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Angel Gomes has confirmed he has left Manchester United, following months of speculation over whether the 19-year-old would remain at Old Trafford.

It has been widely reported that he has signed for Ligue 1 side Lille on a free transfer, and could be sent straight out on loan. 

Indeed, RMC Sport claims Gomes has signed a five-year deal with Lille, and has joined Portuguese side Boavista on a temporary basis.

Born in London but raised in Salford, attacking midfielder Gomes had been part of United's set-up since the age of six and made his first-team debut under Jose Mourinho in 2017.

Gomes won the Young Player of the Year award for United's Under-23s in 2016-17, but only made 10 first-team appearances in total.

He bade his farewell to United with a lengthy Instagram post on Tuesday.

It read: “It’s [taken] me a while because it’s not been easy to put my emotions into words.

“Sadly the time has come to end a beautiful chapter that has been my life for 14 years. Being from Salford, Manchester United is all I have ever known.

“I went from playing on my estate, pretending to be Wayne Rooney to being in the academy and doing the same.

“[On] May 21, 2017 I made my Premier League debut for the club of my dreams aged 16, replacing the legend himself, Wayne Rooney.

“I want to thank every single individual at the club for the help and encouragement I received, from the very first time I signed at the club.

“I want to thank all the coaches from every age group that looked after me from six [years old] to now.

“To all the kit men, Kath the receptionist, the media team, the security, the staff at the cliff, the staff at Littleton Road, the staff at Carrington to the cleaners, you all played a part in getting me to where I am today.

“It is time I take the next step in my career, I hope you can all be proud [of] what I go on to achieve. I wish the club and everyone involved the best of luck, you will all be missed more than you can imagine.

“I also want to thank the fans, your SUPPORT hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“Once a RED always a RED.”

The Indian Football Association (IFA) held a meeting with the West Bengal state government on Monday to discuss the possibility of hosting the remainder of the 2019-20 I-League Second Division in the state.

IFA general secretary Joydeep Mukherjee along with representatives from Mohammedan Sporting and Bhowanipore FC, the two local clubs in Second Division, met the West Bengal Sports Minister Arup Biswas.

The IFA secretary told Goal that they have received the green signal from the state government and if the central government permits sporting activities to happen in September, West Bengal will be ready to host the final stages of the Second Division.

“We had a very positive discussion. The West Bengal government is always there to back football in the state. If the Central Government permits sporting activities to resume from September, they have no problem in hosting tournaments,” said Mukherjee.

Joydeep Mukherjee further stated that they have already written to the All India Football Federation and informed them about the state association’s wish of hosting the Second Division league. The IFA has also picked Kalyani as the possible venue to host the matches.

“We have informed the All India Football Federation (AIFF) about our intention (to host the competition). Two out of the five clubs are from West Bengal so there is no reason why it should not be held here.

“We are planning to host the Second Division in Kalyani. The ground is ready, practice grounds are available and there are enough hotels in Kalyani. Most importantly the number of Covid-19 cases is very less in Kalyani compared to other places. So when we consider the issue of safety, then also Kalyani is the best option.”

Karnataka State Football Association had also shown interest in hosting the Second Division League in Bengaluru but now it looks like IFA is the frontrunner. 

Six teams were supposed to take part in the final stage of the league but FC Kerala recently withdrew citing financial constraints due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Simba SC midfielder Clatous Chama has honoured his promise by donating Tsh 1 million to an orphanage.

The Zambian has been in fine form and played a vital role in helping Wekundu wa Msimbazi win a treble in the concluded 2019/20 season.

On Sunday, he was named the FA Cup's Player of the Tournament and went on to promise he will give back to the community.

On Tuesday, August 4, the attacking midfielder ensured he did as promised.

"Clatous Chama has donated Tsh 1 million to Maunga children orphanage in Kinondoni, Dar es Salaam," Simba confirmed on their official social media page.

"The money was part of the promise made on Monday when he was presented with the reward for winning the club's Player of the Season Award by club sponsors SportPesa."

The 29-year-old helped the Msimbazi-based side start the season with the 4-2 Community Shield win against Azam FC. 

Wekundu wa Msimbazi went on to win the league with six matches to spare and secure their third title in a row and 21st overall.

On Sunday, they completed the treble after defeating Namungo, who finished fourth in the league, 2-1 to lift the FA Cup.

Captain John Bocco and Man of the Match Luis Miquissone provided the vital goals that ensured the Dar es Salaam side headed back home as the champions of the domestic cup.

After 35 minutes of failed attempts to break an otherwise tight Namungo backline, Simba finally got a hard-fought opener through Miquissone’s strike.

The Mozambican, who has proved to be an undroppable figure for coach Sven Vandenbroeck, scored an important goal and further showed why his January signing was a masterstroke.

Shomari Kapombe delivered a swinging cross into the penalty box, but Bocco was denied the opportunity to strike as the opponents swarmed around him, but as Namungo focused on Bocco, the ball fell into Miquissone’s path and the winger slotted home.

Bocco added the second goal four minutes after Miquissone had registered the opener, heading into the net and ensured Simba headed into the break with a healthy 2-0 lead.

Namungo scored their consolation in the 57th minute when Edward Charles Manyama managed to beat Aishi Manula in Simba's goal as the affair in Sumbawanga turned into an end-to-end encounter.

The biggest test perhaps lies ahead for the former Zambian national team coach as he has to ensure Simba prosper in the 2020-21 Caf Champions League.

Under his predecessor Patrick Aussems, the club was eliminated in the preliminary round by UD Songo of Mozambique.

Express FC have swooped for the services of defender Murushid Juuko ahead of the new season.

According to New Vision, Juuko, a full Uganda international, has signed for the Red Eagles on a one-year deal but will be allowed to leave the club if he gets an offer from a foreign club.

His decision to sign for Express has left Ugandan Premier League (UPL) champions Vipers SC and last season's winners KCCA FC in shock as they were both eyeing the services of the player.

New Vision has reported the transfer of the 26-year-old player was made possible by the club’s CEO Isaac Mwesigwa and will see them get 20% of the transfer fee if he manages to get a move abroad.

Juuko has previously played for Vipers and Simba SC of Tanzania and becomes the fifth signing for Express after Godfrey Lwesibawa, Mahad Yaya Kakooza, Charles Busingye, and John Byamukama.

The arrival of the player will be a great boost to coach Wasswa Bbosa, who is expecting a competitive 2020/21 UPL season.

Many teams are buffing up their squads in preparations for the new campaign which will begin in October. The tactician stated he is already aware of what to expect from opposing teams.

"We all know clubs are re-organizing themselves and that they will be competitive next season," Bossa said as quoted by the club's official website.

"But actually if anything, we have already done our homework on all the teams. So I would say we are braced up for any team that will come our way."

The six-time league champions finished the abandoned league in the ninth position with 31 points, after managing nine wins, four draws, and 12 defeats.

Bossa was appointed at the club at the expense of the sacked George Ssimwogere. After steering the team from the relegation zone to a ninth-place finish, he was rewarded with a three-year contract.

The tactician, in an earlier interview, said he wants to come up with a competitive squad, able to challenge their rivals in the top-flight.

After the 2019/20 struggles, the Wankulukuku-based side went on to release 18 players who they felt were surplus to requirements.

Those released were Tonny Kyamera, Joshua Adea, Mohammed Yiga, Emmanuel Bafoe, Martin Kizza, Joseph Zziwa, Hamis Batega, Andrew Kiwanuka, David Kakeeto, Hamdan Nsubuga, Axel Konan, Lawrence Kigonya, Dennis Sserukwaya, Peter Mutebi, Isaac Doka, Shafiq Avemah, Baker Lukooya and Idris Kabonge. 

Talk of Manchester City launching a raid on Barcelona for Sergi Roberto has been rubbished by the player’s agent, with no offers put on the table as yet.

It has been suggested that Pep Guardiola will look to prise a top talent away from his former employers at Camp Nou now that another window has swung open.

City have issues to address in defence, and it could be that they look to reinforce their options at right-back.

Roberto would compete with Kyle Walker for that position, with the versatile 28-year-old also capable of operating in midfield.

The La Masia academy graduate may prove to be a useful addition at the Etihad Stadium, but his representative claims there has been no approach despite the mounting speculation.

Josep Maria Orobitg said in the Manchester Evening News: “Sergi Roberto has no plans to leave Barca.

“Now there are no clubs showing interest and Barca has not submitted any proposals for the player to us.”

Amid the talk of City looking to land Roberto, Barca have been asking questions in the opposite direction of Eric Garcia.

The Catalan giants want a player who left their youth ranks in 2017 back on their books, but Guardiola is eager to tie the 19-year-old defender to fresh terms in England.

The Blues boss has also hinted that he will be looking to bring a number of fresh faces into his squad before the next deadline, with deals already in the pipeline for Nathan Ake and Ferran Torres.

Guardiola has said: “It depends on the players we’ll have next season, it depends on the quality of each one as to how we adapt the way we attack and defend.

“New players can maybe come or maybe not, it will not change the freshness of the team completely. Everyone has to be fresh - not just one or maybe none or two or three or 10 or 20 [signings] - all of us have to freshen up our minds and bodies and desires to continue to be competitive in all the competitions.

“If you bring in eight or nine players, which is impossible, you change a lot, the mentality or the freshness or the way you want to play. But I think 80 per cent or 85 per cent or 90 per cent of the team will be the same so it depends on the people who are here.”

Brandon Williams has signed a new Manchester United contract that will keep him at the club until June 2024, with the option to extend for a further year.

The full-back was handed his first-team debut in October in the Europa League and has since gone on to make 33 appearances for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side in all competitions.

The 19-year-old was only given his previous deal in October 2019, which was due to run until 2022, but his performances this term have seen him rewarded with a new and improved contract.

“Signing this contract is another really proud moment for myself and my family. Having been at Manchester United since I was seven years old, it’s genuinely a dream come true to be playing in the first team,” Williams said.

“It has taken a huge amount of hard work to reach this point and it has been really special for me to break through into the squad. I’ve learned a lot throughout the season from the manager, his coaching staff and my team-mates and I want to repay the trust that they have all shown in me.

“I know that everyone at the club is working really hard every day to achieve success in the coming years and I am really excited to be a part of that.” 

Solskjaer, who has given game time to 12 academy graduates this season as he looks to promote youth, has been impressed with Williams’ work ethic and contribution during the a challenging 2019-20 campaign.

“Brandon has had an excellent first season, so we are delighted that he has signed a new contract. This new deal is a real testament to his hard work and the progress that he has made since his debut,” Solskjaer said.

“Brandon never looked back after stepping up from the academy and having come all the way through the system he understands what it means to play for Manchester United. 

“He has all of the attributes required to be a member of this exciting young squad.  He will continue to learn every day in training and we look forward to watching him develop over the coming seasons.”

Manchester United will not be rushed into a deal for Jadon Sancho despite Borussia Dortmund setting their own deadline for the transfer.

It is understood that talks are ongoing between United and Dortmund over the former Manchester City star as they try and negotiate a fee for the winger. 

The Bundesliga side have set their own deadline of August 10 so they can prepare for next season without any distractions. However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said United will not be rushed into a deal. 

“This transfer window is a long one, every transfer takes its course. It is what it is,” he said. “At the moment I have no updates for you, if there’s any news we’ll update you.”

There is hope from all parties that a deal can be struck for Sancho, with the player himself keen to make a move to Old Trafford. 

After the transformative effect of Bruno Fernandes, who arrived in the January transfer window, Solskjaer will hope the England international could have a similar impact.

Fernandes could soon get his hands on his first piece of silverware at United, with the team in a strong position going into the Europa League knockout tournament in Germany. Solskjaer, meanwhile, is also targeting his first trophy as manager at the club.

“It’s massive [to get your first trophy],” the Norwegian said. “You can see when Sir Alex won the Premier League for the first time and for me when I won my first trophy as a player it made me more hungry.

“You saw the highs of it and how much it meant to everyone. As a coach I won the league first time with Molde, the first time for the club in it's 100-year history, and since then they have won four times in eight or nine years. 

“It was a big change in that club and for me if we can get our hands on a trophy it’s a big step forward. Going into any game you want to win, we’re four games away from winning a trophy. The team has developed throughout the whole season. 

“We are delighted with finishing third. The next step for this team is getting our hands on trophies - we have been to two semi-finals and we want to go one step further and we want to win something.”

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Idrissa Gueye have made the Paris Saint-Germain squad for the final stages of the Champions League.

The Parc des Princes outfit will take on Atalanta in the Round of16 of the tournament on August 12 in a one-legged tie due to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the list announced by Uefa, the Cameroon and Senegal internationals have been included in PSG’s 23-man squad for the competition.

Choupo-Moting has been with the French outfit since 2018 when he joined the side from Stoke City as a free agent, following the relegation of the Potters from the Premier League.

The forward has since scored six goals for PSG in 31 league appearances and this season he has played 17 games for the Ligue 1 champions across all competitions, including three in the European tournament.

Choupo-Moting was recently handed a contract extension by the Parisians to enable him to complete the 2019-20 season with the club following the expiration of his previous two-year deal.

The former Schalke 04 striker will hope to add the Champions League title to his two Ligue 1 diadems and Coupe de France trophy.

Gueye, meanwhile, has been a key member of Thomas Tuchel’s team since he teamed up with the side from Premier League club Everton last summer.

The Senegal international has made 33 appearances across all competitions for the Parisians this season, including six in the European competition.

Gueye has recently been linked with a shock return to the Goodison Park outfit while Wolverhampton Wanders are also believed to be interested in signing him this summer.

The midfielder has previously played for Diambars, Lille and Aston Villa before moving to Everton in 2016, where he spent four years.

While Choupo-Moting has 15 goals in 55 games for Cameroon, Gueye has featured 67 times for Senegal and was part of the side that finished as runner-up in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Chelsea are one of a number of Premier League clubs competing to sign teenage defender Xavier Mbuyamba following his exit from Barcelona.

The 18-year-old is regarded as one of the top talents in his age group and is currently considering various proposals from teams in England's top flight.

Chelsea are thought to be in pole position, although sources have told Goal that five of England's top clubs have all made offers to the youngster.

Barcelona agreed to allow Mbuyamba to leave for free this summer amid economic concerns at Camp Nou, with savings needing to be made on wages and future payments despite the centre-back being a highly-rated member of the La Masia system.

Academy director Patrick Kluivert originally signed the MVV Maastricht youngster after he made his debut in the Dutch second division at 16.

Mbuyamba went on trial at Chelsea and Barca, but decided to join the Catalan giants with a view to appearing for Barcelona's B side and then eventually the first-team.

However, Barcelona B were unwilling to give him a starting role this season despite a positive campaign in the Under-19s, and that has accelerated his exit.

A divide between the leadership of La Masia and Barca B is one of the reasons cited for the disconnect, with Mbuyamba having been willing to consider staying had a loan move been properly considered.

Initially, Barcelona asked both Chelsea and Juventus for €2 million after hearing of their interest, but with the latter being stocked with plenty of high-level central defenders, Mbuyamba was ultimately put off joining the Serie A champions.

The Blues therefore stand a decent chance of landing him now he is available for free, with the English leagues of appeal to a teenager who thinks a Premier League club could help take his game to the next level.

Chelsea have already invested huge sums into their youth team this summer and recently announced their latest list of academy scholars.

Ahead of the new season, Edwin Andersson has joined from IFK Gothenberg, Jimi Tauriainen from Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi and Bryan Fiabema from Tromso.

Meanwhile, Stoke City's young Dutch striker Mohamed Sankoh trained with the club this week, although no agreement has yet been reached for him to join the west Londoners.

The Blues have, however, seen one of their finest young players in Samuel Illing Junior leave, with the winger set to be announced as a Juventus player in the near future.

Liverpool will not be making any £100 million ($130m) signings in the summer transfer window, says John Barnes, as the Premier League champions “aren’t looking to buy a Mbappe, Messi or a Ronaldo”.

Jurgen Klopp has pointed out on a regular basis that he expects to take in a few quiet weeks before the 2020-21 campaign gets underway.

The Reds will be keeping a close eye on the market, in case top talent suddenly becomes available, but they are not planning on forcing the issue.

Those already at their disposal have delivered a record-breaking run of success and there are no obvious gaps to fill in a star-studded starting XI.

Greater strength in depth may be sought at the right price, but Barnes cannot see Klopp breaking the bank again for a global superstar that would expect to see regular game time.

The Reds legend told BonusCodeBets: “Liverpool aren’t looking to buy a Mbappe, Messi or a Ronaldo or anyone that is going to come and say ‘I want to play in the team’, because they know what their best 11 is, particularly with the front three.

“They will need to replace certain players if they go, and not with someone for £100m and on £200,000-a-week because there are players out there that can come and supplement the squad that are good enough to play every now and again, as we’ve seen when Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi and players like Minamino coming in. I think that’s what Klopp will look to do.

“If people go then you have to replace them to get the squad good - Liverpool have Curtis Jones, Rhys Williams, Harvey Elliott and other young players, but I think they need more experience.

“If no more players go then Liverpool don’t need to make loads of signings, the squad is big and strong enough, but in football, you can lose players very quickly and you have to have a contingency plan in place to replace them.”

One of those Liverpool are said to be looking at is Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara.

The Spain international would add further graft and guile to the Reds’ engine room, but Barnes is not convinced that his services are required.

The former England international also believes that the likes of Thiago could be lured elsewhere if more money is put on the table, with Liverpool not top of football’s food chain just yet.

Barnes added: “If PSG offered him £500k a week then he would probably go there.

“I wouldn’t say Liverpool is more attractive than Barcelona or Real Madrid. Liverpool are a team with Jurgen Klopp, who people will want to come and play for, not necessarily ahead of three or four other big teams.

“They are the champions of England and the Premier League is the place to play, so players thinking about coming to England will think about Liverpool.”

Chris Smalling could play for Manchester United next season after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer left the door open for the defender to stay at the club.

The centre-back impressed during his season-long loan spell at Roma and admitted he was “gutted” to be leaving the club before they had finished their Europa League campaign.

The terms of Smalling’s loan meant his time in Italy - which was extended to allow him to complete the Serie A campaign - ended before the resumption of the knockout stages in the Europa League. 

A new long-term loan deal or a permanent transfer could not be agreed for the England international so he will now return to Old Trafford.  

Solskjaer is on the hunt for a centre-back in the summer window and it is understood that Smalling returning on a permanent basis could be an option if they can’t get any of the targets they are looking at for the right price.

Indeed, when asked about Smalling's future on Tuesday afternoon, the United boss stated that the player “will be valuable” going forward.

“I think Chris has shown over his Manchester United career how valuable he is at Manchester United,” Solskjaer said. 

“This season was about him being a regular and going to Roma and showing how good a centre-back he is, I wanted to give Harry [Maguire], Vic[tor Lindelof] and maybe Axel [Tuanzebe] a chance.

“It was best for him to go and play for a year in Roma and he has shown he will be valuable, I’ve been speaking to Chris throughout. I’ve been delighted with his season.”

Smalling is not available for the final few games of United’s Europa League campaign and although some of the players looked fatigued in their final league matches, Solskjaer warned not to expect vast changes from the sides he has fielded earlier in the competition.

“Jesse will be starting but the team won’t be too different from the team that played LASK away” Solskjaer explained. 

“We know it will be a difficult game. It wasn’t a 5-0 difference between the teams. We were winning 2-0 after 60 minutes and scored three in the last five so we know we have to perform and there’s opportunities for players to stake a claim - if they get through,

“The players want to play, they don’t want the break, they’re bothering me all the time - they don’t want to rest, they want to play. It’s not easy to say they’re rested, especially with players of that quality. 

“But we go into that tournament wanting to win - I hope the players need to win, like I do. For me as a coach to lift the trophy is a different feeling to when you were a player because you know you represent so much more than just a team. 

“For me we go into this tournament with players wanting to win so they won’t be given a break, they will be called upon.”

Paulo Dybala has beaten Juventus team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo to this season's Serie A Player of the Year award.

Lega Serie A announced Dybala as the winner of the annual prize on Tuesday, with Ronaldo failing to retain the title he won in his first year at the Allianz Stadium.

Italian football's main governing body named the Argentina international as the 2019-20 'MVP', with Juve's newest signing Dejan Kulusevski grabbing the Young player of the Year prize for an outstanding campaign at Parma.

Juventus also had another winner in Wojciech Szczesny, who got the nod for best goalkeeper, while Inter's Stefan De Vrij, Atalanta star Alejandro Gomez and Lazio talisman Ciro Immobile were acknowledged in defensive, midfield and forward roles.

Dybala has recorded 11 goals in 33 Serie A outings for Juve this term, along with 11 assists, bouncing back strongly after a testing final year under Massimiliano Allegri.

The 26-year-old struggled to adapt to a new role in the team following Ronaldo's arrival at the Allianz Stadium from Real Madrid in 2018, but has rediscovered his best form since Maurizio Sarri's appointment last summer.

The diminutive playmaker's performances helped Juve secure an unprecedented ninth successive Scudetto, as Sarri's men narrowly finished one point ahead of Inter following an intriguing title race which also included Atalanta and Lazio.

Ronaldo might have thought he'd done enough to retain Serie A's top individual accolade after contributing 31 goals to the Bianconeri's cause, but his final tally was still five behind Lazio frontman Immobile, who earned the Capocannoniere.

There have been questions asked over whether Dybala and Ronaldo are capable of operating at full capacity in the same system, but Sarri noted a change in their relationship after a 3-1 win over Genoa on June 30.

After seeing both men geet on the scoresheet, the Italian boss told reporters: "They have learned to look for each other more often.

"They have realised that by benefitting from each other, both reap the rewards. It's something I have noticed in training too."

The PSL has adopted that five substitutions be made by coaches for the remaining matches of the 2019-20 season. 

The league has also increased match squads for clubs from 18 to 20, meaning each team is allowed to name nine players on the bench. 

In a statement released on Tuesday, the league further revealed that six substitutions will be permitted in Cup matches but the sixth change can only be made in case where matches go into extra time.  

After four months of no competitive football in South Africa due to the coronavirus pandemic coupled with the lockdown regulations which forced the suspension of the current campaign, football in the country will finally return this weekend. 

On the menu is the Nedbank Cup semi-finals which will be played on Saturday, August 8 at Orlando Stadium. 

Bloemfontein Celtic and Baroka FC will get the ball rolling at 14:00 before Mamelodi Sundowns take on Bidvest Wits at 19:15 at the same venue. 

The Nedbank Cup final is scheduled for September 9, four days after the completion of the league matches.   

Part of the statement released by the PSL reads:

PSL adopts five subs at matches:

The League can also confirm that there will be five substitutes allowed in a match for the remainder of the 2019/20 season.
This means:

The majority of teams will undoubtedly welcome the league's decision to allow for more substitutions given the tight fixture schedule they will have to contend with in the next few weeks.

On average, teams will play after every three days in an attempt to conclude the current season and prepare for the 2020-21 campaign. 

The PSL has made a provision for all the 32 teams under the NSL umbrella to use players from their MDC teams in cases where there are injuries or first-team players test positive for Covid-19 while the season is in progress. 

As things stand, Kaizer Chiefs lead the standings with 48 points from 22 league matches followed by Sundowns in second place with 44 points from 21 matches, and all eyes will be on the two teams when the league matches get underway next week. 

It will also be interesting to witness the relegation battle between AmaZulu and Black Leopards, who have struggled for positive results this season. 

Express FC coach Wasswa Bossa is expecting a competitive 2020/21 Ugandan Premier League season.

Many teams are buffing up their squads in preparations for the new campaign which will begin in October. The tactician states he is already aware of what to expect from opposing teams.

"We all know clubs are re-organizing themselves and that they will be competitive next season," Bossa said as quoted by the club's official website.

"But actually if anything, we have already done our homework on all the teams. So I would say we are braced up for any team that will come our way."

The six-time league champions finished the abandoned league in the ninth position with 31 points, after managing nine wins, four draws and 12 losses.

Bossa was appointed at the club at the expense of the sacked George Ssimwogere. After steering the team from the relegation zone to a ninth-place finish, he was rewarded with a three-year contract.

The tactician, in an earlier interview, said he wants to come up with a competitive squad, able to challenge their rivals in the top-flight among them KCCA FC, Vipers and SC Villa.

"We want to bring the team to the level where it will be competing for trophies," the experienced tactician said.

"Express is a well-known traditional club. She is a big brand that does not need to be in relegation dogfights. I promise the fans that we are ready to do anything that will make this club great again.

"Before I left Express it was performing well and in good positions and I hope and believe that it's where we are going. We are working on so many things to ensure that we revamp Express. This is a big club with a rich history so it should aim for big things."

After the 2019/20 struggles, the Wankulukuku-based side went on to release 18 players who they felt were surplus to requirements.

Those released were Tonny Kyamera, Joshua Adea, Mohammed Yiga, Emmanuel Bafoe, Martin Kizza, Joseph Zziwa, Hamis Batega, Andrew Kiwanuka, David Kakeeto, Hamdan Nsubuga, Axel Konan, Lawrence Kigonya, Dennis Sserukwaya, Peter Mutebi, Isaac Doka, Shafiq Avemah, Baker Lukooya and Idris Kabonge.  

Neymar "is determined to bring Paris Saint-Germain to the top", according to Marco Verratti, who has hailed the Brazilian as a "leader" ahead of the Champions League restart.

PSG have benefitted from the presence of a fully fit Neymar throughout 2020, after seeing him put the disappointment of a failed move to Barcelona and a string of injury issues behind him.

The 28-year-old has contributed 19 goals and 10 assists to the club's cause in 24 outings this season, helping them to complete a domestic treble, and he could also be poised to inspire success on Europe's elite stage.

Neymar scored in both legs as PSG beat Borussia Dortmund in the last 16, to set up a last-eight clash against Serie A outfit Atalanta - who knocked out Valencia in the previous round.

The winner of next Wednesday's one-off fixture in Lisbon will be rewarded with a semi-final meeting with either RB Leipzig or Atletico Madrid, as a revised straight knockout format comes into play amid the continued threat of coronavirus.

PSG will be buoyed for the contest after returning to action with French Cup and Coupe de la Ligue final wins over Saint Etienne and Lyon, with Neymar once again playing a key role in both victories.

The Brazil international scored the winner against Saint-Etienne before netting a crucial penalty in the shoot-out triumph against Lyon, and Verratti is hoping he can also make the difference in the Champions League.

"I see him particularly determined to bring PSG to the top," The Italian playmaker told Gazzetta dello Sport. "Having him in this physical and mental condition is an added bonus. Neymar is a leader who plays and always trains hard, an example for all."

PSG are sweating on the fitness of Kylian Mbappe ahead of their return to European action, after he suffered an ankle sprain in the Coupe de la Ligue showpiece.

Like Neymar, the Frenchman has been heavily linked with a move away from Parc des Princes over the past 12 months, but Verratti thinks both men are settled in their current surroundings.

"I can feel they are well here, they believe in the project and know that there are not many teams stronger than PSG," he said. "In Paris, they have the possibility of winning. And winning here would really be really special."

Atalanta will be without top scorer Josip Ilicic against PSG, and although Verratti believes his absence will be felt by Gian Piero Gasperini's side, he insists they remain a formidable outfit.

The PSG star added: "It weighs heavily, as Messi's absence from Barcelona or Ronaldo's from Juventus would. But even without him, Atalanta has continued to win. And it's all thanks to Gasperini's work."

Zimbabwe captain Knowledge Musona and several other Warriors players have added their voices to the #ZimbabweanLivesMatter social media campaign.

The movement has also been dominating South African social media and is intended to bring to light the alleged human rights abuses, corruption and misrule by the Zimbabwean government.

Following the failed protests that were planned for July 31, which were crushed by government security forces, the campaign has switched to social media.

Musona headlines the Warriors players including the Kasier Chiefs duo of Khama Billiat and Willard Katsande, as well as ex-Orlando Pirates midfielder Marshall Munetsi and Matthew Rusike, Talent Chawapiwa and Cuthbert Malajila who have all supported the initiative.

South Africa national team attacker Percy Tau has also shown his support for the campaign which began on Monday and spilled into Tuesday.

Besides footballers, Zimbabwe-born Springbok prop Tendai Mtawarira and former Zimbabwe cricket captain Brendan Taylor have posted messages to their social media accounts.

The campaign has also caught the attention of American rapper and actor Ice Cube, while several prominent South African politicians have expressed their support.

Former Bafana Bafana midfielder Stanton Fredericks strongly believes South Africa will produce another player who will score goals just like Benni McCarthy used to during his playing days.   

McCarthy is Bafana Bafana's all-time leading goalscorer with 31 goals from 80 matches and he's followed closely by Shaun Bartlett who scored 29 goals in 74 appearances. 

And Fredericks is confident that McCarthy's long-standing record will be broken although he doesn't see it happening anytime soon.   

"Records are there to be broken," Fredericks told Goal. 

"We thought that we wouldn't get any player better than Diego Maradona or Michel Platini... here comes Messi, here comes Ronaldo," he said.  

"It's scary to think there will be somebody better than Messi or Ronaldo but there will be somebody. 

He added: "And yes, there will be another Benni McCarthy. The only thing is, I can't tell you when. I don't think it's anytime soon because strikers and scoring goals in South Africa has always been a problem and I am sure coaches can cry day in and day out for the low percentage of conversion rate." 

"But, yes, we will see another Benni McCarthy. When? I can't tell you," concluded Fredericks. 

Only Katlego Mphela and Bernard Parker are anywhere near McCarthy and Bartlett's tallies with 23 goals each in the all-goal scoring charts for Bafana Bafana. 

However, Mphela has since retired from professional football while Parker is in the twilight of his career and hasn't been called up to the national team in a long time. 

South Africa's only hope thus far has been Percy Tau who has netted nine goals in 21 appearances for Bafana Bafana but he is yet to break into the top 10 of leading goalscorers for the national team. 

Tokelo Rantie and Siphiwe Tshabalala are the only 'active' players in the top 10 list with 12 goals each for Bafana.  

Apart from the likes of Tau, Bafana Bafana have Lebo Mothiba and Thembinkosi Lorch - the two attackers with huge potential to at least attempt to break McCarthy's record but they have struggled to score goals on regular basis in the past.  

Charles Okwemba believes he is ripe for top tier coaching from as soon as the 2020/21 season.

Former players turning to coaching is nothing new in football, with the likes of AFC Leopards coach Anthony Kimani stepping up into management after taking over from Rwandan tactician Andre Casa Mbungo in December last year.

Okwemba believes he will be able to handle the pressure associated with coaching once he gets the chance.

"Coaching comes automatically to most former players and I am not an exception," Okwemba told Goal on Tuesday.

"Actually, I have been doing it with lower teams, the latest being the now National Super League side Vihiga Bullets where I was the assistant coach to Edward Manoah.

"Coaching has massive pressure, but I am ready for it and the challenges coming along with it."

The 40-year-old refused, however, to name a specific team he would like to start his top flight career with in the Kenyan Premier League (KPL).

"I have qualifications to handle any team in the league, be it the top tier or NSL," Okwemba told Goal.

"Before leaving for Vihiga, I had offers which I did not take because there were some basics I needed to perfect.

"Now I am ready and whichever team comes first, I will for sure go with it. My main aim is to help the players get the right direction and fulfil their potential. It is time for me to give back to the community in a bigger way, and that is by improving lives."

In an earlier interview with Goal, the former Kenya international opined on what he feels lets down Kenyan football.

"I am a fighter and love football, but unprofessionalism from players, administrators and some fans piss me off," the former AFC Leopards player said.

"This is the reason why we are still struggling with our football, it almost made me quit. Football is administered casually, we have not taken it seriously. I collided with many players and tacticians but I stood my ground and kept performing to my level best."

Despite not winning the Kenyan Premier League title, Okwemba helped Leopards to win the Shield Cup in 2001, 2009 and 2013.