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The coronavirus outbreak that began in March severely disrupted the football calendar, with all matches having been suspended for three months in order to prevent further spread of the virus.

The pandemic caused football around the world to push back their seasons once it was deemed safe enough to do so, with the majority of European leagues concluding the 2019-20 season in the summer.

The effects of this in turn altered the nature of the summer transfer window, with the period for clubs buying and selling players delayed in order to align with the new start and end dates of the league.

So when does this year's summer transfer window shut? Goal takes a look.

When does the summer 2020 transfer window close?

The summer 2020 transfer window closes at 5pm BST (12pm ET) on October 5, 2020.

It had been pushed back a month from its original end date of September 1 due to disruption caused by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The summer 2020 transfer window also closes on October 5 in Germany (Bundesliga), Spain (La Liga), Italy (Serie A) and France (Ligue 1), meaning all of Europe's top five leagues are in sync.

There are slight variations in other European countries.

In the Netherlands, the summer transfer window closes on October 6, and in Portugal it closes on October 25. In Russia, it ends on October 17.

Can transfers be done after the window shuts?

Clubs are granted a brief 'grace period' of one hour following the transfer window closing - 5pm on October 5 - as long as they submit a deal sheet.

The deal sheet can only be used in the two hours before the deadline and it must be received by the league before the deadline passes.

This enables clubs to complete the information required by FIFA's Transfer Matching System for obtaining international clearance for their players.

If a deal sheet has not been submitted in time, then a transfer could fall through.

When did the summer transfer window open?

The current English window opened on Monday July 27.

A number of high-profile transfers have already been conducted this summer, with Liverpool making moves for Thiago and Diogo Jota from Bayern and Wolves, respectively.

Tottenham completed the signing of former forward Gareth Bale on loan form Real Madrid, with Chelsea boosting their attack with the acquisitions of Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech.

Stay informed about all the latest completed transfer deals in the Premier League on Goal's dedicated tracker here.

You can also stay up to date on all the latest transfer news and rumours here.

Azam FC have vowed to maintain their perfect start to the Mainland Premier League season.

The Ice Cream Makers have registered a 100 percent start to the new campaign, winning their first three matches so far, scoring four goals and conceding none.

They started the season with a 1-0 win against Polisi Tanzania, then won 2-0 against Coastal Union before beating Mbeya City 1-0 at Sokoine Stadium on Sunday.

Azam information officer Zakaria Thabit has now revealed their main aim is to keep the good run going as they target silverware at the end of the campaign.

“Our main target now is to keep the good record, three wins out of three is a very good start,” Zakaria told reporters in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday.

“We have started the season very well, and it is what we had anticipated before the season kicked-off, and we want to keep the run going, we want to keep winning our matches and hopeful we will be somewhere at the end of the season.”

After edging out Mbeya City, Azam coach Aristica Cioaba was elated to have managed to grind out a win from the difficult outing.

“I had told my players how tough it is playing against Mbeya as Sokoine, you know very well that not every team can come here and get maximum points, I am happy we did it,” Cioaba told reporters after the match.

“You have to be at your best, Mtibwa are very stubborn, and they tried to do the same against us but winning 1-0 and without conceding is something good to take back to Dar es Salaam.”

Against Mbeya, the 2014 league winners took charge of the game in the 25th minute when Ally Niyonzima found the back of the net with a powerful header.

The Ice Cream Makers were again without Aggrey Morris, who were injured during their 2-0 win against Coastal Union. The match was their first assignment away from their home ground; the Chamazi Sports Complex.

Azam will be away to Tanzania Prisons for the next league tie on September 26 before hosting Kagera Sugar on October 4.

For Mbeya City, who are yet to score a goal this season, they will face Namungo FC and Tanzania Prisons, on September 25 and October 3, respectively.

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson claims Wilfried Zaha is not on their transfer list as he hopes to keep the Ivory Coast forward beyond the current transfer window.

Over the past few seasons, the 27-year-old, who has three years left on his contract, has been linked with a move away from Selhurst Park.

Zaha, on his part, has not hidden his desire to play Champions League football but Crystal Palace are yet to see a club match their current valuation.

As they await an official bid for his services, Hodgson relishes his working relationship with the Ivorian forward, who stunned his former club Manchester United with a brace in Crystal Palace’s 3-1 victory at Old Trafford on Saturday.

“He is under contract, he is not on the transfer list and we don’t want to sell him,” Hodgson said on TalkSport.

“But of course, I would be naive to say a situation where the club doesn’t want to sell doesn’t mean you don’t get offers which are going to cause you some problems.

“At the moment, that hasn’t happened so I will continue to enjoy having him available."

Amid reported interest from Borussia Dortmund and Monaco this summer, Hodgson claims Zaha's future in south London is open.

“I have no idea. I look forward to going into work with him every day,” the ex-England manager said when asked about the chances of staying at the club.

“I’m a realist and I realise that if a club comes in and pays what the club thinks he is worth and he desperately wants to go, it will be hard for us to keep him,” he said. “But until that day comes, there is no point in me speculating.

“I can even hope that because Wilf is a Palace man through and through that he will see a team that could be getting better and looking to go forward and maybe he will accept that staying here isn’t quite that bad.”

Zesco United have parted ways with head coach George Lwandamina with immediate effect.

The Zambian giants have confirmed on their official website that the two parties have agreed to end their relationship by mutual agreement.

“Zesco United management and club head coach, George Lwandamina have mutually agreed to separate with immediate effect,” the statement from the club confirmed.

The Team ya ZikoCEO  Richard Mulenga has thanked Lwandamina for the services rendered to the club.

“Zesco United would like to thank coach George [Lwandamina] for his services in the last three seasons which resulted in the team winning two league titles and one Absa Cup trophy," Mulenga said.

Mulenga further disclosed the club will soon be announcing a new full-time head coach ahead of the 2020/2021 FAZ/MTN Super League season.

“The club will immediately begin the recruitment process for a new full-time head coach," he concluded.

Lwandamina’s last match with the club was on Monday when Zesco United beat Division two side Neelkhant FC 8-0 in a pre-season friendly game staged at the Trade Fair Grounds, Ndola.

The eight-time Zambian champions are preparing to bounce back after a disappointing 2019/20 campaign, in which they finished fifth and will miss out on representing the country in the Caf competitions for the first time in eight years.

The Ndola-based charges have already bolstered their squad with the signings of Bruce Musakanya, Lazarus Phiri, and Kampamba.

Interestingly, Kampamba and Musakanya were on the score sheet as Zesco managed to get four goals in the first half of the friendly while Harambee Stars strikers Jesse Were and John Makwatta were also on target as well, as the hosts dominated. 

After the break, Makwatta completed his hat-trick with Kampamba also getting another goal to complete his brace with the final goal coming from Logic Ching'ondu.

At the end of last season, Mulenga revealed the club was set for massive changes to return to their best in the 2020/21 season.

“It is unfortunate especially if you consider the way we started this league, we won our first 10 matches and somewhere along the way we lost,” Mulenga told the club's website earlier.

“The process of rebuilding starts on Monday. We already know what some of the issues are, we just need to start addressing them. Some of them, we started addressing them even before the league was closed because of the pandemic.”

Gareth Bale's agent has hit out at Real Madrid, saying the Liga champions mistreated his client and that they "should be kissing the floor he walks on.”

After leaving Tottenham in 2013 to join Madrid, Bale confirmed a sensational return to north London at the weekend on an initial loan deal. 

The 31-year-old won four Champions League titles and two Liga crowns with Madrid but had fallen out of favour last season under Zinedine Zidane. 

Speaking to talkSPORT, Jonathan Barnett has said Bale was disrespected in Madrid and has put his exit down to a "clash of personalities" among other issues.

“It was a build-up of a clash of personalities, a build-up of not being supported, it was many different things," Bale's agent said of the Wales star's exit.

“For somebody who has done as well as he has for Real Madrid, he didn’t get the respect he deserved and that was a big problem.

“For seven years everybody’s been saying Gareth Bale doesn’t speak Spanish – Gareth Bale speaks Spanish! Everybody’s been saying Gareth Bale doesn’t care about football – Gareth Bale loves football, he’s never fallen out with football.

“He may have fallen out with other things, but not playing football, and I hope back at Tottenham people will realise and stop talking complete and utter rubbish."

Barnett was particularly dismayed by the behaviour of the Spanish press, saying they crossed the line when they wrote stories about Bale's family.

"I’ve been his agent since he was a very young boy, and I am so proud of him," Barnett continued.

“Not just for his achievements and everything else, but because he has become a great man. He’s never said anything wrong, he’s never done anything… his life has been exemplary really.

“When he came here one of the newspapers started writing articles about his family and his wife’s family in the papers – that is scandalous."

After amassing a number of trophies during a spell in Madrid that grew turbulent at times, Barnett feels the Blancos should have done more to show their appreciation for the Welshman.

“This country should be very proud of him, Great Britain should be very proud of him. Stop knocking him and write what he’s done and what he’s achieved," Barnett said.

“It’s very annoying, and it’s the same with Real Madrid and what he’s achieved for them.

“They should be kissing the floor he walks on.”

Former Orlando Pirates winger Joseph Makhanya has pleaded with the Soweto giants to be patient with forward Justin Shonga, saying the Zambian can form a “deadly” attacking combination with Frank Mhango and Tshegofatso Mabasa.

Shonga struggled for playing minutes last season and managed just 11 appearances across all competitions and did not score any goals.

This has led to rumours that the player wants a move away from Pirates, with reported interest in him coming from Portugal, Spain and Egypt.

Also being booted out of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) bio-bubble for disciplinary reasons heightened speculation about the Zambian’s Bucs future.

But Makhanya feels that Shonga can be important for Pirates if he stays, with coach Josef Zinnbauer just needing to instill confidence in his forward who has spent three seasons at the club.

“Pirates have got the material. You see Shonga, it is all about the coach having confidence in you. We have got Mabasa, we have Mhango,” Makhanya told Goal.

“It is all about giving confidence to your players and starting them also. At the endof the day you show them love and they can also respond with some good performance.

“If you check Mabasa is a different player from Mhango. Mhango is also a different player from Shonga. The three of them have different qualities which can make the attack of Orlando Pirates deadly.

“You know strikers are rare to find, you know. If you check the age of Mhango, you check the age of Mabasa, they are all players who can develop into lethal strikers. With age they can become better.

“They must never sell Shonga. He is a young man, he needs a serious talk with the coach as well as confidence from the coach and he can become right.”

The lack of an effective combination could be seen by what appears to be over-reliance on Mhango who finished the PSL season as joint top goal-scorer with Peter Shalulile on 16 goals.

Mabasa on the other hand ended the campaign with seven league goals from 22 games.

When Mhango struggled for to score especially in the PSL bio-bubble, other Pirates forwards were unable to replace the Malawian's goals output. Zakhele Lepasa, Augustine Mulenga, Vincent Pule, Thembinkosi Lorch and Kabelo Dlamini all struggled when called upon.

Frank Lampard has confirmed that Edouard Mendy is undergoing a medical at Chelsea, with the Blues closing in on the £22 million ($29m) capture of a new goalkeeper.

A move for the highly-rated Rennes keeper has been mooted for some time, with Goal confirming over the weekend that a deal had been struck.

Those at Stamford Bridge are now in the process of finalising an agreement that will see them add another shot-stopping option to their ranks.

Lampard told reporters when asked for an update on Mendy: “He is having a medical as we speak. Subject to that being okay, then he will be a Chelsea player.”

The Blues have moved to land another keeper after seeing patience wear thin when it comes to Kepa Arrizabalaga.

The Spaniard remains the most expensive goalkeeper in world football, but has been struggling to live up to that billing.

Another costly error was made by the 25-year-old in his last outing against Liverpool and he is now expected to be stripped of the number one spot once again, having previously seen his place taken by Willy Caballero.

Lampard is refusing to give up on Kepa and claims a door remains open for everyone to prove their worth, but he is pleased to have added competition for places.

He added when quizzed on Kepa: “I don't know what benefits there are in the long run, football is in your hands.

“Competition is a regular thing. We have brought Mendy in for that competition. It's in everyone's hands to get into the squad.

“I think it is the hardest position, because of the individual nature of it. I have to be sympathetic to that point.

“Last year I changed a few times, it's a different thought process. We are always striving for the best performance.”

Mendy could be thrown straight into action by Chelsea.

He will miss a Carabao Cup third-round clash with Barnsley on Wednesday, with Caballero set to start that contest, but will be in contention for a Premier League trip to West Brom on Saturday.

Lampard said when asked about quarantine protocol in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic: “As far as I'm aware, as long as he passes his test with us on Thursday and if that is negative then he should be okay to play.”

Chelsea will be hoping that Mendy proves to be as successful as their last goalkeeping acquisition from Rennes, with current director Petr Cech having taken a similar career path back in 2004.

Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango says he has been approached by some clubs in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, but there have not been concrete offers and he “wouldn’t say no” if a lucrative contract is tabled.

The 35-year-old has spent 14 years in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), winning seven league titles as well as the Caf Champions League crown in the process.

He has also previously played in Ethiopia. His PSL time has been shared between SuperSport United, Mpumalanga Black Aces, Bidvest Wits and largely at Sundowns.

But by his own admission, he could find himself bidding farewell to 'Downs if an enticing offer comes his way.

“There have been offers from the Arab countries... in the UAEs and Saudi Arabias, a lot of them,” said Onyango as per Sun Sport.

”But they haven't been concrete offers. And you can't rely on things which are not concrete. Of course, they have to talk to the club first. If the club says, ‘Look, Denis, we still want you, but you can move on.’ I wouldn't say no. After all, it's business.

”However, as a player, I'm still happy to play for Sundowns and still win many more trophies. I want to add another star to the badge. As I've said before, Sundowns have been there for me when I was not playing.

“For two years they were paying me even when I wasn't playing. If I can play and they still want me around, why not stay? It's not easy to move on from a team like Sundowns and start all over again.”

Onyango has three seasons left on his Sundowns contract after extending his deal with four-and-a half years last year.

This shows confidence in him by coach Pitso Mosimane who also handed captain 35-year-old Hlompho Kekana a new four-year earlier this year.

Onyango has established himself as one of the key senior players at Downs together with the likes of Antony Laffor and Wayne Arendse.

Leroy Sane is wary of comparing his partnership with Serge Gnabry at Bayern Munich to that of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, with any talk of following in the footsteps of ‘Robbery’ being ignored for now.

The Bundesliga champions have prided themselves on finding considerable firepower down the flanks in recent times.

Robert Lewandowski is currently the main man down the middle, but he is ably supported by a talented cast of wide men.

Kingsley Coman netted the winning goal for Bayern in the 2020 Champions League final, while Ivan Perisic has been allowed to head back to Inter at the end of a productive loan spell as his services are no longer required.

That is because Sane has been snapped up from Manchester City, with the Germany international returning to his homeland after four years in England.

He is already looking dangerous alongside fellow winger Gnabry – with the latter netting a hat-trick in an 8-0 mauling of Schalke, while the former also got on the scoresheet.

Comparisons are already being drawn with the legendary pairing of Robben and Ribery, with an iconic Frenchman telling Sport Bild: “I really like Sanabry very much!”

Sane, though, is reluctant to be drawn into that debate, with 24-year-old aware that he and Gnabry have much to prove before they can claim to stand alongside two Bayern greats.

He said: “I'm not yet going to allow comparisons with Robbery.

“The two of them shaped the club for a whole decade on a world-class level. For us, only one game in the FC Bayern jersey went really well for now.”

While eager to curb expectations at the Allianz Arena, Sane is confident that he will work well in tandem with Gnabry over a prolonged period of time.

The pair have known each other since gracing the same international youth sides, with a senior stage now offered to them on which to showcase their considerable talent.

“The contact with Serge has simply never broken off over the years,” added Sane. 

“We played together in the youth teams for the DFB. Now we still get along very well on and off the pitch.”

Bayern have a UEFA Super Cup clash with Europa League winners Sevilla to take in on Thursday, before then returning to domestic duty with a trip to Hoffenheim on Sunday.

Kenya midfielder Tobias Otieno has arrived in the United States ahead of his union with new side Union Omaha SC.

The U23 national team member sealed a move to the USL League One side from Kenyan Premier League giants Gor Mahia early in January this year, but the Covid-19 situation in the country delayed matters. However, the player has now landed in the US and welcomed by the club officials, ready to join his new teammates.

"Welcome Tobi," read a message on the club's official Facebook page, accompanied by a short graphic video of an airplane. 

The 21-year-old joined K'Ogalo at the start of the 2019/20 season after an excellent campaign with Sony Sugar in the previous one. The midfielder helped the Sugar Millers finish in the fifth position.

His good performance in the top tier led to his exit to Gor Mahia who were keen on bolstering the midfield ahead of the domestic and Caf Champions League campaign.

This season, Union Omaha have collected 16 points from the 10 matches played. They have managed to get four wins, as many draws and two losses, scoring 11 goals in the process and conceding as many.

Greenville Triumph lead the 11-team table with 25 points from the 11 games played. They have managed to collect eight wins, a draw, and two losses. They have also managed to get 14 goals in the process and conceded six.

The second position is held by Chattanooga Red Wolves SC who have 18 points. They have won five out of their 11 games played, drawn three, and lost as many. Their striking department has also scored 17 goals and conceded 11.

In the US, Otieno joins Victor Wanyama who joined Major League Soccer (MLS) side Montreal Impact in March.

The 28-year-old joined the Impact on a free transfer as a Designated Player on a three-year deal.  

Wanyama joined Tottenham in 2016 - after three seasons at Southampton - and became an important part of Mauricio Pochettino's midfield.

He made 97 appearances for Spurs across four years, with the majority of his playing time coming in his first season before knee injuries kept him consistently on the sidelines.

Despite Tottenham's midfield issues at the time, Wanyama made four appearances for the club in the 2019/20 campaign and wasn't brought into first-team calculations once Mourinho replaced Pochettino as manager in November last year.

Leeds are closing in on a deal for Real Sociedad defender Diego Llorente, Goal can confirm, with the Premier League new boys set to part with around €25 million (£23m/$29m) in a big-money transfer.

Marcelo Bielsa is eager to bolster his Whites side at the back, with the goals flowing at both ends of the field through the early weeks of 2020-21.

Leeds have been involved in back-to-back 4-3 thrillers after returning to the English top flight, with a narrow defeat suffered at defending champions Liverpool before then edging out Fulham at Elland Road.

Bielsa’s side were famed for their defensive resilience when securing promotion out of the Championship, but those qualities have briefly deserted them.

The plan is, after missing out on the likes of Ben White, to bring in Llorente and start plugging those leaks.

Discussions regarding a move to England for the 27-year-old centre-half are at an advanced stage and a switch should be formalised pretty quickly.

Llorente does have a €50m (£46m/$59m) release clause in his contract and is tied to Sociedad through to 2022, but Leeds have agreed terms below that mark.

They will now be offering a Premier League stage to a man who has seen a move to England mooted for some time.

The Spain international previously failed to make his mark at La Liga giants Real Madrid, but has thrived since linking up with Sociedad in 2017.

A model of consistency for the Basque club has taken in 88 appearances to date, scoring eight goals.

His efforts have sparked talk of interest from the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham in the past, while Monaco are understood to have seen a bid rejected this summer.

The Ligue 1 outfit are said to have put €15m (£14m/$18m) on the table, with Sociedad quickly making it clear that no agreement would be reached at that figure.

Leeds have had more luck when it comes to negotiating a fee and are now in a position to welcome another fresh face into their squad.

Madrid will be due part of any transfer package, having included a sell-on clause in their discussions with Sociedad, while La Real could turn their attention to Atletico Madrid star Mario Hermoso or Getafe’s Leandro Cabrera as possible replacements.

Alex Runarsson is setting lofty targets on the back of sealing a £1 million move to Arsenal, with the Icelandic goalkeeper looking to follow in the footsteps of David Seaman and Jens Lehmann.

The Gunners have moved to bolster their shot-stopping options after sanctioning a £20m ($26m) switch to Aston Villa for Emiliano Martinez.

Bernd Leno is the undisputed No.1 at Emirates Stadium, but he needs competition to keep him on his toes and cover in case he picks up any untimely injuries or suspensions.

Runarsson has been identified as the man for the job by Mikel Arteta, with the 25-year-old prised away from French outfit Dijon.

He is aware of the greats that have gone before him in north London when it comes to the art of goalkeeping, but there is a desire on his part to write his own piece of football folklore.

Runarsson told Arsenal’s official website of the Gunners’ iconic custodians: “They are amazing - I remember watching Seaman play when I was a small kid, the same with Jens Lehmann.

“Big characters, big personalities but also great goalkeepers. It is not easy to follow those guys but someone has to do it!

“Football would be no fun without having this type of pressure so it will be a challenge but I am up for it.”

Former Arsenal stars are not the only keepers that Runarsson is looking to model his game on, with there a couple of World Cup-winning performers – including one on the other side of north London – that he also looks up to.

The Iceland international added: “Growing up I always liked the modern style of goalkeepers, the ones who play in a similar style to how I do. 

“I enjoyed watching Hugo Lloris when he came to the Premier League, playing high outside the box, I also enjoy watching Manuel Neuer because he’s one of the best goalkeepers in the world. 

“I am still young so I don’t go back that long but the modern style of goalkeepers who can make saves, but also contribute to the team when they are attacking.”

Runarsson should get opportunities to impress as Arsenal compete on multiple fronts in 2020-21, with Mikel Arteta’s side due to take in a Carabao Cup third-round clash with Leicester on Wednesday.

Alex Morgan is a superstar, a two-time World Cup winner with 107 international goals for the United States and an Olympic gold medal to her name – and a new signing for Tottenham in the FA Women’s Super League.

Prior to Jose Mourinho sealing a stunning move that has Gareth Bale back in the Premier League, Spurs wrapped up a deal that saw one of the most iconic figures in the women’s game head to north London.

She is one of several decorated USWNT performers to have made their way to England this summer, with fellow Americans Sam Mewis, Rose Lavelle, Tobin Heath and Christen Press joining the ranks on opposing sides of a Manchester divide at City and United.

Morgan is in London, and happy to be there after becoming a mother for the first time to the now four-month old baby girl Charlie and going over a year without kicking a competitive ball in anger.

Her presence at Spurs has surprised many, but the 31-year-old striker is looking forward to opening exciting new chapters in her life on and off the pitch.

Morgan told Tottenham’s official website on how a remarkable move came about: “I’ve heard so many great things about the WSL and some of my team-mates from the USA national team have come over and signed with other clubs in the WSL.

“I wanted to challenge myself and play in a different league than what I’m used to, so this was a perfect opportunity for me to come here and just see the progress that the WSL has made and the quality all around the league.

“I hope I provide goals for this team, help to win games, help the team get to the top of the table, and set ourselves up for success within the season.

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to be there from the start but the fact that we’re only two games in, I think that I could really help the team moving forward and get back to where I left off at the end of summer last year.”

Morgan added on her plans for the immediate future: “As of right now, thinking of the craziness that was surrounded by the transfer window closing, having to really think about the future of my family in such a short period of time and uncertainty with the pandemic as well, I knew that I wanted to get on the field and play here and put on a Spurs top so that was the priority for me.

“But I can’t think too much in the future without really sitting down for a long period of time and I didn’t have that time to make a drastic decision for my family so whether I’m here for three months, six months or even further, I’ll take it one step at a time right now.”

Morgan is settling in well to life in England, with Charlie by her side, and is relishing the opportunity to embrace a new country and culture – having previously turned out for a number of sides in the States and French giants Lyon.

“We joked that Charlie’s first word isn’t going to be mumma anymore, it’s going to be mummy, I’ll work on that one, we’ll see if she’s here long enough to get her first words out,” Morgan, who is married to former Orlando City and LA Galaxy midfielder Servando Carrasco, added.

“I’m settling in nicely, the club have been extremely helpful, and I already have my flat that I am getting settled in to. The flight was great and it’s just a new opportunity that I’ll look back on and kind of think how crazy my life was with a daughter who’s under a year old.”

Jurgen Klopp should be trusted if he feels Diogo Jota is worth £41 million ($53m) to the Liverpool cause, says John Aldridge, with the Premier League champions needing to add more firepower to their ranks.

Plenty had urged Klopp to bring in another forward prior to the current transfer window swinging open.

While Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino form one of the most fearsome frontlines in world football, they have little cover behind them at Anfield.

Jota has been acquired to sit alongside Divock Origi when it comes to providing support.

Big money has been invested in him, which suggests that the Portuguese will see plenty of game time, and Aldridge believes the 23-year-old will prove to be another success story.

The former Reds striker told the Liverpool Echo: “He's quick, his delivery is very good, he can play in a number of forward positions and he knows where the back of the net is.

“Don't forget a lot of his appearances for Wolves have come as a substitute so that paints a bit of a false picture when it comes to his creative ability.

“It might seem a lot of money to some people but Liverpool fans should trust the manager implicitly because look how many decisions he's got right.

“If he believes Jota is worth that, with Ki-Jana Hoever going the other way, it could turn out to be a really good deal for Liverpool.

“Our striking options are looking really good now. Mo Salah showed on the opening weekend he's as hungry as ever and Sadio Mane displayed what he's all about again at Chelsea.”

While Jota has added to the options available to Klopp, it may be that his arrival hastens a departure for Rhian Brewster.

The highly-rated 20-year-old is generating plenty of transfer talk, with Sheffield United one of his many suitors, and Aldridge admits the youngster should move on and earn himself a future return to Merseyside.

He added: “Quality back-up for the strike-force is something we've talked about Liverpool needing for some time and it's great to see it in place now.

“It will be interesting to see what it means for the other strikers on the fringe of the first team and, in particular Rhian Brewster, who is now being linked with a permanent move away from Anfield.

“Many of these reports suggest that if such a deal happens Liverpool will have a buy-back clause in the deal and that's something I would certainly like to see as there's no doubt the lad is a goalscorer.

“If he's not going to get games at Liverpool in the foreseeable future having seemingly now moved further down the pecking order, you can't blame him for wanting to move on.

“It would be shrewd to have a buy-back option though because Liverpool are then covering themselves with a kind of insurance policy, having put years' worth of training and development into the boy.

“I do think as a goalscorer the lad has every chance of being a success and who knows, if he does end up moving on, we could yet see him back in a red shirt again one day.”

Newly-appointed Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Dillon Sheppard has revealed he wanted to join the Soweto giants upon his return from Europe in 2006. 

According to Sheppard, the Soweto giants didn't have a place for him at the time and that's when Mamelodi Sundowns offered him a contract to be part of Gordon Igesund's league-winning team.  

Nonetheless, he's pleased that he has finally gotten the opportunity to work for Amakhosi albeit on a different role than he initially hoped for.  

"In 2006 when I came back from Europe, I wanted to sign for Kaizer Chiefs. Unfortunately, at the time, they didn't have a spot for me that's why I went to join another club (Sundowns)," Sheppard said on SA FM.  

"But I'm here now, it's a huge opportunity for me as a coach," he said. 

Sheppard intends to learn as much as possible and grow as a coach but admits there's a lot of work to be done given the challenges Amakhosi are currently facing. 

"It's an honour and a privilege to be here. It's a chance to learn and grow and we know the challenges; a big club like Chiefs deserves and wants to win trophies and hopefully, we can contribute towards that," continued Sheppard. 

"I'm so pleased to be part of this huge institution and I'm grateful to the chairman for making it possible. There's a lot of work that needs to be done now and we must put our heads down and do the hard work," revealed the former Bafana Bafana midfielder. 

The 41-year-old mentor also spoke about his relationship with first-team coach Gavin Hunt which goes back to the late '90s when he first burst into the professional scenes.

Hunt handed Sheppard his professional debut at Seven Stars and again signed him for Bidvest Wits when he was in the twilight of his career seven years ago. 

Furthermore, it was Hunt who roped in Sheppard as one of his assistants at Wits before encouraging him to go work with the club's under-17 team. 

When Wits sold their PSL status, Sheppard was their MDC head coach - the role he will still occupy at Chiefs alongside Arthur Zwane while working closely with Hunt in the first-team for the next three seasons. 

"Gavin Hunt gave me my debut at Seven Stars in 1998. He also brought me to Wits when I was 36 and we won the league and MTN8. He also gave me the opportunity to join as an assistant and we won the Telkom Knockout Cup. He advised me to take up an under-17 coaching role," added Sheppard. 

Luis Suarez is facing accusations of agreeing topics in an Italian citizenship exam before taking the test, with authorities investigating events which occurred during Juventus’ pursuit of the Barcelona striker.

The Bianconeri were quick to move to the front of a transfer queue once Ronald Koeman made it clear that the experienced Uruguayan frontman no longer figured in his plans at Camp Nou.

A switch to Serie A appeared to suit all parties, with Suarez eager to remain at the very highest level as he prepares to open a new chapter in his career at the age of 33.

Juve explored the option of getting the South American an Italian passport, as he is married to a citizen of the country, meaning that he would not take up a non-EU spot in their squad.

Suarez travelled to Perugia to take the relevant tests, with the ‘B1’ assessment passed.

The Prosecutor’s Office of Perugia and the Guardia di Finanza are, however, now investigating alleged irregularities in that process.

Part of their remit is to look into crimes of “secrets and false ideology in public documents”.

Suarez is accused of agreeing topics ahead of his exam, allowing the result to be predetermined.

A statement from the relevant authorities read: “During the investigations, irregularities emerged in the exam taken by Luis Suarez to obtain the Italian citizenship.

“From the investigative activities it emerged that the topics covered by the exam had been agreed in advance and that the score had been assigned before the exam, and that the candidate had demonstrated only an elementary knowledge of the Italian language.

“Today the financial police are carrying out documentary acquisitions at the University of Perugia aimed at confirming the conduct described and notifying for crimes of disclosure of office secrets, ideological falsehood committed by public officials and more.”

As Suarez falls under the spotlight in Italy, Juve have shelved their interest in securing his signature and moved on to other targets.

Roma striker Edin Dzeko was sought out at one stage, before sights settled on the familiar face of Alvaro Morata.

The Spain international is undergoing medical checks in Turin ahead of a switch from Atletico Madrid, having previously spent two years with the Bianconeri between 2014 and 2016, with it possible that his place at Wanda Metropolitano could now be filled by Suarez.

Arturo Vidal has completed a €1 million switch to Inter from Barcelona, making his way back to Italy after a five-year absence.

Goal has learned that Vidal has committed his future to Inter through to 2022, with the option to extend his stay by an extra year included in the final agreement.

The 33-year-old has been handed a contract worth €6 million (£5.5m/$7m) per year, and will now be tasked with helping Antonio Conte's side try to wrestle the Serie A title away from Juventus.

Inter confirmed his arrival in an official statement via their website on Tuesday, which reads: "Arturo Vidal is officially an Inter player.

"The Chilean midfielder has joined Inter on a permanent deal from FC Barcelona. From today, Vidal will be on the front line for the Nerazzurri, with the same objectives as ever: fighting, giving it his all, and winning.

"He will become the sixth Chilean to play for Inter. The first was Ivan Zamorano, another born fighter. He was followed by David Pizarro, Luis Jimenez, Gary Medel and Alexis Sanchez.

"It’s confirmed. He’s arrived in Milan, and he’s a Nerazzurri player. Welcome to Inter, Arturo!"

Barcelona have communicated the final fee of €1m in their own statement, while wishing Vidal well on his next adventure at San Siro.

The Chile international enjoyed a hugely successful previous stint in Italy with Juventus between 2011 and 2015, before joining up with German champions Bayern Munich.

He spent three years at Allianz Arena before being snapped up by Barca for €20m (£18m/$23m) in the summer of 2018, and extended his run of consecutive league titles to eight during his first full campaign at Camp Nou.

That streak came to an end last season as the Blaugrana were dethroned by Real Madrid in La Liga, with a humiliating 8-2 Champions League defeat by Bayern compounding a miserable year for the club.

Vidal is the latest man to exit Camp Nou amid an exodus which has also seen Ivan Rakitic, Arthur, Carles Perez and Marc Cucurella leave the club, with Luis Suarez and Nelson Semedo reportedly set to follow suit having been targeted by Atletico Madrid and Wolves respectively.