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Argentina legend Hernan Crespo has said that if Lionel Messi really wanted to leave Barcelona, he should have employed a specialist to broker the deal and not his father.

Messi dropped a bombshell on the world game when he informed that Catalan side he wanted to quit Camp Nou.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner believed there was a clause in his contract that would have allowed him to walk away for free, but Barca were unmoved and insisted that any club wishing to sign the forward would have to pay his full release fee of €700 million (£630m/$825m).

Ultimately, Barca won the arm wrestle, with Messi exclusively telling Goal that he was going to stay at the club.

Crespo, though, feels that his future might not necessarily have been in the Blaugrana had he employed more experienced and specialist backing in his corner. 

“He doesn’t stop being the father and in those circumstances you need a professional,” the former Chelsea, AC Milan and Parma striker told TyC Sports . “It’s not the same as an agent speaking: it’s a father speaking. The agent is not going to look at family sentiment.

“I don’t want to detract from his father, but he does not have the background in terms of these things compared to others.

“We’re talking about directors, contracts and money. You need someone who can handle himself in that setting.”

Messi, then, will stay with Barcelona for at least one more year, at which point he will find himself out of contract.

He revealed that he had been left disgruntled with the performance of the team in recent times, notably their embarrassing Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich, who defeated them 8-2 in the quarter-finals in Lisbon.

Barca also suffered disappointment in La Liga last term as they saw their title slip into the hands of bitter rivals Real Madrid.

They will play Gimnastic and Girona in friendlies this week, while their Primera Division campaign is set to get underway on September 27, when they will host Villarreal.

Messi is set to be present and will be chasing his 445th goal in La Liga.

Mikel Arteta believes Willian is the player who can drive Arsenal towards a push for more silverware and a top-four finish.

Willian, 32, signed a three-year deal with Arsenal in August after leaving Chelsea as a free agent.

The playmaker – who joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013 – scored 37 goals and provided 33 assists in 234 Premier League appearances for the Blues.

Arteta thinks the Brazil international will provide Arsenal's squad with much-needed balance, and he has no concerns over Willian's age or ambition.

"With all the conversations I've had with him, the thing that stands out is his ambition that he wants to be the man who can drive this team forward," Arteta told a news conference.

"Another thing with him is he is always available. Last season at Chelsea, you can see the amount of games he has played.

"I am not concerned at all. We need some balance in this squad. We have some really young talent.

"We need some experienced players who can just put the shirt on and start performing. If he is able to perform at that level for another three years, I think he has a great chance of achieving that but time will tell."

Arteta retired from playing in 2016 at the age of 34, with the former Everton and Arsenal midfielder having struggled with injuries in the final stages of his career, though he insisted Willian's situation is in no way comparable.

"He is much fitter [than I was]. Don't compare him with me, I am a bad example!" Arteta joked.

"We need to know our context. For us to sign that type of player at 20 or 21 at the moment is impossible. We need to adapt here.

"We need some players that can hit the ground straight away and others we need to develop them, and they need top players around them because that will increase their performance and their value."

While Willian will add further guile and experience to Arsenal's attack, Arteta may have a headache in regards to the other end of the pitch, with Bernd Leno and Emiliano Martinez – who impressed at the end of last season – fighting for a spot in goal.

Goal  understands both Aston Villa and Brighton have made bids for Martinez , who won't be in the squad for Arsenal's Premier League opener with Fulham as a result.

"The positive thing is we have a goalkeeper in Emiliano who for 10 years has been so patient, he has made some difficult choices to earn the right where he is at the moment," Arteta said.

"Since I joined he has been superb, his performance increased dramatically and he helped us to win titles. For me it's a really good problem to have.

"They both need to know their roles. At the end of the day the other one has to support the one who is playing 100 per cent. If you cannot do that you cannot be part of a top squad and you should not be here."

Years from now when Arsenal’s 2019/20 season is remembered, one name will undoubtedly stand out: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

In a season that saw the Gunners seemingly going down a path that threatened to see them lose every shred of their identity as a club, the Gabon star thrived. At the Emirates Stadium was a 'captain' in Unai Emery who was losing command of his ship and on-pitch leader Granit Xhaka whose tetchy relationship with Gooners reached a nadir on that unpleasant night Crystal Palace in October.

And what about the situation with the club’s most talented player, Mesut Ozil, who struggled to get a look in, as well as the struggles of Auba’s strike partner Alexander Lacazette to regain form and fitness after an early-season injury?

The initial struggles of record-signing Nicolas Pepe to adapt to a new league were apparent while David Luiz’s penchant for the most bizarre gaffes was a source of frustration for Arsenal supporters.

Beyond Bernd Leno’s shot-stopping, Gabriel Martinelli’s unforeseen emergence and Bukayo Saka’s promise (which didn’t truly spring forth until the new year), the positives at London Colney could be counted on one hand.

Through it all, Aubameyang’s standard never dropped. While nearly everyone around him hit rough patches, he remained consistent. He kept scoring, kept being decisive as best he could. Thus, it was no surprise the former Borussia Dortmund striker replaced Xhaka as skipper. What he lacked (and probably still lacks) in authority and tenacity, he makes up for in leading by example on the pitch.

New head coach, now manager, Mikel Arteta leaned on the prolific forward early doors after replacing the rudderless Emery and he repaid that faith with hugely important goals to win the club’s 14th FA Cup.

Months earlier, in the January window, the forward affirmed his faith to the side by committing to the end of the season at least, a decision that calmed heightened nerves and allow the new boss to focus on putting his ideas across to the players.

So, what’s in store for Arsenal’s top marksman in 2020/21?

The story of last season

Simply stating that the striker was important in winning the club a record 14th FA Cup title is oversimplifying his brilliance last season and especially in the second part of the campaign.

Without question, the side depended heavily on his prowess in front of goal and it saw them overcome cup favourites Manchester City and Frank Lampard’s Chelsea en route to success in August. Arsenal scored two each in those games, all scored by Auba.

It takes a team to win trophies but it takes big players with big personalities to thrive under pressure and come up trumps when it counts. Aubameyang delivered when it mattered, winning his first trophy for the club since joining in winter 2017. The unfair criticism that he couldn’t deliver in big games was cast aside, too, deservedly.

In the Premier League, he netted 22 times, equalling 2018/19’s tally, and narrowly missed out on back-to-back Golden Boots to Jamie Vardy who hit 23 goals.

Admittedly, their Europa League campaign was underwhelming, and in some way, Auba’s glaring miss at the death in the Round of 16 vs Olympiacos was awful.

Still, it shouldn’t diminish how their captain largely gave hope to the players around him and an entire club’s fanbase when many teammates were either faltering or hit brick walls.

Any transfer rumours?

The situation over the striker’s contract has rumbled on in the short off-season but nothing concrete has emerged.

Recent reports have indicated that the striker is on the verge of signing a new three-year deal with the club. This will be a huge boost for Arsenal going into the season if he indeed extends.

One hope for 2020/21

In simple terms, the wish has to be for Auba finally getting the much-needed support from those around him as the club try to return where they belong in the Champions League.

Arsenal have failed to play in the continent’s most sought-after club competition since 2016/17, an unacceptable fact for a club with the history and size of the North London side.

One fear for 2020/21

The recent evidence makes this unlikely, but what if Arsenal’s captain fails to fire in the new season?

It’s too early to call, but their showing in the Community Shield and pre-season friendly defeat by Aston Villa suggests the side will still depend on his output in front of goal this year. An injury to Arteta’s captain could prove disastrous!

Goal’s prediction for the new season

"Aubameyang remains Arsenal's key man this season, as he has done for every season since he arrived," said Goal's Arsenal correspondent Charlie Watts. "He showed in the FA Cup semi-final and final just how important he is to Arteta's team and that is why the Spaniard has been so desperate to get his new contract over the line.

"He scored 31 goals in his first full season at Arsenal and another 29 last time around, if he has another season scoring with such regularity, then the Gunners should get very close to securing a spot in the top four and returning to the Champions League.

"He may be 31 now, but there are no signs that he is losing any of his electric pace and his eye for goal is as sharp as ever," Watts continued. "I think he will have another excellent campaign and will be up there once again competing for the Golden Boot."

Aubameyang has shown in the last two seasons at Arsenal that the talent pool around him wouldn’t necessarily affect his output in front of goal. Thus, it won’t be surprising to see him in contention for the Premier League Golden Boot yet again...so long as he stays fit.

Doubts remain over the Gunners’ all-round quality to end in the UCL spots with many intimating that further additions are required in the squad to secure their best Prem finish since 2016.

Maybe, though, just maybe, Arsenal are due a top four finish again...and Aubameyang’s goals will take them there!

Antoine Griezmann has finally got the Barcelona number seven shirt he wanted from the first day of his Camp Nou career, describing it as "an honour".

The former Atletico Madrid forward was denied his regular number when he arrived at Barcelona in July 2019, as it was held by Philippe Coutinho, and he agreed to wear the 17 shirt instead.

But with Coutinho having since gone on loan to Bayern Munich for last season, and with question marks over whether the winger will stay at Barcelona for the new campaign, the Brazilian has ceded the number to Griezmann.

On Instagram, Griezmann wrote: "It is an honour to wear the 7 at Barca!"

He added: "I want to say thank you to @phil.coutinho, who as well as being a great player is a big friend."

The number switch was announced by Barcelona on their social media accounts, with a video featuring Brooklyn Nets NBA star Kevin Durant opening a box containing Barcelona number seven shirts bearing his name and that of Griezmann.

Griezmann scored 15 goals in 41 games for Barcelona last season but often faced criticism for his performances as he struggled to make the greater contribution that many expected of him.

He has previously worn the number seven with Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid and France, donning the number during their run to World Cup glory two years ago in Russia.

There will be an even greater expectation on him to perform to a high standard for Barca over the coming campaign as they seek to wrestle their Primera Division crown back from eternal rivals Real Madrid and make up for the embarrassment they suffered in the Champions League, in which they were defeated 8-2 by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

It promises to be a difficult campaign for the Catalans, however, with Lionel Messi having agitated unsuccessfully for a move this summer, while new head coach Ronald de Boer is reportedly eager to conduct a dramatic overhaul of the club’s playing staff, which could see numerous experienced players moved on.

Barca start their season with a home match against Villarreal on September 27.

Emiliano Martinez has been left out of Arsenal's squad to face Fulham on Saturday as he edges closer to the exit door in north London.

Goal has learned Brighton have now joined Aston Villa in the race for the goalkeeper, who played a starring role in Arsenal's FA Cup success last season having filled in for the injured Bernd Leno during the final weeks of the season.

Villa have so far tabled two offers for Martinez, but have yet to meet Arsenal's £20 million ($26m) asking price. Their second bid was close to that figure, but only after add-ons and bonuses were factored in.

Sources close to the Argentine keeper have confirmed to Goal that Brighton have now entered the running for the 28-year-old and have tabled an offer that exceeds that of the Midlands club, but it has not been accepted by the Gunners.

Villa are expected to return with another bid imminently, however, and remain confident that they will ultimately land Martinez, who will now not be involved on Saturday when Arsenal begin their new Premier League campaign at Fulham.

Mikel Arteta has taken the decision to withdraw the keeper from his squad amid such heightened transfer activity, with Martinez having now almost certainly played his final game for the club.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Friday, Arteta was quizzed on the future of his goalkeeper.

“I cannot stop speculation about all our players,” he said. “I don’t want to comment on any individuals at the moment without having the right answer to give.

“We have some really good players in many different positions and some of them are duplicated. Obviously clubs come to us and are interested in getting our players.

“It’s very difficult to promise our players game time or that they will be first choice. So it’s part of this period in the market. We try to manage the situation as well as we can.

“What the players expectations are and what we can achieve with them at the club. We are making decisions towards that.”

Martinez has been with Arsenal for more than a decade and his preference has always been to stay at the club, but having proved himself when standing in for the injured Leno at the end of last season he does not want to find himself back on the bench once again.

He has a contract until 2022 and the Gunners have been in talks to extend his deal, but Goal has learned the terms on offer are less than what Villa were willing to pay him, even before Brighton emerged as competition.

Villa have also given Martinez assurances over playing time should he make the move to Dean Smith's side, something that is key to Martinez's hopes of making himself Argentina number one in the near future.

The latest development over Martinez’s future means that Matt Macey will be on the bench for Arsenal against Fulham on Saturday, with Leno back in goal for the first time in the Premier League since he damaged his knee ligaments against Brighton last season.

Arsenal have long expected to lose one of their keepers this summer and have started looking for replacements.

Brentford keeper David Raya has been identified as a target, but the Bees are determined to keep hold of him as they look to challenge for promotion from the Championship once again.

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has been given a 10-day holiday ahead of the 2020/21 Kenyan Premier League season which might start in October.

The tactician has been in the country despite lack of games since March 16 owing to the Covid-19 outbreak. With the league resumption just around the corner, the tactician has opted to refresh his mind ahead of the new season.

"The coach [Polack] requested for some days off, and we gave him 10 days and he will be travelling [on Friday night] to Finland," Gor Mahia vice-chairman Francis Wasuna said as quoted by the club's official portal.

However, the administrator is admitted he is not sure if the 59-year-old might stay longer.

"The plan is to have him back after 10 days but we are not sure of any quarantine programs at the other end," he added.

"If it happens and his 10 days are interfered with, then an extension of his stay in Finland might be necessary."

Whether the tactician will return or not is yet to be seen considering his predecessors Hassan Oktay and Dylan Kerr left in that manner.

Former Gor Mahia head coach Jose Marcelo Ferreira (Ze Maria) could be on his way back to the Kenyan Premier League (KPL), according to the latest reports.

The Brazilian succeeded Frank Nuttall, who had led K’Ogalo to the 2015 KPL title without losing a single match, but resigned in 2017 abruptly before joining KF Tirana.

He exited the club after it had just won the SportPesa Super Cup and were on top of the KPL table with 27 points.

Ze Maria’s rumours of return come amid reports Gor Mahia are in the market for a new coach to replace Polack.

Polack took charge of K’Ogalo when they faced huge financial constraints as they operated without a sponsor. His time was characterised by reported go-slows by members of the playing unit but he managed to register solid results on the pitch nonetheless.

They fought and topped the league table consistently, especially after they had been eliminated in the Caf Confederation Cup by Daring Club Motema Pembe.

They had managed to see off competition from Tusker and Kakamega Homeboyz, who were seen as strong contenders given their strong financial state compared Gor Mahia at that time.

Zambia internationals Hellen Mubanga and Racheal Nachula have left the country for Spain to join their new side, Zaragoza, on Friday.

In June, Zaragoza completed the signings of the Copper Queens duo, becoming the third and fourth Africans at the Spanish outfit after Nigeria's Peace Efih and Morocco's Hanane Ait El-Haj.

Mubanga and Nachula are making their first professional moves abroad after parting ways with Zambia Women's Premier League sides, Red Arrows and Green Buffaloes, respectively.

The duo were pivotal in Zambia's historic maiden qualification to the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games after a triumph over Cameroon.

Having procured their visas in August, the forwards were scheduled to travel a week ago but could not make it due to their flight being cancelled before they finally made their trips to Spain.

Before leaving Zambia, Mubanga expressed her delight over the finally heading out to Spain and pledged to do the country proud.

“Firstly I want to say thanks to God, my family Red Arrows, my coaches, teammates, and everyone that has been involved in my career," she told the media in Lusaka.

"I am excited to start my career at Zaragoza and promise to put in my best to make my country proud and also my new club.

“I am going there with Racheal is good for Zambian football because it will open doors for more players to play in Europe. 

"On my part, I will continue working hard and being determined because I believe the sky is not even the limit.”

Nachula and Mubanga become the latest Copper Queens players to ply their trades abroad after BIIK Kazygurt duo Misozi Zulu and Rachael Kundananji and Shanghai's Barbra Banda.

Zaragoza has long resumed training for the new season in August and the Zambian stars will be aiming to inspire their Spanish side to top-flight promotion this season.

Alexandre Lacazette has said that he has no intention of departing Arsenal while the club has an exciting future under boss Mikel Arteta.

After taking over from Unai Emery midway through the 2019-20 campaign, Pep Guardiola’s former assistant at Manchester City has led the Gunners to FA Cup and Community Shield glory.

While there has previously been speculation about the future of their France international forward, he has been happy to decisively push that to one side.

“I’m at Arsenal. I signed a five-year contract to improve and win titles. I’ve got two years left and I’m determined to stay,” he said to L'Equipe.

When asked if that is his final decision, he replied: “From me, yes.”

Meanwhile, the 29-year-old has insisted that he knows nothing about links to the likes of Juventus and Atletico Madrid, with reports suggesting he had been offered to the Spanish side as part of a deal to take midfielder Thomas Partey in the opposite direction.

“If it’s true, no, it’s not pleasing,” he said. “But what counts are the choices of the coach and having his confidence. It’s him who picks the team, not the directors in their offices, and I know I’ve got his confidence.”

He scotched whispers that his absence from the Community Shield win over Liverpool on penalties was due to an uncertain future.

“I was self-isolating for a fortnight,” he said. “I was in Guadeloupe when England announced new conditions and I didn’t have time to return.

“I arrived in France on the Sunday, came through Paris, and I was in London at the start of the week. But I had to do my fortnight like everyone else.”

Lacazette sang the praises of Arteta, hinting that much has changed under his stewardship.

“He’s brought some order to the club, to the squad,” he said. “He’s brought ambition in terms of what he is looking forward to doing and what he has known with what he experienced at Manchester City.

“But it’s not a change that can be done in six months because it’s a long process, but yes, it’s happening. 

“Our results after the restart and the victory in the FA Cup proved that we can compete, even if we were playing different football. It did the squad a lot of good.”

Arsenal begin their Premier League campaign on Saturday against Fulham.

For Crystal Palace, last season didn’t quite end as planned. While they weren’t expected to pull up trees at the start of the campaign, they found themselves in a promising position before the Premier League’s suspension in March.

Given they were tipped to end in and around mid-table, the Eagles found themselves looking at possible qualification for European football. After their 2-0 defeat of Bournemouth post-lockdown, Roy Hodgson’s side were ninth in the table following a run of four wins on the trot.

However, they tailed off spectacularly in the final eight games, losing seven and drawing their final game of the season at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

To start this week-long series, we profile two of Palace’s top forwards, Wilfried Zaha and Jordan Ayew, who would play important roles in the South London club’s season.

The Story of last season

In fairness, there’s a feeling Palace could have achieved more had their talisman been as consistent in 2019/20 as he had been in previous seasons.

With the Ivory Coast star seemingly distracted by rumours of a transfer to Arsenal and Everton, his form at the start of the campaign was volatile and it carried on for most of the season.

It was up to Ayew to carry the can for the Glaziers, and he went from much-maligned at Selhurst Park to having the fans onside as he hit nine top flight goals, with most of them either hugely weighty in the timing or breathtaking in execution.

Even though it was a shame the Ghana striker failed to hit double figures in the league, he proved his capabilities in taking up the gauntlet for Hodgson’s troops, with Zaha Jekyll and Hyde for most of the season.

Any transfer rumours?

While there’s a feeling that Zaha still wants out, his stock has certainly fallen in the last 12 months, with clubs not as interested in his services. Arsenal have certainly moved on, while Everton have gone in another direction as well.

The financial realities with the pandemic mean Palace, for their part, won’t be able to demand as high as they wanted last year.

Little has been heard on the Ayew front and he’s expected to stay in South London.

One hope for 2020/21

For both players, the major aim would be playing at a consistent level for majority of the season and equally shoulder responsibility in the side’s campaign.

The addition of Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace from Queens Park Rangers has excited fans of the club, and the potential if all three players dovetail could lead to Palace’s best season in the league’s history.

Ayew will hope to hit the 10-goal mark having just missed out in 19/20, while Zaha will want to enhance a reputation that took a hit after a failed dream move to the Emirates Stadium.

One big fear for 2020/21

While sustaining serious injuries will certainly top Ayew and Zaha’s worst fears for the new season, the end to 19/20 meant Palace weren’t scoring goals but conceding bucketloads.

They had the second-worst attack after 38 games, second to relegated Norwich City, and conceded an average of 2.25 per game after the sport’s return in June.

If the African pair continue to misfire in the new season as they did at the backend of last season and the team remain leaky in defence, the London outfit could suffer the ignominy of relegation from the division at the end of the campaign.

Goal's prediction for the season to come

For the pair, the introduction of Eze into the side promises a lot for the future with the Anglo-Nigerian already capable of match-winning moments on his own.

Ayew and Zaha should benefit from having another exciting player in the side, which increases the attacking talent in a team that observers have tagged functional in recent campaigns.

Despite an extremely poor finish to the previous season, especially defensively, the Eagles were largely solid at the back for majority of the year.

If Hodgson’s backline can return to that form and maintain it all season this time, there’s no reason to doubt that the Eagles could surpass 14/15’s 10th-placed finish and also surpass their best tally of 49 points in 18/19.

Alexandre Lacazette has told Arsenal that they must ensure that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang signs a new deal with the club.

The 31-year-old’s contract will expire next summer, having proven his worth to the Emirates Stadium side by scoring 71 goals in 110 outings in all competitions since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in 2017.

Additionally, he is coming off the back of a campaign in which he scored 29 times in 44 outings, finishing as the Premier League’s second leading marksman behind only Leicester hitman Jamie Vardy, and Lacazette says his forward cohort is too important to let go easily.

“We need him,” Lacazette told L’Equipe of his colleague, who has been used effectively off the left wing. “He has the statistics of a centre-forward.”

First-team manager Mikel Arteta told Gunners fans previously on Friday that he is confident a deal will be done.

“I think they can be pretty relaxed,” said Arsenal’s manager. “I can say that I am even more confident than I was at the end of last season.”

Meanwhile, the France international striker is not concerned that Aubameyang is the first-choice penalty taker at the Emirates Stadium.

“It’s true that I don’t take them anymore, but that’s not a problem,” he said. “I know if I wanted to get one, he would let me have it. 

“If it was getting into my head or if I was into something selfish, I would try to take them or ask him to have one shot out of two, but that’s really not how I see things. He scores them and he saves us, that’s what matters.

“Sometimes I’m criticised for not being selfish enough, but that’s not my vision of football. I like to score, but I have a role other than as a goalscorer. Now I take part in the game more and I get a different pleasure from doing that.

“In Lyon, I had the responsibility of scoring, but here, it’s a little more that I have to help the team play well and to be dangerous.”

Lacazette’s future has also been the source of some speculation, with Atletico Madrid and Juventus linked with him, but he has committed himself to the Gunners.

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers is confident Wilfred Ndidi will deliver a top-notch performance if he plays as a centre-back in their Premier League opening fixture against West Bromwich Albion.

With John Evans suspended, the Foxes are hit with injury problems as Wes Morgan and Filip Benkovic remain unfit for the trip to the Hawthorns.

Ndidi is being considered as an available option that could partner Caglar Soyuncu at the centre of the defence.

The Nigeria international who is dominantly a defensive midfielder, played as a centre-back for 60 minutes in Leicester City’s last friendly outing against Blackburn Rovers.

When quizzed about his defensive selection for Sunday’s game against the Baggies, Rodgers lamented the lack of options at the back but he is positive about the team’s adaptability.

“We’ve been unfortunate really. We have to find a solution,” Rodgers was quoted as saying by Leicester Mercury.

“There’s absolutely no doubt we don't want to be in this position, that’s for sure, where we have only one defined centre-half available.

“I’ve got players who are multi-functional and who have played there before. We’ve been looking at some of the dynamics of that over the course of this last week.

“It’s been unfortunate that a few of those guys have picked up injuries, but we know it’s an area that we’re going to have to bring someone in.

“Whichever team we put out, I trust all of the players that go in, if they need to go in.”

Before his move to England in January 2017, Ndidi played as a centre-back during his Genk career and Rodgers thinks he can still deliver ‘a good job’ in that role.

The 23-year-old was rated as one of the top tacklers in the last two Premier League seasons.

“(If Ndidi plays there) it will most definitely be (only temporary). He’s one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. That is his best position,” the manager continued.

“But I do like a midfield player who has that adaptability to play in a back four or a back three. He played very well in the game for 60 minutes, and it is a position he’s played in at Genk.

“There’s a lot of the attributes there that are natural (to him). He’s good in the air, he’s got speed, he can pass the ball, and his reading of the game is very good. I’ve got no doubt that if he needs to play there, he’ll do a good job.”

Gareth Bale would be a 'perfect' signing for Manchester United if they fail to seal a deal to sign Jadon Sancho this summer, according to the Real Madrid's former Tottenham team-mate Peter Crouch.

Bale has been strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford time and again in recent years, with United failing in a late bid to sign the Wales international prior to his world-record £86 million ($110m) move from Spurs to Madrid in 2013.

Now Bale is surplus to requirements at Real Madrid and has hinted that he would be open to a return to the Premier League, amid reports that the Spanish giants would be willing to fund some of his lavish wages in a bid to ease the 31-year-old out of the club in this summer's transfer window.

Speaking exclusively to Goal at a BT Sport event, former England striker Crouch hit out at Madrid for their treatment of his former Spurs colleague as he suggested Old Trafford could be the perfect stage for him to reboot his club career.

"I can see Gareth Bale at Manchester United," Crouch said. "That would feel like the kind of club where he would fit in and instantly add something to their team and maybe put them back in the mix to win trophies.

"There are not many clubs in the world who could afford his wages, but Manchester United might be one of them and he would have an instant impact if he went there. 

"I'm not sure where they are in their efforts to sign Jadon Sancho, but Bale would be an option for them and if he is available on a loan deal, he would be a great signing for any club.

"The mystery for me is why Real Madrid are so desperate to get rid of him. We don't really know what has gone wrong for him there because he has achieved so much at that club, scoring crucial goals in Champions League finals and winning everything with them. 

"At other clubs, they would be building a statue outside the ground to celebrate him, but he has been treated with disrespect by Real Madrid for a long time now and clearly he needs to find a way to get out of there because he has not played enough football in recent months.

"It would be a bit of a gamble to sign him because his injury record is not great and he would need time to get up to match fitness, but a fit and motivated Gareth Bale is a world-class player, there is no doubt about it."

Crouch played with Bale as he shot to international prominence in the 2010-11 season, with the pair combining to help Tottenham plot a route to the Champions League quarter-finals under manager Harry Redknapp, yet he does not expect the rumours of a potential return to Spurs for the former Southampton youngster to become a reality. 

“It would be amazing to see Gareth Bale back at Tottenham, but I just don’t see the club having that kind of money to make the deal happen,” added Crouch.

“He was breath-taking in that season at Spurs when I played alongside him and his career lifted off and he was a clear winner of the Player of the Year award in the Premier League. 

“Some of the things he was doing were crazy and I’m sure the Spurs fans would love to see him back, but it doesn’t seem like a deal Spurs would do. They would have to find a lot of money from somewhere to make that happen and it won't happen."

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Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has hailed striker Mason Greenwood as “a future superstar”, while he has suggested that the Red Devils should continue their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side finished the 2019-20 campaign in fine form and impressed particularly offensively.

The 18-year-old Greenwood was a major part of that as he finished his first full season with the senior side with 10 league goals in 31 outings, and it was enough to persuade Ferdinand of his talent.

“He’s here to stay. He’s here for the long term,” he told Radio 5 Live. “He’s a superstar in the making.

“I don’t want to add too much pressure to him, but the kid is a natural-born goalscorer and plays the game the way if you were writing a textbook. He plays it the right way. He excites me massively.”

Meanwhile, the former England defender talked up the prospect of United signing Sancho, a player they have been heavily linked with for much of the summer.

The deal seemed to be dead after the Old Trafford side failed to meet a deadline set by Dortmund, yet their hopes have been rekindled in recent days and Ferdinand has argued that the young winger could bring a great deal to his former side.

“I think you have to look at it and think to yourself, Jadon Sancho is someone who adds a lot of goals, a lot of assists, creativity, he draws players out of position,” he said. 

“You need two or three players to come and deal with him, which now allows other people like Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial more space. What that means in terms of goals and opportunities – who knows?”

Sancho enjoyed a stellar season with Dortmund, scoring 17 goals and creating 17 more in 32 outings, and the 20-year-old has been handed a €120 million (£108m/$142m) asking price by the German outfit.

Meanwhile, United face Aston Villa in a friendly over the weekend, with their start to the 2020-21 Premier League season delayed by a week after their run to the semi-finals of the Europa League last month.

Leah Williamson is happy for Arsenal to be underestimated – but has warned rivals that they are “a team on a mission” after a disappointing season last year.

Following a summer of hype centred mainly around Chelsea and Manchester City, something head coach Joe Montemurro commented on recently, the Gunners made a statement in their opening Women’s Super League fixture, thrashing Reading 6-1.

Arsenal now head into their second game of the new season, against West Ham on Saturday, top of the table after Chelsea dropped points at Manchester United and Manchester City only won 2-0 at newly-promoted Aston Villa.

While Williamson has full belief in her team’s ability to continue to compete for titles, she also admits there can be benefits to being perceived as something of an ‘underdog’.

“[Chelsea and City] have both quite obviously invested and [after] qualifying for the Champions League, both of them are making stakes for winning it,” she said.

“It’s hard to ignore that they have done that, but I do believe that if you look at the teams and the players we have had at Arsenal over the last couple of years, we can compete with anyone. I really do believe that.

“For me, it doesn’t really change anything. We will compete and challenge as we have done in the past few years.

“There is always a slight benefit in being the underdog and I say that, not from my opinion, but how everybody sees us.

“You can sort of get on with your own business without people watching or expecting too much.

“We’re not in the Champions League so if anything, we are a team on a mission. We underachieved last season.

“I wouldn’t want to play us on our day – but I am probably biased.”

One theory as to why the Gunners have been so overlooked this summer is the signings they’ve made.

While Manchester City have brought in World Cup and Champions League winners, and Chelsea have bolstered their attacking options with Pernille Harder, Arsenal have recruited signings that shore up their defence.

“Perhaps [they’re] unglamorous signings, but in terms of what they add to our team, it is strong,” Williamson said. “We have a really nice balance.”

The Gunners’ five summer signings have been a goalkeeper, Lydia Williams; two full-backs, Steph Catley and Noelle Maritz; a centre-back, Lotte Wubben-Moy; and a holding midfielder who can also play at centre-back, Malin Gut.

“You saw Noelle [against] PSG [in Arsenal's Champions League quarter-final defeat last month] and, for me, she was our player of the match,” Williamson said, running through the new faces, speaking before Wubben-Moy's return was announced.

“Steph is the type of player that somebody like me, being young and still trying to grow, I want to be surrounded by.

“Malin, there’s talent there. I have heard Kim [Little] talk about how good Malin will be and if real talent can recognise that, then she must be pretty good!

“Obviously, Lydia as a goalkeeper is probably one of the best characters I have ever known in football, so I can’t wait to work with her.

“In our first session she apologised for speaking too much and I said, ‘My ears are open mate, keep going’!”

The new arrivals add real depth to a team that struggled with numbers last season.

With Arsenal not being in Europe this year, having finished third in the WSL on points-per-game, they have one less competition to juggle, too.

“It’s not necessarily a benefit, because you get better playing against the best teams and those games will make the best teams,” Williamson said, discussing that lack of European football.

“But at the same time, you can really make it work in your favour because of the lack of congestion you have when you’re not in the Champions League.

“It’s tough for anyone, especially in the women’s game where we don’t have a private jet, you know. It does take its toll.

“I would bite anyone’s arm off to have a chance to play in the Champions League this year, but I do believe that we have to make it work to our advantage, 100 per cent.”

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Paul Pogba will miss his club’s friendly with Aston Villa on Saturday – but he is optimistic that the midfielder will return for the Premier League opener against Crystal Palace the following week.

Pogba is one of the players who has been troubled by Covid-19, having tested positive for the virus while he was with the France squad.

He was sent home by Didier Deschamps’ side in order to self-isolate. That prevented him from featuring in training, thereby losing sharpness and any prospect of turning out at Villa Park.

Speaking to MUTV, the Norwegian explained: “Paul’s had a couple of training sessions, so he’s lost out on a few sessions because of the virus, of course. But Paul is quick to get fit.... hopefully, he’ll be ready for next weekend. I am not 100 per cent sure, though.”

The World Cup winner is coming off a frustrating 2019-20 campaign, in which he was able to feature only 22 times in all competitions because of a couple of spells out with an ankle injury.

He played 16 Premier League matches, scoring a single goal, while two of his four assists came in a 4-0 win over Chelsea on the opening day of the season.

Other than the 27-year-old, United are hopeful of having a full squad for the Villa fixture.

Solskjaer has confirmed left-back Luke Shaw will be available for the clash.

“Luke is looking really good in training. He's come back looking strong and will play in the friendly against Villa,” he confirmed.

Meanwhile, Pogba is not the only member of the France squad to have suffered lately from Covid-19, with Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe having succumbed to the virus. Goalkeeper Steve Mandanda was the third member of the initial 23-man squad to be sent home after returning a positive test.

Additionally, the man who succeeded Pogba as the world’s most expensive footballer, Neymar, returned to training on Friday ahead of PSG’s fixture against Marseille on Sunday, having returned a negative test after contracting the virus.

Casey Stoney believes Manchester United have sent a statement out to the rest of the Women's Super League (WSL) by signing US Women’s National Team (USWNT) players Tobin Heath and Christen Press.

The pair were confirmed this week on season-long deals and their arrivals will boost United’s strike force as they look to compete with Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal for the WSL title and Champions League qualification.

“When you sign the three players we have from this week it does send a statement, we’re always looking to bring in quality where we can and improve our squad and we’ve done that this week,” Stoney said about United’s new arrivals.

Stoney is hoping the World Cup winners can bring a different mentality to her dressing room as they look to build on last season’s fourth placed finish in their first campaign in the top tier.

“I think they bring a winning mentality,” Stoney said of Press and Heath.

“When I was a player, playing against America, their winning mentality and competitiveness was unbelievable so hopefully they can bring that to our squad and our younger players can learn from being in and around them about what it is to be an elite player at that level and how they bring that to the pitch. I think they’ll bring an awful lot to our dynamic.

“The players are excited and they’re looking forward to having them in and around the dressing room and adding to our squad to give us a greater capability to make sure we can consistently improve.”

Alessia Russo was also confirmed on deadline day and the three new additions along with earlier summer signings Ona Batlle, Ivana Fuso and Lucy Staniforth have given United a strength in depth which they have been lacking in the past.

“We struggled last year. We got a couple of injuries out in wide areas and we had to reshuffle the pack and play people out of position, and we don’t have to do that,” Stoney explained.

“We want to be able to rotate the squad, I think we’ve got real strength in depth now. Some exciting youth that I’m really looking forward to seeing develop and some experience that know how to win games.”

So what about that illustrious top spot and the chase for Champions League football? Can they match those above them?

“People said before this week said we would be fortunate if we broke into the top three but I believed before these signings,” she said. “That was always our ambition before this week to be honest. On Sunday against Chelsea we showed we are capable. It’s about winning more games, it’s about keeping more clean sheets and giving ourselves a chance.”

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttle believes new Ghanaian acquisition Mohammed Salisu will need a bit more time to play his way into the club's starting set-up.

The Saints are set to kick off their Premier League season with an away clash with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

Salisu is among the new faces in the camp of Southampton, having signed for the club from Spanish outfit Real Valladolid last month. He began training with the English fold earlier this week.

"It may take a few more weeks, maybe [to break into the starting set-up]. After the next international break [in October], I hope to have him in the first eleven. He has good drive and is a very ambitious guy," Hasenhuttl told Hampshire Live.

 "He is working hard on his fitness at the moment after a long break from injury and there are a few issues we must work on but you can see his physicality.

"The potential he has is amazing and he wants to learn quickly. He is exactly the type of player that we need to have here.

"We have very clear and strict limits on any transfer we make. We have to have a player that really likes to come to us for money we can spend.

"If we find such a player then I am sure he will enjoy it and develop very quickly when he is with us.

 "He will not be a short-term project, he will be more of a long-term project. Therefore I think he was a fantastic transfer."

Salisu joined Southampton on a four-year deal after being linked to top clubs such as Manchester United, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. Ligue 1 side Stade Rennes also expressed interest in his signature.

He caught the attention of many last season with a run of fine performances for Valladolid in La Liga, where he made 31 appearances, started 30 of the games, scored once and assisted one other goal.

After the October international break, Southampton are set to host Chelsea in their first league games, a match that could potentially become a starting debut fixture for the Ghanaian.

He is yet to be capped by Ghana at any level.

Marseille star Dimitri Payet has played down the prospect of Paris Saint-Germain being out for revenge when the sides meet at Parc des Princes on Sunday.

While the Parisians have held the upper hand on the field in recent years, there remains a fierce rivalry between the clubs.

Payet stirred that up in the aftermath of PSG’s 1-0 Champions League final loss against Bayern Munich as he mocked the club, tweeting in reference to OM being the only French club to have lifted the European Cup.

He has played down the possibility of the Parisians treating his tweet, which accumulated over 70,000 likes, too seriously. 

“It's not a story, it's a tweet that made me laugh a lot,” he said. “I reposted this GIF. It made me laugh a lot. There is no story. I do not regret it, it is fair game. 

“I remember one of our matches in Limassol in the Europa League, after which the official PSG website made a tweet. Between rivals, it’s normal. I do not regret it and it does not put pressure on me.

“Against Paris is an important match for us. Obviously, I’m preparing myself to give my best.”

Payet admitted that Marseille’s winless run of 20 matches against their rivals, including a current sequence of five successive losses, is weighing heavily on them. 

“Of course we are thinking of this run,” he said, before reflecting on the 4-0 defeat in their sole clash last season. “Last year, we tried something. We will have to try to win the ball from them as quickly as possible.”

Meanwhile, Payet does not believe that PSG’s difficult start to the season, which saw them lose their opening match against Lens 1-0 on Thursday, will be too much of an issue.

“Honestly, I don't think this poor start is going to prevent them from finishing first at the end of the season, but if we can take points there, that would be good,” he said.

Marseille will be missing Bouna Sarr for the fixture, while Morgan Sanson is a doubt. PSG, meanwhile, could be severely shorthanded due to a number of players, including Kylian Mbappe, having been struck with Covid-19. Neymar returned to training on Friday after the illness.

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has warned his troops against taking Bloemfontein Celtic lightly, saying if they can beat Kaizer Chiefs, his men can also lose the Nedbank Cup final.

As they already have two trophies in the bag, ‘Jingles’ remains cautious of their chances to clinch a treble this term, saying they still have to win the match against Siwelele.

On the other hand, the Chloorkop-based club has also snapped up Ricardo Goss, Haashim Domingo, and Gift Motupa from Bidvest Wits, and Mosimane suggests they are not done in the transfer market as of yet.

“The treble is not there until you win the match. First, the league was not on our side until those last 20 minutes and then we managed to win it,” Mosimane told the media. 

“The worst thing is to think that you’ve won the treble without playing it. It will be a difficult game, of course, they are a very difficult team that is enjoying themselves.

“They are free-spirited, they pass well. Yoh, they can pass the ball and they have got nothing to lose and will give everything. They came with a different formation in the bubble.

“I was surprised, but they have been winning and they contributed to us winning the league title by stalling Kaizer Chiefs [with a 3-1 win]. If they can beat Chiefs, they can beat us also.”

The 2019/20 Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions signed Mauricio Affonso and Sammy Seabi at the beginning of the season before luring George Maluleka from Kaizer Chiefs.

Moreover, the Chlookrop-based giants have reportedly signed Highlands Park’s duo Peter Shalulile and Mothobi Mvala as they continue to bolster their ranks.

“I think we also deserve a chance to sign a few players now. Everyone has been signing - give us a chance also,” he added.

“There’s a myth and perception that we’ve been signing without acknowledging youngsters. But we’ve put them on the pitch and in starting line-ups.

“So, we don’t sign because we have to sign but we sign because we need to strengthen the team.

“There won’t be an overhaul, you must be very careful. The guys have won many titles and the league five times in just seven seasons.

"The majority of them are the most important players, the seniors. So, we are not rocking the boat here.”