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Arsenal should be exploring the option of bringing Arsene Wenger back to the club, says Charlie Nicholas, as the Frenchman would “not be a threat to Mikel Arteta” but could help to get important transfer deals over the line.

Wenger headed through the exits at Emirates Stadium back in the summer of 2018 and, while his influence had started to wane by that point, he walked away with three Premier League title triumphs and seven FA Cup wins to his name.

Arsenal have found out the hard way that the grass is not always greener when making such changes, with Spanish tacticians Unai Emery and Arteta struggling to stop the rot in north London.

There have been signs of encouragement over recent weeks, but inexperience has shown in the Arsenal dugout this season.

It has been suggested that Wenger, who has steered clear of a return to management since leaving the Gunners, could be brought back in an advisory or directorial role behind the scenes.

Nicholas can see plenty of value in such a move, with Arteta getting the assistance he requires on and off the field to complete a long-term rebuilding project.

“I suggested about two years ago they should bring Arsene Wenger back to Arsenal,” former Gunners striker Nicholas told Paddy Power’s From the Horse’s Mouth Podcast.

“When Wenger and David Dein were a partnership that was bringing in Thierry Henrys and Patrick Vieiras, it was a partnership that the manager wanted.

“Their relationship worked an absolute treat. Wenger was probably too intelligent for football and wanted to have a say in the finances of it too, and Dein would say, 'if we can afford it, we're just going to get you the player.' It worked so well.

“And I'd still take him back now.”

Nicholas added on a potential working relationship at the Emirates: “He'd not be a threat to Arteta, he'd be there to help him.

“He's a genuine Arsenal fan, and because of that he'll show the leadership and understanding the club needs.

“If Arsene was to call or turn up to meet a player from Atletico Madrid or Barcelona or Real Madrid, I think there's a strong chance he'd help get those deals over the line because of his presence and his reputation.

“I still think he could play a marvellous part in teaching Arteta the real rules of the management game.

“Of course, he made a lot of mistakes, and Emery and Arteta have inherited some bad signings he made, but Alex Ferguson made some mistakes too. He's still the best ever.

“It happens, but what Wenger created we have to respect.”

Arsenal, after making their worst start to a season since 1974-75, have established some forward momentum of late, with three successive victories collected in the Premier League while also making their way into the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Bruno Fernandes is an Eric Cantona-esque presence for Manchester United, admits Paul Parker, but the Red Devils’ class of 2020-21 have become a one-man team – which was never the case when an iconic Frenchman ruled the roost at Old Trafford.

A single talismanic figure is proving to be enough for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side at present, with a side starved of success in recent times forcing their way back into the Premier League title picture.

United are also chasing down FA Cup and Europa League honours, after picking up an unfortunate habit of slipping out of competitions at the semi-final stage, and Fernandes will have a prominent role to play from this point.

He has been drawing obvious comparisons to legendary figures of the past, with his role as chief playmaker placing him into a talent pool alongside the likes of Cantona.

Parker is concerned as to how long such lofty standards can be maintained by the Portugal international, with it clear that he needs greater assistance at Old Trafford – with it possible that experienced Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani could be the man to provide that.

Former United defender Parker told Eurosport: “It's the strength and the presence of Bruno Fernandes that's making the difference for Manchester United.

“Even with how much everyone thought of Eric Cantona and what he did, and they still talk about how great he was at the time, people didn't look at Manchester United as a one-man team like they do at the moment.

“United fans are fearful of Fernandes being unavailable for a few games because they have made themselves too reliant on one player to pull the strings in every attacking move they have. We saw that in the Wolves game and they defended against him very well.

“What United need is someone else on the park at the same time as him, not someone else to come in when he's injured, and to take defenders away from him.

“When Eric Cantona was on the pitch, his presence helped other players into making attacks so there was more than one attacking thrust. This Manchester United team struggle with that.

“You don't want to go out and spend in the current situation. You've got Edinson Cavani - use him. He's the best centre-forward they've got in this moment in time at the club, so try and make him a presence like they did with Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

“The difference, which Zlatan could not do when he was at United, is Cavani will make a run for Fernandes to find him with a pass, or will be able to see where Fernandes should be making a run and will make that pass.

“It's all about creating space and that is what he will do. Anthony Martial won't make a run to make something happen so there's a big difference between the two strikers. Cavani has to play.”

United have two crunch fixtures approaching this week, with a trip to Burnley on Tuesday – which could see them hit top spot in the Premier League table – set to be followed by a meeting with old adversaries Liverpool at Anfield.

Manchester United will be boosted by the return of Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw and Edinson Cavani for their trip to Burnley on Tuesday night but Paul Pogba and Eric Bailly are both doubts.

Bailly went off with a head injury in United’s FA Cup victory over Watford on Saturday, while Lindelof, Shaw and Pogba all missed the clash with injuries.

However, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed they could be available for Tuesday’s trip to Turf Moor after taking part in Monday’s training session.

“All of them trained today,” Solskjaer said. “Paul and Eric didn’t do all of it but Luke and Victor did all of it. I’ve got a decent amount of players to pick from, let’s see how Paul and Eric are tomorrow.”

Solskjaer will also be boosted by the return of Cavani after the Uruguayan completed his three-match suspension and the United boss is looking forward to the veteran striker being available again as he brings a different dimension to his side’s attack.  

“Edinson has trained well when he’s been banned, he’s had a couple of days off, of course you can’t train too much," Solskjaer explained. "But, he’s ready to go and gives us a different option.

"He’s a different type of forward to Mason [Greenwood], Anthony [Martial] and Marcus [Rashford] so I’m glad to have him back. That’s why we brought him in, he’s contributed really well so far and I’m sure he will be really important for us now until the end of the season.”

A positive result against Burnley will send United to the top of the table above Liverpool ahead of a trip to Anfield at the weekend. United have not found themselves in the position of being chased at the top for a long time but Solskjaer believes his side have the right mentality to succeed.

“We have to be aggressive, we have to go in to every game and be humble and work hard and don’t think for one second that we have cracked it if you are near the top," he said.

"That’s not the type of players we have, we have players who should play on the front foot and be aggressive, work hard, be hard to play against no matter what.

“But, of course, the group mentality is improving all the time. Now it’s a different challenge. We are in this position, it doesn’t really matter where we will end up in the league after that one (Burnley) as long as we focus on this game and this game only.”

Celtic confirmed on Monday that manager Neil Lennon and 13 senior players are self-isolating, but the club are still defending the decision to hold a training camp in Dubai.

Defender Christopher Jullien tested positive for COVID-19 after the team returned to Scotland ahead of Monday's Premiership clash with Hibernian.

Although all other squad and staff members returned negative tests, Lennon, assistant John Kennedy and 13 first-team players are self-isolating after being deemed close contacts.

The reigning champions remain insistent they followed "rigorous" COVID-secure protocols and that the threat of contracting the virus would have been similarly high had they stayed in Scotland.

In a statement, Celtic said: "Clearly we are hugely disappointed, as we know our supporters will be. The contacts were identified during the period from Wednesday last week, primarily around flight and team coach travel, during which time Celtic applied the same rigorous protocols used for pre-season training camps, UEFA match travel and for all domestic match arrangements in Scotland. 

"These protocols have served us well in the past, as the club has not had one positive case in our own 'bubble' until now. As we have already stated, Celtic's decision to travel to Dubai for a training camp was for performance reasons. Whilst we were in Dubai, the announcements made on January 4 significantly changed the COVID landscape.  

"The reality is that a case could well have occurred had the team remained in Scotland, as other cases have done in Scottish football and across UK sport in the past week.
 
"Celtic has done everything it can to ensure we have in place the very best procedures and protocols. From the outset of the pandemic, Celtic has worked closely with the Scottish Government and Scottish football and we will continue to do so."

The Hoops' latest Scottish Premiership outing will go ahead as planned despite the Covid-19 outbreak within Lennon's squad, with Celtic in desperate need of a victory after losing to arch-rivals Rangers last time out.

A 1-0 defeat against the Gers at Ibrox saw the reigning champions fall 23 points behind in this season's title race, but they do still have four games in hand to take in on Steven Gerrard's side.

After their meeting with Hibs, Celtic will look ahead to a doubleheader against Livingston, with the teams set to meet on January 16 at Parkhead before doing battle again at Almondvale Stadium four days later.

Martin Braithwaite “likes” that Barcelona are in the market for another forward, with the Denmark international vowing to remain at Camp Nou and fight for his place.

The 29-year-old is already a back-up option in Catalunya, with the likes of Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann leading an attacking charge for Ronald Koeman.

It has been suggested that more firepower will be sought in upcoming windows, with the Liga giants eager to reinforce in a vital area of the field.

Any incomings could knock Braithwaite further down the pecking order, but he will not be walking away from the challenge.

The Dane, who was a shock signing for the Blaugrana in February 2020, told TV3: “I like that other players are sought out.

“It is supposed to be like that in a club like this, which aspires to have the best in the world. 

“You need to have internal competition. You can't trust everything to a small group of players. Only in this way will you get the most out of the players and the team in each game.

“It doesn't scare me, it motivates me.”

There have been reports that Barca may look to free up funds for additions by moving Braithwaite on.

He is, however, adamant that he no exit has been agreed for the January window or end of the 2020-21 campaign, with it his intention to stay put.

A man who has netted six times through 30 appearances for the Blaugrana added on his future plans: “There is no option to leave Barca in this winter market. And not at the end of the season. Next year I will continue here fighting for my goals. 

“This season we have the chance to win many titles and this is my ambition. I don't think about anything other than winning these trophies. That's why I get up every morning and work so hard.”

Braithwaite has taken in 19 outings this season, finding the target on five occasions, and has helped Koeman’s side to rediscover a spark of late.

They remain four points adrift of table-topping Atletico Madrid, and have played three more games than the leaders, but are up to third in La Liga and within striking distance of Clasico rivals Real Madrid.

Chelsea have closed their academy building and instructed players and coaches to stay at home for a week after an outbreak of 20 cases hit the club.

Frank Lampard's first-team squad and Emma Hayes' women's side will be unaffected due to separate bubbles being implemented at Cobham.

However, the Premier League is now in discussions about rearranging the development squad match with West Ham and the Under-18s match with Brighton that were due to be played this weekend.

Chelsea will keep the situation under constant review and those affected are self-isolating at home in line with government guidelines, with staff, players and families being kept informed.

The situation in part is due to Chelsea's insistence on testing all Under-23s players regularly and more widely within the academy.

There is also a new variant of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom that is more contagious and has led to an estimated one in 30 Londoners carrying the disease.

The stoppage comes after the academy players were allowed two weeks off between Christmas and New Year due to a lack of fixtures.

Lampard had called up several academy stars to his first-team squad in that period, but they are not among those affected having been tested ahead of the FA Cup win over Morecambe.

With at least another week away from the training facility, players will be provided home workouts and the building will undergo a deep clean ahead of their return.

Chelsea have also seen their clash with Fulham moved from Friday evening to Saturday due to the impact of coronavirus on the football calendar.

The decision to move the match came after Tottenham's match with Aston Villa was postponed and replaced with a game against Fulham. In accommodating the previously cancelled fixture with Jose Mourinho's side, Fulham's match with Chelsea has been put back by another day.

The renewed challenges have led to the Premier League and FA to impose enhanced protocols to ensure that the league doesn't stop despite renewed challenges.

Lampard has also called for clubs to start sanctioning players in-house for any breaches of the government's coronavirus guidelines.

"I am not sure where the responsibility lies between the clubs or the FA," he said ahead of his FA Cup third round tie. "My feeling is clubs should have in-house policies to deal with it which is probably guided by the Premier League and the FA.

"If people break the sanctions then they should clearly be punished because we are asking every person in the UK to follow rules and the players have to follow similar rules and within the workplace to align with the FA rules and regulations."

Manchester United defender Timothy Fosu-Mensah is on the verge of joining Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth around £1.5 million, Goal can confirm.

The 23-year-old has been told he can leave with playing time limited under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and it is understood he is close to joining the German side, with Ajax also interested in taking the defender.

The right-back, who can also play centre-back, signed for United from Ajax in 2014 and would prefer a move back to his former club, however, it is understood a move to Leverkusen is looking more likely.

Fosu-Mensah was handed his first-team debut by Louis van Gaal in 2016 but, after loan spells at Crystal Palace and Fulham, he has struggled to push his way into the United first team and Solskjaer confirmed last week that he would be able to leave having played just 108 minutes this season.

"I’m not sure if he will stay or if he’s going to take an option now," Solskjaer said. "He’s not played enough, so of course he’s been allowed to speak to clubs with a view to leaving now in January.

"It’s difficult when you have good players, talented players, and you can’t give them game time. He’s now at the stage where he needs to go and play again.

"It might be the end of January or in the summer where he finds somewhere else, he’s working hard so he’s ready for a move for any club he feels ready for."

It is set to be a relatively quiet transfer window for United, with the club only looking to move to bring players in if long-term targets become available.

Argentine duo Sergio Romero and Marcos Rojo could be joining Fosu-Mensah on the departures list with Solskjaer confirming the club would not be extending their current deals.

Both are out of contract in the summer so, if they want to recoup a fee for the goalkeeper and centre-back, United would have to agree deals for the pair during the current window.

Solskjaer gave an update on potential transfers on Monday afternoon when he confirmed there could be a couple of exits.

“I think the signings we made in the summer strengthened squad really well, good signings and good characters and good players," said Solskjaer. "January is always difficult. If something comes up that is a long-term target anyway that is another scenario.

“But not many teams would like to lose players in January. It's unlikely something will happen on the 'in' side. There might be two or three going out because they deserve to play more football for their own good and their own careers.”

Sergio Ramos will sign a contract extension at Real Madrid, says Jorge Valdano, with the Blancos expected to do all they can to avoid a repeat of the Cristiano Ronaldo saga that took one talismanic figure off their books.

The Blancos paid the price for parting with a five-time Ballon d’Or winner in the summer of 2018.

After nine record-setting years at Santiago Bernabeu, Portuguese superstar Ronaldo was allowed to head for Italy and link up with Juventus.

Filling that void was never going to be easy for Real, and they have found that out to their cost through a number of failed experiments.

There is now a very real threat that another leader within their ranks could soon head for the exits.

Ramos is yet to be offered an extension to his expiring deal, meaning that he could drop into the free agent pool at the end of the season.

Various landing spots have been mooted for the World Cup winner, from Manchester United to Paris Saint-Germain, with there still plenty of football left in the 34-year-old defender.

With that in mind, and having made costly errors in the recent past, Valdano believes that Real will tie their long-serving club captain to fresh terms.

The former Blancos player and coach told El Transistor: “He will end up renewing with Real Madrid. It would be a mistake on both sides if it were not done. 

“The same thing happened with Cristiano. Real Madrid was left without the Champions League and Cristiano without the Ballon d’Or.”

Real did return to winning ways without Ronaldo in 2019-20 as they recaptured the Liga title, but defending that prize is proving to be tricky, with more points dropped in their latest outing against Osasuna.

Zinedine Zidane has questioned why that fixture, which was played out amid a snowstorm in Spain, was allowed to take place on a frozen pitch.

La Liga chiefs have also faced criticism for allowing Real to travel to Pamplona, but Valdano believes figures of blame are being pointed in the wrong direction.

He said: “If a plane takes off, the responsibility is not with La Liga.”

The Argentine added on the difficulties being endured by Zidane: “Every game we make the coaches responsible for more things.”

Zidane will be calling the shots once again when Real return to action on Thursday in a Super Cup semi-final clash with Athletic Club.

Mikel Arteta has vowed to help Nicolas Pepe succeed at Arsenal, with the Gunners boss confident that the out-of-sorts winger can avoid becoming a £72 million ($97m) flop.

A highly-rated forward snapped up in a club-record deal during the summer of 2019 is dangerously close to tumbling into that category.

Despite being at Emirates Stadium for 18 months, Pepe is yet to convince and make the impact expected of him when he completed a big-money move from Lille.

There have been flashes of brilliance, but serious questions have been asked of the Ivory Coast international’s ability and attitude.

Arsenal’s patience with an expensive asset can only stretch so far, as they seek to establish much-needed consistency as a collective, but Arteta will continue to give Pepe time.

The Spanish tactician told reporters after seeing the 25-year-old put in another forgettable display in an FA Cup third-round clash with Newcastle: “We need to help him to (succeed).

“In order to do that he needs minutes, he needs consistency in the team and when he has that, he needs to show he is capable of doing it.

“Let's see how the next few months develop.”

Pepe was replaced against Newcastle in extra-time, with Arsenal requiring a late rally from Emile Smith Rowe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to secure a 2-0 win.

The Ivorian saw his touch and finishing desert him again at times versus the Magpies, but Arteta is reluctant to pick fault with those who have not been seeing regular starts of late.

He added: “I think it is hard to make judgement on some players that haven't played many minutes over the last two or three weeks and to throw them in and expect them to be the best player on the pitch.

“I don't think it happens and Nico tried. He tried all the game and had some really good moments - moments where he could have scored two or three goals.

“In a normal circumstance and with his ability in those positions, he puts the ball in the back of the net. He didn't do it but I think his contribution overall was good.”

Next up for Arsenal is a Premier League derby date with London rivals Crystal Palace, with that contest set to see the Gunners come up against Wilfried Zaha – the player they overlooked in favour of signing Pepe.

Former Simba SC head coach Patrick Aussems has revealed he is ready to return and take charge of the Mainland Premier League champions again

The head coach’s position fell vacant after Aussems’ successor Sven Vandenbroeck left after he had led the side to the Caf Champions League group stage. The Belgian tactician has now stated he would return fast should he get the invitation from the Simba management.

“I am very ready for a return. They now have a strong squad than what I had in the previous two seasons,” Aussems told Mwanaspoti.

“I am ready to come back if at all I will receive a call from the club’s owner. But it would also be right to confirm that I have got other offers from some African teams.

“I lived with Simba quite well and I know the doors are still open and for that reason, I will prioritise them over any other team that would approach me.”

The coach further pointed out key areas that would convince him to rejoin the 2020 treble winners.

“If you look at Simba’s player individually, then you will see that they have incredibly improved and that is always a boost for any coach,” the retired defender said.

“And for that reason, I am ready to come back if and when they will ask me to. It would be easy for me to take charge as they are already accustomed to my way of play; attacking football that is meant to entertain everyone including the fans.”

The tactician also spoke about Wekundu wa Msimbazi’s chances in the Champions League Group A. Simba qualified for this stage after beating Plateau United of Nigeria and Platinum FC of Zimbabwe.

“Simba have got a competitive squad that can do well against AS Vita and Al Ahly but for El-Merreikh, I really cannot talk much about them due to my limited knowledge on them,” he added.

“But again teams from Sudan or around that region are – in most cases – not as competitive.

“If Simba are going to deploy their arsenal well especially during home games and be disciplined against El-Merreikh away, then I can see them getting out of the group and progress to the quarter-finals with at least 10 points.”

Aussems added he has not talked to Vandenbroeck since he left Simba but is certain the successes the latter had at Wekundu wa Mismbazi were enough to attract suitors.

“I have not had a chat with Vandenbroeck but getting a team to the group stage is a great achievement after domestic successes and I will not be surprised if offers from other countries come,” he concluded.

Vandebroeck has already been appointed head coach of ASFAR Rabat.

Tusker FC striker Henry Meja has revealed coach Robert Matano challenged every player to double their efforts for the team to get a positive outcome against Kakamega Homeboyz in the FKF Premier League game played at Bukhungu Stadium on Sunday.

The youngster scored the lone goal after the break when he received the ball from Luke Namanda while in the box, controlled it a little bit, and fired into the bottom corner.

However, he has conceded it was not an easy outing despite getting maximum points.

"It was a tough game but we managed to compose ourselves and we are happy to have gotten three points," Meja told Goal.

"After the break, the coach talked to us and challenged each of us to give our best on the pitch. We upped our tempo and ended up getting a win. 

"This is my second league goal and it has given me the motivation to work harder and score more goals. I have set a target of scoring 15 goals this season."

The 11-time champions coach Robert Matano conceded his team started the game with a low tempo but ended up finishing well.

He also revealed he had to make some tactical changes to ensure his team stood a chance of getting a win.

"It was a tough match and we expected it to be so and we were up to the [challenge]," Matano told Goal.

"We played good football although we started low especially in the first 10-25 minutes. 

"Homeboyz were on top of their game but we contained them until the second half. We came back so strong as expected, and we managed to win the game which we are happy about. 

"You know I have not seen Homeboyz [play] for a year and after seeing them in the first half we changed strategy and system of play. The players understood what I wanted them to do then we changed the game.

"We have picked up so well, and I hope that we continue doing more or the same in future matches." 

After Sunday's win, the Brewers are placed third on the log with 14 points from the seven games played.

Bruno Fernandes, Heung-min Son and Jordan Henderson were among the stars to shine brightly in 2020, but former Liverpool striker John Aldridge claims “flawless” Fabinho was the “best player” of the last 12 months.

Those at Anfield brought a 30-year wait for top-flight glory to a close in the 2019-20 campaign, with club captain Henderson leading by example as he hoisted aloft the Premier League trophy.

Elsewhere, South Korean forward Son cemented his standing as one of the most fearsome forwards in world football, while Portuguese playmaker Fernandes has become a talismanic presence at Manchester United.

The likes of Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne – who landed the PFA Player of the Year award last season – and Leicester striker Jamie Vardy have also continued to thrive on the grandest of stages, but Aldridge believes an unsung hero on Merseyside deserves the biggest billing.

The ex-Liverpool frontman has told the Sunday World: “There was a lot of debate over who was the best player of 2020 and Jordan Henderson got a few nominations, but I'd be tempted to select another Liverpool player for that prize.

“Bruno Fernandes has been superb since he arrived at Manchester United in January and the Tottenham duo of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min have been top class.

“Yet when I look at a player who has been most influential in the best team in the land, my focus falls on Liverpool's flawless maestro, Fabinho.

“He took some time to find his feet at Liverpool, but Fabinho's importance to Jurgen Klopp's side has been highlighted time and again in recent months.

“This Brazilian was fantastic in midfield in the first half of 2020 and has been a maestro at the heart of the defence since Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez picked up season-ending injuries.

“In fact, if all of Liverpool's defenders were fit and available, Fabinho would probably be picked as Van Dijk's partner ahead of everyone else and that says a lot about his performances.

“He has barely put a foot wrong since stepping into the heart of the defence and he has been a great leader to guide youngsters Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams in the last few weeks.

“It's not easy to play in an unfamiliar position and look like the best player in that position in an instant, but Fabinho has pulled that off and he has been a revelation.

“I don't think a Liverpool defence made up of a makeshift midfielder, the occasionally fit Joel Matip and a couple of young kids will be enough to win them the Premier League title in 2021, yet as long as Fabinho continues to perform as he has done in the last few months, anything is possible.”

Despite seeing Fabinho thrive while providing cover at the heart of their back four, Liverpool are currently mulling over the option of dipping into the January transfer market for another proven centre-half.

Trevor Phillips, the first-ever Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of South Africa's Premier Soccer League (PSL), has passed on.

The news of the death of the man known affectionately as ‘the British Bulldog’ was confirmed by the PSL on Monday morning.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Mr. Trevor “British Bulldog” Phillips, the first Chief Executive Officer of the Premier Soccer League,” read a statement.

“The NSL Executive Committee conveys its heartfelt condolences to Mr. Phillips’ family, more particularly, his wife Stella and his children Mark and Sharon. We supplicate that GOD gives them fortitude at this moment of their extreme grief and pain.

“The PSL will observe a moment of silence ahead of this week’s DStv Premiership and GladAfrica Championship fixtures. May his soul repose peacefully.”

Phillips served as the PSL’s CEO during two spells.

The first coincided with the founding of the PSL in 1996 and ran until 1998. In his first season in charge, it was Gordon Igesund's Manning Rangers who won the inaugural PSL title.

Phillips then returned for another five-year stint which ran between 2002 and 2007. During this spell, the PSL was reduced from 18 to 16 clubs – ahead of the 2002/ 03 campaign.

Also in Phillips’ second stint in charge was the 2004 match-fixing scandal which rocked South African football - Operation Dribble lead to a number of arrests of club officials, match commissioners, referees and assistants.

Between 1996 and 2007 the PSL was sponsored by the South African Brewery (SAB) and the league competition was known as the Castle Premiership. Subsequently, Absa bank and now DStv have been the headline sponsors.

The PSL has widely been recognised as one of the most professional and well-run leagues on the continent and has attracted players and coaches from across Africa and the world.

Phillips was replaced by Norwegian Kjetil Siem, who was in charge until 2011.

Between 2011 and 2016, Zola Majavu‚ Stanley Matthews‚ Cambridge Mokanyane and Brand de Villers all had relatively short stints as the league’s leader.

Since 2016, Golden Arrows chairperson Mato Madlala has been the acting PSL CEO.

Yaya Toure has commenced plans to secure his coaching badges with opportunities to lead young footballers at Queens Park Rangers and Blackburn Rovers.

The four-time African Footballer of the Year is yet to find a new club to continue his career since he left Qingdao Huanghai in January 2020 after helping them gain promotion to the Chinese Super League.

Last year, the 37-year-old midfielder joined League Two club Leyton Orient in training but he has now expressed his readiness to follow a similar path as his brother Kolo, who is an assistant coach to Brendan Rodgers at Leicester City.

Toure, who won three Premier League titles during his eight-year spell at Manchester City, said he has been learning from youth coaches in the Championship and he has led some coaching sessions.

“The coronavirus pandemic has made things difficult in a lot of ways – it was the reason I left Qingdao Huanghai in China at the start of 2020 – but it has given me the opportunity to learn,” Toure wrote in the Coaches' Voice.

“I have taken the chance to start doing my coaching badges and think about the next chapter. I’ve already made good progress in gaining my qualifications.

“But sitting in an office the whole time – that’s not me.

“I want to be out on the grass, interacting with other people, exchanging ideas. I’ve been very lucky that Chris Ramsey (above) has given me the opportunity to do that at QPR.

“I’ve been able to lead coaching sessions with the younger age groups, watch Chris coach and learn from him, as well as lots of other good coaches like Andrew Impey and Paul Hall. Les Ferdinand has been great, giving me the chance to watch these coaches in action. They have pushed me to learn, and have shown me what you need to do differently to be a top coach.

“I’ve also had the chance to go to Blackburn thanks to Stuart Jones (below), and the PFA – through Geoff Lomax – have given me great opportunities too. I’m learning all the time, and I love it!

“At QPR, after the sessions, I spend time with the players chatting to them. It really is amazing to see how committed they are. They want to achieve as much as I did, and they always want to learn how to be better. It’s amazing to be able to help them, and I’m delighted that I have that chance.”

Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc is keen to retain Reinier amid reports the Real Madrid teenager’s loan could be cut short.

Reinier joined Dortmund on a two-year loan deal from Madrid last August, but the 18-year-old has struggled to make an impact for the Bundesliga club.

Reports in Spain claim that Madrid are looking to end the deal early and send the Brazilian on loan to Valladolid, who are owned by the attacker’s compatriot Ronaldo.

Why it does matter?

When Reinier signed for Dortmund last summer, it was with the intention of him playing regularly to build up first-team experience before he returned to push for a place in the Madrid side.

However, Reinier has yet to start a competitive game for Dortmund since moving to Germany. He has made just four substitute appearances in the Bundesliga, while featuring twice from the bench in the Champions League and once in the DFB-Pokal.

Having arrived in Madrid from Flamengo with a huge reputation 12 months ago, reports have suggested the Spanish giants are concerned that Reinier’s development is stalling due to his lack of action.

What’s been said?

“We have a lot of competition in attack,” Zorc told Sport1 on the back of reports Reinier’s loan will be cut short.

“We basically don’t want to give him up. Of course, I’ll listen to everything. If someone is dissatisfied because he has too few opportunities, then you talk to each other, but we will not take the initiative ourselves.”

The bigger picture

Reiner has not had the easiest of times since his move to Dortmund and tested positive for coronavirus in November after returning from international duty with the Brazil Under-23 side.

In addition, Dortmund may be reluctant to lose a talented player from their squad after seeing Axel Witsel likely ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering an Achilles tendon injury during Saturday’s win over RB Leipzig.

Zorc has confirmed that Dortmund do not plan to sign a replacement for Witsel and that could lead to increased opportunities for Reinier to make his mark during the second half of the season.

Further reading

Borussia Dortmund confirm indefinite Witsel injury to spark fears of Belgian midfielder missing Euro 2020 (Jan 10)

'We have patience with him' - Zorc denies Dortmund are planning to send Reinier back to Real Madrid (Dec 5)

Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula has explained his happiness at seeing the return of his key players despite losing 1-0 to Tusker in an FKF Premier League match on Sunday.

The Kakamega-based outfit, who pushed Gor Mahia to the title last season before the league was prematurely ended owing to the coronavirus pandemic, have had a rather poor start to the 2020-21 campaign and are now lying 14th on the 18-team table after managing one win from six outings.

Shimanyula has since told Goal there is no need to press the panic button yet because his six players, who missed the first five matches of the season after contracting Covid-19, were back in action against the Brewers and played very well.

“I am happy that my six players returned and played very well against Tusker,” Shimanyula told Goal on Monday. “I know we lost, but we did not deserve to lose, the team played very well, we controlled even the first half but failed to convert our chances, my team is back now.

“I cannot fault my players for the defeat, they gave their best, they pushed Tusker and we even scored two goals which were disallowed for offside, I don’t think there was offside in the two goals, they were clean goals but the decision by the referee is final, we don’t have to cry because of that.

“What impressed me most is how the team played, with the return of the six players, we looked more organised and troubled Tusker very much, we were just unlucky not to get something from the fixture, we either deserved a win or a point from the game but that is football.”

On whether the team will stick with head coach Nicholas Muyoti after the poor start, Shimanyula said: “Muyoti will remain our coach, we don’t need to make changes, he has struggled with a team without regular players but now all of them are back, I am expecting a win in our next match.

“But I am working to beef up the technical bench, I need an assistant to work under Muyoti and we are talking to one already but cannot give you the name.

“We will soon unveil him, he will come in to assist Muyoti because all Muyoti needs is a push from another coach and that is why we want to employ another assistant coach to work under him.”

Homeboyz will next travel to Mombasa to take on Bandari at Mbaraki grounds on Saturday.

Juventus boss Andrea Pirlo fears Paulo Dybala may have suffered knee ligament damage.

Dybala was forced off in the first half of Juve's 3-1 win against Sassuolo on Sunday after sustaining a knee injury, with Dejan Kulusevski brought on as his replacement.

The Argentine was making his 11th Serie A appearance of the season at the Allianz Stadium but could now be facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines, with Pirlo revealing the full extent of his fitness setback during a post-match interview with Sky Italia.

"Dybala has a blunt trauma a little below the knee," he said.

Pirlo went on to deliver an update on Weston McKennie, who also had to be withdrawn early on in the clash with Sassuolo after falling awkwardly while attempting a piece of skill in the opposition penalty area.

"McKennie had a problem, today he felt some pain," said the Juve head coach.

The Bianconeri could be without Dybala and McKennie when they play host to Genoa in their round of 16 Coppa Italia tie in midweek, and may also be sweating on their availability for a top of the table showdown against Inter at San Siro four days later.

Juve beat current Serie A leaders Milan in their own backyard before picking up another three points against Sassuolo, and are now only seven points behind the Rossoneri in the standings with a game in hand.

"It was important to have continuity and win, otherwise the success at San Siro would have been useless," Pirlo added on his side's latest victory. "We were a bit messy, but in the end the three points count."

The Italian head coach is looking forward to coming up against Inter next weekend, but does not want complacency to set in among his players when Genoa arrive at Allianz Stadium on Wednesday.

He said: "These are great matches for anyone to play, we have many champions prepared to face this type of challenge. Now let's think about the Italian Cup, then we will focus on Inter. 

"Two out of three results at San Siro? No, we are Juventus and we have pressure to win all matches, to be played as if they were finals."

Gabriel Martinelli will have a scan on Monday, with Arsenal hopeful the Brazilian attacker’s ankle injury is not as bad as first feared.

Martinelli was injured during the warm-up on Saturday night as Arsenal prepared to take on Newcastle in the FA Cup third round and was replaced in the starting XI by Reiss Nelson.

He watched the second half from the stands while wearing a protective boot and Arteta admitted after the game that the initial signs did ‘not look good’ for the 19-year-old.

But, having seen Martinelli at the training ground on Sunday, Arteta is now in a slightly more positive mood and is hopeful the scan results will show the forward does not have to spend too long on the sidelines.

“We don’t know how bad it is, he’s getting a scan this morning,” Arteta said on Monday. “He didn’t look good after the game because he was in a lot of pain, but yesterday he tested a little bit better.

“So let’s hope he has the scan and it’s not as serious and we can have Gabi back really soon. But we will know more on Tuesday.”

Arsenal take on Crystal Palace in the Premier league on Thursday night looking to make it five successive wins in all competitions.

The Gunners could have their two main summer signings available for the clash, with centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes and midfielder Thomas Partey both expected to return following lay-offs.

Gabriel has missed the last four games having tested positive for coronavirus, while Partey hasn’t played since limping off with a thigh injury during the north London derby defeat at Spurs on December 6.

But Arteta is hopeful both could make their returns against Palace later in the week.

“Gabriel had a training session the other day,” said the Arsenal boss. “He tested positive, he had very mild symptoms, so he’s missed a few weeks of training because he had to be isolated.

“He’s better now, we expect him to be training with us the next couple of days and we’ll make an assessment whether we can have him or not on Thursday.

“Thomas has been in full training for the last four or five days. He’s completely asymptomatic. He was a little bit rushed to try to play him against Newcastle, but I think he will be ready for Thursday.”

Norwich playmaker Emiliano Buendia would be a “very clever signing” for Arsenal says Kevin Campbell, with the Gunners urged to invest in another creative influence.

Mikel Arteta has been short of inspiration in the final third at times this season. Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have not been firing on all cylinders, while wide men Willian and Nicolas Pepe have struggled to find a spark.

Mesut Ozil has been frozen out of the first-team picture, with faith now having to be shown in youth. Emile Smith Rowe is among those to have stepped up and delivered, but alternative options to the talented 20-year-old are wanted at Emirates Stadium.

Buendia, who has experienced Premier League football during his time at Carrow Road, could tick useful boxes for the Gunners.

Campbell believes he would be a shrewd addition in north London, with the Argentine showing in the Championship this season that is capable of picking the tightest of defensive locks.

“I think he would be a very clever signing,” former Arsenal striker Campbell told Football Insider when quizzed on the Gunners’ links to Buendia. “I like him. He has the qualities that Mikel Arteta is looking for in a player. Not only can he pick a pass, he can score and he works hard.

“He has that energy which has been missing from the team for long periods of this season.

“I think there is some really good players in the Championship and Buendia is one of them. He would fit what Arteta wants to do perfectly.”

Campbell added: “I know Norwich will be desperate to keep him but this is Arsenal and business is business. I am sure Buendia would want to join Arsenal, that is for sure.”

Norwich snapped up Buendia from Getafe in the summer of 2018 and he helped them to promotion in his debut campaign. Just one season was spent among English football’s elite before slipping back into the second tier, but the highly-rated 24-year-old has contributed 16 goals and 32 assists in 100 appearances for the Canaries.

Arsenal are next in Premier League action on Thursday, when they host Crystal Palace.