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Victor Osimhen began his time at Napoli on a very positive note as he scored a hat-trick and also provided an assist in an 11-0 mauling of L'Aquila at the Abruzzo training camp in Castel di Sangro on Friday.

The training camp marked the beginning of the Partenopei’s preparations for pre-season with Osimhen able to finally join his teammates following his €50 million move form Ligue 1 club Lille.

L'Aquila plays three divisions beneath Napoli hence it was going to be a one-sided affair and it lived up to that billing with Osimhen giving the Campania capital outfit the lead in the first minute of the 45-minute match. He made it 2-0 minutes later before the club’s all-time top scorer Dries Mertens added the third.

Osimhen completed his hat-trick in just the seventh minute of play before Hirving Lozano netted the game’s fifth goal a minute later. Algeria international Faouzi Ghoulam made it 6-0 followed by Lorenzo Insigne. Lozano bagged his brace for 8-0 with the assist coming from Osimhen.
Insigne would go ahead to complete his hat-trick as well with the ninth and 11th goals, while Mertens scored his brace with the 10th strike of the match.

Lots of multiple scorers but the loudest buzz came from Osimhen who is expected to play the number nine role for Napoli in the coming season.

Partenopei coach Gennaro Gattuso after the game said he was satisfied with the former Wolfsburg player’s performance and believes he can have great impact on the pitch as he continues to integrate into the team.

"I'm satisfied with Victor, but let's let him work in peace,” Gattuso said on the club website.

"What we have seen tonight is relative, what makes me positive is the work we are doing these days, with application and dedication. It is a first step and we must continue.

"Osimhen is integrating well, he has quality, means, he knows what he can do and if he continues to commit himself he can have a great impact on the pitch."

Napoli had played Italian sixth-tier side Castel di Sangro Calcio earlier in the day and overpowered them in like manner 10-0, Senegal centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly getting one of the goals while Matteo Politano (hat-trick), Arkadiusz Milik (brace), Amin Younes (brace), Gianluca Gaetano and Giovanni Di Lorenzo did the rest.

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal have yet to decide how the club will operate following the shock exit of Raul Sanllehi earlier in the month, and that discussions with the hierarchy over a new structure are ongoing.

Arsenal announced the departure of Sanllehi, who had been head of football, on August 15 with managing director Vinai Venkatesham given the task of leading the club going forward.

Sanllehi, who left following a review carried out by newly appointed board member and chartered lawyer Tim Lewis, had been in charge of the technical side of the club and was the key figure in transfer negotiations.

Technical director Edu and Arteta are now working in tandem overseeing squad planning and the pair were key to getting the deal done for Brazilian centre-back Gabriel, who is set to join from Lille for £25 million (€28m/$30m).

However there is still much to be sorted out behind the scenes and Arteta admits there is still some uncertainty over exactly how the restructure will work going forward.

“It’s something we’re discussing at the moment,” said the Spaniard. “First of all I want to wish Raul all the best, all my respect and admiration. I worked alongside him and I enjoyed that.

“The club made a very difficult decision, but the way he left, he honoured the club. Everyone had nice words towards him and now we have to figure out the best way to run our club on the sporting side. That’s what we are trying to do while trying to achieve all the targets that we have for this transfer market.”

There have been suggestions that the changes currently taking place at Arsenal will see Arteta’s role move more towards a classic manager’s position, rather than just a head coach, which is how he has been operating since he replaced Unai Emery in December.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said, when quizzed on whether he would take on more duties. “There are things we’re discussing internally. We want to find the best way to be as efficient as possible, maximise the people we have to make things the right way. We’ll finalise those talks then communicate to you guys how we will do that.”

Meanwhile, Arteta says he understands the criticism that has come Arsenal’s way following the news that 55 staff would be made redundant as a result of the financial implications brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

Many have hit out at the proposed plan, especially as the north London club are still making big-money signings and handing out big new contracts to Willian and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

“I understand,” said Arteta. “If you are only looking at the financial point of view you can get some contradictory messages, but what is very clear is that the club had a very thorough plan of how they needed to restructure to function better and be more stable for the future.

"They were very convincing with every argument they gave to all of us that it was the right thing to do.

“Obviously it’s really sad and it was during the Covid period that we had to make the decision to get our players to contribute to the pay cuts. One of the reasons was to maintain some of them. We have been trying to do the right thing and the club is trying to protect the future as much as possible.”

The majority of Arsenal’s squad agreed to take a 12.5 per cent pay cut in April to help the club during the pandemic, however that number has now been reduced to 7.5% for the coming season due to the club's FA Cup win.

A big part of the reasoning behind the players’ decision was to protect the jobs of regular staff members at the club, so there has understandably been some surprise that such a high number or redundancies are still planned.

Arteta, however, says his players cannot expect to have a say on major decisions just because they agreed to take a reduction in their salaries.

“The players were happy to contribute and help the club in this difficult financial position,” he said. “That doesn’t mean that afterwards you are going to have a say in every decision made by the club. It can’t work like that.

“At the end of the day it wasn’t an obligation, it was a choice whether you wanted to do it or not. We tried to do the right things as human beings to help a club that has been supporting us, in my case for many years, and in others cases here as well, whether you were injured, sick, performing or not performing.

“We believe it was the right thing to do and then the club has to be free to try to fight for the future in the most positive and stable way. That’s how we do it.”

It’s been so long since the Community Shield was a fixture in the women’s game that even the most established names in England haven’t won it.

Lionesses captain Steph Houghton, who will lead out Manchester City on Saturday as they take on Chelsea, has never even played in the fixture, which last took place in 2008 when Arsenal beat Everton 1-0.

For Blues boss Emma Hayes, so much has happened since her participation in that game as an assistant with the Gunners, that it is “testing [her] memory”, as she puts it, to recall.

“To think of the number of games that have actually taken place in my career from then until now,” she said, thinking back over the last 12 years.

She’s now a manager in her own right and has spent the last eight years bringing unprecedented success to Chelsea, in the form of seven trophies and two European semi-finals.

Last season, Hayes got her hands on the Continental Cup that has eluded her for so long, while also bringing home another league title, which puts Chelsea in the Community Shield on Saturday.

It gives her team an opportunity to start the campaign as they ended the last, by winning silverware, and a chance to make a statement ahead of the new Women’s Super League season, which begins next weekend.

“When you get to play the biggest games against the biggest opponents, everybody wants to be involved in that,” she said.

“Of course, it’s an opportunity. Of course, it’s a marker. It’s signalling the start of the season and it’s important the players understand that there’s a trophy to compete for. This isn’t a pre-season game.”

Chelsea will come up against a Man City team that will be one of their biggest rivals for silverware this season, one that has strengthened massively over the summer.

“They’ve spent a tremendous amount of money bringing in some unbelievable players and they’ve already been a top team,” Hayes said.

“The way they’ve strengthened off the pitch, I’m sure their fan base will expect really big things from them.

“That’s understandable because they’re already a very good team that have now improved what they’re doing to an even higher level.

“I expect that the competition between us will not change, it’s always neck-and-neck with everything.”

The pair, as well as Arsenal, are the front-runners for the trophies on offer this season in England, but for all the talk of how well Chelsea could do this season, Hayes is not looking beyond Saturday.

“I think the first thing is that I have to think about the Community Shield this weekend, and then after that it’ll be an FA Cup, after that it’ll be a Continental Cup, and then after that probably the league, and then after that the Champions League,” she said.

“I think we have to take one step at a time and put everything into the trophy that you’re competing for.

“A club of our size, we’re always going to be competing for all trophies, not just one and not one over the other.”

The challenge this season is replicating the levels of last season that saw Chelsea storm to a league title, beating both Man City and Arsenal twice on their way.

“Being in this environment, it’s not okay to ease off,” Hayes added.

“You’ve got to be at your very best every day if you want to keep progressing and keep playing for the club.

“You’ve got to have standards that are adhered to and everyone is driving towards that. That’s in place, but I think I have a great group of people who are growing together.

“Because of that, the expectations they have for each other are so high that it’s the reason why we are in the position we are in.

“I’m always proud to represent fantastic people and a club that’s been so good to me, that has given me the platform to produce a team that everybody is proud of.

“I think Saturday is another opportunity to do that and I know that everybody within our club is so proud of our section.”

Samuel Chukwueze found the back of the net but was on the losing end of a 2-1 friendly defeat by Valencia on Friday.

The game was the Yellow Submarines third during pre-season game, the first ending in a 3-1 win over Cartagena before losing 3-2 to Tenerife in their last encounter.

There was hope of improved form when Chukwueze gave Villarreal the lead in the ninth minute with a left-footed finish from the edge of the box. It remained that way heading into half-time.

Valencia then staged a comeback in within 10 minutes thanks to a brace from Uruguayan forward Maximiliano Gomez.

Chukwueze has been involved in all of Villarreal’s pre-season games so far with their next ties coming up against Real Sociedad and Levante as they continue preparations for the new La Liga season.

The Yellow Submarines, now under the watch of former Arsenal boss Unai Emery, finished the campaign in fifth place which guaranteed them an automatic spot in the group phase of the Europa League. They finished with 60 points, 10 adrift of Sevilla for the final Champions League spot. They won 18 of their 38 league games, drawing six and losing 14, scoring a total of 63 goals and conceding 49.

Chukwueze featured in all but one of the league games, however only 20 of his 37 appearances saw him make the starting XI while the remaining 17 were off the bench. The only game he failed to play was in a 3-0 win at Leganes where he was an unused substitute.

The highly-rated Nigerian winger had a hand in a total of eight league goals (three goals, five assists). His most impactful was in a 5-1 win over Real Betis where he scored a goal and provided an assist. His other goals came in a season-opening 4-4 draw with Granada and a 3-1 loss at Celta Vigo.

Chukwueze’s other assists meanwhile were against Valladolid, Mallorca and Sociedad (both legs).

The 21-year-old has been with the Yellow Submarines since 2017, first as a youth player before making his senior debut in 2018 and has gone on to make 79 competitive apperances, scoring 12 goals and providing nine assists.

Barcelona-linked forward Memphis Depay has opened the door to a potential transfer, admitting that he doesn't know if he "will do the full season at Lyon".

Depay has been a talismanic figure in Lyon's squad since arriving at the Groupama Stadium from Manchester United in 2017.

The 26-year-old has hit 57 goals in 139 outings for the French outfit, including his latest treble which came in a 4-1 victory over Dijon on Friday night.

Lyon picked up all three points in their first game of the Ligue 1 campaign thanks to Depay's hat-trick, with a Wesley Lautoa own goal compounding a miserable night for the visitors, who took the lead early on through Aurelien Scheidler.

Rudi Garcia's side could only secure a seventh-place finish in the league last term, which meant that they missed out on European qualification for the first time in 24 years.

They did manage to reach the 2019-20 Champions League semi-finals by knocking out Juventus and Manchester City in the earlier rounds, but ultimately failed to set up an all-French final against Paris Saint-Germain after losing to Bayern Munich in the last four.

Although Lyon will be aiming to push PSG all the way in the Ligue 1 title race in 2020-21, Depay is refusing to confirm that he will see their latest bid for silverware all the way through to its conclusion.

Former Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman is reportedly keen on bringing his countryman to Barca after being appointed at Camp Nou, and the midfielder has admitted that playing in Europe's elite competition is important to him at this stage of his career.

When quizzed on speculation surrounding his future after the win against Dijon, Depay told reporters: "I do not see the future, I do not know if I will do the full season here. I have been here for four years, I became captain.

"After you have to look at your career, there is no Champions League. At the moment I don't know."

Depay added on his latest performance and the need for Lyon to be more consistent in order to start fighting at the top of the table again: "I'm really happy to have scored three goals today.

"It wasn't the best game I've played but we start the season with three points, and that's the most important thing.

"We have shown we can fight against the big teams, but we have to stay focused and win against the so-called 'smaller' teams. We have a lot of good players. We have to give our best to aim for the top."

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has offered some positive news ahead of their Scottish Premiership clash with Hamilton Academical on Saturday, stating Leon Balogun is available for selection, but on the negative side, Joe Aribo will miss the tie.

The Nigerian defender is a summer signing at Ibrox having arrived on a free transfer from Wigan Athletic and settled in immediately, playing the Gers' first three league games of the season, against Aberdeen, St. Mirren and St. Johnstone, all ending in victories and clean sheets kept.

Balogun, however, missed the next two matches against Livingston and Kilmarnock, which ended in a goalless draw and 2-0 win, respectively, because of a muscle injury.

The 32-year-old defender was seen training with his teammates on Thursday and went on social media to post a picture.

“Back on the pitch with the lads and went straight back to winning ways,” he captioned on Twitter.

Balogun also trained on Friday and Gerrard said in his pre-match press conference that his fitness status will be assessed before the game.

"Leon Balogun is back and trained fully yesterday, and will train again fully this morning. We'll assess his situation before we make a decision in terms of the squad," Gerrard confirmed.

Gerrard added that Nigeria midfielder Aribo will not be part the squad, alongside Jermain Defoe, but should be ready for the next game against Dundee United.

Aribo, like Balogun, has played in Rangers’ first three games of the season, scoring in the 3-0 victory over St. Johnstone, but missed the following matches with an ankle injury.

"Jermain Defoe and Joe Aribo won't make the Hamilton game. Both should be ready for the game after,” Gerrard said.

"Allan McGregor has had no reaction and has trained fully all week.

"So, two bits of positive news, but unfortunately Jermain and Joe won't make it for the weekend.”

Rangers lead the Premiership log unbeaten after five games (four wins one draw) with 13 points, the same as Hibernian in second place but with a superior goal difference.

They will be hoping to wrestle the title from the grip of fierce Glasgow rivals Celtic, who have lifted the trophy for each of the past nine seasons.

Rangers last tasted league glory during the 2010-2011 campaign.

Jennifer Cudjoe has signed a new deal with American National Women's Soccer League side Sky Blue.

The Ghana international has been a revelation since joining Sky Blue on a short contract in June, playing a huge part in their 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup semi-final finish for the first time since 2013.

During her initial spell, the ex-Chattanooga Lady Red Wolves star featured in six matches and started four times for Freya Coombe's team and has agreed on terms to extend her stay by a further season.

“I am excited to continue my journey with Sky Blue,” Cudjoe told the club website. 

“This is a dream for me, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity they gave me. I want to thank each of my teammates for welcoming me with open arms and helping me grow as a player. 

"I am going to give my all to the Club and work harder to help achieve our goal.”

The hardworking midfielder completed 128 passes with an 80.5% completion rate during her 368 minutes in the Challenge Cup. 

And head coach Coombe, when asked about Cudjoe's extension, said: "I am really pleased to have Jennifer continue with the team following her successful debut at the Challenge Cup.

“Jennifer eats, sleeps, and breathes football. Her enthusiasm is infectious in the team. 

"She brings a different dimension to the midfield and I look forward to helping her continue on the next step of her incredible journey.”

With her extension, the Northeastern State University graduate will aim to build on her fine outing with Sky Blue in the coming season.

King Faisal president Alhaji Karim Grunsah believes appeals to boycott the upcoming Ghana Football Association (GFA) Ordinary Session of Congress are uncalled for.

The national football governing body is set to meet with its major stakeholders on Tuesday to, among other things, review the activity report for the 2019-20 football season ahead of the next campaign tentatively billed to take off in October.

The GFA's choice of date has, however, left some administrators unhappy as on the same day, Ghana is expecting a major Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling which could invalidate the current leadership of the nation's football governing body.

“We are not going to boycott any congress. At this my age and experience in football, no one can put that nonsense document [petition] before to sign and boycott Congress. It’s a nonsense thing that they are doing," Grunsah told Kingdom FM.

“Football is not a political party so if we decide to postpone or boycott Congress, who would take decisions for us?

"If we don’t go for Congress, which other platforms are we going to use to air our views? Congress is the only opportunity available to us."

Tema Youth president Wilfred Kwaku Osei 'Palmer' dragged the GFA to court last year over his "unfair" disqualification from the outfit's presidential election.

He made his way to the global tribunal after failing in a bid to appeal his disqualification at national level.

CAS has said it intends to announce the outcome of the verdict on Tuesday after two earlier postponements.

“Can’t we get any other date apart from 1 September for the congress?” renowned football administrator and former Ghana Division One League Board chairman Ntow Fianko told Happy FM.

“If we are at Congress everybody will be in a panic mood. We should all wait for the CAS ruling so we know our stand before we go to Congress.

“People will be too anxious to know the outcome of the verdict. We cannot be waiting for the CAS verdict on the day of Congress. That date is a serious day because that is the day we will know the fate of Ghana football.

"The clubs should say no to the date set by the GFA for Congress. The Congress can be postponed to a later date and I urge the clubs to say no to the new date."

Should the GFA be found guilty in their battle with Osei, the outfit could be requested to conduct a new FA presidential election. 

Raissa Feudjio "is close to returning to the pitch" after being ruled out due to a knee injury for nine months, Tenerife has confirmed on Friday.

In December, the Spanish Primera Iberdrola outfit had announced Feudjio will be out for around eight months after she underwent successful knee surgery, forcing her to miss the rest of the season.

The Cameroon international had starred in the nine opening matches of the 2019-20 season for David Amaral's side before she suffered the knee injury in her side's 1-0 win over Real Betis on November 24.

Following her surgery, the 24-year-old was set to return this August but the team's physiotherapist Paula Montero has revealed the following updates on her health situation.

“Raissa's response during her recovery has been great," Montero told the club website. 

"It is an arduous process in which patience and effort are non-negotiable.

"Despite the fact that the confinement due to the Covid-19 pandemic meant almost two months of hiatus in his rehabilitation, we have been pleasantly surprised by the state of his knee. His involvement is exceptional."

On her part, the Cameroonian, who is eager to be fully back on the training, said: "Every time I have less left to train with my teammates. 

"For me, it is already a joy to be with my teammates at La Palmera, even though I can't train with them yet.

“They have been very hard months, but the worst is over. I dream every night of my return to the pitch."

The injury saw her miss the Tokyo 2020 African Olympic Games qualifiers against Zambia in March but is now expected to be available for the playoff against Chile early next year.

Feudjio joined Tenerife in January 2019 after ending her three-year stint with Finnish top-flight side Aland United and she will be hoping to be fully recovered in time for the new 2020-21 season.

Morocco international Hanane Ait El-Haj is excited after training with her new Zaragoza teammates for the first time on Thursday.

The 25-year-old joined the Spanish side on a one-year contract with an option of an extension after leaving the Moroccan side ASFAR, where she celebrated league triumphs in four years.

The move to the Reto Iberdrola club saw the Raja d'Agadir-born former Najah de Souss and Nadi Baladi de Laayoune defender achieve her dreams of playing professional abroad for the first time.

El-Haj is one of the four Africans to join this summer after Nigeria's Peace Efih from Sporting Huelva, and Zambia's Racheal Nachula and Hellen Mubanga, from Green Buffaloes and Red Arrows.

Following her arrival in Zaragoza early this week, the Atlas Lioness swiftly underwent a successful coronavirus test before she was allowed to train with the team at Ebro Sports Park.

On Wednesday, upon her arrival in Spain, El-Haj. penned her emotional farewell message to her former Moroccan side.

"The past four years have been amazing, winning the Throne Cup and the Championship four years in a row is not easy," she wrote on her Instagram page.

"I want to thank everyone at Asfar. For this, you have all played a part in my progression over the last years. 

"I hope you are proud of that. at least I am proud to have worn the jersey of the best team in Morocco. It is time for me to take up new challenges.

"I continue my journey but I will always keep a part of you within me until we meet again."

As the second African to arrive at the Spanish club after Nigeria's Peace Efih, she took to social media to share her excitement.

"I am very happy about my new signing for Zaragoza where I wish and look forward to achieving great success," she said.

"Grateful at heart for this great opportunity and can’t wait to start this new adventure."

Chippa United have promoted youngster Xabiso Soldaat to the first team as they look to save their Premier Soccer League (PSL) status.

The Chilli Boys released a statement that the midfielder has been a crucial member of the MultiChoice Diski Challenge squad and has impressed coach Lehlohonolo Seema’s senior side.

Also known as ‘Messi’, Soldaat joins the Eastern cape-based PSL club in challenging times as the club look to bag wins in their remaining three league games.

“The club is delighted to announce that youngster Xabiso "Messi" Soldaat has been promoted from our MDC to the 1st team,” read the statement from Chippa.

“Messi, as he is affectionately known by his peers, hails from Greenbushes in Port Elizabeth.

“He has been an integral part of our MultiChoice Diski Challenge team showing a great display of maturity beyond his years. We wish him well Blue heart.

“The Chilli Boys of tomorrow belongs to the young.”

The player’s promotion comes on the back of an announcement that the Chilli Boys have opted to play their top-flight matches in East London as they move from the iconic nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

“The club had to submit Absa Stadium in East London as their main home venue and Sisa Dukashe Stadium as an alternative venue for the start of the 2020/21 season,” read the club statement.

“The club is also currently engaging with all relevant stakeholders to make the move permanent.”

Meanwhile, since taking charge of the technical team, Seema has managed to lead the club to a victory over Baroka, a loss to Cape Town City and a draw against Highlands Park and Stellenbosch on Friday night.

As they occupy the 12th spot on the log with 31 points from 28 matches so far, they look like they have secured their top-flight status having amassed over 30 points,but their mission is far from over.

Chippa are scheduled to face log leaders Kaizer Chiefs on Wednesday evening at Orlando Stadium before wrapping up their 2019/20 campaign against Golden Arrows at Ellis Park Stadium next weekend.

The former Bloemfontein Celtic manager will hope to at least secure a victory out of the remaining games for them to avoid a spot in the play-offs.

The incident in Greece which saw Harry Maguire found guilty of aggravated assault could increase team spirit at Manchester United, according to Gary Neville.

Maguire was arrested last week while on holiday with friends and family on the Greek island of Mykonos after an alleged altercation.

The United captain was subsequently charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and repeated attempts of bribery. He was found guilty on all three counts on Tuesday.

The judge passed down a 21-month suspended prison sentence, but Maguire has launched an appeal against the verdict and publicly maintained his innocence.

The 27-year-old gave his account of the events during an interview with the BBC on Thursday, saying he feared for his life and thought he was being kidnapped.

Maguire was removed from Gareth Southgate's latest England squad after his conviction but United have backed their player, and Neville believes the episode could end up having a positive effect on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad.

"Over many years I witnessed incidents, ones which I was involved in, at Christmas parties and the like where people make mistakes and do things that let other people down," the former Red Devils full-back told Sky Sports.

"You have to own up to those things and stand up to them because there is nothing you can do about it.

"Harry doesn't feel like he did a lot wrong this week, he felt like he was exposed, but in moments like this, you have to ask yourself if you, or the people around you, did everything possible to get away from it and whether you would put yourself in the situation again in the future.

"The only thing Harry can do is make sure it doesn't happen again.

"I always take myself back to being sat in the dressing room where either myself, my colleagues or team-mates made a mistake. Would we stand by each other and stick up for each other? We absolutely would, 100 per cent.

"Those Manchester United players in the dressing room and the club will stand by Harry Maguire, and myself as a fan in the media will not judge him in any way, shape or form because of the reality is that these things happen in life.

"Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will think this situation is part and parcel of managing a football club and managing characters and personalities in situations that occur.

"I don't think he will see it as an issue that would drive a wedge between him and his team, I would say it could potentially increase the bond and the spirit that exists."

Former Queens Park Rangers defender Nedum Onuoha has narrated how he had to be on his guard because of the trickery of Eberechi Eze who secured a move to Crystal Palace on Friday.

The 22-year-old Anglo-Nigerian began his senior career with the Rs in 2016 and featured 112 times, scoring 20 goals and providing 13 assists. His goals were often breath-taking thanks to his technical abilities which are often problematic for defenders.

Onuoha was one of the defenders who fell victim of Eze’s tricks during training sessions while the former Manchester City man was with the London outfit between 2012 and 2018.

“The kids would break your back the way they played… such free-flowing and exciting football,” Onuoha told The Athletic

“It’d be respectful — we’d jab them, they’d jab us back — but that’s when I knew the young guys coming through at QPR were an exciting new generation. I could see their shining ability.

“They were always up for trying to take something away from us. If we won, we’d often be scraping a result, whereas they’d deserve to win every time they did. They had the work ethic and mentality. And Eze was always the main man.

“I’d played a long time by the time I came across him and seen lots of talented players, but I always had to be on my guard with him in training because he’s so good at manipulating the ball. He’s quick, but not rapid. He’s quite strong, but not the strongest. And yet he could find a way past anybody.

“It’s the way he moves. The defender would move as well, find himself off balance, and then Ebs would be away. It’s a skill that not many people have. Others have the stepovers, the skills, but he’s quite flexible to be able to move in whichever way the moment brings.”

Onuoha – who now plays for Major League Soccer side Real Salt Lake City, went on to describe how best Eze can be utilised in attack, saying he is someone who is ready to listen to instructions and also someone with positive comments regarding his attitude.

“He’s got the potential to play anywhere across a front three. But, with some players, unless you find a team with the right formation or approach, talents like his can go wasted,” Onuoha continued.

“He is not one to stay wide. If he can play in a team that uses three forwards — where those widest come inside, to try and link the play — as opposed to two wingers and a striker, he’ll do well. Or as a No 10.

“He already reads the game so well, but just needs a better understanding about how to play that position. You just need to coach him the right way because he is someone who will listen. A really nice kid. An infectious smile. I don’t know anyone with a bad word to say about him.”

Eze will hope to make his Premier League debut when Crystal Palace host Southampton at Selhurst Park on September 12.

Ben Chilwell and Christian Pulisic could form an "extraordinary partnership" at Chelsea, according to Pat Nevin.

Chilwell committed to a five-year contract with the Blues after completing a £50 million ($66m) move from Leicester City on Wednesday.

The England international became the third major signing of Frank Lampard's reign at Stamford Bridge, with Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner arriving in west London from Ajax and RB Leipzig respectively earlier in the year.

Chelsea have gone on to announce deals for Malang Sarr and Thiago Silva to complete an excellent week of business, and anticipation around the club is building steadily ahead of next month's 2020-21 opener against Brighton.

Lampard will now seek to integrate the new recruits with the rest of his squad, with a view to creating a team capable of challenging for honours across all competitions.

Nevin thinks the addition of Chilwell will increase the Blues' threat substantially in the final third, as he sees the 23-year-old linking up with USMNT star Pulisic to great effect on the left.

"At Chelsea will Ben Chilwell have an intelligent, skilful, pacy winger to work with who has a superb football brain?" the former Chelsea winger told the club's official website.

"One who has vision, can see a pass and crucially knows when to vacate the space for his mate hammering down the line on that left-hand side?

"A player who on top of that is selfless and keen to build a partnership out there with one-twos, dummies and the ability to draw defenders to make space?

"I may well have given something close to a perfect description of Christian Pulisic just there. That could be one extraordinary partnership if they click.

"We have others who can play out there of course and a Callum Hudson-Odoi, Hakim Ziyech or Mason Mount linking up with Chilwell would be also be a chilling concept for most Premier League defences."

Nevin went on to express his belief that Chilwell could fill a coveted spot in Chelsea's squad for the next decade, while talking up the intelligent moves Lampard has been making in the transfer market.

"There is the possibility of a good seven to 10 years of service ahead at Stamford Bridge for our latest signing," he added.

"I am delighted Ben Chilwell is now finally here but probably not as delighted as Olivier Giroud, Tammy Abraham and of course Timo Werner, who have all had their scoring chances noticeably increased by his arrival.

"Chelsea fans the world over can now doubtless see what Frank’s signing strategy is and the club’s willingness to back him.

"There may be no one in the stadium but the buzz is still palpable. These are exciting times to be a Blue."

Former Liverpool man Jamie Carragher has said that he can't see his old club going “anywhere near” wantaway Barcelona captain Lionel Messi, adding that the only Premier League team he can see the Argentine joining is Manchester City.

Messi sent shockwaves through the football world with the recent revelation that he wants to leave Barcelona, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner having become frustrated with life at Camp Nou under the stewardship of Josep Maria Bartomeu.

The under-fire Barca president and his board members saw a vote of no confidence lodged against them on Friday, with the Catalan entrepreneur's time at the top of the club's food chain largely regarded as a disaster both on and off the pitch.

Few clubs can boast the financial might required to sign Messi, however, and an excited Carragher feels there is only one club in England that can pull it off.

“I hope so, I would love to see Messi in the Premier League,” the former defender told Sky Sports when quizzed on whether the attacker could indeed swap Spain for the UK.

“I want to watch him, I want to analyse him. The obvious place, the only place he can really go [in England] is Manchester City.

“With the history he’s got with the manager [Pep Guardiola] and the financial clout the club have got. 

“I don’t think Liverpool will go anywhere near that situation. Financially, number one, but also because of the way Liverpool play. They're a lot more energetic maybe than City. City are more technical and that would suit Messi a bit more. 

“But how you get that deal across the line with the figures involved, I’m not too sure. It’s mind-boggling.”

While Messi does have an incredible €700m release clause, it is understood that the Argentine's legal team believe there is another clause that could see him terminate his contract unilaterally, meaning he could leave on a free transfer.

However, even covering Messi's wages would require deep pockets, with Paris Saint-Germain and Inter also among the few clubs thought to be financially strong enough to pay the 33-year-old's salary.

Football is a truly global sport, with passionate fans all over the world. Understandably, Liverpool, one of the most followed football clubs in the world, has fans across the globe, especially in Southeast Asia.

When the Reds won the Premier League last month, it sparked unbridled joy among their vast fanbase, for it was the first time in 30 years that the club were crowned the champions of England.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic that has spread across the world, fans of the club resorted to innovative means to celebrate the momentous occasion. At a time when spectators aren't allowed into football stadiums, Liverpool fans in Malaysia have teamed up with Carlsberg to create a virtual stadium experience unlike any other.

In a bid to bring the spirit of Liverpool fans together at a time when it is not feasible to do so physically, Carlsberg stepped up. This video, a brainchild of Liverpool fans in Malaysia, was made even more memorable as hundreds of Liverpool fans recorded their own video with great passion and submitted the video to Carlsberg, who’ve made it possible!

Over 500 clips were submitted! The virtual stadium string together the clips of Liverpool fans, taken from various social media channels and through the Liverpool fan club in Malaysia. The 'stadium' features Reds fans from all walks of life singing the famous anthem - 'You will never walk alone' - Their own rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone”.

At a time when fans yearned to paint their town red but could not due to the pandemic restrictions, Carlsberg has helped their innovative idea come to fruition.

The video was featured on Carlsberg Malaysia's YouTube and IGTV platforms.

The image of Jordan Henderson lifting the much-coveted title after Liverpool's 5-3 win over Chelsea was a watershed moment for Liverpool fans everywhere. As the celebrations spread, Carlsberg Malaysia also created limited-edition Liverpool cans and bottles featuring the "Champions" packaging, switching its iconic green colour to Liverpool's red. The packaging also featured personal signatures from Jürgen Klopp and other key players from the Liverpool squad.

Now, having organised the virtual stadium experience for the Liverpool fans, Carlsberg is kicking the celebrations up a notch.

Jurgen Klopp showed the potential for coaching greatness early in his career, according to former Mainz forward Benjamin Auer.

Auer, who was coming off a starring role with Germany at the U-20 World Cup in 2001, moved to Mainz the following year. 

Mainz were helmed at the time by Klopp, who secured his first head coaching job in 2001 when he was appointed manager of the 2. Bundesliga outfit. 

Even in his maiden role in the dugout, Auer recalls that Klopp showed some of the coaching potential that would eventually lead him to massive success with Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool.

"First of all, I was warmly welcomed by him and the whole club. Jurgen was still in the early stages of his career but even then [he was] an absolute motivator. Moreover, he always had new ideas," Auer told Goal.

Klopp wasn't the only high-profile German coach Auer worked with during his playing career, as the forward also played under current Germany boss Joachim Low at Karlsruher during the 1999-00 season.

That campaign did not treat Low or Auer kindly, as Karlsruher were relegated from the 2. Bundesliga and Low was sacked before completing the season. 

Still, Auer remembers Low as an innovator, calling his training sessions a "quantum leap" forward from what he knew previously.

"He had a special way of talking," Auer said of the 2014 World Cup winner. "The way he stressed sentences, that stuck with me and that is how he still talks today.

"I have found him to be very innovative professionally. The training methodology we had under him at the Karlsruher was a quantum leap from what I knew from my youth.

"I also have very positive memories of him in human terms. He always showed us young players what we could improve and how. Unfortunately, we were not successful under him. In the end, we were relegated, but that was not due to Jogi Low, but to the composition of the squad."

After leaving Karlsruher, Low would go on to manage in Turkey and Austria before becoming an assistant manager under Jurgen Klinsmann with Germany in 2004. Low was promoted to head coach in 2006.

Lionel Messi remains determined to leave Barcelona, however the Argentine player wants to meet with the board and leave the club on good terms, Goal understands.

On Tuesday, Messi told the club he wants to leave after nearly 20 years at Camp Nou, having come through their La Masia academy and emerged as one of the world's best players.

The situation between Messi and the club has deteriorated massively in recent months, with the player angry over the decisions made under president Josep Maria Bartomeu, such as the sale of Neymar and their refusal to buy him back, and the sacking of manager Ernesto Valverde earlier this season.

The 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals earlier this month has proved to be the final straw, and Messi submitted written notice to Bartomeu on Tuesday via burofax that he wants to go.

It initially appeared Messi would look to activate a clause in his contract that would allow him to terminate his deal with Barcelona and walk away for free. That clause expired earlier this year, but it was rumoured the player's legal team would argue it was valid until the end of the 2019-20 season, which was extended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, Goal understands Messi wants to have a meeting with the board to negotiate his departure from Barcelona, rather than doing so unilaterally.

Messi does not want an extended public war with the club, with the shock of his declaration of wanting to depart already causing controversy, with fans protesting outside Camp Nou and demanding the resignation of Bartomeu, while the club's socios - board members and official fan groups - have brought a vote of no confidence against the president.

Instead, Goal has learned, the Argentine star wants to have a meeting with representatives of the club to try to get his exit back on track in a civilised manner and to not abruptly end his contract, amid rising tension in recent days.

Messi recently indicated he plans to break his silence and explain the reasons for his decision to leave Barcelona, but there is no exact date for that to happen and it will not be imminent.

Goal, however, does understand the intention of the Argentine is to give his version of events when his entire situation clears up, and to send a message to the fans of Barcelona before he goes.

Asante Kotoko goalkeeper and captain Felix Annan believes he has been let down by the club through their decision to relegate him to the second choice position.

The 25-year-old fell down the pecking order, losing his place to Kwame Baah, after taking time off during last season to tie the knot with his girlfriend.

The lack of game time has seen him lose his spot in Ghana's national set-up as well.

“The reason sometimes I get hurt is that I didn’t take a day or two to establish myself [at the club]," Annan told Topical Radio.

“With no help, hard work, and help from God, I was able to succeed on the local scene and get call-ups to the national team.

“This was the time the club should have been pushing me ahead. If I have even lost form, they should have tried to help in bringing me up. For me, I won’t talk too much.

“The respect I have for the fans and the love they’ve always shown me is enough.

“I have my time. I will tell my story. If we’re doing things right, we should always do it right.

“If it gets to some time, try to protect the people who are at the top, but for here we try to bring down the people who have found their way up.”

Annan held Kotoko's No.1 spot until after matchweek four of the 2019-20 Ghana Premier League (GPL) when he took some time off for his wedding.

On his return, he had to make do with the reserve position, despite his status as captain, as Baah held on to the starting spot until matchweek 15 when the championship was prematurely terminated due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"It is a technical decision-taking from all the coaches in the team a night before a game,” Kotoko coach Maxwell Konadu told StarTimes on the goalkeeping situation.

“We gave Kwame Baah a chance after Felix Annan had excused himself for his wedding and he didn’t disgrace himself and it was okay with us.”

There has since been rumours about a fall-out between the two goalkeepers, amid reports of a possible Annan exit in search for regular game time.

"It's all about hard work," Baah told Nhyira FM on his rise to the No.1 position.

"Felix is my senior and the first choice goalkeeper but I couldn't disappoint [when I had the chance].

"The challenge to keep manning the post came after I featured in the win against Hearts of Oak.

"Some fans said a whole lot of things but they have come to the understanding that it's all about hard work and determination."

Annan joined Kotoko from Wafa in 2015 and was handed the captain's armband last year.