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Manchester United would become serious challengers for the Premier League title in 2020-21 if they were able to do a deal for Tottenham striker Harry Kane, says Rene Meulensteen.

A move to Old Trafford for the England captain has been mooted for some time. The lack of tangible success enjoyed by Spurs has forced him to mull over his options.

Kane has admitted that personal ambition may force him to sever ties with the club that gave him his big break.

United would be expected to lead the chase if the proven Premier League performer were to become available, with the Red Devils still looking for a reliable No 9.

Anthony Martial fared admirably in that role during the 2019-20 campaign, but the general consensus is that a long-term upgrade is required.

Meulensteen feels Kane would be the perfect fit, with Sir Alex Ferguson’s former assistant telling talkSPORT: “What is vitally important is that United need to have a really good start to the season, so they don’t lose any ground and they are in there and they can keep competing. That will grow the belief.

“I think with maybe another good signing, I keep saying they should bring in a really top, top striker. For instance, if they were able to get Kane – which I don’t think they can – but if they could get Kane, I would say ‘yes, they will compete for the title next year’.”

United have got their first signing of the current transfer window over the line, with Netherlands international midfielder Donny van de Beek snapped up from Ajax. His arrival brings more creativity to the Red Devils’ engine room, allowing them to focus on the reinforcement of other areas.

Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho has been a long-standing target, but no agreement has been reached.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has also faced plenty of calls for another striker to be signed, but the chances of doing a deal for Kane in 2020 – amid previous talk of a £200 million ($265m) price tag – appear slim and the Spurs star may give Jose Mourinho another season to deliver the silverware that he craves.

West Ham have announced the signing of England international Rachel Daly on a temporary deal until the end of the year.

Daly arrives from the Houston Dash, who she captained to glory in the National Women's Soccer League's Challenge Cup earlier this summer, being named Most Valuable Player of the tournament in the process.

The 28-year-old signed a new deal in the United States before completing the move, one that ties her to the Dash, where she has been since 2016, until 2023.

Now she returns to England, where she last played for Lincoln back in 2012, and could make her Hammers debut this weekend in the London derby with Tottenham Hotspur, subject to international clearance.

"I am very excited to join West Ham United on loan and come and play in the Barclays FA Women's Super League,” Daly said. “West Ham is a fantastic club with a strong squad, filled with proven internationals and talented youngsters, and I'm looking forward to meeting everyone in the team.

"I've known [head coach] Matt Beard for a long time as well and it will be great to work with him in the coming months. I know we have two really big games to kick-off our season, starting this weekend against Tottenham, and I'm really looking forward to getting started."

Beard has witnessed Daly's growth into a top player in the States first-hand, having spent time with the Boston Breakers between 2015 and 2016.

He added: “I am delighted to bring Rachel to West Ham. The opportunity to have a proven England international in our squad on a short-term deal was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

“Rachel is an experienced player, proven at the top level of the game, who will fit into our squad perfectly in terms of how we play and what we expect from our squad. I am looking forward to working with her over the coming months.”

Daly was part of the England squad that went to the Women's World Cup last summer, making five appearances as Phil Neville's side reached the semi-finals. For her country, she regularly finds herself filling in for Lucy Bronze at right-back.

However, in the United States, she is regularly used either as a right winger or as a No 9, bagging three goals in seven games in the NWSL Challenge Cup.

It’s an African Football HQ podcast special this week, as Malek Shafei and Ed Dove preview the season ahead for Arsenal’s African stars.

There’s significant continental interest at the Emirates Stadium, with five high-profile African stars set to play major roles in Mikel Arteta’s plans this season.

In Saturday’s Community Shield final victory over Liverpool, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was again the hero—netting the opener after 12 minutes, before converting the decisive spot kick in the shootout after Rhian Brewster had fluffed his lines.

Shafei believes Aubameyang is the best striker in the Premier League, and will again compete for the Golden Boot, but Dove is concerned about the ongoing uncertainty regarding his contractual situation.

Arteta appears confidence, while Auba is evasive, is this still really a case of ‘when’ and not ‘if’ the Gabon hitman puts pen to paper?

Elsewhere, some eyebrows were raised when Bukayo Saka was missed out of Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad, meaning that…for now…he remains eligible for the Super Eagles.

Considering his sustained excellence for the North London heavyweights, both international sides ought to be going all-out to try to recruit the versatile wonderkid. 

His assist for Auba on Saturday was his 13th in all competitions since the start of the 2019-20 season—quite remarkable considering he’d only played seven minutes of Prem action before the start of that campaign—and only Kevin De Bruyne and Trent Alexander-Arnold have set up more goals in all comps during that time period.

In the pod, we also assess Mohamed Elneny’s return to action under Arteta, and his surprise starting berth against Liverpool. Was this another false dawn for the Egypt international—who last played for the Gunners 15 months ago—or could it be the start of a second coming for the former FC Basel man in North London?

Based on the evidence of Saturday’s performance, he could well have a role to play this season; central midfield has been an area of concern for the club—the futures of Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi remain uncertain—while he offers the kind of aggression and tenacity that can be lacking at the club.

Finally, we also examine whether Nicolas Pepe can improve this term, and assess what reported arrivals such as Amadou Diawara, Thomas Partey and Houssem Aouar would bring to the Arsenal midfield.

Dani Ceballos will soon be announced as an Arsenal player again after arriving in England to undergo a medical and complete his return to the Gunners.

The Spain international will spend a second successive season on loan with Mikel Arteta’s side having rejected several offers to go elsewhere during the summer.

It is understood that Arsenal will cover all of the 24-year-old’s wages while he is north London and that the deal does not include an obligation to buy at the end of the campaign.

Ceballos has already started his two-week quarantine period and will be available to face West Ham on September 17. It is more likely, however, that his first involvement of the season will come away at Liverpool the following week.

The capture of Ceballos, which could be confirmed before the weekend, will be another huge boost for Arteta, who has already seen Willian and Gabriel arrive to bolster his squad this summer.

Arsenal’s head coach admitted ahead of last weekend’s Community Shield success against Liverpool that he was hoping Ceballos would return for another season.

“We had some talks,” said Arteta. “Dani knows really well what I think about him. He was pretty clear with me as well that his intention was to remain with us. Obviously, Real Madrid is involved there and I don’t know yet what they want to do with the player.

“He is a player we are interested in because we really saw in the last few months of the season what he is capable of bringing to us.”

Ceballos posted videos of himself on social media watching and celebrating the victory against Liverpool last weekend as he made clear his intentions to return to Emirates Stadium.

The midfielder is keen to ensure he gets regular playing time during the coming season to ensure he stays in contention for the Spain squad ahead of next summer’s European Championship.

At Madrid, that is unlikely, given Zinedine Zidane has rarely used him - but Ceballos made himself a regular at Arsenal during the final months of the season under Arteta, forming an excellent partnership alongside Granit Xhaka in the heart of the midfield.

The Spaniard made 37 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners, scoring twice including the winner in the FA Cup quarter-final against Sheffield United.

Neymar has no reason to rejoin the “chaos” at Barcelona, admits Rivaldo, with the Brazilian forward told he is making the right career call in sticking with Paris Saint-Germain.

A possible return to Camp Nou for the South American superstar has been speculated on ever since he bid farewell to the Liga giants in 2017.

At one stage, Neymar was very much open to the idea of heading back to familiar surroundings.

Barca were prepared to forgive and forget and went as far as entering into transfer talks with European rivals at Parc des Princes.

PSG were, however, understandably reluctant to part with a player that they invested a record-breaking €222 million worth of faith and funds in.

Neymar saw exit doors slammed shut in each passing window, with the South American forced to stay put.

His efforts to engineer a move were not well received by some, with certain sections of the PSG support taking to jeering a talismanic figure at times.

The 28-year-old has played his way through those struggles, though, and helped to guide his current employers to the Champions League final in 2019-20.

Bayern Munich were to dash PSG’s dreams in Lisbon, but the Ligue 1 giants are expected to be serious contenders for European glory again next season.

With that in mind, and with Barcelona fighting fires on and off the field as they seek to prevent Lionel Messi from leaving and rediscover their spark, Rivaldo sees no reason why Neymar would want to consider a move away from Paris.

He told Betfair of an illustrious fellow countryman: “After everything he went through since his arrival at PSG, I think Neymar has to be congratulated for reaching the Champions League final after three seasons with the club.

“He had a tough time in France after he tried to return to Barcelona, being booed at his own stadium, but he managed to turn things around and I admire him because of that.

“Today, he is totally focused on the club and playing well, so the fans are supporting him. He has no reason to leave the club now, especially given the chaos at Barca.

“PSG shouldn't make too many changes to their squad for next season, so their understanding will improve a bit more and they should be strong contenders again in the Champions League.”

Neymar is tied to a contract at PSG through to the summer of 2022 and has seen fresh terms mooted on a regular basis.

New Manchester United signing Donny van de Beek has revealed the advice he is being given by Premier League legend - and the father of his girlfriend - Dennis Bergkamp after he completed his £35 million ($46m) transfer to Old Trafford.

The 23-year-old has completed his long-awaited move to English football after impressing at Ajax, and has the perfect source for advice in dealing with his new league in the form of Bergkamp, who thrilled fans in the late 1990s and early 2000s with his performances for Arsenal.

The central midfielder revealed Bergkamp - father of his partner Estelle - told him to enjoy the fast-paced, attacking football which is the signature of the Premier League, while also warning him to be prepared for a more physical battle than the one he will have been used to in the Eredivisie.

Van de Beek told De Telegraaf : "My father in law Dennis Bergkamp obviously played for another club, but he's a legend in England and knows exactly how it all goes in the Premier League. He keeps telling me that it's incredibly fun and also very tough to play there. I'm going to prepare myself for that."

United will hope Van de Beek can bring an added edge and dynamism to a strong looking midfield, which also features talents like Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes and Nemanja Matic.

Van de Beek cannot wait for the challenge of trying to establish himself at Old Trafford and revealed what that he hopes to provide a source of goals and assists, while also explaining how he covers a lot of ground during matches.

He told the club's official website : "If you know me and the kind of football player I am, my style and everything, then I think I can have a good combination with the club and the players also. If you look at the players the club has, they are young players, the same age like me and I cannot wait to play with them.

"I’m a midfielder that likes to go into the box – making runs, goals, assists. A lot of the time, I cover a lot of distance in games, this is also a thing that is a strength for me, to get into the box of the opponent."

Efe Ambrose has been named in the SPFL Team of the Week after a stellar performance in Livingston’s 1-0 win over 10-man Ross County at the weekend.

The Lions had previously been without a win in the Scottish Premiership this season, losing to St. Mirren, Hibernian and Aberdeen, then securing draws against Motherwell and log leaders Rangers.

All the misfortune however changed with John Guthrie’s 64th-minute strike getting the all-important first win of the campaign.

Ambrose played at centre-back alongside Guthrie for the whole 90 minutes and had 82 touches on the ball and a passing accuracy of 85.3% which were the third and fourth highest of any Livingston player on the pitch. He also won six of nine aerial duels second only to Guthrie’s eight.

Ambrose’s passing was the highlight which was described as one of the reasons for his selection on the SPFL website. It was also the first time this term the Nigerian was playing at centre-back with the other occasions coming at wing-back.

“Started in his natural position for the first time this season and excelled as Livingston defeated Ross County on Saturday. In addition to his defensive duties, Ambrose's range of passing was a major plus for the West Lothian side in their 1-0 triumph.”

Ambrose has played all but one game in the Premiership this season, the only exception being in the goalless draw at home to fellow Nigerians Joe Aribo and Leon Balogun’s Rangers.

He has completed 90 minutes on three of the five appearances.

In the Team of Week, Ambrose was flanked by Tommie Hoban of Aberdeen and Jason Kerr of St. Johnstone.

Jon McLaughlin was in goal for Rangers, the Scottish goalkeeper keeping a sixth consecutive clean sheet in the top-flight this term, while it was a five-man midfield comprising of Danny McNamara and Craig Conway both of St Johnstone, Ross McCrorie of Aberdeen, Celtic’s Callum McGregor and Greg Kiltie from Kilmarnock.

In attack were Ryan Kent from Rangers and Nicke Kabamba of Kilmarnock.

Ambrose joined Livingston in February this year and has previously played for Celtic and Hibernian. He also had a brief stint with English Championship club Derby County in 2019.

Mesut Ozil is “the elephant in the room” at Arsenal and a “millstone” around the club’s neck, claims Kevin Campbell, with Mikel Arteta needing to make some big decisions when it comes to moving fringe players out.

The Gunners have been making positive moves in the current window. Experienced forward Willian has been snapped up as a free agent from London rivals Chelsea, while highly-rated defender Gabriel Magalhaes has been acquired from Lille.

Other deals are said to be in the pipeline, but Arteta may need to sell before he can buy.

Campbell believes there are a number of options to consider there, with Ozil and fellow outcast Matteo Guendouzi among those that could be moved on amid serious questions over their respective futures at Emirates Stadium.

The former Arsenal striker told Stadium Astro: "I think what Mikel Arteta's done, he's put Matteo Guendouzi in the ice cold storage in the garage hasn't he? He's put him in the freezer because he was challenging Arteta's authority last season and he was out in the cold. New season, they've said, 'Right, everybody starts from scratch.'

"Let's see if Guendouzi - we know he's got talent, but he has to have the attitude to go with it - is willing to tow the line and do what he needs to. If not, then I'm sure Arteta will sell him.

"The elephant in the room is Mesut Ozil. He doesn't need to do anything, he's got a year left on his contract and he says he's staying, so whatever business they can do - if they can do any business to get him out, fine - if not, that's a millstone round your neck to deal with.

"I think [Sead] Kolasinac is one, Calum Chambers, Rob Holding, there's talk of him going out on loan or maybe a permanent deal.

"[Ainsley] Maitland-Niles I would keep him in definitely. He's a box spanner, he can fill in for you at right-back, left-back, centre midfield, utility man, good player, good engine. I think he's one who could prove to be invaluable to the football club."

Another of those to have been linked with a move elsewhere is Alexandre Lacazette, but Campbell believes the Gunners should be doing all they can to keep a proven France international forward on their books.

He added: "I like Lacazette, I really like him. I think having a midfield, a defensive shield, can play a significant part because the problem with Arsenal has been whenever they lose the ball, teams have been cutting through them too easy. I would keep him.

"Again, it's a squad game. If you've got someone like Willian playing and we haven't even mentioned Nicolas Pepe, Pepe back end of the season was coming into his own and is only going to get better.

"We're talking about having a front three, there's [Gabriel] Martinelli whose injured, who looked lively and got double figures last season. Good player. You think, 'Hold on a minute, Arsenal have got some decent players.'

"Eddie Nketiah in there, maybe get him out on loan, get some more minutes in him. That's five, six, seven players who can make a difference at the top end of the pitch.

"Arsenal's issues have always been defensively, when they lose the ball. Chambers is another one they can cash in on to get money. Sokratis at the back, he's another one, probably surplus to requirements. They can move some players on.

"It might not create the big transfer funds but it's going to clear the wages, once you can clear that then you have the chance to move and shake."

Real Madrid will be willing to let Gareth Bale leave on a free in the current transfer window, says Ramon Calderon, with the former Blancos president claiming that an offer of €100 million (£89m/$118m) from a Premier League club was turned down in 2019.

Speculation regarding his future is nothing new for Bale.

The Wales international, who became the most expensive player on the planet when sealing a move to Spain from Tottenham in 2013, has seen questions asked of his ongoing presence at Santiago Bernabeu on a regular basis.

He finds himself firmly frozen out at present, with Zinedine Zidane having taken to dropping him down the pecking order once again.

Calderon believes that will lead to a move finally being made by Bale before the next deadline passes, with Real accepting that they need to sever ties with the 31-year-old just 12 months after snubbing a big-money bid from England.

“I know in the last day of the transfer window last year there was an offer from the Premier League,” Calderon told talkSPORT.

“They offered €100m, and Real Madrid turned down that offer because they thought Bale would be a player in their side.

“He came in 2013 with a contract for six years, and the strange thing is in 2016 – with Zidane at the helm – the club extended his contract until 2022.

“I don’t know why, but at the end of 2018 when he played well in the Champions League final [against Liverpool], Zidane told the president to keep Cristiano Ronaldo and sell Bale.

“The president did the opposite, and Zidane left, and from that moment there has been a disagreement between Zidane and the player.

“And in some way I think fans are angry and annoyed because they’ve seen Bale not interested in some matches, and now they have to find a solution.

Quizzed as to the identity of the club that pushed for Bale, Calderon added: “I’m not allowed to say the name – though I know the name of the club – and I think at the end there was a disagreement as Real Madrid decided not to sell the player, because they thought he was a player who could be used and be in the starting line-up.

“But I think the player neither wants to leave nor to reduce his salary; it is true his salary is very high, but in 2016 the club decided to increase his salary.

“It is difficult for any club to pay that salary, especially knowing the situation of football nowadays.”

Having reportedly passed up the chance to bring in a nine-figure sum for Bale, Calderon feels that Real would now be willing to let Bale walk away for nothing.

He said of a player who has seen moves to England, China and America mooted: “I think his agent was here yesterday [Wednesday] trying to get a deal, but I don’t see any club paying that salary.

“And, on top of that, if Real Madrid want to get a transfer fee… that’s impossible.

“I think Real Madrid would now be willing to let him go without any transfer fee – that would be the solution – but in that case I don’t see any club paying €40m-a-year for a player who is 31 and who hasn’t been playing regularly in the last two years.”

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA FC) chairman Martin Ssekajja has claimed they are building a team which is going to be dominant in the next five seasons.

KCCA were unable to defend the Premier League title last season as Vipers SC were declared winners when Fufa moved to cancel the competition owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

In a bid to strengthen for the upcoming season which will possibly start on October 17, they have made a number of key signings.

Stefano Loro Mazengo, Ashraf Mugume, Charles Lwanga, Denis Iguma, Bright Anukani, Andrew Kigozi Samson and Brian Aheebwa are the new players who have been brought in to strengthen ahead of the Caf Confederation Cup.

“We have many targets to fulfil,” Ssekajja said as was quoted by Sports Nation.

“We have around nine players that have left, so we want to breed a new team to help us dominate for the next five years. We are bringing in players that add value to the club and are cost-effective.”

The chair was also quick to blame the Covid-19 issue for failing to defend the league title in his first year at the helm.

“My reign has been full of ups and downs,” he added.

“We came into office when the team was seventh but we ended the season in second. We were aiming for first position but it was cut short by Covid-19, we should have been champions for the 14th time.

“Despite Covid-19, we don’t want to make excuses, we have been trying to improve our brand, we have been growing our fan base, we have been trying to recruit in various structures of the club in the junior team, senior team and coaching staff.

“We are strengthening in various aspects, we have been trying to talk to various sponsors, we have renewed contracts. It has been work in progress behind the scenes.

“This time, we have made our targets very clear, by the number of signings we have.”

KCCA, apart from making the signings already, did promote Dominic Ayella who is a student at Masaka Secondary School, to the first team.

“We shall be promoting many youths to the senior team,” he explained.

Mustafa Kizza signed for Major League Soccer side Montreal Impact while Saddam Juma, Jackson Nunda, Jamil Malyamungu, Eric Ssenjobe and Tom Ikara, Erisa Ssekisambu have left Kassasiro Boys.

There have been rumours that even head coach Mike Mutebi might leave but the chair dismissed such reports.

“I also want to assure the fans that KCCA’s marriage with coach [Mike] Mutebi is a good one,” he concluded.

Roma have re-opened transfer talks with Manchester United over Chris Smalling, Goal has learned, with a €12 million (£11m/$14m) offer on the table.

The England international defender spent the 2019-20 campaign on loan at Stadio Olimpico.

Having slipped down the pecking order at Old Trafford, the 30-year-old centre-half was allowed to take on a new challenge in Italy. Smalling flourished in Serie A, with his experience proving to be a useful asset at ambitious Roma.

He was forced to return to Manchester when the initial agreement ended, with United preventing a player they still own from completing Roma's protracted Europa League campaign.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has kept a door open for Smalling to come back into his plans.

The Red Devils boss has said: “I think Chris has shown over his career how valuable he is for Man United.

"This season was about him being a regular, going to Roma, showing and proving how good a centre-back he is. I wanted to give Harry (Maguire), Vic [Victor Lindelof], maybe Axel (Tuanzebe) a chance, so we found out that was the best for him to go to Roma, play for a year.

“Now he’s coming back and Chris has shown this season that he will be valuable. I’ve been speaking to Chris throughout and been delighted with his season.”

Smalling, though, was disappointed at having to sever ties with Roma.

He posted on social media: “I’m gutted that I can’t finish what we started this season. To experience the love shown to me in such a short time was extra special and it will not be forgotten.

“I want to thank and wish all the players and staff the best of luck against Sevilla. DAJE ROMA!”

That has kept the door open for the Giallorossi to explore putting a permanent deal in place. Those efforts have been stepped up, with a formal offer made to United.

It is understood that the Premier League heavyweights are keen to generate around €20m (£18m/$24m) from any sale, but it may be that a compromise is reached somewhere between that asking price and the terms already put to them.

Sofapaka have revealed they are still negotiating with Gor Mahia midfielder Lawrence Juma over a possible transfer in this window.

The Harambee Stars midfielder is among the players who are keen to leave the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions and in a cryptic Facebook post on Monday, he hinted at leaving the club.

“Turn on the flashing blue lights,” Juma posted, accompanied by a photo in national team colours.

Sofapaka President Elly Kalekwa has confirmed to Goal they are in talks to sign the player and have already agreed on a few terms, with the sign-on fee issue still the stumbling block.

“We are talking to Lawrence [Juma], we have been talking and are still talking,” Kalekwa told Goal on Thursday. “We gave him our offer and he asked to go scrutinize it and then get back to us, so we are waiting.

“It is a good offer, which suits the player and I am confident he will take it, but we don’t want to push him, he is a big man, who can make his own decision, so we are waiting.”

Asked whether Juma's social media post meant he was headed to Sofapaka, Kalekwa told Goal: “Well, I don’t know if he was referring to Sofapaka when he said blue, but all I know is he is a player I have followed for some time now and I would want him to play for my team.

“He is a quality midfielder, who can add some quality stuff to my squad, we want to build a strong squad for the new season and are looking at the best players on the market to beef up our squad.”

Kalekwa also confirmed he had reached an agreement to bring on board two foreign players – a striker from Nigeria and a defender from Rwanda.

“The two have already agreed to come and sign for us, they are waiting for clearances from their countries to travel, I think we should have them around in the coming week.

“I don’t want to give out their names now, but be assured that we are going to unveil a striker from Nigeria and a defender from Rwanda, it is that simple, we wait for the unveiling day.”

Since joining Gor Mahia in 2017, Juma has established himself as one of the outstanding midfielders in the league. His performances for the 18-time KPL winners also saw him earn a place in the national team.

He had previously played for Nakuru All-Stars in the National Super League.

Juma was part of the squad that featured in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers against both Egypt and Togo as well as in the Cecafa tournament where Kenya failed to impress in Kampala.

Giovanni Reyna is “very, very happy” at Borussia Dortmund, with the American teenager adamant that he does not view the Bundesliga outfit as a “stepping-stone” to another club.

The highly-rated 17-year-old, who is expected to have a bright future at domestic and international level, enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in 2019-20. As part of a young Dortmund squad, Reyna made the first 18 competitive appearances of his promising career.

He has caught the eye in Germany, with his potential being noted by sides across Europe and inevitable speculation sparked regarding his future.

Reyna is, however, settled in his current surroundings and intends to spend many years repaying the faith that Dortmund have shown in him.

The youngster, who linked up with BVB in 2019 having previously been on the books of New York City FC, told Bild: “I'm very, very happy here right now, that is all that counts.

“Dortmund are not a stepping-stone. It is a club that is fighting for titles. The incredible fans alone make BVB something special.”

Reyna feels his ongoing development will be best served at Dortmund, with the club having shown that they will always leave a path open for players of potential.

Their recruitment strategy has seen them invest in stars of tomorrow, with the plan being to benefit from talent in the present before potentially sanctioning big-money sales in the future.

Reyna forms part of an exciting class of 2020-21 at Dortmund, with Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland among those working alongside him. Jude Bellingham – another 17-year-old – has also been drafted into Lucien Favre’s ranks.

Reyna is pleased to form part of that project, with recent displays in Bundesliga and Champions League competition helping to highlight the promise that Dortmund have at their disposal.

“With Jadon and Erling it is really fun to whirl around on the pitch,” added Reyna. “In the Champions League game against Paris [in the first leg of a last-16 encounter] we weathered the storm and won 2-1.

“Two 19-year-olds [Sancho and Haaland, who are both now 20] and a 17-year-old - that was pretty cool. The club can be proud of that, because it is exactly what the club stands for.”

Dortmund will open their new Bundesliga campaign at home against Borussia Monchengladbach on September 19.

Lionel Messi would be "the best in any league" and can shine if he moves to English football, according to former Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Messi has told Barcelona he wants to leave  following a dreadful season at Camp Nou where they lost the Liga title to Real Madrid and were thrashed 8-2 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals. He is also unhappy with public comments made by president Josep Maria Bartomeu and the club's failure to re-sign Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain.

As a result, several leading European clubs have been linked with a move for Messi, none more so than Premier League side Manchester City , managed by former Barca boss Pep Guardiola.

Some have questioned the logic behind the move, given that Messi is 33, has never played in a professional league outside of Spain and could cost as much as €700 million (£630m/$825m) to prise away from Barcelona because of the gargantuan release clause in his contract.

However, Pochettino thinks that, if Man City do sign Messi, he will be a success in England - or anywhere he ends up.

He told  Ole : "Anything can happen. Messi will play wherever he wants; in Spain or the Premier League. He's ready to be the best in any league."

Pochettino has been out of work since leaving Spurs last year and being replaced by Jose Mourinho. He has been linked with the Barcelona job, both in January when Ernesto Valverde was sacked, and this summer following the dismissal of Quique Setien.

This is despite Pochettino - who previously played for and managed Espanyol, Barca's local rivals - previously stating that he would never coach the Camp Nou club. "I would prefer to work on my farm in Argentina than go to work in certain places," he said in 2018.

These comments surface whenever Pochettino is linked with the Barca role, although  Pochettino has since admitted regret at making such a statement , indicating that should Barca change coaches again he would be open to the job.

However, he also admits that, given his previous comments and his close association with Espanyol, it might be impossible for him to ever become Barcelona head coach, regardless of his feelings towards the job and the club.

He said: "I think the statements made the fans reluctant to accept me, but at no time did I receive an offer to manage Barca.

"I was wrong in the way I conveyed that it would be impossible in the future to manage Barcelona. I exaggerated by not leaving an iota of doubt.

"It is clear that everyone who knows me knows that, from my past and a lot of things, it would be difficult to relate my name to the club. There are things that cannot be put together."

Tusker defender Rodgers Aloro has picked corruption and football politics as the major challenges he has faced.

The Ugandan signed for the 11-time Kenyan Premier League champions in 2018, has remained a major player under different coaches and has now spoken about ups and downs in his career.

“The challenges I have faced include; politics in football, not being valued as a player, a knee injury I got at KCC [now KCCA], not being paid for my efforts [salaries], and corruption,” Aloro told Sports Nation.

“In football politics, someone else is preferred to play in your position yet you are in better shape. Corruption like paying money to play or being selected in the team and in a way that you can be dropped from the team.

“When I was dropped from the Chan team two days before departing for South Africa and replaced by another player [Nicholas Wadada replaced him in the 2014 team] who was not in better shape than I was. The act of watching Chan on TV, yet you believe you could have been there fighting for your country.

“And [Non-payment of] salary like when I was at Rwenshama, I didn’t get paid.”

The star picked some of his current and former teammates as his all-time best and also spoke about his dreams, his best and worst moments.

“My dream is to play for my country and go professional outside East Africa, help change my community, my mother as well as my family because they are all I have got,” he added.

“My best match was when I was at KCC, we were playing I think Soana or Fire Masters FC, I won a penalty and scored it in injury time. Then also, my first game in Kenya where we beat Gor Mahia in Meru when I was at Sofapaka FC in 2016.

“My worst game was at Rwenshama when we were playing against SC Villa and I missed a penalty to square the game 1-1 in 2013.

“The best football moment is when I won the championship with KCC two years in a row and my first call-up to the national team.

“The best goal was the one I scored against my former bosses Sofapaka in stoppage time, it ended 2-2 in the Kenya Premier League, I was playing for Tusker.

“My best teammates are Tom Masiko, Brian Majwega, Ntege Ivan, Hashim Sempala, Hassan Waswa, Brian Umony, Eugene Asike, Baker Lukooya, and Emery Muvuyekure.”

Liverpool should be prioritising keeping Georginio Wijnaldum over any move for Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara, says Steve Nicol.

The Reds have done little business in the summer transfer window, with Greek left-back Kostas Tsimikas the only addition made to Jurgen Klopp’s squad.

An approach for Spain international Thiago has, however, been mooted for some time, with the 29-year-old playmaker considered to tick plenty of boxes for the Premier League champions.

Nicol, though, is not convinced those at Anfield need to be adding to their engine room.

There have been suggestions that Wijnaldum could move on before the next deadline passes, with the Netherlands international having entered the final 12 months of his contract and sparked talk of interest from Barcelona.

Nicol hopes the 29-year-old’s services can be retained, with Klopp urged to avoid taking any unnecessary risks with a squad that has been so successful over the last two seasons.

The former Reds defender told ESPN FC: “If Wijnaldum isn’t desperate to leave, then I’d keep Wijnaldum. I don’t understand why you’d change it, because clearly it’s been successful.

“Right now the middle of the park is as strong with regards to physicality and getting the ball back, supplying the front three - it’s one of the best in Europe.

“I think sometimes it’s a little bit dangerous to change things when clearly they’re working. 

“I won’t argue that Thiago Alcantara is a fantastic footballer, but is [his arrival] going to upset the apple cart? Why would you gamble right now, when clearly you’re the team that everyone has to beat.”  

Nicol is not expecting there to be much movement at Liverpool from this point, with the Reds having already passed on the chance to sign Timo Werner as they seek to carefully manage their finances.

The Scot added: “Clearly when they were trying to sign Werner they thought [they needed a big name], but because of the pandemic, I’m pretty sure the finances are a little tight, and I’m pretty sure that’s the reason Werner ended up going to Chelsea and not coming to Liverpool, because of the money side of things. I don’t think it’s a lack of ambition.

“It would be great to have a player of his known quality to come in, but if the money just doesn’t fit, then it doesn’t fit.

“I’d have loved to have seen Werner [sign for Liverpool], and if Alcantara comes in then he’ll make them better, but right now they’re on top, they’ve got young players that I think the decisions of Klopp and how he sees them as the future will also come into it when they come to signing players. 

“I’d have liked to see them sign players, but because of the money it just wasn’t happening.”  

BUL FC have confirmed the signing of midfielder Ambrose Kirya ahead of the new Ugandan Premier League (UPL) season.

“Confirmed and seal,” BUL confirmed on their social media pages. “BUL FC are delighted to announce the signing of Ambrose Kirya from SC Villa on a one-year working contract.

“Welcome home, the home of football.”

Kirya becomes the seventh signing for BUL who have also signed Ibrahim Mugulusi and Ibrahim Madoi. Mugulusi was signed from Busoga United while Madoi was acquired from Wakiso Giants and both players agreed to sign two-year deals.

Coach Arthur Kyesimira has now moved with speed to bolster BUL, who struggled last season.

Kyesimira replaced Peter Onen as the head coach midway through the season and managed to win two of the six matches he was in charge.

Mugulusi is hopeful the Jinja-based side can enjoy good results, more than the previous seasons if they work together.

In a recent interview, coach Kyesimira revealed he was confident BUL can push for the UPL title against top teams like KCCA FC and Vipers SC.

“The British say, don’t blow your own trumpet, but the Americans add that if you believe enough, please do,” Kyesimira said as was quoted by Football256.

“So, I believe that the clubs who have been on top like Vipers and KCCA are strong teams but we can push them.

“Yes, there is a difference between a good team and a great team. Great teams are successful for a long time. We are a good team, but I am sure after some years we shall be described as a great team.

“We cannot get the next season underway without having that goal. Of course, different teams have different agendas at the start of the season, but we cannot be proud of fighting for survival as a club.”

The Jinja club has already signed seven players but the coach revealed the coronavirus pandemic affected their scouting mission.

“The challenge now is that with the coronavirus pandemic is in play, a lot has changed and we cannot get many of the options we want,” he added.

“We also don’t know when we can return and with the licensing process going on, it means we have to move as fast to get a lot of stuff on board and that makes the whole situation tricky.”

Kenneth Kibaale Elvis, Douglas Bithum, Paul Mbaziira, and Peter Onzima are the other new stars who are expected to help BUL mount a meaningful campaign in the 2020/21 season.

East Bengal's foray into the Indian Super League (ISL) will ensure that the spirit of Kolkata Derby will not be lost. 

Early this year, arch-rivals Mohun Bagan and East Bengal faced off in what many considered to be the final Kolkata derby in a national league. I-League champions Mohun Bagan then confirmed their merger with ATK and thus announced their participation in the ISL as a new entity ATK Mohun Bagan.

But East Bengal looked like they would remain in the I-League and hence, there was no possibility of these two rivals battling each other in the top division. The only possibility for a derby was in the Calcutta Football League after ATK Mohun Bagan confirmed that they would continue to participate in the local football competition. 

While all hope seemed to have been lost at one point, East Bengal have now more or less pulled off a spectacular late entry into the top-tier, going by the confirmation from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday. 

The Chief Minister had said, "Mohun Bagan had joined ISL after an arrangement but East Bengal were trying for a very long time to play the ISL amidst the pandemic and that will finally happen now."

And that should mean that the contest and the legacy of the Kolkata derby are set to continue. The next edition of the 'Boro Match of Indian Football' will be in the ISL. 

The glitz and glamour of the ISL will combine with the passion and legacy of one of the oldest derbies in the world. The fixture that gave fans countless unforgettable memories, one that evokes a feeling of nostalgia among the older generation who have been accustomed to watching the Kolkata giants battle it out in the National Football League (NFL) or the I-League, now gets a different a dimension added to it. 

The ISL's version of the Kolkata derby will have all the passion and the noise of the fixture that India enjoys, simply because those aspects of the age-old rivalry cannot be stripped away. Moreover, ISL can further enhance the capabilities of marketing, promotion, coverage and the overall experience for fans be it at the stadium or in front of devices. 

As per the latest Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) report, the ISL 2019-20 season recorded a 51 per cent jump in viewership compared to that of the previous period. With Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and the enticing prospect of Kolkata Derbies, ISL as a whole, is set for a rebrand. 

And as Tarun Jhunjhunwala, the Chief Executive at Reliance, put, 'Indian football is set for a new beginning.'