It’s going to be really frustrating I think for Mourinho next year because he’s going to be the one left out to dry I think. Essentially he needs players and they are a team that I don’t see getting in the top four right now. 

“They’re not better than Wolves, they’re about on par with Arsenal but actually I see what [Mikel] Arteta is doing and I think that he is just ahead of what Mourinho is doing with his team. I don’t see it being a very pretty season for Jose or Tottenham at all.”

Pressed on whether he expects Mourinho to see out the 2020-21 campaign still at the Spurs helm, Jenas added: “I'd like to think he will. I’m pretty sick of managers getting put in situations where everything is kind of against them and I think Tottenham is one of the clubs that do that in a way. 

“If you look at what Pochettino did for that football club, to not back him at a time when he needed to be back seemed like a ludicrous decision. 

“The team needed refreshing, they didn’t refresh it and off the back of it there was huge frustration from Poch and the team basically continued, even though they got to the Champions League final they lost 13 league games. It continued its form into this season which was poor. 

“No managers walk anymore because there’s too much money involved, but obviously Jose has come in and taken the job so I would presume there was conversations that there would be investment. 

“Granted, no one could have the pandemic and there was a new stadium and with that, Spurs are probably one of the richest clubs in Europe I think with the amount they make from people coming to games.

“I’m sure Daniel [Levy] will have said ‘this is the project, here’s gonna be the money’, but I’m also sure he’s now gonna come up with an excuse to say ‘there is no money so deal with it’.

“In my opinion, I will feel Jose’s frustration and have sympathy for him because his hands are tied.”

Virgil van Dijk has proven himself to be "unbelievable" in almost every aspect since joining Liverpool, but former Reds defender Kolo Toure thinks forwards can cause him more problems by running at him in one-on-one situations.

Netherlands international Van Dijk joined Liverpool from Southampton in January 2018 for a reported £75 million ($98m), at the time a world-record fee for a defender.

His signing helped transform Liverpool from top-four contenders into a team that challenges for titles, as the Reds were only narrowly beaten to the 2018-19 Premier League title while also winning the Champions League.

Van Dijk's influence showed no sign of abating this term as Liverpool won a first league title in 30 years, while his performances continue to impress.

Toure, a former Liverpool and Celtic defender like Van Dijk, is an admirer of the centre-back but feels forwards might have a little more fortune against him if they are braver.

"He's an unbelievable player," Toure told Stats Perform News. "He's a top player. He's got speed, height, he can jump. He's got technique. He can switch the game with his long passes. He has got everything.

"I haven't seen many players challenge him one on one. In my opinion, that's his weakness! He's really tall and if you really attack him with the ball, he can struggle, but he's so clever.

"He's so clever because he drops well, but if you are really aggressive in attack in a one-on-one, I think you can get something from him.

"He's a really clever player. He's got [Joe] Gomez on his side, good players on his side to help him as well. There are good players around him and I think that makes his game easy, but I think he's got so many qualities."

Toure was part of the Liverpool team that were pipped to the title by Manchester City in 2013-14, losing out by two points after Steven Gerrard's infamous slip in a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea helped hand the initiative back to Manuel Pellegrini's men.

That moment had hung over Liverpool and Gerrard in the following years but their 2019-20 success erases that memory, according to Toure.

"Absolutely [it heals the pain of 2014]," he said. "When you play for a team like Liverpool, the fans, the atmosphere is unbelievable. An unbelievable club.

"I had a great time there. I saw players win the Premier League who I'd been playing with. I was happy to see them win.

"They are the best team in the world right now. Jurgen Klopp is doing an amazing job right now. [Former manager] Brendan Rodgers' signings have been really good as well for him. You can see that he's taken those players and really pushed them.

"Of course, he's added top players on top of all of that. This club is one of the best clubs in the world. They really deserve everything, they're really good guys, honest people working hard, loving the club and that's great. It's a great, great club."

Arsenal need to be bringing in another centre-half during the summer transfer window, says Stewart Robson, with Mikel Arteta told that the likes of Rob Holding and Sead Kolasinac are “not good enough” to deliver future success.

The Gunners ensured that they brought down the curtain on their 2019-20 campaign with major silverware when beating Chelsea 2-1 in the FA Cup final.

Holding lined up alongside David Luiz and Kieran Tierney as part of a three-man defensive unit in that contest.

Robson believes faults in his game were exposed against Chelsea, despite landing a winners’ medal, while there are still question marks hanging over Brazil international Luiz and his ability to deliver on a consistent basis.

Arteta is expected to try and address those issues over the summer with recruitment plans being drawn up, and movement is being predicted in and out of Emirates Stadium when it comes to defensive personnel.

"They've still got to get good centre-halves," Robson, who spent six years with Arsenal in his playing days, told ESPN FC.

"Holding I think proved that he's not going to be quite good enough. Every time someone ran at him they got past him. David Luiz is past his best and still got mistakes in him.

"Sokratis [Papastathopoulos] isn't going to be there I would imagine for too much more, won't get many games. Kolasinac I'm not sure he's quite good enough to make Arsenal go to that next level.

"A good quality centre-half who is good in the air and can defend well, that's got to be their priority."

Arsenal are among those to have been linked with a move for Manchester City centre-half John Stones, with the England international seemingly edging towards the exits at the Etihad Stadium.

Ex-Gunners star Ray Parlour has told talkSPORT: “Arsenal are desperate for a centre-half, so why don’t they take a chance and try to put in a bid for Stones?

“He’s had a bad time in recent years and he hasn’t really gone to where City thought he might go to, but you don’t become a bad defender overnight, he just needs a bit of coaching. That’s where it could be key with Arsenal, because obviously Arteta has worked with him over the last few years at Man City.”

Willian has again turned down an offer of a two-year contract from Chelsea, but the winger has delayed making a final decision on his future.

The 31-year-old still wants to play in the Blues' probable final game of the season as they aim to overcome a 3-0 first leg home defeat against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Saturday.

Frank Lampard is facing a selection crisis for the match with Christian Pulisic, Cesar Azpilicueta, Pedro and Billy Gilmour all out injured, while Jorginho and Marcos Alonso are suspended.

Willian is aiming to recover from his Achilles problem which caused him to miss the FA Cup final against Arsenal, amid offers from five clubs.

His agent, Kia Joorabchian, told  talkSPORT last week : “I don’t think he’s done a U-turn or any kind of turn. He’s always been very much in the same mode. We had big offers – one from MLS which required him to move on July 1 – but he’s always wanted to finish the season at Chelsea and the day after the season has finished he would decide.

“He has two concrete offers from Premier League clubs on the table, an offer from an MLS club, and two other offers from Europe. He is going to make his decision after the last game of the season.”

The MLS club is understood to be Inter Miami, but Arsenal are thought to be the front runners due to Willian's desire to remain in London and play at the highest possible level.

The other offers are rumoured to be from Barcelona and Inter, although Goal has been told that the Catalan giants are no longer moving for the winger.

The Blues' chances of keeping their January 2013 signing from Anzhi Makhachkala appear to be slim as they are immovable on the length of contract that they are willing to offer.

Chelsea have recently upped their one-year contract policy for players over 30 to two years, but are unwilling to push that again to three for the Brazil international.

“It is his decision, I haven’t got that answer," Lampard said of the situation to reporters on Saturday. "I know the situation at the club’s end. I have a great relationship with Willian, but I don’t actually know what the decision is.

"If that happens over the next whatever days, as he said, then that would be good for me in either way. Of course, I am very happy with Willian. He has been brilliant for me this season with his input and work ethic, within the squad.

"It is his choice and I respect his choice. He has been a great servant for Chelsea if he decides to move on, and if he does decide to move on then Chelsea will move on and we have to look forwards ourselves.”

Indeed, the Blues have already moved forward having signed two competitors for Willian's place in both RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner and Ajax playmaker Hakim Ziyech at a combined cost of £84 million ($105m).

Chelsea have now turned their focus to signing Bayer Leverkusen's Kai Havertz,  but the Bundesliga club have yet to open talks over a fee.

Asante Kotoko skipper Felix Annan has stated winning the Caf Champions League sits top of his targets at the club.

The Porcupine Warriors are preparing for a second successive campaign in the elite continental inter-club championship, having received a ticket from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council following the premature termination of the 2019-20 domestic football season.

Annan has been with the club since 2015, initially joining on loan from Ghana Premier League (GPL) counterparts Wafa.

“My wish is to win trophies, especially the CAF Champions League, before my tenure ends at Asante Kotoko. It is my aim to help the team win trophies especially the Champions League," Annan, who was appointed captain of Kotoko ahead of last season's Champions League campaign, said, as reported by Footballghana.

"So as far as I’m here, as far as each and every day I’m working for this club, I’m going to try and help the team when I’m asked upon so that we can also win something the fans will remember us for.

“I also want to leave a legacy so I will be remembered one day, after all I did my best and I gave my best for the club."

To stand a chance of winning their first continental title since 1983, Kotoko will have to move beyond the Champions League first round, where they were eliminated last season.

“It is highly possible Kotoko can represent Ghana in Caf Champions League looking at the players and the pedigree of Maxwell Konadu," former player Michael Akuffo told Akoma FM.

“Konadu was the coach that led us to win the Ghana Premier League in 2012 and he has a lot of technical qualities.

“It is a matter of psyching the players and they also believe in themselves that the Caf Champions League is not beyond our reach.

“Every generation has its kind of players and the current squad is made of some quality ones, so Kotoko can play well in Africa.

“The players must give their best to ensure Kotoko is represented well in Africa."

Kotoko won the first of their two Champions League titles in 1970.

Liverpool must up their game to defend the Premier League title, according to James Milner, who says "if we’re at the level we’re at now next season, it won’t be good enough".

Jurgen Klopp's men became the first team to win the top-flight trophy with seven games left on June 25, after storming clear of their main rivals before the coronavirus-enforced break in the season.

Liverpool had won 27 of their opening 29 fixtures when the countrywide lockdown came into effect, and they faced an anxious wait to resume their march to glory amid calls for the campaign to voided.

The Premier League was eventually cleared to restart on June 17 amid a significant drop in Covid-19 cases across Britain, and the Reds got back to business with a draw against Everton and a comfortable win over Crystal Palace.

They were named champions for the first time in three decades following Manchester City's defeat at Chelsea, but their coronation was soured somewhat as they fell to a heavy loss at Etihad Stadium in their next outing.

Liverpool were beaten 4-0 by City after being given their first guard of honour, and went on to drop more points against Burnley at Arsenal before wrapping up the year with wins against Chelsea and Newcastle.

Klopp's side ended up recording 99 points, but fell short of City's all-time record due to their patchy form over the last few weeks.

Asked how the Reds will make sure they rediscover their consistent streak to stay on the silverware trail in 2020-21, Milner told the club's official website: “I think it’s getting that balance right. We have to enjoy it because we know how hard it is to win trophies, we’ve been very good to do it but also lucky to win the amount of trophies we have had this year.

“Trent [Alexander-Arnold] thinks it’s absolutely easy! He just turns up and wins trophies every year! I can assure you, with the amount of years I’ve had in my career, it’s not that easy.

"The amount of training sessions in the rain, the times when you’re injured and that sick feeling you get when you lose a game or even a five-a-side at Melwood. We’re shocking losers, all of us.

"When you win something, you have to enjoy it. That’s what it’s all there for, that’s the hard work and you look at the teams you have beaten to get there – it’s an incredible achievement.

“It’s a short career and you don’t want to waste a season or two seasons thinking, ‘We were that good a team but we took our eye off the ball and didn’t deliver.’ That would be criminal and something we definitely don’t want to look back at.

“We have a couple of weeks to enjoy this and enjoy being champions and then, as soon as next season starts, it’s down to the fans to carry on enjoying it and enjoy being champions for us. We have to do our job, get on that field and be even better. If we’re at the level we’re at now next season, it won’t be good enough.”

Former City midfielder Milner added on winning the third Premier League crown of his career and going down in the history books at Anfield: “It’s always special as it’s incredibly difficult to do.

“But how long this club has waited and how desperate they were for it, you see the history, all the times they’ve won it before and the Wall of Champions. I’ve said a number of times to you guys how desperate I was to change the numbers on that board and to be able to do it a few times in a year is great and special.

“It’s special when you’re driving around the city and seeing the flags outside people’s houses and how much it means to everyone. It means a lot to us because it’s what we’ve been striving to achieve as a group.

“The fans have waited so long and you think of the different generations: people have seen it before and have been desperate for it to happen again; fans who weren’t born the last time it happened and have heard about all this success but have never seen it themselves.

“When you think about those generations, it does make it special and you feel proud to be a part of it.”

Simba SC spokesperson Haji Manara has explained why they did not score more than six goals against Namungo FC on Sunday during the FA Cup final.

Manara claims Simba had to score just two goals against Namungo who are known to be supported by the Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa.

The tie at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Sumbawanga ended in a 2-1 win for Wekundu wa Msimbazi. The vocal official had also claimed Simba are above all the competition in Tanzania.

“We could have scored more than six goals against Namungo but because it is a team supported by our Prime Minister [Kassim Majaliwa], we had to show some respect,” Manara told reporters.

“We played with the courtesy and that is why we wasted chances willingly for the respect of the Premier and football.

“In Tanzania, Simba are only playing because it is what is required from them was it not a requirement, there is no team Simba should be playing against in this country.

“We should be elsewhere in Africa playing with teams equal to Simba. But because Tanzania is our country, we have to play here."

Meanwhile, Azam FC defender David Mwantika has confirmed he is on his way out of the club after eight seasons.

“On Friday, I spoke with the management of the club who were keen to add me another year on my contract but I prevailed upon them to just release me so that I can go and face a new challenge,” Mwantika told Mwanaspoti.

“My current contract has five months remaining.

“After the talks, we unanimously agreed that I should become a free agent so I can be free to enter into negotiations with any club and that I can play anywhere be it in the country or outside.

“I have been at the club for the last eight seasons but frankly, I can say that only in five seasons did I play real football. That is because many things did happen concerning me at the club.”

Azam, on numerous occasions, had wanted to offload the defender on loan but he declined such moves. A recent move saw the club push him to join Lipuli FC but he did not accept the deal.

With the FA Cup now safely secured, Arsenal’s attention will switch this week to accelerating talks over Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s new contract.

The Gunners captain - who scored both goals in Saturday’s 2-1 win against Chelsea at Wembley - is into the final year of his current deal and Mikel Arteta is desperate to keep hold of his top scorer, who found the net 29 times in all competitions last season.

Discussions have been ongoing for weeks with the 31-year-old, but a firm contract offer has not yet been made. All parties wanted to focus on the club’s attempts to win a 14th FA Cup.

For Arsenal, victory at Wembley was vital to ensure they would be competing in the Europa League next season; participation in that competition could see their revenue boosted by up to £35 million ($45.8m).

With that now guaranteed, they will look to tie down Aubameyang for a further three years. An offer is expected to be submitted in the coming days which will mean a significant increase on the current £200,000 ($262,000) per week deal he signed in 2018.

Speaking after Saturday’s FA Cup win against Chelsea, Aubameyang gave little away about his future but Arteta was hopeful things could move forward.

“I hope so,” said Arsenal’s head coach. “Everything is based on my conversations with him, how he sees his future, what I expect from him, the team that I want to build around him and the conversations I have with the people who are very influential around him.

“The club, we all respect and admire him, the players are all behind him. We know the players that we have and we have to value him. I think if we reach all of those points, we'll make progress.”

Barcelona are interested in Aubameyang, after president Jose Maria Bartomeu admitted they will not be able to sign Inter striker Lautaro Martinez or PSG star Neymar. Barca view Aubameyang as a cheaper alternative who could come in to bolster their frontline next season.

Arsenal are hoping to see off that interest by acting quickly and tie Aubameyang deal to his new deal imminently. They also want a swift resolution to the talks as they know the striker’s future is key to what other business they do this summer and whether they need to sign a replacement.

Should he decide not to extend his stay in north London, the club will have to decide whether to cash in on the forward or keep him for next season before letting him leave on a free.

Despite securing Europa League football, money is still exceptionally tight at the Emirates. A large chunk of this summer’s transfer budget will have to come from moving players on to generate funds and free up space on the wage bill.

Arsenal are planning a significant overhaul of the squad and are looking to sell Matteo Guendouzi, who has not featured since his clash with Neal Maupay following Arsenal’s defeat at Brighton in June and his subsequent failure to apologise during disciplinary talks with Arteta and the club’s hierarchy.

Guendouzi has not even been training with the senior side and had been forced to do his work on his own during early morning sessions at London Colney before the first team even arrive.

The France midfielder has been offered to various clubs across Europe, with Arsenal open to a straight cash deal for the 21-year-old or the possibility of including him as part of a swap deal for some of their key targets, which include Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey.

Mesut Ozil is another player Arsenal are looking to offload. The Gunners would save around £18m ($24m) in wages should they manage to get the German off the books this summer, but Ozil and his agent remain insistent he will see out the final year of his £350,000 ($457,000) a week deal, despite not playing a single minute of football following the restart.

Arsenal are also open to offers for Sead Kolasinac, Mohamed Elneny, Lucas Torreira, Sokratis and Rob Holding. Henrikh Mkhitaryan meanwhile, who still has a year left on his deal, could be allowed to terminate his contract so he can complete a permanent move to Roma, an agreement that would save Arsenal just under £10m ($13m) in wages.

Discussions will also be had with Alexandre Lacazette, who is now into the final two years of his deal in north London. Arteta is an admirer of the forward, but a decision must now be made on whether to offer the 29-year-old a new contract or try to move him on to help fund a rebuild.

Arteta wants to add a box-to-box midfielder this summer with Partey the priority target, although Porto’s Danilo Pereira is on a list of possible alternatives to the Ghana international, who has a release clause of £45m ($58.8m).

Dani Ceballos is looking likely to return for another season-long loan spell from Real Madrid, while Willian could move to the Emirates on a free transfer from Chelsea, with Arsenal keen on luring the Brazil international across London.

Barcelona are hoping to strike a deal with the Gunners which would see Philippe Coutinho return to the Premier League, most likely on loan, while Arteta is hoping to add another centre-back to his ranks to join William Saliba, who has now joined on a permanent basis following the end of his loan spell with Saint-Etienne.

The Gunners are interested in Malang Sarr, who is now a free agent having left Nice, and Axel Disasi, who plays for Stade de Reims. They have also been linked with Diego Carlos from Sevilla. 

New KCCA FC striker Brian Aheebwa has revealed leaving his former team Mbarara FC was like a child moving away from his mother owing to the emotional attachment involved. 

The Kampala-based side finished second in the Ugandan Premier League and is bolstering the squad to challenge for the title next season.

After annulling the top tier owing to the Covid-19 outbreak, the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) also announced the 13-time league champions, who were second at the time, will represent Uganda in the Caf Confederation Cup.

"Leaving Mbarara City has been a hard decision for me because it has been home and it takes courage for a child to move away from his mother to go and start a new life," Aheebwa said as quoted by Sports Nation.

"Mbarara is where I grew up, it is where I studied."

The striker scored eight goals for the Ankole Lions and helped them to a seventh-place finish with 36 points after 10 wins, six draws and nine losses. However, the 21-year-old feels it was time for him to get a new challenge elsewhere.

"Me joining KCCA has really been amazing," Aheebwa revealed excitement.

"I had to take up this big step in my career. I’m very excited to join KCCA, it is a club that has top players and staff and I was happy when coach Mike [Mutebi] called me. 

"It motivated me, it gave me hope that I can play football at a higher level."

Joining a top team like KCCA comes with its own challenges - there are established players already and there is no guarantee of first-team football.

However, that does not worry the youngster, who has made it clear he is ready for the challenge.

"I want to achieve many goals, I know it’s going to be tough competition but I know that the higher you go the hotter it becomes, so I will cope up because we have good players and this will help improve my game as well," he concluded.  

 Aheebwa was the sixth signing at the club - others signed before him are Bright Anukani, Charles Lwanga, Denis Iguma, Italian Stefano Mazengo Loro, and Ashraf Muguma.

Alphonso Davies is planning to spend “as long as possible in Germany”, with the Canadian teenager having burst onto the European scene at Bayern Munich.

At just 19 years of age, the promising left-back has enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2019-20.

Having been acquired by Bayern from the Vancouver Whitecaps, the expectation was that the promising youngster would be eased into the fold at the Allianz Arena. It did not take Davies long, though, to prove his worth and nail down a regular role for the Bundesliga champions.

He is now being tipped to reach the very top of the game, with interest in his ability expected to be shown along the way. Davies is, however, feeling settled in Munich and believes he will spend many years on the books at Bayern.

The talented teenager told The Players’ Tribune of his meteoric rise to prominence: “When I got to Bayern, I wasn’t too nervous. I just wanted to show people that I could play at this level. Since I had come such a long way, I wanted to play with a smile on my face. I still remind myself of that.

“Since then I have won two league titles, two German cups and become the Bundesliga Rookie of the Year. So yeah, I’m still smiling.

“That said, no matter how much time I spend in Germany, North America will always be home. When I went back there last year for the Audi Summer Tour, which is always a big part of our preseason, I enjoyed it a lot.

“This year we were supposed to go on tour to China, but then Covid-19 happened. So to make up for that, Audi and Bayern have set up the Audi Digital Summer Tour, where you guys can follow our routines and activities in real time through digital platforms. I hope it can help people get to know me even better. If kids can relate to me through it, that would be amazing.

“I have thought about what my career will be like when I’m not so young anymore. I want to stay in Germany for as long as possible. When I’m ready to retire - many, many years from now - I’ll definitely get my coaching badges. Then who knows where I’ll end up? Maybe somewhere in Europe, or even back home in Canada.

“Anyway, that’s far away right now. I’m still 19, so I don’t want to think too much about the end of my career. I have had a lot of big dreams ever since I was a kid, and Bayern are helping me achieve those dreams - but trust me, there is more to come. I’m just getting started.”

Davies, who is also capable of operating as a left winger, has made 39 appearances for Bayern this season and may have a few more to come as Hansi Flick’s side prepare to resume their pursuit of Champions League glory.

Kenyan Premier League (KPL) giants AFC Leopards have listed three local players as key transfer targets and hope to sign them ahead of the 2020/21 season.

Derrick Otanga, Musa Masika and Peter Thiong’o are the players Ingwe have set their eyes on and have reportedly held individual talks with them.

Otanga, who was among 12 players to leave Wazito recently, is seen as a promising goal scorer who will be key for the team in the next campaign.

He made his name during the 2018/19 season as he scored 13 goals for the now relegated Sony Sugar.

His exploits for the Sugar Millers saw him land a lucrative deal with Wazito but his season at the club was not as fruitful as expected.

With Wazito struggling for stability and results, Otanga did not find his goal-scoring touch and the exit from the Nairobi club has now made AFC Leopards add him to their wishlist.

Masika is seen as another good option for the striking department and chairman Dan Shikanda has reportedly vowed to ensure he is signed.

Masiak, 19, is currently with Wazito.

Kakamega Homeboyz’ Thiong’o, whose contract Goal understands has ended, is another player the 1998 league champions want to bring on board.

Thiong’o has been one of the outstanding wingers in the KPL and that is why Ingwe have prioritised his signing. He has also reportedly attracted interest from Wazito and AFC Leopards' traditional rivals Gor Mahia.

AFC Leopards are yet to sign any players so far and in a previous interview, Shikanda confirmed they will only acquire three to five experienced players to bolster their relatively young squad.

Midfielder Austin Odhiambo is the only player who has been linked with a move away from AFC Leopards so far although Elvis Rupia’s situation remains largely unresolved.

AFC Leopards lost key players in the middle of last season due to the economic hardships they underwent, especially when SportPesa left as a sponsor.

Ismail Diarra, Vincent Habamahoro, Tresor Ndikumana, and captain Soter Kayumba were among the foreigners who left after going for months without pay.

Brian Marita and Whyvonne Isuza are the local players who ditched the club for KPL rivals Tusker and Wazito, respectively.

Casa Mbungo, after steadying the AFC Leopards boat as a coach, also exited in December and left the team under his former assistant coach Anthony Kimani.

The Europa League has been whittled down to 16 teams, with possible paths to the final being mapped out.

Arsenal were a high-profile exit from the last-32 having been beaten in extra-time by Olympiacos, while reigning champions Chelsea are featuring in the Champions League rather than the second-tier competition.

Who are the favourites to win the Europa League?

Manchester United are 7/4 (2.75) favourites with bet365 to win the Europa League for the second time in four years.

The Red Devils previously lifted Europe’s second-tier cup competition in 2017 when they beat Ajax 2-0, the most recent trophy won by one of England’s most famous clubs.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side eased out of Group L and brushed past Austrian side LASK Linz 5-0 in the first leg of their last-16 clash, having already beaten Club Brugge 6-1 on aggregate in the last-32.

Inter are 11/2 (6.50) to win the Europa League after finishing third in their Champions League group and dropping into the competition.

The Italian side placed behind Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund in Group F and face a tricky last-16 tie against Getafe, who were chasing a top four finish in La Liga before a run of one win in 12 games.

Bayer Leverkusen represent Germany's best chance at Europa League glory at 13/2 (8.50) after dropping down from the Champions League and comfortably beating Porto in the last 32.

The Bundesliga side won 3-1 at Rangers in the first leg of their last-16 clash and are in good stead as they look to win this tournament for the second time in their history.

Wolves are 8/1 (9.0) to mark their return to European football in impressive style by lifting their first major trophy since 1980.

The Premier League side were runners-up in the first-ever UEFA Cup - as it was then known - in 1972, losing 3-2 to Tottenham on aggregate, and have not taken part in continental competition since 1981.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side came second in a tough group and eased past Espanyol in the last-32 before being drawn against Olympiacos - conquerors of Arsenal - in the next round.

Sevilla are 9/1 (10.0) to maintain their position as the most dominant club in Europa League history by winning it for a sixth time.

As well as three victories under former Arsenal manager Unai Emery, the Liga side also claimed the trophy in consecutive seasons under Juande Ramos in 2006 and 2007.

They qualified from Group A after taking 15 points and face Roma in a blockbuster last-16 tie.

Who are the Europa League underdogs?

Getafe have emerged as surprising underdogs at 14/1 (17.0) following impressive campaigns in both La Liga and the Europa League.

Jose Bordalas' men finished eighth in the Spanish top-flight and were runners-up in their Europa League group, with their odds shortening thanks an impressive win over last season's Champions League semi-finalists Ajax.

bet365 offer 14/1 (15.0) that Roma win their maiden Europa League this season.

The Italian capital club previously lost in the final in 1991 when they went down 2-1 to Serie A rivals Inter and struggled past Gent in the round of 32, meaning their tie against Sevilla is likely to prove even tougher.

Shakhtar Donetsk also clock in at 16/1 (17.0) to win their second Europa League, having also lifted the trophy in 2009 when they beat Werder Bremen 2-1 in the final.

Who are the Europa League outsiders?

Basel are available at 25/1 (26.0) with bet365 to win the tournament ahead of their last-16 clash with Istanbul Basaksehir out at 66/1 (67.0).

Olympiacos can also be backed at 66/1 (67.0) after stunning Arsenal in the last 32, while Wolfsburg are also available at 66/1 (67.0).

It is 100/1 (101.0) that Copenhagen win the tournament, and Eintracht Frankfurt are 200/1 (201.0) outsiders after losing 3-0 in the first leg of their last-16 tie at home to Basel.

Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.

The Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has cracked the whip and meted out punishment on fired Young Africans (Yanga SC) coach Luc Eymael.

The 60-year-old Belgian was sacked by the Jangwani Street-based giants a week ago for alleged racist remarks when he compared the country's fans to monkeys in an astonishing tirade.

Eymael made the remarks immediately after Yanga had secured a 1-1 draw against Mtivwa Sugar, which saw the team drop from the second spot in the 20-team league table, by tearing into the club's supporters, whom he claimed were ignorant about football and lambasted the conditions he had been working in since arriving in Tanzania.

"The fans can only shout and are like monkeys who are barking ‘babababa’," Eymael told local journalists in audio obtained by Goal. "These fans do not know anything about soccer.

"This place is not for me, playing in pitches at a level of seventh or eighth division in Europe is not for me. The changing rooms, too, are not for me.

"I am not enjoying your country, you are uneducated people. I don’t have a car, what is that?

"I do not have wifi and I do not have DSTV. No, no, no!"

The TFF has now issued a statement confirming they have decided to ban the coach for two years and also fine him Tsh8million for his uncouth conduct.

“The TFF disciplinary committee has decided to ban coach Luc [Eymael] for two years and also fine him Tsh8million for the racist comments he made towards Yanga fans,” stated the statement by TFF on their social media pages.

During the audio interview, Eymael also announced he was looking to leave the East African giants and depart Tanzania for good.

"My wife is absolutely not enjoying here and this is disgusting to me, I am disgusted,” he continued.

“The only pleasure that I have is the pitches are always full when we are playing, full of our fans, but working in these conditions is not for me.

“I do not want to stay here. I would prefer that they release me let me just do my last game and let me go."

Eymael also proceeded to accuse the referees of bias, claiming that the country's officials were favourable to Yanga's bitter rivals Simba.

“You know, [the] officiating was always against us and [was] only favouring Simba, not giving us even a clear penalty," he complained.

 "Things like that are not for me.

“I said to the sponsor: Do your own things and you cannot be able to win the league because you are not an organised team, you are not an organised club.

“The officiating is always against you because you are a poor club.”

In a recent interview with Goal, Eymael defended himself from the racist allegations, claiming he has never been a racist and never will be.

“I am not a racist, and you know that very well,” Eymael told Goal. “I have coached in Africa for the last ten years and my record is there to speak for itself, I have never gone to the extent of being a racist because I am not a racist.

“I don’t want to dwell on what happened, because it already happened, I apologised immediately to Yanga fans and Tanzanian people because of the comments and now it is time to move on.

“You can see even some players from Yanga are supporting me, even those I worked with in Kenya are behind me, because they know I am not a racist, this issue has been too much for me now, and gone too far, it is even destroying my family and kids.

“I don’t want to talk anything about it anymore.”

Eymael has previously worked in South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, and Tunisia.

Cape Town City midfielder Ayanda Patosi says he was not friends with former coach Benni McCarthy, at first, and admits he didn’t work hard after his arrival at the Citizens.

The Bafana Bafana international is currently on loan with Foolad Khuzestan FC in Iran and reveals he thought the going would be easy for him in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) following his return from KSC Lokeren in Belgium three years ago.

Following their frosty relationship, media reports surfaced that the 27-year-old was not managing his private life in a professional manner whilst some reports suggested weight problems led to him being sidelined by the Bafana legend.

"I was not a friend of his, in the beginning, I didn't work well with him. But before I knew Benni from Belgium, he was an assistant coach in one team when I was playing that side," Patosi told the South African Football Journalists Association.

"So we came together at Cape Town City, I thought PSL would be easy. I didn't work [hard], I didn't give him the confidence for him to say that he has a player he can believe and trust that can win games.

"I was not focused on football, I was starting to hang out with friends, I didn't realize Benni was doing all that to help me become a better player. I didn't understand what Benni wanted to do with me but I began to realize when I sat back and spoke to him and to Mr. John [Comitis]."

‘Pato’ also detailed how he ended up realising he’s not in the Mother City for a holiday, saying that the former Uefa Champions League winner didn’t care about big players, but wanted hard workers in his team.

"I realized he wanted the best out of me in the end and I'm not in Cape Town for holidays,” he added.

“I'm here to work, playing for Cape Town City doesn't mean I'm on holiday, I can't just do what I want and expect to perform well on the field.

"He's a coach who doesn't give s sh*** if you are a star or a big player or something, he treats everyone in the dressing room the same.

"It doesn't matter if you are Ayanda Patosi or Teko Modise or someone - if a young player comes and works hard and puts a hand on coach Benni, he doesn't care.”

Meanwhile, Comitis recently told Goal they are still weighing better offers for the two-time Belgian Cup winner, saying Foolad have tabled a loan offer but the Khayelitsha-born player wants a permanent move.

Premier League outfit Kelantan have been deducted three points for failing to stick to their debt payment plan, announced the Malaysian FA (FAM) on Monday, August 3.

The punishment was handed by the association's First Instance Body (FIB) meeting that was chaired by Sheikh Mohd Nasir Sheikh Mohd Sharif on the same day.

According to a statement by FAM, the Red Warriors have paid the first and second installments of their wage debts to former players and officials, on January 31 and February 29, 2020 respectively. But they failed to meet the April 30 deadline for the third installment. 

"However, after taking into account the current situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Movement Control Order (MCO), the FIB has decided to extend the time until July 30 for FA to settle the outstanding salary arrears and allowances of officers and players.

"Nevertheless, no payments were made by Kelantan until July 30. Kelantan then sent a letter to FAM dated July 30, requesting an extension until the end of the 2020 season.

"In this regard, the FIB has decided to stick to the of July 30 deadline as stated on July 8 and an e-mail reminder dated 27 July 2020 to Kelantan to settle the outstanding salary and allowances of its officers and players.

"FAM will inform the Malaysian Football League (MFL) for the execution of the three-point deduction. The FIB has given Kelantan a deadline until August 31 to settle the outstanding salaries of players and officers in order to meet the club licensing requirements for 2020. If they fail, they will not obtain a license this year to compete in the 2021 Malaysian League," wrote its general-secretary Stuart Ramalingam.

The Red Warriors currently sit in seventh place in the standings, on four points (before deduction) after three matches.

Stuart also provided an update on other Malaysian teams with arrears.

PDRM FA and Melaka United have reportedly kept to their payment plans, while Sarawak only have arrears with the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have denied reports they have been forced into panic transfer activities after missing out on winning silverware in the just-concluded season.

The Jangwani Street-based giants have already signed four players – defender Bakari Mwamnyeto from Coastal Union, striker Waziri Junior from Mbao FC, left-back Yassin Mustapha from Polisi Tanzania and midfielder Peter Mauya from Kagera Sugar.

A section of Yanga fans have questioned the criteria the club is using to sign new players since they have not appointed a new coach after they fired Belgian Luc Eymael at the end of the 2019-20 Mainland Premier League season.

The fans believe the club should have first appointed a new coach, who could reveal the players he wants to be signed for the club ahead of the new season.

Yanga have now come out to defend the signings, insisting the deals they have already accomplished have the blessing from the technical bench, adding their top target is to win the league title next season.

“All the players we have signed already are as per the request from the technical bench, even if Eymael left, we still had a team working under him which still exists and they are the ones involved in this transfer activities,” Hersi Said, Director of GSM Investment, who are Yanga’s main sponsors, told reporters on Monday.

“We are ready to make tangible recruitment of players to create a squad capable to challenge for titles next term. As GSM, we will be fully involved in this exercise.”

Yanga had a disappointing campaign in the last season where they failed to reach the final of the FA Cup after losing to eventual winners and rivals Simba SC, and could only finish a distant second behind their old rivals on the league table.

The Timu ya Wananchi have now been linked a number of foreign-players, including Kenyans Jesse Were and John Makwatta, who play for Zesco United, Sven Yidah of Kariobangi Sharks, Erick Rutanga of Rayon Sports and Mukoko Tonombe of AS Vita Club from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

A number of coaches including Kenya’s Bernard Mwalala, who also played for the team, have been linked with the vacant role at the club.