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Former AFC Leopards goalkeeper Benjamin Ochan has been linked with Uganda Premier League sides Vipers SC and Uganda Revenue Authority.

AFC Leopards announced the goalkeeper's contract ended on Friday and that is why he was not in the team that played and defeated Bandari FC 2-0 at Thika Stadium.

A source close to the player has indicated although Ochan has not made his next move known, top Ugandan sides have shown an interest in signing him.

What has been said

"Ochan is not in any hurry to sign for any club," the source told Goal. "This is because offers will come anyway as the work he has done before in his career and especially with AFC Leopards speak for themselves.

"Yes, we have had something about Vipers and URA, but they are not the only teams who are willing to initiate talks with Ochan. They are among many Ochan is expecting to talk within the coming days."

Ochan, Jeff Oyemba, Said Tsuma and Clyde Senaji are the players whose contracts at AFC Leopards ended this month.

The Football Kenya Federation Premier League side have not indicated whether they are likely to renew the deals for the players or not.

The four players have been regular first-teamers and many are keen to see whether Ingwe will talk with them about possible new deals or whether they will let them go and replace them once the transfer window opens.

The expiration of contracts for Oyemba and Ochan means Ezekiel Owade is the only remaining goalkeeper in the 13 times Premier League winners' squad.

Ochan's career journey

Ochan came through the Entebbe Young Football Academy before he signed for the Kampala Kids League.

He has also played for AGF Aarhus of Denmark in 2007 before he joined UPL heavyweights Kampala Capital City Authority in 2008 until 2009. He then moved to South Africa to play for Bloemfontein Celtic in 2010.

He returned to the Kampala club in 2015 and stayed until 2018 and also had stints with Sports Club Villa and Sports Club Victoria University.

At the international level, the custodian has appeared for Uganda 17 times since he made his debut against Egypt in 2013.

He was part of the team that took part in the 2014 and 2018 African Nations Championship in South Africa and in Morocco, respectively.

John Stones believes Raheem Sterling deserves to be named Player of the Tournament at Euro 2020, with the Manchester City forward inspiring England to a place in the final.

Italy lie in wait for the Three Lions on Sunday, with Gareth Southgate looking to bring an end to 55 years of hurt for a success-starved nation.

Sterling will have a prominent role to play in his plans, having netted three goals across six lively performances, and club colleague Stones says the 26-year-old has been a talismanic presence for his country.

What has been said?

England centre-half Stones has told reporters of Sterling's influence, with the City star delivering a perfect response to his critics: "I've said it all along but I'm a big fan of Raheem's.

"I believe and I'd love to see him get player of the tournament. What he's done for us and the unselfish part of his game goes unspoken about.

"But as players we see it. He's been a great threat going forward with how direct he's been in the games and it has been great playing with him.

"I'm sure he will be giving everything on Sunday, being that direct, and hopefully get another goal and see where it takes us."

The bigger picture

Sterling has been a scapegoat for England failings in the past, but has starred for Southgate's side in a memorable summer of 2021.

He hit the ground running with a match-winning effort against Croatia, before going on to find the target against Czech Republic and Germany.

Sterling also won the controversial penalty that allowed the Three Lions to edge a semi-final showdown with Denmark that went to extra-time, with opposition defences struggling to contain him.

Stones added of a man he tasted Premier League title glory alongside last season: "I couldn't be happier for him.

"He has gone through some difficult times personally and I can only speak from my point of view and what I have been through, but you can see it has motivated him and he has come out the other end a better player.

"That is what top, top players do – they find something or they find a way when something isn't going well to succeed and excel as a person and as a player and Raheem has done that on and off the pitch, so all I can say is that he really deserves it."

Further reading

England fans across the country are excitedly gearing up for Sunday’s Euro 2020 final against Italy, the Three Lions’ first major tournament final for 55 years.

But the scheduling of the game for a Sunday evening has led to calls for Monday to be declared a bank holiday should England come out top, giving supporters a bonus day off to recover from their celebrations.

Goal brings you everything you need to know about a possible extra bank holiday should England go on and win the trophy.

Will there be a bank holiday if England win Euro 2020?

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not rule out the possibility of calling a bank holiday in the event of an England victory.

Johnson was present at Wembley on Wednesday, where Harry Kane’s extra-time penalty secured a nail-biting 2-1 win against Denmark and sent Gareth Southgate’s side through to the final.

Asked the next day about the possibility of calling a Bank Holiday, Johnson said: “I think that would be tempting fate; let’s see what happens.”

Johnson's official spokesperson later added: “I don’t want to pre-empt the outcome of Sunday’s match. Clearly we want England to go all the way and win the final, and then we will set out our plans in due course.”

When would the Euro 2020 Bank Holiday be?

There were initial calls for the Euro 2020 Bank Holiday to take place the day after the final, which is Monday July 12.

However, it is argued that this is too short notice for businesses to prepare for their workers not to be in.

The game is scheduled to finish shortly before 10pm BST but could end later if extra-time or penalties are required.

Instead, fresh reports suggest a bank holiday could be scheduled in August instead. The most likely day would be Friday, August 27. This would coincide with the existing bank holiday on Monday August 30 and thereby giving workers a four-day weekend.

Is there a petition for a bank holiday if England win Euro 2020?

A petition to declare Monday a bank boliday if England win Euro 2020 was launched on Thursday, the day after the Denmark game.

Within hours it had been signed by more than 100,000 people, meaning it will be considered for debate in parliament.

At time of writing, it has gained more than 350,000 signatures.

The creator of the petition, Lee Jones, wrote: "Sunday 8pm is a difficult time for families to plan to be together for the event - knowing we have an additional day off the next day would significantly help this.

“Furthermore, a historic win should be celebrated. It would be expected for the winning team to parade the trophy, and a bank holiday would be a perfect time to do this.

"Also, English people would naturally want to continue to enjoy the win, giving the retail and leisure industry a much-needed opportunity to make up lost revenues.”

Was a Bank Holiday declared after World Cup 1966?

A Bank Holiday was not declared after England’s victory over West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final.

The game took place on Saturday July 30 at Wembley, meaning workers had Sunday to rest after the celebrations.

The game remains England’s only appearance in a major tournament final – until their game against Italy on Sunday.

Further reading

Football managers are generally praised for their style of play rather than their style of clothing, but Roberto Mancini's outfit for Euro 2020 has certainly caught the eye.

Indeed, while Italy have been slick on the pitch throughout the tournament, Mancini has been oozing his own cool on the sidelines and in interviews, with his attire prompting conversations between impressed onlookers.

If you are one of those people wondering who makes the Azzurri head coach's suave suit, Goal can help you out.

Who makes Italy boss Mancini's suit?

None other than the world-renowned fashion designer Giorgio Armani.

The uniform, also worn by Mancini's technical staff, is actually a tribute to former Azzurri icon Enzo Bearzot, who coached the national team to World Cup glory in 1982.

In a statement released by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the attire is described as “A light blue/white jacket with a mandarin collar, made from light seersucker cotton with a wrinkled effect, accompanied by soft black trousers.

“The relaxed-looking suit is inspired by the elegance of the historic coach (Bearzot) and combines the authentically Italian style, the spontaneous nonchalant attitude with the essence of the typically Armanian lines and details.”

Armani himself added: “I'm proud to dress our national team in such an important championship. I worked with an idea of spontaneous and sporty elegance, with an authentic spirit. I imagined a light suit but full of dignity.”

How much does Mancini's suit cost?

Given the suits were designed specifically for Mancini and his staff, you would have to ask how much it would take for one of those individuals to part with the garments if you wanted one badly enough. 

However, with the historical importance and national pride attached to them, one could argue that they're priceless.

Further reading

England face Italy in the Euro 2020 final on July 11 as the month-long international tournament comes to a close.

The Three Lions booked their place in the final after beating Denmark 2-1 after extra-time in the semi-final, while Roberto Mancini's Italy triumphed on penalties against Spain.

So, who will take charge of the showpiece event at Wembley on Sunday? And what is the full officiating team? Goal takes a look.

Who will referee the Euro 2020 final?

Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers has been selected as the man to officiate the final between England and Italy at Wembley Stadium.

He will be assisted by Sander van Roekel and Erwin Zeinstra, who are both also from the Netherlands, while Carlos Del Cerro Grande from Spain will be the fourth official. The reserve assistant referee, also from Spain, is Juan Carlos Yuste Jimenez.

As for the officiating team in charge of VAR, German referee Bastian Dankert will be the primary Video Assistant Referee and he'll be assisted by Pol van Boekel, from the Netherlands, and Christian Gittelmann and Marco Fritz, who are both German.

Which other games has the referee officiated?

Kuipers has been a referee since 2006 and is the first official from the Netherlands to take charge of a European Championship final.

He is not without experience of reffing a final, however, with the 48-year-old having taken charge of the following matches:

Kuipers has also refereed at Euro 2012, the 2014 World Cup, Euro 2016 and the World Cup in 2018, staged in Russia.

The Dutchman has, meanwhile, overseen two group-stage games at Euro 2020, including Belgium's 2-1 win over Denmark and Spain's 5-0 triumph over Slovakia.

He also took charge of the Danes' quarter-final triumph over Czech Republic and was the fourth official for England's opening group-stage win over Croatia.

Further reading

Dylan Kerr has revealed why he is yet to renew his contract with PSL side Marumo Gallants FC.

The former Gor Mahia coach helped Gallants survive relegation and also guided them to the Nedbank Cup trophy, which handed them a ticket to Caf Confederation Cup next season.

The Briton has told Goal he was not keen on accepting the latest offer from the team because “it was less than before” but he will soon make his next move known.

“I did not take the offer they gave me because it was less than before,” Kerr told Goal, on why he is yet to report to pre-season training with the team.

“I’m now enjoying my football on TV and waiting for tomorrow [Sunday] when England will bring the trophy home.”

Asked on whether he was a free agent, Kerr said: “My focus is on the England game [at Euro 2020] but the deal they gave me is too small for anyone to take, I don’t want to discuss that now.”

On whether he had received any offers from teams in South Africa, Kerr said: “No team has approached me yet.”

Kerr further joked that an agent had already contacted him to take the vacant role at his former Kenyan club Gor Mahia, who parted ways with their coach Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto on Saturday.

“An agent asked me if I would like to put forward for Gor Mahia but I said you know I have been there before, he said no, just come and take the job.”

Kerr has coached a number of clubs in Africa, having started with Simba SC of Tanzania before he moved to Gor Mahia in 2017 to replace Ze Maria.

He, however, resigned as Gor coach on November 15, 2018, and became the manager of Black Leopards in South Africa and in January 2020, he was appointed as the head coach of Baroka FC but missed their early matches due to work permit issues.

In October 2020, Baroka decided to suspend Kerr after hinting at interference in his job.

Phil Foden has been forced to sit out England training ahead of a Euro 2020 final showdown with Italy.

The Manchester City midfielder has picked up a "slight knock" and was not put through his paces on Saturday along with the rest of Gareth Southgate's squad.

He now faces a race against time to be ready for a crunch clash with the Azzurri at Wembley Stadium on Sunday evening.

Is everybody else fit?

The remaining 25 players in Southgate's squad were involved in a final training session at St George's Park.

Foden is considered to have been left out as a precaution, but it remains to be seen what role, if any, he is able to play in a continental showpiece.

All 26 members of the England fold have passed UEFA-mandated PCR coronavirus tests ahead of an eagerly-anticipated meeting with Italy.

Would Foden be a big miss?

The highly-rated 21-year-old started this summer's European Championship in Southgate's starting XI.

He was included from the off in group stage outings against Croatia and Scotland, as four points were collected by the Three Lions.

Foden then slipped down the pecking order and has seen only 25 minutes of action across England's last four games.

He was introduced off the bench during extra-time against Denmark, as Southgate's side edged their way to a 2-1 win and into a first major final since 1966.

Alternative options to Foden are being favoured at present, with the clamour for Jack Grealish to see more minutes earning him a start against the Czech Republic.

Bukayo Saka was also included from the off in that fixture, with the Arsenal star getting the nod again for Germany and Denmark matches.

Jadon Sancho, who is in the process of finalising a move to Manchester United, got an opportunity to impress in a quarter-final tie with Ukraine and could come back into the reckoning against Italy.

Marcus Rashford is another looking to force his way into Southgate's thoughts after being restricted to a bit-part role so far.

Further reading

England have been fined £26,000 by UEFA after a laser pointer was shone at Denmark's Kasper Schmeichel by someone in the crowd during Wednesday's Euro 2020 semi-final.

The laser was shone in the face of the Denmark goalkeeper as he prepared to face Harry Kane's penalty in extra-time.

The fine has also been handed down for the booing of the Danish national anthem from sections of the England fan base before the game, along with the setting off of fireworks following the 2-1 extra-time win.

What has UEFA said?

In a statement, UEFA said: "The UEFA Control Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) has announced the following decision.

"The CEDB has decided to fine the English Football Association €30,000 for the use of laser pointer, disturbances during the national anthems and setting of fireworks."

What happened against Denmark?

The match officials came together for a chat before the start of extra-time, with referee Danny Makkelie appearing to suggest that a laser was being used in the crowd.

When play resumed with the game level at 1-1, Raheem Sterling was fouled in the area for a penalty.

As Schmeichel stood on his line to face Kane's spot-kick television cameras captured a light being shone onto his face.

Despite the distraction Schmeichel was able to save the penalty, but Kane converted the rebound to send England through to Sunday's final against Italy.

Further reading

Simba SC have confirmed they are supporting the new initiative by the Confederation of African Football to start an African Super League.

Caf President Patrice Motsepe revealed on June 20 he had given the green light for an African Super League.

Simba club chairman Murtaza Mangungu has made it clear the club’s leadership is proud to be part of the process and will support it to take off.

What has been said?

“Regardless of the Super League, it is difficult to talk about anything at the moment as we are in the early stages of negotiating on it,” Mangungu told the club’s official website.

“At the moment we can’t say what stage we have reached because as I said we are in the early stages, and we will provide more information when the process is complete, but as Simba's leadership, we are proud to be part of this process, this certainly shows the size we as a team have.”

What Motsepe said on the Super League

On confirming the tournament, Motsepe said in a previous interview: "We are assessing and in preliminary discussions to start an inclusive and broadly supported and beneficial Caf African Super League.

"We have been following the attempts by some top European clubs to form a Euro Super League and will learn from their experience and pitfalls.”

On proposing the Super League, Infantino said the new competition will only involve Africa’s biggest clubs and his target was to make it the top league in Africa.

Simba are currently chasing for the Mainland Premier League title for the fourth season in a row and they will be crowned if they manage to get a draw against Coastal Union at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Sunday.

Portuguese coach Manuel Vaz Pinto has challenged Gor Mahia to keep winning titles and promises to return to Kenya.

The tactician left for Portugal, leaving the Football Kenya Federation Premier League defending champions under Sammy Omollo. 

He left the country after Gor Mahia were defeated by Tusker 2-1 in their latest Premier League assignment. The loss saw K'Ogalo cede more ground in the title race as the Brewers maintained their position at the top. 

Why has he left Gor Mahia?

"Due to personal reasons, which president Ambrose Rachier respected for a long time, it is time to end my connection to Gor Mahia FC," Pinto said in a statement obtained by Goal.

"When I arrived, six months ago, the team was in a difficult situation. Presently, we are all aware that we have done a great job, consistent with the dimension of this enormous club. I will take with me your kindness and I promise to come back to Kenya, where I felt so welcome during all these months."

What Pinto has to say about his time at K'Ogalo

"When I was faced with the challenge of managing Gor Mahia FC, a club of such magnitude and importance, I did not hesitate to come to Kenya," the Portuguese continued.

"Six months have passed, with hard work and uncertainty, due to the pandemic and all the difficulties brought along by such circumstances. 

"With the commitment of all players, we were driven to win with confidence and hard work despite all the concerns. All this resulted in the conquest of the FKF Cup, and we wished we had won more times. 

"We made a great match in Zambia and we surely deserved more wins in the African competitions. Because we won the FKF Cup, we gained the right to be there again next year."

He has further left a message for the fans and the team at large.

"I would like to leave a final message to the Gor Mahia FC fans: keep supporting this club, so that they can go on winning titles and claim the greatest sport symbol of the country! 

"From the bottom of my heart, thank you!"

Vaz Pinto was appointed in January 2021 to take charge of the team after Brazilain tactician Roberto Oliveira was released because of issues that surrounded his qualification papers. 

The Portuguese came at a time when Omollo was in charge of the club on an interim basis.

Kaizer Chiefs Head of Technical and Youth Development Molefi Ntseki says they are not done with their transfer business and are now on the lookout for a striker to further bolster their squad.

Amakhosi announced the signing of goalkeeper Brandon Peterson, left-back Sifiso Hlanti, midfielder Phathutshedzo Nange, centre-back Njabulo Ngcobo, defender Sibusiso Mabiliso and winger Kgaogelo Sekgota. 

Central midfielder Given Thibedi who can also play as a centre-back has been recalled from a loan stint at Swallows FC.

“We are happy that we have been able to reinforce our goalkeeping department, defence and midfield,” said Ntseki as per iDiski Times.

“We still need to work on adding firepower upfront to ensure that we have enough personnel in all departments.” 

Samir Nurkovic, Leonardo Castro and Lazarous Kambole are the players in the current Chiefs squad who can play as number nines. 

It would be interesting to see who Chiefs will turn to after they recently called off attempts to sign Swallows FC forward Ruzaigh Gamildien. 

Gamildien can however play as an attacking midfielder but flourished as a striker last season by scoring 11 Premier Soccer League goals in what earned him a return to the Bafana Bafana fold.  

It is now difficult for Amakhosi to swoop on another recognised striker Bradley Grobler after he recently extended his SuperSport United contract.  

For now, Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung is satisfied with their transfer business so far. 

“We certainly hope our supporters will be happy with our new recruits because some called for us to sign them,” Motaung said. 

“We trust that they will have a good time and help bring happiness to millions of our fans by helping the team perform well and win trophies.” 

“We have been following the players closely and saw them do well in the last season. We hope they bring that good form and discipline with when they come to us. All the six new recruits will add further quality and experience to the squad we’ve assembled.” 

It is yet to be seen who will be offloaded at Amakhosi to accommodate the new arrivals. 

Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Willard Katsande says they deserve to be in the Caf Champions League final and it is not by chance they will be meeting defending Champions Al Ahly on July 17.

It would be the first time ever for Chiefs to play in the Champions League final and the match will be on neutral ground in Morocco at Stade Mohamed V Stadium.

After a difficult season in the Premier Soccer League in which they struggled to claim a top-eight berth, Amakhosi were the surprise package in Africa. 

Katsande feels it was no fluke that they reached the Champions League final in a season some least expected them to do so because of their domestic woes.

“My view about Ahly is that they are a good team with a rich history in African football. What we are going to do is give them the respect they deserve, but when it comes to matchday it’s a matter of who wants it more,” said Katsande as per Sowetan Live.

“So we are going there with our tag as underdogs, but we are just going to go there and showcase our talent. And they know that we are hungry to achieve. We didn’t come this far by mistake or fluke – we are here because we deserve to be here.”

With Chiefs being first-timers in the final of this tournament and a visible gulf in continental achievements between Amakhosi and Al Ahly, Katsande feels the Egyptians will be complacent in their approach to the game.

“So we are geared up, we have sharpened our swords, pulled our sleeves up, and we are ready to rumble,” Katsande said.

“Yes, obviously they will come with complacency and try to undervalue us, but at the end of the day it’s not about history, it's about the 90 minutes.

“We’ve seen in the Euros, how football is changing. It’s not about big teams. It’s about who wants it more for that particular day.  As a youngster, you dream of these kinds of things. I just want to make it better by putting a star [above the badge], whereby in my career I will look back and say‚ ‘I’ve managed to do a lot when it comes to club football.’  

“I’ve been at the club more than a decade – it means a lot. And I just need to put a cherry on the top where I can see how far I’ve gone and contributed to this biggest badge.”

Chiefs have already stated all their players are available for the Champions League final including Khama Billiat who was injured for the better part of the season. 

Former England international John Fashanu has attributed Bukayo Saka’s direct style at Euro 2020 to his roots in Nigeria.

The 19-year-old Arsenal player, who was born in England to Nigerian parents, has been one of the star attractions in the Euro competition which is set to culminate with Italy taking on England in the final at Wembley on Sunday.

His fearless approach has seen Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate hand him rare starts.

“You don’t get so many 19-year-old's playing that way. Very few and he is one of them but I see them a lot in Nigeria,” Fashanu, who earned one cap for England, said as quoted by Owngoalnigeria.com.

“That fearless approach is inbuilt for Nigerians, forget that he is representing England, his fearless approach is typical of Nigerians.

“As a youngster growing up I was like that and many said the same about my fearless approach. It is a Nigerian thing.”

In the semi-final contest, Saka made history after he was handed a start in place of Jadon Sancho against Denmark, a game in which England won 2-1.

In a recent interview, Southgate jokingly told two of his young players that reaching the final of a major tournament, as England did, is not normally what happens for the Three Lions.

"I've just had to tell [Bukayo] Saka and [Jude] Bellingham it doesn't normally work like this!" Southgate said.

"I’m so proud of the players. It’s an incredible occasion to be a part of, the fans were incredible all night. It wasn’t going to be straightforward. The game the other night in Rome was, but we told the players that they would have to show resilience and come back from some setbacks, and we did that tonight.

"When you have waited as long as we have to get through a semi-final, given the limited amount of international experience some of the players have, they have done an incredible job.”

England are making their first major final appearance in 55 years.

Arsenal have signed Portugal U21 full-back Nuno Tavares from Benfica for £7m.

The 23-year-old, a graduate of Benfica's youth system, has signed a long-term deal to become the Gunners' first signing of the summer.

He is currently in quarantine to comply with UK government coronavirus regulations for international travellers, but is expected to link up with his new team-mates next week.

What was said?

Speaking about his new signing, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta told the club's official site: “We welcome Nuno to the club. He is a young player with great promise who has developed very well with Benfica in recent seasons and has also shown his quality by being part of Portugal Under-21s. Nuno’s arrival will give the squad extra strength and options in defence, particularly with this energy on the left side of the pitch."

Technical director Edu added: “Nuno is a talented young player who was wanted by a number of clubs across Europe. He will provide strong back-up in the left-back position. We look forward to him growing and developing with us and becoming an important member of the first-team squad.”

Where will Tavares fit into the Arsenal squad?

Tavares will initially operate as a much-needed back-up to first-choice left-back Kieran Tierney.

The Gunners lacked a natural back-up to the Scotland international last season, which saw midfielder Granit Xhaka deployed in that position during the closing weeks of the season.

Goal understands a further £1.5m ($2.1m) could be paid to Benfica should certain clauses be met during Tavares’ stay at Emirates Stadium.

More to follow.

Hertha Berlin coach Pal Dardai believes ex-Ghana attacker Kevin-Prince Boateng will be valuable for the team once he completes his special training program.

The midfielder completed his return to the Bundesliga outfit on June 23 after a season spent in Italy with Monza. 

The former Black Star began his career at the Olympiastadion before moving to Tottenham Hotspur on a four-year deal in July 2007 for a reported £5.4 million. Having left the Serie B side, the 34-year-old returned to familiar surroundings as a free agent after spells at Borussia Dortmund, Portsmouth, Genoa, AC Milan, Schalke 04, Las Palmas, Eintracht Frankfurt, Sassuolo, Barcelona, Fiorentina, and Besiktas.

His tactician has now opened up on why the West African is getting special treatment at the club in pre-season.

"We are working on Prince to make him fit. And if he gets fit, then he can help our football," Dardai said as quoted by FootballGhana. 

"He has an eye like no other on the team. Vertical quality, good passes, a leader. He gets a special program and doesn't have to do all the running units right away. That's how we'll physically manage it."

In his first interview after joining Hertha, Boateng promised to help his boyhood club since he 'owes' them.

"Hertha BSC is not just any club for me," he said.

"I am here to give something back. I've been around a lot over the years and learned a lot, but all that, my whole career, I owe to this club. I have never forgotten that Hertha was always in my heart."

The African star was the club’s second signing after 24-year-old Suat Serdar.

Born to a Ghanaian father and a German mother in Berlin, the veteran represented the European country at U19, U20, and U21 levels.

Nonetheless, he switched his allegiance to the Black Stars in 2010 – making his debut in a 1-0 victory over Latvia in June 2010.

He signed an initial one-year deal with the club with the option of extending it. 

Barcelona have agreed a deal to sell Carles Alena to Getafe as they continue their desperate cost-cutting exercise in order to ensure they can sign Lionel Messi up to a new contract.

La Liga salary cap regulations mean Barca are currently unable to register any of their new signings or agree a new deal with Messi, whose previous contract expired at the end of last month.

As a result the club are desperately looking to move players on to both raise funds and reduce the wage bill, with Alena the latest player out of the door.

What was said?

In a statement confirming the deal, Barca said: “FC Barcelona and Getafe CF have reached an agreement for the transfer of Carles Alena.

"Barca reserve the right to 50 per cent of any future sale of the player, a buy-back option, plus first right of refusal on any offer.

"FC Barcelona would like to thank Carles Alena for his commitment and dedication and wishes him all the best for the future.”

The 23-year-old, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Getafe, has signed a five-year deal with the club.

The La Masia graduate made 44 appearances in all competitions over five years for Barca, having previously been a regular for their B side.

The bigger picture

Though the finances involved in the Alena deal are likely to be relatively minor, every little helps for Barca as they desperately scramble to comply with the salary cap.

As things stand, they are currently unable to agree a deal with Messi that is in both line with his expectations and complies with the regulations.

Even summer signings Eric Garcia, Memphis Depay, Emerson and Sergio Aguero cannot yet be registered with the club before a number of other first-team players are moved on.

One of those new signings, Depay, has already agreed a 30 per cent pay cut on his salary to help the club balance the books.

Goal understands Messi intends to remain at Camp Nou and is eager to sign a new two-year contract with the club, but Barca need to sell more players in order for that to happen.

It has also been revealed that the Liga giants are €1.2 billion (£1.1b/$1.5b) in debt, which is making life difficult when it comes to negotiating new contracts and getting fresh faces on board.

Alena follows Francisco Trincao, Junior Firpo, Jean-Clair Todibo, Konrad de la Fuente and Matheus Fernandes out of the Barca exit door.

However, it is only when some of the highest earners, such as Antoine Griezmann, Philippe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembele and Samuel Umtiti, move on that the club can make a serious dent in their finances.

Current estimations are that they need to clear €200m (£172m/$237m) from their wage bill, meaning Alena is unlikely to be the last player moved on from Camp Nou in the coming weeks.

Further reading

Football Kenya Federation Premier League side Gor Mahia have confirmed the departure of head coach Manuel Vaz Pinto.

The Portuguese tactician has left the club before the Premier League season ended, leaving the local heavyweights under assistant coach Sammy Omollo.

The last game Vaz Pinto oversaw for Gor Mahia was the 2-1 defeat to Tusker on July 8 at Ruaraka Ground.

Mutual Agreement

Without giving specific reasons why the coach left, Gor Mahia confirmed they have parted ways with the former St George SC head coach by mutual consent.

"Coach Manuel Vaz Pinto has parted ways with the club by mutual consent. We appreciate your work and wish you all the best, Pinto," K'Ogalo confirmed.
 
When he accepted the Gor Mahia job, the Portuguese tactician said he hoped the local heavyweights would give his coaching career the necessary experience.

"I accepted the job because Gor Mahia will give me what I want in my career and CV. I can not accept to come to Kenya and not fight to be champions and achieve big things," said Vaz Pinto.

"I am not perfect, of course, but I know I can manage the leadership of a club like Gor Mahia. If I knew I was not able to manage them, I would not have accepted the job offer. That was important for me to learn and manage such a club as Gor Mahia.

"No one should stop learning. I also believe Cristiano Ronaldo at his age has not stopped learning."

The emergence of Onyango and Odhiambo

Vaz Pinto's reign at the club will be mostly remembered for handing junior players like Alpha Onyango and Frank Odhiambo playtime with the senior team.

"In football, we look at the quality and not the name, the past record, and even the age. The coaches sometimes do not like taking risks with young players, but they are always giving us something different. They show commitment and also give us intensity," he said while defending his decision to field the junior stars.

"Age is not important, it is the quality that is very important and what we need to be keen on is the choice of time, the right game, and when to introduce them. There is also the need to create a perfect environment for them to grow well."

He leaves the club after winning the FKF Shield Cup on July 4 against K'Ogalo's archrivals AFC Leopards and as Goal reported earlier, Omollo will be tasked to take responsibility until the current season ends.