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Yanga SC have prioritised the appointment of Hans van der Pluijm as Luc Eymael replacement as the club's head coach.

A close source within the club has told Goal the Tanzanian club are set to make a quick appointment after sacking Eymael for what they termed as racist comments.

Van der Pluijm was Timu Ya Mwananchi’s coach between 2017 and 2018 and the club’s top hierarchy have listed him as the best viable option to take over.

“You know Van der Pluijm has been with the club before and given the tight programme the club is expecting to have in the immediate future, Yanga would contact him soon and see if he is ready for the job,” the source told Goal.

Eymael’s stint at Yanga has been characterised with friction with the players and the club's senior management.

The former coach criticised players like Gnamien Yikpe who arrived at the club almost at the same time with him early in the year. He has been open that the Ivorian star was not part of his plans going forward given what he believed as below-par performance.

Defender Andrew ‘Dante’ Vincent, who was signed from Mtibwa Sugar three seasons ago, was also relegated from the first team by the Belgian coach who had confirmed he was not keen to retain him once his contract ends.

The former Free State Stars and Black Leopards coach has also not been keen to give Kenyan goalkeeper Farouk Shikalo playing time in key games for what has been termed as ‘lack of trust in him’ by various soccer pundits in Tanzania.

Bernard Morrison, who immediately became a darling to the fans due to his strike against Simba SC on March 8, has had a turbulent relationship with the management recently under the coach.

The former Polokwane City’s coach also criticised Yanga management before the league resumed after coronavirus lockdown saying they were not keen to help him travel from Belgium and join the players for preparations.

Although Eymael managed Yanga to a second-place finish in the league, a 4-1 loss against Simba SC in the FA Cup semi-final match on July 12, was a big blow to confidence in the coach's abilities.

Yanga might still get a Champions League slot should Caf move to strip Libya of its place and that is why the club prioritised finishing second after elimination from the FA Cup tournament.

Van der Pluijm is a Dutch coach with massive experience in African football as he has been in charge of more than 10 teams across the continent.

He was at Heart of Lions between 2003 and 2004 before joining Saint George of Ethiopia for one year after he left the Ghanaian side.

He did not last at the Ethiopian club as he exited in 2005 for Gold Fields where he remained for one year too. Between 2006 to 2014 the 71-year-old coach served different Ghanaian teams that included Heart of Lions again, Red Bull Soccer Academy, Kessben FC, Berekum Chelsea and Medeama SC.

He was appointed by Yanga in 2017 and lasted until 2018 where he lost just four matches in the 57 games he oversaw, although it wasn't enough to win the league as arch-rivals Simba lifted the trophy.

Van der Pluijm has also had coaching spells at Azam FC and Singida United in Tanzania.

Bruno Fernandes has “nothing against the Europa League” but believes Manchester United “deserve” a Champions League place and is determined to deliver major silverware at Old Trafford.

The Portugal international midfielder has made a stunning impact in English football since his arrival from Sporting in the January transfer window.

United, who were some way off the top-four pace at that stage, desperately needed inspiration from somewhere. Fernandes has provided that, with a remarkable run of results through 2020 seeing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side to a third-place finish.

With one target hit, the Red Devils can still finish their season with a trophy in continental competition.

Fernandes is eager to deliver on that front, telling MUTV: “Now our focus is on the Europa League because this is a really good trophy and we want to win. I came to Manchester to win trophies. We need to play every game to win. If we go into the Europa League and win every game, we know we'll win the trophy.”

United have struggled for consistency in the wake of Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, but Fernandes believes they are heading back to where they belong.

He said: “Of course, playing Champions League is always special and I hope it can be with the supporters, that will be more special. We deserve to be in the best games, in the best European competition. Nothing against the Europa League, but everyone knows the best competition is the Champions League.”

The 25-year-old added on climbing into the top four, with Leicester edged out 2-0 on the final day to get over that line: “We feel good, it's what we wanted.

“We trained hard and we worked hard for this moment. We know the only thing we could achieve this season was getting into the Champions League, so we fought hard for that, but we are not happy enough because we know this club and these players, they can bring much more for the club.

“I think we have qualities enough to fight for some titles - more than one title, you know? I think we need to win some trophies and then we'll be really happy.”

United will be back in European action when they face LASK on August 5, with a 5-0 lead already established in that contest to have one foot in the quarter-finals.

Jan Vertonghen has confirmed he has played his final game for Tottenham.

The Belgian defender posted on Twitter confirming that he would be leaving the club, although he gave no clue as to a possible next destination.

Vertonghen, 33, is a veteran of Spurs’ progression in recent years, making 315 appearances in all competitions since joining from Ajax in 2012.

He wrote: “So my time at the club comes to an end. A sad day for many reasons. I will miss the friends I’ve made here, the staff that make the club run, playing at the amazing new stadium & of course you fans.

“Thank you for all the support over the years. You’ve been amazing. We had many unbelievable memories but for now, it’s goodbye.”

Vertonghen’s contract in north London has expired, and he is now available to sign on a free transfer.

He was signed early on in Andre Villas-Boas’ tenure as Spurs boss, going on to play under Tim Sherwood, Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho.

While Spurs didn't win any silverware during his time at the club - coming closest when they reached the League Cup final in 2015 and Champions League final four years later - Vertonghen developed into one of the Premier League's most reliable defenders, and was named in the PFA Team of the Year in 2012-13 and 2017-18.

He was also elected into the Champions League Team of the Season in 2018-19 as Tottenham came runners-up to Liverpool.

It has been apparent for some time that Vertonghen would be on his way out of the club, though he signed a short-term contract extension once the season’s resumption was agreed.

Former club Ajax have already ruled out a move, although director of football Marc Overmars confirmed talks with his agent had taken place.

Vertonghen himself has offered some clues as to where his next club might be, saying he wanted to remain in Europe and learn a new language.

Spurs must now go about the task of replacing one of their longest-serving players without the luxury of an incoming transfer fee. Barcelona’s Samuel Umtiti is one of the players linked with a move in recent weeks.

Virgil van Dijk is aware rivals want to beat Liverpool “even more” now, but the Reds are determined to defend their Premier League crown in 2020-21.

Those at Anfield have waited 30 years to get a taste of domestic glory.

Having once dominated the English game, the Merseyside outfit found themselves knocked from their perch by rivals such as Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City.

They are now back at the summit having wrapped up a title triumph in record-breaking style, but staying on top is set to prove as tricky as getting there.

Van Dijk admits as much, but the Dutch defender says there remains a hunger within the Reds’ ranks to back up their efforts across 2019 and 2020.

He told BT Sport “I think the personal highlight is winning the Premier League! It’s been a big dream of mine coming through and I think for all of us, for this beautiful club, it’s outstanding and it should spur us on to try even harder to retain the title.

“It’s going to be very tough, teams are going to improve, they’ll want to beat us even more - but yeah, we will focus on each game at a time, that’s what we did already this season, and hopefully we can be as consistent as we have this season. It’s going to be a new challenge but we should all look forward to it as well.”

Liverpool have tasted Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup glory over the course of the last 13 months, with Jurgen Klopp overseeing a remarkable run of success.

He must ensure that his players remain motivated for further challenges to come, with Van Dijk adamant that he will not be allowing his standards to slip.

The Netherlands international centre-half added, with the Reds having brought the curtain down on their 2019-20 campaign with a 3-1 victory over Newcastle at St James’ Park: “If I’m talking personally I don’t think I need any more motivation.

“I want to go out there every opportunity there is, trying to get results with the boys, enjoy the game like, for example, the second half [against the Magpies] I really enjoyed it: how we played, how we pressed, how we won the ball when we lost it.

“That’s the key for next season as well. We want to improve on the way we play and be as consistent as we have been this year. It’s going to be hard because consistency is the hardest thing in football but it’s going to be a nice challenge.”

Kenyan international Michael Olunga has dedicated his hat-trick for Kashiwa Reysol against Vegalta Sendai to his teammates.

The former Gor Mahia striker added three goals to his J1 League tally after a 5-1 win over Sendai in a top-flight match played on Sunday.

After going for three matches without a goal since the Japanese league resumed on July 4, after taking a break owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, Olunga has so far scored in the last three matches and went top of the scorers’ chart.

Olunga has now dedicated his latest goals to his teammates, who he said have perfected the art of picking him out with great passes, thus helping him to do the job of scoring the goals.

“It was a good game, basically we tried to push from the very beginning and I want to thank the whole team for providing the platform for me to be able to score three goals today [Sunday],” Olunga told reporters after the match.

“I want to thank the whole team because my work is to stick at the danger zone and put the chances away and I did it again today [Sunday] because they provided the passes, it is great to play alongside such great players.”

In a recent interview, after the team’s 3-2 win against Shonan Bellmare, Olunga claimed he had regained his scoring boots and will make sure he scores in every match.

“Of course as a striker when you go into games your main aim is to score goals but at the end of the day in football, there are moments where you will have a goal drought and you cannot find the back of the net again,” Olunga told reporters after the match.

“But of course it is a good feeling to get my scoring boots back again and I know now the gates are open and it is going to be a different ball game altogether and today [Saturday] I scored two goals and I am looking forward to the upcoming games.”

With eight goals now, the former Thika United forward has a four-goal cushion against his closest challengers, Yu Kobayashi of Kawasaki Frontale, Musashi Suzuki of Consadole Sapporo, Marcos Junior of Yokohama Marinos, Leonardo Perreira of Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Kyogo Furuhashi of Vissel Kobe.

Kashiwa Reysol will be up against Nagoya Grampus on August 1 in their next league encounter.

Former Harambee Stars captain Musa Otieno has revealed how he has had to battle stigmatisation since he contracted the coronavirus.

Kenya’s long-serving captain was admitted to Mbagathi Hospital, which has been designated as a coronavirus isolation centre in Kenya, on June 26 and was discharged on July 5.

The former Tusker defender has now revealed how the situation subjected him to stigmatisation in his neighbourhood.

“This is not something that anybody would like to contract by socialising with you. Sometimes when I get out of the house or walk in the neighbourhood, I see people pointing at me,” Otieno told The Standard.

“I thank God for everything. At the moment, I’m feeling much better compared to the first few days when I was admitted at Mbagathi Hospital.

“I can now walk around and I don’t have those Covid-19 symptoms anymore; chest pains, coughing, fever and sore throat.”

Otieno stated he contracted the disease while serving the Maringo community through his foundation, Kick-Off to Hope. 

“It’s just unfortunate that I got it while on duty distributing foodstuff to the vulnerable groups. I wasn’t feeling well and I went to Mbagathi Hospital for a test,” continued the former AFC Leopards star.

“My biggest problem was that I was struggling to breathe. There was no fitness anymore, and I just wanted to get better and leave the hospital.

“Once I was discharged I felt like I had already overcome the battle. Yes, I was going back to my house under restrictions with no visits, but it came with some freedom; I could do anything I want in my house. 

“The first three days were a bit difficult for me because I wasn’t used to staying in the house but after the fourth day, I started adapting to the new lifestyle.”

Otieno, who served the national team from 1993 to 2009 and guided the country back to the African Cup of Nations (Afcon) in 2004 after a 12-year wait, also spoke about his return to football activities after retirement and services to the community through his organisation.

“One thing that brought me back after my retirement was to analyse Kenyan Premier League matches on DSTV's SuperSport as well as working with my organisation.

“I then had some coaching experience with FC Talanta [a National Super League side] before deciding to focus on my organisation as I tried to give hope to the community through mentorship programmes and a football academy.

“It has not been easy to raise an annual budget of KSh1 million but we are trying our best to bring hope to over 150 children we are working with.” 

Otieno also played for Santos FC of South Africa where he equally made his name by winning the Premier Soccer League (PSL) title in the 2001/02 season.

Victor Lindelof considers Manchester United to be “back”, after wrapping up a Premier League top-four finish, but admits the time has arrived for them to “start winning trophies”.

The Red Devils emerged victorious in a crucial clash with Leicester on the final day of the Premier League season.

A 2-0 win over the Foxes has secured Champions League football for 2020-21, but Lindelof says that is the “minimum” requirement for a club of United’s stature. For the Swedish defender, elite European competition has to be complemented by tangible success.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side remain in the hunt for Europa League glory in what has been an elongated campaign.

Lindelof told the club’s official website after helping to down Leicester: “When you play for this club, you should always play in the Champions League as a minimum.

“Now we’re back and it’s time for us to start winning trophies as well because we have to do that. We have one trophy left to win this season and that should always be the mentality, to win trophies. Our goal was to be back in the Champions League and now we have another one: to win the Europa League.”

United will return to the continental stage on August 5, in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 encounter with LASK.

Solskjaer’s side lead that contest 5-0 on aggregate, with a quarter-final clash with either Istanbul Basaksehir or FC Copenhagen lined up – with games from the last eight set to take place in Germany.

“It’s a trophy to win and this club should always be aiming for trophies,” Lindelof added on the Red Devils’ ambition. “It’s a great opportunity for us and to secure the Champions League spot today, it makes the players a little bit more calm.

“We go to Germany - after the game against LASK at home - and if we win, we can travel to Germany and I’m really looking forward to it.”

While United still have competitive fixtures to take in this season, the summer transfer window has swung open and Solskjaer is now able to further bolster his ranks.

Riyad Mahrez sent an emotional message to David Silva, who reached the end of his contract with Manchester City in July.  

The Spanish midfielder played his final Premier League game for Pep Guardiola’s men in their 5-0 thrashing of Norwich City on Sunday.

The 34-year-old has been with the Citizens since 2010 when he joined from La Liga side Valencia and made a key contribution during his 10-year stay with the club.

Silva scored 77 goals in 433 Premier League appearances and provided 93 assists, the most in the club's history.

The midfielder helped the club to win a number of accolades including four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups and three Community Shields.

Mahrez had the opportunity of playing with Silva for two years after the Algeria international teamed up with City in the summer of 2018 from Leicester City.

The winger took to the social media to praise the effort of the Spanish star during his time at Etihad Stadium and wished him success in his future endeavours.

“An honour to have shared a few games and titles of your incredible career at City David Silva, good luck for what's next,” Mahrez posted on Instagram.

Mahrez has played 60 Premier League games for Manchester City since his arrival and won four titles with the side, including the league trophy.

The forward was a key component of the Citizens in the 2019-20 season as they finished second in the Premier League behind champions Liverpool.

The former Le Havre winger scored 13 goals and provided 16 assists across all competitions and could add to his tally in the second leg round of 16 of their Champions League game against Real Madrid on August 7.

Mahrez, who has 57 caps and 15 goals for Algeria, captained the Desert Foxes to victory in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Tanzania striker Mbwana Samatta has confirmed he will remain at Aston Villa for the new Premier League season after helping the club to stay up.

Jack Grealish’s late goal, coupled with Watford’s 3-2 defeat at Arsenal, was ultimately good enough for Aston Villa to avoid relegation from the top-flight in the final day of EPL action.

The battle to avoid the two remaining relegation places went to the wire as Aston Villa scored in the 84th minute, conceded a minute later, then held on for 1-1 draw at West Ham to survive.

West Ham had already secured their own Premier League place for 2020-21 with a draw at Manchester United on Wednesday and end the season in 16th.

Samatta, who struggled for form since the return of football - after impressing in his early stints with goals against Bournemouth and Manchester City, signed for Aston Villa in January - and came into the side for Brazilian Wesley Moraes who fell to injury at the start of the year.

The Taifa Stars captain has now taken to his social media pages to thank God for helping Villa to stay up and went on to confirm he will be at the club for the new season.

“I want to thank God for giving me another chance to play in the Premier League for another season,” Samatta wrote on his social media pages.

“I also want to thank all those fans who were behind me, and kept praying for Villa to stay up so that you can see me again in the Premier League.”

Samatta, an £8.5million January signing from Genk, barely had time to get settled in his new surroundings before the season was halted by the coronavirus pandemic.

However, he was able to write history by becoming the first player from Tanzania to play in the Premier League. 

Samatta scored only one goal in 14 appearances leading to Birmingham Live reporting that the attacker could be granted a quick exit route from the club at the end of the season.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) coach Luc Eymael has dedicated the team’s efforts to finish second in the Mainland Premier League to the late former Tanzania President Benjamin Mkapa.

Mkapa died on July 24 at the age of 81 after leading Tanzania from 1995 to 2005 and was succeeded by Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete.

And in a perfect sendoff, Yanga, who in an earlier statement had described Mkapa as their ‘number one fan’, pipped Azam FC to the second position after beating Lipuli FC 1-0 while the ‘Ice Cream Makers’ only managed a 2-2 draw against Tanzania Prisons.

The win enabled the Timu ya Wananchi to finish second with 72 points, while Azam settled for third on 70 and Namungo FC came fourth on 64, while Simba SC, who had already been crowned champions, finished top on 88 points.

The Belgian coach has now told Goal the win against Lipuli, which pushed them to the second position, is a perfect dedication to the late Mkapa.

“It is all because of God because going into the match we lost one of our best fans in the country, Mkapa, and I want to dedicate this win and the position to him,” Eymael told Goal on Monday.

“[Mkapa] was a great Yanga fan, I am told he could not miss our matches especially when we are playing in Dar es Salaam and also follow our results and we want to join other Tanzanians to mourn his sudden death, the win is dedicated to him.

“I also want to thank the sponsors and fans for their support throughout the season, without them we could not have achieved what we have achieved, to finish second and also reach the semis of the FA Cup.”

Eymael continued: “I am very proud of my boys, very proud of my staff and the people who were there, they never gave up, you know my physio came back, the U-20 coach also came to rescue us and finally with a very weak squad, we have managed to finish second, it is a fantastic feeling to finish second.

“It was not easy for us because when I arrived the gap between us and Simba was 28 points but we have managed to finish second and it is a good day for Yanga and the fans, we thank them for their support throughout the season.”

Singida United, Ndanda FC, Alliance FC, and Lipuli FC were all relegated as the curtain came down for the 2019-20 season.

The potential of football in Karnataka has not been realised for some time now. The state has had very little representation at the national level, in the I-League and in the Indian Super League (ISL) in the last few years in terms of players from the region.

In fact, only two players based out of Karnataka featured in the ISL last season – Hyderabad FC duo Shankar Sampingiraj and Mangaluru-born Nikhil Poojary who spent most of his formative years in Mumbai. Karnataka State Football Association (KSFA) Secretary M Satyanarayan emphasised on the federation’s vision to provide a platform for upcoming talent and ensure more players from the state play at the top level.

“We are putting some plans in place because we want more players from our state to play in the ISL. Right now, we just have two players,” he said.

“We are also looking to give a boost at the grass-root level and conduct more baby leagues. Richard Hood, who is with Bengaluru United has done a lot of work to uplift our grassroots development programme.

“We have made it mandatory for all Super Division and the first division clubs to ensure that two juniors – U21 players play in the playing 11. This means that they should recruit at least four such players. With the 14 Super Division and 10-12 A Division teams, we will straight away have about 80-100 U21 players playing the top leagues.

The KSFA also wants to see better performance at the highest level in the Santosh Trophy - a title that has eluded the state since 1971. Karnataka did well in the qualification stage this year and topped a group that also contained Telangana and Puducherry. But the final round was put on hold due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Satyanarayan said - “In the Santosh Trophy, five of the 20 have to be U21. So, we will get some good players who will gain experience from playing in these tough leagues. The Khelo India U21 is another good avenue for these players.

“In our local system, after the U15 level, there is no avenue for these boys. There is no U18 level and so we are planning to start it. Once they do the decentralisation (AIFF to hand responsiblity of conducting youth leagues to the states), we want to do U13, U15 and U18 tournaments. The boys who will play for teams in the U18 leagues will then get openings in the big clubs. If they play for 2-3 years, then they will also become better players.

“In our Santosh Trophy team from last season, barring the goalkeeper and captain who were about 29, the average age was just 22. We last won it in 1971 and are determined to try and win that.

“We have spotters who watch all the games of the Super Division and the A Division. Then they make a list of about 60-70 players. If we see some good talent from the B and C divisions, we call them. We had a long camp of about two months this time. The boys played very well and we won both our South Zone matches. The boys were looking forward to the final round but now that might not happen (due to the pandemic).”

The KSFA Secretary spoke about two initiatives aimed at nurturing local talents that will kick off when the restrictions are lifted. The federation is looking to have Super Division clubs venture into the football pockets of the city and train the talented youngsters.

A similar approach to acquiring talented youngsters from different districts was also discussed.

“Last month we asked new clubs to come up in the C division. As of today, we have 60 new clubs who have enrolled.

“Our president is keen that all 30 districts have good leagues. Earlier it was just 10-11. Now it has gone up to 19 districts. We want to change the constitution because according to the AIFF constitution, you need 10 clubs to form a district association. But what we are telling is even if you have seven clubs, we will call you an associate district. You start with six or seven clubs. Once you have 10 clubs, we will give you a full district association status. We want all districts to start leagues.

“We had a webinar with the Super Division and A Division sides which had the likes of Bengaluru FC, Ozone, Bengaluru United, Kickstart and so on. I expressed to them that we want to see more players from Bengaluru.

“The boys in some of the football pockets in Bengaluru are highly skilled but they don’t have organised training. I have asked the Super Division clubs to adopt one area each and send one of their coaches for at least three days a week for the whole year. The clubs have wholeheartedly come forward.

“Most of these clubs have academies and for them, this will be a good supply route of players. They don’t have to bring kids from the North-East and put them up in schools here. Our own boys will fill in for those players.

“The aim is to see more of our players in the ISL. They have the footballing skills but must improve their life skills. At 18-19 they are in the state team and then maybe the Indian camp and then they become wayward. That is something I did in my presentation to AIFF. We want to have classes on life-skills for these young players so they know that they can be in the ISL if they work hard.

“We have done a lot of planning but unfortunately Covid-19 has pushed us back.”

Satyanarayan also revealed that the KSFA are committed to developing women's football in the state as well.

“I also told the district teams that if they want to play in the inter-district tournament, they must have a ladies’ team. It is okay if it is seven-a-side to start with. We have girls from Mangaluru and Belgaum playing in the state side right now,” he concluded.

South African Football Association (Safa) chief medical doctor Thulani Ngwenya has revealed he nearly quit as the association's compliance officer after receiving death threats from unknown people. 

According to Ngwenya, the said people felt he was the one refusing to let PSL football to return, and he reported this to his bosses at Safa who then took the matter to the police.  

"This recent period has been the most stressful in my life. It has been really bad. It got to a point where I received private calls from people threatening my life,” Ngwenya told City Press.

"I have reported it to Safa and we have opened a case with the police. That’s how bad it is. I have been insulted and threatened I don’t know how many times in the past few weeks. I really needed to think long and hard about whether I wanted to continue," he revealed. 

One of Ngwenya's responsibilities as Safa's compliance officer is to ensure that all the 32 PSL teams observe the stringent measures set by the Joint Liaison Committee (JLC) for the return of football without exposing anyone to the risk of contracting the coronavirus.   

The association's decision to reject PSL's proposed return date of July 18 appears to have infuriated a lot of people in the football fraternity and they have directed their anger at Ngwenya.  

The KwaNyamazane-born medical doctor said his primary objective is the safety of the players, the majority of whom he works with at national team level. 

"I work with many of these players and, as a medical doctor, it’s my job to want the best for them," he said. 

"I became a doctor to help people and nothing else. People think I am being used as a pawn, but they don’t know that I took an oath as a medical doctor and there are certain principles and ethics that I have to follow."

Ngwenya, 36, said it hurts that some people are blaming him for the delay in the resumption of the 2019-20 season, saying he would have not been part of the whole process if the safety of players and officials were not a priority.  

"If I was drawn into something wrong and unethical, I would never be part of that. I am very principled. It hurts me very much that I am seen as a stumbling block to the return of football," added Ngwenya. 

"People think I don’t want football to return and that is untrue. I am part of a collective and we have worked very hard to put together the Joint Liaison Committee document that speaks to the return of games. As instructed by the government, Safa and the PSL have been engaging on the matter of the return to football."

The PSL is expected to make a decision the future of the suspended season in their Monday's board of governors meeting.  

Roy Keane believes Manchester United need to sign a "better goalkeeper" over the summer to challenge for the Premier League title next season. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side secured a third-place finish and their place in the Champions League after beating Leicester City 2-0 on Sunday with David de Gea keeping his 13th clean sheet of the season - only three shy of Golden Glove winner Ederson.

The Spaniard however did make a number of costly errors this season with Keane previously declaring he was "sick to death" of De Gea. 

While De Gea conceded just two goals across the final four games of the Premier League season for the Red Devils, Keane is adamant the club must find a replacement if they want to reach the next level.

"I’ve never been a big fan of his. He makes far too many mistakes, big mistakes that cost United big points," Keane told Sky Sports about De Gea ahead of United's game against Leicester.

"We talk about recruitment, it’s a difficult part of the game. That’s just my opinion. If Manchester United want to challenge for league titles, they need a better goalkeeper.

"They need a change, they’ve done it before. I don’t know what the big song and dance is about a goalkeeper, Man United have been doing it for years.

"Strikers are dropped or sold, same with midfielders, but for some reason, with goalkeepers, they think we have to stick with the goalkeeper for a bit longer than others because of something they did two or three years ago.

"The game doesn’t work like that. We’ve seen Liverpool get onto another level when they’ve improved the goalkeeper.

"What’s the big deal? If he’s not doing it, he’s making mistakes, then make a change. There are good goalkeepers out there."

Despite Keane's plea, the Red Devils are unlikely to replace De Gea anytime soon with the 29-year-old contracted at Old Trafford until 2023. 

Solskjaer has also shown plenty of faith in the Spanish shot-stopper in recent times and believes he remains a "top keeper". 

"David has proven it over the years. Form might be temporary, but class is permanent. He's an absolutely top keeper," Solskjaer told Sky Sports earlier this week.

Steven Dias has hailed his time at the Indian national team under Bob Houghton and feels that current coach Igor Stimac needs to be given more time.

Dias, who was a mainstay in the Indian national team in his time, feels that only under Houghton did Indian players started training professionaly and know more about important aspects like diets, nutrition etc.

"Now, what we see, the players have become more professional. At my time, players hardly knew anything because there was no information on what to do off the pitch. If you talk about diet, even when I was in (joined) the Indian team in 2004, we used to eat french fries and all because we didn't know anything.

"The one good phase I enjoyed (at the national team) was under Bob Houghton. He really showed us what professionalism is all about and personally, he made football so easy for me - positioning and all. So that full phase, I will never forget, especially the Nehru Cups that we played at the Ambedkar Stadium in Delhi," he told Goal.

The player who has joined the Indian Super League (ISL) side Odisha FC as an assistant coach was a key member of the Blue Tigers when they won two Nehru Cup twice (2007, 2009) that sandwiched India's only AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Challenge Cup title in 2008.

"My dream is to see India at the [FIFA] World Cup. I don't know how long it will take but we are at least going step by step (in the right direction). The team, under Igor Stimac, are playing very good football now. They (players) are keeping ball possession, they know what to do attacking wise and know their roles defensively. I hope they keep this coach for a long time."

Houghton spent the longest time in office as India coach between 2006 and 2011 wherein the Englishman led his side into the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, followed by Stephen Constantine's second stint (2015-2019). The latter helped India to its best FIFA Ranking (96) in 21 years after being ranked 94th in February 1996 and took the country to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

"The problem is that we (India) keep changing coaches. A coach comes for around two-to-three years and with the change of coach, a change in the style of play takes place. So it becomes difficult for the players also to understand," Dias explained.

Virgil van Dijk paid tribute to Naby Keita after Liverpool ended their triumphant Premier League season with a 3-1 win over Newcastle United on Sunday. 

Keita made just 18 appearances for Jurgen Klopp's side in the league this season with the 25-year-old struggling with minor injuries. 

The Guinea midfielder did manage to end the season with a bang, however, scoring a stunning goal last time out in a dramatic 5-3 win over Chelsea before backing up and playing 85 minutes against Newcastle. 

While flying somewhat under the radar this campaign, Van Dijk was quick to single Keita out for praise, suggesting his best is yet to come at Anfield. 

“I’m just very happy for Naby, he’s a fantastic guy. He works so hard and he’s an outstanding football player, we see it week in, week out," Van Dijk told LFC TV.

"Unfortunately he’s been unlucky with some injuries, but hopefully he can stay fully fit next season.

"I think he’s world class if I’m absolutely honest. I see the moments where he has the ball, the smart moves and his intelligence, it’s just incredible to see and I’m very happy for him.”

Keita, who formally joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig in August 2018, endured a turbulent first season with the Reds too and missed out on the Champions League final through a groin injury. 

The midfielder's fortunes appear to be turning however with Klopp also praising Keita after a strong performance against Brighton earlier this month. 

"He is getting better and better, step by step and game by game and that's really cool," Klopp said of Keita following the 3-1 win. 

"I am really happy about that. Long may it continue, let me say it like this. When him and the boys stay fit then everything is fine with the quality they have, the way we play suits them."

The Reds have been linked with interest in Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara but Luis Garcia recently cast doubt on the need for such a signing with Keita now impressing. 

"If top players come to Liverpool and you have to move one of the ones that are moving at the moment, that's not easy," Garcia told Stadium Astro. 

"If you see Keita, the way that Keita plays is similar to Thiago. The way they move, the place that they play is very similar. Keita is still adapting to the Premier League, are you going to move him from that place?"

Sergio Ramos has invited UFC icon Conor McGregor to Real Madrid training after being impressed by social media footage of the retired fighter showing off his football skills. 

Ramos himself recently reached out to McGregor on Twitter after channeling the Irishman's famous strut celebration after scoring a stunning goal in practice.

The pair have seemingly struck up an unlikely friendship online since with McGregor in turn asking Ramos for his thoughts on Instagram along with a series of clips showing the Irishman taking shots at goal. 

While seemingly just a low-key kick about, Ramos liked what he saw from McGregor, replying: "Top class, mate! Fancy a training session at Real Madrid? More than welcome to join us anytime."

McGregor in turn accepted the offer, commenting: "My brother, thank you! The next time I am in Madrid I would be honoured."

The 32-year-old, who famously tried his hand at boxing in 2017 against Floyd Mayweather Jr., has previously admitted to being a fan of Manchester United and was a big admirer of Roy Keane.

“I was more a player than a watcher back then, but Manchester United was my team," McGregor said during a Q&A with FIFA.com in 2019.

“I was attracted to the success and winning mentality of the club and people surrounded by United. Irish legends like Denis Irwin and Roy Keane were dedicated to their craft and had that winning mentality. Roy Keane was one of the best midfielders European football has ever seen. Opponents would be mentally beaten before they’d even stepped on to the pitch to face him.

"Throughout my youth, I was big into football. I played striker or midfielder. If you were to sum me up as a player, I was efficient, devastating and slick – similar to my fighting style. Skills learned at this youthful age playing football – teamwork, leadership, commitment, dedication and discipline – without a doubt transferred over into my combat sports vocation." 

McGregor also singled out Cristiano Ronaldo for praise, noting: "Cristiano is a phenomenal athlete, person, and entrepreneur. His all-around discipline, perfectionist attitude, and dedication to his craft is inspiring and has inspired so many young children to play football."

Cristiano Ronaldo dedicated Juventus' ninth successive Serie A title to the club's fans, particularly those that have suffered as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Ronaldo scored once, and missed a penalty, and Federico Bernardeschi netted in a 2-0 victory over a 10-man Sampdoria on Sunday to continue Juve's dominance in Italy.

Juve secured the league title with two games remaining, having returned to action last month following the coronavirus-enforced break.

Ronaldo, who moved onto 35 goals this season, was delighted and paid tribute to Juventus' fans.

"Done! Champions of Italy," he wrote on Instagram. "Delighted for the second consecutive championship and to continue building the history of this great and splendid club.

"This title is dedicated to all Juve fans, in particular to those who have suffered and are suffering from the pandemic that has taken us all by surprise by overturning the world.

"It was not easy! Your courage, your attitude and your determination were the strength we needed to face this tight final of the championship and fight to the end for this title that belongs to all of Italy. A big hug to you all!"

Manager Maurizio Sarri was quick to single out both Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala post-match but also stressed the club's continued success was the result of significant collboration. 

"Ronaldo and Dybala make the difference on the field, so clearly they deserve a lot of credit, but the club behind them is every bit as important," Sarri said.

"We have a president and directors who attend training every day, are there to exchange ideas, see if you need anything and put petrol in the tank of this team. The club are a big part of why they were able to win for so many years. They back you even when you lose.

“In terms of organisation, Juventus are at the top of European football. I could not have asked for anything more. Obviously, it takes a while to settle in, understand the approach, the way things work here, then after a while you can start trying to tweak a few things.

"You can't just walk straight into a club that has won for eight years in a row and immediately try to order changes. That wouldn't be very intelligent."

Juventus are "well advanced" in contract talks with Paulo Dybala, according to chief football officer Fabio Paratici.

Dybala, 26, is out of contract in 2022, but has been linked with a renewal in Turin after enjoying an impressive season.

Paratici confirmed talks with Dybala were in progress and a fair way down the track, with the playmaker set to stay at Juve.

"We often speak with his entourage and we are moving forward, despite all the difficulties related to the commitments and the movement due to the games that are played every three days," he told Sky Sport .

"Even in this period, we are talking quite frequently and we are well advanced."

Juve clinched a ninth successive Serie A title on Sunday thanks to a 2-0 victory over Sampdoria.

Paratici was full of praise for coach Maurizio Sarri, who secured the league crown in his first season in charge.

"Sarri has made an incredible climb in his career and he's in the place he deserves to be," he said."He is certainly one of the protagonists of our season."

Dybala came off against Sampdoria due to a suspected thigh injury in a worry ahead of the Champions League resuming next month.

The Argentina forward was clutching the top of his left thigh as he made way for Gonzalo Higuain five minutes before half-time.

Coach Sarri had already been forced into one change, with Danilo coming off following a clash of heads with Gaston Ramirez.

Juve continue their league campaign with matches against Cagliari and Roma next week before hosting Lyon in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on August 7.

Dybala was linked with a Juventus exit before the start of the season and was reportedly close to a move to Tottenham but ultimately stayed put in Turin. 

That decision has paid off for both club and player with the 26-year-old scoring 17 goals and adding a further 14 assists across 45 appearances to date this season.

The former Palermo player returned from the enforced break due to the coronavirus pandemic in a rich vein of form, scoring in five straight Serie A matches.