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Kelechi Iheanacho’s strike against Brentford has been nominated for the Leicester City Goal of the Season award.

The Nigeria international’s strike helped the Foxes beat the Bees 1-0 in January’s FA Cup fourth round encounter at Griffin Park.

The Super Eagles forward beat goalkeeper Luke Daniels from close range after controlling a cross from defender James Justin in the encounter’s fourth minute.

Vardy boasts of three entries with his strike against Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Arsenal shortlisted, while Chilwell’s screamer against Watford at Vicarage Road will also compete for the prize.

Just like Vardy, Maddison has three of his goals competing for the honour – as the club picked his efforts against Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Newcastle United.

Apart from this category, awards will also be handed out for Supporters’ Player of the Season, Young Player of the Season, Players’ Player of the Season, Development Squad Player of the Season and Academy Player of the Season.

Last season’s ceremony saw Pereira win the Supporters’ and Players’ Player of the Season awards.

Leicester City also announced that there will be no End of Season Dinner this season due to the current social distancing recommendations in the United Kingdom.

Although Iheanacho's future at the King Power Stadium remains uncertain as reports have it that the club will be shopping for a replacement, the 23-year-old, who joined from Manchester City, has scored 10 goals and provided four assists for Brendan Rodgers’ men across all competitions this term.

As well as compatriot Wilfred Ndidi, the 2013 U17 Fifa World Cup Golden Ball and Silver Shoe winner is expected to play a role when Brendan’s team tackles Manchester United in the English top-flight's last day.

Victory for them over the Old Trafford giants will see them get a ticket for next season’s Champions League at the expense of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men.

Sofapaka President Elly Kalkwa has revealed why they missed a meeting to discuss modalities of the new partnership signed between the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and BetKing Kenya.

Goal exclusively revealed on Wednesday that Batoto ba Mungu were the only team from the top-flight not represented in the meeting chaired by FKF president Nick Mwendwa and CEO Barry Otieno.

The teams which attended the meeting conducted via Zoom include AFC Leopards, Wazito FC, Posta Rangers, Kariobangi Sharks, Gor Mahia, Tusker, Kakamega Homeboyz, Ulinzi Stars, Nairobi City Stars, KCB, Zoo FC, Bidco United, Nzoia, Western Stima, Kisumu All-Stars, Mathare United and Bandari.

Kalekwa has now told Goal he was keen to attend the meeting but had an appointment with his doctor which ended late and by the time he logged in, he found the meeting had already ended.

“Sofapaka did not skip the meeting by default, no…I was very keen to be part of the meeting but my appointment with the doctor took much of my time and by the time I wanted to log and join in, the meeting had already ended,” Kalekwa told Goal.

“I don’t have issues with FKF and so there was no reason for me or my club not to attend the meeting, it was only because I had a very important meeting with my doctor and I did not make it.

“I will talk to the clubs which attended and get to know what was discussed.”

During the meeting, KPL clubs were requested to provide their bank accounts to the federation as they wait to receive the first payment from the sponsor.

The meeting also settled on Ulinzi Stars chairman Erick Oloo to lead a five-man FKF Premier League transitional interim committee and he will work alongside other four officials namely Dan Shikanda of AFC Leopards, Ken Ochieng of Zoo, David Aduda of Tusker, and Robert Maoga of Sharks.

The committee has been mandated with drafting proposals on how the FKF Premier League will be run, post-KPL, including the possibility of clubs voting for an independent chairman to lead the new league body.

A week ago, FKF signed a lucrative five-year sponsorship deal worth Ksh1.2billion with the Nigerian-based betting firm that will see clubs receive Ksh8million annually.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon has accused Neymar of always "trying to wind people up", while expressing his belief that the Paris Saint-Germain star knows exactly how "infuriating" he can be.

PSG continued their preparations for the resumption of their 2019-20 campaign by putting Celtic to the sword in a friendly at Parc des Princes on Tuesday.

The Ligue 1 champions ran out 4-0 winners thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Ander Herrera and Pablo Sarabia, with the Hoops' summer tour of France ending on a sour note.

Neymar showed off his full repertoire of tricks and won several free-kicks during the match, much to the frustration of Lennon in the visiting dugout.

The Brazil international's theatrics proved too much for the Celtic head coach at one point, as the two men were involved in a heated exchange on the touchline.

When asked to comment on the incident and assess how his side coped with the threat of Neymar, Lennon told the Daily Record:  " He was just trying to wind people up.

"I said to the players you just have to keep your discipline and not take the bait really.

"He is infuriating but he knows it."

Lennon went on to highlight Mbappe's quality, before praising his players for giving their all against "world-class" opposition.

"I'm a big fan of Kylian Mbappe because I think he's fantastic in terms of his purpose and his pace," he added. "They've got quality all over the pitch.

"That quality is world-class. I'm pleased we've taken it on. I don't think we need to be down about it.

"Sometimes the players need to see the game at that level for what it is, and how far you have to strive to get there. Hopefully, they can take a lot from it physically and mentally."

PSG were crowned champions of France for a third successive year when the Ligue 1 season was cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis in April.

They could yet go on to win an unprecedented treble, with a Coupe de France final against Saint-Etienne to take in on Friday before they look ahead to a Champions League quarter-final final against Atalanta in Lisbon next month.

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has revealed details of their newly-signed sponsorship agreement with BetKing.

The gaming firm and the FKF agreed on a contractual partnership to sponsor the Kenya Premier League (KPL) and after days of intense public debate on the deal, the federation has now moved to make the details public.

The FKF, in a document obtained by Goal, has explained how the sponsorship money will be paid.

“Payment to be made as follows: $120,000 upon or within seven days of the signing of this agreement, $693,334 one month prior to the official kick-off of the season, $693,333 on or before the end of the third month of the season and $ 693,333 on or before the end of the sixth month of the season,” the document read.

“In the subsequent four Premier League seasons, the first instalment will be paid a month before the season kicks-off, the second instalment will arrive at the end of the third month of the season while a third instalment to arrive at the end of the sixth month of the season.”

The document also revealed exclusive rights and obligations the new sponsor will enjoy throughout the agreed timeline of the partnership.

“BetKing will have the exclusive right to be referred to as the ‘FKF Premier League’s Title Sponsor’ and have the exclusive right to be the sole sports betting and title sponsor,” the document continued..

“Ensure that all clubs participating in the BPL wear kits bearing BetKing’s logo on their shirts’ sleeves for both their authentic and replica jerseys and have the right to erect eight pitchside banners in all BPL match venues at its own cost.

“Have the right to display 50% BetKing advertisements and/or logo on every media backdrop, have the exclusive right to activate every BPL venue on each BPL match day.

“Have the right to use images with no less than three players in the BPL clubs, have the right to use clips and still photos, with no less than three players for content generation, and may sponsor the player and coach of the month.

“Have naming rights and bear the agreed costs of the BPL end of the season Gala Night and the BPL Annual Awards.”

The document also stipulated how the agreement may be terminated and how disputes can be solved by the parties.

“This agreement may be terminated; on expiry of the term, if either party suffers a material breach of the agreement and that the termination shall not affect any accrued rights or liabilities of either party,” it concluded.

“Arbitration shall be practised under the laws of England.”

FKF secured the deal before taking over the league as the contract of the KPL Management Limited is expected to expire in September.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has requested Berekum Arsenal president Yakubu Moro to face its Ethics Committee for corruption claims levelled against the football governing body.

The club administrator made his remarks following the GFA's announcement of its intended disbursement plan for the Covid-19 relief fund from Fifa and Caf.

"President of Berekum Arsenals Alhaji Yakubu Moro has been asked to substantiate comments he made in a recent radio interview," the GFA has announced on its official website.

"The Club Administrator is alleged to have stated in an interview with Kumasi-based Light FM that the GFA Executive Council intends to share and "chop" the Fifa and Caf Covid-19 Relief funds.

"The GFA Ethics Committee has initiated investigations into the allegations and has written to Mr. Moro to ascertain the veracity of the allegations.

"Mr. Moro has been asked to submit a written Statement of Defence to the Ethics Committee on or before Monday, July 27, 2020, before 5 pm.

"According to the letter, should Mr. Moro fail to prove his allegations, his comments would be considered as a breach of Article 11(2)(a), (b) & (d) of the GFA Disciplinary Code (2019) and Article 22(2) & (3) of the GFA Code of Ethics (2019).

"Mr. Moro would be requested to appear before the Ethics Committee either physically or via video conferencing at its next sitting if he requests for a personal hearing or he fails to submit a written Statement of Defence."

The published disbursement plan has generated controversy, with some major stakeholders expressing dissatisfaction over some allocations.

"I haven't and will never regret what I said. I have nothing to explain again. I will repeat exactly what I said if I meet the committee," Moro told Otec FM as he prepares to face the GFA.

"I will go to court if the GFA decides to punish me over my comment because I see nothing wrong with what I said.

"The way the GFA disbursed the funds was wrong, they should have met us [the clubs] before."

Ghana League Clubs Association (Ghalca) president Kudjoe Fianoo recently called for broader consultation in the disbursement of the funds, warning a lack of due diligence could "result in a third world war".

Andy Cole says he is not sure what Anthony Martial's favoured position is, and has called on the Manchester United forward to "show more desire and passion" on the pitch.

United snapped Martial up as a teenage prospect while he was on the books of Monaco in 2015, forking out £54 million ($69m) to lure him to Old Trafford.

The Frenchman has since recorded 70 goals and 37 assists in 217 appearances in all competitions, but only showed glimpses of his frightening potential under Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho.

Martial has stepped his game up another level since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's arrival as head coach, having been trusted to lead the line following the departure of Romelu Lukaku.

The former Monaco star has broken the 20-goal barrier for the first time in his career this season, and has been the most prolific frontman in the Premier League since last month's return from lockdown.

The 24-year-old has found the net six times in his last seven top-flight outings, while serving as the focal point in a United side now on the verge of a top-four finish.

Cole isn't getting too carried away with Martial's recent record, though, as he believes the France international has taken far too long to start justifying his hefty price tag.

“We all get caught up in the debate about Martial,” the United legend told The Athletic as he watched United's FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea.

“I’m not sure where he wants to play. He’s played well this season as a centre-forward and has scored more goals this season than any other but he should have scored more than 20 in more than one season.

"He came for big money and he’s very talented. He has to show more desire and passion at times. He’s got good feet and a lovely first touch.

"He’s got blistering pace too but you don’t see it enough. He wants the ball to his feet but he should mix it up a bit more.”

Martial had to be content with a substitute appearance during United's 3-1 defeat to Chelsea on Sunday, but will likely return to Solskjaer's starting XI for a crucial midweek clash with West Ham.

The Red Devils can guarantee Champions League qualification if they earn earn at least a point against West Ham and then avoid defeat to Leicester City on the final day of the season.

Lautaro Martinez has vowed to continue "giving 110 per cent" for Inter and repay the confidence shown in him by Antonio Conte as speculation over a move to Barcelona gathers pace.

The Argentina international has been strongly tipped to swap San Siro for Camp Nou at the end of the season, two years after joining the Italian giants from Racing Club.

Inter chief executive Giuseppe Marotta has stressed the star player is not for sale, with the forward's €110 million (£100m/€130m) release clause expiring earlier this month, and Martinez, who has formed an impressive partnership with Romelu Lukaku this season, has insisted he will give his all for the club as long as he remains an Inter player.

"I am a boy who always fights - for my goals, for those of the team, for the happiness of the fans," he said in Inter's matchday programme ahead of Wednesday's clash with Fiorentina. "I always try to give 110 per cent for this club, for all the people who love it, for the Inter shirt."

Martinez scored 16 goals in all competitions prior to the campaign being halted in March by the coronavirus pandemic but has netted only twice in 10 games since last month's restart.

Conte has repeatedly defended Martinez's form and the 22-year-old is grateful to have the full support of his head coach.

"Conte has given me confidence," he said. "That is a very important and fundamental thing, because he worked on the mentality of each of us. I really appreciate it, every day he makes us grow."

Nothing definite has occurred regarding Lautaro moving from Inter to Barcelona despite months of speculation, although several prominent figures connected to the player have already expressed their opinions that he would be an excellent fit at Camp Nou.

Fabio Radaelli was in interim charge of Racing Club when he signed Lautaro in January 2014, snapping up a raw diamond from Bahia Blanca outfit Liniers.

He told Goal in April: “In Argentina, we feel devotion to Leo [Messi] because he can make everyone play better. Lautaro can grow a lot with him – also because he would have competition with Luis Suarez.

“There could be many combinations between the three of them. Lautaro and Messi played with Aguero for Argentina – I think it would be similar.”

Coach Hossam El Badry says Egypt will not underestimate their opponents in their quest to earn a place in the 2022 Fifa World Cup billed for Qatar.

The seven-time African champions have been drawn in Group F alongside Gabon, Libya and Angola as they chase a fourth appearance at the global football fiesta.

Talking about his side team’s chances of progressing from that group, the 60-year-old who replaced Javier Aguirre after a poor Africa Cup of Nations outing in 2019, told the Fifa website that the Pharaohs will not look down on any team while backing the depth of quality in his squad to pull through.

“It’s certainly a tough section and we can’t take any of our opponents for granted. We’ve recently seen that the gaps between African national teams have shrunk,” he said.

“Every team has progressed thanks to their overseas-based players. I recall that after we won the 2010 Afcon title, we failed to qualify for the next edition despite playing against so-called minnows.

“We currently have quality players based in Europe, so we’re first aiming to go beyond this group stage and reach the final round. Then we’ll be a step closer to realising our World Cup qualification dream and making all Egyptians happy.”

Having ended their 28-year wait at Russia 2018 – where the country got eliminated from the group stage – El Badry is hoping his squad can look at the positives of that experience to achieve their set targets.

“I’ve experienced similar situations in the past. I won the Caf Champions League and local championships, and on each occasion, I wanted to go out the next season and win more titles and face new challenges,” he added.

“This heaps pressure on you sometimes, but we have to make use of that pressure to enhance the players’ confidence and empower them to repeatedly compete so as to attain or go beyond the goals we set ourselves.”

Asked how he hopes to rebuild his team and select his players after a failed expedition at Afcon 2019, the former Al Ahly coach stated the team is open for all, though he claimed the country’s football department has their own role in this regard.

“Our technical team has a system for monitoring all potential players. We evaluate both their technical and physical development,” he continued.

“Every player stands a chance to be selected and I know very well that they all want to put on the national jersey. We’ve already given a chance to some young players and the door will remain open to everyone.

“We want to integrate the promising young players with the seasoned ones.

"In that way we hope to solve a difficult equation: which is to assemble a strong team that can last for a decade, while making sure that we reach and maintain a high level by adapting to [football’s] technical requirements.”

Zlatan Ibrahimovic still remains unsure about his Milan future with just three games remaining this season.

The star striker, 38, scored a brace as Milan beat 10-man Sassuolo 2-1 in Serie A on Tuesday.

While Ibrahimovic is only contracted at Milan until the end of the season, the club announced on Tuesday an extension for head coach Stefano Pioli until 2022.

Ibrahimovic, speaking when still unaware of the Pioli announcement, said he was unsure about his future.

"I still have three games, still 10 days, nobody said anything to me and I don't expect anything else," he said, via Sky Sport Italia.

"There are things that we cannot control, but that seem strange to me, but we are doing great things. We play with great confidence and we believe in what we do."

Milan are unbeaten in 10 games since the season resumed last month, and are now fifth in the table. Ibrahimovic, who has scored eight goals in 17 games this season, praised Milan's form.

"I'm working, I'm fine, the team is fine and doing good things," he said. "When I arrived we are second or third in the standings, it means it is not bad."

Milan are in action again on Friday, when they host high-flying Atalanta.

Few clubs so far have expressed an interest in signing Ibrahimovic, including newly promoted Premier League side Leeds United.

Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani said he had attempted to sign the veteran forward in January, before he moved back to Milan rather than switch to the English second tier Championship. He is now unsure about whether Ibrahimovic would be able to handle the pace of the Premier League.

"Ibrahimovic will certainly be difficult," he said. "We tried to sign him in January, but he chose to join Milan and the deal vanished. Now I think it's too late, the intensity of English football is different."

Serie B newcomers Monza also will not be signing Ibrahimovic ahead of next season. The veteran forward has been linked with a move to the Lombardy club, who won promotion to Italy's second division after being taken over by former Milan president Silvio Berlusconi.

However ex-Rossoneri CEO Adriano Galliani, now on the board of Monza, said: "Our budget will be used to get into Serie A. We won't go crazy, but we will do what's necessary.

"I met with Ibrahimovic last week. There's always a great bond between us, but I think his signing is beyond our reach and the reach of many Serie A clubs."

Mason Greenwood "has the potential to surpass" Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, according to Andy Cole, who thinks the Manchester United starlet is on Wayne Rooney's level.

Greenwood is enjoying a breakout 2019-20 campaign at Old Trafford, during which he has netted 18 goals in 47 appearances across all competitions.

The 18-year-old's latest effort came during a 3-0 win away at Aston Villa on July 9, which saw him become only the second teenager in United's history to score in three consecutive games, emulating a feat achieved by Rooney in the early stages of his career.

Rashford and Martial have both scored four more goals than Greenwood over the course of the season, but most of his appearances came from the substitute's bench before the Premier League was suspended due to the coronavirus crisis.

Since the June 17 resumption, the England international has been a fixture in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's line up, and Cole has talked up his talents ahead of the Red Devils' penultimate game of the season against West Ham.

The former United striker believes Greenwood is currently on track to follow in the footsteps of the club's all-time record goalscorer Rooney, and told The Athletic: “[He is] a special talent. He’ll get better and better.

"He scores with his left foot and right foot. He has the potential to surpass Marcus and Anthony.I’m not even sure if he’s that fast but 16 goals at 18 is incredible. When I was his age, I wasn’t close to Arsenal’s first team.

"This is Wazza (Wayne Rooney) level. He wasn’t even expected to be in the team this season.”

Cole went on to express his belief that Rashford still has plenty of room left to improve before reaching an elite level, while insisting that he should strive for the same level of consistency as Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe.

“I like Marcus, but he’s not a centre-forward. He has to find consistency, which should come with age. Some players at his age already have it, like Mbappe," he said.

“When Marcus is on form, like at [Crystal] Palace the other night, he can get that kind of goal. He’s good running at people when he’s confident. I want to see him be a little bit braver, too. He’s six foot. He’s got the attributes to dominate in the air.”

Cole also reflected on United's FA Cup semi-final defeat at the hands of Chelsea, pointing to their lack of movement in the final third as a cause for concern.

He added: “When Man United pick the ball up in midfield, strikers have come short or go long. Nobody is making the run to get in behind. Martial has pace to burn, Marcus too, and it’s the main asset for Daniel James. Use it.”

Mere participation in the Premier League is highly rewarding from a financial perspective, with each of the division's 20 clubs getting a considerable slice of the money pie.

However, the 2019-20 season has been complicated by the coronavirus pandemic and the three-month postponement that occurred from March until June.

Disruption to the normal broadcast schedule has the potential to severely impact the available prize money, with industries across the world feeling the reverberations of lockdown.

So, what will Premier League winners Liverpool and, indeed, the rest of the clubs get in prize money this extraordinary season?

How much will the 2019-20 Premier League winners earn?

Winning the Premier League brings with it all sorts of concomitant financial rewards, but the immediate prize for the champions is currently in the region of £150 million ($182m).

However, that is expected to change for 2019-20, with revenues predicted to fall in the aftermath of the worldwide lockdown measures imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19.

It had been feared, when the idea of cancelling the season was a real possibility, that clubs would have to hand back or miss out on a significant sum of prize money.

Prize money is drawn from broadcast revenue - TV money - and a team's monetary health come the end of the season depends on how many televised games they are involved in, as well as their final position.

You can get an idea of how the broadcast money is divided among the teams in the table for the 2018-19 season below.

Premier League 2018-19 prize money

With a rough gap of around £2m ($2.43m) between places in the league, even the most innocuous of results can tip the scales in favour of one mid-table team finishing noticeably richer than the other.

While each club earned a minimum of approximately £82m in TV money for their troubles in the Premier League in 2018-19, the 'facility fees' and merit payments were variable from team to team.

For example, in the 2018-19 season, City picked up just under £38.4m ($46.7m) for finishing first in merit payments, while Liverpool's second place earned them £36.5m ($44.4m) .

However, the Reds earned more overall than the champions thanks to their involvement in a greater number of TV games - 29 to City's 26, so three more to be precise.

Premier League prize money breakdown

The Premier League broke down their central broadcast revenues as follows in 2018-19:

The change in the Premier League's broadcast deals for 2019-20 onwards was initially expected to see an overall rise of around £180m ($219m), give or take, though it is unclear if that will be the case now. 

Curiously, domestic income was actually down for the latest batch of contracts, with increased finance from foreign broadcasters instead contributing to the larger fiscal outlook.

In addition, the new injection of revenue from overseas will not, as it historically has been, be split equally between the 20 teams.

Instead, it will follow the pattern of the merit payments, and will be allocated in line with finishing position.

In theory, this will hand a significant increase in finance to the top clubs from 2019-20 onwards, though teams are still set to receive a fair equal share of overall fiscal income.

With revenues from ticket sales set to be down across the board for clubs due to the public-health-led decision to play games behind closed doors, this prize money - whatever it may be - will be crucial.

Real Madrid have opened talks with Bayer Leverkusen over loaning them 18-year-old Brazilian wonderkid Reinier, with the Bundesliga club potentially looking for a replacement for Chelsea-linked Kai Havertz.

Reinier - who finished fourth place in Goal's NxGn 2020 list of the best young talents in world football - joined Madrid from Flamengo in January 2020 and spent the remainder of the 2019-20 season with the club's Castilla squad.

The Liga club are looking at providing him with more first-team exposure next season, however, and see a loan move to the Bundesliga as being ideal for his development.

Indeed, Leverkusen could well lose star man Havertz in the summer, with Chelsea having been in talks with the Germany international, who is keen to make the switch to Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are yet to have reached an agreement on a final fee with Peter Bosz's side, however, as Leverkusen hold out for a figure in the region of €100m (£90m/$111m), while Chelsea are hoping to negotiate a lower fee.

Seeing Havertz, who has been one of the stars of the Bundesliga in the 2019-20 campaign, leave the club would represent a significant blow, although Reinier's arrival would be something of a coup.

The teenager is seen as one of the stars of the future and helped Flamengo win the domestic title in Brazil in 2019, while he was also part of their successful Copa Libertadores-winning squad.

He made the big move to Madrid in January 2020, although has not yet been fully integrated into the first-team, instead making three appearances for the Castilla side, scoring two goals and claiming one assist.

Should they complete the loan signing of Reinier, Leverkusen would also be able to offer him European football, with Bosz's side having qualified for the Europa League after finishing fifth in the table.

Madrid feel that a switch to Germany would provide an excellent tactical and technical experience for Reinier, who at just 18 has had little experience outside of Brazil, where he spent his youth career with the likes of Vasco, Botafogo and Fluminense prior to joining Flamengo in 2014.

Real Valladolid - who have legendary Brazil striker Ronaldo in place as their majority owner - had also been interested in a temporary deal for the midfielder, however, it appears Leverkusen are now set to win the race for his signature.

Aristide Bance has announced his retirement from international football after a 17-year career with the Burkina Faso national team.

The Horoya forward, who made his debut in 2003, has earned 79 caps for the Stallions, scoring 24 goals.

He is the country’s third most-capped player and second-highest scorer of all time, but has chosen to hang up his international boots at the age of 35.

Famous for his towering height, Bance featured in four Africa Cup of Nations finals – winning silver and bronze in the 2013 and 2017 editions, respectively.

He played a significant role in the South Africa 2013 edition as Burkina Faso lost out on the title by a whisker to Stephen Keshi’s Super Eagles – with his only goal in that tournament coming in the semi-final against Ghana at Nelspruit’s Mbombela Stadium.

He made his decision known during his meeting with the President of the West African nation on Tuesday.

“I had the honour of being received by His Excellency Mr. Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, President of Faso,” Bance wrote on his Facebook page.

“As the captain of the national stallion team, I wanted to show him my gratitude for all he does for Burkinabe football.

“I also took advantage of these moments to officially announce to him my intention to end my international career, the end of my adventure with the Burkina stallions and definitively give him my lucky number “15”.

“It was a pride for me to wear the colours of the national team. We had rough and good times. We shook together two beautiful African Cup of Nations crowned with a silver (2013) and a bronze (2017). These moments will forever be the best of my life.”

He began his professional career at Cote d’Ivoire’s Stade d'Abidjan before teaming up with Athletic Adjame and later RFC Daoukro.

He moved to Santos Burkina in 2003 – where he was snapped up by Belgian top-flight side Lokeren. After three seasons at Daknamstadion, Metalurh Donetsk was his next destination, albeit, he was loaned to Germinal Beerschot and Kickers Offenbach.

In 2008, he was signed by Mainz. There, he scored 24 times in 62 games over two seasons with the German team.

He also boasts of spells at Al-Ahli Dubai, Umm-Salal, Samsunspor, FC Augsburg, Fortuna Dusseldorf, HJK Helsinki, Irtysh Pavlodar, Chippa United, Riga, Asec Mimosas, Al-Masry, US des Forces Armees before moving to Guinea club Horoya - his 22nd team - in 2019.

Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula has called for Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed’s resignation a perceived failure to deal with transparency issues at the Football Kenyan Federation (FKF).

Shimanyula said Mohamed ought to have released an audit report concerning the KSh244 million that was allocated to the Harambee Stars for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals.

“[Amina] Mohamed should be straightforward on the promise she made on auditing the accounts of FKF. Recently, she told us the audit report was ready and was about to be released,” Shimanyula told Goal.

“She should go home if she cannot solve the issues.”

The Homeboyz top official also asked the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) to make it clearer whether FKF president Nick Mwendwa should continue to remain in office.

The SDT, in a previous ruling, said Mwendwa was to remain at the office although the National Executive Committee members were ordered out as their term of office had ended.

“Then the SDT chairman [John Ohaga] should also come straight and tell us whether Mwendwa should be in the office or not. If it is no, then how did he sign the BetKing deal when he has no NEC members in the office?” added Shimanyula.

In an earlier interview, Mwendwa stated the FKF have always been ready for their accounts to be audited with regard to the use of the money allocated for Afcon.

Mwendwa, who has been summoned before by the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) before, claimed his opponents are placing stumbling blocks on his re-election bid by raising questions over the KSh244 million.

“I have been at DCI four times and I was there just to answer questions that were raised concerning our Afcon money by some complainants. I have not been told who the actual complainants are but I answered their questions nonetheless,” Mwendwa said at the time.

“But anyway, I know these people are doing it in the hope that Mwendwa will be arrested because their only way to victory is when Mwendwa will not be in the ballot. I know they will not stop sending files to the DCI.

“FKF is very transparent but some people are never satisfied as they will keep questioning every move we make as a federation.

“The whole aim is to eliminate me, get me away from football and the only way to do it is by getting me charged. They want to paint an image of a corrupt Mwendwa but they will not distract me.”

The millions budgeted for the Harambee Stars became an area of contention between the former Sports Permanent Secretary Peter Kaberia and Mwendwa.

In November 2019, FKF prepared their report on the use of the funds but the Sports Ministry then found the report lacking and unable to answer concrete questions. 

The Ministry went on to hand over the report to the Auditor General for a further probe.

Only Sofapaka failed to show up for a meeting to discuss modalities of the new sponsorship signed between the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and BetKing.

The meeting was held on Wednesday via Zoom and was chaired by FKF president Nick Mwendwa and CEO Barry Otieno.

According to a Goal source, who attended the meeting, Sofapaka were the only club missing as the federation went further to ask for bank accounts from the various clubs.

The teams which attended include AFC Leopards, Wazito FC, Posta Rangers, Kariobangi Sharks, Gor Mahia, Tusker, Kakamega Homeboyz, Ulinzi Stars, Nairobi City Stars, KCB, Zoo FC, Bidco Units, Nzoia, Western Stima, Kisumu All-Stars, Mathare United and Bandari.

On Tuesday, Sofapaka president Elly Kalekwa had assured Goal that Batoto ba Mungu will be represented at the meeting.

“I really want to make sure that I attend the meeting and get to know more about the sponsorship, you know I am the chairman of sponsorship in KPL and I was not consulted when FKF signed the deal, so it will be prudent to ask hard questions and I hope we will get the answers,” Kalekwa told Goal.

Meanwhile, the clubs have been asked to remit their bank accounts to the federation as they wait to receive the first batch of payment from the sponsors.

A letter seen by Goal and sent to the clubs stated: “Further to the zoom meeting with the FKF President today [Wednesday], in regards to the BetKing Premier League Sponsorship, please find an attached summary of the FKF Premier League contract and a letter of undertaking for you to duly fill in to enable the federation to process the first batch of payments to your club,” stated the letter seen by Goal and signed by CEO Otieno.

“Feel free to reach out to me should you need to visit FKF and go through the contract, which has not been shared with yourselves for the purpose of maintaining the confidentiality of both parties.

“Thank you for taking note and for your continued support.”

Meanwhile, Ulinzi Stars chairman Eric Oloo has been picked to lead the transitional interim committee.

Goal understands Oloo will work with four other officials namely Dan Shikanda of AFC Leopards, Ken Ochieng of Zoo, and Robert Maoga of Sharks.

“Oloo will be in charge of the committee which will help to transform KPL Premier league to FKF Premier league,” the source, who attended the meeting revealed to Goal.

Liverpool youngster Harvey Elliott has football skill and knowledge "bubbling out of his ears" and will become a huge part of the Premier League champions' first team picture in the future, according to Reds assistant manager Peter Krawietz.

Jurgen Klopp's No 2 has helped oversee Liverpool's run to their first English top-flight title for 30 years this season, with a strong first team including stars such as Virgil van Dijk, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah sweeping all before them.

Liverpool have a number of promising young players coming through as well, including 17-year-old winger Elliott, who Krawietz has earmarked for the very top thanks to his personality and ability.

Speaking exclusively to Goal and SPOX, Krawietz said: "We are very optimistic that we will be able to accompany his path successfully so that he will become a valuable member of the professional team in the foreseeable future. He has a great character and already offers a great soccer package. The football understanding bubbles out of his ears."

Liverpool have been well ahead of the Premier League pack all season long, and kept their concentration after the three-month hiatus in the season due to coronavirus to confirm their place as champions in the 2019-20 campaign.

Krawietz says he used the unexpected mid-season break productively, looking at a number of Liverpool's games in forensic detail, which he says has provided him and the coaching staff with knowledge that will help the team be even more formidable next campaign.

He said: "Above all, I reflected on our work processes, thought about our game and documented it. I looked at a series of two or three games in great detail. Sometimes I spent several days with a game: rewinding and fast forward and thinking about in detail why which situations happened.

"From this, something fundamental has now emerged that we want to use in the coming months. It's mainly about details and small adjustments around our game principles. I've been trying, so to speak, to turn ideas into insights so that we can take the next small step."

Liverpool's rivals are already plotting how to catch the Reds in 2020-21, and Krawietz thinks London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal will provide stiff opposition after improving this season, while he also confessed his admiration for Graham Potter's work at Brighton and Hove Albion.

He added: "I see first and foremost some teams that are in the process of developing their footballing skills. What has happened at Chelsea over the course of the season makes it clear that they will be a really good side.

"Arsenal, too, despite the difficult season, have already seen that they will benefit from the work under Mikel Arteta in the future.

"Or Brighton: although they were in the relegation battle, they still took a very football-oriented approach to the game. As a coach, I think it's really cool when you follow your plan so consistently, even if the results don't come straight away."

Manchester United will soon be ready to compete for the Premier League title, says Nemanja Matic.

The Red Devils have re-emerged as an elite force in 2020, having been boosted by the January arrival of €55 million (£50m/$63m) midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side were unable to string a consistent run of wins together in the first half of the season, but a 19-match unbeaten streak saw them climb back up the Premier League table while progressing in the FA Cup and Europa League.

That impressive sequence came to an end when they were beaten 3-1 by Chelsea in an FA Cup semi-final clash at Wembley on Sunday, but United still have plenty to play for in the final weeks of the campaign.

Champions League qualification will be secured if they pick up at least four points from their final two fixtures against West Ham and Leicester, before preparations begin for the second leg of their Europa League last 16 tie against LASK next month.

Matic doesn't think United are too far away from challenging Liverpool and Manchester City for Premier League supremacy, after making great strides forwards as a team over the past 12 months. 

"I think we are improving every day, game by game, step by step," the Red Devils midfielder told Sky Sports. "I have to say that there is big difference between the beginning of the season and now - in a positive way, of course.

"If we add 30 per cent more on top of that, we will be ready to compete for the Premier League title. Soon, I think we will be ready to compete with anyone."

Matic added on the impact Fernandes has had on the United squad since his winter move from Sporting CP: "He's a great player. I think we all appreciate that he is with us. He has a lot of quality in his legs and he brings something extra to our team. He's going to be a very important player in the future of Manchester United.

"We try to have a good connection on the pitch, especially because when the team recovers the ball, we have to find the players in front of us as soon as possible.

"We need to always find that connection and at the moment it's working really well. Of course, we know it didn't go so well in the Chelsea game, but we have to accept that and respond against West Ham."

Granit Xhaka has questioned Arsenal's mentality in the wake of their 10th Premier League defeat of the season at Aston Villa on Tuesday.

Trezeguet's first-half strike was enough to give Villa a 1-0 home victory against Arsenal, who suffered a hangover of sorts after last week's wins over Liverpool and Manchester City.

Mikel Arteta's men defeated the newly-crowned champions of England before knocking City out of the FA Cup, but failed to reach the same heights at Villa Park.

The result leaves Arsenal languishing down in 10th in the table after 37 fixtures, meaning they are now destined to finish outside of the top six for the first time in 25 years.

Xhaka came on as a second-half substitute against Villa, and was left bemoaning the team's failure to fight for all three points with Europa League qualification still on the line.

The Gunners midfielder told reporters post-match: “In my opinion, you can’t come here and play like this. It’s not good enough and you can’t play with this mentality.

“It was not enough to take something from today, and we knew if we won today, the last game if we won as well we could have got into the Europa League.

"But now we have to win the FA Cup and we have more pressure. But we will do everything to win the FA Cup now.

“Yes, we have a gameplan and we know they (Aston Villa) are very strong on set-pieces, but we did too many fouls near our box, too many corners against them and we didn’t play our gameplan.

"They were more aggressive than us and deserved it.”

Arteta admitted that Arsenal have fallen way below expectations this season after their latest defeat, as he stated: "It has to hurt and we have to suffer, it's not good enough for this club.

"We need to improve in many areas, the team and individually."

The Gunners can still secure a place in the Europa League for next season if they beat Chelsea in the FA Cup final on August 1.

Arteta must first pick his players up for a meeting with Watford at Emirates Stadium on Sunday, which marks their final top-flight outing of the 2019-20 campaign.

Rwanda international Haruna Niyonzima has been ruled out of action for the next five months.

The Young Africans (Yanga SC) playmaker picked up an injury during their Mainland Premier League match against Biashara United but aggravated it further when he played against rivals Simba SC in the FA Cup.

While Yanga coach Luc Eymael confirmed to Goal the player, alongside Mapinduzi Balama, will miss the remaining two matches as a precaution measure, it has now emerged that Niyonzima will not be ready even for the start of the new season.

“It is very unfortunate that we will be without him [Haruna] for up to five months, he will not be back on the field until next year,” Eymael is quoted by New Times.

“Sad as it is, he should now only focus on his recovery, and we hope he will come back stronger.”

On Wednesday, Eymael confirmed to Goal he will miss eight key players for their league match against Mtibwa Sugar.

Apart from Niyonzima and Balama, the other players missing out owing to injury and other factors include Ally Ally, Andrew Vincent, Eric Kabamba, Ramadhan Kabwili, Papy Tshishimbi, and Raphael Daud.

“We have eight players who will miss the clash, of course, it is not good to miss your key players especially at this time when we want to finish the season in the second position, but I think we will use those who are fit and available,” Eymael told Goal.

Yanga will, however, welcome back keeper Farouk Shikalo, who missed the last match against Mwadui FC, owing to a hand injury.

“Shikalo is back, he has been training well and he is in the squad for the fixture, I don’t know if he will start but it is good to have him in the squad," Eymael confirmed.

Yanga are fighting to finish second on the 20-team league table after missing the chance to get a direct ticket to Caf Confederation Cup when they lost 4-1 to rivals Simba in the FA Cup semi-final.

The team arrived in Morogoro on Monday ready for the clash against Mwadui.