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Barcelona defender Jean-Clair Todibo has confirmed he tested positive for Covid-19 after the club stated earlier on Wednesday that they had one positive test result on their playing squad.

Todibo announced the diagnosis in a statement on Twitter, saying: "Hello everyone, I am informing you that I have tested positive for Covid-19, I am asymptomatic and I feel fine.

"I am at home following the proper health protocol. I really want to get back to training, but now it's time to stay home until the virus has passed.

"Thank you all for the support and I offer my encouragement to all the people who are also experiencing the virus."

Earlier in the day, Barcelona revealed that an unnamed member of the squad had contracted coronavirus, but said the player had not been a part of the team's squad for Friday's Champions League quarter-final with Bayern Munich and had no contact with any of the 22 players traveling to Portugal on Thursday.

"Following PCR tests conducted this Tuesday afternoon on the group of nine players due to begin the pre-season today, one of them has tested positive for Covid-19," a club statement read.

"The player has no symptoms, is in good health and has been quarantined at his home. The club has reported the matter to the relevant sporting and health authorities.

"All persons who have been in contact with the player have been tracked to perform the corresponding PCR tests.

"The player has not been in contact with any of the senior team players who are scheduled to travel to Lisbon this Thursday to compete in the Champions League."

Todibo was part of a nine-player group who had returned to the club to begin pre-season training, which also included Pedri, Trincao, Matheus Fernandes, Moussa Wague, Carles Alena, Rafinha, Juan Miranda and Oriol Busquets.

The 20-year-old defender played sparingly for Barca in the first half of the 2019-20 season before heading to Bundesliga outfit Schalke on a half-season loan. Todibo made 10 appearances for Schalke before his loan expired. 

Barcelona originally landed Todibo from Toulouse in January 2019. The centre-back has made five appearances for France at Under-20 level. 

SuperSport United are open to selling their first choice striker Bradley Grobler at the end of the current 2019/20 season.

This has been confirmed by the club's chief executive officer Stan Matthews with the prolific marksman having impressed with his goalscoring form this term.

Grobler hit the back of the net 15 times across all competitions before the current season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic in March. 

Matsatsantsa will once again look to the Bafana Bafana international when they resume their league campaign against Bloemfontein Celtic on Sunday.

Matthews explained that the club is ready to let go of Grobler if they receive a lucrative offer and he also indicated the 32-year-old player is free to decide on his own future.

“With Grobler, it is about whether he wants to see it out (at SuperSport) or make a move,” Matthews told the South African Football Journalists Association (Safja) on Wednesday.

“Right now he probably only has one more move in him. We will have to sit down with him and see how he feels at the end of the season.

"We (SuperSport) have offered him something until the end of his football career, and potentially beyond, we have offered him a coaching spot. But at the same time, money is money."

Grobler was heavily linked with a move to Orlando Pirates at the beginning of the current season after Matsatsantsa bought Kudakwashe Mahachi and Thamsanqa Gabuza from the Soweto giants.

However, Matthews dismissed the reports and he indicated they are yet to be contacted by Pirates regarding the player's services last month.

The Tshwane giants are now willing to part ways with Grobler, who has been on their books since January 2013 having joined the club from Ajax Cape Town.

“If Bradley is offered something big I don’t think anyone at SuperSport can be saying he must be seeing out the rest of his career here, when he can earn double elsewhere in the twilight of his career," he added.

“(With) the proceeds of what we sell Bradley for, we would need to get another very good striker, which is not easy to do.”

Grobler has enjoyed some success with Matsatsantsa having helped the team clinch two MTN8 trophies, two Nedbank Cups and the Telkom Knockout Cup.

Leeds United will be back in the Premier League in 2020-21 thanks to the hard work and persistence of Marcelo Bielsa and his players.

Having gone agonisingly close to achieving promotion in 2018-19, the Argentine cracked the code in 2019-20, guiding the Yorkshire club to an automatic elevation to English football's top table.

However, despite the elation of the glory associated with that feat, Leeds fans are concerned that Bielsa has not yet signed a new deal with the club.

So, will he stay or will he go? Goal takes a look at why the contract has been delayed and whether the renewal will happen at all.

Why has Marcelo Bielsa not renewed his Leeds contract?

Bielsa is an assiduous individual and prefers to take time to carefully consider all things, from preparing for a game and scouting a player to signing a new contract.

As the conclusion of the Championship season approached at the end of July, the Argentine explained, when asked about his future, that he wanted to savour the glory of promotion to the Premier League with his players, the supporters and the people of Leeds first. Then he would turn his attention towards addressing his new contract with the club.

"The sign of our times is we want to make things happen before the process requires," the typically philosophical Bielsa told reporters ahead of the final match of the season. "Always, everybody answers, they don’t want to take the time for things to happen as they wish." 

He added: "I think the ideal is try to keep this moment as long as we can. After, naturally, this moment will go. I don't want to put another feeling on this moment that is very special.

"Maybe I am so happy in this moment I don’t want to make this moment pass quickly."

Leeds director Angus Kinnear vowed that negotiations would commence as soon as the season ended, indicating that they did not happen sooner because club officials did not want to risk distracting Bielsa from the task of managing the club to promotion. 

"We wanted Marcelo to enjoy the moment and we're also very conscious that he focusses incredibly diligently on the next match and he wanted to win tonight," Kinnear told reporters after the final game against Charlton Athletic. "He wants to honour the competition, then we'll be sitting down and having that conversation."

Will Marcelo Bielsa sign a new Leeds deal?

The good news for fretting Leeds supporters is that Bielsa is strongly expected to put pen to paper on a new deal.

Figures at the club remain very confident that the renewal will happen, despite the delay, and believe that he is the person to lead them into their first Premier League campaign in 16 years.

“We’re having very positive talks with Marcelo daily,” Leeds director Victor Orta said in an interview with The Athletic at the beginning of August.

"We’re hoping that we’re going to be working towards the Premier League season (with him) because we’re planning a really good project there."

Indeed, if the words of Orta do not reassure doubters, there are other positive signs that Bielsa will remain at Elland Road for the 2020-21 Premier League season. 

For example, he has been seen around Leeds in recent weeks, apparently working on things such as scouting reports from his usual seats at the city's coffee shops.

In one notable instance, he was pictured with a piece of paper that appeared to show the name of St Pauli midfielder Finn Ole Becker, suggesting that he is very much invested in a future at the club.

Furthermore, a number of the club's new signings, such as Joe Gelhardt, have spoken in enthusiastic terms about the prospect of working with Bielsa, so all the signs point to a prolonged stay in west Yorkshire.

That said, one can never be quite sure with Bielsa, and he has been known to stick to his guns on points of principle - such as when he walked away from the Lazio job in 2016 despite agreeing to take charge.

Juventus have confirmed the departure of Blaise Matuidi, with the France midfielder set to move to MLS and sign with David Beckham’s Inter Miami.

Goal reported on August 10 that Matuidi had reached an agreement with Juve, allowing him to leave for free despite having a contract until 2021.

Matuidi spent three seasons in Serie A after joining from Paris Saint-Germain, winning the Italian title each year and proving an important part of the Juventus squad throughout his time at the club.

In all, he made 133 appearances for Juve, also winning the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana – as well as lifting the World Cup with France in 2018.

During his time at the club, Paulo Dybala was the only player to make more appearances for Juventus.

That underlines his status at the club, and perhaps gives an indication of the level Miami will be expecting from him.

While Matuidi turned 33 in April, he made 45 appearances for Juve in 2019-20 and the MLS side will be hoping to have signed a midfielder still near the top of his game.

Head coach Diego Alonso will no doubt be eager to integrate him into his squad as soon as possible, with Miami having lost all six of their games so far.

They have suffered five defeats in the regular MLS season and the MLS is Back tournament, all by a single goal.

Juventus wished Matuidi a fond farewell in their official statement, which read: “It was, above all, his substance in the midfield that made the difference, and which made him a player much loved by the Juventus fans: for his determination, for his grit and for his ability to never give up.

“And it is because of all these characteristics, and for the great commitment he has always put in place with us, that we thank him.

“Blaise is someone who will always be in our hearts and we wish him all the very best for the future.”

Previous to his time at Juventus, Matuidi had spent his entire career in France with PSG, Saint-Etienne and Troyes.

Express FC have confirmed their second signing after unveiling goalkeeper Denis Otim.

The 20-year-old has arrived from Mbarara City to join the Red Eagles after agreeing to pen a four-year deal ahead of the new Ugandan Premier League (UPL) season set to kick off on October 17.

A statement in the club’s official website confirmed: “Express have on Wednesday August 12 confirmed the capture of Uganda Hippos goalkeeper Denis Otim.

“The 20-year-old, formerly at Mbarara City joins the Red Eagles on a four-year deal and can’t wait to get started.”

Speaking after being unveiled, Otim said: “I have joined the Red Eagles because it’s a big club in the country and I expect to use it as a spring board to further my career.”

Otim, who was also being trailed by UPL champions Vipers SC and Nyamityobora FC becomes the second custodian to join Wasswa Bossa’s charges after Cryspus Kusiima who joined on Monday August 10, 2020.

The young keeper was in the Uganda Hippos U20 squad that reached the quarter-finals of the Cecafa tournament held in Uganda and his arrival now means he will have to fight for a starting role alongside first choice Matthias Muwanga and Kusiima.

The goalkeeping department could be very competitive for Express, with Kusiima, who arrived from Tooro United a two-year contract, already promising to keep 18 clean sheets if he gets the chance to play in the league.

The 24-year-old confirmed on Tuesday why he had signed for the Red Eagles stating it is because they are a big brand in the top-flight and revealed his target is to keep as many clean sheets as possible next season.

“I joined Express FC because it’s a big brand and club, the target is to create as many clean sheets in my case am looking at 18 because I know if I achieve that, we shall be in the top three a position I want us to finish in as well,” Kusiima told reporters.

On how he will cope fighting for a place with the keepers already at the club, Kusiima said: “I know I’ve joined a team with competitive players but the good thing is its healthy competition and I also believe if we work as a unit, we shall all win as a team.”

Juventus have announced that centre-back Matthijs de Ligt has undergone shoulder surgery and will be sidelined for three months. 

With the new Serie A season set to begin on September 19, the Dutch international could be sidelined for the first two months of the domestic campaign. 

"This morning, Matthijs de Ligt underwent stabilisation surgery on his right shoulder, at the UPMC Salvator Mundi clinic in Rome," a statement from Juventus read on Wednesday.

"The operation, performed by Dr. Volker Mushal, assisted by doctors, Bryson Lesniak and Fabrizio Margheritini and in the presence of Juventus’ Head of Medical Department, Luca Stefanini, was a complete success.

"The estimated recovery time is approximately three months."

The 21-year-old defender made 39 total appearances in his first season with Juventus, all but three of which were starts.

There were major expectations on De Ligt's shoulders after he rejected interest from all over Europe to join Juventus for €75 million (£68m/$85m) from Ajax in July 2019.

De Ligt came in for major criticism at times during his debut season in Turin, but his performances stabilised as the season went on and he admitted he felt much more comfortable near the end of the campaign. 

"I feel much better physically now and mentally I am in a much, much better place," he told Sky Sport Italia last month.

De Ligt admitted he heard the criticism early in his Juve career but said that scoring the winner against city rivals Torino early in the season helped to make him feel more at home in Turin.

"It wasn't an easy time for me, I received a lot of criticism and I was under pressure. That goal raised my spirits and made me and my team-mates happy. Thanks to that goal, I became the footballer I am today."

De Ligt went on to help Juventus clinch their ninth consecutive Serie A crown, but their European season ended in disappointment last week when they were eliminated from the Champions League at the last-16 stage at the hands of Lyon.

That defeat saw head coach Maurizio Sarri sacked and replaced by former Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo.

Safa has appointed Frans Mogashoa as the new acting Technical Director.

Mogashoa replaces Neil Tovey who exited the role in June and has since moved back to his hometown Durban.

Described as “highly qualified” by Safa, the new acting Technical Director’s highest level of club coaching was a three-year stint with Winners Park FC in the then National First Division between 2002 and 2005.

He, however, comes in with vast experience in coaching education, including being a Caf A Licence external assessor outside South Africa as well as being a local coaching instructor.

“Mr Mogashoa comes into this position with lots of experience and is not new in this environment. He has worked closely with Mr Tovey and his profile on the continent is well documented,” Safa acting chief executive officer, Tebogo Motlanthe said.

“We need to develop a huge number of coaches in the country to help in the development of the sport at grassroots level and Mogashoa has already been doing that. He has the passion and zeal required for this demanding job.”

According to Safa,some of the high profile Premier Soccer League (PSL) coaches who have come through Mogashoa’s hands include Highlands Park coach Owen Da Gama, Kaizer Chiefs legends Arthur Zwane, Doctor Khumalo and Ace Khuse.

Lesotho coach Thabo Senong, South Africa Under-23 coach David Notoane, Rhulani Mokoena and SuperSport United’s Kaitano Tembo have also been taught by Mogashoa.

He becomes another key office-bearer working on an acting capacity at Safa after Motlanthe.

Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams has taken to social media to announce that he has contracted coronavirus.

The 26-year-old, who is eligible for play for either Spain by birth or Ghana via his parents, confirmed the result after taking a test ahead of the club’s preparations for pre-season.

He admitted he has no symptoms and will undergo the necessary self-isolation measures in a bid to control the spread of the virus.

“Today they confirmed that I have tested positive in the PCR test. I am asymptomatic and I feel fine. It is time to be at home in isolation until I overcome the virus. I really want to join the pre-season,” Williams posted on his Twitter account.

Williams played the entire 38 games during the concluded 2019-20 season, scoring six goals and providing two assists. All his strikes came before the league was suspended in March due to the spread of Covid-19 of which Spain was one of the most affected countries in the world at that time.

Spain has the 11th most infections in the world with 326,000 confirmed cases, 28,500 deaths and 150,000 recoveries.

The rate of infections in the Iberian country had slowed down at some point, but a recent resurgence in some places like Catalonia has put the region under partial lockdown.

During the forced lockdown in March, Williams had narrated how he was keeping in touch with family, especially his Ghanaian mother, and keeping in shape with his teammates.

"At home, I am with my girlfriend, I train, I watch series like La Casa de Papel," he told Cadena SER.

"I honestly expected worse. My mother instead gets bored and makes me a video call, we talk a lot.

"It's sad to see the city of Bilbao like this, all empty. Athletic has provided us with the tools to keep us in shape, but I can't wait to get back in."

Bilbao are the third club in Spain to have a team member test positive for coronavirus in as many days after Atletico Madrid confirmed two cases ahead of their Champions League quarter-final clash with RB Leipzig at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon on Thursday. Barcelona announced one positive case.

Athletic finished the La Liga season in 11th place with 51 points, five points short of Europa League qualification.

Williams has played 196 times for the Basque club since his debut in 2014, scoring a total of 40 goals and providing 26 assists.

Fantasy Premier League (FPL) is a ridiculously competitive online tournament where, in order to come out on top, you have to be better than over 7 million other dedicated players across the world.

However, this season, the FPL manager who finished top of the pile at the end of the campaign was not crowned champion and his profile was deleted.

Alexander Antonov's team amassed 2,575 points across the year to finish first out of over seven million players, but his achievement was rendered null and void by Fantasy Premier League organisers.

An official statement explained that Antonov's team was removed from the game "due to a breach of our terms" and the title was instead given to Joshua Bull, whose team 'The Bulldozers' earned 2,557 points.

"The English Premier League and FPL had a right to do what they did," Antonov said in a video broadcast on his YouTube channel in the aftermath. 

"It is their game, it's their rules, their prizes and, frankly, they had a good reason in their eyes to disqualify me that I can't really argue with."

So what exactly was Antonov's FPL disqualification all about?

The Guardian reported that the breach was related to alleged offensive comments made in a private group chat about Manchester City star Raheem Sterling.

Antonov has admitted on his Twitter account that the comment which resulted in his removal from the 2019-20 league was "a mean comment". 

In a series of tweets, he referred to the Bulgarian N-word and said that he was "ashamed and sorry" for his words.

"It may sound stupid, but I actually really don't condone racist behaviour," he wrote. "And this is not just for black people but all other races, from which I have had many friends especially when living in the UK.

"I do have to apologize to anyone that has taken as an offense against them or their friends on racial basis. I understand why this is."

In the video he shared on his YouTube channel, Antonov began by congratulating Bull on winning the the top prize - which includes VIP tickets to two 2020-21 Premier League games along with a number of other items - before trying to describe what had happened. 

"The reason for my disqualification was a moment of frustration with a player put into words between friends," he explained. 

"It was never meant to offend any footballer on any basis. It's not something I posted or said directly towards a footballer in the public eye with the aim to offend them. It wasn't something I shouted at a stadium."

The Bulgarian FPL aficionado added: "I've learnt a life lesson here: don't say bad things about someone in a private chat just because he's not there to read it."

While Antonov's team was removed from the 2019-20 edition of Fantasy Premier League, he says that the organisers will still allow him to enter the 2020-21 game, using the same profile, meaning he will have a chance to redeem himself next season.

Reaching semi-finals is "not good enough" for Manchester United, according to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who is eager for the Red Devils to take the "next step" towards becoming an elite force again.

United booked their place in the last four of this season's Europa League by beating Copenhagen 1-0 after extra time in Cologne on Monday.

The Old Trafford outfit haven't picked up any major silverware since winning the competition under Jose Mourinho in 2017, with Solskjaer the latest man charged with restoring past glories.

A Bruno Fernandes penalty set up a meeting with Sevilla on Sunday, which will mark the first time the two sides have met since a round-of-16 Champions League tie in 2018.

The Spanish outfit triumphed on that occasion, and Julen Lopetegui's current crop will likely provide United with another stern challenge after beating Wolves to extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to 19 games.

The Red Devils were dumped out of both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup at the semi-final stage earlier in the season, and Solskjaer is determined to avoid more disappointment this weekend.

The Norwegian believes his players will be extra motivated to finish the campaign with a trophy after falling short domestically, as he told MUTV: "We’ve had two semi-finals before but we want to go to the next step. 

“Reaching semi-finals is a good effort, decent, but it’s not good enough for Man United.

“The team has been developing and getting more and more hungry, and let’s make sure that hurt that we felt in the two other cups we went out of can maybe be the marginal difference, in that we want it more than them.

“When I lose a game or lose at something you don’t want that feeling again so I would think they’re ready for Sunday.”

Solskjaer went on to insist that the fitness levels will not be a problem in the clash with Sevilla after the 120-minute slog against Copenhagen, while stressing the importance of the mental side of preparations.

“Physically we’re fine, all the teams have played many games anyway. Now it’s about who is mentally strongest,” he explained. “You can look at the opponent and know they’re tired but you want them feeling more tired than you.

“You’ve got to be strong mentally, concentrated and focused, and any of these games can be, and will be, decided on a marginal decision or finishing. We’ve just got to keep them [the players] focused with the right attitude.”

Solskjaer added on the revised straight-knockout format the Europa League has taken on amid the coronavirus pandemic: “It’s like a European Championships or a World Cup, you don’t get a second chance and you just know you have to leave everything on that pitch which for me is fine.

“It’s a different set-up to what we’re used to, we’re used to home and away, but for me, this is the best scenario so that we can finish this tournament.”

Andros Townsend says Wilfried Zaha "should be playing in the Champions League", with it his belief that the Crystal Palace winger is capable of starring for the "very best in the world".

Zaha has carved out a reputation as one of the best homegrown players in the Premier League since rejoining Palace on a permanent basis from Manchester United in 2015.

The Ivory Coast international failed to make the grade during a two-year spell on the books at Old Trafford, but has managed to rebuild his confidence in familiar surroundings.

The 2018-19 campaign marked the best year of his career to date in terms of individual numbers, as he contributed 10 goals and 10 assists to Palace's cause in 34 top-flight outings.

Zaha's dynamic displays in the final third attracted the attention of Arsenal last summer, but he ultimately missed out on a move to Emirates Stadium after the club opted to bring in Nicolas Pepe from Lille instead.

The 27-year-old's performance levels have dipped since then, with Eagles boss Roy Hodgson admitting as much after their final-day draw against Tottenham.

Hodgson also revealed that a prized asset still has his heart set on a transfer away from Selhurst Park, as he told reporters: "It's a dilemma for the club and a dilemma for him if he is so set on leaving.

"If he feels he just does not want to be with us anymore, that would be sad."

Everton were reportedly interested in signing Zaha in the January transfer window, and he appeared to send out a 'come and get me' message to Arsenal when filmed partying in a nightclub over the weekend.

Townsend believes his team-mate belongs on Europe's biggest stage, but is still holding out hope that he will remain with Palace for at least one more year.

“Wilfried Zaha could play for the very best in the world,” the Eagles attacker told talkSPORT.

“He’s the most talented player I’ve ever played with and he should be playing in the Champions League.

“I’m very grateful that we have him at Palace, everyone at the club is grateful, and if we have him beyond this window we’d be even more grateful!

“If that’s the case I’m sure he’ll knuckle down and have another great season.

“He deserves to be playing at the highest level, but as long as he’s a Palace player and I'm hopeful it does continue beyond this window, we’re grateful and delighted to have him.”

Rangers midfielder believes the presence of Steven Gerrard and Gary McAllister in Rangers' backroom could help him become a proven goalscorer from his position.

The 24-year-old helped Rangers to back-to-back victories in their first two matches in the Premiership this term and he is hoping to do more with his contribution in front of goal.

Ahead of the Gers' battle against St. Johnstone on Wednesday, the Super Eagles star disclosed how he's working to improve on his goalscoring abilities.

“That’s the one thing I’ve always wanted to be known as, a goalscoring midfielder,” Aribo was quoted as saying in Rangers matchday programme.

“I’ve sat down with the gaffer and we spoke about it, so I know that is one area I need to improve on.

“I think it’s a case of wanting to be in the right place at the right time and having the willingness and the desire to be there.

“It’s also about being calmer in front of goal as well, not slashing at shots and taking your time with them. Hopefully, that will help me get more goals.

“But I feel I have developed a lot and I’m learning day in day out in games and on the training field as well.

“When you look at the staff, you have the gaffer and Macca, two great players that have played in my position too. So I can just take little things off them every single day and, of course, you learn in matches.”

Rangers have played league matches against Aberdeen and St. Mirren so far this season without fans who have been barred from stadiums due to coronavirus restrictions.

Aribo explained that Steven Gerrard's side misses the atmosphere created by fans in the stadium, but they will continue to make them happy with their results.

“When you get the backing of the fans that gives you that extra 10 per cent, so sometimes I feel like we miss it because if we are not making noises on the pitch it just feels quiet,” he said.

“You don’t have the bounce and energy of the fans to get you going so it is a bit weird, but we just have to deal with what is going on right now.

“I just want to keep scoring goals and keep the fans happy, even if they are not in the stadium cheering.

“I know they’ll be at home smiling, so we need to put on a show and that’s all I really want to do, put on a show every single game and just do all I can do to help the team get the best performances and the best results that we can get.”

Azam FC have continued with their transfer activities after unveiling Emmanuel Charles on Wednesday.

The former Mbao FC left-back was unveiled at Chamazi after passing medical and agreeing to pen a two-year contract.

The ‘Ice Cream Makers’ have confirmed the signing on their social media pages by stating: “We are pleased to add Charles into our playing unit after he passed his medical and agreed personal terms to play for us for the next two seasons.

“The arrival of Charles is aimed at strengthening our defence and his signing was recommended by our technical bench led by head coach Aristica Cioba.

“Charles enjoyed a good spell of action while turning for Mbao last season and was able to create three goals and score two goals, and we believe he arrives with the experience to help this great team achieve their targets for the new season.

“We will conclude our signings after we had two more foreign players.”

The arrivial of Charles brings to six the number of players already signed by Azam including former Gor Mahia keeper David Kissu Mapigano, Awesu Awesu, Ally Niyonzima, Ismail Aziz and Ayoub Lyanga.

On Tuesday, Azam were also boosted with news speedy winger Salum ‘Sure Boy’ Abubakar had committed to the club despite interest from Young Africans (Yanga SC).

“I am back now, I had an injury but am feeling better now, and I want to tell my fans, I have decided to stay at Azam, and will not leave so the fans should know, I have made the decision to stay,” Abubakar told reporters on Tuesday.

“I will maintain my style of play, I don’t have any problems because I have made the decision to stay, so I am committed to Azam and the fans should be ready to support us as we get ready to win trophies for them in the new campaign.”

The Chamazi-based club will be keen to make a good mark in the coming season after they ended the 2019-20 campaign without silverware.

The ‘Ice-Cream Makers’ did not enjoy as good a season as they had anticipated at the beginning of the campaign, as they managed to finish third in the league with 70 points, 18 fewer than winners Simba SC, and two behind second-placed Yanga SC. They managed to get 20 wins, 10 draws and eight defeats.

The team also failed to retain their FA Cup title to stand a chance of representing the country in the Caf Confederation Cup.

Former Hearts of Oak captain Yaw Amankwah Mireku believes management need to up their game in handling contract negotiations with players.

Last week, the Phobians announced five first-team players had exited the club over their refusal to extend their expired deals.

Benjamin Agyare, Christopher Bonney, Bernard Arthur and Abubakar Troare were among the departed men but it is the exit of star forward Joseph Esso that has generated the most controversy.

''[Hearts] management can't be solely blamed for free players' exit," former Ghana international Mireku, who won the Caf Champions League with Hearts in 2000, the Caf Super Cup in 2001 and the Caf Confederation Cup in 2004, told Nkunim FM.

"Sometimes the players decide against extensions but professionally I think management should always start early negotiations with the players if they need them.

''Some of the players are ungrateful because players like [Vincent] Atinga, [Kwame] Kizito, [Patrick] Razak and co. [who similarly left the club under similar situations] were all from nowhere but Hearts of Oak gave them the platform but later they stood against extensions and left for free.

''But sometimes too when players from nowhere join a team, they are sometimes treated badly and when it's time for extension, the player also considers how he was received or treated to decide his future.

''So it's better for Hearts of Oak to check how they treat players, especially those from nowhere.''

Latest media speculations say Esso could be making a sensational return to the Accra-based side as some bigwigs at the club are unhappy by his departure.

Meanwhile, Razak, who left Hearts for Guinean outfit Horoya in 2018, has also been linked with an imminent return after a largely unsuccessful spell away.

He revealed he is open to re-joining the Phobians.

“I have not talk to Hearts of Oak but I don’t know whether they have contacted my management," the winger has told Bryt FM.

"For now, everything is up to my management because I am a player and can’t go into any negotiation. What I heard is that they are now going to sit down with me.

“I don’t have any problem with the club so if things go right I will happily join them."

Hearts have won the Ghana Premier League (GPL) on 19 occasions. 

Atletico Madrid attacker Joao Felix has been backed to star in the Champions League knockouts in his home country of Portugal, with the club's president, Enrique Cerezo, throwing his support behind the youngster despite an up and down season in La Liga.

Following a stellar breakout season with Benfica, Felix was snapped up by the Spanish side for €126 million (£113m/$148m) and big things were expected of the 20-year-old in his first campaign under Diego Simeone.

He has, however, struggled to make the same impact for Atletico, scoring only eight goals and laying on three assists across all competitions – a big difference from his previous tally of 20 strikes and 11 assists at his former side.

Cerezo is unperturbed by the versatile forward's dip in numbers, though, asserting that Felix has been far from poor throughout a campaign that is largely about acclimatising to new surroundings and feels he could be the one to star for his club on familiar soil.

“We have a great squad and a great coach, although I think the star could be Joao Felix,” the Atleti supremo told AS. “He is in his environment, in his home, in his land and he will give everything in these games. 

“When you join a team it's never easy in the first year. Joao Felix has had to adapt to Atletico, Simeone, his team-mates, La Liga... And he hasn't had a bad season. It's been a year to get situated. It is rare to see a player come from another country and have a very good first season.

“Acclimatising takes time, but the boy has a great desire to succeed and he's eager to show that he's an important player. Playing in his home country will be different for him – the Champions League is a great chance to end the season in the best way.”

While Atletico boast three Europa League triumphs, a Champions League title continues to evade them.

Having been runners-up on three occasions, Cerezo feels that that fact alone is enough to claim that football “owes” the Wanda Metropolitano outfit a UCL crown after so many “cruel” losses in the past.

“We have played three finals and due to various circumstances we could not win them,” he said. “Football owes us a Champions League and I hope this is our year. Football is like that – we had the Champions League in our grasp three times and we lost it at the last moment.

“Each [loss] was more cruel than the last. We must be patient, calm and play well. If we do that, we can win.”

Gareth Bale must wish he was back at Tottenham, according to Andros Townsend, who says the exiled Real Madrid star will be wanting his "freedom" back after another frustrating year in Spain.

Bale has been heavily linked with a move away from Madrid after falling out of favour with head coach Zinedine Zidane in 2019-20.

Zidane left the Welshman out of his 22-man squad for last week's Champions League clash with Manchester City, claiming that the winger had asked not to be included.

Bale only scored three goals in 20 appearances for the Blancos in total last term, and was an unused substitute in eight of the club's final 10 La Liga fixtures.

Much was made of his antics on the bench during that period, and how he appeared out of sync with the rest of the group as they celebrated a 34th league title triumph at the end of July.

While on international duty earlier in the campaign, Bale was pictured holding up a 'Wales. Golf. Madrid' banner after helping his country qualify for the European Championships, and he subsequently became an unpopular figure among the Madrid faithful.

The 31-year-old's agent has insisted that his client will remain at Santiago Bernabeu despite ongoing speculation over his future, but reports of a potential return to the Premier League have surfaced in recent months.

Manchester United have been credited with an interest in Bale, while Spurs have been tipped to re-sign a former talisman on loan.

Townsend has dismissed the suggestion that his old team-mate is happy to remain on the sidelines and pick up his weekly pay cheque at the Bernabeu, while insisting he would welcome a move back to north London to escape the scrutiny he finds himself under in Madrid.

"I think if anything the Bale situation, he'd want to go back to Spurs," the ex-Tottenham star told talkSPORT. "The memories of Spurs. His happiness.

"He was the main man. He was loved. He was at the top of his game. So, if anything I think it would work the other way.

"He would be like, 'I wish I was at Spurs now and had the freedom to do whatever I want, to express myself and not worry about where I am now... where I get scrutinised for playing golf.'"

Sudeva FC are all set to take part in the 2020-21 I-League after winning a bid for direct entry into the competition.

The decision to induct Sudeva was taken by the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) Bid Evaluation Committee who met via video conferencing on Wednesday.

Sudeva's inclusion means the number of participating teams go back to 11 after defending champions Mohun Bagan merged with Indian Super League (ISL) champions ATK to form a new entity ATK Mohun Bagan which will play in the ISL.

Sudeva FC will also bring back top-level football back to the national capital after a brief hiatus. ISL outfit Delhi Dynamos had shifted bases to Odisha before the start of the 2019-20 season while the Indian FA's developmental side Indian Arrows, who used to play from New Delhi, moved to Goa last season.

Here's all you need to know about bid process:

Table of contents

1. When were the bids invited?
2. Which teams submitted bids?
3. AIFF's Bid Evaluation Committee
4. Who analyses the bids?
5. Immunity for Sudeva?
6. Notable clubs to have come in through direct entry?

When did AIFF invite bids for a new team?

The AIFF decided to invite bids for a new team in the I-League after the exit of Mohun Bagan who merged with ISL outfit ATK. The Indian FA were looking to expand the league's footprint and sought bids from teams based in New Delhi, Ranchi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bhopal, Lucknow, Ahmedabad and a few other similar smaller cities.

The invitation to bid was open from 10th June 2020 till 20th June 2020.

Which teams submitted a bid for a spot in the I-League?

The New Delhi-based Sudeva, along with Shillong's Ryntih SC and Visakhapatnam-based Sreenidhi FC picked up the bid document and submitted the same.

Sudeva FC were the front-runners to win the bid from the outset and have landed a spot in the competition after their bid satisfied the AIFF's Bid Evaluation Committee.

Who comprises the AIFF's Bid Evaluation Committee?

AIFF's Bid Evaluation Committee comprises general secretary Kushal Das, senior vice-president Subrata Mukherjee and I-League CEO Sunando Dhar. The committee makes use of independent auditors to evaluate the bids and then takes a final call after considering numerous factors.

Who reviews the bids for the AIFF's Bid Evaluation Committee?

Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC), a multinational professional services network of firms headquartered in London, are the independent auditors who go through the bid documents of each interested party and place their thoughts in front of the Bid Evaluation Committee.

Are Sudeva FC immune from relegation?

Sudeva FC, as a result of winning the direct entry, will be exempt from relegation for the upcoming season, ie the 2020-21 campaign. However, the exemption is for one season only.

Who are the notable clubs to have played in the I-League through direct entry bids?

Two-time I-League winners Bengaluru FC were the first club to enter the league directly in 2013. However, they moved to the ISL at the start of the 2017-18 season.

Two other clubs to have entered the league via corporate entry and have won the league are Minerva Punjab (Punjab FC) and Chennai City FC. Both outfits are still in the I-League.

Bharat FC were handed a spot in 2014 but the club winded up operations after just one season. DSK Shivajians came into the I-League in 2015 but halted operations in 2017.

Gokulam Kerala FC were the last team to enter the I-League through a direct berth, back in 2017.

Yanga SC have completed the signing of Club Deportivo Tenerife B forward Farid Mussa Shaha.

The Taifa Stars winger has been a long-term target for the Jangwani-based side and they have finally landed their man in preparations for the 2020/21 season. The news has been confirmed by the 27-time league champions on their official social media accounts.

"Official, Farid Mussa is a Mwananchi," Yanga confirmed on their official Facebook page on Wednesday.

"In a bid to strengthen the attacking department for the new season, [Yanga SC] have completed the signing of Tanzania international winger Faridi Mussa Shaha."

The winger joins from the Spanish lower-tier side, a club he joined in 2016 from 2014 Mainland League champions Azam FC. The move is meant to fill the void left by Rwandan winger Patrick Sibomana who was released at the end of the recent campaign.

This is the eighth signing for Wananchi this season. Others who have already joined the team are Zawadi Mauya, Bakari Mwamnyeto, Yassin Mustapha, Sacoub Songne, Kibwana Shomari, Abdallah Shaibu, and Waziri Junior. 

The Morogoro-born Mussa made his Taifa Stars debut in November 2013 when he came in as a substitute in a friendly match against Zimbabwe, a match that ended in a goalless draw.

In a separate interview, the new Yanga signing Waziri has set a target of 30 goals in the new season.  

The forward was playing for the now relegated Mbao FC and managed to get 13 goals, eventually finishing second behind top scorer Meddie Kagere of champions Simba SC.

"My target is to get 30 goals or more for Yanga in the new campaign," Waziri told the club's online TV channel.

"I have a very big chance of hitting my target because scoring opportunities here will definitely come. It will be up to me to ensure I become clinical in front of the goal and take my chances."

Timu ya Wananchi are currently without a coach after the sacking of Belgian Luc Eymael.

Waziri revealed how he intends to woo the new tactician, who is yet to be appointed, to ensure he features on a regular basis.

"Yes, we are currently without a coach but the situation will definitely be solved soon," he concluded.

"I want to give my best on training and prove I am good to convince the incoming tactician that I have what it takes to be given the first priority."

Ligue 2 club Toulouse have confirmed the signing of Ivory Coast youth international Vakoun Bayo on a season-long loan from Celtic.

Bayo will be hoping to secure regular first-team action in France after struggling for opportunities in Neil Lennon's team since he moved to Scotland from Dunajska Streda on a four-year contract in 2019.

Since his arrival from Slovakia in January 2019, the 23-year-old played just nine games in the Scottish Premiership for the Bhoys.

He joins Patrice Garande's side as their fourth summer signing, and he will be aiming to help them stage an immediate return to Ligue 1 following their relegation last season.

The transfer connects Bayo with compatriots Max Gradel, Ibrahima Sangare, DR Congo's Ndombe Mubele, Cameroon's Stephane Zobo and Guinea's Issiaga Sylla at Stadium de Toulouse.

Toulouse have the option to make the loan deal permanent should the Ivorian striker impress in the 2020-21 season.

“Toulouse Football Club is strengthening its offensive sector. Ivorian U23 international, striker Vakoun Bayo committed this Wednesday with the club of the Pink City, where he is on loan for a season with an option to buy,” the club statement read.

“The Toulouse Football Club and all of its supporters welcome Vakoun Bayo on the banks of the Garonne!”

Born in Daloa - a city in the western part of Ivory Coast, Bayo started his football career at a local club Stade d'Abidjan before switching to Tunisia.

He joined Etoile du Sahel in 2015 and spent two years at the club where he won the Tunisian Ligue 1 title in his debut campaign before departing in 2017.

A year later, Bayo completed his first move to Europe to team up with Slovak side Dunajska Streda on a free transfer.

The 23-year-old spent less than a year in Slovakia and he returned 14 goals in 25 Super Liga outings across two seasons.

Bayo has two made appearances for Ivory Coast and he was also part of the country’s U23 set-up that finished second at the 2019 Africa U23 Cup of Nations in Egypt.

In October 2019, he came off the bench in an African Cup of Nations qualifier against the Central African Republic to make his debut for the Elephants.