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Ghana's special advisor on health at the presidency Nsiah Asare revealed the outcome of three national teams' imminent return to training amid the coronavirus conditions will indicate the way forward for Asante Kotoko and Ashanti Gold ahead of their participation in continental inter-club action next season.

Ghana's women's U20 team as well as the men and women's U17 teams have been granted special permission by national President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to regroup for camping ahead of upcoming international events, despite a lingering ban on all contact sports, including football, due to Covid-19.

The ban has been in effect since March, a situation that resulted in the premature termination of the 2019-20 domestic football season, including the Premier league (GPL).

“The African club competition is a continental competition, how we handle the national teams situation now will be a basis for the government in deciding the fate of Asante Kotoko and Ashanti Gold whether to allow them to train or not," Nsiah told Kumasi FM.

“When the time approaches and the GFA [Ghana Football Association], MOYS [Ministry of Youth and Sports] and NSA [National Sports Authority] present a legitimate proposal, precautions and protocols on the safety mechanisms, we will allow them to play to bring happiness back to the fans.

“The health experts will look into the health risks and if its low, we will allow them. The countries our clubs will go to will also influence our decision [as] some countries do not even conduct Covid-19 test.

“They will have to go through the same process the national teams are going through now.”

Following cancellation of the 2019-20 season and consequent inability to decide Ghana's representatives for 2020-21 continental inter-club football, the GFA Executive Council have given Kotoko and AshGold the nod to represent the nation in the Caf Champions League and Confederation Cup, respectively, next term.

There have, however, been concerns about the standing ban on football as it has a direct impact on when the two clubs can regroup and begin training for their Africa assignments.

There have also been health worries about the safety of team members while training under the current coronavirus situations.

Ghana's U17 and U20 female teams are to commence preparations for upcoming World Cup qualifiers in October and September, respectively, while the male U17 side have a Wafu championship on their time table. 

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has maintained released custodian Peter Odhiambo will return to play for the club in the future.

Odhiambo was shown the exit door at the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions on Monday and has already been linked with a transfer to Wazito FC.

Speaking to Goal on the exit of the keeper, the K’Ogalo tactician has admitted they have lost a very good player but they could do nothing to stop his exit because “he wanted to go elsewhere for playing time.”

“Nothing really I could do about Peter [Odhiambo] exit, he decided he wanted to leave and you know you cannot force people to stay if they don’t want to stay,” Polack told Goal on Tuesday.

“He is a good keeper, we all know that but we also had to understand why he wanted to leave, it is because he wanted to get more playing time, you know at his age, he will not be happy always sitting on the bench.

“He has always shown he wants to compete with other top keepers and I spoke to him personally before he made the decision to leave and I told him I understand the situation and if he feels he wants to go somewhere else where he can get playing time, then the better for him, I respect that.

“He is a very young keeper, I guess 26 years now if I remember and who knows maybe, he will come back to Gor Mahia one day, you know, some players stay in a club to get money but some players will always leave a club with money to get playing time, and that is what Odhiambo has done, very rare to find such players in Africa.

“Like I said, I respect his decision and that is the way it and I wish him all the best as he moves on.”

On Monday, Gor Mahia also opted to release forward Dickson Ambundo after his loan deal with the club expired.

The 24-year-old joined K'Ogalo on loan from former Tanzania Mainland League outfit Alliance FC in July 2019. The winger was used in the front three positions owing to the team's struggles to get a consistent striker, especially after the departure of Francis Afriyie and Gnamien Yikpe.

Gor Mahia have also signed keeper Levis Opiyo from Nairobi City Stars.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) presidential candidate Twaha Mbarak has laughed off a letter from the outgoing office signed by CEO Barry Otieno rubbishing the newly formed office which has been given the green light to hold elections in Mombasa County.

According to a letter from the Registrar of Societies signed by Rose Wasike and obtained by Goal, the county became the first one to be cleared after meeting the demands of the registrar.  

The Federation got wind of it and went on to warn its members, saying they will soon communicate the way forward. However, the administrator now believes that is a sign of panic by the incumbent Nick Mwendwa.

"The purported FKF national officials have shown unnecessary panic by giving themselves powers that they don’t have because their term ended on 10th February 2020," Mbarak said in a signed statement obtained by Goal.

The Mombasa-based candidate says the letter had no clear recipients considering the term of the FKF branch chairmen and secretaries expired on January 20.

He says the chairman of Mombasa County, Juma Goshi, as per the 2013 Sports Act, was the right person to be addressed by the outgoing office.

"It is laughable for Nick to refer to officials who were legitimately elected by clubs as non-members. Does it mean for one to be a legitimate FKF member must be Mwendwa’s sycophant?" Mbarak asked.

[Otieno] must know that he is an employee of the Federation and not Mwendwa’s personal assistance. 

"Some of the letters he writes are irrelevant, uncalled for and cause confusion to the good citizens who are complying with the rule of law which Mwendwa and his sycophants failed, despite being in office for over four years now. 

"This proves his incompetence leading to the confusion we find ourselves in following the two aborted shambolic elections that were cancelled by the [Sports Disputes Tribunal]."

Mbarak has accused the incumbent of bribery and intimidation, saying all he should do is wait to hand powers to the incoming president.

"Last but not least, Mwenda should come to his senses and know that he is not above the law, his only task, for now, is to wait for the incoming president to hand over and go home," Mbarak continued.

"[He should stop] intimidating stakeholders who are complying with the laws of the land, bribing voters, misinforming FIFA officials on the reality of things on the ground to win their sympathy and signing illegal contracts without having the National Executive Council. 

"He should know that FKF is not his personal property and the country has laws that must be followed to the letter."  

Fresh from a three-week Phase 1 centralised training in July, Maloney is gearing up his players for Phase 2 that will even slightly longer, planned for August 3-30 as he ensures no stones is left unturned in Malaysia's preparations for the AFC U19 Championship in Uzbekistan in October.

Nine players were dropped from the first training camp with the biggest inclusion this time around being star forward Luqman Hakim, who were among the Selangor 2 players that stayed back with their club earlier this month in preparations for the return of the Premier League in August.

However his club team mates in Firdaus Irman, Sikh Izhan, Azrin Afiq, Harith Haikal, Mukhairi Ajmal and Ahmad Zikri have not been called up giving rise to the notion that the Malaysia U19 coaching staff intends to have a closer look at Luqman's fitness levels.

Meanwhile the seven players from Johor Darul Ta'zim II has left Maloney suitably impressed after the first phase with the Australian keeping faith with all of them for the second phase, including Arif Aiman who has already featured for the Johor Darul Ta'zim side in the Super League.

Interestingly, of the three players that came from abroad during the first phase, only Zachry Raiff and Wan Kuzri have been kept in the squad with BISP Cruzeiro Academy player Adam Nadzmi not part of this new call-up.

After the contact training that was allowed midway through the first training phase, the August period is likely to be crucial for the head coach to implement his tactics with friendly matches likely to be allowed beginning August 15.

For the tournament in October, Malaysia are in the same group as Tajikistan, Qatar and Yemen with the top four teams in the competition qualifying for the FIFA World Cup U20 in Indonesia next year.

Squad in full:

GK: Syahmi Adib (AMD), Rahadiazli Rahalim (Terengganu FC), Ahmad Irfan Ibrahim (Terengganu FC), Riezman Irfan (Pahang)

DF: Firdaus Ramli (JDT), Fahmi Daniel (Selangor), Aiman Farhan (Kedah), Faiz Amer (AMD), Marwan Rahman (AMD)

MF: Arif Aiman (JDT), Umar Hakeem (JDT), Firdaus Kaironnisam (JDT), Alif Mutalib (JDT), Shafi Azswad (JDT), Azrul Haikal (Selangor), Fakrul Iman (Selangor), Raimi Shamsul (Selangor), Aiman Afif (Kedah), Amirul Akmal (Kedah), Ziad El Basheer (AMD), Yuseril Yusekil (Sabah), Alan Lagang Keryer (Sarawak United), Azam Azmi (Terengganu FC), Muslihuddin Atiq (Terengganu FC), Zachry Raiff (Brooke House College), Wan Kuzri (St Louis Academy)

FW: Nasip Zain (Sabah), Khairi Suffian (AMD), Luqman Hakim (Selangor), Daryl Sham (JDT)
 

Real Madrid have “ended the monopoly that Barcelona had” in La Liga, claims Fabio Capello, with Zinedine Zidane considered to be the man who “best understood what the club needed”.

The Blancos enjoyed a remarkable run on the back of a coronavirus-enforced break to snatch a Spanish top-flight crown from the clutches of their Clasico rivals.

Real entered lockdown sat behind Barca and with questions once again being asked of their ability to deliver on a consistent basis.

They were, however, to string together 10 successive wins from the middle of June, only tarnishing that record in a 2-2 draw with Leganes on the final day, and ended the campaign five points clear at the summit.

Zidane was returned to the club in 2019 with the intention of overseeing further success – having previously delivered the Liga title and a hat-trick of Champions League triumphs.

He has shown once again that he has the winning formula, with Barca having been prevented from wrapping up a third title in as many seasons and a fifth in the last six years.

"They won it on merit," former Madrid boss Capello told Marca of the Blancos’ achievement. "They played the best championship. They scored goals and others didn't score many against them.

"Real Madrid have ended the monopoly that Barcelona had."

He added, with the Blaugrana having stumbled their way towards the finishing post: "Real Madrid have taken advantage of Barcelona's dip, but let it be clear that Real Madrid won thanks to their own merit, not because of others' mistakes."

Capello knows what it takes to deliver title success at Santiago Bernabeu.

He delivered on that remit in each of his one-season spells with the club and believes that Zidane – who was a fan favourite in his playing days – is the perfect coach to fill one of the most demanding roles on the planet.

Capello said of the iconic Frenchman: "Great. My most cordial congratulations.

"He has done really well. It was very difficult to win this title and he achieved it. With 10 wins and a draw, impressive. He has understood more than anybody what the club needed.

"He's discreet, with personality and confidence. He's the coach who has best understood the need for rotation and making changes."

Bruno Fernandes has given Manchester United “another dimension”, says Wes Brown, with the Portuguese playmaker considered to be “the first piece of the puzzle” for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The Red Devils are hoping that a talismanic figure will also prove to be one of the last pieces as they endeavour to force their way back into contention for major honours.

Few could have predicted that Fernandes would make such a big impact at Old Trafford when he was picked up from Sporting CP in the winter transfer window.

He was, however, to hit the ground running in English football and has recorded 10 goals through 20 appearances in all competitions.

His willingness to take risks and demand more from those around him has seen the collective standard raised in Manchester.

United have benefitted from that with a third-place finish in the Premier League and qualification for the Champions League.

They are also still in the hunt for Europa League glory, with everyone connected with the club determined to deliver tangible success in 2020.

Fernandes appears set to lead that charge, alongside the likes of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, with Brown seeing cause for optimism from a rejuvenated Red Devils outfit.

The former United defender told MUTV when asked about who has rekindled a spark at Old Trafford: "For me I'd have to say Bruno, I know he only came in January but like we've talked about he's lifted the whole squad, brought a little bit of another dimension to the squad.

"Off that Mason [Greenwood], Rashy, Martial - they all took advantage of that.

"I think that's all down to - not just all down to him - but he started it off. He was the first piece of the puzzle."

Fernandes has vowed to continue leading by example for United, with the plan being for Champions League qualification to represent the first step on a charge back to the top of domestic and continental games.

He has said: “We trained hard and we worked hard for this moment. We know the only thing we could achieve this season was getting into the Champions League, so we fought hard for that, but we are not happy enough because we know this club and these players, they can bring much more for the club.

“I think we have qualities enough to fight for some titles - more than one title, you know? I think we need to win some trophies and then we'll be really happy.”

Express FC goalkeeper Mathias Muwanga is hoping to become the first choice stopper in his team once the new season starts.

The custodian was not involved in the first round of the abandoned 2019/20 Ugandan Premier League season owing to a back injury but made several appearances in the second leg. The custodian feels he is ready to oust his colleagues from the post.

"It has been tough on all the players but toughest for me, because I was nursing my back injury," Muwanga told the club's official website.

"But now I am ready and I can't wait for the season to start."

In the 2015/16 season, the 22-year-old impressed while with Sadolin Paints and went on to keep 16 clean sheets in the 25 matches played.

It was during the same season he was named the Ugandan Premier League (UPL) goalkeeper of the season.

The custodian revealed what helped him reach that level.

"For me, it is all about hard work and I guarantee you, I am well prepared and I will reclaim the number one jersey," the youngster concluded.  

The former URA shot-stopper managed to keep three clean sheets for Express in a handful matches he played.

The Wankulukuku-based side finished in the ninth position having managed to collect 31 points in the 25 matches played.

The Red Eagles managed to collect nine wins, four draws and 12 losses in the process. 

They have managed to win the league six times, the most recent coming in the 2011/12 season. They have also won the Uganda Cup 10 times.

The team conceded 37 goals last season and were the second-worst team in the league in terms of goals conceded as relegated Tooro United shipped in 39.

It is an area that goalkeeper trainer Sam Kawalya had promised to work on as the team prepares for the coming season.

"Everyone knows the strength of any team starts from the back [goalkeeper], that said, it’s key to learn from our mistakes last season so we shall have to work more on concentrating in games but also work extra hard to have as many clean sheets," Kawalya said in an earlier interview.

Manchester City are expecting comings and goings in what promises to be a “strange” transfer window, with Txiki Begiristain confident that the Blues can “improve the squad”.

With an elongated Premier League season having come to a close, another recruitment market has opened for business.

There are just seven weeks until the 2020-21 campaign is due to kick off, with City still hoping to challenge for Champions League glory before the curtain is pulled down on the current campaign.

Focus at the Etihad Stadium is very much locked on the pursuit of a much-coveted continental crown.

Attention will, however, be given to the tweaks required in order to keep the club competitive on multiple fronts.

Director of football Begiristain has a leading role to play there, with plans already being drawn up when it comes to freshening up the ranks.

Arrivals are expected, with Pep Guardiola still in need of another commanding centre-half, while sales could also be sanctioned as City prepare to part with those deemed surplus to requirements.

Begiristain has told the club’s official website: "We are working a lot, we have to be ready.

"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."

One of those that City will definitely be parting with is long-serving midfielder David Silva as, after a decade of loyal service in Manchester, the World Cup winner is preparing to depart at the end of his contract.

Silva has been showered with plaudits as he readies himself for a new challenge, and Begiristain hopes City can deliver the perfect send-off by capturing a first Champions League trophy.

He added: “He deserves it for his career.

“He has been winning leagues, cups, World Cups, Euros. We want to try to help him win the Champions League.

“It will be the best way to say goodbye. And also the best way for him to say thank you to the City supporters and the club.”

Fulham midfielder Josh Onomah has dedicated his goal in their first leg of the semi-finals of the Championship play-off against Cardiff City on Tuesday to the club’s manager Scott Parker.

The 23-year-old's strike and an effort from the Democratic Republic of the Congo international Neeskens Kebano gave the Cottagers a 2-0 advantage ahead of the second leg on Thursday.

After a cagey first half, Onomah, brought life into the game in the second half when he received the ball from Harrison Reed and beat three of his markers in the box before slotting home his effort, beyond the reach of goalkeeper Alex Smithies.  

The midfielder has been a key component of the Craven Cottage outfit since joining the side from Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur last summer.

Onomah is delighted with his strike in the encounter and praised Fulham boss Parker for giving him the opportunity to showcase his ability.

“Harrison Reed gave it to me and when I got into the box I knew they couldn’t really touch me so I triple-pass them and when I hit the back of the net I was over the moon,” Onomah told FFCtv.

“It was a great feeling for men and my family, we will go into the second leg and do the same again. I relaxed, stayed calm and gained composure and did that and got the reward for it.

“He [Parker] is someone I looked up to, I dedicate that goal to him because he someone who always believes in me and I thank him for giving me the chance.

“From the day one I have come in he has always believed in my ability trying to get the best from me and towards the end of the season, I started to show him.  

“We started the game quite slowly and in the second half we came out strong and we got the goal after the goal we defended as a team and worked hard and it shows how good the morale is

“We must be composed, stay calm and do the same thing on Thursday.”

Onomah has now scored four goals and provided three assists in 34 appearances across all competitions this season and will hope to help Fulham achieve their target of playing in the Premier League next campaign.  

The midfielder has featured for England at U16, U17, U18, U19, U20, U21 level but he still eligible to play for Nigeria through his parents, having not represented the European country at senior level.

Sofapaka have revealed they have tabled a good offer to sign former Gor Mahia defender Musa Mohammed.

Mohammed is currently a free agent after his two-year contract with Nkana FC of Zambia came to a close at the start of June.

Batoto ba Mungu boss Elly Kalekwa has now revealed to Goal they have already made their first approach for the services of the player and are now waiting for his response.

“I held a meeting with Mohammed, we have been talking and gave him an offer we feel he deserves, he asked us to go and think about it, so we are waiting for him to get back,” Kalekwa told Goal on Tuesday.

“Mohammed told us he does not want to rush into signing a deal before he goes through it, and as a club, we gave him time to go and look at it, it is a good offer which fits the player and I cannot reveal further details until he puts pen to paper.”

In a recent interview, Kalekwa told Goal he was a keen admirer of the defender who guided Gor Mahia to five Kenyan Premier League (KPL) titles before he left for Nkana FC of Zambia where his contract ended in June.

“It is not an open secret Sofapaka have always wanted to sign Musa [Mohammed], since we engaged him last season before he left for Zambia,” Kalekwa told Goal.

“I am informed he is now a free agent after ending his contract with Nkana but we have not reached out or talked to him, we will talk to him when the right time comes, he is a good player, who can fit in well into our squad and give us the leadership quality that we want in the team.”

Tanzanian giants Young Africans (Yanga SC) are among the clubs that have reportedly shown a keen interest in signing the defender.

At Nkana, the central defender was parading alongside other Kenyan stars, including former AFC Leopards captain Duncan Otieno, former Gor Mahia captain Harun Shakava and Duke Abuya, who joined in January 2020.

Mohammed featured for K'Ogalo from 2010 to 2017, before moving to Albania for a short stint with KF Tirana.

When he ended his contract with the European club, he returned home before moving to Zambia in 2018.

Bruno Fernandes believes Jesse Lingard is unfairly singled out for criticism, with the Manchester United midfielder delighted to see a much-maligned colleague get back among the goals against Leicester.

The Red Devils knew that a positive result was required from a trip to the King Power Stadium in order to secure Champions League qualification.

Fernandes opened the scoring from the penalty spot against the Foxes, before Lingard settled any nerves late on when he capitalised on a mistake from Kasper Schmeichel to wrap up a 2-0 win.

That effort was the England international’s first in the Premier League since December 2018, with a lengthy barren run seeing the 27-year-old fall under the microscope for all of the wrong reasons.

Lingard has admitted to finding the going tough at times, with many picking him out as an easy scapegoat, but Fernandes believes the perfect response has been offered to the detractors.

The Portuguese playmaker told MUTV: "Of course it's a mistake from the keeper also but if Jesse doesn't go there the goal doesn't come so it's for this we work.

"For me Jesse deserved this goal because of what he works for all week, for all the comments everyone is saying about him and other players because they don't play too much or they don't play good enough. 

"I think this is the reason Jesse scored because we're training hard, training hard to help all the team."

Fernandes’ second-half spot-kick on the final day of the Premier League season was his 10th goal in just 20 appearances for United.

A stunning contribution has been made to the collective cause on the back of his January arrival, but the 25-year-old is not one to dwell on the past and will continue to look forward.

Quizzed on his goal return, Fernandes said – with United now readying themselves for the resumption of Europa League competition: "I think the most important one will be the next.

"I'm always thinking about the next one. I'm happy, all goals are important in different ways.

"It was important for us and for me to score this goal because it gives us the chance to be more calm in the game."

The Red Devils will be back in action against LASK on August 5, with a 5-0 advantage in that contest meaning that they already have one foot in the quarter-finals and are a step closer to securing major silverware.

Deputy Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Leagues and Competitions manager Doreen Nabwire is optimistic the Harambee Starlets will soon be playing in the Fifa World Cup.

In the recent past, the East Africa team has tasted some success, including competing with the best on the continent as well as winning the regional title. It is for this reason the former forward believes gracing the biggest stage is within their grasp.

"There has been a lot of growth for the women’s game in Kenya over the last four years. Though we have a long way to go, I believe we have made some huge strides," Nabwire told Cafonline.

"We qualified for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 2016 and missed out of qualification narrowly in 2018.

"This year, we have come through to the penultimate round of qualification to the Olympics and we have won the Cecafa Cup for the first time too.  

"I believe that soon we will be contending to play in the Fifa Women's World Cup."

The former FC Koln striker is, however, adamant the country must remain consistent in top-level football to achieve the feat.

"If we can consistently play at a high level and compete with some of the top teams, we will mature as a team," Nabwire added.  

Nabwire has been one of the key people in the Federation as far as women's football in the country is concerned.

"We started off by re-modelling the Premier League in 2016 and in 2017 we started the second-tier," the former international, who was forced out of the game owing to a knee injury, continued.

"The growth up to now has been immense but we can still do better. We have been forced to revert to zonal leagues because of lack of funds but if we can get more sponsors on board, we can grow the league to be one of the best in Africa."  

The administrator was the first-ever Kenyan to play in Germany, initially for Werder Bremen and also managed to win the Golden Boot after scoring 13 goals.

She is also Fifa and Caf Instructor as well as a qualified coach.

Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Sergio Aguero will sit out Manchester City's Champions League clash with Real Madrid.

Aguero has been out of action since suffering a knee injury during a Premier League victory over Burnley in June.

The Argentine recently stepped up his recovery in the gym after undergoing surgery on the issue, and Guardiola dropped the biggest hint yet over a possible return date for the striker prior to City's final day win against Norwich at the weekend.

"I think against Madrid everyone will be fit," the 49-year-old head coach said before watching his side beat the Canaries 5-0 at the Etihad Stadium.

After the match, however, Guardiola performed a U-turn regarding the status of Aguero, who was left on the bench when City beat Madrid 2-1 in the first leg of their round of 16 tie at Santiago Bernabeu back in February.

When asked if the 32-year-old will be a part of his squad for the second leg on August 7, the City manager told reporters: “No, I think it will not be possible for the timing.”

Aguero has 23 goals to his name from 32 appearances in all competitions this season, with Raheem Sterling the only man in the City squad currently boasting a higher tally, as he reached the 30-mark for the first time in his career by scoring against Norwich.

Gabriel Jesus will likely continue to lead the line in Aguero's absence when Madrid arrive at the Etihad, having scored an all-important equaliser at the Bernabeu earlier this year.

City's latest five-goal haul in the Premier League took them to 100-plus goals in the competition for the third time in their history, but Guardiola insists that thrashing Norwich will have little bearing on the Madrid encounter.

“Different competition, different opponent, cannot compare,” he added. “We have two weeks.

"We are going to start to prepare the game, tell them what they should do, try to play the game, do a good game. Arrive in the best conditions and we are going to do it.”

Should City finish off Madrid in Manchester, they will be rewarded with a quarter-final showdown against either Juventus and Lyon, which will be held in Lisbon under the new straight knockout format.

Arsenal have been “in freefall and haven’t fixed things in six years”, says Charlie Nicholas, but Mikel Arteta has offered enough encouragement to suggest that he can be the man to turn the tide.

The Gunners could only muster an eighth-place finish in the Premier League during the 2019-20 campaign, and that is a long way short of expectation in north London, with the three-time title winners having taken in a humbling fall from grace.

FA Cup glory could still salvage their season and offer a route into European competition for 2020-21.

Major silverware would, however, be masking serious faults, with Arsenal having been in decline for some time now.

Arteta has been charged with the task of getting a fallen giant back on its feet, with cause for optimism offered through the early months of his reign.

The Gunners remain a work in progress, though, and Nicholas concedes that there will be no quick fix to be found at Emirates Stadium.

He told Sky Sports when offering his assessment of Arsenal in what has been a testing season for all concerned: “It's not Mikel Arteta's fault, it's a club that have been in freefall and haven't fixed things in six years.

“They finished eighth because they only won 14 games - that's the lowest I can recall in the Premier League era. I could probably look back while Arteta has come in and say why am I giving them a D?

“But I have to take it as a whole season. He's made it better. I'm not a great man for stats, and his stats have not been great, but I think as Arsenal people we want to see progress and we are.

“There's been too many draws, I look at Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - his goals have been great, both goalkeepers have been good, and other than that, I'm looking at Bukayo Saka. But no other players of real substance.”

Arsenal need to find that inspiration from somewhere, but Arteta is still waiting to discover what his budget will be for a summer transfer window that is now open for business.

Polokwane City goalkeeper George Chigova is looking forward to the resumption of the 2019/20 season despite his future at the club being uncertain.

The current season is set to resume in the first week of next month having been suspended since March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Chigova recently admitted that he was unsure of his long-term future at Rise and Shine after signing a two-month contract with the club.

The Zimbabwe international's initial deal with Polokwane expired at the end of last month and the Limpopo-based side has decided to keep him until the end of the current campaign.

“I’m feeling happy now we know that we going to resume our games,” Chigova told Zimbabwean publication, The Herald.

“It’s been tough for the last four months; not doing what we love most but now we are happy that we going to be able to finish the games."

Chigova is in his fifth season with Polokwane having joined prior to the 2015/16 campaign after being released by SuperSport United.

The towering shot-stopper also provided an update on Rise and Shine's preparations as they look to avoid relegation from the PSL to the National First Division (NFD).

“During the lockdown, they gave us programmes to follow and we were doing training sessions via the zoom app," he added.

“But, since we started training as a team, three weeks ago, we have been working to prepare for the games.”

Polokwane are placed 14th on the league standings - three points above the relegation zone with six matches left in their league campaign.

Chigova is set to continue his battle with Mwenya Chibwe for Rise and Shine's number one spot when the season resumes.

Chigova will have to impress the club's head coach Clinton Larsen in order to reclaim his place in the starting line-up.

Chibwe joined Polokwane from NFD side Jomo Cosmos in June 2019 and the Zambia international has managed to dethrone Chigova as the team's first-choice keeper.

Simba SC assistant coach Seleman Matola has rubbished transfer reports linking him with a move to Azam FC ahead of the new season.

The ‘Ice Cream Makers’ have been linked with the former Taifa Stars player for many seasons and recent reports indicated they were very close to acquiring his services.

Matola joined Simba from Polisi Tanzania at the start of the current campaign and has been working under Belgian coach Sven Vandenbroeck.

Matola, who recently guided Simba to their third straight Mainland Premier League title after they finished the season on 88 points, has now come out to clarify the transfer issue, insisting he is still contracted to the Wekundu wa Msimbazi and has never been approached by Azam.

“I am a coach of Simba and that is where I do my work, and with reports, I have landed a new job at Azam, I don’t know where those reports are coming from, I don’t have any idea, no team has approached me for my services, and I am contracted to Simba,” Matola is quoted by Sokaletu.

According to reports gathered by Goal, Matola was picked from a pool of other assistant coaches who had submitted their CVs for the job, which also included Kagera Sugar head coach Mecky Maxime.

In a recent interview, a source privy to the deal but did now want to be named told Goal: “It is true that Matola will cross over from Yanga to handle Azam on the same capacity.

“Matola was among the coaches Azam officials were looking at and he has been picked ahead of Maxime, Azam are keen to build a strong technical bench as they want to challenge for titles in the coming season.”

Azam are currently under the tutelage of Romanian coach Aristica Cioaba and lost their fight to finish second on the 20-team league table as Young Africans (Yanga SC) beat them to the spot on the final day of the 2019-20 season on Sunday.

Azam have already confirmed they will sign at least 15 players to help beef up the squad ahead of the new season.

With the team also missing out on winning the FA Cup after losing 2-0 to Simba in the quarter-finals, the club officials have now asked coach Cioaba to go for quality players so they are able to challenge for trophies next season.

Azam information officer Thabit Zakaria has confirmed they have given the Romanian coach a free hand to pick the players he wants for the team and they will not care about the number even if he signs 15 new players.

Gor Mahia have finally caved in and remitted a confirmation form that will allow the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to transfer the first payment from new sponsors BetKing Kenya.

The Kenyan champions alongside Kakamega Homeboyz and Nzoia Sugar missed out on the first instalment last week after they developed cold feet and refused to fill in the forms which were mandatory and were to include the club’s bank accounts to allow Ksh500, 000 to be wired in.

Gor Mahia and Homeboyz maintained they will only sign the forms after scrutinising the deal signed between the FKF and the Nigerian-based betting firm.

Nzoia stated the forms they had initially received were faulty, but they made their submission on Monday.

The rest of the KPL clubs including promoted sides Nairobi City Stars and Bidco United have already received the payments, awaiting the second instalment which will be remitted if and when the new Kenyan Premier League (KPL) season gets underway.

However, Goal can now report after a closed-door meeting between top Gor Mahia officials and partly the federation, the club has finally agreed to sign the contentious form and the money will hit their bank account on Tuesday.

“It is true we have signed the forms, we really needed to know whether the contract signed between FKF and BetKing was genuine and it was the reason we had to take our time,” a top club official, who did not want to be named, told Goal on Tuesday.

In a previous interview, Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula told Goal they will only fill the form after getting a clearance from their legal team.

“We are not in a hurry to get the money, first of all, we want to know whether the deal signed by FKF is genuine or not,” Shimanyula told Goal on Friday.

“We are not starving, and furthermore Ksh500, 000 is very little to even pay player salaries so we are not in a hurry to go for the money, we will sign the form and remit our bank account when we are very sure that the deal signed between FKF and BetKing is binding.

“I know some other club chairmen have been lured to sign and submit their bank accounts but I can assure you Homeboyz, will be the last, we have to be very sure what we are doing is legal and binding.”

A week ago, the FKF signed a lucrative sponsorship deal worth Ksh1.2billion with the betting firm, who is replacing SportPesa and will see each club in the top-flight receive Ksh8million annually.

Jack Grealish “has his heart set on Manchester United”, according to Michael Owen, with the Aston Villa playmaker expected to push for a move despite his asking price rising on the back of Premier League safety.

The talented 24-year-old has helped his boyhood club to retain their standing among English football’s elite.

Severing ties with the Villans will not be easy for a talismanic figure in the West Midlands, but a fresh start may be required in order for his game to be taken to even greater heights.

Talk of that career path leading him to Old Trafford has rumbled on for some time now, with United having been heavily linked with a big-money move for much of the 2019-20 campaign.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has less of a need to bring in added creativity after acquiring Bruno Fernandes in January and seeing Paul Pogba reassess his options, but squad depth is required as the Red Devils prepare to a return to a Champions League stage.

Owen believes that will see interest in Grealish retained, with it unlikely that any other side will swoop in and lure the England hopeful elsewhere.

The former Red Devils striker told Premier League Productions: “I think he’s after Manchester United as well.

“I’m told he has his heart set on Manchester United. I’d be surprised if he went anywhere else.”

While tipping Grealish to end up at Old Trafford, Owen concedes that Villa’s successful bid to stay in the Premier League means that they can now demand even more from any deal involving their captain.

“He’ll be more expensive now to possible suitors,” Owen added.

“There is that tie now that it’s his team and they’re still in the Premier League – it would have been an easier decision if they went down.

“You can’t have someone like that playing in the Championship. He’s a top player, he would suit an awful lot of teams; he’s exceptional.

“People compare him to James Maddison and others like that but I think he’s head and shoulders above him. He can run with the ball well, score goals, he’s in double figures this season, he assists.

“He’s actually much better out of possession and I think that’s where this season he has developed that side. He covers a lot of ground. He’s not one of those flashy players where you give him the ball and he turns it on, he actually works hard out of possession as well."