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The decline of local league football in Sub-Saharan Africa in the 90s coincided almost perfectly with the rise in popularity of the English top flight.

As the Premier League spread its wings and beamed a glossy, well-produced spectacle pregnant with history across the globe, a race for the soul of African football fans ostensibly began.

Much of the fandom within the continent before then was centered on Manchester United and Liverpool, the two behemoths of the English game in the decade that straddled the formation of the Premier League. However, the rise of Arsenal as a force, heralded by the arrival of Arsene Wenger in 1996, introduced another horse into the race.

While the Gunners did not enjoy the hegemonic success of United, or have the storied European history of Liverpool, they quickly gained emotional buy-in through Wenger's affinity for African players.

The Frenchman had previous in this sense: while at Monaco, he had famously blooded George Weah. Wenger left such a profound imprint on the 1995 Fifa World Footballer of the Year that Weah admits "there was no way [he] would have made it in Europe" without that guidance.

“He was a father figure and regarded me as his son. This was a man, when racism was at its peak, who showed me love,” Weah told The Guardian in 2017.

Upon taking over Arsenal, Wenger signed Weah's Liberian compatriot Christopher Wreh, and after winning the double in his first full season in charge, he brought Nigeria international Nwankwo Kanu to Highbury in January 1999.

This singular act served to boost the club's popularity on the continent. Kanu had been named Africa's best player three years prior, and would go on to achieve icon status at Arsenal, win multiple FA Cups and league titles, and win the Africa Footballer of the Year award a second time.

Wenger returned frequently to the wellspring of African talent, cementing Arsenal's pride of place on the continent with the recruitments of Cameroon midfield dynamo Lauren – who he would repurpose as a right-back – and Kolo Toure. Both would play key roles in the fabled Invincibles season in 2003/04 as the Gunners won the title without losing a single game. It remains, to date, Arsenal's last league title.

A wave of change had already begun to shake up English football in 2003, when Roman Abramovich bought London club Chelsea. While a raft of new signings quickly made the Blues formidable, it was not until the following summer, and the arrival of Jose Mourinho, that the club became a major player in the league.

Chelsea did have an African presence in the late 90s in the form of Celestine Babayaro, and had the versatile Geremi on the books as well. Really though, it was the signings of, first Didier Drogba and, then, Michael Essien that ramped up the Blue's popularity in African football.

It was a good moment too: both were star players for national teams that were experiencing a return to relevance on the international stage. Ghana and Ivory Coast were en route to maiden participations at the World Cup, and Essien and Drogba respectively carried the hopes and aspirations of their nations.

It was also important that they wrested the prodigious John Obi Mikel away from the grasp of Manchester United. Aged just 20 at the time of his arrival at Stamford Bridge, he was not yet the star of Nigerian football, but it was clear he was going to be.

And so it was that, just as the balance of footballing power in London was shifting from N5 to SW3, so were Africa's loyalties. Chelsea-mania promptly spread all over West Africa especially.

The arrival of Emmanuel Adebayor at Arsenal briefly saw that swing once more the other way. The towering Togo international, by virtue of his Nigerian roots as well as a monstrous 2007/08 season which saw him named Africa Footballer of the Year, was also able to elicit the adulation of Africa's most populous country once again, albeit for a relatively brief period before his acrimonious departure in 2009.

Bar the acquisition of Gervinho in 2011, the Gunners would not enter the market for a key African addition until Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was signed for a club record fee in January 2018.

For their part, Chelsea have seen the likes of Demba Ba and Samuel Eto'o play fleeting, but often memorable roles.

It is helpful to view the stranglehold of these two clubs on the African continent as a bit of a stalemate. As far as Africa Footballer of the Year awards go, on the Arsenal side both Adebayor and Aubameyang have had the honour; on the Chelsea side, Drogba.

There is, naturally, a stronger history of trophy success on the Chelsea side of things: alongside Drogba, Salomon Kalou was a lynchpin of the Blues' 2012 Champions League triumph.

Both clubs have leaned heavily on players of African extraction, and have been rewarded both in terms of silverware and, crucially, in the growth of their respective fanbases on the continent.

Cesc Fabregas has called on Arsenal to master the art of winning ugly, with Mikel Arteta still lacking the “top players” required to emulate the brand of football played by Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

Fabregas says that is the ultimate goal for the highly-rated coach who spent three years working as assistant to the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss at the Etihad Stadium.

The Gunners remain a work in progress – an eighth-place Premier League finish in 2019-20 proving as much.

Arsenal are, however, through to the FA Cup final and can bring the curtain down on their campaign in style with major silverware and qualification for the Europa League.

A meeting with Chelsea at Wembley Stadium promises to deliver another stern test of their credentials, with Arteta’s side needing to plug defensive leaks and rekindle their attacking spark.

Fabregas is looking for Arteta to ensure that the Gunners have more than a Plan A, with it important for them to remain competitive as they work on bringing fresh faces into their ranks.

The former Arsenal captain told The Sun: “I hope he does it. I don’t really know Mikel that well. He has his style, but I don’t think it is one to win ugly.

“Pep has a team that costs God knows how many millions. Mikel doesn’t have that.

“When you want to compete at the top, playing a certain style with positive, possession and attacking football, you need top, top players. Pep has them. Mikel is not there yet. Probably in the future he will be. He has taught the players in a short period of time how he wants to do it.

“You see that some have improved a lot for doing that. Now let’s see if he can transform that into titles.”

Fabregas believes Arsenal should be taking a page out of Chelsea’s book when it comes to chasing down honours, with the World Cup winner having experienced life in north and west London across two spells in English football.

The Spaniard said of his time at Stamford Bridge: “The difference I felt straightaway is that we were ruthless. At Arsenal and it was maybe my fault at some point as the captain that I was, I loved the beautiful game. I was not very experienced like I was when I went back to Chelsea.

“I always liked to have the ball and demand the ball in difficult areas, even when winning 1-0 and playing for the league, you still want to do the same thing, because you are young and, in this case, a bit stupid in certain  situations.

“Every player felt the same, that this was the only way to win. Sometimes we forgot that to win leagues, you need to win ugly. There are always five or six games a season where you struggle but win.

“At Chelsea, we did that. We were very competitive and very experienced. That’s the main difference. In terms of talent, at Arsenal there were fantastic players, but at Chelsea, we didn’t really care if one day we won 1-0 without touching the ball for the whole match.

“It’s just maybe the way we competed was different. You don’t really know why or how.

“I would not forgive myself if I never won the Premier League. Winning that first Premier League, I remember when the referee whistled at the end, going on my knees, lifting my two arms up, looking at the sky.”

Simba SC winger Francis Kahata has revealed the team is still disappointed with the fact that they could not have a major impact in the Caf Champions League.

In the 2018/19 season, Wekundu wa Msimbazi reached the quarter-finals before falling to 4-1 in aggregate to Congolese side TP Mazembe. The team targeted a semi-final berth in the 2019/20 season but it was not going to be as they were eliminated in the preliminary rounds.

"I thank God for finishing the league well without an injury," Kahata told Goal on Friday.

"There is one target we had as a team which we did not achieve, and everyone was disappointed. In the previous season, the team reached the quarter-finals of the [Caf Champions League]. So our target was to go past the stage or even match it, but it did not happen and we were disappointed, but it is football.

"After the disappointment, we had to concentrate on the league; yes, there are a few matches we lost and drew, but we got the consistency needed. It was tough initially, but once the team gelled, we got the result we needed and ended up winning the league with six matches to go."  

The 29-year-old joined Simba from Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side Gor Mahia at the beginning of the season. It was his debut season in Tanzania Mainland League and he has gone out to explain how it felt.

"We all know this was my first season to play football here in Tanzania, and being my first season I appreciate we have managed to win the league and as a result, I have managed to bag my first medal and it is my first achievement," Kahata continued.

"I also remember getting the Best Player of the Month Award, which came in December 2019. So generally I have had a good season.  

"I have played my part in helping the team win, finishing the season with six goals and as many assists which I feel is not bad considering it is my debut season. I came to a new place, a different climate as compared to what I am used to. Sometimes, the away ground is not per the standards required which affected our tactics." 

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has dismissed the notion he and Frank Lampard could be considered the next Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.

Arteta and Lampard go head to head at Wembley on Saturday in the FA Cup final, hoping to win the first trophies of their coaching careers.

Arsenal managed only to finish eighth in the Premier League this season but have won praise for positive signs of progress in their play, most notably in the FA Cup semi-final win over Manchester City.

Lampard, who took charge of Chelsea last year, steered the Blues to a top-four finish despite the restrictions of a one-window transfer ban and is now looking to lift a trophy he won four times for the London club in his playing days.

Arteta is full of admiration for Lampard but is not yet prepared to embrace the idea the pair are the natural successors to Klopp and Guardiola as the leading coaches in England.

"About Frank as a player, absolutely top," Arteta said on Friday. "I think the consistency he was able to play for that many years in the position he plays at such a big club and doing what he did was incredible. Big credit to him on that.

"As a manager, he has shown since Derby the kind of ambition and person he has and the way he encourages his team to play. We are both young, both trying to learn our position so I wouldn't like to compare to the two managers you mention."

Arteta twice won the FA Cup as a player with Arsenal and admits victory on Saturday could prove an important step in his team's development.

"It generates trust when you're winning titles," he said. "It generates moments when together you go through good emotions. It brings everyone together, you have memories, there's a lot of things about winning a trophy that is so positive for any group and when you're in a process it makes it even more important. We have a great opportunity, so let's go for it."

Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud and Arsenal defender David Luiz are set to face their former clubs at Wembley.

Giroud has enjoyed a resurgence in recent weeks, scoring six goals in his past seven appearances in all competitions - including one in the 3-1 semi-final win over Manchester United.

"It's always good connections when these moments arrive," said Arteta. "You can see with Oli in the last few months, how he is performing, the amount of goals he is scoring for them. He has the experience in finals as well.

"In the case of David, such a special day for him to play his former club. Hopefully, he can do the performance he did in the semi-final against City."

Arteta has not been surprised by Giroud's strong form even though the France forward has often been compared unfavourably to great Arsenal strikers of the recent past, such as Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie.

"I'm not surprised because I know Oli and he's a fighter," he said. "When he played for Arsenal, he had some difficult moments, but he always reacted.

"Comparing him with the greatest is like always: they've done it, they did it for long periods, they were really successful at the club, so any comparison with them is always difficult. I'm glad he is doing really well and hopefully tomorrow he won't do that well."

Mohamed Salah says it was always his intention to take in Champions League and Premier League glory with Liverpool.

The Egyptian arrived at Anfield in the summer of 2017 when both of those prizes were a pipedream for the Reds.

Jurgen Klopp had made the Merseyside outfit competitive again, but a long wait for major silverware was being taken in.

Salah helped to get Liverpool back into the winners’ enclosure, with his remarkable goal return seeing a European crown secured in 2019.

That has been followed by a first league title win for 30 years, with the Reds finishing 18 points ahead of second-placed Manchester City.

Salah claims that was part of the plan from the moment he returned to England, with the 28-year-old forward telling Liverpool’s ‘Champions’ series: “Always when people asked me what you prefer, Premier League or Champions League? I always say both - thankfully we’ve got both. That’s great.

“It [winning the league this season] feels great… It’s great, it’s unbelievable. Since I came here I said I wanted to win the Premier League with this club. What I’m seeing from the fans and the people here is unbelievable, I’m really happy and enjoying it.”

Salah added on the disappointment of missing out on the Premier League title in 2019 proving to be a catalyst for Liverpool’s record-setting efforts this season: “OK, first of all, it’s great to win the Champions League because it’s still the Champions League - wow, what an achievement for the team.

“Then, losing the Premier League with one point is also kind of disappointing, but if you see how many points we got in the season, and how we played, we were also proud of ourselves. But it’s kind of disappointing because we lost in the end. But the good thing is that we fought back and we won it.”

Liverpool were also able to use the heartache of suffering a Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid in 2018 as added motivation in their pursuit of top honours.

“I’m sure, yeah,” Salah said. “It gave us more confidence. 

“Imagine we lost the Champions League for the second time, the second year in a row and lost the Premier League with one point difference… you’re going to be disappointed. But it gave us more confidence.”

Mesut Ozil will be “bored” stuck on the bench at Arsenal, says Charlie Nicholas, with the World Cup winner expected to push for a move elsewhere despite claims that he intends to stay put and see out a “ridiculous” contract.

The German playmaker’s representatives have suggested that his deal, which has 12 months left to run, will be honoured. If that is to be the case, then Ozil will become a free agent in the summer of 2021.

It is, however, likely that he will find himself stuck in the shadows at Emirates Stadium if he chooses to stick around, with manager Mikel Arteta having frozen him out of his plans.

Nicholas believes that will edge Ozil towards the exit, saying the 31-year-old is still ambitious enough to want regular game time despite being in a position where he could down tools and collect a lucrative salary.

The former Arsenal forward told Sky Sports: "The wages that Ozil has been getting has been ridiculous, but that's not Ozil's fault. That's down to the committee and the board who gave him the money and said, 'we think you are well worth this value'. I don't know how they got to that assumption.

"This is a fabulously talented footballer with a brilliant CV at Real Madrid and at national level, we know that, but Arsenal have struggled to get consistent performances out of Ozil. He doesn't offer the same guarantee as [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang.

"Ozil has made so much money and he will be bored. He will be frustrated and fed up, and when he gets the right deal he will eventually move on. He won't be sitting around with his little umbrella in the sunshine for much longer as it's a habit of life! He wants to go and play."

Ozil has been restricted to just 23 appearances across all competitions in the 2019-20 campaign.

He has seen no competitive minutes since football returned in mid-June from a coronavirus-enforced break and can expect to find himself on the fringes of Arteta’s plans once again when Arsenal face Chelsea in the FA Cup final on Saturday.

Former Kenya international Innocent Mutiso has challenged Nigeria to step in fast and convince Arsenal youngster Bukayo Saka to play for them at senior level.

The 18-year-old has been impressive for the Gunners this season and has stepped up wherever required - be it defensively or in attack.

In 27 Premier League appearances, the youngster has managed to get five assists and a goal.

Having turned out for England's junior sides, the player is still eligible to play for the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the former Mathare United forward has opined on how the West Africa country can convince the player to play for them.

"Remember, Saka is on record saying he is proud of his Nigerian heritage as both his parents came from there meaning he is open about playing for the African country as well," Mutiso told Goal on Friday.

"But Nigeria have to give him assurances of being involved in the first team just like they did to [Alex] Iwobi who has flourished since.

"Remember, in England, the competition is stiff as well, we have the likes of Jude Bellingham who just moved to [Borussia] Dortmund, we have Manchester United's Mason Greenwood and Jadon Sancho.

"Lest we forget, there are established players as well like Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling. Nigeria should capitalise on that and convince him to turn up for them."

The soft-speaking Mutiso has also explained how Super Eagles legends and current players can contribute to Saka's move to the West Africa giants.

"We have Nigeria legends who can play a vital role in bringing Saka home," Mutiso continued.

"Remember Augustine 'Jay-Jay' Okocha convinced Iwobi to play for Super Eagles and he can be used as well. We also have his peers like Samuel Chukwueze can also do the job, it is a matter of showing the player how much he is needed."

So what will Saka gain by playing for the three-time Africa Cup of Nations champions?

"Unconditional love by the fans is one thing he is assured of, it will be limitless as we have seen with Iwobi," Mutiso suggested.

"And he will also have a great influence on African players who play abroad to choose to play for their countries in Africa than in Europe. By doing this, they will help their teams challenge for top honours in the continent and the world as well."

Harambee Starlets striker Lilly Awuor has joined German side Borussia Pankow on a two-year contract.

A close source to Goal revealed the 23-year-old Starlet is expected to be part of the Verbandsliga outfit next season.

Awuor, who had previous trials with Swedish side Hammarby, was playing for the Tanzanian Women Premier League side Kigoma Sisterz.

The forward has also featured for Spedag, Kisumu Youth Olympic and Palos Ladies in Kenya before.

Awuor’s move is the latest one made by a Harambee Starlets player after Corazon Aquino joined Atletico Ourense of Portugal, Esse Akida is currently turning out for Besiktas in Turkey and Annette Kundu recently signed for Lakatamia FC in Cyprus.

Cyntia Shilwatso, after a stellar performance in the 2019 Cecafa Women Senior Challenge in Tanzania, also found herself a new club thereafter as he signed for Edf Logrono of Spain.

“Awuor is very happy to seal a dream move because that has always remained her prayer. She is truly looking forward to playing in Europe,” the source who did not want to be named, told Goal.

Meanwhile, Mathare Goalkeeper Union Academy founder Levi Ojuok has revealed the desire to develop world-class goalkeepers through the institution.

Ojuok is training youngsters in Mathare Estate and the coronavirus school break has provided him with an opportunity to impart goalkeeping skills to the students.

“This coronavirus period has left many young people feeling idle and prone to all kinds of evil,” Ojuok told The Star.

“This is a vision that I have had for a long time although this period hastened the process of starting this academy.

“Our training is geared towards creating the modern goalkeeper in the mould of Ederson of Manchester City and Ter Stegen of Barcelona."

One of the beneficiaries of the training programme, Joseph Otieno, explained what he has achieved since his enrolment.

“I have learnt a lot from these sessions because I am now a better goalkeeper than before. The coaches have taught me a lot on working on my reflexes, shot-stopping skills and even using my feet,” Otieno said.

“I just love goalkeeping a lot because everyone in the team depends on you to bail out the team when the opposition is attacking. I am confident that with what I have learnt here, I am going far.”

The academy holds its training sessions in the morning at Mathare 4A Primary School playgrounds.

Both girls and boys are admitted and they have been divided into two groups, with one taking care of students below the age of 12 while the second group consists of players from the age of 18 to 22.

The Nedbank Cup semi-finals will get the 2019-20 PSL season back underway on August 8, and according to the league, both matches will be played at the venue on the same day. 

In a statement released on Friday, the league confirmed that both Mamelodi Sundowns and Bidvest Wits, as well as Bloemfontein Celtic and Baroka, will play at Orlando Stadium. 

According to the statement, the match between Celtic and Baroka will kick off at 14:00 with Sundowns and Wits battling each other for a place in the final at 19:00. 

This is a 'neutral' venue for all the four remaining teams as they were earlier this week placed at different stadiums for the remainder of the season. 

Sundowns were allocated the Dobsonville Stadium as their new venue for home matches while Wits will play their home league matches at FNB Stadium.

Celtic will be based at Tuks Stadium in Tshwane with Baroka adopting the Bidvest Stadium as their home for the next four weeks. 

The Brazilians had a bumpy ride on their way to the semi-finals - beating SuperSport United 1-0 in the Last 32 and brushing aside VUT 2-0 in the Round of 16. 

Pitso Mosimane's men needed a Keletso Makgalwa goal in extra time to edge out Highlands Park in the quarter-finals just before the season was suspended. 

Wits, on the other hand, ousted Orlando Pirates on penalties in the Round of 32 before easing past Chippa United in the Last 16. 

The Students would then brush aside Real Kings 4-0 to set up a semi-final date with Sundowns.

Bloem Celtic beat AmaZulu, Maritzburg United and TS Sporting to book their place in the last four - and they achieved that feat with Lehlohonolo Seema as their head coach.

Seema has since left the club to join Chippa United, and Phunya Sele Sele are now under the stewardship of John Maduka. 

Lastly, Baroka had to grind results to be where they are in this year's competition.

They beat Polokwane City 1-0 in the Last 32 and needed penalties to oust Hungry Lions after a 2-2 draw before narrowly beating provincial rivals Black Leopards 1-0 in the quarter-finals.    

Willy Caballero is hoping to see the transfer talk surrounding Kepa Arrizabalaga die down, allowing the most expensive goalkeeper in world football to prove his worth at Chelsea.

Speculation is mounting regarding a move elsewhere for Kepa in the next transfer window.

Even if he were to stay put, Frank Lampard is said to be in the market for a new No.1 that would slot into the Blues side ahead of a Spain international.

Fresh faces would also nudge Caballero down the pecking order, with the 38-year-old having committed to another 12 months at Stamford Bridge.

The experienced Argentine has no issue with that, having seen more game time that he expected to this season.

Lampard’s decision to drop Kepa has opened a first-team door and fanned the transfer flames, but Caballero believes a highly-rated 25-year-old should be given a chance to prove his worth – especially as Chelsea invested a record-setting £71 million ($93m) in his current ability and future potential.

“Of course I hope he stays,” Caballero said in the Express on the exit rumours.

“I have known him for two years. Last season was very good for him. This season there were some other things happening, but last year was fantastic. He is still the No.1 goalkeeper for Spain, and is a great goalkeeper.

“We have a great relationship - first of all because we speak the same language.

“We work together well in training. It was the second time that Frank left him out, but in terms of our relationship he has been very good.

“He has been behind me, helped me with everything in the games that I have played.

“That’s all I can say about Kepa. He has shown me and all of us a great face, even in the worst moments for him. That is so professional from him.

“The way that he worked during those weeks and in the last week, he was excellent.”

Caballero was selected between the sticks for Chelsea’s final Premier League game of 2019-20, as they defeated Wolves and booked Champions League qualification through a top-four finish.

He has also been their go-to option in the FA Cup this season and will be hoping to retain that standing for a final date with London rivals Arsenal at Wembley on Saturday.

Dayot Upamecano has signed a contract extension at RB Leipzig, with the agreeing of fresh terms through to 2023 bringing an end to the rumours linking him with Arsenal.

The highly-rated 21-year-old has been attracting admiring glances from leading sides across Europe.

At one stage it appeared to be only a matter of time before his potential was lured to pastures new.

That may still be the case, but Leipzig have moved to ensure that Upamecano will not easily be prised from their clutches.

A talented French centre-half is now tied to them for another three years, with the intention being for the Bundesliga outfit to be the ones to benefit from his development.

Upamecano has been on Leipzig’s books since January 2017, when he completed a switch from Red Bull Salzburg.

He has taken in 111 appearances for the ambitious German club, with his stock rising considerably across those outings.

Arsenal were among those reportedly ready to test Leipzig’s resolve with a big-money bid in the current transfer window.

Bayern Munich were also said to be keen on keeping Upamecano in the Bundesliga, with his previous deal including a €60 million (£54m/$68m) release clause.

Leipzig conceded in June that they may have to sanction a sale, as they could not afford to let a prized asset run down the final 12 months of his contract.

Sporting director Oliver Mintzlaff told Bild: "'Upa' is an extremely important player for us and one of the most sought-after talents in Europe.

"And we can assure that we have a clear understanding with him and his agent he won't leave us on a free. We can't afford that as a club.

"There are only two options: prolong or leave. I am sure we'll soon find out in which direction it's going."

Leipzig have talked Upamecano into prolonging and will be hoping to see him aid their efforts across multiple fronts in 2020-21.

Julian Nagelsmann’s side finished in third spot this season, 16 points adrift of Bayern Munich, but will be looking to close that gap next term while also embarking on another Champions League adventure.

They remain in that competition for 2019-20, with a quarter-final clash with Atletico Madrid awaiting them on Portuguese soil in August.

SC Villa CEO Shawn Mubiru has dismissed reports the club is set to release nine players in the ongoing transfer window.

In a Twitter response, Mubiru stated that no such decision has been made by the club’s top hierarchy so far.

“What the media did was to release some of the players that we have not told to seek opportunity elsewhere. That was unprofessional and wrong,” Tweeted Mubiru.

“Next time, avoid writing one-sided rumours. It is not that I am not available for comment. I do appreciate balanced reporting.

“We have chosen to take a very disciplined path even when we have agreed to part with our former players, we would like to give them the same respect they had while coming in, the coach will come out soon to set the agenda.

“Until they are facts at your disposal what you have is purely speculation. I have taken a decision at the club to have fewer words and more work. Not very soon you will have knowledge about.”

According to reports, Brian Nsubuga, Emmanuel Kalyowa, Albert Mugisa, Hood Kakooza, Charles Lwanga, Ambrose Kirya, Samson Kirya, Ibrahim Kibumba and Ronald Magwaliare are the players set to be released in order to create room for the newcomers.

The official also responded to the reports that some players have not been paid over a long period of time.

“On unpaid players’ salaries, I have been clear from day one, that all those that have taken part in serving the club whether non-playing and playing staff will be paid once the club is in the position to do,” concluded Mubiru.

“Just like any business, the club is also struggling in these times.”

Kalyowa, who os in the reported list of the players to leave, was the first one to open up on the matter of salary delays.

“Imagine serving a team with a debt of 10 months and going through this Covid-19 period with five kilograms of rice from Fufa only to hear a group of fellow players receive a salary of two months,” Kalyowa said on Thursday.

“Just because some of us have expired contracts or we are not good enough for the club?

“Does it mean we didn’t work for the club? We are always taken as bad always on issues concerning money in Uganda but this is too much to handle.”

SC Villa finished third last season despite numerous off-pitch challenges.

If anything perfectly captured Watford’s chaotic season, it was their 3-2 defeat by Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

After a demoralising opening half where they fell 2-0 down inside 24 minutes on a day they knew the potential ramifications of not turning up, the shoddy start was probably not surprising to fans of the Hertfordshire club now used to their team’s volatile nature.

Seven minutes after Kieran Tierney doubled the Gunners’ advantage, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made it 3-0 to the hosts. Job done for Mikel Arteta’s men, relegation for the Hornets...or so we thought.

Well, Watford did get relegated but they gave as good they got after half-time. While Troy Deeney pulled one back from the spot just before the interval, the away side raised their game exponentially in the second and probably deserved to pull level for 3-3.

At the forefront of that renaissance was Ismaila Sarr, the club record £30 million signing from Stade Rennais, who’d taken Watford’s run-in by the scruff of the neck post-lockdown and indeed since the turn of the year.

The 22-year-old’s look of dejection at the final whistle was a poignant reminder that the club would be playing football in 2020/21 in the Championship, a situation the youngster probably didn’t envisage when he moved from France on deadline day last year.

Indeed, he was central to his side’s fightback at the Emirates, showing the electric pace and acceleration that had tormented Premier League full-backs from time to time this season. The Senegal star created a staggering four chances vs Arteta’s side, with two falling into the ‘big chances’ column.

For context, none of his teammates created that many and neither did anyone on the home team. He set up Danny Welbeck’s goal in the 66th minute and should have doubled his assist tally minutes later but for Emiliano Martinez’s incredible save to deny the Englishman’s improvised back-heeled effort, to the utter disbelief of Deeney.

In truth, maybe Watford wouldn’t have had it all to do had Sarr made the most of an opportunity in the 12th minute. Having received the pass from Kiko Femenia, the West African took too long on the ball and the chance to shoot was lost. Still, he set up Abdoulaye Doucoure on the edge of the box but the midfielder’s heavy touch allowed Dani Ceballos to block his effort and Martinez saved the rebound that fell to Roberto Pereyra.

Those gilt-edged chances missed cost the Hornets on the final day. They failed to tuck away five of the seven created, edged the Expected Goals metric 3.92 to 1.95 and would have come away with all three points on another day.

For Sarr, who still managed to churn out performances amid the turbulence at Vicarage Road that saw three permanent head coaches take charge throughout the season, it was a promising season despite initial struggles to get into the team.

Javi Gracia, who signed the pacy winger, lasted only four games before his sacking, Quique Sanchez Flores was in charge for 10 fixtures before being jettisoned after a 2-1 loss at Southampton in November and Nigel Pearson was astonishingly fired with two games to play.

Even with only 28 games under his belt, 22 of which were starts, the West African’s raw numbers were respectable. He scored five times and assisted four, second behind Deeney and Gerard Deulofeu respectively, and was behind only the club captain (12) for total goal contributions this term.

According to Fbref, the 22-year-old was involved in eight goal-creating actions that led to goals, unsurprisingly higher than his colleagues, while he completed 49 open-play passes that led to shot attempts – third behind Doucoure (59) and Gerard Deulofeu (51).

To put this in context, when Sarr’s return is compared with Bukayo Saka, Mason Greenwood and Christian Pulisic, three youngsters who took the league by storm this season, it makes for an interesting assessment.

The Anglo-Nigerian contributed to seven goal-creating actions and 45 shot-creating actions in open play, the English teenager also posted seven offensive actions leading to a goal with 32 passes leading to an effort on goal. Pulisic, though, was involved in more goal-creating activities and in-play passes leading to shots, edging the Senegalese 13 and 51 respectively in both metrics.

Frankly, Sarr could have posted even better stats had teammates made the most of his nine big chances created (the highest in the side) and had he converted six presentable opportunities that went begging.

Be that as it may, the ex-Rennes man still gave supporters of the club reason to cheer in a maiden year of highs and lows for the team.

He put Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool to the sword with a brace and an assist in a 3-0 performance at Vicarage Road that sent shockwaves through the country and gave highly rated left-back Ben Chilwell a torrid time in a 1-1 draw that made observers question the Leicester City man’s competence.

Furthermore, the rapid attacker produced moments of magic in 2-1 wins over Norwich City and Newcastle United that briefly gave fans hope of staying up after the restart but it wasn’t to be.

With Watford’s five-year love affair in the top flight now over, the financial ramifications mean they may have to let go of some of their best players, and Sarr certainly counts as a saleable asset.

In a depressed market caused by the coronavirus pandemic, it remains to be seen if sides in the Prem would pay a premium for the Senegal international who still has four years to go on his contract.

There are about six weeks for teams to prepare for the new season and 10 for the summer transfer window to run, giving the Hertfordshire club little time to sort Sarr’s future, get a new head coach and decide on their squad for next season.

The plan when they signed the winger from Ligue 1 was to build around him for the future but relegation from arguably the most popular league in the world has thrown a spanner in the works.

After thriving in the Premier League in his first year, the talented wideman has shown he has what it takes to play with the very best in the business, and clubs in the league should be lining up for his signature.

Sarr's story in the Prem is far from over.

Yanga (Young Africans) SC fitness trainer and assistant coach Riedoh Berdien says he is still part of the technical team of the Tanzanian giants, and spoke of how the club’s fans are of the friendliest in the game.

Yanga is reportedly searching for a new coach after parting ways with former Free State Stars and Black Leopards manager Luc Eymael over allegations of racism in the past few days.

The Cape Town-born coach explained that his future is yet to be decided in the East African country as the club will make a decision on his future, despite media reports suggesting he is on his way out of the side.

“I have not been fired, the club awaits on the new coach then to make the decision whether to continue using my services or not,” Berdien told Goal.

“As you know that’s football. We have to wait for what the club decides.”

After the 60-year-old Belgian manager reportedly lashed out at the club’s supporters, the Banyana Banyana trainer shared his experience at the club, saying the fans have been amazing.

“I have worked all over Africa. So, I am used to the structure and cultures in Tanzania,” he added.

"There has been a lot of challenges for sure but in every club there is. The people are extremely friendly and the green and army are the best supporters that I have experienced. I have mentioned this a lot on Twitter.

“There was even a YouTube video about Yanga fans. Their motto is even “be nice be like Yanga.”

Berdien joined the club in January to team up with the former Polokwane City manager in the East African country after the duo previously worked together at Ea Lla Koto in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).

Although he confirmed he is yet to engage the club’s hierarchy to map out the way forward, Berdien may not struggle to find a new club as he has worked on the African continent as well as in countries such as Trinidad & Tobago.

On the other hand, Goal previously gathered that he once received an offer to join former Orlando Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic at Zamalek in Egypt.

Tying Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to a new contract would be as big as winning the FA Cup for Arsenal, says Charlie Nicholas, but he accepts the “goal machine” will move on if Real Madrid or Barcelona come calling.

The Gunners have been locked in extension talks with their club captain for some time. No deal has been done, with the prolific 31-year-old frontman entering the final 12 months of his deal as a result.

With no fresh terms agreed, it has been suggested that Arsenal may have to reluctantly sanction a sale in order to avoid losing a prized asset for nothing in the summer of 2021.

Aubameyang has remained coy on his future plans, despite stating his happiness in north London, and the general consensus is that an approach from a leading European club would see his head turned.

Nicholas fears that will be the case, but he is refusing to give up hope when it comes to keeping such a talismanic figure at Emirates Stadium.

The former Gunners frontman told Sky Sports of Aubameyang ahead of Arsenal’s FA Cup final with Chelsea on Saturday: "It's vital they keep hold of him, but if Real Madrid or Barcelona were to show interest in him at his age, and he wants to go, he'll go. We had to let the best I've seen in an Arsenal shirt - Thierry Henry - go because he wanted to join Barca.

"That's the reality as this guy is a goal machine. When you look back at the wages we gave Mesut Ozil, we had to put up with Alexis Sanchez until we part-exchanged him, this guy is of the same ilk where you're wondering if it's worth giving him the big salary.

"Personally, I think it is as there's very little guaranteed in football, but the guarantee he gives you when he's fit is goals. Goals for Arsenal are the main ingredient in the way they play. Arsenal's duty now is to fix a defence that has been weak for the past six or seven years.

"Gradually, I think Arteta will do that, but the club are still being held to ransom a little bit [over Aubameyang]. If Arsenal are to finally get this [contract] over the line, you give him what he wants, and then Aubameyang still becomes a sellable asset if he then wants to leave in a year.

"If we run it down, as we did with Aaron Ramsey, you're just holding on to someone who isn't entirely committed to the cause. I'm hopeful now that Aubameyang will re-sign - Arsenal, get it over the line! It would be as big a boost as winning the FA Cup. That's how big it would be."

John Obi Mikel has congratulated his former club Trabzonspor after winning the 2019-20 Turkish Cup title on Wednesday.

Goals from Abdulkadir Omur and Alexander Soerloth helped Eddie Newton’s men secure a 2-0 victory over Alanyaspor in the final of the tournament.

Ghana forward Caleb Ekuban featured for the Black Sea Storm while Nigeria international Nwakaeme was not listed for the game.

Nwakaeme scored two goals and provided one assist in six appearances in the competition and played a key role as Trabzonspor finished as runner-up in the 2019-20 Super Lig, scoring 11 goals and setting up nine others in 29 games.

Mikel started the campaign with the Medical Park Stadyumu outfit after joining the side as a free agent in the summer of 2019.

The former Chelsea midfielder made 27 appearances for the side across all competitions, including three in the Turkish Cup tournament.

In March, the 33-year-old departed Medical Park Stadyumu by mutual agreement after expressing his concerns about the league continuing amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The midfielder has taken to social media to praise his former club and teammates for scooping the Cup trophy.

“Congratulations Trabzonspor on winning the Cup final. Well done boys and the city deserve it,” Mikel posted on Instagram.

Mikel is currently without a club but will hope to sort out his future before the start of the 2020-21 season.

The midfielder is famous for his exploits at Chelsea, where he spent 11 years, winning a number of laurels, including the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, League Cup and Community Shield titles.

The 33-year-old has also previously featured for Lyn in Norway, Tianjin Teda in China and Championship side Middlesbrough.

Mikel had 91 caps for the Super Eagles and was part of the side that won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

The midfielder retired from international duty after helping the West Africans finish third at Afcon 2019 in Egypt.

The last man to save a Bruno Fernandes penalty, Miguel Soares, has advised Premier League goalkeepers on how to bring a run of 17 successful efforts from the Manchester United midfielder to a close.

Since acquiring a Portugal international during the January transfer window, the Red Devils have been awarded a flurry of spot kicks.

Fernandes has converted every one he has stood over, with the 25-year-old yet to fluff his lines from 12 yards in English football.

You have to turn the clock back to October 2018 to find the last time he failed to convert, with Soares keeping him out during a Portuguese Cup clash between Sporting CP and Loures.

The 29-year-old does not enjoy the same kind of standing as those filling Premier League No.1 spots, as he currently splits his time between lower league side Pero Pinheiro and a position as a property consultant, but he does have the answer when it comes to denying Fernandes from the spot.

Revealing his secret to the Daily Star, Soares said: "The save was a great moment. The secret was the small movement I made to the left.

"Bruno looks at the keeper when he takes a penalty, so I did the same to him. I feigned to dive to the left, and went to the right.

"I wanted to make Bruno take his decision as late as possible. I didn't want to make his life easier.

"We took Sporting all the way to extra time, and still gave them a scare before they won 2-1.

"I hope Bruno can continue converting penalties in the Premier League. He'll miss one eventually, but I hope it won't be for a while - it is better for me.

"I didn't manage to get his shirt after the Sporting game, but I would love to have one of his Manchester United shirts now.

"Although I was his opponent on the day, I am a big fan of his."

Fernandes has taken 28 penalties in his professional career to date, with 26 of those finding the back of the net.

He has registered 10 goals through his 20 appearances for United, with his efforts in helping the Red Devils to a third-place finish and pursuit of Europa League glory quickly seeing him become a talismanic figure at Old Trafford.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola insists Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp in 2019 and 2020 are the toughest opponents he has ever faced as a coach.

Klopp is the only manager to have beaten the Catalan more times than he has lost, with the Reds’ coach winning nine of their 19 encounters and Guardiola just eight, while he has not won any of their five clashes at Anfield.

After a fiercely competitive 2018-19 when City beat their rivals to the Premier League by just a point, Liverpool easily came out on top this year to secure their first title in 30 years.

"The toughest opponent I've ever faced in my career is this Liverpool from last year and this one," Guardiola told DAZN.

"If you let yourself be dominated, they lock you in the area and you can't escape. When you dominate them, they run into space like no one else. They are very fast going backwards. They are very strong strategically. Their players have great mental strength. [Klopp] is the rival who has made me think about how to beat him the most."

Guardiola had a fierce rivalry with Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho during his time with Barcelona, but he rates the current Premier League champions as the best team he has ever come up against.

"I have always said that Real Madrid are a very strong team in my career, they helped me to become a better coach with tough matches and competitions with Jose Mourinho, [Manuel] Pellegrini and all the coaches they had," he added.

"If you ask me which has been the most difficult rival for me to face, it has been Liverpool. The first years when I arrived in England, Liverpool were a bit weaker than now and Real Madrid were stronger. Now, this Liverpool are the hardest I have come across in my coaching career."

Guardiola’s priority is shifted back to Real next week with the newly crowned Spanish champions standing in the way of a place in the Champions League quarter-finals.

While City hold a 2-1 lead from the first leg victory at the Santiago Bernabeu in February, Zinedine Zidane has an incredible record in the tournament having won it three times in succession and Guardiola is full of praise for the Frenchman.

"Although people may not believe me because he is from Real Madrid, I am very happy that things are going well because it is very good for football that things go well for people like him," the City boss added.

"When he has done what he has done, winning three Champions Leagues in a row, taking two La Liga titles from Barca when they - in this decade - have dominated this competition like no other club, it shows his ability."

Manchester City will have great difficulty finding a replacement for David Silva, admits Pep Guardiola.

The 34-year-old midfielder will leave the Etihad after their season is over, having spent 10 trophy-laden years with the club.

Guardiola hailed the four-time Premier League winner as a unique player and admitted it will be tough to find someone who shares his ability and competitiveness.

"Signing anybody with his way of playing and his quality is very difficult, especially replacing his competitiveness, not only his quality," Guardiola told DAZN. "His quality is unique and special, his ability to move in confined spaces. What has surprised me the most knowing him in these four years together is his immense competitiveness when he plays."

Guardiola's team surrendered their Premier League crown to Liverpool this season, having finished 18 points behind Jurgen Klopp's side. However, they still have the chance of winning a historic first Champions League title.

City's campaign resumes on August 7 when they face Real Madrid in the second leg of the last-16, having won 2-1 when they met in the Spanish capital before the coronavirus pandemic brought football to a halt, but Guardiola is taking nothing for granted. 

"We should not think too much about the advantage we have," he said of his side's chances against Zinedine Zidane's team. "We know what an advantage it is. If there is a team that can turn it around, it is these great teams, as well as Barcelona or Bayern. They know these competitions and they know how to play them."

He added: "We are not going to make a tactical change or anything to surprise Real Madrid because they know what we do.

"The only objective that I have in the coming weeks is that the players come to the pitch to play football, without our people, to defend when they have to defend, to jump, to run, to encourage each other. Things are more simple. A team only has to have this. This is that I want to my team have."

Speaking about what it would mean to finally win the Champions League with City, Guardiola said: "I don't know what I'm going to feel when it hasn't happened yet. I tried it the first year, in the second, in the third and in the fourth. If I am involved in it, I'm trying to win it. If I don't win it, I will have failed but the important thing is to try.

"I've won it because I've had incredible clubs and incredible players, and I want to keep winning."