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Frank Lampard believes his Chelsea players are simply not dominant enough in the air to defend or attack well at set-pieces, and they may have to address the issue in the transfer market.

Chelsea suffered a 3-2 defeat to local rivals West Ham at the London Stadium on Wednesday when Tomas Soucek twice had the ball in the net from set-pieces, with the first controversially ruled out by VAR.

The Blues have conceded the highest proportion of goals from corners in the Premier League this season, and although they have a higher average height than six other teams in the league, they appear to be the worst equipped to deal with set-pieces.

Having signed both RB Leipzig's Timo Werner and Ajax's Hakim Ziyech, Lampard's side are in the market for defenders, with Leicester City's Ben Chilwell as a primary target.

They could also sign a central defender, having recently shown an interest in West Ham's Declan Rice - who can also play in midfield - and Bournemouth's Nathan Ake.

Chelsea have long been targeted for their inability to defend set-pieces and Lampard confirms that he thinks the issue is with the players themselves.

"We spoke after the game," Lampard told reporters. "We’ve looked at set-pieces this season. When we came into the club, we looked at the stats from last season. Last season, we were bottom of the league defending set-plays, in terms of teams getting big chances against us, and second bottom in attacking.

"So we looked at that. It’s not just a reference to last season because we haven’t improved much this year.

"If you look at personnel, and I really don’t like to talk about my own playing days, but we didn’t work much at all on set-pieces, certain managers more than others, and there were a few reasons, mainly John Terry, Gary Cahill, Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and Branislav Ivanovic.

"So you’d stick it in an area and they would defend it or score goals. Similarly with Liverpool, I remember a lot of talk about them and set-pieces a few seasons ago. They were zonal and conceding a lot. They signed Virgil van Dijk and he heads out everything that comes in the box.

"So there’s a huge relation to personnel. If you don’t have that size across the team, the main thing is trying to compete as hard as you can and making it difficult for other teams to score. There’s no doubt and I’m not making excuses because we haven’t done that well enough on the pitch and that has to improve.

"When you look at who you might bring in with the balance of the squad, in the modern day, it is certainly something to take into account when you’re looking at recruitment. Defensively, the players that are here now I have to focus on.

"What happens in the summer will be what happens. I don’t want to talk too far ahead. It’s not the right thing to do. We’ve got a strong group and we’ve got a job to do. We will sit down and look at it in the summer."

Arguably, goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is part of his side's weakness at set-plays and he faced some criticism for his inability to stop the two crosses reaching the far post to Soucek.

Lampard didn't want to highlight the performances of Kepa amid speculation that both he and the club are looking to move on their £72 million ($92m) signing from Athletic Club.

"I’m not going to talk about any potential, what we may do at the end of the season or not," he continued. "I’m going to focus on what we have got in front of us. With Kepa, there’s been a lot spoken about him this season.

"All I want from him, as I want from all the players, is the right mentality and attitude in approaching the games. I’m absolutely certain I’m going to get that from all of them because I can feel the group at the minute, and they are in that position and he will try and do his job as well as he can do.

"I’m happy with him and that’s how we keep working. That’s the end. I’m not going to keep talking about what may be at the end of the season."

Chelsea now prepare for a match at Stamford Bridge against relegation candidates Watford on Saturday night. The game will mark Lampard's one-year anniversary since it was announced that he would return to manage the club where he enjoyed huge success as a player.

Lampard spoke of how both he and his side have developed during his year in charge as they continue to compete for a spot in the Champions League next season.

He said: "We’ve progressed in the way I want us to play and the style we want to play. When you’re a manager and you come in you have to work very hard at that and there have been some real signs in games where I’ve been really happy with what I’ve seen. In others, not so much.

"I think the expectation at the start of the season, I think even from myself, knowing we lost Eden [Hazard] and the input he had individually at the club was huge, and how do we work around that? I think we’ve found good ways to work around that, I think the development of the youth, the performances of some of the senior players, the way we’re trying to play, I do feel that.

"When I sense from the fans what they want, I always want to improve and we’re nowhere near the finished article where we want to be, but we have found really good levels at times.

"I also understand the second part where you say you will be next, ‘Ok, now we’re going to challenge’, because we’re going up against, if not the two best club teams in the world, then they’re very close to that.

"They’ve worked hard over a big period, they’ve trained well and recruited well, so we may find the curve looks slightly different. We have to fight against that and try and close the gap as quickly as we can in whatever way we can as a club.

"My job on the training pitch is to work to close that gap as quickly as I can. That’s where we’re at. I’m pretty pleased, I’m always a perfectionist and I always want more. I’m pretty pleased but it means nothing if we don’t finish off the season well.

"These next games until the end of the season are huge for us to try and say we’re pleased at the end of the season, because if we get in the Champions League spots then, of course, I will be very, very pleased."

Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga says he wasn’t overly fazed when he was dropped by Frank Lampard earlier this season.

The Spaniard missed four Premier League games in January and February, replaced in the starting XI by Willy Caballero after a string of unconvincing performances.

Lampard clearly expected more from the world’s most expensive goalkeeper, signed from Athletic Club for £72 million ($92m) two years ago.

Kepa returned to the side for Chelsea’s last game before lockdown, and has kept his place since – though he hasn’t yet kept a clean sheet since the season resumed.

"The manager is there to choose what he considers the best XI," Kepa told Sky Sports News.

"Whenever you are left out of the side, you take it in the spirit it is intended. You put it down to experience, a fresh experience in your life, and you just keep working hard.

"I'm ambitious and I've always had the attitude that through hard work and training hard you are ready for the next challenge."

Chelsea were shocked 3-2 by West Ham in their last game, but there remains a sense of optimism around the club.

Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech will arrive before next season, while the Blues are in talks with Willian over a new contract for the Brazilian.

Lampard is hoping his side can begin to challenge Liverpool and Manchester City, and Kepa harbours the same ambition.

"Let's hope we are talking in a year's time and that we are candidates to challenge those two teams,” he said.

"We have a great squad and we have a great manager. We can't deny the gap, in points, between us and the top two, but I'm confident we can close that gap next season.

"We know we need to improve, but it is a hope we all have. There's a confidence that it is possible.

“We feel strong mentally and very fit physically, and we hope for an end of season that is great, positive and can be celebrated.

"There's a good spirit about how we've been playing. And individually I feel good. I want to help the team achieve its targets."

Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago may be looking for a fresh challenge away from the Bundesliga, according to club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

The 29-year-old, formerly of Barcelona, has been linked with a move to Liverpool in recent weeks, with his contract at Bayern set to expire next summer.

Rummenigge confirmed Bayern have been in contract talks with Thiago, but he seemed to suggest that the discussions have so far come to nothing.

“He is a top boy on and off the pitch,” Rummenigge told Bild.

“We had serious negotiations with him and fulfilled all of his wishes. But it looks like he might want to do something new again at the end of his career.

“We have never had any contact with Liverpool. If he wants to do that, we have to deal with it.

“We don’t want to lose a player for free next year. I say that very clearly.”

Rummenigge expanded on the situation in an interview with Sport1, also commenting on the future of David Alaba.

Like Thiago, Alaba is out of contract next year and he has been linked with a number of clubs – including a reunion with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

“Everything seemed fixed [with Thiago],” Rummenigge added.

“Hasan [Salihamidzic, sporting director] has had discussions with his advisor. We had the impression that all the conditions were okay so far. Now he is obviously dealing with doing something new again. Let's just wait and see.

“Both are top guys, on and off the pitch. We now have to try to find a solution that is financially acceptable to us. We know that both players have a contract for one year.”

Bayern completed the signing of Leroy Sane on Friday from Manchester City, but Rummenigge confirmed that Kai Havertz of Bayer Leverkusen wouldn’t be following him.

“I'll be very clear: Financially speaking, we won’t be able to transfer Havertz this year," he said.

“All of European football, Bayern included, are currently facing major financial challenges for as long as it is not possible to play in front of spectators again.

“It’s a decision that Bayer Leverkusen and the player have to make [whether he leaves].

“To be honest, I would also like for Havertz to stay in Leverkusen for at least another year, because we want to have competition.”

Kaizer Chiefs striker Samir Nurkovic is itching for a return to the pitch after over three months of training alone in the comfort of his home. 

Amakhosi players are expected to report for training next week having submitted all the documents needed by the PSL for the go-ahead. 

"I am definitely looking forward to training. It has been a while since I last trained with the ball. As a professional, you cannot wait to get back on the pitch and do what is relevant to your passion of playing the game," Nurkovic told the Chiefs website. 

The 28-year-old is aware that it won't be easy for the players to replicate the same fitness they had before the coronavirus outbreak hit the country in March. 

However, he's hoping the technical team will help them cope with the difficulty of getting back to their best. 

"At the end of the season, we normally have just one month off but now it has been three months of no proper training," he continued. 

"This means as we resume training, we need to be cautious. We will be guided by the technical team and coaching staff as we ease our way back. It will be crucial for us to be mentally tough in the days ahead.:

The Serbian marksman admitted it would be difficult for Chiefs players to play in front of an empty stadium when the season resumes but said the supporters will be in their hearts every time they take to the pitch. 

"We are in a difficult situation right now. I do feel that when we start again, we can bring joy to the fans once again and help the current situation somewhat," Nurkovic added.

"It will be strange to play in an empty stadium without the energy of our fans who have been tremendous this season but we will continue to play with them in our hearts and hopefully, we end the season in a positive way."

The forward further believes the implementation of five substitutes will be of great help to the players and teams. 

Chiefs have been top of the log since August 2019, and Nurkovic said the club wants to win as many matches as possible to prove that their great form wasn't a fluke.  

"I have watched the English Premier League and La Liga. I have noticed how some of the players are unable to complete a full 90 minutes and things like having extra substitutions have helped," concluded Nurkovic.  

"We want to show people that we are not top of the league accidentally. We will continue to work hard for each other and ensure that we make Amakhosi family happy with our performances and results."

Yakare Niakate has joined the French second division side US Orleans from local rivals US Saint-Malo for the new 2020-21 season.

The Mali international enjoyed an outstanding campaign with the Chateau-Malo-based outfit before the coronavirus outbreak forced the 2019-2020 season cancellation in April.

The 23-year-old, who was born to Malian parents in Vernon, France has also previously enjoyed brief stints at Soyaux and Brest.

On the international scene, she played three matches for Mali as they qualify for the semi-final of the Africa Women's Cup of Nations for the first time in their history at the 2018 edition in Ghana. 

Ahead of her switch, she took to social media to bid farewell to the management and fans of the Britanny club, which she helped to finish third with 29 points from 16 matches last term.

"A page turns with the US Saint-Malo," Niakate wrote on her official Facebook account.

"I thank the whole club for this beautiful and short season that was new. It was with passion and pleasure that I wore the colours of the club. See you soon."

Confirming her signing, Orleans expressed its pleasure of securing the services of the Malian ahead of the new season.

"The US Orléans is pleased to announce that the Malian international Yakare Niakate as defender has signed up for the 2020-2021 season with US Orléans! Welcome Yakare," the club wrote on Facebook.

Naikate's arrival firmed up the desires of Orleans to push further for a promotion place after finishing sixth with 26 points last season.

Cypriot First Division outfit Doxa Katokopias have announced the signing of former AC Milan and Marseille defender Taye Taiwo on a one-year contract.

Taiwo recently played in the Finnish top-flight with RoPS during the 2019 season where he scored a goal in 27 league matches.

The renowned left-back, who started his professional career at Nigeria Professional Football League side Lobi Stars, has enjoyed a nomadic career across Europe, playing in England, Italy, France, Turkey, Switzerland and Finland.

Doxa ended the 2019-20 Cypriot First Division season at the base of the table after the league was abandoned due to the coronavirus pandemic in May.

No title was an award and no teams were relegated, however, Taiwo's signing comes as a defensive reinforcement for Costas Sakkas's side after their disappointing campaign where they lost 15 of their 23 league games.

“The Association, Doxa Katokopia announce the start of co-operation with the Nigerian football player Taye Taiwo,” the club announced.

“He chose to fight with the number 33. We welcome Taye Taiwo to the Doxa family and wish him every success.”

The 2006 Caf Young Player of the Year started his European career with Marseille at the age of 20 in 2005 where he won the Ligue 1 title and the French League Cup during his six years at the club.

He moved to AC Milan in May 2011, but he was unable to secure regular first-team action at the club which forced him to switch to QPR on a short-term loan in January 2012.

The 35-year-old continued his loan sojourn at Dynamo Kyiv for the 2012-13 season before he left Milan for Bursaspor on a three-year contract in the summer of 2013.

Taiwo spent two years in the Turkish Super Lig club before teaming up with Finnish outfit HJK in 2015 where he spent a year.

He had brief stints at Swiss club Lausanne-Sport and Swedish outfit AFC Eskilstuna before returning to Finland to join RoPS in 2018.

Former Nigeria international Florence Omagbemi has lauded the decision of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) to launch the Women's Champions League for domestic clubs in Africa.

Following a virtual conference on Tuesday, the Caf Executive Committee announced plans to launch the continental women's club competition, which will start in 2021.

This development is coming seven months after the African football ruling body approved a four-year women's football strategic blueprint launched at a workshop in Egypt last November. 

A workshop Omagbemi was invited for but missed due to her engagements at her base in the United States, although she put forward her recommendations, which included the Champions League.

The Nigeria legend, who made the Caf Coach of the Year 2017 shortlist after the 2016 Africa Women's Cup of Nations win, believes the event will offer a financial boost and exposure to local players.

“I am really excited that CAF bought the idea,” Omagbami told Nigerian newspaper, Guardian.

“I am sure the introduction of a CAF Champions League will accelerate the growth of women football in Africa.

"Some Nigerian clubs like Rivers Angels, Delta Queens, Pelican Stars, Nasarawa Amazons and Bayelsa Queens can now look forward to a continental challenge at the end of the year. 

"The same thing goes to their counterparts in Ghana, Cameroun, South Africa, Equatorial Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire. 

"It will also boost their financial status and strengthen the players for bigger challenges."

Omagbemi played for the Super Falcons from 1998 to 2004, winning four Africa Women's Cup of Nations titles and went on to win the same event as a coach, edging the hosts Cameroon in 2016.

Lionel Messi could be tempted by a reunion with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, according to Rivaldo, amid fresh speculation about his future at Camp Nou.

Spanish radio outlet Cadena SER reported on Thursday that Messi will see out his current contract at Barca and leave in 2021.

Messi leaving Barcelona remains unlikely despite the turmoil around the club at the moment but, if he were to decide on an exit, plenty of clubs would be interested.

Man City have been linked in the past, and the former Barca forward Rivaldo believes he could easily make the switch to the Premier League.

“If he is considering leaving the club, then something mustn’t be good in the Barcelona dressing room and perhaps he is tired with all the constant problems that have surrounded the club in the last few months,” Rivaldo told Betfair.

“When Messi’s contract ends, he will be 34, but with his class I think he could still easily play in Premier League.

“It will be sad to see him leaving Barcelona once his contract ends eventually, but I still hope that he can stay for now.

“Despite his connection to the club, he has the right to move if he wants and reuniting with Pep Guardiola at City will be tempting for him, as the two of them formed a great coach and player partnership at Barca.”

Another potential destination which has been touted for Messi is Juventus.

In Turin, he could fulfil the wildest dreams of plenty of football fans by lining up alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

Alternatively, Messi could replace the Portuguese, who by the summer of 2021 will be 36 and could be looking for a new challenge.

“With all this speculation, I believe that some agents are already dreaming about a Messi-Ronaldo double at Juventus and how big it will be around the globe,” Rivaldo said.

“If that happened there would be a world ‘boom', and I believe Juventus would quickly recover any investment on the Argentinian thanks to the boost they would get from visibility and marketing.

“It would be historical to see both playing together and I’m sure many Juve sponsors would love to help financially, so, it’s also a possibility for Messi.

“If there are rumours about his exit, then of course every club will be thinking about how they can sign him.

“That said, the two best players in the world for the past 10 years playing at the same club would be massive.”

Alvaro Morata scored twice as Atletico Madrid maintained their unbeaten run since the resumption of LaLiga, easing to a 3-0 victory over Real Mallorca at the Wanda Metropolitano. 

Diego Simeone's in-form side followed up Tuesday's impressive performance in the 2-2 draw at Barcelona by brushing aside relegation-threatened opponents, in the process strengthening their position inside the top four. 

Morata made the most of Mallorca players encroaching too soon into the penalty area to score his first from the spot, VAR giving him a reprieve after Manolo Reina had saved his initial effort. 

Mallorca’s captain guessed correctly with the re-taken spot-kick too, yet Morata had enough height on his strike to beat the goalkeeper and move into double figures for league goals this season. 

The striker had missed an earlier opening as Aleti started impressively, while both Yannick Carrasco and Joao Felix failed to hit the target with excellent opportunities before the opener arrived in the 29th minute.  

Mallorca had thrashed nearest rivals Celta Vigo 5-1 at home in midweek and had their moments in attack before the break, Takefusa Kubo looking particularly bright.

However, any hope of the visitors claiming a bonus in the capital disappeared when Atleti doubled their advantage in added time at the end of the first half, the excellent Marcos Llorente - lining up on the right wing - crossing low for Morata to tap in at the back post.

Scoring just prior to the break allowed Atleti to coast through the second half, though they did add to their tally. 

Captain Koke seized on a weak clearing header to get away a strike that took a heavy deflection off Antonio Raillo, wrong-footing the helpless Reina.

What does it mean? From Atleti-low to riding high

It is now five wins and two draws for Simeone's squad since they returned to action in the middle of June, a run of form that has eased concerns about finishing outside the Champions League places.

His decision to use Llorente - viewed more as a holding midfielder when he signed from Real Madrid –  in an advanced position has been a masterstroke, with the 25-year-old catching the eye again out wide having also played recently as a secondary striker.

While the surge comes too late to mount a title challenge, things are looking up for Atletico. That is not the case for 18th-placed Mallorca, though, as they now have just four games left to try and retain their top-flight status.

Marcos makes his mark 

Morata will take the headlines with his first-half brace, yet Llorente produced the eye-catching performance. He completed over 93 per cent of his attempted passes and created two opportunities.

Little to celebrate for Joao Felix

It has been a testing first season at Atleti for Joao Felix. On the one-year anniversary of his big-money move from Benfica, the Portuguese forward fluffed his lines in front of goal, failing to hit the target with his three attempts before being replaced after just 54 minutes.

What's next? 

Atleti take on another team in relegation trouble on Tuesday, heading on the road to face Celta Vigo. Mallorca, meanwhile, have extra time to recover before they host Levante on Thursday.

Former France star Marcel Desailly believes Ghana full-back Abdul Rahman Baba is still capable of turning his fortunes around at Chelsea, despite having struggled to make a strong impression since a 2015 transfer.

Following a move from German side Augsburg, the left-back made 15 Premier League appearances for the Blues in 2015-16, his limited opportunities forcing him to pursue loan moves in his search for regular action since.

He joined Spanish side Real Mallorca for this season but a series of injuries have permitted him only two appearances in La Liga.

“Baba Rahman should not give up," Desailly, who played for Chelsea between 1998 and 2004, told FootballMadeInGhana.

"I think he has the level to be at Chelsea as a first choice, so he should try more.

“He went out of the country to play in the Spanish league so he has to try and come back with a better mindset to be able to perform.

"The Premier League is very difficult because of the speed of the game, so it’s not easy but he has to cope with it."

Baba first left Chelsea for a season-long loan at German fold Schalke 04 after failing to impress then Blues manager Antonio Conte during pre-season.

He ended his first term with the Royals with 13 Bundesliga outings.

In January 2018, the 26-year-old rejoined Schalke for a second loan spell, this time on an 18-month deal.

His return to Veltins-Arena was terribly plagued by injuries as he made only two league appearances for the German outfit.

His limited game time was also partly due to an inability to break into Schalke's first team after a long injury lay-off, a situation which led to the premature termination of his loan stay in January 2019, and a subsequent prompt move to Reims for the second half of the 2018-19 term.

He made 11 appearances in Ligue 1, capping his stay with a goal and an assist in the final game of the campaign against champions PSG.

Reports say Chelsea are planning to part ways with the Ghana international this summer.

Baba first joined German side Greuther Further after leaving Ghanaian side Asante Kotoko in 2012.

Victor Moses is a doubt for Inter Milan’s Serie A fixture against Bologna on Sunday after the club confirmed he is suffering from muscle fatigue.

The Nerazzurri disclosed that the ex-Nigeria international had a medical examination at the Humanitas Research Hospital in Rozzano on Friday which confirmed the problem in his left thigh.

Moses was in action for 69 minutes as his team cruised to a 6-0 victory over Brescia in Wednesday’s league game, before he was replaced by Antonio Candreva.

Ahead of their next Serie A fixture against Bologna on Sunday, Inter Milan confirmed the 29-year-old’s injury blow and he might sit out the game at San Siro Stadium.

“Victor Moses was examined this morning at the Humanitas Research Hospital in Rozzano,” the club tweeted.

“Tests showed he is suffering from some muscle fatigue in his left thigh flexors.”

Moses is currently in his fifth loan spell since he joined Chelsea from Wigan Athletic in 2012. He had temporary deals at Liverpool, Stoke City, West Ham United and Fenerbahce before switching to Italy.

Moses joined Antonio Conte’s team on a short-term loan in January, after struggling for game time at Fenerbahce.

He has played 12 matches so far for Inter Milan across all competitions and he has registered an assist in the process.

After winning the Premier League title and FA Cup with Conte at Chelsea, Moses chose to reunite with the Italian manager who he described as his "mentor" in Milan.

“He is my mentor and friend. I have played under a lot of managers and I’ve loved every single one of them. The most important one was Antonio Conte,” he said.

“At Chelsea he just came in and changed everything. He is an amazing man; he totally changed my game to be honest."

Inter Milan are third on the Serie A table with 64 points from 29 matches. They are eight points behind leaders Juventus and four points behind second-placed Lazio.

Moses' contract at Chelsea will expire in June 2021 but the Nerazzurri hold the option to make his loan deal permanent when it expires at the end of the season.

Wigan defender Cedric Kipre says there is a feeling of betrayal at the Championship club after they were placed into administration this week.

The 2013 FA Cup winners, currently 14th in the second tier, are facing a 12-point deduction from the Football Association.

The Latics sit seven points clear of the drop zone with six games to play. If Wigan avoid relegation, the deduction will be applied to the final table at the end of the season but if they go down regardless, it will be applied next season instead.

Wigan have been on good form since returning from the coronavirus-enforced break, winning all three of their matches so far.

“It's a little bit complicated,” Kipre admitted to Goal.

“On Tuesday night, we came out of a big match against Stoke [which they won 3-0], and the next day we heard the news.

“It's tough, especially since we were in a good spell. We haven't lost since February 8, and here we are, told that we will be losing 12 points at the end of the season.

“It's hard to swallow, but we are focused on the pitch, hoping the leaders find a solution.”

If the season ended today, Wigan would drop from their healthy mid-table position to dead last in the Championship.

“Of course it is unfair,” Kipre said.

“The owners decided to leave Wigan without explaining the reasons. We were not aware of their departure, and according to what the directors of the club told us, it happened overnight. They themselves did not understand.”

Asked if there was a feeling of betrayal, Kipre replied: “Completely!

“With our salaries, we still do not know what will happen.

“Their goal is to find a buyer as quickly as possible so that we can at least be paid until the end of the season.

“We hope to receive at least half of our pay. That would be good. If not, it will be complicated.

“I try to be positive. There is always hope. We have six games left. If we get five or six wins, it could be enough for us.”

Wigan face a challenge in their next fixture, as they travel to face promotion-chasing Brentford on Saturday.

Pep Clotet expects Birmingham City to receive big money for Jude Bellingham but denied a deal with Borussia Dortmund has already been agreed.

It was reported on Friday that Dortmund have beaten off competition from the likes of Manchester United to sign the 17-year-old midfielder on a five-year deal.

Championship side Birmingham are said to be set to be paid at least £20 million ($25m) for the England youth international.

Blues head coach Clotet stressed that an agreement has not been reached, but suggested it was only a matter of time before the club cash in on the teenager.

"I have not looked into the situation at all as I am only allowed to comment on things that are not speculation," said Clotet, who will leave his role at the end of the season.

"It is up to the club and the player to decide, basically for the club to decide what to do with their assets. I am just hoping that the value, according to what he has achieved and his future potential, is rich.

"That's what I hope because he is one of the youngest players who has played so many games in the Championship for his age, on the quality of his play, in very different positions.

"He has massive future value. Of course I am expecting that possibly he will be the most valuable player I have ever developed - and I have developed a lot.

"I am expecting it to be a really good bond financially for the club but of course that is a side of the business that is not my side.

"There is no update, I know there has been a lot of speculation lately – but there is nothing.

"We are focused, Jude is our player, he is very determined to play with us tomorrow [at Fulham on Saturday] and as far as I am aware and what I see it just shows how good professionally he is.

"He just blocks everything around that and is focusing a lot on his performances and playing tomorrow.  At the moment there is nothing concrete."

Crystal Palace striker Jordan Ayew has revealed the influence of his legendary footballing father and 1993 Uefa Champions League winner Abedi Pele has helped him take his game to the next level this season.

Arguably in the form of his life, Jordan has notched nine Premier League goal for the Eagles do far this term, standing as the club's top scorer.

He is only three strikes shy of equalling his all-time best season haul of 12 goals, a feat he reached while playing for French side Lorient in 2014-15.

“My dad has given us so much, in everything, and not only to me, to the whole family," Ayew told Sky Sports.

"The only way we can say thank you is to perform week in, week out for him to be proud and that's what we try to do.

"He doesn't watch the games live because he's a bit too anxious, so they record them and he watches them afterwards.

"Then, when he's finished, he briefs me a bit. If I've not done well, he tells me I've not done well. And if I have done well, he still tells me I've not done well.

"It drives me. I can't give my dad enough praise, really. He's unbelievable and I'm lucky to have a father who knows football."

Ayew's exploit this season has seen him overtake former Leeds United star Anthony Yeboah as the all-time top-scoring Ghanaian in Premier League history with 25 accumulated goals.

"Tony Yeboah is massive, maybe the best striker of all-time in Ghana, so to beat his total and get to 25 goals in the Premier League is a great achievement for me and my family," the 28-year-old added.

“I’ve always thought that I was a good finisher, but sometimes you just need a bit of luck.

“This year, I’ve had quite a bit of luck, but luck doesn’t just come like that, you need to provoke it. I’ve been working really, really hard on that but there’s still room for improvement."

Ayew is also on the brink of breaking another record, this time at Palace, with seven more matches to the end of the season.

The attacker's goals so far have won Palace 14 points this term, leaving him just one point behind Andrew Johnson’s contribution in 2004-05 as no single player has collected the Eagles more points in Premier League history.

Ayew joined Palace in January 2019 for a half-season loan stint from Swansea. Despite a frustrating spell which yielded only one league goal, the striker was signed in a permanent deal at the end of the season.
 

Achraf Hakimi has sent a heartfelt message to Real Madrid after completing his move to Serie A side Inter Milan on Thursday.

The Morocco international sealed a five-year deal worth €40 million with the San Siro outfit to end his 14-year stay at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.  

Hakimi has been with the Spanish giants since 2006 where he learnt his trade and quickly rose through the ranks, earning promotion to the senior team in 2016, and played his first game for the side against Paris Saint-Germain.

The 21-year-old was then promoted to the first team in 2017 and made his La Liga debut against Espanyol in a home game.

The young defender made only nine league appearances for Real as he was behind Dani Carvajal and Nacho in the pecking order.

His desire to enjoy more playing time and garner experience led him to secure a two-year loan move to the Black and Yellows and shone during his time with the German side.

After the expiration of his temporary deal with BVB, it was suggested the wing-back would return to Madrid to fight for a place in Zinedine Zidane’s team before completing his switch to Inter.

Hakimi has taken time to appreciate Real for the opportunity afforded him at the club and also thanked their fans for their support.

"Real Madrid is my home, I was raised and educated to become the person I am,” Hakimi posted on Instagram.

"Thank you to all the club workers, to my coaches and to all my teammates who accompanied me on this beautiful stage of my life.

“Finally, I would like to thank all the Madridistas who supported me and who will continue to always support the team. Thank you very much, Real. Hala Madrid!"

Notwithstanding his limited playing time at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, the two-time Caf Youth Player of the Year won one Champions League title and a Club World Cup trophy with the Spanish side before his departure.

Hakimi will be expected to flourish in Antonio Conte's preferred 3-5-2 formation at San Siro and will hope to help them compete for the league title in the 2020-21 season.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have landed safely in Mwanza in readiness for their two Mainland Premier League matches this weekend.

However, the Jangwani Street-based giants arrived without two of their key players – captain Papy Tshishimbi and forward Bernard Morrison – for various reasons, ahead of their two matches against Biashara United and Kagera Sugar.

Goal understands Tshishimbi is yet to recover fully from an injury that has kept him out of action since the top-flight resumed in June 13 while Morrison did not show up yet again for the trip despite training with the side on Thursday.

When reached for comment, Yanga coach Luc Eymael revealed to Goal Morrison did not show up as the team prepared to board the plane to Mwanza and has not communicated the reason for his absence while Tshishimbi was left out because of a nagging knee injury.

“[Papy] is not able to play and he didn’t travel because he is still injured and might miss two or three matches again but Morrison did not travel with us despite assuring me he was to come, we did not see him at the airport and I don’t know what the problem could be again,” Eymael told Goal from Mwanza.

“Morrison was in training on Thursday he even assured me he would travel with the team but I don’t know what happened, I have not seen him and he was not in the travelling squad.”

On why Tshishimbi was left behind, Eymael said: “I am not a doctor, I am not a magician you know, I am not doing juju like you guys and I am not God, unfortunately, to know when he will recover, we have to wait.

“I am sure [Tshishimbi] will even miss the FA Cup semi-final clash against Simba SC, I am sure he will not play, he will not be available, so I am not looking at him to help us because I know he will not be fit.”

Yanga will be keen to haul six points from their two matches as they strive to finish second on the 20-team league table.

“Our intentions are very clear, we want to finish second behind Simba and we are looking at taking home six points.” Eymael continued.

“The problem now we are going to play in a very bad pitch, I don’t like the pitch, and I know my players will struggle to pass the ball, but let us wait and see, because we must fight for the points.”

Yanga are second on 60 points, while Simba, who have already been crowned champions, are top on 79 points and Azam FC are third with 59 points.

Chelsea have re-opened talks to keep Willian after he rejected a contract offer from an unnamed Chinese club, but remain unwilling to offer more than a two-year contract.

The 31-year-old has already publicly voiced his desire for a three-year deal at Chelsea and if he leaves Stamford Bridge he will opt to stay in England, preferably with a big London club.

Frank Lampard's side are aware of interest from Arsenal and Tottenham and the Blues boss is keen to keep his winger away from his rivals, amid a spell of good form.

Chelsea previously only offered one-year deals to over-30 players but they have since re-evaluated their strategy that ran between 2011 and 2018.

After signing Olivier Giroud from Arsenal in 2018, they broke their one-year contract policy and proceeded to offer David Luiz a two-year deal before selling him to Arsenal for £8 million last summer.

Indeed, Willian's performances on the pitch have given Chelsea little reason to withdraw from talks as he chases his best goal-scoring season of 13 with his ninth and tenth goals of the season in the defeat to West Ham.

His good run of form comes after Chelsea agreed to a deal to extend his stay at Chelsea until the end of the season , along with Pedro, just hours before the deadline from the Premier League.

However, Pedro will leave upon the completion of the season with Roma having agreed on a pre-contract for the former Barcelona winger.

Chelsea's interest in keeping Willian comes as high-profile arrivals are soon to join up at Stamford Bridge with a £47.5 million deal already agreed for RB Leipzig's Timo Werner and the £37m signing of Ajax's Hakim Ziyech.

Along with these two, Chelsea are determined to do further transfer business and Leicester City's Ben Chilwell leads their priority list with Bayer Leverkusen's Kai Havertz and West Ham's Declan Rice also being considered.

With these signings will come player sales and interest is ramping up for several Blues stars including Emerson Palmieri, who has had further contact from Internazionale recently. Juventus and Napoli are also monitoring his situation.

Lampard refused to add further fuel to the fire when questioned about Emerson ahead of his side's upcoming match against Watford on Saturday night.

"I'm not aware of the talks, what I am doing is focusing on the team and the squad day to day," Lampard said at his press conference on Zoom. "I don't have any real conversations about the transfer window, whether it's about who we might bring in or who might leave the club.

"Those are obviously questions we do have to answer come the end of the season when the window opens, but I certainly don't want to be swayed by rumour or gossip, and I'm not involved in it so we'll keep working."

Montpellier have announced the arrival of Stephy Mavididi who joined from Juventus in a deal worth up to €6.3 million.

The Arsenal academy graduate had spent time on loan with Dijon last season, scoring eight goals in 30 competitive games as they finished in 16th place, seven points clear of relegation.

The Owls had to option to purchase Mavididi for €5 million at the end of his loan, however, the Anglo-Congolese striker was not content to continue life at the Stade Gaston Gerard.

Mavididi has failed to break into the Juventus first team since arriving from Arsenal in 2018, hence it was only logical that he would be either be sent out on loan again or sold permanently.

The Bianconeri are currently top the Serie A, four points clear of Lazio.

“Juventus Football Club S.p.A. announces that it has reached an agreement with the company S.A.S. Montpellier Herault SC for the definitive sale of the right to sports services by the footballer Stephy Alvaro Mavididi against a consideration of €6.3 million, payable in three financial years,” read a statement on the club website.

Montpellier, on their part, have released their own statement, confirming Mavididi’s arrival via their chairman Laurent Nicollin.

Mavididi will slug it out with forwards Andy Delort, an Africa Cup of Nations winner with Algeria, and Gaetan Laborde, who both had a hand in a combined 23 Ligue 1 goals last season.

“We are very pleased that Stephy has chosen Montpellier to continue to his progress,” Nicollin said on the club website.

“It’s satisfying to recruit the additional high-level striker that the coach [Michel Der Zakarian] wanted. I hope our duo of strikers [Delort and Laborde] will therefore become a beautiful trio. After that, the coach has to find the right balance to play one, the other or the three together.

“What is certain is that his arrival gives additional quality and potential to the team.”

Mavididi on his part stated: “I am very happy to join Montpellier. It’s a great opportunity for me. I can't wait to get started in my new colours."

Montpellier finished the 2019/20 Ligue 1 season in eighth place with 40 points, nine points shy of Europa League qualification.

Arsenal youngster Gabriel Martinelli has signed a new long-term contract with the Gunners.

The 19-year-old Brazilian forward put pen to paper on his new deal exactly one year after he joined the club.

Mikel Arteta told the club's official website: "I am very happy that Gabi has signed a new contract with us.

"He is a very talented young player and he has impressed us with his performances, attitude and work-rate.

"We are looking forward to getting him back to full fitness and to watching his development at our club."

Martinelli has been one of the biggest positives of a difficult season for Arsenal, and his new deal will no doubt come as a boost to the club.

With the forward signing on just days after fellow youngster Bukayo Saka agreed to fresh terms, there is a feeling that the club's players are buying into Arteta's rebuilding project at the Emirates Stadium.

While the Gunners sit eighth in the Premier League, Martinelli has become the first teenager to score 10 goals in a season for the club since Nicolas Anelka back in 1998-99.

A relative unknown when he arrived from Brazilian minnows Ituano, he now looks like one of English football's most exciting young talents.

Among his 10 goals to date are a double against Liverpool at Anfield in the Carabao Cup, and one particularly memorable solo goal in the 2-2 Premier League draw at Chelsea back in January.

The forward isn't expected to play any further part in the 2019-20 season due to a knee injury, but hopes are high for the future.

"I want to win the Champions League and lots of domestic titles to make Arsenal’s fans very happy," Martinelli told FourFourTwo back in March.

"They deserve the best – not only the supporters but all of the club’s staff. I’d like to give back to the club after everything they’ve done for me so far and, as a result, become a Gunners legend."

With Arteta facing a huge rebuilding job at the club, Arsenal will be expecting a busy few months ahead.

They are hoping to strike a deal with Real Madrid to sign on-loan midfielder Dani Ceballos on a permanent deal, though there is still uncertainty surrounding Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's future at the club.

There is also mounting speculation of a move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey, but Arteta refused to comment on such talk in a recent press conference.