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Kenya international winger Ayub Timbe has been nominated for Vissel Kobe's player of the month of April award.

Timbe will square it out with Sergi Samper, Kyogo Furuhashi, and Ryuho Kikuchi as he aims to win his first award since he joined the Japanese top-tier club.

He made his debut on April 17 when Vissel Kobe played against Kashiwa Antlers and provided an assist in a game that ended in a draw.

The former Reading star made the move to Japan after he terminated his contract with Beijing Renhe in 2020.

He joined Vissel Kobe, a side that boasts of experienced players like Andreas Iniesta and Thomas Vermaelen, in an attempt to save his career after he struggled in the EFL Championship.

In a recent interview, he revealed how playing alongside the former Barcelona and Spain star has had an impact on him.

“Being with Iniesta in the same changing room and in the same pitch, having conversations with him is a great experience for me,” Timbe said.

“He is a world-class player on and off the pitch. He has not played for a long time [due to injury], but I am looking forward to playing matches with him. I’m sure we are going to have good times in the coming games.”

He also spoke about his debut in J1 League as he hopes to have a remarkable career with the club.

“I’m happy with my debut at Vissel Kobe and in the J1 League. I’m happy with my performance as well in my first game in a long time. I had been prepared for it for a while," the forward added.

Timbe's latest regular minutes with Vissel Kobe could convince Harambee Stars head coach Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee to summon him up for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

He was not part of the Africa Cup of Nations squad that played against Egypt and Togo as Mulee dropped him, Victor Wanyama, Eric Johanna, and Johanna Omolo.

Kenya - who will be looking for a maiden slot in the global showcase - were drawn in Group E alongside Uganda, Rwanda and Mali in the preliminary World Cup qualifiers.

In J1 League, Vissel Kobe will face Sanfrecce Hiroshima on May 1 before playing Yokohama Marinos, Cerezo Osaka and Tokushima Vortis later in the month.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has classified Nicolas Pepe’s work rate as "phenomenal" after he delivered another stand-out performance for his side in the Europa League.

The winger scored a penalty in the Gunners' 2-1 defeat to Villarreal in the first leg semi-final of the European competition on Thursday.

After the Spanish side raced into the lead through Manuel Trigueros and Raul Albiol strikes, the Ivory Coast international then scored a 73rd-minute penalty for Arsenal.

The 25-year-old, thus, took his tally to 11 goals in 42 games across all competitions this season, and Arteta is impressed with the contribution of the forward.

“I think he's come a long way in the last few months. His work ethic has been phenomenal,” Arteta said in a pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday's Premier League game against Newcastle United. 

“He's deciding many more games and doing what he can do in the final third in a much more consistent way. So I'm really happy with his performances and now he needs to continue like this.

“Well, confidence in every player is crucial and every time you step on that field, if they feel secure if they feel protected if they feel like they're supported by their manager and their teammates.

“It's something that is crucial to be able to perform. Then with the things that he could do better, he's doing much better with as well. But it's all a mix that is reflected in his performance.”

Pepe teamed up with Arsenal in a club-record fee of £72 million in the summer of 2019 from French side Lille but struggled to adapt to the Premier League.

As a result, the Ivory Coast forward was subjected to intense criticism with many querying his big-money move to the Emirates Stadium.

Pepe is gradually settling in at the club and besides his goals, he has provided five assists this season, helping the Gunners to their current 10th place on the Premier League table and inspiring them to the semi-finals of the Europa League.

The winger started his senior career with Poitiers and also starred for Angers and Lille, where his eye-catching performances for the Mastiffs led to the Gunners secure his services.

Pepe will hope to continue his impressive performances when Arsenal take on Newcastle United in their next league game on May 2.

The forward remains a key member of the Ivory Coast national team and has 25 caps for the West African side.

Liverpool's front three "need breaking up" this summer, claims Jamie Carragher, with the Reds legend looking for a memorable era of success for Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino to be brought to a close.

Speculation regarding comings and goings at Anfield is starting to build heading towards the summer window, with there plenty of rumours to be found regarding potential interest from across Europe in proven Premier League forwards.

Jurgen Klopp has offered no indication that he is open to offers, but Carragher believes the time has come for "something else" to be tried in the final third after seeing a serious step backwards taken on Merseyside this season.

What has been said?

Former Reds defender Carragher told Sky Sports: "People have talked about the forward line being out of form, but it's been too long now for that [to be used as an argument].

"People keep talking about Liverpool's problems at centre-back, but their biggest problem is at the other end of the pitch.

"We know that both Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez will be back next season. Liverpool's famous front three, and rightly so, are still there. 

"They've had the added bonus of Diogo Jota, who's chipped in with a few goals, but I said this six months ago on Monday Night Football - the front three needed breaking up because no front three is ever together for this long.

"When you look at other great attacking partnerships and front threes from the past, they last probably three years and then you move on. Liverpool's have been together for probably four or five years so it does need breaking up in the summer. 

"That's where Liverpool need to invest, as they do at centre-back of course. It's actually quite similar to Manchester United, but that's where Liverpool need to spend the money.

"The front three have been amazing but it's just at that stage now where it needs something else and it must be rectified in the summer when you think of the chances that have been missed this season. 

"You have to move with the times, and an extra bit of competition up front wouldn't go amiss."

How have Liverpool's front three fared this season?

Questions have never been far away from the Reds' star-studded squad in 2020-21, with uncharacteristic struggles for consistency leading to regression that few saw coming.

Injuries have done little to help the collective cause, but there is no escaping the fact that standards have slipped for those that helped to deliver Champions League, Club World Cup and Premier League crowns to Anfield.

Egyptian star Salah has continued to shine, with a 29-goal haul across all competitions seeing him break more records and remain in contention for a third Golden Boot.

Mane has failed to keep pace with a friendly rival, with the Senegalese forward mustering just 13 goals this term - with only eight of those coming in the English top flight.

Firmino has fared even worse, with the hard-working Brazilian finding the target just six times in total.

Jota has made an impressive impact on the back of his 2020 arrival from Wolves, with the net found on 12 occasions, but Liverpool have misfired far too frequently.

Klopp may seek to address those issues by moving players in and out this summer, with Liverpool already being linked with Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic and PSV frontman Donyell Malen.

Further reading

English football will unite in social media silence this weekend as Premier League clubs join their counterparts in the FA, EFL and the Women's Super League in protest.

A boycott of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram has been planned across the game in England in order to highlight issues of discrimination and abuse endured by footballers online.

That means games such as Manchester United versus Liverpool and Newcastle United versus Arsenal, which take place this weekend, will not be promoted on social media.

Here is everything you need to know about English football's social media boycott, including what it is about, when it starts, how long it will last and which organisations are involved.

Why are Premier League clubs boycotting social media?

The social media boycott has been organised by the various stakeholders in English football as a protest against racism and other forms of discriminatory abuse online.

A statement from the Premier League explained that English football was coming together in solidarity "to emphasise that social media companies must do more to eradicate online hate, while highlighting the importance of educating people in the ongoing fight against discrimination."

As well as calling for the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to work harder on the problem, those staging the boycott have also urged the UK government to ensure that its Online Safety Bill will establish legislation that forces social media companies to be more accountable for what happens on their platforms.

Ahead of the boycott, Premier League chief Richard Masters said: "Racist behaviour of any form is unacceptable and the appalling abuse we are seeing players receive on social media platforms cannot be allowed to continue.

"The Premier League and our clubs stand alongside football in staging this boycott to highlight the urgent need for social media companies to do more in eliminating racial hatred.

"We will not stop challenging social media companies and want to see significant improvements in their policies and processes to tackle online discriminatory abuse on their platforms."

The PFA, LMA, PGMOL, Kick It Out, Women's Championship, Women in Football and the FSA will join the FA, Premier League, EFL and Women's Super League in the boycott.

When does the Premier League social media boycott start?

Premier League clubs will commence their boycott of social media at 3pm BST (10am ET) on Friday April 30, 2021.

How long will the Premier League social media boycott last?

The social media boycott will last for four days, beginning on Friday April 30 and concluding at 11:59pm BST (6:59pm ET) on Monday May 3, 2021.

Will other clubs & organisations join the protest?

European football's governing body UEFA will also join the social media protest, throwing its weight behind the boycott this weekend.

"There have been abuses both on the pitch and on social media. This is unacceptable and needs to be stopped, with the help of the public and legislative authorities and the social media giants," said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin. 

"Allowing a culture of hatred to grow with impunity is dangerous, very dangerous, not only for football, but for society as a whole."

The European Clubs Association (ECA) has also backed English football's initiative, saying: "We stand with the English football community by supporting the boycott of social media this weekend and the campaign to eradicate online hate."

The PFA has urged brands, sponsors and players to join the boycott, saying: "As players, your collective voice and influence has the power to hold multinational companies to account and sends a powerful message to a global audience - abusive behaviour is unacceptable.

"The PFA is also calling on major brands and sponsors, who work with players, to switch off and pull their funding on the platforms during the boycott.

"We know from our members' first-hand accounts that online hate causes trauma. The impact of the abuse can also extend to family members and impressionable fans. We want more significant levels of action from the social media companies and platforms to take greater responsibility for tackling racism and discrimination on their channels.

"Football is calling for the use of filtering, blocking and swift takedowns of offensive posts, improved verification processes and re-registration prevention."

There has also been solidarity from the likes of  EA Sports , with its  FIFA accounts going silent for the weekend, as will those of management simulation game  Football Manager .

What is Goal doing?

Goal will not be posting anything about English football on our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram channels for the duration of the social media boycott, from Friday afternoon until Monday night.

Instead, we will use our platforms to highlight the ongoing issues of racism, discrimination and abuse experienced by people online, while promoting a number of anti-discrimination initiatives.

The Kishore Bharati Krirangan, also known as the Jadavpur stadium, in the Santoshpur area in Kolkata has been converted into a COVID-19 facility.

The 200-bed facility has been set up with the collaborated efforts of Medica Superspecialty Hospital, Imperial Tobacco Company (ITC) of India Limited and the West Bengal state government.

The facility is expected to be operational from Friday evening and is managed by Medica who have set up an oxygen plant at the stadium, with financial support from ITC.

The state government permitted the use of the stadium as a temporary facility for the treatment of the patients affected by the Covid-19.

"To contribute to enhancing the availability of Covid healthcare facilities in Kolkata, ITC is humbled by the opportunity to support the setting up of a 200 to 300-bed medical facility in Kolkata by Medica Superspecialty hospital for the treatment of COVID-19 positive patients and administering vaccines," the company said in a statement.

“Once we get the permission, we can set up the unit in about a week. We have started hiring doctors, nurses and other supporting staff. We have also started the process of procuring equipment," Mr Alok Roy, chairman of Medica Group of Hospitals had told Time of India on Saturday.

The Jadavpur stadium or the Kishore Bharati Krirangan will become the second stadium in the state to be converted to a makeshift Covid-19 hospital after the state health department had reserved part of the Canning Stadium in South 24 Parganas during the first wave of the pandemic for the same. The Eden Gardens has also served as a safe house for police personnel during this difficult period. 

David Moyes believes his success at West Ham will return him to the recruitment radar of "big clubs", with the Scot rebuilding his reputation on the back of a high-profile flop at Manchester United.

Having been charged with the task of succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford in 2013, a disastrous spell with the Red Devils saw the 58-year-old's stock plummet.

It has been a long road back for Moyes, one that has taken him from Real Sociedad to east London via Sunderland, but two productive spells with the Hammers have shown that he can still cut it and that a more prominent post may be filled in the future.

What has been said?

Moyes, who has West Ham in the hunt for European qualification this season, told Standard Sport: "I’ve always thought this but maybe my best time is still to come. Why should I be old?

"Maybe I’ve only just come through my apprenticeship. Maybe the jobs I’ve had have just been my apprenticeships and this is me getting to an age and experience where I can give my best. That’s the way I’m looking at it.

"Personally, I’m saying to myself, ‘This is the time you get success, you win and get around the top of the League again’. I’m trying to look at it from that perspective.

"I see this as a chance to work my way back. At West Ham, with that potential, I think my job is to work my way back to a level where big clubs might consider me.

"Not that I’m interested in leaving, I’m happy. But I wouldn’t have got that [opportunity at United] if I hadn’t done my work at Everton, being consistent and regularly challenging and pushing the top teams.

"If I can do that at West Ham, I’ll see it as success for West Ham and for myself."

Moyes' managerial record

Moyes started out at Preston, winning the Second Division title in 1999-00 before moving on to Everton two years later.

A memorable 13-year spell was taken in on Merseyside, with 218 victories collected from 518 games with the Toffees that included Champions League qualification at one stage.

He was considered to have done enough to earn a shot at the big time with United, but lasted just eight months at Old Trafford after suffering 15 defeats in 51 games.

Moyes fared little better in Spain with Sociedad, in what was a 12-month tenure, while relegation out of the Premier League was suffered when presented with a salvage mission at Sunderland.

A similar opportunity at West Ham did see safety secured on a short-term contract, before a return to the East End was made in December 2019.

Moyes' second stint with the Hammers has delivered 26 wins from 60 outings, with an ambitious outfit currently sat fifth in the Premier League table - three points behind capital rivals Chelsea with five fixtures left to take in.

Further reading

Crotone striker Simy Nwankwo said he ‘does not lose sleep’ over his omission from Gernot Rohr’s Super Eagles set-up.

The 28-year-old is yet to be summoned to the Nigeria national team since their outing at the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia where he played two matches.

Simy has been in fine goalscoring form in the Serie A this season with 19 goals after 33 appearances but Rohr does not see him in his plans and the striker, in turn, said he is not worried by the German coach’s snub.

"I need to make it clear that making the national team squad is not an obsession for me," Nwankwo told BBC Sport Africa. "I don't lose sleep over it to be honest and I only focus on what is professionally expected of me by my club.

"I won't say I am bothered about the Super Eagles. As a Nigerian I am a fan of the national team, we are all born to be fans of the Super Eagles.

"I share the same dream and ambition of every young footballer to one day represent the country. But it's not in my hands, it's not something I can control.

"I focus on the only thing that I can control, which is my day-to-day performances, improvement, becoming better every day, working hard and doing the things I have to do for my club.

"That's the only thing that I am able to control. What happens in the Super Eagles is out of my control. If it happens again, it happens and if not.. life goes on. I am not worried."

Simy’s goalscoring run has helped him become Nigeria's highest goalscorer in the Serie A history after overtaking former Inter Milan star Obafemi Martins with 29 goals.

Despite his contributions in front of goal, Crotone are rooted to the bottom of the Serie A table with 18 points after 33 matches.

"It's a good feeling to be honest. On an individual level, scoring lot of goals for every striker is very important for your confidence and then breaking important records as well is something special," he added.

"But I've had absolutely no time to think about it. It's been a difficult year for us. Football is a collective sport.

"We've not been able to pick important results along the way that would've helped us staying up in the league. So it's a kind of mixed feelings for me.

"I always prioritise the team's collective results ahead of mine but it's been really crazy this year but it's a good feeling for a striker when you score goals and I'm glad."

Jurgen Klopp admits failure to qualify for the Champions League would have ‘massive’ financial implications for Liverpool as they face a make-or-break clash with Manchester United this weekend.

The Reds know a defeat at Old Trafford on Sunday would effectively end their fading hopes of securing a top-four finish in the Premier League, with Klopp’s side sitting sixth, four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with just five fixtures remaining.

This week Liverpool announced pre-tax losses of £46 million ($64m) as the impact of the coronavirus pandemic starts to become clear, and Klopp knows that missing out on Champions League revenue would do little to help that situation.

What’s been said?

Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Friday, he told reporters: “Playing Champions League obviously is massive, especially from a financial point of view, for the club. So if we cannot make that then it’s not good, definitely not.

“But I don’t think it will change anything [in terms of his squad for next season]. The situation was difficult before and it will be difficult after.”

Are Liverpool ready to win at Old Trafford?

Klopp has never won as a manager away to Manchester United – though Liverpool did secure progress in the Europa League last 16 at Old Trafford in 2016, courtesy of a 1-1 draw – but knows that will need to change if his team are to keep their Champions League hopes alive.

“More than 100 per cent!” he said, when asked how important the game was. “Without winning football games, we will not end up in any kind of European competition. It’s clear, we have to win.”

He added: “If you are a Liverpool player or manager, this is the game where you have to give absolutely everything.

“Is it the best place to go after conceding a late goal against Newcastle? I don’t know. Is it the best place to go after watching them score five goals in a half [against Roma] last night? I don’t know. It’s not important really, we just have to make sure we are really ready for it.

“It doesn’t happen often that you face an opponent at exactly the right moment, having five red cards in the last game and little niggles or whatever. They looked pretty good last night, to be honest, and we have to be ready for that.

“I have no worries about that. We had a good training week, we trained intense, tried to simulate the intensity of our normal rhythm, and that means we will have the right legs to go in. Let’s see what we make of it.”

Further reading

Tanzania giants Simba SC have been drawn against South Africa's Kaizer Chiefs in the quarter-finals of the Caf Champions League.

Caf conducted the draws in Cairo on Wednesday as Wekundu wa Msimbazi were paired against Anthony Akumu's Premier Soccer League giants.

Elsewhere, Al Ahly face Mamelodi Sundowns, MC Alger will meet Wydad Casablanca, and CR Belouizdad of Algeria will square off against Tunisian giants Esperance.

The Tanzanian champions will travel south for the first leg tie that is expected to be played between May 14 and 15 before the second leg encounter to be hosted between May 21 and 22.

Simba had an impressive run in the group stages and topped a tough pool that included African champions Al Ahly, AS Vita Club of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Al Merrikh of Sudan.

They finished the group engagements with four wins, one defeat, and a draw and topped the pool with 13 points; two more than the reigning champions, the Red Devils.

Simba will hope to maintain the solidity they showed in the group stages where they only conceded two goals and kept four clean sheets as goalkeepers Aishi Manula and Beno Kakolanya were used between the sticks.

Mozambique winger Luis Miquissone - who scored a clinical goal against Al Ahly in matchday three to earn Simba a shocking 1-0 win - is expected to be the club's creative brain during the knockout stage.

Clatous Chama - who made it into the team of the week after his exploits in the 4-1 win against AS Vita in Dar es Salaam - is another star upon whom coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa will peg much hope.

Kenya defender Joash Onyango and Ivorian Pascal Wawa were solid at the back and they contributed immensely to the record that saw the upstarts concede the fewest number of goals in the group.

Taddeo Lwanga of Uganda is expected to be the main cog at the base of the midfield, although Jonas Mkude could offer stiff competition in his bid to reclaim the position from the Ugandan.

Da Rosa has preferred Chris Mugalu as his centre-forward to Meddie Kagere and John Bocco, and the DR Congo striker is largely expected to feature in the upcoming ties.

On the other hand, Amakhosi made it through to the knockout stage after finishing second in Group C where they faced Wydad AC, Horoya AC, and Petro Atletico.

Gavin Hunt's charges managed nine points after picking two wins, three draws, and a loss.

AC Milan are keen to keep Fikayo Tomori on a permanent basis but Champions League qualification would help the Serie A side to afford the €30 million (£26m/$36.5m) option to buy the defender from Chelsea.

The 23-year-old is also keen to remain at San Siro and has had a string of meetings with technical director Paolo Maldini and sporting director Frederic Massara.

The Milan officials have explained that they want to keep Tomori but the fee is expensive. Indeed, ideally, they would ask for a discount from Chelsea, but that is not expected to be granted, leaving Milan hoping for a Champions League spot at the end of the season.

Will Milan qualify for the Champions League?

The Rossoneri are currently in fifth place with just five games left to go in the season, but are level on points with Napoli and Juventus, who are third and fourth respectively.

Atalanta and Lazio are also in the race for the three Champions League spots behind leaders Inter. Milan face Juventus and Atalanta away from home in their final five matches.

Who else will Chelsea sell?

Olivier Giroud is expected to leave on a free transfer this summer after seeing his role reduced during Thomas Tuchel's early reign.

Leicester and West Ham are also interested in Tammy Abraham but the Blues are keen to hold out for a large fee, which has been rumoured to be around £40m ($56m).

Watford are in talks over signing Ike Ugbo, with Fulham, Monaco and Genk also still in the hunt for the £5m ($7m) rated academy graduate, who is on loan at Cercle Brugge.

PAOK are keen to keep Baba Rahman but would rather see him extend his loan contract than buy him outright.

Napoli could qualify for the Champions League but are unsure over whether to sign Tiemoue Bakayoko, with Chelsea asking for an £18m ($25m) transfer fee.

These deals come amid Chelsea's eagerness to reduce the size of their loan group this summer after FIFA introduced new rules to limit the number of players that are allowed to be sent out in a single season.

Michy Batshuayi, Marco van Ginkel, Matt Miazga, Davide Zappacosta, Ross Barkley, Victor Moses, Danny Drinkwater and Kenedy will all be considered available to be sold.

Who could Chelsea sign?

Chelsea are ready to use the money from player sales to fund a marquee attacking signing, with Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland and Inter's Romelu Lukaku interesting the club.

They have also looked at signing a central defender, with Bayern Munich's Niklas Sule currently a front runner.

Further reading

Arnaut Danjuma's performances for Bournemouth have seen him linked with moves elsewhere, with the Netherlands international aware of interest from Ajax and the Premier League.

The 24-year-old winger suffered relegation out of the English top-flight last season, but is in the process of helping the Cherries to bounce back at the first time of asking with a Championship play-off spot secured.

He says the Eredivisie giants were sounding out a possible deal in the winter window, before settling on a loan deal for Oussama Idrissi.

What has been said?

Asked about the admiring glances from Amsterdam, Danjuma told Voetbalzone: "There has been contact here and there, but nothing else has happened with it.

"I didn't want to leave mid-season. Bournemouth had mapped out a trajectory, I was in the right place and I would like to bring the club back to the Premier League. 

"The timing wasn't ideal, so that helped a bit to stay with Bournemouth - but I will never rule out the possibility that it can always happen. 

"Ajax is an institution worldwide. If I ever return to the Eredivisie, it must be for one of the bigger clubs. I would never come back for a mid-range club."

Was the right choice made?

In opting to stay put, Danjuma committed himself to second tier football with Bournemouth.

He has, however, continued to thrive for Jonathan Woodgate's side, with a man who still qualifies to represent Nigeria at international level registering 15 goals and eight assists this season.

Asked if that form has justified a decision to shun interest, Danjuma added: "I don't regret it, certainly not. We have had a very nice season and I would also like to play the play-offs, those are very big games. 

"I think the final might be the biggest match in the world. I look forward to entering the play-offs with Bournemouth and making the most of it."

Who else has been linked with a move?

Whatever happens with Bournemouth from this point, Danjuma can expect to remain on recruitment radars across Europe.

His intention is to reach the Premier League again with the Cherries, but interest from Southampton and West Ham has already surfaced.

Pressed on whether he plans to stay put if promotion is secured, Danjuma said: "That is always an option. As long as we get promoted to the Premier League, it will be beneficial for the club and for me. 

"I'm not working on that yet. It is important that we go to the Premier League because I have not set my sights on an extra year in the Championship. When we get promotion, then we can see what will happen."

Further reading

Bayern Munich president Herbert Hainer has refuted suggestions that the deal to make Julian Nagelsmann the club's new manager could cost the German champions up to €25 million (£22m/$30m).

A compensation package is due to Bundesliga rivals RB Leipzig after Bayern moved quickly to make a domestic rival their long-term successor to the departing Hansi Flick.

Various figures have been mooted in that agreement, from €15m (£13m/$18m) upwards, but Hainer claims there is little substance to the speculation in what is said to be a record-breaking deal for a coach.

What has been said?

Bayern president Hainerhas told Abendzeitung: "We had to find an agreement with Leipzig because Julian Nagelsmann was still bound there. Do not believe all the numbers that were being rumored."

Justifying a big-money move for the 33-year-old, Hainer added: "FC Bayern are one of the best teams in Europe, and they also need a top coach. We managed to do that by signing Julian Nagelsmann."

Why were Bayern in the market for a new boss?

The German giants were left stunned when Flick announced that he is step down at the end of the season. His contract was due to run until the summer of 2023, but an early termination of those terms has been agreed.

Bayern are understandably disappointed to be losing a manager that has led them to Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, DFL-Supercup, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup glory, but they feel Nagelsmann is the ideal candidate.

Hainer added on events in the dugout: "We had a very successful time with Hansi Flick as head coach, and we are very grateful to him for that. Six titles in one season, only Pep Guardiola has achieved that with FC Barcelona in 2009.

"Now we have Julian Nagelsmann hired, a coach who, despite his young age, has already had an impressive career and is in great demand in Europe. 

"Julian Nagelsmann comes from Bavaria and has repeatedly emphasised that FC Bayern Munich is a matter close to his heart. I am happy that it has happened so quickly.

"We had a few conversations with Hansi Flick, but in the end it was his desire to change after this season. We then complied with this request."

Further reading

Kyetume FC goalkeeper Joel Mutakubwa has denied being part of match-fixing at the club.

The Mukono-based charges recently suspended the goalkeeper alongside defender Julius Ntambi defender for what the club described as "unprofessional behaviour" in the 4-2 loss to Kitara FC on Wednesday.

In that particular game, the custodian was sent off after head-butting an opponent.

Despite admitting he was wrong in committing the unsporting act the goalkeeper has denied it was a scheme to fix the game.

"It is true I retaliated and misbehaved but that was in the heat of the moment, it happens to everyone," Mutakubwa admitted.

"The letter says unprofessional behaviour, but I am Shocked that some media outlets are reporting match-fixing and it’s the club CEO [Emmanuel Musinguzi] feeding them with such information.

"It is quite understandable why our bosses think that way because the whole of last season they have been betting on games..."

The custodian has challenged those alleging he fixed the game to produce evidence of him committing the offence, further insisting he won't dent his reputation since he has struggled to build it.

"I have done the unthinkable hard work to be here, and so I just cannot play with the name I am building," Mutakubwa added.

"I request the club to produce raw evidence to the media confirming the wide-spreading allegations then I will rest my case." 

In the statement from the club regarding the two players, the investigations have commenced.

"We regret to inform the public that [Mutakubwa and Ntambi] have been suspended indefinitely by club management following the unprofessional conduct displayed by the players in our game against Kitara FC in Masindi," read a statement from the club obtained by Goal on Thursday. 

"Kyetume Football Club has launched investigations into this matter as the club wishes to keep it in-house for purposes of proper and just investigations. The club has notified the coaching department to stop the players from conducting further training as investigations are undergoing."

In the game against Kitara, Nathan Oloro scored all the goals for the hosts while the visitors scored through Nicholas Kasozi and Sharif Saaka.

The Mukono-based charges are currently placed 14th on the table with 19 points from 21 matches played. 

They have managed just four wins, seven draws, and 10 losses in the ongoing campaign, scoring 22 goals and conceding 36 in the process.

Erik ten Hag has signed a new deal as manager of Ajax, in what looks like a fresh blow to Tottenham in their search for a new boss.

The Dutch coach had been tipped as the bookies' favourite to succeed Jose Mourinho in the Spurs hotseat next season, following the Portuguese's sacking by the Premier League outfit.

However, Ten Hag has instead agreed fresh terms with the Eredivisie giants, with an extended contract until 2023.

What has been said?

The Amsterdam club confirmed in a statement on their website: "Ajax has reached an agreement with Erik ten Hag for the extension of his contract which previously ran until June 30, 2022. The new agreement will take effect on July 1, 2021 and will run until June 30, 2023."

Ten Hag, who took charge of Ajax in January 2018, has enjoyed a hugely successful spell at the helm of the Dutch club, leading them to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2019, beating Real Madrid on the way, only to fall to a last-gasp winner in the final four at the hands of Spurs.

He also won the Eredivisie title and Dutch Cup in 2018-19, and after last year's league championship was declared null and void due to the coronavirus pandemic, he has them on the verge of another trophy this season.

They lead second-placed PSV by 12 points with just four games to play. They have already claimed the KNVB Cup again this campaign, beating Vitesse in the final.

What about Spurs?

This news comes as Ten Hag had been installed as odds-on favourite by some British bookmakers to become the new manager of Tottenham.

Spurs are seeking a new manager after sacking Mourinho, with Ryan Mason in interim charge until the end of the season.

They had also been heavily linked with Julien Nagelsmann, however, he was confirmed as the next manager of Bayern Munich in a record-breaking deal earlier this week.

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Kenya international defender Joash Onyango has explained the differences he sees between Gor Mahia and Simba SC.

Onyango moved to Tanzania to join Wekundu wa Msimbazi – where he has been a key player – after making his name with K’Ogalo.

He has claimed some officials at the Kenyan club fail to perform their duties in a professional manner, something that is not witnessed at Simba.

“What I can say is that the two clubs are managed in different styles. I hope they will forgive me for saying this,” Onyango said as per The Star.

“There are certain individuals at the club [Gor Mahia] who have been given leadership positions but are not doing what is expected of them. If you are the chief executive officer, you ought to do your job properly and if you are the chairman, you ought to do your job properly.

“The situation is so different at Simba. Here, they cannot ask you to achieve a task without providing the appropriate environment.

“The coach always gets the right kind of support from the Simba management and hardly will you hear the technical bench complaining about their requests being ignored.”

The former Western Stima defender also drew parallels between the Mashemeji Derby – a contest between Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards - and the Kariakoo derby that pits Yanga SC against Simba.

“The difference between the two derbies is in the commitment of the fans. I realised that whenever Leopards lost in the Mashemeji Derby continuously, there was a gradual downturn in the number of fans attending their subsequent matches,” Onyango explained.

“In Tanzania, fans are entirely ecstatic about a derby and each of them try as much as they can to attend the match regardless of where they are.

“Sometimes the stadium is so filled up to an extent a special screen is set for those who cannot find seats in the stands. You can easily feel the passion Tanzanian fans have for their teams.”

The central defender also revealed how he scooped the monthly award for as the best player as voted by Simba fans. He saw off competition from Luis Miquissone and Aishi Manula.

“I wish to appreciate all the Kenyan football fans who cast votes in my favour when I was feted Simba Player of the Month for March award, honestly, I didn't see the award coming given defenders rarely bag man of the match awards,” he concluded.

“Many people asked me to send them the link so that they could rally behind me and there are those who also called to assure me I would bag the award.

“Initially, goalkeeper Aisha Manula had taken an early lead but then everything suddenly turned out in my favour as Kenyans swarmed the link to vote.”

Onyango and teammates qualified for the Caf Champions League quarter-finals and are also on top of the Premier league table while having two games in hand.

Steven Polack has petitioned the world governing body Fifa to compel Gor Mahia to pay him his accrued salary.

The British tactician left the Kenyan champions after only one season on October 9, 2020, after he requested 11 days to visit his family in Finland, but while away, the club confirmed they had parted ways on mutual agreement.

Polack has told Goal in an exclusive interview he has already sought the help of Fifa after the club refused to pay him his accrued salary and despite the club being given 30 days to pay him, they have failed to meet the Fifa deadline.

“The club and I came to a mutual agreement to cancel the contract, personally it came as a surprise to me, as I had a year left on my contract which I was very happy to honour,” Polack told Goal on Friday.

“We had agreed on compensation, but the agreement was broken when they did not pay what was due to me on the dates we agreed on.

“So I put the case to Fifa who made a decision and gave notice to Gor Mahia to pay what is due to me in full.

"The timescale Fifa gave was 30 days, that time has elapsed as of today [Friday] and I have not received it, so it’s now in Fifa's hands and let’s see what the outcome will be.”

Polack further admitted he did not want to move to Fifa over the matter as he wanted it sorted out between the two parties, but the club forced him to follow that route.

“The people and supporters of Gor Mahia need to know I did not want it to go this far but the club did not leave me with any other choice,” Polack continued.

“Although this experience of non-payment is tiring it has not taken the wind out of my sails, as my love of football and Africa inspires me to keep pushing forward doing what I do best.

“My history in African football shows I made an impact and there is much more that I am capable of bringing to another club in the land I love to be Mama Africa and her people.”

His move comes a few months after Gor Mahia were handed a 10-day notice to pay Ghanaian midfielder Jackson Owusu all his outstanding dues plus a five percent interest accumulated from the relevant due dates.

While Polack did not reveal the amount he is owed by Gor Mahia, Owusu is owed Ksh2.4million and a sign-on fee of USD10, 000.

Early in February, Gor Mahia were punished by Fifa after they were banned from signing new players for a failure to pay Tanzanian player Dickson Ambundo.

Ambundo was demanding Ksh1.2million from the club and Fifa warned the local giants that failure to settle the fines within 45 days upon the delivery of that judgement, they will be barred from engaging in the transfer window.

Express FC goalkeeper Crispus Kusiima has vowed to keep more clean sheets after leading the team to a 2-0 win against Onduparaka FC in a Ugandan Premier League match on Wednesday.

The Red Eagles kept their title charge intact after a double from forward Erick Kambale ensured they earned their first win against the Caterpillars at Muteesa II Stadium in Wankulukuku.

The win has left keeper Kusiima a delighted man, as he managed to keep another clean sheet on his debut in the top-flight, but his 12th across all competitions.

“Firstly, I thank the coaches for the trust which enabled me to make my debut,” Kusiima told the club’s social media pages. “It was a dream debut to me because I kept a clean sheet and most importantly the team won.

“I am glad that I have contributed to more clean sheets [12 now across all competitions] and I look forward to doing better when given the opportunity again.”

The Red Eagles took the lead in the game courtesy of Kambale, who stepped up and controlled Martin Kizza’s pass before he calmly slotted home with a powerful left-footed strike.

He added the second after heading home a cross from Kizza.

Express coach Wasswa Bbosa admitted after the game he was sure of getting maximum points but what impressed him most was the determination by his players.

“Firstly this win was huge, we expected to win the boys played with a lot of determination, Onduparaka players spent a lot of time on the floor [getting treatment] but the boys didn’t give up,” Bbosa told the club’s official website.

“We used our chances and here we are, next up is preparing for the Uganda Cup.”

On his part, two-goal hero Kambale said: “I am so happy we won the game, it’s a very important win for the team, the boys gave everything and we worked as a unit, next up is preparing for the Uganda Cup where we play URA FC on Saturday.”

The win took the Red Eagles to 43 points on the 16-team table, four behind table leaders URA and three behind second-placed and champions Vipers SC.

Simba SC defender Shomari Kapombe has become the third player in the squad to extend his contract with the Mainland Premier League champions.

The 29-year-old right-back, who also features for the Tanzania national team, was approaching the end of his contract with the Wekundu wa Msimbazi and his future with the club was already in doubt.

However, Simba have confirmed Kapombe has penned a contract extension but they could not give further details on the duration he signed for.

“The best right-back in Tanzania Shomari [Kapombe] has signed a new contract to extend his stay with Simba,” read a statement on the club’s social media pages.

Kapombe has been among the key players in the Simba defence this campaign, forming a solid partnership with Kenyan Joash Onyango and Ivorian Pascal Wawa, which has seen them concede the least goals in the top-flight - 10 - and also progress to the quarter-finals of the Caf Champions League.

The decision by Kapombe to extend his stay at Msimbazi, comes just two days after defender Mohamed Hussein and striker John Bocco both signed two-year contract extensions.

Hussein, whose contract had just two months left, was reportedly attracting interest from South African clubs but he moved to stay while Bocco, had five months remaining on his deal.

On Thursday, Simba coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa explained the contract extension of captain Bocco and his assistant Hussein will help the Tanzanian giants reach greater heights this season.

“I am very happy because it was vital for Simba to extend Hussein and Bocco’s contracts," Da Rosa said.

“They are important players and having them in the team is vital. I believe their presence will help Simba reach greater heights.”

Da Rosa had also revealed in a previous interview that he will not sit down and watch his key players leave the club in the next window.

“I know we are far from approaching the transfer signing period but I have seen people talking about players leaving Simba at the end of the season,” the French tactician said.

“Personally I will not accept to see any of my players leave due to the great importance they have in the team, as it is always dangerous for the team to make changes in the squad by removing the key players who have given the team success, especially in the Caf competition this season.

“But I don't know anything about any of my players leaving, the biggest thing I can say is I wish to remain with all the players for another two or three seasons as this continuity will give us success in the future.”

Simba will play Kagera Sugar in the Round 16 of the FA Cup at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Saturday.

Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak has left the door open to a possible Premier League move.

Oblak has established himself as one of the top keepers in Europe since joining Atletico from Benfica in 2014, attracting a long list of high-profile admirers in the process.

Manchester United and Chelsea have been among those linked with the 28-year-old in recent years, and he has now admitted that he would be open to taking up a new challenge in England at some point.

What's been said?

"The Premier League has strong teams. Maybe the strongest. But I think in the end it is what the coach is asking of you. You listen to his instructions," the Atletico goalkeeper said during an interview with European football expert Guillem Balague.

"You are one of the 11, so you do what he asks of you. All the players on the pitch are thinking like that. It doesn’t matter if it’s the Premier League, Italian league, Spanish league, wherever you go you need to do what the coach is asking you to do."

Asked if he can picture himself playing in the Premier League, Oblak added: "I don’t know. I don’t know what the future will bring, but I am sure that in any league I would play I could play well. You never know what will happen in the future.

"Now I have been in Spain for seven years. Let’s see. I’m still young. Not so young anymore, but I still have some years in front of me.

"The most important thing for me is the hope that I do not suffer any injuries. Let’s see what the future will bring."

Oblak's record at Atletico

Oblak has racked up 298 appearances across all competitions for Atletico to date, conceding just 209 goals while also recording 157 clean sheets.

The Slovenian has helped Diego Simeone's side win the Supercopa de Espana, Europa League and UEFA Super Cup, while also being named La Liga's best goalkeeper on four occasions.

The bigger picture 

Oblak still has two years left to run on his current contract at Wanda Metropolitano, and it has been reported that he has a €118 million (£102m/$143m) release clause.

It seems unlikely that any potential suitors will be willing to fork out a world-record fee for the Atletico No.1 in the current financial climate, with many clubs still struggling with the loss of matchday revenue amid the coronavirus crisis.

However, Oblak's head might be turned if he believes his chances of winning silverware regularly will be improved elsewhere, particularly with the Los Rojiblancos now in danger of missing out on the 2020-21 La Liga crown after throwing away a 10-point lead.

To see the full interview with Jan Oblak go to European Football Expert Guillem Balague’s YouTube Channel:

Further reading