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Despite optimistic plans that had been voiced in the past months, the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) on Thursday announced that the 2020 AFF Championship, or the AFF Suzuki Cup, will not be held this year after all.

In a press statement issued by the competition's exclusive commercial partner Sportfive, the federation chief explained its decision.

“Since the onset of Covid-19, the AFF has been closely monitoring guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO), health ministries, government agencies, FIFA and AFC.

“As you are aware, this pandemic continues to pose enormous health, societal and economic challenges to us all. AFF's top priority continues to be the health and safety of our football family and mitigating the impact of this pandemic. With the risk of the spread of Covid-19 remaining high, the AFF finds itself in a situation where we cannot proceed safely with the AFF Suzuki Cup 2020.”

“While these are unprecedented times for the whole world including our football family and communities, we are confident that we will get through it together with the support of all our stakeholders, including our fans, member associations, players, coaches, official, media and partners. We would like to thank them for standing united with us in the fight against Covid-19,” wrote the AFF president, Khiev Sameth.

The statement did not specify time of the year the competition is planned to be held.

Around two months earlier, the Vietnamese FA voiced its willingness to host the 2020 edition from start to finish, due to the fact that the impact of the pandemic on the country had been less severe than what had been faced by the other countries in the region. When domestic football returned in Vietnam, matches did not have to be held behind closer doors.

However, earlier this week, new cases surfaced in several regions of the country, and the Vietnamese league had to undergo another suspension. 

Former Nigeria international Friday Elahor has praised Napoli-bound striker Victor Osimhen for his contribution to Lille in 2019-20 season, urging other players to emulate him.  

The forward is close to sealing a move to the Parthenopeans for a fee believed to be around €81 million, having completed his medical with the side.

The Super Eagles striker delivered eye-catching performances in his debut campaign with the Stade Pierre-Mauroy outfit which generated interest from a number of European clubs.

The 21-year-old scored 18 goals and provided six assists in 38 appearances across all competitions and deservedly won the club’s Player of the Season award among other accolades.

Despite being in advanced negotiations with Napoli, Lille president Gerard Lopez, recently revealed the club is still receiving offers for the highly-rated striker.

Elaho, who had 14 caps for the Super Eagles, is impressed with the performances from the striker and lauded him for making Nigeria proud.

“I have been following the news about Osimhen going to Napoli, but I don’t know why the deal hasn’t been confirmed yet,” Elaho told the Guardian.

“Again, I think Osimhen has done well for himself and the country. Currently, he is the most rated Nigerian player in Europe. Other players I think should emulate him.

“I read recently that he changed his manager for his move to Napoli scale through. If his club is still reporting that some clubs are still coming for his signature despite his almost completed negotiations with Lille, it shows how good and important he is rated.

Elaho is backing Osimhen to play a key role for the Super Eagles during the Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers.

The 52-year-old also believes the forward can clinch the Africa Player of the Year award in future if he can continue with his fine performances.

“Very soon the AFCON and World Cup qualifiers will begin, definitely Osimhen has a pivotal role to play towards Nigeria’s qualification for the tournaments,” he continued.

“I see him winning the Africa Footballer of the Year in the nearest future if he can maintain his form. Others should brace up to the challenge.”

After announcing himself at the 2015 U17 World Cup in Chile, where he won the Golden Boot and Silver Ball awards to help Nigeria win the title, he moved to German Bundesliga side Wolfsburg.

The forward then shone during his loan stay with Belgian club Sporting Charleroi, scoring 19 goals in 39 league games before the deal was made permanent.

His form earned him a move to Lille as a replacement for Ivory Coast international Nicolas Pepe, who teamed up with Premier League giants Arsenal.

Osimhen has nine caps for the Super Eagles and was part of Gernot Rohr’s team that finished third at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Manchester City are close to completing a £40 million ($52m) deal for Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake.

The Netherlands international will discuss personal terms and the transfer could be confirmed in the coming days, with it understood there is the potential for an additional £1m in add-ons as part of the deal.

City are also set to confirm the signing of Valencia winger Ferran Torres in the next few days for an initial fee of £21m ($27m).

Goal reported earlier this week that the 20-year-old Spaniard had agreed personal terms on a five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium.

The two clubs reached an agreement which also includes add-ons that could be worth an extra £11m ($14m).

City were in the hunt for new central defenders after suffering nine defeats in the Premier League having failed to replace captain Vincent Kompany last summer.

Despite Bournemouth’s relegation to the Championship, Ake’s reputation has soared since he left Chelsea in 2017.

The 25-year-old is a homegrown player and can also provide cover at left-back. He may not be the only defensive signing during the transfer window, however, with City also looking at Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly and Sevilla’s Diego Carlos.

A deal for Torres is also expected to be announced soon after City beat a host of top European clubs for the Spain Under-21 international.

Due to the UK government implementing travel restrictions surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic, he is expected to complete his medical in Spain ahead of joining up with the squad for the new Premier League season.

City boss Pep Guardiola is understood to have played a key part in convincing him to choose the Premier League side amid interest from clubs including Manchester United, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

Torres was keen to work with Guardiola and spoke to the former Barcelona manager before choosing his new club.

And the deal moved a step closer when the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) lifted the two-year ban from the Champions League imposed on the club by UEFA.

The deal is seen as a bargain for a highly-rated and exciting Spain Under-21 international.

But Valencia needed to raise money after failing to qualify for Europe next season, and Torres was in the final year of his contract having turned down a number of offers to extend his current contract.

City were looking for a new winger after Germany international Leroy Sane left for Bayern Munich in a deal worth an initial €49m (£45m/$58m).

The club are moving quickly to improve their squad and director of football Txiki Begiristain had previously explained how it was going to be an unusual transfer window.

"We are working a lot, we have to be ready," he told the club's official website. "It will be a strange window because people have to move fast, we have to bring in players who can improve our squad but also it means that maybe someone can leave.

"It will be strange also because we have the Champions League so we have to wait to move forward until the Champions League is finished.

"We might have less time than ever but we’ll have time to make the changes we need to improve the squad."

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Bukayo Saka have made Alphonso Davies’ list of the top five full-backs in world football, with the Bayern Munich star a big fan of Liverpool’s creative right-back and a “really good player” on the books at Arsenal.

Achraf Hakimi, who has linked up with Inter after starring on loan at Borussia Dortmund from Real Madrid in 2019-20, makes the grade, as does Bayern’s versatile World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard.

Davies is also happy to include himself among the global elite, with the 19-year-old having made rapid progress on the back of a move to Germany in 2019.

The Canada international now forms part of an exciting group of young talent that is redefining the art of full-back play in the modern era. Alexander-Arnold is also in that category, with the Premier League title winner having become a useful source of goals and assists for Liverpool.

Saka, at 18 years of age, is another of those seemingly destined for a bright future, with the Arsenal academy graduate having caught the eye in left-back and left wing roles in north London.

A couple of star turns in English football have been noted by Davies, with the hot prospect at Allianz Arena picking out those that he sees shining in the present and hitting even greater heights in the future.

Asked by 90min to name his top full-backs, the Canadian youngster said: "Hakimi is one of them. I really like how Benji [Pavard] plays, scoring goals and getting assists, so those two. Trent Alexander-Arnold definitely and I really like Saka from Arsenal. He's a really good player."

Pressed on who would complete his list, Davies said: "And me too!"

Bayern signed Davies after seeing him impress as a winger with the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Like Alexander-Arnold and Saka, it may be that his future lies further up the field than his current role. He is, however, happy to be seeing regular minutes for now and will be doing all he can to nail down a place in Bayern’s back line.

Davies added on the position he sees himself filling: "Right now, definitely left-back. I like the position, I like how everything is going well with my centre-back partners."

Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher is unsure where his future lies after his loan spell with Swansea City came to an end following their play-off semi-final defeat to Brentford.

The 20-year-old is one of the Blues' most talented loan stars although he suffered play-off heartache on Wednesday night, as his side fell to a 3-2 aggregate defeat and failed to reach the Wembley final.

However, the England Under-21 international is now likely to have a host of other clubs vying to sign him on loan next season, with there being the potential for Premier League sides to be taking an interest.

Frank Lampard could opt to promote him to his first team for the 2020-21 campaign but Gallagher isn't sure what the future will hold as he reflected on the loss at Griffin Park.

"I am not thinking about that (his future) now, we just finished the game and I had a great second half of the season with Swansea and I have enjoyed it so much," Gallagher said.

"I am very thankful to the whole club and the fans, I am not thinking about next season at the moment. I don't know what's happening with me having just got off the pitch. I have loved it here and I knew [Swansea manager] Steve Cooper from England [Under-17s] so I knew what he was about.

"I really enjoy working with him and he was a big part of the reason I came to Swansea and I am glad I did come. It is a great club and why not [come back]? It is a great club that I really enjoyed but I don't know what's happening next season."

Despite the play-off defeat, it has been a year of personal achievement for Gallagher in his first season as a senior player having made 47 appearances, scoring six goals and claiming 11 assists in that time during spells with Charlton and Swansea.

The 20-year-old is, however, devastated to have not been able to help Swansea back into the Premier League. He added: "Everyone is gutted.

"We blew it, we worked so hard to get into this position and it just wasn't good enough on the night and it showed, we got punished so it is our own faults but the changing room is gutted.

"They are a top side so we knew we were going to be under the cosh at times but we didn't defend well enough as a team. Everyone is at fault and I don't think anyone was good enough today. We only have ourselves to blame.

"We are the type of team that keeps fighting until the end because there is always a chance. We had 15 minutes to get another goal, but unfortunately it didn't happen. We started too slow and then it was too hard to get back in the game.

"It really hurts, the whole team and the club. It matters so much to them and the fans and we worked so hard to get into this position. To go out like we did today has left me feeling gutted really."

Antonio Rudiger has labelled Chelsea transfer target Kai Havertz a "great talent" as the Blues step up their pursuit of the Bayer Leverkusen star.

As reported by Goal, Frank Lampard's side are pushing to complete the signing of the Germany international and will next look to agree a fee after establishing that the forward wants to move to Stamford Bridge.

Leverkusen have yet to receive any official offers for Havertz after setting an asking price of around €100m (£90m/$111m), although is felt that a lower fee will ultimately be negotiated at around €76m (£70m/$87m).

And Rudiger, who knows the 21-year-old from their time in the international set-up, has talked up his talents ahead of a possible switch to west London in the summer.

When asked about Havertz, a smiling Rudiger said: "Has he been linked with us? He is a great talent and he had a very good season. He is also very young and we will see what happens [with his future]."

Rudiger also played his part in helping convince Timo Werner, who he played alongside at Stuttgart, to make the move to the Blues, with the Germany international striker having joined the club in a £47.5m ($59m) deal.

Having been dubbed #AgentRudiger on social media, the centre-back commented: "My friends told me about it (about the nickname] but I just tried to help out because everyone knows and can read about how we played together.

"There’s a bond, so I just did what I had to do. We spoke a lot during the lockdown and I have known him for a long time through playing in the national team and at Stuttgart together. It's nice to see how his career has gone and how he developed every year, getting better and scoring more goals and getting more assists.

"I am very happy for him that he has now managed to take that step like me to leave Germany and come to the UK. I think it is a good sign if you can get people like him in the club because he is also still young but he showed that he can score goals and I hope that he can do the same here that he did in Germany.

"At the beginning, it was not easy for him because he was only 17 when he came into the squad and he was a little kid, very thin, but now, over time, I think he went to the gym because he is bigger!

"Each year you see how good his statistics are. Every year he scored more than the last and his qualities are in scoring goals. I hope he can do that for us but the most important thing is that he stays healthy and he adapts to many different things.

"I was one of the people who helped convince him to come here so it is also my job to help him [settle in]. Of course, we speak the same language but he does speak very good English too. The thing is, with this job, and as a team, we all have to help him. We will do that for him."

Ahead of Saturday's FA Cup final against Arsenal, Olivier Giroud is likely to lead the line once again for the Blues. And Rudiger was full of praise for the Frenchman and how he's conducted himself, particularly with all the speculation around his future back in January.

"He is definitely a leader," the German defender added. "He is always someone to speak; someone people look up to. He won the World Cup. Oli is a very confident guy, but with this World Cup win comes more confidence.

"But he is not arrogant. He is a very good guy on and off the pitch. He is someone everyone looks up to. I look up to him and massive respect to him [for his attitude in January]. He always kept his cool, always stayed professional, always worked hard and he fought his way back.

"I’m very happy for him. It was a difficult season for him. In the first six months, he wasn’t really there. Then there were all these rumours he is going. But in the end, he stayed and I’m very happy because he showed his qualities.

"We are all human and maybe there are some days where you don’t laugh as much as you normally do when you are playing. That’s normal. But he has always been fair. When he was on the pitch, he was giving his all.

"When he was on the bench, he always supported the team. There was nothing you can say that was negative about him."

Joe Gomez is a Premier League title winner, but the Liverpool defender admits to having had to overcome a “tough” time in 2019-20.

The 23-year-old defender proved to be a key part of Jurgen Klopp’s plans as the Reds landed a first English top-flight crown in 30 years.

After being handed a regular role by the Reds, Gomez helped to record 10 clean sheets through an 11-game run.

He started 21 of the club’s last 23 league games, with a formidable partnership struck up with Dutch centre-half Virgil van Dijk.

The England international had, however, made just one Premier League start before December and had to work hard before seeing his patience rewarded.

“It was tough,” Gomez told Liverpool’s official website.

“I mean, I never had a period probably that long whereby I was fit but not involved. But it’s part and parcel of being here and at a club of this stature.

“I had to just bide my time and keep working hard in training. It’s never easy as a player to sit out and watch from the sidelines for that sort of period of time but it’s part and parcel, like I say, of being here.

“Unfortunate things happen and players get injured, I knew it was important at that point that I had to play my part.

“Obviously we were in a good place already at that point come December, things were positive, where we were in the league. I was eager to not want to let anyone down, or just continue that level and play my part.

“It was a tough time but it helped shape me in a different way to [how] the injuries have. I had to look at myself and really dig deep, and understand I’ve got to be patient here and take it from there.”

Gomez appears to have nailed down a spot in the Reds' favoured starting XI, but accepts that he still has much to learn from the club’s coaching staff and those around him – with everyone at Anfield pulling in the same direction.

He added: “I think that’s what’s been the crucial factor in the success this year. There’s that level of accountability that everyone holds amongst each other.

“I suppose it has just naturally formed to a point where it is not taken to heart, people don’t take offence by it. You’ve got the leaders in the team – the Millies, the Hendos, the Virgils. Even one another; Robbo can have a go at me and say, ‘Come on, Joe, it’s not good enough.’

“It’s just a nice environment to be in where you can be honest and up front and say you should have done better. I have to take it on board, or lads listen. I think that’s what’s been so important this year, and that’s happened in games at times. That’s probably what’s helped us stay switched on.

“Or before games, it’s always never settling or never being satisfied or resting on our laurels. That’s what’s been so key to the consistency.”

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) presidential candidate Herbert Mwachiro is the latest to raise his voice over the "illegal" running of football in the country.

The current office's tenure expired and per the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT), incumbent Nick Mwendwa was to supervise footballing activities in the country until elections are held.

The National Executive Members' (NEC) were not spared and they were sent packing until elections are held.

The administrator has also hit out the current regime for lack of fairness.

"It is disappointing to note that over the last year football in Kenya has been run in a manner that goes completely against all principles of fair play," Mwachiro said in a signed statement obtained by Goal.

"Even worse, the FKF is being run currently without a legal mandate and this threatens the future of the beautiful game in Kenya.

"For football to flourish in Kenya fair play has to be learnt, experienced, promoted and protected both on and off the field."

The youthful administrator pointed out that the failure to ensure the process of getting the right people in office is affecting those who directly depend on the game.

NEC's absence in the office is not making it easier either and members have been challenged to act swiftly to save the game in the country.

"The key victims of all this underhand behaviour are those who make a living from football, such as our footballers, coaches and referees," Mwachiro added.

"This unsporting behaviour by those who are tasked with protecting the sport happens in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic when our society, health and economy is under stress means we no longer have the luxury of time. Hunger, health and housing issues threaten the football community in Kenya. 

"FKF Members must act swiftly to save Kenyan football. It is clear beyond a reasonable doubt that without NEC in office, football operations are limited."

Mwachiro also pointed out the most viable way to help solve the problem is to call for the Special General Meeting (SGM) with a set agenda to help in restructuring the administration of the game.

"FKF members must now call a Special General Assembly. Appoint an interim committee to oversight the election process of Kenyan football immediately," he urged.

"The Electoral Board meets with stakeholders to draw up the electoral road map and agree on the electoral code in place.

"FKF members have the power to clean their own house. FKF members have a responsibility to all who make a living from football, such as our players, coaches and referees, to put our affairs in order." 

Arsenal hope to conclude a deal with Norwegian winger George Lewis soon after Saturday's FA Cup final against Chelsea.

As revealed by Goal in May, the 20-year-old has been in talks over a move to north London having impressed during a two-week trial in March.

Lewis, who was born in Rwanda, is a free agent having spent the past few years playing in the lower leagues of Norwegian football.

He started his career in the youth ranks of Tromso IL before moving to third-tier side Tromsdalen in 2017 - where he signed his first professional contract.

A brief move to Fram Larvik, who also play in Norway’s third tier, followed in 2019, before he took a break in a bid to try and earn himself a move to Europe.

Lewis spent time with Ipswich and Bournemouth before being invited for an initial one-week trial at Arsenal. Having impressed with his versatility in attacking areas, he was kept on for a further seven days and the Gunners have since been pursuing a permanent deal for the winger.

There have been suggestions that the move has now been finalised, with Lewis - who has been described as "outstanding but raw" by a former coach - posting a picture on social media of himself in London within the past fortnight.

But Goal has been told that is not the case and that there are still some details to be ironed out, with the club waiting on the outcome of Saturday’s FA Cup final before making firm decisions on any potential transfers.

Lewis is still in London, however, and sources close to the deal are confident it will go ahead, with the young attacker due to link up with Steve Bould’s Under-23s squad once the paperwork has been finalised.

He is right-footed and his favoured position is on the right side of the attack, but he can play across the frontline and is comfortable coming inside off the left wing.

“He’s very quick and direct,” Jonathan Hill, Lewis’ former coach at Tromsdalen, told Goal.

“He likes a stepover and has a range of tricks. He can beat a player - whether he can beat a Premier League full-back is a different thing.

“I gave him his professional contract so I thought he had something because he’s got good pace, but he needs to improve his decision making and I’m sure that will improve working with players of Arsenal’s standard.

“I really wish him well. He’s a really nice guy and this could be the thing that gets him going.”

Paulo Dybala says Juventus are “already thinking about a 10th” successive Serie A title, but the battle for a Champions League crown is about to provide a welcome distraction for Maurizio Sarri’s side.

The Bianconeri have maintained their dominance of the Italian top-flight in 2019-20.

Juve did suffer the odd wobble when getting back to within touching distance of a crown they have held since 2011-12, but got over the line with two games to spare.

The intention of all of those in Turin is to return even stronger next season, with plans in the process of being drawn up that will allow a squad which already includes the likes of Dybala and Cristiano Ronaldo to become even stronger.

There is, however, the small matter of European glory to settle before the current campaign comes to a close.

Juve trail Lyon 1-0 in the last 16 of that competition, but will take in the second leg of that contest on August 7.

Dybala is not expected to play any part in a meeting with Ligue 1 opposition, having picked up a thigh injury, but he is determined to help the Bianconeri capture a first continental title in 24 years.

“It can be hard to maintain concentration and ambition, but every victory is special,” the Argentina international told The Guardian.

“I think that’s the most important thing. I like to win, my team-mates like to win, and the club likes to win, and it’s that desire that makes us winners – but of course, it helps that we have the strongest players in the world in every position.

“We’re proud of ourselves, to win nine titles in a row is incredible, and we’re already thinking about a 10th.

“First though we need to turn our attention to the Champions League.

“It’s been such a long season already. The first game against Lyon was five months ago and so many things have happened in between, but we know what we can still achieve.

“It’ll be strange to play in the Champions League without fans, and to play just one tie in each round, but first we have to win in Turin. For now, that’s all that matters.”

While events on the field remain Dybala’s main focus, the South American is also looking to make important contributions off it.

The 26-year-old forms part of Juan Mata’s ‘Common Goal’ initiative and is aware of the need to put his public profile to good use.

Dybala said: “Sometimes I look at society and I see things that I would like to change. It sounds ridiculous, but I would love to be able to change the world in just a small way.

“The truth is that football is a powerful weapon. For whatever reason, the things we say are heard around the world, and lots of people pay more attention to footballers than they do to presidents and prime ministers and important politicians.

“I think we have to use the power we are given to send positive messages, and to be strong role models.

“I believe that if everyone in football came together we could give so much and achieve so much, to help people in need and to fulfil the ambitions of so many children.”

Gor Mahia head coach Steven Polack has confirmed Boniface Omondi has left for Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side Wazito FC.

The former Nzoia Sugar winger was a regular starter in Polack’s first season in charge and his departure means the duo will now serve opposing sides in the 2020/21 season.

The former Asante Kotoko tactician said he tried to convince Omondi to stay but he was not successful at all in his attempts.

“I talked to the boy [Boniface Omondi] and told him personally that I wanted him in the team. But it seems his mind was fixed and I understand him because he has a family to take care of and wants a team that pays salaries,” Polack told Goal.

“His contract had already run down anyway and his mind was fixed elsewhere, he wanted to play in a team where he can get paid.

“You know the situation at Gor Mahia is not good financially, I tried to convince him to stay but he told me he has to go.

“I wish him well for the future.”

Omondi is the second player to leave Gor Mahia after goalkeeper Fredrick Odhiambo parted ways with the record KPL champions by mutual consent in July.

Gor Mahia have already signed goalkeeper Levis Opiyo whose contract had ended with the declared National Super League (NSL) champions Nairobi City Stars.

The Green Army are expected to face an intense battle to keep most of their key players as the likes Kenneth Muguna is expected to attract a lot of interests too. The captain had also signalled his readiness to leave.

Charles Momanyi and his centre-back partner Joash Onyango have already been linked with KCB as their contracts are set to end soon.

Omondi has joined Wazito who have already confirmed the departure of 12 players.

Augustine Otu, Piscas Kirenge, Issifou Bourahana, Paul Acquah, Victor Ndinya, Teddy Osok, Derrick Otanga, Lloyd Wahome, Paul Kiongera and goalkeepers Steve Njung’e and Kevin Omondi were the players released.

Wazito president Ricardo Badoer recently said the club will sign young players who are eager to help the team and that they will not go for established names as they did in the 2019/20 transfer window.

They have not yet confirmed any new signings although reports indicate they have already agreed to sign three players from Western Stima.

Olivier Giroud has acknowledged that Timo Werner "hasn’t been recruited to sit on the bench", but he is embracing the extra competition for places at Chelsea instead of becoming downbeat.

Chelsea announced the £47.5 million ($59m) signing of Werner from RB Leipzig on June 18, as they won the race for his services ahead of a whole host of top European clubs.

The Germany international committed to a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge, and will be expected to slot straight into Frank Lampard's starting line up next season.

Chelsea are hoping that a man who scored an impressive 95 goals in 159 appearances for Leipzig can transfer that prolific form to the Premier League, but his arrival could see Giroud and Tammy Abraham forced into the background.

Abraham finished the season as Chelsea's top Premier League scorer with 15 goals, while Giroud has scored seven in all competitions since the resumption of the season in June.

The former was Lampard's first-choice frontman before the coronavirus outbreak stopped play in March, but the Frenchman has led the line over the past two months to help the Blues secure a top-four finish and a place in the FA Cup final.

Although Giroud is aware that regular minutes will be harder to come by after Werner's arrival, he is confident that he will remain a good option for Lampard due to his ability to hold the ball up in the final third.

The 33-year-old told L'Equipe: "When the teams play a defensive way against us, it’s not bad to have a tall striker like me that can make the link. But I am not naive.

"Werner hasn’t been recruited to sit on the bench. But I will do everything I can to give headaches to the coach when it comes to making his choice."

Giroud went on to insist that he expected Chelsea to bring in a player of Werner's calibre, and that he is ready to challenge the German for a coveted role in the team. 

"Werner’s transfer is an additional motivation and it was inevitable that the club recruits a striker," said the France international. "Chelsea is a great club, that spends money to strengthen the squad, and I was expecting someone to come."

Giroud added on the possibility of extending his stay in west London beyond 2021: "I still have a year of contract here. If I stay here afterwards, that’s fine. Otherwise, it will be another challenge.

"But I can still play in a good league for two years. I don’t set any limits."

Former Kaizer Chiefs striker Sthembiso Ngcobo says playing at Orlando Stadium used by bitter rivals, Orlando Pirates, will not affect the Premier Soccer League (PSL) log leaders.

The Soweto-based stadium has been chosen as Amakhosi’s home ground when the 2019/20 PSL season gets underway next month.

Gauteng clubs were not given their normal home grounds to avoid having an advantage over their PSL counterparts from other provinces.

‘Mapholoba’ also believes coach Ernst Middendorp’s troops have to ensure they lift a trophy and avoid being seen as a generation that has failed to bring silverware at Naturena.

“I don’t see it as a disadvantage at all. In fact, I think it is a good thing for them. Imagine them taking photos inside that change room after they have won the league,” Ngcobo told Phakaaathi.

“The players will want to have that memory so this should push them to work even harder to get the league.”

The former Free State Stars, AmaZulu and Bidvest Wits hitman has urged the current generation to focus on their own race and not look at the reigning PSL champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who are four points behind but with a game in hand.

“It is uncommon for the club to be without a trophy for so long and the players know that it will forever reflect badly on their generation if they don’t win anything,” he added.

“They have a serious chance this time around and they must not let it slip.

"I know Sundowns are more experienced but if they focus on their own race, they can do it.”

Meanwhile, Amakhosi have 48 points at the summit after playing 22 matches compared to 21 matches for coach Pitso Mosimanes’ troops when the season was halted in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Soweto giants are set to face Gavin Hunt’s Clever Boys in the league on two occasions as they look to end the trophy drought they have endured since the 2014/15 campaign.

Chiefs will host Wits, Stellenbosch, the Brazilians as well as Chippa United at Orlando Stadium but the Chilli Boys were also allocated Orlando Stadium as their home venue.

With Sundowns set to face Wits in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals next weekend, their league match against the Buccaneers will be staged at Dobsonville Stadium, a home ground they share with Highlands Park for the remainder of the season.

Mesut Ozil's agent says there is a "90 per cent chance" that he will leave Arsenal in 2021, but has ruled out the possibility of the German midfielder being sold this summer.

Ozil was frozen out of Arsenal's squad by Unai Emery in the first half of the season, but found himself swiftly restored to the starting XI under his successor Mikel Arteta, who took the top job at Emirates Stadium in December.

Unfortunately, the coronavirus outbreak disrupted the 31-year-old's progress, and Arteta decided to shuffle his pack following the three-month lockdown.

Ozil has not featured in any of Arsenal's 12 fixtures since last month's Premier League restart, with his future at the Emirates once again being called into question now that the transfer market is open for business.

Arteta has insisted that a mercurial performer has been left out for purely tactical reasons, and that there is a still a place at the club for a player of his quality.

Despite the Spaniard's endorsement, Arsenal have been tipped to cash in on man currently earning a reported £350,000 per-week in wages, amid rumours of interest from Fenerbahce and a number of clubs in MLS.

Ozil's current contract is not due to expire until next year, and the Gunners have offered little indication that they will be prepared to extend his stay in north London.

However, Erkut Sogut does not believe his client will be making his way through the Emirates exits prematurely, as he told Turkish publication Fanatik: “I do not think there will be a change in the case of Mesut Ozil until the summer of 2021.

“He has a contract. There is no change. He will remain in Arsenal.”

Sogut went on to admit that there is little chance of Ozil remaining at Arsenal beyond 2021, while citing a number of possible next destinations for the playmaker.

The Arsenal outcast's agent added: “90 per cent [he] will leave Arsenal in 2021. Mesut to Asia, America or Turkey? Yes, maybe.”

Ozil has racked up 254 appearances for the Gunners since joining the club from Real Madrid in 2013, scoring 44 goals and laying on 77 assists.

The former Germany international has also picked up three FA Cup winners' medals during that time, but is unlikely to feature when Arsenal attempt to win the trophy again in a final meeting with Chelsea at Wembley this weekend.

It’s never an easy task trying to second-guess a Pep Guardiola team, owing to the Manchester City manager’s propensity to spring the odd surprise in his selection from time to time.

This was a source of frustration for fantasy managers intermittently during the concluded season as, upon selecting Raheem Sterling, chasing his best goal return in the Premier League, or Kevin De Bruyne, desperate to supplant Thierry Henry’s assist record (he equalled it on the final day) in their fantasy teams were then left exasperated by the City trainer’s rotation.

Even though the aforementioned point feels like a deviation from the argument at hand, it is an indicator of just how unpredictable the former Barcelona boss can be with his starting picks. Still, regardless of how unsure the casual observer can be, assumptions can be drawn from whoever Pep selects from the off.

It is for this reason Riyad Mahrez, one of City’s top performers in 2019/20 ought to be worried for his place when the Manchester outfit host the 13-time European champions Real Madrid in the second-leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie at the Etihad Stadium.

Pep largely rotated his side following their domestic restart in June, wisely giving every member of the squad minutes on the pitch, enough game time to stay match fit whilst resting them strategically to avoid burnout in the process. It worked to an extent as the Citizens finished top of the post-lockdown Prem table with eight wins from 10 after the restart, scoring a staggering 34 times and conceding just four.

Mahrez, for his part, scored four times and set up one in the last six weeks despite Pep’s tendency to tweak his XI, but there was a feeling the Algeria winger would be called on for the really important games of their season.

He featured from the start in their comfortable 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final success over Newcastle United and having been retained for the semi-final defeat by Arsenal, both line-ups gave an insight into what the City boss considered his best team for the important games.

The only changes at Wembley saw Ederson, the club’s number one, replace Claudio Bravo, while Eric Garcia, an injury returnee, replaced the unreliable Nicolas Otamendi at the back. The Brazil goalkeeper was always going to feature against Real at the Etihad, so the one outfield change reflected the consistency of Pep’s thinking for crunch games.

However, since that 2-0 defeat by Arsenal, Mahrez has been left out from the XI against Watford and on the final day at home to Norwich City.

In isolation, this may be ignored and brushed off as the Barca legend tinkering with his side as usual, yet, two of the players excluded against the relegated teams have been conspicuous.

The Algeria attacker, after underperforming against Mikel Arteta’s side and previously in the Newcastle fixture, didn’t start at Vicarage Road or in their last match of the season on Sunday and was replaced by the precociously talented Phil Foden in both games. Perhaps an even more noticeable absentee was Benjamin Mendy, whose tendency to blow hot and cold has been a source of frustration for Cityzens since 2017 and especially this season.

Interestingly, Guardiola didn’t turn to Oleksandr Zinchenko, whose form has been sketchy as well, rather opting for Joao Cancelo in their last two fixtures.

Indeed, the decision to leave out Mahrez and Mendy since the Arsenal loss has been magnified by the little rotation that’s taken place in other areas of the pitch.

While it would be unfair to wholly blame the FA Cup loss on both players when the team generally performed poorly, the North African was particularly sterile in possession at the Home of Football and the Frenchman’s failure to step up with the rest of the defenders meant Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was played onside for the Gunners’ second goal.

The left-back also allowed Nicolas Pepe cut in on his stronger foot to cross for the Gabon star’s opener, so the choice to drop two of the side’s major under-performers since that defeat has been seismic.

Putting trust in the ever-improving Foden at Mahrez’s expense and not resorting to the off-form Zinchenko has equally been notable especially with Zinedine Zidane’s side on the horizon.

Whether those changes provide the perfect insight into Guardiola’s thinking before they play Los Blancos or whether the move to utilise the young Englishman and Portuguese full-back out of position was done to jolt a reaction out of the African champion and world champion remains to be seen.

For Mahrez, his impact in the first meeting at Santiago Bernabeu was crucial to securing a huge 2-1 advantage, while his ability to pull a rabbit out of the hat will be important to claim the club’s Holy Grail and end Guardiola’s nine-year wait for another UCL win.

The coach will know this, too, and he’ll hope his maverick Algerian can return to his best as Man City chase European success after their domestic failures this season.

Uganda national team assistant coach Abdalla Mubiru is confident Fahad Bayo made the right call to join Ashdod FC and will succeed at the club.

The Uganda international joined the Israeli side after he scored 12 goals for eventual champions Vipers SC after joining them from Buildcon FC in 2019.

Mubiru hopes Bayo’s high school teammate Timothy Awany will help him settle fast at Ashdod. Mubiru, Bayo and Awany worked together at Kibuli SS from Homeland College in Lugazi and later on went to win a National Schools crown.

“If he is to progress further in his career then this is the right age and time,” Mubiru said of Bayo’s move in an interview with Daily Monitor.

“He played alongside [Timothy] Awany and was one of those that helped Allan Okello settle into our high school team.

“There comes a time when a player establishes himself in this case like Bayo has done as a centre forward. He makes life difficult for the opposition with his movement with or without the ball.”

Meanwhile, Vipers striker Muhammad Shaban has promised fans better performances when the 2020/21 season begins.

Shaban has been injured since April 2019 as the club went ahead to win the UPL title after 24 matches.

“The fans should forget the old me,” Shaban told the club’s website.

“There is a different Shaban coming, a better one who will play with more purpose and drive. I have kept them waiting because of injury but I am going entertain them.

“I promise to do my best for both club and country if I am recalled again, InshAllah [God willing].”

The 22-year-old is confident signing for Vipers will ensure he will rejoin the national team.

“Yes, yes because I am working tirelessly to see that I come back as a different player, not the previous one,” he added.

“I want to hit the ground running and get more playing time as soon as the 2020/21 football season kicks off.”

Shaban also explained how he felt when he missed the chance to represent Uganda in the African Cup of Nations in 2019 despite being a member of the 2017 squad.

“Every player dreams to don the national stripe and play for their birth countries and for me it was the injury that ruled me out,” the forward concluded.

“Though I was very happy watching the boys playing good football and we deserved to go further than the Round of 16.” 

Shaban has played for Onduparaka FC, KCCA FC and Raja Casablanca before.

Liverpool have become so successful because “nine signings out of 10 have been bang on”, says Stan Collymore, with Jurgen Klopp implementing a “special brand” of football at Anfield.

Long-term vision has been shown by those on Merseyside since appointing a German coach in October 2015.

Champions League and Premier League trophies were always the ultimate goal, but there was an acceptance that it was going to take a lot of hard work on and off the field in order to hit those targets.

Klopp has now delivered on his remit, with major silverware collected on a regular basis of late, with a star-studded squad taking up a position at the top of domestic, continental and global games.

Shrewd investment has carried the Reds to this point, with considerable value found in deals for the likes of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson.

Collymore believes those dealings should be recognised, with the Reds having raised the bar when it comes to delivering both substance and style.

“Liverpool have blown Pep Guardiola’s men [Manchester City] away with Jurgen Klopp’s special brand of the game,” the former Reds striker told The Mirror.

“The fact Liverpool finished second in the Premier League last season and first this time out - with an aggregate of 196 points - is simply stunning.

“It’s consistency personified and my old club deserve huge congratulations for that.

“Klopp and the Anfield executive team have been 9/10 in terms of their recruitment these past few years – and by that I mean nine signings out of 10 have been bang on.

“Even those who haven’t quite been on it in the way they’d have hoped, such as Naby Keita, have shown enough promise to suggest they could be big enough players for next season.

“And that recruitment, along with the German’s vision, has laid the platform for their success.

“Klopp has to be my manager of the year for the way he brought the Reds back from the disappointment of losing out on the title to City by just a point last season.

“He clearly told his men after winning the Champions League final that they needed to blow their opponents away in the first 10 or 15 games of this season.

“And even though it’s much easier said than done, they managed to carry out his instructions.”

Klopp has seen his efforts recognised with the LMA Manager of the Year award for 2020 and is now in the process of mulling over further moves into the transfer market – with plenty calling on Liverpool to add even more depth to their title-winning ranks.

Gianfranco Zola has compared Chelsea’s moves for Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner with his own experiences working alongside Maradona, with the Blues legend pointing out that better players are always required in order to raise collective standards.

When piecing together his own illustrious career, Zola found himself on the books at Napoli when an all-time great was acquired by the Serie A outfit.

Maradona arrived in 1984, two years before guiding Argentina to World Cup glory and Napoli to a couple of Italian top-flight titles, with the South American snapped up to inspire those around him.

He did just that, with Zola going on to become an icon in his own right, and Chelsea are hoping to see their summer signings make a similar impact in 2020-21.

Frank Lampard has snapped up Ziyech and Werner, with the promise of more arrivals to come, and those at Stamford Bridge are already being billed as potential challengers for the Premier League crown next season.

Zola told the Daily Mail of the role that fresh faces could play: “I would have not been the player I was if I didn't train with Diego Maradona.

“He was so influential on every aspect of my game. I promise you — I would have been another Gianfranco Zola if I hadn't trained and played with Maradona every day.

“I don't think John Terry would have been the player he was if he hadn't had Marcel Desailly or Frank Leboeuf in front of him with us at Chelsea.

“What makes you better is not playing every single game in a modest championship. What makes you better is playing 10 games in a very competitive league.

“Because of players like myself, Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne and so many others, the game in England is at such a high level.

“If you want to be involved you have to be as good. And then, if you are good enough, you will become very good.

“There is a common mistake people make. They say, ‘We need to play the young English boys’. Of course, but only if they are good.

“How can you measure that? If they are playing with good players and if they can fit into the level of the good players. That's why, because of the level of the Premier League, England has so many talented players.”

Chelsea have shown considerable faith in home-grown stars during the 2019-20 campaign.

The likes of Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham, Reece James and Billy Gilmour have flourished on a senior stage, with Zola now looking for the FA Cup finalists to take the next step and deliver tangible success.

He added: “Chelsea are doing well considering they have a lot of young players in the team and they lost a very influential player in Eden Hazard.

“Chelsea is a very demanding club. They need to be in the Champions League and they need to win trophies because that is what the club has been doing for some time.”

Lampard’s side are set to take in an FA Cup derby date with London rivals Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Broadly speaking, there are two ways to understand descriptive comparisons between players from different eras.

One is a matter of convenience. Outlining the nuances in a footballer's game can be quite onerous, and can often involve language that is inscrutable to the layman. Also, it helps to establish what the benchmark is for relative terms like 'speed' and 'dribbling': saying a player is quick will likely elicit the question 'as quick as so-and-so?'

The other is a matter of accessibility. There is a lot of football played in the world, and few have a handle on all of it. It can be useful, in this scenario, to liken a player to a well-known icon of a previous era as a sort of shorthand.

The comparison between Victor Osimhen and Didier Drogba falls into the later category to a degree, but really there is a simpler root to it: the first person to make the connection, Osimhen's former teammate Nicolas Penneteau, did so simply because of the Nigerian's move to Ligue 1.

It was in the French top flight, of course, that Chelsea and Ivory Coast legend Drogba cut his teeth and announced himself to the world. Osimhen has followed in the same vein, and so perhaps Penneteau's intuition was correct.

Except there are more than a few points of divergence.

For one thing, the former Ivory Coast international took a much more scenic route in passing through France, playing for three different clubs in his senior career over a six-year span. For another, in leading them to the final of the Uefa Cup in 2003, he achieved a much higher level of success with Marseille than Osimhen managed with Lille. Also, by the time Drogba eventually moved on to bigger things at Chelsea, he was already 26.

But perhaps the biggest difference between the two is the most obvious one: their playing styles are nothing alike. At least not yet.

Indeed, some of Drogba's biggest strengths – hold-up play, aerial dominance – remain distinct weaknesses for the younger Osimhen, even though he began to show marked improvements in terms of bringing others into play toward the end of the French league season.

A closer approximation for the 21-year-old, taking into account his speed, stride, predatory instincts in the box, and shooting technique is probably a player most frequently cast in the role of Drogba nemesis and adversary: a young Samuel Eto'o.

Considering the Cameroonian was the superior forward, Emmanuel Amuneke's claim that his former protege could eclipse Drogba becomes all the weightier. At 21, far from commanding a near record fee for an African player, the former Chelsea man was struggling to find his feet at Le Mans.

However, even with the benefit of a significant head start, Osimhen would do very well to match what Drogba did in his playing career.

The latter's arrival in Chelsea in 2004 heralded the beginning of an era of unprecedented success for the London club, and despite not always being prolific, Drogba came to be identified as one of the lynchpins of the team by dint of his penchant for decisive contributions.

His record in club finals, scoring 10 in 10 for the Blues as they amassed multiple FA Cups and League Cups, has now passed into legend.

Chelsea's rise also effectively interrupted the eight-year status quo at the summit of the English top flight, and also introduced a new force on the European stage.

This is the challenge to which Osimhen must stand up at Napoli, a club with a long-standing lust for the Scudetto. With the likes of Dries Mertens, Jose Callejon, Allan and Kalidou Koulibaly coming to (either or both) the ends of their primes and their affiliation with the club, the time is right for a rebuild of sorts.

As such, Osimhen is being signed essentially as a figurehead for Aurelio De Laurentiis' next shot at the title. If the Neapolitans are to achieve it, they must end the nine-year status quo at the summit of the Serie A table.

For that to be remotely realistic, they will need their new striker to lead the charge.

If he can consistently affect the big games, all the better; this is an area where Napoli have consistently fallen short in recent times.

Admittedly, the challenge is a lot more daunting for the Nigeria international. Chelsea at least had the benefit of a billionaire owner immediately elevating them financially, and a Uefa Champions League-winning manager transforming them on the pitch. For all that he has already guided them to silverware, Gattuso is no Jose Mourinho.

Still though, the path to legend status has never been easy. Drogba himself, by his own admission, needed to adapt to the demands at Chelsea.

Osimhen, to this point in his career a quick study, will need to do the same, and do so quickly, in order to be spoken of in the same breath.