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Simba SC have denied reports they will do away with the entire technical bench currently headed by Sven Vandenbroeck ahead of the new season.

Social media in Tanzania was awash on Tuesday with news the newly crowned Mainland Premier League will go for a new technical bench to help them do better in the Caf Champions League.

However, the club CEO Senzo Mazingiza has now come out to clarify the claims insisting at no time did the club issue such a statement and that they will stick with the same bench for the new season.

Mazingiza also accused those peddling the false rumours that they were trying to destabilise the team as they prepare to play in the final of the FA Cup against Namungo FC on August 2.

“We have not chased away anyone or planning to do so, we will not chase any member of the technical bench and even the team’s playing unit will remain the same,” Mazingiza told the club’s official website.

“I am shocked at the rumours because those doing it have an agenda to bring chaos in the team and derail our chase for a double, they want us to lose in the FA Cup final and that will not happen.

“I also want to ask those spreading such rumours to desist from doing so because they are not good for the game of football, if Simba wants to do changes, we will do it openly and everyone will know, we don’t need to hide anything.”

In a recent interview, Mazingiza explained the reason the club will delve into the transfer market for quality players ahead of the new season.

“Looking at how the team plays, there are some positions which should be toughened enough before the upcoming Champions League matches,” Mazingiza told reporters.

“For now, we are focusing on the players we have in the squad but before Simba Day, people will be happy to see the new faces to join Simba next season.”

Simba have two matches remaining to conclude the season and will next face Coastal Union before tackling Polisi Tanzania.

Montreal Impact’s Musafa Kizza has disclosed playing under legendary Thierry Henry will serve as a big motivation for him.

The 20-year-old was signed by the Major League Soccer outfit on a two-year contract, albeit, he will remain with Uganda top-flight side Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) until December – owing to restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

At the Saputo Stadium, he will be looking up to Kenya international Victor Wayama and Algeria’s Saphir Taider for inspiration, but his biggest drive will come from playing under his childhood role model Henry.

"Everybody I grew up with adored Thierry Henry and he was a role model to many young players," Kizza told BBC Sport Africa.

"I was old enough to understand football and I can vividly remember him scoring nice goals for Arsenal"

"I am so happy for the opportunity to play under a great legend like Thierry Henry and that is a great motivation for me to become the best I can in football because I will learn a lot from him."

The harsh climatic condition and language barrier no doubt might be a cog in the wheel of Kizza’s adaptation in Canada. Nevertheless, the Uganda international is confident he will defy the odds to cope.

"I am aware of the terribly cold weather in Canada but I think I will cope," he continued.

"Earlier in the year I spent some time in Switzerland on trial with FC Zurich, it was tough, but I coped.

"My French is very little, but I am a very good learner. I will learn with time."

The left-back who joined KCCA in 2017 has been a key member of the Kassasiro Boys’ side that lifted the Premier League title in 2019. In the abandoned season which KCCA surrendered the title to Vipers FC, the full-back-cum winger scored five goals and gave 12 assists from 19 games.

Kizza will become the second Ugandan to play for Montreal Impact in the MLS after Mike Azira.

Azira is now at Chicago Fire and was the first Ugandan to join Montreal Impact and served them for two years between 2018 and 2019.

Alexandre Lacazette has admitted that being on the bench caused him "unhappiness" while opening up on the toughest season of his Arsenal career to date.

Lacazette quickly established himself as a fan favourite at Arsenal after joining from Lyon in the summer of 2017.

The 29-year-old has scored 48 goals in 125 appearances for the Gunners, but only 12 of those efforts have been recorded in the 2019-20 campaign.

An ankle injury saw the France international sidelined for two months, and his place in the team came under threat following Eddie Nketiah's return to Emirates Stadium from a loan spell at Leeds in January.

Rather than fold under the pressure to turn around his situation, Lacazette has worked hard behind the scenes to force his way back into Mikel Arteta's plans since last month's Premier League restart.

The former Lyon star has found the net three times in his last six outings, with his latest effort helping Arsenal beat newly-crowned champions Liverpool 2-1 last Wednesday.

Lacazette says he found it difficult to deal with being on the fringes of the action, but never lost faith in his own ability during a frustrating period away from the pitch.

The forward told Canal Plus: "Certainly, it is not nice to be on the bench.

"At the same time, in my life I have had moments that were a lot more complicated and I did not doubt myself. It wasn’t really doubted, it was more unhappiness, like every player who is on the bench and wants to play."

Asked if the current season has been the most challenging of his professional career so far, Lacazette responded: "At Arsenal, yes. The [ankle] injury hung around longer than I expected and it affected me.

"Afterwards, I had this period without scoring, so certainly it wasn’t easy for me, but I still learned a lot this season, because mentally it was not easy.

"The difficulties this season are going to serve me well in the future."

The Frenchman added on his relationship with Nketiah: "Between me and him, things are very good, there are no problems. We support each other. We know that everyone wants to play and it is the coach who makes the decisions, but between me and him there are no problems."

Arsenal's 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa on Tuesday ensured they will finish outside the top six for the first time in 25 years, and they only have the FA Cup left to play for in the final weeks of the season.

Lacazette concluded by highlighting where his side have gone wrong over the past 12 months, stating: "We lacked rigour at key moments in the season.

"We lacked on confidence as a team, because each time we were lacking, whether it was a player at the back or a player up top, who affected the team to the slightest extent."

Three of Jordan Ayew’s strikes have made the shortlist for the Crystal Palace Goal of the Season award.

The Ghana international is the Eagles’ top scorer in the Premier League this term having scored nine goals in 36 top-flight appearances.

His last goal came in Palace’s 2-0 victory at Bournemouth – where he attained an enviable milestone in his football career.

The 28-year-old became the highest-scoring Ghanaian in Premier League history – scoring 25 times to beat Tony Yeboah’s feat of 24 goals in 47 appearances, while his brother Andre is third on the Ghana chart with 21 goals from 87 outings.

Although he has gone on a surprising run of seven games without scoring, three of his efforts have been selected to compete for the club’s individual diadem alongside compatriot Jeffrey Schlupp, as well as Andros Townsend, Patrick van Aanholt, Wilfried Zaha and Luka Milivojevic.

According to a statement on the club website, his efforts in the 1-0 defeat of Aston Villa on August 31, 2019 tops the list.

Connecting with a pass from countryman Schlupp on the left, Ayew ghosted past two Aston Villa players before drifting the ball into the right-hand corner of the net, beyond the reach of goalkeeper Tom Heaton.

Also nominated for the accolade was his sublime match-winning strike against West Ham United on December 26, 2020.

That strike was a beauty to behold as he drove into the box from wide, cheekily beating three defenders, before effortlessly dinking the ball over onrushing goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez.

Lastly, his strike against Watford on March 7, 2020 in an English top-flight game was considered for selection.

The Black Stars’ forward blasted home from 20 yards with his right foot after magnificent hold-up play from teammate Christian Benteke.

Zaha's goals in the Eagles' home games against Liverpool and Chelsea made the final cut, while Schlupp would be hoping his strike at Selhurst Park fetches him the prize.

Ayew has one last chance to reach his first double-figure tally in Europe as Crystal Palace welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Selhurst Park on Sunday. Aside from that, Hodgson’s side would attempt to end their run of seven successive defeats.

Kenya’s Michael Olunga was on target once again as Kashiwa Reysol picked up a heavy 4-0 win against Urawa Reds.

It is the second straight match the Harambee Star found the back of the net after going for three matches without scoring since the J1 League resumed.

The win at Saitama Stadium 2002 was also Kashiwa Reysol's second straight win after a 3-2 victory against Shonan Bellmare on July 18.

The visitors got a 32nd-minute opener after Brazilian Richardson Fernandes struck past Urawa Reds’ goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa to begin what became a big away win for Olunga and teammates.

The former Thika United star struck his fourth goal of the season in the 51st minute with Taiyo Koga providing him with a valuable assist.

Hayato Nakama scored the third one for the visitors five minutes after Olunga’s goal with an assist from Yuta Kamiya.

Kamiya found himself getting onto the scoresheet with an 89th-minute goal that ensured Kashiwa Reysol will not only head back home with a big win but also with a clean sheet.

There was only one yellow card booking which went to Kashiwa Reysol’s Fernandes in the 27th minute.

Kashiwa Reysol, now eighth, are a point below Urawa Reds who are sixth on the log after both engaging in six matches.

When Olunga had broken a three-match goalless streak, he exuded confidence that he had indeed regained his goalscoring touch.

“But of course it is a good feeling to get my scoring boots back again and I know now the gates are open,” he said in an interview.

“It is going to be a different ball game altogether and today [July 18] I scored two goals and I am looking forward to the upcoming games.”

Meanwhile, Yokohama FC produced a splendid performance against Yokohama Marinos as they bagged a 4-0 win too.

Shonan Bellmare won 1-0 against Kashima Atlas in their respective tie while Gamba Osaka also picked up a slim win at a similar margin against Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

There was a 1-1 draw registered between Sagan Tosu and Shimizu S-Pulse when Consadole Sapporo got a similar result away to Tokyo FC.

Kawasaki Frontale fought and won 3-2 against Vegalta Sendai in the other match staged on July 22.

Gabriel Agbonlahor says Jack Grealish can't turn down the chance to join a club like Manchester United or Tottenham, with the opportunity to play in Europe and force his way into the England squad too good to pass up.

Grealish has led Aston Villa's fight against relegation this season, making the transition from the Championship to the Premier League seamlessly despite playing in a struggling team.

The 24-year-old has scored nine goals in 40 appearances for Dean Smith's side in 2019-20, while also contributing nine assists, with his latest stellar display coming in a crucial home win over Arsenal on Tuesday night.

The playmaker was quizzed on his future after the final whistle, and his response served to fuel the ongoing speculation linking him with a big-money move to either United or Spurs.

Asked if he had played his last game at Villa Park, Grealish told reporters: "I’m not too sure at the moment. I have one aim and that is to keep this club in the Premier League, where this whole fanbase knows we belong."

Agbonlahor, who played alongside Grealish between 2012 and 2018, says his old-team mate should take the next step in his fledgeling career if Villa's top-flight survival is confirmed in their final outing of the season against West Ham on Sunday.

The former Villa centre-forward told Talksport: “Jack loves Aston Villa. I’ve had the pleasure of being captain of that club and being a fan as well, and he’s in a similar situation, he just loves the club.

“He’s been outstanding since the return. You look at his performance yesterday, he was the one creating things, he was the one tracking back, throwing his body on the line, making interceptions.

“He just showed yesterday how much he wants to keep this club up, everyone has seen how he has carried Aston Villa this season, really, and they’ve given themselves an amazing chance.

“You know what football fans are like, they never want to lose their best players, but for me as a Villa fan if he can keep us up and then had a move where he’s got a chance of playing Champions League football, playing with elite stars, then I’d give him my blessing. I’d understand that.

“I might get a bit of stick for this, but it’s what I’d do in his position.

“He’s got a chance to join a club like Manchester United, or Tottenham, whoever is interested in him, and he’s got the chance to win trophies, to play in the Champions League and maybe a better chance to get into the England squad.

“At this time of his career, he’s coming into his prime at 25, so he can’t really turn down a chance of going to a top club, you just can’t do it."

Leroy Sane insists he retains a solid relationship with Pep Guardiola despite leaving Manchester City for Bayern Munich, and credits his former boss for helping him reach a "very high level".

Sane completed a €49million (£44.5m) move to Bayern earlier this month, after deciding against remaining in Manchester for the conclusion of City's Premier League and Champions League campaigns.

He only featured once during "Project Restart", making an 11-minute substitute cameo in a 5-0 win over Burnley on June 22 - only his second appearance in an injury-plagued campaign.

Indeed, despite scoring pivotal goals in wins over Liverpool and Manchester United last season, Sane struggled to hold down a regular starting place during City's triumphant 2018-19 run-in, with Guardiola often challenging the player to improve.

Nevertheless, the 24-year-old maintains there are no hard feelings between himself and his former manager.

"Our relationship is good," he told Sport Bild. "There was never a point when one was tired of the other. 

"I am grateful for everything he taught me. Pep Guardiola helped me to a very high level. 

"He is very meticulous and wants to advance the players every day. He is persistent when it comes to his tactics - but that's positive, it helped me. 

"We even lived in the same building [in Manchester], so we saw each other often."

Sane concedes he could even run into similar problems at Bayern, with Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry excelling in the wide attacking roles under Hansi Flick.

However, he views such stellar competition for places as a positive rather than a negative.

"Of course I want to play, but I don't demand a regular place in every game," he said.

"No player in the world can play every game and reach their highest level. I have my goals, but I'm zero point zero against rotation. 

"This helps the team to get a good freshness. Serge, King and I - that sounds very good to me."

Sane had been heavily linked with a move to Bayern before a cruciate knee ligament injury during City's Community Shield triumph over Liverpool last August put those plans on ice.

The former Schalke youngster expressed his gratitude to Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic for keeping the deal on track over those difficult months of recovery.

"He was behind the transfer from the first moment and was not put off by anything. I'm grateful for that," Sane added.

"He showed me how the club works, which team it has in mind, the way looks. 

"I immediately noticed: I know a lot of boys here, I fit in very well here. And I wanted to be part of the successful Bayern path."

Former Arsenal captain Tony Adams has admitted that he was "very against" Nicolas Pepe's £72 million ($91m) transfer to Emirates Stadium.

Pepe became the most expensive signing in Arsenal's history when he arrived in north London from Lille in August 2019.

The 25-year-old committed to a five-year contract with the Gunners, and big things were expected of a man who had caught the attention of a whole host of top European clubs with his performances at Stade Pierre Mauroy.

The Ivory Coast international has since struggled to justify his price tag at the Emirates, contributing a modest nine goals and eight assists in his first 40 outings across all competitions.

Adams thinks his old club made a mistake investing in another attacker at a time when so many promising youngsters were knocking on the door from the academy, and that they missed the opportunity to strengthen in more important positions.

The former Arsenal defender told Astro Supersport: "I was very against Pepe to be honest with you because we had [Bukayo] Saka coming through, we’ve got Eddie [Nketiah], Reiss Nelson, [Gabriel] Martinelli. 

"We’ve got a lot of kids that need to play and to go and buy [Pepe for] £72m, I thought it could have been used in different areas."

Pepe has featured prominently for Arsenal since the club's return from lockdown, and was singled out for praise by Mikel Arteta following his impressive display against Sheffield United on June 28.

The Gunners boss told reporters after watching the ex-Lille star score the opening goal from the penalty spot in a 2-1 victory at Bramall Lane: "I’m very excited about what he’s bringing to the team

“I think he has made a click, I think he realises what he needs to do for the team as well when we don’t have the ball.

"From the past, I didn’t know him personally but I think he is a player with incredible potential."

Pepe's latest outing came as a substitute during Arsenal's 1-0 loss to Aston Villa on Tuesday, which ended their hopes of qualifying for the Europa League.

Arteta's men will conclude their latest top-flight campaign with a home fixture against Watford this weekend, before focus shifts to an FA Cup final date with Chelsea on August 1.

Kelechi Iheanacho’s strike against Brentford has been nominated for the Leicester City Goal of the Season award.

The Nigeria international’s strike helped the Foxes beat the Bees 1-0 in January’s FA Cup fourth round encounter at Griffin Park.

The Super Eagles forward beat goalkeeper Luke Daniels from close range after controlling a cross from defender James Justin in the encounter’s fourth minute.

Vardy boasts of three entries with his strike against Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Arsenal shortlisted, while Chilwell’s screamer against Watford at Vicarage Road will also compete for the prize.

Just like Vardy, Maddison has three of his goals competing for the honour – as the club picked his efforts against Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Newcastle United.

Apart from this category, awards will also be handed out for Supporters’ Player of the Season, Young Player of the Season, Players’ Player of the Season, Development Squad Player of the Season and Academy Player of the Season.

Last season’s ceremony saw Pereira win the Supporters’ and Players’ Player of the Season awards.

Leicester City also announced that there will be no End of Season Dinner this season due to the current social distancing recommendations in the United Kingdom.

Although Iheanacho's future at the King Power Stadium remains uncertain as reports have it that the club will be shopping for a replacement, the 23-year-old, who joined from Manchester City, has scored 10 goals and provided four assists for Brendan Rodgers’ men across all competitions this term.

As well as compatriot Wilfred Ndidi, the 2013 U17 Fifa World Cup Golden Ball and Silver Shoe winner is expected to play a role when Brendan’s team tackles Manchester United in the English top-flight's last day.

Victory for them over the Old Trafford giants will see them get a ticket for next season’s Champions League at the expense of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men.

Sofapaka President Elly Kalkwa has revealed why they missed a meeting to discuss modalities of the new partnership signed between the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and BetKing Kenya.

Goal exclusively revealed on Wednesday that Batoto ba Mungu were the only team from the top-flight not represented in the meeting chaired by FKF president Nick Mwendwa and CEO Barry Otieno.

The teams which attended the meeting conducted via Zoom include AFC Leopards, Wazito FC, Posta Rangers, Kariobangi Sharks, Gor Mahia, Tusker, Kakamega Homeboyz, Ulinzi Stars, Nairobi City Stars, KCB, Zoo FC, Bidco United, Nzoia, Western Stima, Kisumu All-Stars, Mathare United and Bandari.

Kalekwa has now told Goal he was keen to attend the meeting but had an appointment with his doctor which ended late and by the time he logged in, he found the meeting had already ended.

“Sofapaka did not skip the meeting by default, no…I was very keen to be part of the meeting but my appointment with the doctor took much of my time and by the time I wanted to log and join in, the meeting had already ended,” Kalekwa told Goal.

“I don’t have issues with FKF and so there was no reason for me or my club not to attend the meeting, it was only because I had a very important meeting with my doctor and I did not make it.

“I will talk to the clubs which attended and get to know what was discussed.”

During the meeting, KPL clubs were requested to provide their bank accounts to the federation as they wait to receive the first payment from the sponsor.

The meeting also settled on Ulinzi Stars chairman Erick Oloo to lead a five-man FKF Premier League transitional interim committee and he will work alongside other four officials namely Dan Shikanda of AFC Leopards, Ken Ochieng of Zoo, David Aduda of Tusker, and Robert Maoga of Sharks.

The committee has been mandated with drafting proposals on how the FKF Premier League will be run, post-KPL, including the possibility of clubs voting for an independent chairman to lead the new league body.

A week ago, FKF signed a lucrative five-year sponsorship deal worth Ksh1.2billion with the Nigerian-based betting firm that will see clubs receive Ksh8million annually.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon has accused Neymar of always "trying to wind people up", while expressing his belief that the Paris Saint-Germain star knows exactly how "infuriating" he can be.

PSG continued their preparations for the resumption of their 2019-20 campaign by putting Celtic to the sword in a friendly at Parc des Princes on Tuesday.

The Ligue 1 champions ran out 4-0 winners thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Ander Herrera and Pablo Sarabia, with the Hoops' summer tour of France ending on a sour note.

Neymar showed off his full repertoire of tricks and won several free-kicks during the match, much to the frustration of Lennon in the visiting dugout.

The Brazil international's theatrics proved too much for the Celtic head coach at one point, as the two men were involved in a heated exchange on the touchline.

When asked to comment on the incident and assess how his side coped with the threat of Neymar, Lennon told the Daily Record:  " He was just trying to wind people up.

"I said to the players you just have to keep your discipline and not take the bait really.

"He is infuriating but he knows it."

Lennon went on to highlight Mbappe's quality, before praising his players for giving their all against "world-class" opposition.

"I'm a big fan of Kylian Mbappe because I think he's fantastic in terms of his purpose and his pace," he added. "They've got quality all over the pitch.

"That quality is world-class. I'm pleased we've taken it on. I don't think we need to be down about it.

"Sometimes the players need to see the game at that level for what it is, and how far you have to strive to get there. Hopefully, they can take a lot from it physically and mentally."

PSG were crowned champions of France for a third successive year when the Ligue 1 season was cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis in April.

They could yet go on to win an unprecedented treble, with a Coupe de France final against Saint-Etienne to take in on Friday before they look ahead to a Champions League quarter-final final against Atalanta in Lisbon next month.

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has revealed details of their newly-signed sponsorship agreement with BetKing.

The gaming firm and the FKF agreed on a contractual partnership to sponsor the Kenya Premier League (KPL) and after days of intense public debate on the deal, the federation has now moved to make the details public.

The FKF, in a document obtained by Goal, has explained how the sponsorship money will be paid.

“Payment to be made as follows: $120,000 upon or within seven days of the signing of this agreement, $693,334 one month prior to the official kick-off of the season, $693,333 on or before the end of the third month of the season and $ 693,333 on or before the end of the sixth month of the season,” the document read.

“In the subsequent four Premier League seasons, the first instalment will be paid a month before the season kicks-off, the second instalment will arrive at the end of the third month of the season while a third instalment to arrive at the end of the sixth month of the season.”

The document also revealed exclusive rights and obligations the new sponsor will enjoy throughout the agreed timeline of the partnership.

“BetKing will have the exclusive right to be referred to as the ‘FKF Premier League’s Title Sponsor’ and have the exclusive right to be the sole sports betting and title sponsor,” the document continued..

“Ensure that all clubs participating in the BPL wear kits bearing BetKing’s logo on their shirts’ sleeves for both their authentic and replica jerseys and have the right to erect eight pitchside banners in all BPL match venues at its own cost.

“Have the right to display 50% BetKing advertisements and/or logo on every media backdrop, have the exclusive right to activate every BPL venue on each BPL match day.

“Have the right to use images with no less than three players in the BPL clubs, have the right to use clips and still photos, with no less than three players for content generation, and may sponsor the player and coach of the month.

“Have naming rights and bear the agreed costs of the BPL end of the season Gala Night and the BPL Annual Awards.”

The document also stipulated how the agreement may be terminated and how disputes can be solved by the parties.

“This agreement may be terminated; on expiry of the term, if either party suffers a material breach of the agreement and that the termination shall not affect any accrued rights or liabilities of either party,” it concluded.

“Arbitration shall be practised under the laws of England.”

FKF secured the deal before taking over the league as the contract of the KPL Management Limited is expected to expire in September.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has requested Berekum Arsenal president Yakubu Moro to face its Ethics Committee for corruption claims levelled against the football governing body.

The club administrator made his remarks following the GFA's announcement of its intended disbursement plan for the Covid-19 relief fund from Fifa and Caf.

"President of Berekum Arsenals Alhaji Yakubu Moro has been asked to substantiate comments he made in a recent radio interview," the GFA has announced on its official website.

"The Club Administrator is alleged to have stated in an interview with Kumasi-based Light FM that the GFA Executive Council intends to share and "chop" the Fifa and Caf Covid-19 Relief funds.

"The GFA Ethics Committee has initiated investigations into the allegations and has written to Mr. Moro to ascertain the veracity of the allegations.

"Mr. Moro has been asked to submit a written Statement of Defence to the Ethics Committee on or before Monday, July 27, 2020, before 5 pm.

"According to the letter, should Mr. Moro fail to prove his allegations, his comments would be considered as a breach of Article 11(2)(a), (b) & (d) of the GFA Disciplinary Code (2019) and Article 22(2) & (3) of the GFA Code of Ethics (2019).

"Mr. Moro would be requested to appear before the Ethics Committee either physically or via video conferencing at its next sitting if he requests for a personal hearing or he fails to submit a written Statement of Defence."

The published disbursement plan has generated controversy, with some major stakeholders expressing dissatisfaction over some allocations.

"I haven't and will never regret what I said. I have nothing to explain again. I will repeat exactly what I said if I meet the committee," Moro told Otec FM as he prepares to face the GFA.

"I will go to court if the GFA decides to punish me over my comment because I see nothing wrong with what I said.

"The way the GFA disbursed the funds was wrong, they should have met us [the clubs] before."

Ghana League Clubs Association (Ghalca) president Kudjoe Fianoo recently called for broader consultation in the disbursement of the funds, warning a lack of due diligence could "result in a third world war".

Andy Cole says he is not sure what Anthony Martial's favoured position is, and has called on the Manchester United forward to "show more desire and passion" on the pitch.

United snapped Martial up as a teenage prospect while he was on the books of Monaco in 2015, forking out £54 million ($69m) to lure him to Old Trafford.

The Frenchman has since recorded 70 goals and 37 assists in 217 appearances in all competitions, but only showed glimpses of his frightening potential under Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho.

Martial has stepped his game up another level since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's arrival as head coach, having been trusted to lead the line following the departure of Romelu Lukaku.

The former Monaco star has broken the 20-goal barrier for the first time in his career this season, and has been the most prolific frontman in the Premier League since last month's return from lockdown.

The 24-year-old has found the net six times in his last seven top-flight outings, while serving as the focal point in a United side now on the verge of a top-four finish.

Cole isn't getting too carried away with Martial's recent record, though, as he believes the France international has taken far too long to start justifying his hefty price tag.

“We all get caught up in the debate about Martial,” the United legend told The Athletic as he watched United's FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea.

“I’m not sure where he wants to play. He’s played well this season as a centre-forward and has scored more goals this season than any other but he should have scored more than 20 in more than one season.

"He came for big money and he’s very talented. He has to show more desire and passion at times. He’s got good feet and a lovely first touch.

"He’s got blistering pace too but you don’t see it enough. He wants the ball to his feet but he should mix it up a bit more.”

Martial had to be content with a substitute appearance during United's 3-1 defeat to Chelsea on Sunday, but will likely return to Solskjaer's starting XI for a crucial midweek clash with West Ham.

The Red Devils can guarantee Champions League qualification if they earn earn at least a point against West Ham and then avoid defeat to Leicester City on the final day of the season.

Lautaro Martinez has vowed to continue "giving 110 per cent" for Inter and repay the confidence shown in him by Antonio Conte as speculation over a move to Barcelona gathers pace.

The Argentina international has been strongly tipped to swap San Siro for Camp Nou at the end of the season, two years after joining the Italian giants from Racing Club.

Inter chief executive Giuseppe Marotta has stressed the star player is not for sale, with the forward's €110 million (£100m/€130m) release clause expiring earlier this month, and Martinez, who has formed an impressive partnership with Romelu Lukaku this season, has insisted he will give his all for the club as long as he remains an Inter player.

"I am a boy who always fights - for my goals, for those of the team, for the happiness of the fans," he said in Inter's matchday programme ahead of Wednesday's clash with Fiorentina. "I always try to give 110 per cent for this club, for all the people who love it, for the Inter shirt."

Martinez scored 16 goals in all competitions prior to the campaign being halted in March by the coronavirus pandemic but has netted only twice in 10 games since last month's restart.

Conte has repeatedly defended Martinez's form and the 22-year-old is grateful to have the full support of his head coach.

"Conte has given me confidence," he said. "That is a very important and fundamental thing, because he worked on the mentality of each of us. I really appreciate it, every day he makes us grow."

Nothing definite has occurred regarding Lautaro moving from Inter to Barcelona despite months of speculation, although several prominent figures connected to the player have already expressed their opinions that he would be an excellent fit at Camp Nou.

Fabio Radaelli was in interim charge of Racing Club when he signed Lautaro in January 2014, snapping up a raw diamond from Bahia Blanca outfit Liniers.

He told Goal in April: “In Argentina, we feel devotion to Leo [Messi] because he can make everyone play better. Lautaro can grow a lot with him – also because he would have competition with Luis Suarez.

“There could be many combinations between the three of them. Lautaro and Messi played with Aguero for Argentina – I think it would be similar.”

Coach Hossam El Badry says Egypt will not underestimate their opponents in their quest to earn a place in the 2022 Fifa World Cup billed for Qatar.

The seven-time African champions have been drawn in Group F alongside Gabon, Libya and Angola as they chase a fourth appearance at the global football fiesta.

Talking about his side team’s chances of progressing from that group, the 60-year-old who replaced Javier Aguirre after a poor Africa Cup of Nations outing in 2019, told the Fifa website that the Pharaohs will not look down on any team while backing the depth of quality in his squad to pull through.

“It’s certainly a tough section and we can’t take any of our opponents for granted. We’ve recently seen that the gaps between African national teams have shrunk,” he said.

“Every team has progressed thanks to their overseas-based players. I recall that after we won the 2010 Afcon title, we failed to qualify for the next edition despite playing against so-called minnows.

“We currently have quality players based in Europe, so we’re first aiming to go beyond this group stage and reach the final round. Then we’ll be a step closer to realising our World Cup qualification dream and making all Egyptians happy.”

Having ended their 28-year wait at Russia 2018 – where the country got eliminated from the group stage – El Badry is hoping his squad can look at the positives of that experience to achieve their set targets.

“I’ve experienced similar situations in the past. I won the Caf Champions League and local championships, and on each occasion, I wanted to go out the next season and win more titles and face new challenges,” he added.

“This heaps pressure on you sometimes, but we have to make use of that pressure to enhance the players’ confidence and empower them to repeatedly compete so as to attain or go beyond the goals we set ourselves.”

Asked how he hopes to rebuild his team and select his players after a failed expedition at Afcon 2019, the former Al Ahly coach stated the team is open for all, though he claimed the country’s football department has their own role in this regard.

“Our technical team has a system for monitoring all potential players. We evaluate both their technical and physical development,” he continued.

“Every player stands a chance to be selected and I know very well that they all want to put on the national jersey. We’ve already given a chance to some young players and the door will remain open to everyone.

“We want to integrate the promising young players with the seasoned ones.

"In that way we hope to solve a difficult equation: which is to assemble a strong team that can last for a decade, while making sure that we reach and maintain a high level by adapting to [football’s] technical requirements.”

Zlatan Ibrahimovic still remains unsure about his Milan future with just three games remaining this season.

The star striker, 38, scored a brace as Milan beat 10-man Sassuolo 2-1 in Serie A on Tuesday.

While Ibrahimovic is only contracted at Milan until the end of the season, the club announced on Tuesday an extension for head coach Stefano Pioli until 2022.

Ibrahimovic, speaking when still unaware of the Pioli announcement, said he was unsure about his future.

"I still have three games, still 10 days, nobody said anything to me and I don't expect anything else," he said, via Sky Sport Italia.

"There are things that we cannot control, but that seem strange to me, but we are doing great things. We play with great confidence and we believe in what we do."

Milan are unbeaten in 10 games since the season resumed last month, and are now fifth in the table. Ibrahimovic, who has scored eight goals in 17 games this season, praised Milan's form.

"I'm working, I'm fine, the team is fine and doing good things," he said. "When I arrived we are second or third in the standings, it means it is not bad."

Milan are in action again on Friday, when they host high-flying Atalanta.

Few clubs so far have expressed an interest in signing Ibrahimovic, including newly promoted Premier League side Leeds United.

Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani said he had attempted to sign the veteran forward in January, before he moved back to Milan rather than switch to the English second tier Championship. He is now unsure about whether Ibrahimovic would be able to handle the pace of the Premier League.

"Ibrahimovic will certainly be difficult," he said. "We tried to sign him in January, but he chose to join Milan and the deal vanished. Now I think it's too late, the intensity of English football is different."

Serie B newcomers Monza also will not be signing Ibrahimovic ahead of next season. The veteran forward has been linked with a move to the Lombardy club, who won promotion to Italy's second division after being taken over by former Milan president Silvio Berlusconi.

However ex-Rossoneri CEO Adriano Galliani, now on the board of Monza, said: "Our budget will be used to get into Serie A. We won't go crazy, but we will do what's necessary.

"I met with Ibrahimovic last week. There's always a great bond between us, but I think his signing is beyond our reach and the reach of many Serie A clubs."

Mason Greenwood "has the potential to surpass" Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, according to Andy Cole, who thinks the Manchester United starlet is on Wayne Rooney's level.

Greenwood is enjoying a breakout 2019-20 campaign at Old Trafford, during which he has netted 18 goals in 47 appearances across all competitions.

The 18-year-old's latest effort came during a 3-0 win away at Aston Villa on July 9, which saw him become only the second teenager in United's history to score in three consecutive games, emulating a feat achieved by Rooney in the early stages of his career.

Rashford and Martial have both scored four more goals than Greenwood over the course of the season, but most of his appearances came from the substitute's bench before the Premier League was suspended due to the coronavirus crisis.

Since the June 17 resumption, the England international has been a fixture in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's line up, and Cole has talked up his talents ahead of the Red Devils' penultimate game of the season against West Ham.

The former United striker believes Greenwood is currently on track to follow in the footsteps of the club's all-time record goalscorer Rooney, and told The Athletic: “[He is] a special talent. He’ll get better and better.

"He scores with his left foot and right foot. He has the potential to surpass Marcus and Anthony.I’m not even sure if he’s that fast but 16 goals at 18 is incredible. When I was his age, I wasn’t close to Arsenal’s first team.

"This is Wazza (Wayne Rooney) level. He wasn’t even expected to be in the team this season.”

Cole went on to express his belief that Rashford still has plenty of room left to improve before reaching an elite level, while insisting that he should strive for the same level of consistency as Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe.

“I like Marcus, but he’s not a centre-forward. He has to find consistency, which should come with age. Some players at his age already have it, like Mbappe," he said.

“When Marcus is on form, like at [Crystal] Palace the other night, he can get that kind of goal. He’s good running at people when he’s confident. I want to see him be a little bit braver, too. He’s six foot. He’s got the attributes to dominate in the air.”

Cole also reflected on United's FA Cup semi-final defeat at the hands of Chelsea, pointing to their lack of movement in the final third as a cause for concern.

He added: “When Man United pick the ball up in midfield, strikers have come short or go long. Nobody is making the run to get in behind. Martial has pace to burn, Marcus too, and it’s the main asset for Daniel James. Use it.”

Mere participation in the Premier League is highly rewarding from a financial perspective, with each of the division's 20 clubs getting a considerable slice of the money pie.

However, the 2019-20 season has been complicated by the coronavirus pandemic and the three-month postponement that occurred from March until June.

Disruption to the normal broadcast schedule has the potential to severely impact the available prize money, with industries across the world feeling the reverberations of lockdown.

So, what will Premier League winners Liverpool and, indeed, the rest of the clubs get in prize money this extraordinary season?

How much will the 2019-20 Premier League winners earn?

Winning the Premier League brings with it all sorts of concomitant financial rewards, but the immediate prize for the champions is currently in the region of £150 million ($182m).

However, that is expected to change for 2019-20, with revenues predicted to fall in the aftermath of the worldwide lockdown measures imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19.

It had been feared, when the idea of cancelling the season was a real possibility, that clubs would have to hand back or miss out on a significant sum of prize money.

Prize money is drawn from broadcast revenue - TV money - and a team's monetary health come the end of the season depends on how many televised games they are involved in, as well as their final position.

You can get an idea of how the broadcast money is divided among the teams in the table for the 2018-19 season below.

Premier League 2018-19 prize money

With a rough gap of around £2m ($2.43m) between places in the league, even the most innocuous of results can tip the scales in favour of one mid-table team finishing noticeably richer than the other.

While each club earned a minimum of approximately £82m in TV money for their troubles in the Premier League in 2018-19, the 'facility fees' and merit payments were variable from team to team.

For example, in the 2018-19 season, City picked up just under £38.4m ($46.7m) for finishing first in merit payments, while Liverpool's second place earned them £36.5m ($44.4m) .

However, the Reds earned more overall than the champions thanks to their involvement in a greater number of TV games - 29 to City's 26, so three more to be precise.

Premier League prize money breakdown

The Premier League broke down their central broadcast revenues as follows in 2018-19:

The change in the Premier League's broadcast deals for 2019-20 onwards was initially expected to see an overall rise of around £180m ($219m), give or take, though it is unclear if that will be the case now. 

Curiously, domestic income was actually down for the latest batch of contracts, with increased finance from foreign broadcasters instead contributing to the larger fiscal outlook.

In addition, the new injection of revenue from overseas will not, as it historically has been, be split equally between the 20 teams.

Instead, it will follow the pattern of the merit payments, and will be allocated in line with finishing position.

In theory, this will hand a significant increase in finance to the top clubs from 2019-20 onwards, though teams are still set to receive a fair equal share of overall fiscal income.

With revenues from ticket sales set to be down across the board for clubs due to the public-health-led decision to play games behind closed doors, this prize money - whatever it may be - will be crucial.

Real Madrid have opened talks with Bayer Leverkusen over loaning them 18-year-old Brazilian wonderkid Reinier, with the Bundesliga club potentially looking for a replacement for Chelsea-linked Kai Havertz.

Reinier - who finished fourth place in Goal's NxGn 2020 list of the best young talents in world football - joined Madrid from Flamengo in January 2020 and spent the remainder of the 2019-20 season with the club's Castilla squad.

The Liga club are looking at providing him with more first-team exposure next season, however, and see a loan move to the Bundesliga as being ideal for his development.

Indeed, Leverkusen could well lose star man Havertz in the summer, with Chelsea having been in talks with the Germany international, who is keen to make the switch to Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are yet to have reached an agreement on a final fee with Peter Bosz's side, however, as Leverkusen hold out for a figure in the region of €100m (£90m/$111m), while Chelsea are hoping to negotiate a lower fee.

Seeing Havertz, who has been one of the stars of the Bundesliga in the 2019-20 campaign, leave the club would represent a significant blow, although Reinier's arrival would be something of a coup.

The teenager is seen as one of the stars of the future and helped Flamengo win the domestic title in Brazil in 2019, while he was also part of their successful Copa Libertadores-winning squad.

He made the big move to Madrid in January 2020, although has not yet been fully integrated into the first-team, instead making three appearances for the Castilla side, scoring two goals and claiming one assist.

Should they complete the loan signing of Reinier, Leverkusen would also be able to offer him European football, with Bosz's side having qualified for the Europa League after finishing fifth in the table.

Madrid feel that a switch to Germany would provide an excellent tactical and technical experience for Reinier, who at just 18 has had little experience outside of Brazil, where he spent his youth career with the likes of Vasco, Botafogo and Fluminense prior to joining Flamengo in 2014.

Real Valladolid - who have legendary Brazil striker Ronaldo in place as their majority owner - had also been interested in a temporary deal for the midfielder, however, it appears Leverkusen are now set to win the race for his signature.