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England defender Danny Rose has detailed his experiences of being racially profiled, stating: "I just laugh because I know what's coming".

Rose, who concluded the 2019-20 Premier League season on loan at Newcastle United from Tottenham, has previously spoken out over receiving racist abuse on the football field – most notably when representing England at both Under-21 and senior level during matches against Serbia and Montenegro respectively.

Speaking to The Second Captains  podcast, the 30-year-old said the football authorities' attempts to deal with such incidents have been "laughable".

However, he also pointed out his negative experiences as a black Englishman are often rooted much closer to home, citing frequently being stopped by police while driving and a recent exchange in the first-class carriage of a train.

"My attitude towards it is it's happening again, and I have to get on with it. Someone's going to get a laughable fine and it's business as usual next week," he said. "But it's not just football. I got stopped by the police last week, which is a regular occurrence whenever I go back to Doncaster, where I'm from.

"Each time it's, 'Is this car stolen? Where did you get this car? What are you doing here? Can you prove that you bought this car?'. That's been happening since I was 18, since I was driving. And you know, each time it happens, I just laugh because I know what's coming and it's just how it is.

"One of the last times I got on the train, I got on there with my bags and straight away the attendant says, 'Do you know this is first class?'. I say, 'Yeah, so what?' and they say, 'Oh well, let me see your ticket then'.

"So, I showed the lady my ticket and, this is no word of a lie, two white people walked on the train right after me and she said nothing, and I said, 'Well, are you not going to ask for their tickets?' and she said, 'Oh, well, no, I don't need to'."

Rose continued: "People might think it happens, but to me that's racism. These are the sort of things I have to put up with. This is everyday life for me.

"I feel embarrassed to even complain in a way and bring this up when you see the incident in America where a black man lost his life at the hands of people who are supposed to protect and serve.

"Whenever I do complain about things, you hear people say, 'you're on this money, so get on with it'. I give up with hoping things will change because that's some people's mentality towards racism."

The incident in America, the death of George Floyd while in police custody, sparked protests across the world.

Rose explained how the decision for Premier League players to take a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement emerged from suggestions made in a WhatsApp group shared by the captains of each club.

"It was a beautiful thing that had been suggested. I just hope it is as powerful as it looks on TV in years to come," he said.

"I have no idea [how much impact it can make]. You have to wait and see. There's never been such a devastating incident as what had happened in America with George Floyd passing away. That's one of the biggest things that I've seen in the world, but things have happened in the past and after a month or two it's just business as normal.

"I hope this is something now that will catch everyone's eyes, ears and minds. All we can do now is wait and see. Hopefully, nothing like that happens again and there is equality everywhere – in football and the world."

However, in further explaining his latest dealings with police in his hometown, a wearied Rose conceded a lifetime of similar experiences makes it hard for him to envisage genuine change.

"When this happened last week, I'd just left my mum's house. I was pulled up in a car park, the engine was off," he said. "The police pulled in, they brought a riot van, three police cars and they questioned me saying we've had a report that we've had a car that was not driving correctly.

"I'm like, 'Okay, why does that make it my car?'. They got my DL [driving license], they breathalysed me.

"Honestly, it's just one of those things to me now. I don't understand what I can do or who I can complain to anymore. This first happened to me when I was 15 and now, I'm 30. It's 15 years of this on and off the field happening and there's no change whatsoever.

"I don't want to be repeating the same words that I say, and people end up saying, 'Oh, be quiet – he's always moaning' but those are my experiences. I'll be honest: that will not be the last of my experiences."

Stats Perform News approached South Yorkshire Police for their comments on Rose's observations.

Kieran Tierney deserves to be compared with legendary Arsenal left-back Nigel Winterburn, says Lee Dixon, with the Scotland international making a positive impression in north London.

The Gunners moved to buy into the potential of a highly-rated 23-year-old during the summer of 2019.

Unfortunate injuries have been suffered by Tierney during his time at Emirates Stadium, but his debut campaign did deliver 24 appearances and FA Cup glory.

He grew stronger as the season wore on, while also being moved into a left-sided centre-half berth as part of a three-man defence, and is being tipped for a bright future at Arsenal.

Dixon believes that will be the case, with it easy to see why Tierney has already being likened to an iconic figure from the Gunners’ past.

A man who once thrived in a right-back berth for Arsenal told talkSPORT of Tierney: "He's been likened to Nigel Winterburn already and the fact that's on your CV, that someone's actually gone: ‘Oh, he's very similar to Nigel when he got in the side’.

"(He's got) that hunger, that desire, that willingness to run all day.

"That should be a given, but sometimes it isn't. We look at young players today and we're sometimes critical about their effort.

"We look at them and go: ‘He should be doing this, he should be doing that’.

"But the fact that he seems to have adapted to the way [Mikel] Arteta wants him to play, he can play in a few positions - I was really impressed with him when he first came."

Dixon added: "Obviously, he got the injuries.

"I'd seen him play, but not an awful lot, and I think you get a real essence of a player when you watch him week in, week out because you see him have bad games and how he gets through them.

"Nigel very rarely had a bad game but when he dipped below his normal standards he'd get 7/10.

"And you'd think: ‘Wow, if that's your bottom level...’"

Arsenal spent £25 million ($30m) luring Tierney away from Celtic and handed him a contract through to the summer of 2024.

Manchester United-linked Jack Grealish "belongs" in the Champions League, according to his ex-Aston Villa team-mate Rudy Gestede.

Grealish capped a superb first season back in the Premier League by scoring in a 1-1 final day draw with West Ham, which ensured that Dean Smith's side avoided an immediate return to the Championship.

That effort took his tally to eight top-flight goals in 2019-20, and earned him plenty of plaudits from fans and experts across England, many of who believe he is now ready for the next step in his fledgling career.

United legend Ryan Giggs has been among those to back Grealish to complete a move to Old Trafford, insisting he has the "mentality" to succeed at one of the world's biggest clubs.

Tottenham have also been credited with an interest in the 24-year-old, but another former Red Devil, Michael Owen, says he has it on good authority that the playmaker has "his heart set" on a switch to Manchester.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men secured a top-three spot and Champions League qualification by beating Leicester in their last outing of the campaign, while Spurs had to settle for sixth and a place in the Europa League.

Gestede, who played with Grealish at Villa Park between 2015 and 2017, says the opportunity to play on Europe's biggest stage is a huge draw for his old colleague, who he believes will soon win a place in Gareth Southgate's England squad.

“He was talented when I was there. He was a young player with a lot of potential, and in the last few seasons, he’s shown he’s got the shoulders to carry it," the former Villa striker told Talksport.

“Now he’s the captain of the team, so he’s got a bit more responsibility and he’s dealt with it very well. He deserves to be in the spotlight. He deserves a call from England probably very soon.

“I think there’s two choices: the first choice, to build Aston Villa with Jack Grealish as the main guy and to make sure they spend money on good players to get Villa back to where they should be.

“Or, Jack Grealish could choose to leave to a bigger team because he doesn’t want to wait too long to build something, and he wants to play in the Champions League straight away. I think he’s got the quality for this.

“It’s not an easy to decision. The club have got a contract with him and they’ve got to decide if they sell or not. I’ve just read that they’ve put a very high price for him and it could be difficult to move for him. He’s got the ability and the talent to play in the Champions League, so that’s where he belongs.”

Uli Hoeness has confirmed that Bayern Munich have pulled out of the race to sign Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz.

Havertz has emerged as one of the brightest talents in European football since breaking into the Leverkusen first team in 2016, scoring 45 goals in 148 appearances for the club in all competitions.

Seventeen of those efforts have come during the 2019-20 campaign, and he has also contributed nine assists to help Peter Bosz's side finish fifth in the Bundesliga while making it through to the latter stages of the Europa League.

Despite the fact that the 21-year-old still has two years left to run on his current contract at Bay Arena, he is being tipped to leave the club this summer amid interest from a number of top European clubs.

The likes of Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United have all been linked with Havertz in recent months, but Chelsea are now believed to be leading the race for his signature after entering into talks with Leverkusen.

Bayern had also been mooted as a possible next destination for the Germany international earlier this year, with club legend Lothar Matthaus among those to endorse the potential move for a "mega-talent".

However, the Bundesliga champions have already forked out an initial fee of €49 million (£44m/$57m) to bring Leroy Sane to Allianz Arena from Manchester City, and Hoeness does not envisage any more big-money deals being completed in the current financial climate.

"I am sure that after Leroy Sane there will be no major transfers this year," Bayern's honorary president told German newspaper FAZ.

"That has nothing to do with the quality of Havertz. We all think he is a very, very good player.

"But in the Corona period after a transfer of almost 50 million, one of 70, 80 million or more I can't imagine making unless we secure counter-financing through player sales."

When asked when a final decision on Havertz's future will be made, Leverkusen head coach Bosz told Deutschen Presse-Agentur over the weekend: "I couldn't say. Perhaps the crucial call will come today, maybe next week, maybe not at all."

As it stands, Havertz will see out the remainder of the campaign with the German outfit, who have a Europa League round of 16 second-leg tie with Rangers to look forward to on Thursday.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have convened an urgent meeting with their players on Monday as they close in on two AS Vita players.

The club is expected to make their transfer window plans known to the players as well as the fate of those who are deemed surplus to requirements

Goal also understands the meeting was urgently organised and messages were sent to the players, asking them to attend the meeting without fail.

The Jangwani street-based outfit has already signed midfielder Peter Zawadi Mauya, left-back Yassin Mustapha, striker Waziri Junior and centre-back Bakari Mwamnyeto.

Players whose future remain uncertain at Yanga include Gnamien Yikpe and defender Andrew 'Dante' Vincent, as Junior and Mwamnyeto's arrival cast more doubt on whether they will be retained.

Meanwhile, AS Vita striker Makusu Mundele has revealed coach Florent Ibenge has asked him whether he is ready to sign for Yanga.

Mundele said Ibenge has made it clear to him that the Tanzanian side are keen to sign a prolific goal scorer ahead of the 2020/21 season and he is one of their primary options.

“The coach [Florent Ibenge] called me and asked whether I am ready to play in Tanzania. I told him that I had received an offer from Simba SC but had never received any tangible interest from Yanga,” Mundele told Mwanaspoti.

“He told me to make my mind up quickly if I want to play for Yanga so that he can link me with a top official of the club for purposes of negotiations.”

Should the star join Timu Ya Wananchi, he would add to the number of the Democratic Republic of Congo's players in the current squad.

Striker David Molinga and captain Papy Tshishimbi are already there.

Meanwhile, Mundele also revealed his AS Vita teammates Mukoko Tonombe and Tuisila Kisinda have already agreed to join Yanga.

“Ibenge told me [Mukoko] Tonombe and [Tuisila] Kisinda have already agreed to be part of Yanga and will soon land in Tanzania to sign their contracts,” the striker added.

“These are two good players for AS Vita and will surely make Yanga even stronger.

“Regarding my decision to join them, I can only reveal it when I have answered coach Ibenge on what I have decided.”

He also spoke about a leg fracture that kept him out for a considerable long period.

“Until now, my injury still appear like it was a miracle, but I am happy I have recovered and ready for the next actions,” he concluded.

“The doctors have allowed me to take part in exercises and I am ready for the pre-season engagements.”

Asante Kotoko goalkeeper Ibrahim Danlad reveals he will not rule out a future move to Hearts of Oak despite the age-old rivalry between the two teams.

Ghana's two biggest clubs, Kotoko and Hearts, are the most successful sides in the history of the Premier League (GPL), boasting of 23 and 19 titles, respectively, between them.

Precocious Danlad, 17, is highly rated among the most promising shot-stoppers in the top-flight.

"I want to use this platform to clear [the air on] something on this big platform: I haven’t said anywhere that I won’t ever play for Hearts of Oak [because] I am professional player," Danlad told Joy FM.

"What I said was that I have a contract with Asante Kotoko.

"I don’t have any intention of never playing for Hearts of Oak. As I said I’m a professional player now enjoying a good life at Kotoko because they have helped me a lot in my career and I can’t disappoint them."

Danlad is currently on loan at Berekum Chelsea where he commands the No.1 position. He registered an impressive eight clean sheets in 14 league appearances last season.

In July, he was reported to have closed the door on any possible stint with Hearts.

"I have not said anywhere that I want to play for Hearts and I have not even thought about it. It would be very difficult for Hearts to even chase my signature considering their rivalry with Kotoko," Danlad told GNA Sports.

"The only thing that would trigger a move to Hearts is when Kotoko doesn't need my services anymore then I can choose to play for the club I desire.

"Kotoko is my parent club and am very young with many years ahead of me with some experienced goalkeepers to learn from at the club.

"If the chance comes for me to prove my worth, I would give it a good shot and see what happens.

"Since the league came to end, I'm currently waiting on the management of Kotoko to decide whether I should return to the club or continue my stay at Chelsea but I know both parties are in talks with regards to my future."

As a 14-year-old, Danlad played for Ghana at the 2017 Africa U17 Cup of Nations in Gabon and the 2017 Fifa U17 World Cup in India. 

Tanzania Mainland League side Azam FC have completed the signing of attacking midfielder Ismail Aziz Kada.

The Chamazi-based side have been strengthening for the new season and are aiming at improving every department. It is for this reason the team is moving fast to make signings that will help the technical bench achieve their objectives next season.

"Azam FC are delighted to announce the signing of attacking midfielder Ismail Aziz Kada from Tanzania Prisons on a two-year contract deal," the Chamazi-based side confirmed on Monday.

"The player passed his medical test before signing the contract before Azam's CEO Abdulkarim Amin."

The 2018/19 FA Cup champions have revealed the reason behind the signing of the swift midfielder.

"The technical bench under the leadership of coach Aristica Cioaba had recommended his signing and the club acted and brought him on board," the club noted.

"The player has had a good season with Tanzania Prisons after scoring five goals and created as many." 

Aziz is the fourth player to be signed by the 2014 Tanzania Mainland League champions. Others who have joined Azam are Awesu Awesu from Kagera Sugar, Ally Niyonzima from Rwandan side Rayon Sports and Ayoub Lyanga.

Lyanga, who was a free agent after his contract expired with Coastal Union has explained the reason behind joining Azam.

"I have talked to my brother who played for Azam before, Daniel [Lyanga] who was at the club last season, he has told me a lot about the club, he has told me what to expect at the club and how ambitious the club is, so I will strive to push the club from where he left it," Lyanga told reporters.

"My brother also played a key role for me to sign for Azam, he told me a lot about the team, and my target now is to help the team, and make sure Azam remains as one of the best teams in the country and even beyond the borders."

On how he feels after signing the deal, Lyanga said: "I thank God for the chance to play for Azam and I thank all those who were behind the deal and those who have supported me, and I am happy to sign for Azam.

"My main target is to help Azam and it is the reason I did not wait for even a second to come here when I knew they were looking for my services, I have always wanted to play for this great club and I thank God I now have the chance to show them what I can do."

Jose Mourinho is in danger of being “left out to dry” at Tottenham, claims Jermaine Jenas, with the Portuguese lacking the backing he needs in order to compete with the Premier League elite.

Mourinho was acquired by Spurs in November 2019 after they took the decision to part with Mauricio Pochettino.

He has, however, already faced questions over his philosophy at Spurs and is not expected to be handed a transfer war chest in the summer window.

Jenas believes that will work against the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss, with expectations now about to be reined in despite the lack of boardroom support.

The former Tottenham midfielder told the Daily Mail: “It’s going to be really frustrating I think for Mourinho next year because he’s going to be the one left out to dry I think. Essentially he needs players and they are a team that I don’t see getting in the top four right now. 

“They’re not better than Wolves, they’re about on par with Arsenal but actually I see what [Mikel] Arteta is doing and I think that he is just ahead of what Mourinho is doing with his team. I don’t see it being a very pretty season for Jose or Tottenham at all.”

Pressed on whether he expects Mourinho to see out the 2020-21 campaign still at the Spurs helm, Jenas added: “I'd like to think he will. I’m pretty sick of managers getting put in situations where everything is kind of against them and I think Tottenham is one of the clubs that do that in a way. 

“If you look at what Pochettino did for that football club, to not back him at a time when he needed to be back seemed like a ludicrous decision. 

“The team needed refreshing, they didn’t refresh it and off the back of it there was huge frustration from Poch and the team basically continued, even though they got to the Champions League final they lost 13 league games. It continued its form into this season which was poor. 

“No managers walk anymore because there’s too much money involved, but obviously Jose has come in and taken the job so I would presume there was conversations that there would be investment. 

“Granted, no one could have the pandemic and there was a new stadium and with that, Spurs are probably one of the richest clubs in Europe I think with the amount they make from people coming to games.

“I’m sure Daniel [Levy] will have said ‘this is the project, here’s gonna be the money’, but I’m also sure he’s now gonna come up with an excuse to say ‘there is no money so deal with it’.

“In my opinion, I will feel Jose’s frustration and have sympathy for him because his hands are tied.”

Virgil van Dijk has proven himself to be "unbelievable" in almost every aspect since joining Liverpool, but former Reds defender Kolo Toure thinks forwards can cause him more problems by running at him in one-on-one situations.

Netherlands international Van Dijk joined Liverpool from Southampton in January 2018 for a reported £75 million ($98m), at the time a world-record fee for a defender.

His signing helped transform Liverpool from top-four contenders into a team that challenges for titles, as the Reds were only narrowly beaten to the 2018-19 Premier League title while also winning the Champions League.

Van Dijk's influence showed no sign of abating this term as Liverpool won a first league title in 30 years, while his performances continue to impress.

Toure, a former Liverpool and Celtic defender like Van Dijk, is an admirer of the centre-back but feels forwards might have a little more fortune against him if they are braver.

"He's an unbelievable player," Toure told Stats Perform News. "He's a top player. He's got speed, height, he can jump. He's got technique. He can switch the game with his long passes. He has got everything.

"I haven't seen many players challenge him one on one. In my opinion, that's his weakness! He's really tall and if you really attack him with the ball, he can struggle, but he's so clever.

"He's so clever because he drops well, but if you are really aggressive in attack in a one-on-one, I think you can get something from him.

"He's a really clever player. He's got [Joe] Gomez on his side, good players on his side to help him as well. There are good players around him and I think that makes his game easy, but I think he's got so many qualities."

Toure was part of the Liverpool team that were pipped to the title by Manchester City in 2013-14, losing out by two points after Steven Gerrard's infamous slip in a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea helped hand the initiative back to Manuel Pellegrini's men.

That moment had hung over Liverpool and Gerrard in the following years but their 2019-20 success erases that memory, according to Toure.

"Absolutely [it heals the pain of 2014]," he said. "When you play for a team like Liverpool, the fans, the atmosphere is unbelievable. An unbelievable club.

"I had a great time there. I saw players win the Premier League who I'd been playing with. I was happy to see them win.

"They are the best team in the world right now. Jurgen Klopp is doing an amazing job right now. [Former manager] Brendan Rodgers' signings have been really good as well for him. You can see that he's taken those players and really pushed them.

"Of course, he's added top players on top of all of that. This club is one of the best clubs in the world. They really deserve everything, they're really good guys, honest people working hard, loving the club and that's great. It's a great, great club."

Arsenal need to be bringing in another centre-half during the summer transfer window, says Stewart Robson, with Mikel Arteta told that the likes of Rob Holding and Sead Kolasinac are “not good enough” to deliver future success.

The Gunners ensured that they brought down the curtain on their 2019-20 campaign with major silverware when beating Chelsea 2-1 in the FA Cup final.

Holding lined up alongside David Luiz and Kieran Tierney as part of a three-man defensive unit in that contest.

Robson believes faults in his game were exposed against Chelsea, despite landing a winners’ medal, while there are still question marks hanging over Brazil international Luiz and his ability to deliver on a consistent basis.

Arteta is expected to try and address those issues over the summer with recruitment plans being drawn up, and movement is being predicted in and out of Emirates Stadium when it comes to defensive personnel.

"They've still got to get good centre-halves," Robson, who spent six years with Arsenal in his playing days, told ESPN FC.

"Holding I think proved that he's not going to be quite good enough. Every time someone ran at him they got past him. David Luiz is past his best and still got mistakes in him.

"Sokratis [Papastathopoulos] isn't going to be there I would imagine for too much more, won't get many games. Kolasinac I'm not sure he's quite good enough to make Arsenal go to that next level.

"A good quality centre-half who is good in the air and can defend well, that's got to be their priority."

Arsenal are among those to have been linked with a move for Manchester City centre-half John Stones, with the England international seemingly edging towards the exits at the Etihad Stadium.

Ex-Gunners star Ray Parlour has told talkSPORT: “Arsenal are desperate for a centre-half, so why don’t they take a chance and try to put in a bid for Stones?

“He’s had a bad time in recent years and he hasn’t really gone to where City thought he might go to, but you don’t become a bad defender overnight, he just needs a bit of coaching. That’s where it could be key with Arsenal, because obviously Arteta has worked with him over the last few years at Man City.”

Willian has again turned down an offer of a two-year contract from Chelsea, but the winger has delayed making a final decision on his future.

The 31-year-old still wants to play in the Blues' probable final game of the season as they aim to overcome a 3-0 first leg home defeat against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Saturday.

Frank Lampard is facing a selection crisis for the match with Christian Pulisic, Cesar Azpilicueta, Pedro and Billy Gilmour all out injured, while Jorginho and Marcos Alonso are suspended.

Willian is aiming to recover from his Achilles problem which caused him to miss the FA Cup final against Arsenal, amid offers from five clubs.

His agent, Kia Joorabchian, told  talkSPORT last week : “I don’t think he’s done a U-turn or any kind of turn. He’s always been very much in the same mode. We had big offers – one from MLS which required him to move on July 1 – but he’s always wanted to finish the season at Chelsea and the day after the season has finished he would decide.

“He has two concrete offers from Premier League clubs on the table, an offer from an MLS club, and two other offers from Europe. He is going to make his decision after the last game of the season.”

The MLS club is understood to be Inter Miami, but Arsenal are thought to be the front runners due to Willian's desire to remain in London and play at the highest possible level.

The other offers are rumoured to be from Barcelona and Inter, although Goal has been told that the Catalan giants are no longer moving for the winger.

The Blues' chances of keeping their January 2013 signing from Anzhi Makhachkala appear to be slim as they are immovable on the length of contract that they are willing to offer.

Chelsea have recently upped their one-year contract policy for players over 30 to two years, but are unwilling to push that again to three for the Brazil international.

“It is his decision, I haven’t got that answer," Lampard said of the situation to reporters on Saturday. "I know the situation at the club’s end. I have a great relationship with Willian, but I don’t actually know what the decision is.

"If that happens over the next whatever days, as he said, then that would be good for me in either way. Of course, I am very happy with Willian. He has been brilliant for me this season with his input and work ethic, within the squad.

"It is his choice and I respect his choice. He has been a great servant for Chelsea if he decides to move on, and if he does decide to move on then Chelsea will move on and we have to look forwards ourselves.”

Indeed, the Blues have already moved forward having signed two competitors for Willian's place in both RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner and Ajax playmaker Hakim Ziyech at a combined cost of £84 million ($105m).

Chelsea have now turned their focus to signing Bayer Leverkusen's Kai Havertz,  but the Bundesliga club have yet to open talks over a fee.

Asante Kotoko skipper Felix Annan has stated winning the Caf Champions League sits top of his targets at the club.

The Porcupine Warriors are preparing for a second successive campaign in the elite continental inter-club championship, having received a ticket from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council following the premature termination of the 2019-20 domestic football season.

Annan has been with the club since 2015, initially joining on loan from Ghana Premier League (GPL) counterparts Wafa.

“My wish is to win trophies, especially the CAF Champions League, before my tenure ends at Asante Kotoko. It is my aim to help the team win trophies especially the Champions League," Annan, who was appointed captain of Kotoko ahead of last season's Champions League campaign, said, as reported by Footballghana.

"So as far as I’m here, as far as each and every day I’m working for this club, I’m going to try and help the team when I’m asked upon so that we can also win something the fans will remember us for.

“I also want to leave a legacy so I will be remembered one day, after all I did my best and I gave my best for the club."

To stand a chance of winning their first continental title since 1983, Kotoko will have to move beyond the Champions League first round, where they were eliminated last season.

“It is highly possible Kotoko can represent Ghana in Caf Champions League looking at the players and the pedigree of Maxwell Konadu," former player Michael Akuffo told Akoma FM.

“Konadu was the coach that led us to win the Ghana Premier League in 2012 and he has a lot of technical qualities.

“It is a matter of psyching the players and they also believe in themselves that the Caf Champions League is not beyond our reach.

“Every generation has its kind of players and the current squad is made of some quality ones, so Kotoko can play well in Africa.

“The players must give their best to ensure Kotoko is represented well in Africa."

Kotoko won the first of their two Champions League titles in 1970.

Liverpool must up their game to defend the Premier League title, according to James Milner, who says "if we’re at the level we’re at now next season, it won’t be good enough".

Jurgen Klopp's men became the first team to win the top-flight trophy with seven games left on June 25, after storming clear of their main rivals before the coronavirus-enforced break in the season.

Liverpool had won 27 of their opening 29 fixtures when the countrywide lockdown came into effect, and they faced an anxious wait to resume their march to glory amid calls for the campaign to voided.

The Premier League was eventually cleared to restart on June 17 amid a significant drop in Covid-19 cases across Britain, and the Reds got back to business with a draw against Everton and a comfortable win over Crystal Palace.

They were named champions for the first time in three decades following Manchester City's defeat at Chelsea, but their coronation was soured somewhat as they fell to a heavy loss at Etihad Stadium in their next outing.

Liverpool were beaten 4-0 by City after being given their first guard of honour, and went on to drop more points against Burnley at Arsenal before wrapping up the year with wins against Chelsea and Newcastle.

Klopp's side ended up recording 99 points, but fell short of City's all-time record due to their patchy form over the last few weeks.

Asked how the Reds will make sure they rediscover their consistent streak to stay on the silverware trail in 2020-21, Milner told the club's official website: “I think it’s getting that balance right. We have to enjoy it because we know how hard it is to win trophies, we’ve been very good to do it but also lucky to win the amount of trophies we have had this year.

“Trent [Alexander-Arnold] thinks it’s absolutely easy! He just turns up and wins trophies every year! I can assure you, with the amount of years I’ve had in my career, it’s not that easy.

"The amount of training sessions in the rain, the times when you’re injured and that sick feeling you get when you lose a game or even a five-a-side at Melwood. We’re shocking losers, all of us.

"When you win something, you have to enjoy it. That’s what it’s all there for, that’s the hard work and you look at the teams you have beaten to get there – it’s an incredible achievement.

“It’s a short career and you don’t want to waste a season or two seasons thinking, ‘We were that good a team but we took our eye off the ball and didn’t deliver.’ That would be criminal and something we definitely don’t want to look back at.

“We have a couple of weeks to enjoy this and enjoy being champions and then, as soon as next season starts, it’s down to the fans to carry on enjoying it and enjoy being champions for us. We have to do our job, get on that field and be even better. If we’re at the level we’re at now next season, it won’t be good enough.”

Former City midfielder Milner added on winning the third Premier League crown of his career and going down in the history books at Anfield: “It’s always special as it’s incredibly difficult to do.

“But how long this club has waited and how desperate they were for it, you see the history, all the times they’ve won it before and the Wall of Champions. I’ve said a number of times to you guys how desperate I was to change the numbers on that board and to be able to do it a few times in a year is great and special.

“It’s special when you’re driving around the city and seeing the flags outside people’s houses and how much it means to everyone. It means a lot to us because it’s what we’ve been striving to achieve as a group.

“The fans have waited so long and you think of the different generations: people have seen it before and have been desperate for it to happen again; fans who weren’t born the last time it happened and have heard about all this success but have never seen it themselves.

“When you think about those generations, it does make it special and you feel proud to be a part of it.”

Simba SC spokesperson Haji Manara has explained why they did not score more than six goals against Namungo FC on Sunday during the FA Cup final.

Manara claims Simba had to score just two goals against Namungo who are known to be supported by the Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa.

The tie at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Sumbawanga ended in a 2-1 win for Wekundu wa Msimbazi. The vocal official had also claimed Simba are above all the competition in Tanzania.

“We could have scored more than six goals against Namungo but because it is a team supported by our Prime Minister [Kassim Majaliwa], we had to show some respect,” Manara told reporters.

“We played with the courtesy and that is why we wasted chances willingly for the respect of the Premier and football.

“In Tanzania, Simba are only playing because it is what is required from them was it not a requirement, there is no team Simba should be playing against in this country.

“We should be elsewhere in Africa playing with teams equal to Simba. But because Tanzania is our country, we have to play here."

Meanwhile, Azam FC defender David Mwantika has confirmed he is on his way out of the club after eight seasons.

“On Friday, I spoke with the management of the club who were keen to add me another year on my contract but I prevailed upon them to just release me so that I can go and face a new challenge,” Mwantika told Mwanaspoti.

“My current contract has five months remaining.

“After the talks, we unanimously agreed that I should become a free agent so I can be free to enter into negotiations with any club and that I can play anywhere be it in the country or outside.

“I have been at the club for the last eight seasons but frankly, I can say that only in five seasons did I play real football. That is because many things did happen concerning me at the club.”

Azam, on numerous occasions, had wanted to offload the defender on loan but he declined such moves. A recent move saw the club push him to join Lipuli FC but he did not accept the deal.

With the FA Cup now safely secured, Arsenal’s attention will switch this week to accelerating talks over Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s new contract.

The Gunners captain - who scored both goals in Saturday’s 2-1 win against Chelsea at Wembley - is into the final year of his current deal and Mikel Arteta is desperate to keep hold of his top scorer, who found the net 29 times in all competitions last season.

Discussions have been ongoing for weeks with the 31-year-old, but a firm contract offer has not yet been made. All parties wanted to focus on the club’s attempts to win a 14th FA Cup.

For Arsenal, victory at Wembley was vital to ensure they would be competing in the Europa League next season; participation in that competition could see their revenue boosted by up to £35 million ($45.8m).

With that now guaranteed, they will look to tie down Aubameyang for a further three years. An offer is expected to be submitted in the coming days which will mean a significant increase on the current £200,000 ($262,000) per week deal he signed in 2018.

Speaking after Saturday’s FA Cup win against Chelsea, Aubameyang gave little away about his future but Arteta was hopeful things could move forward.

“I hope so,” said Arsenal’s head coach. “Everything is based on my conversations with him, how he sees his future, what I expect from him, the team that I want to build around him and the conversations I have with the people who are very influential around him.

“The club, we all respect and admire him, the players are all behind him. We know the players that we have and we have to value him. I think if we reach all of those points, we'll make progress.”

Barcelona are interested in Aubameyang, after president Jose Maria Bartomeu admitted they will not be able to sign Inter striker Lautaro Martinez or PSG star Neymar. Barca view Aubameyang as a cheaper alternative who could come in to bolster their frontline next season.

Arsenal are hoping to see off that interest by acting quickly and tie Aubameyang deal to his new deal imminently. They also want a swift resolution to the talks as they know the striker’s future is key to what other business they do this summer and whether they need to sign a replacement.

Should he decide not to extend his stay in north London, the club will have to decide whether to cash in on the forward or keep him for next season before letting him leave on a free.

Despite securing Europa League football, money is still exceptionally tight at the Emirates. A large chunk of this summer’s transfer budget will have to come from moving players on to generate funds and free up space on the wage bill.

Arsenal are planning a significant overhaul of the squad and are looking to sell Matteo Guendouzi, who has not featured since his clash with Neal Maupay following Arsenal’s defeat at Brighton in June and his subsequent failure to apologise during disciplinary talks with Arteta and the club’s hierarchy.

Guendouzi has not even been training with the senior side and had been forced to do his work on his own during early morning sessions at London Colney before the first team even arrive.

The France midfielder has been offered to various clubs across Europe, with Arsenal open to a straight cash deal for the 21-year-old or the possibility of including him as part of a swap deal for some of their key targets, which include Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey.

Mesut Ozil is another player Arsenal are looking to offload. The Gunners would save around £18m ($24m) in wages should they manage to get the German off the books this summer, but Ozil and his agent remain insistent he will see out the final year of his £350,000 ($457,000) a week deal, despite not playing a single minute of football following the restart.

Arsenal are also open to offers for Sead Kolasinac, Mohamed Elneny, Lucas Torreira, Sokratis and Rob Holding. Henrikh Mkhitaryan meanwhile, who still has a year left on his deal, could be allowed to terminate his contract so he can complete a permanent move to Roma, an agreement that would save Arsenal just under £10m ($13m) in wages.

Discussions will also be had with Alexandre Lacazette, who is now into the final two years of his deal in north London. Arteta is an admirer of the forward, but a decision must now be made on whether to offer the 29-year-old a new contract or try to move him on to help fund a rebuild.

Arteta wants to add a box-to-box midfielder this summer with Partey the priority target, although Porto’s Danilo Pereira is on a list of possible alternatives to the Ghana international, who has a release clause of £45m ($58.8m).

Dani Ceballos is looking likely to return for another season-long loan spell from Real Madrid, while Willian could move to the Emirates on a free transfer from Chelsea, with Arsenal keen on luring the Brazil international across London.

Barcelona are hoping to strike a deal with the Gunners which would see Philippe Coutinho return to the Premier League, most likely on loan, while Arteta is hoping to add another centre-back to his ranks to join William Saliba, who has now joined on a permanent basis following the end of his loan spell with Saint-Etienne.

The Gunners are interested in Malang Sarr, who is now a free agent having left Nice, and Axel Disasi, who plays for Stade de Reims. They have also been linked with Diego Carlos from Sevilla. 

New KCCA FC striker Brian Aheebwa has revealed leaving his former team Mbarara FC was like a child moving away from his mother owing to the emotional attachment involved. 

The Kampala-based side finished second in the Ugandan Premier League and is bolstering the squad to challenge for the title next season.

After annulling the top tier owing to the Covid-19 outbreak, the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) also announced the 13-time league champions, who were second at the time, will represent Uganda in the Caf Confederation Cup.

"Leaving Mbarara City has been a hard decision for me because it has been home and it takes courage for a child to move away from his mother to go and start a new life," Aheebwa said as quoted by Sports Nation.

"Mbarara is where I grew up, it is where I studied."

The striker scored eight goals for the Ankole Lions and helped them to a seventh-place finish with 36 points after 10 wins, six draws and nine losses. However, the 21-year-old feels it was time for him to get a new challenge elsewhere.

"Me joining KCCA has really been amazing," Aheebwa revealed excitement.

"I had to take up this big step in my career. I’m very excited to join KCCA, it is a club that has top players and staff and I was happy when coach Mike [Mutebi] called me. 

"It motivated me, it gave me hope that I can play football at a higher level."

Joining a top team like KCCA comes with its own challenges - there are established players already and there is no guarantee of first-team football.

However, that does not worry the youngster, who has made it clear he is ready for the challenge.

"I want to achieve many goals, I know it’s going to be tough competition but I know that the higher you go the hotter it becomes, so I will cope up because we have good players and this will help improve my game as well," he concluded.  

 Aheebwa was the sixth signing at the club - others signed before him are Bright Anukani, Charles Lwanga, Denis Iguma, Italian Stefano Mazengo Loro, and Ashraf Muguma.

Alphonso Davies is planning to spend “as long as possible in Germany”, with the Canadian teenager having burst onto the European scene at Bayern Munich.

At just 19 years of age, the promising left-back has enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2019-20.

Having been acquired by Bayern from the Vancouver Whitecaps, the expectation was that the promising youngster would be eased into the fold at the Allianz Arena. It did not take Davies long, though, to prove his worth and nail down a regular role for the Bundesliga champions.

He is now being tipped to reach the very top of the game, with interest in his ability expected to be shown along the way. Davies is, however, feeling settled in Munich and believes he will spend many years on the books at Bayern.

The talented teenager told The Players’ Tribune of his meteoric rise to prominence: “When I got to Bayern, I wasn’t too nervous. I just wanted to show people that I could play at this level. Since I had come such a long way, I wanted to play with a smile on my face. I still remind myself of that.

“Since then I have won two league titles, two German cups and become the Bundesliga Rookie of the Year. So yeah, I’m still smiling.

“That said, no matter how much time I spend in Germany, North America will always be home. When I went back there last year for the Audi Summer Tour, which is always a big part of our preseason, I enjoyed it a lot.

“This year we were supposed to go on tour to China, but then Covid-19 happened. So to make up for that, Audi and Bayern have set up the Audi Digital Summer Tour, where you guys can follow our routines and activities in real time through digital platforms. I hope it can help people get to know me even better. If kids can relate to me through it, that would be amazing.

“I have thought about what my career will be like when I’m not so young anymore. I want to stay in Germany for as long as possible. When I’m ready to retire - many, many years from now - I’ll definitely get my coaching badges. Then who knows where I’ll end up? Maybe somewhere in Europe, or even back home in Canada.

“Anyway, that’s far away right now. I’m still 19, so I don’t want to think too much about the end of my career. I have had a lot of big dreams ever since I was a kid, and Bayern are helping me achieve those dreams - but trust me, there is more to come. I’m just getting started.”

Davies, who is also capable of operating as a left winger, has made 39 appearances for Bayern this season and may have a few more to come as Hansi Flick’s side prepare to resume their pursuit of Champions League glory.