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Harambee Starlets coach David Ouma has revealed he is following up with his players to ensure they are keeping fit despite the Covid-19 pandemic which led to the postponement of games.

The national women's team have not been in action for some time now and with the leagues also suspended, it is tough for the players to maintain their shape, but the tactician has explained how they are kept in check.

"As a coach, I have been keeping track of the players to see to it that they remain fit," Ouma said as quoted by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) website. 

"I have been in close contact with their coaches to ensure that their training programs are sufficient. 

"I have also been following up on the newly called-up players, whom we went with to Turkey before the pandemic struck, to ensure that they remain fit for the resumption of football activities."

The former Sofapaka coach has also revealed his best moments with the national team.

"We played 22 high profile international matches in 2016, and the highlight was the Africa Women Cup of Nations (Awcon) [in Cameroon]. We also reached the final of the 2016 Cecafa Women Championship," Ouma added.

"In 2017, we continued to build this team, and it was encouraging when we posted stellar performances in the 2020 Olympics Qualifiers where we eliminated Ghana, which is a World Cup nation. Eventually, we won the 2019 Cecafa Women Championships in Tanzania for the first time ever."
  
It was also a year which players like Annette Kundu and Ruth Ingosi sealed moves to Lakatamia FC of Cyprus, while Corazone Aquino was also snapped up by Portuguese side Atletico Ouriense.

"It gives me joy when I see these players further their careers abroad. Every coach wants to see their products excel and I am not any different," Ouma stated.

He went on to challenge those who have not yet made it to the national team to give their best while challenging those already in the team to maintain their standards. 

"The door into and out of the national team is always open. Keep working hard wherever you are. For those who have gotten a chance, you need to act as role models and remained focused," he concluded.
  

Barcelona boss Quique Setien is clinging to the hope Real Madrid will falter to allow for a late twist in the title race.

Despite holding a narrow La Liga lead when the season resumed, Barcelona have slipped four points behind their great rivals with only four rounds of games remaining.

A coronation for Zinedine Zidane's team appears inevitable, given they have won seven straight fixtures since the league's suspension ended.

But Setien is refusing to wave the white flag, as he told a press conference on Tuesday: "Of course we can still win La Liga. Mathematics says it. We have to keep hope until the final day.

"We have to look at what we can do. Win, leave good feelings, make progress. And if not in this situation, everything we do is worth it for the next one."

Should Barcelona take the title battle down to the final day, that would be a small triumph in itself given the current circumstances at Camp Nou, but victory in the home derby against Espanyol on Wednesday is surely imperative.

They have the Champions League resumption to come in August, then a new La Liga season after that, and Setien wants to see signs of progress from a team who have struggled since COVID-19 caused the 2019-20 campaign to be stalled for three months.

Club president Josep Maria Bartomeu has indicated he plans to keep Setien on for at least one more year, with the coach speaking of "the circus that is football" as speculation surrounded his position.

"The club are happy with the work we do, I focus on that," he added. "I don't value whether we win a game or lose others. I don't live daily, I work with more perspective.

"We are quite happy, as I have said on numerous occasions. Results are one thing and the feelings are another."

Setien feels his team are performing better than their results have been indicating, as he highlighted "very good moments" in the matches where Barcelona have dropped points. Three draws, alongside the four wins they have achieved since La Liga returned, have proven costly.

The Spanish tactician was cheered by Antoine Griezmann's delicious chip in Sunday's 4-1 win at Villarreal, where the Frenchman was given a more central attacking role than in previous games and thrived on the responsibility.

"He has enough ability to show his level," Setien said. "The other day there was a moment of inspiration and the players who played on the inside and the threat on the outside were closely linked.

"Sergi Roberto helped and did things very well."

Mohun Bagan have announced they have cleared all the salary dues of their players on July 7. Last month, the club had promised that they would clear the salaries in two instalments on or before July 20.

A statement from the club read, “We are pleased to inform you that Mohun Bagan Football Club (India) Pvt. Ltd has already cleared the due salaries of the Indian coaches, players and support staff, today, July 7, 2020.

“Kindly note, the club had made a commitment to clear the dues of all players, coaches and support staff by July 20, 2020.”

The Kolkata giants had cleared the first instalment of salaries on June 20 and now with the second instalment being paid, the club is free of all pay-related liabilities.

The I-League defending champions had merged with Indian Super League (ISL) winners ATK to form a single entity earlier this year to take part in the country's top division.

The two clubs have formed a new company ATK Mohun Bagan Private Limited which has been incorporated with the Government of India's Ministry of Corporate Affairs on June 17. 

Other than participating in the ISL, the new entity will also take part in the group stages of AFC Cup 2021 by using the slot gained by Mohun Bagan’s as the I-League 2019-20 champions.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has given his support to head coach Quique Setien, but believes club legend Xavi will inherit the managerial reins "one day".

Xavi, who holds the record for the most Barca appearances of all time, has long been linked with the top job at Camp Nou, where he spent 17 trophy-laden years as a player.

He was considered one of the front-runners to take the post when Ernesto Valverde was sacked in January, only to publicly suggest he was not ready, which led Barca to turn to Setien.

Xavi has since said he wants to become Barcelona coach and has been tipped to succeed the under-fire Setien, but on Sunday the ex-midfielder signed a contract extension as manager of Qatari club Al-Sadd.

And though the jury remains out on Setien given his side have fallen four points behind Real Madrid in La Liga, Bartomeu has given him his backing.

"Setien will continue, obviously," the Barca chief told RAC1.

"I do not regret Valverde's change. The team needed a boost. Setien knows our DNA, the model and has brought new airs and new ideas.

"The coaches are obviously subject to the results, but I am happy with the evolution of the team."

On Xavi's coaching credentials, Bartomeu added: "[Xavi is] a great coach who I am sure will one day come to Barca."

Barca's poor form and infighting behind the scenes has again led to speculation that Lionel Messi could do the unthinkable and actually depart the club when his contract expires in 2021.

Bartomeu has remained steadfast in his belief that the 33-year-old will retire with the Blaugrana and said the club will do all they can to extend his deal.

"He has a contract until 2021 – normally we do not explain the conversations with the players but it is evident that we have an obligation to renew him," he said.

"Messi is the best player in the world."

Messi and Co. will be back in La Liga action on Tuesday night, with Espanyol set to arrive at Camp Nou for a local derby clash.

A win would see Barca continue to put pressure on arch-rivals and current leaders Madrid, who are scheduled to take on Deportivo Alaves at Santiago Bernabeu on Friday.

Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder George Maluleka has officially bid farewell to Kaizer Chiefs following his departure last week.

Mauleka's contract with Amakhosi came to an end on June 30 and the Naturena-based side decided not to extend it until the end of the season. 

The 31-year-old said the road he travelled with Chiefs for the past six-and-a-half years can never be forgotten and admitted all he achieved with the club wouldn't have been possible without the support from the fans, staff members and Kaizer Motaung.  

"To the chairman, staff members and faithful Kaizer Chiefs fans, It’s a constant surprise of just how far a road we have travelled together. The continued love, commitment and support you’ve shown can never be forgotten," said Maluleka on his official Instagram account.  

"The road that I have travelled with Kaizer Chiefs could not have been done without your continued support.

"Thanks for always getting excited about the games we played as a team, despite it not always ending well. Your support expressed on social media and other platforms, also in real life and in real-time, will always be appreciated."

Maluleka further revealed that leaving Chiefs wasn't easy but he is already excited about the challenge ahead at Sundowns. 

He said Chiefs and everyone associated with them hold a special place in his heart and not only now that he's left for the Brazilians but for many years to come. 

"Endings are never easy but I celebrate it knowing that it precedes new beginnings," added the Tembisa-born midfielder. 

"As I enter a new season, I remember the powerful words of Martin Luther King JR, 'Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step’.

"You will all continue to hold a special place in my heart, both now and for years to come. And as I take my first step into the new season, I look forward to the new challenges that lie ahead in Mamelodi Sundowns."

Maluleka may have already left Chiefs but he is only eligible to play for Sundowns next season because of the extended season due to the Covid-19 outbreak. 

Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has included Arsenal star Bukayo Saka in his Premier League Team of the Week.

The Anglo-Nigerian delivered a spectacular performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux Stadium on Saturday.  

The 18-year-old scored his first Premier League goal in the encounter with a brilliant finish to help the Gunners clinch a 2-0 victory and keep their hopes of playing in Europe next season alive.

Following the eye-catching performance, Saka has been named as one of the standout players in the English top-flight in the week under review while his coach Mikel Arteta has been adjudged as the best manager.

The versatile player was promoted to the senior team after signing his first professional contract following his convincing showing in the Gunners’ youth setup.

Saka has since been impressive and was recently handed a new long-term contract to ward off suitors who have been jostling for his signature.

The forward, who has also played as a full-back for the Emirates Stadium outfit this season, has made 34 appearances across all competitions, including 22 in the Premier League.

In February, the young defender was named the club’s player of the month and he is currently in the running for the June award as well.

Saka’s solid defensive performance and fine showing upfront are instrumental to the Gunners’ current seventh position on the English top-flight.

The versatile player has featured for England youth teams but he is still eligible to play for Nigeria, where his parents hail from.

He will hope to continue his eye-catching performances when Arsenal take on Leicester City, who would be expected to parade Super Eagles duo of Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi, on Tuesday evening.

Jurgen Klopp has outlined his vision for a completely homegrown Liverpool squad in the future, insisting it his "dream to have a team full of Scousers".

Liverpool have enjoyed a hugely successful 2019-20 season, winning three major trophies in total including an elusive Premier League title.

To boost their bid for top-flight glory, Klopp took the chance to rest a number of first-team stars in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, and as expected, his side exited both competitions early.

However, a number of academy prospects gave a good account of themselves when asked to step up, including Neco Williams, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott.

All three youngsters impressed enough to force their way into contention for Premier League minutes, with Klopp set to shuffle his pack in the final weeks of the season with nothing left to play for.

Jones committed to a new long-term deal at Anfield on Saturday, and Elliott followed suit two days later, as the Reds continue to usher in the next generation of talent.

Klopp is hoping to see plenty more promising youngsters hop off the conveyor belt in the coming years, and would ideally like most of them to hail from Liverpool.

He told a press conference ahead of the Reds' clash with Brighton on Wednesday: "The biggest plus for young players is time. But the moment they lose patience is the moment things go not how they should.

"We try to help them as much as they can to become the best players they can be. I really like that these boys have committed their future. Our Academy is producing some great players in the past few years.

"We want to be the club where everyone with a Scouse soul wants to play. If you are talented and ready to work hard we want you here. To be able to do that we have to show there is a pathway through to the first team.

"The dream in the long term is that we have a team full of Scousers. Why not? They would fight like crazy."

Williams is also reportedly in line for a new contract at Anfield and Klopp is pleased with how he has developed since graduating to the senior fold.

The Liverpool boss added: "Neco will make exactly the same steps as Harvey and Curtis. It is a little bit easier for him to have minutes than it is, for example, Harvey, who has made really good steps and is unbelievable.

"The more players you can produce yourself the better it saves you money. Whatever we can save out there in the crazy transfer market that helps.

"I'm so happy with the two boys' new contracts. We are here for preparing careers until the boys are ready to play week in, week out.

"I proved in the past at [Borussia] Dortmund and here it is not about how old you are but how good you are."

The country was caught up with the central defender who was thought to have ties to Malaysia whether by blood or through his paternal links. As a 22-year-old player who has an impressive physique, Kalonda was seen as the answer to the shortage of quality options available to national team head coach Tan Cheng Hoe in that position.

Efforts were made to do the groundwork and Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) themselves reached out to the Zesco United player to clarify the situation. However after an extensive check on his background via the documents that the player provided to the governing body, it has been proven that the tenuous link is not valid.

Through FAM's general-secretary Stuart Ramalingam, the statement released on Tuesday evening closed the book on the Kalonda chapter with FAM assuring the public that they do not take lightly claims such as this and at the same time warn people not to make false claims.

"After the stories surfaced regarding Kalonda and his subsequent claims that his father and grandfather came from Sabah, FAM too the first step of contacting Kalonda to get confirmation. He was informed of the criterias per the rules set by FIFA and we provided to him a checklist to get further confirmation.

"Upon receipt of the documents from Kalonda, FAM have contacted the relevant parties to validate those documents including Congo Football Association (FECOFOOT), Congo consulate in Mlaaysia as well as the National Registry Department (JPN). Yesterday (6 Jul), FAM received the response from JPN that one of the documents received is not valid.

"We have informed Kalonda on the result of the validation and with that, FAM have decided to stop all the process regarding this player," said Stuart in his statement.

While it was a long shot in the first place as FAM themselves already have a working committee to find heritage players from around the world and Kalonda himself has not surfaced in their checks, this confirmation is still a slight blow to the national team as the centre back position is a known problematic area.

Goal understands that Cheng Hoe himself was quite keen to have the chance to assess Kalonda after seeing videos of his performances for his club side but this latest development has certainly put a stop to that. With this, the attention looks likely to turn back towarsd Liridon Krasniqi who had early this year obtained his Malaysian passport.

Wazito FC boss Ricardo Badoer has explained the reason he moved to sack 11 players from the club.

Goal exclusively reported on Tuesday the promoted side had released 11 players, among them long-serving custodian Steven Njunge, midfielder Teddy Osok, forwards Victor Ndinya, Pistone Mutamba, Derrick Otanga, and goalkeeper Kevin Omondi.

Others are the foreign quartet of Paul Acquah from Ghana, DR Congo's Piscas Kirenge, Augustine Otu of Liberia, and Togolese Issifou Bourahana, who were not spared either.

The 2018/19 National Super League champions struggled to cope with the best teams in the top-flight, and after the league suspension, they were in the 13th position with just 20 points acquired from 23 matches.

Badoer has now revealed he had to release the players because they had failed to live up to expectations and were signed without his approval.

“Today [Tuesday] the Wazito FC cleaning continues,” Badoer said in a message on Twitter, which also indicates more players will be kicked out.

“Kicking out no good players that were recruited without my approval. All they did was to eat my money and lose games. I wish them the best on the streets where they belong. They lacked self-respect and love for the game.”

In an earlier interview, Otanga, who joined Wazito from Sony Sugar, told Goal they had been asked to leave because the club was not making enough money owing to the effects caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

“The management told us Covid-19 has not made it easy for the club businesswise, and tough decisions had to be made,” Otanga, who joined the club at the beginning of the 2019/20 season, told Goal on Tuesday.

"It is a matter of recollecting yourself and getting another team to continue developing and growing your career. I take this opportunity to thank Wazito for the chance to play for them and wish them the best.”

The sacking of the players came just a day after the club parted ways with British coach Stewart Hall on mutual agreement. The tactician had managed to steady the club after it had struggled to cope with the pressure in the top-tier since their promotion at the start of the season.

Hall's departure makes him the latest in Wazito's long line of coaches.

Fred Ambani was relieved of his duties in October 2019 after helping the Nairobi-based club earn promotion. Ambani's place was taken by Melis Medo who was subsequently sacked after just three matches at the helm.

With his abrupt exit, Hall becomes the first KPL coach to leave his job before the start of the 2020/21 season.

Luis Alberto admits that it is “a little bit” his fault that he flopped at Liverpool before going on to become a star at Lazio.

The Spanish midfielder spent three years on the books at Anfield between 2013 and 2016.

Just one full campaign would actually be spent on Merseyside, in 2013-14, with 12 goalless appearances taken in.

With the Reds deciding that Alberto was surplus to requirements, he was loaned out to Malaga and Deportivo La Coruna before sealing a permanent move to Italy.

The 27-year-old has thrived in Serie A, earning senior international recognition along the way, and is seeing big-money moves mooted ahead of the next transfer window.

Liverpool could be forgiven for questioning their decision to let the talented winger go, but Alberto concedes that he did not offer enough in England to be deserving of an extended stay.

He told France Football: “I think it’s a little bit my fault.

“I didn’t do everything necessary to be at my level in terms of work and focus.

“What I should have done at 20, I was only able to do it at 25. It’s a shame, I lost a few years. I’m 27 now. I’m trying to make the most of it and I think there’s a lot of time left to continue to enjoy myself."

Alberto added: “I left Spain quickly, and especially a context, at Barcelona’s B team. At Liverpool, I adapted well, but it happened bit by bit.

“I finished by reaching a good level, with the possibility of playing a little bit. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the chance to win the Premier League.”

Alberto has seen his stock rise again in the 2019-20 campaign, with six goals and 16 assists recorded through 34 appearances for Lazio.

He has played a leading role in a season that has seen the Rome-based outfit challenge Juventus for title glory.

Lazio have him tied to terms through to the summer of 2022 but, amid the mounting interest being shown in his services, are said to be in the process of trying to thrash out an extended stay for a key man.

Thiago Alcantara would be a welcome addition to a Premier League title-winning squad at Liverpool, says Steve Nicol, but the Spaniard has been warned he will not “walk into” the team at Anfield.

Speculation continues to be build when it comes to a possible raid on the ranks at Bayern Munich from Jurgen Klopp.

The German champions have conceded that those they have been unable to tie down on fresh terms could depart as they enter the final 12 months of their current contracts.

Thiago falls into that category, with the 29-year-old said to be open to the idea of taking on a new challenge in England.

His qualities would sit well within Klopp’s ranks, with the Barcelona academy graduate another of those who blends graft with guile.

Nicol, though, feels that the Spain international would merely be adding depth on Merseyside if a deal were to be done.

For the former Liverpool defender, there are no established stars that would be nudged out of the starting XI by the arrival of Thiago.

Nicol told ESPN FC: “I’d like to see him at Liverpool because that would mean he’d just be strengthening the squad and strengthening the competition for places.

“If they do sign him, I don’t think he walks into the team. I don’t think he is in the starting eleven. But yes absolutely, the more quality you have and the more competition you have for places.

“At the very least, it keeps everybody on their toes.”

Klopp continues to play his cards close to his chest when it comes to possible summer additions at Liverpool.

He has, however, admitted to being an admirer of Thiago, whose performances have helped Bayern secure a league and cup double in Germany this season.

Quizzed on his supposed interest in the Spanish star on the back of a 2-0 Premier League win over Aston Villa, Klopp said: "Would you be surprised if I never gave an answer on that? I never answer these kind of questions.

“Thiago Alcantara is a really good player. Like a lot of other players out there, I like him a lot. That's all I have to say about that.”

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has blamed the problems facing African football to endless wrangles involving those mandated to run the game.

The British tactician, who has been handling K’Ogalo for the last season, is irked by the fact the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) and the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) are yet to make official the fate of the 2019-20 season, which was ended in mid-March owing to the effects caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite the FKF ending the season and declaring Gor Mahia the champions, the KPL has insisted they were not part of the decision and will make their findings known when the right time comes.

It is a situation that has left coach Polack a mad man considering the latest ban on sporting activities and social gatherings, which will end on August 7, means the top-flight likely cannot be played to the end as the KPL was advocating for and as such teams can only plan for the new season.

“If these associations were organised and doing responsibilities they have been mandated to do and they come together, then we could be talking of football development in the country,” Polack told Goal on Tuesday.

“Instead of the associations fighting each other, they should be on the same page working together to find a solution not fighting about no solution, we have to find a solution of talking to each other and this will help, not always fighting day in day out, they [FKF and KPL] are always not on the same page, it is all about football, nothing else, football, football and that is what we need to promote.

“I don’t know why we always have politics in African football if you go to Ivory Coast, South Africa, Ghana in Nigeria and the rest we have same problems, same fights, people not reading from the same page and like I said we all want to train and the players want to play football and that is the end of the story.

“Football should not have politics, I talked to my players on Saturday, we are all football people, we want to play football, and I want to coach football, we don’t want politics in football, the players want to play, my technical staff wants to coach and I also want to coach.”

Polack maintained his stance that both the FKF and the KPL should come out for once and give a final statement on what happened to the last campaign.

“They can even do away with the league if they want and we plan for next season, if they nullify it that is what it means, we need to have an official statement, we want it made official, I want something that is concrete, is the league cancelled, is the league nullified or Gor Mahia are the champions,” Polack continued.

“We know we don’t have the resources to do like other leagues have done in Europe to resume, no club has those resources here in Kenya and that is why the President has kept pushing the resumption of sports, I understand he knows we don’t have the resources to do that.

“The question still remains, what happened to the 2019-20 season? That is the question, which must be answered and I think basically, we are not smart people, we are not moving with the situation when curfews are being extended.

“It means now the league could start at the end of September or earlier October, and are we ready for that, are they [FKF and KPL] prepared?

“All football clubs don’t know what is going, even the media doesn’t know what is happening, they have refused to tell us what is the final state of the 2019-20 season, it is either they cancel it and tell the clubs or give the title to Gor Mahia and make it official.”

Polack replaced Hassan Oktay at the start of the last campaign.

Reading forward Yakou Meite has warned Huddersfield Town ahead of their Championship clash on Tuesday evening, revealing his side’s confidence is back.

The winger inspired the Royals back to winning ways against Luton Town on Saturday after two consecutive defeats, to Derby County and Brentford.

The 24-year-old forward scored four of the goals that helped Mark Bowen’s men secure a 5-0 triumph over Luton and moved them to the 14th spot on the league table.

Following the victory, the Paris Saint-Germain academy graduate has praised the collective effort of the team and feels they are ready to build on the display when they take on the Terriers.  

“I am most happy for the team because most important was the win – and we did it. Our confidence is back and everyone is happy,” Meite told the club website.

“When you see the team in training, you see what we can do. We have a lot of quality. But we can’t just say that and don’t show it on the pitch.

“We did it very well, and we need to keep going because we still have a lot of games to come. They come quick and we need to show people that we can play well. That’s what we did.

“Everyone was focused today. Last week, we didn’t play very well – we can’t play like this against a good side. We needed to react, to show to our fans that we can play better than we did.

“It’s a nice feeling. We needed more confidence, and we got it. So we focus on Huddersfield now and hopefully we can do the same against them.

“We need to recover quick… the games are coming so fast! We celebrate the victory, but we have to stay focused on the game on Tuesday. Hopefully, we can get the win at home this time.

“It’s a short time to prepare; as soon as the game against Luton is done, we start to think about Huddersfield and how they play.”

The forward has now scored 16 goals in this campaign for Reading and praised his partnership with Liverpool loanee and Super Eagles target Ovie Ejaria. 

“My favourite was the goal where Ovie gave me the ball between the defenders,” he continued.

“Ovie and me, we have a good eye-contact! When I make my run, he knows when and how to give me the ball and I finished it well. I think that was favourite.

“Sixteen goals is my record so far – last year was my best so far with 13. And I just want to do more! Score goals and help my teammates to win games.”

The Ivory Coast international will hope to add to his tally against Huddersfield at Madejski Stadium.

Thiago Alcantara "would love Liverpool", according to former Bayern Munich captain Lothar Matthaus, who insists the midfielder would "fit perfectly with Jurgen Klopp".

Bayern snapped up Thiago from Barcelona for €25 million (£23m/$28m) in the summer of 2013, and he has since become one of the most important members of their squad.

The 29-year-old has racked up 231 appearances for the German champions in total, scoring 31 goals while also laying on 37 assists.

Bayern have won 15 trophies with the Spain international pulling the strings in the middle of the park, including seven Bundesliga titles, the latest of which was secured last month.

However, Thiago only has one year left to run on his current contract at Allianz Arena, and has yet to reach an agreement with the club over an extension.

Hansi Flick is hoping that the former Barca star chooses to stay put, but the Bayern boss has conceded that it would be "normal" for the playmaker to seek a new challenge in a different league as he heads into the latter stages of his career.

Anfield has been mooted as a possible next destination for Thiago, with Liverpool reportedly lining up a summer swoop for his signature.

Ex-Bayern and Germany midfielder Matthaus thinks the Spaniard has all the attributes to slot into Klopp's line-up seamlessly, and cannot see him remaining in Bavaria for another season.

“With Thiago, I’m pretty sure the signs are goodbye,” the 59-year-old told Sport Buzzer. “What other reason would he have for not yet accepting Bayern’s offer? 

"Liverpool are obviously very keen on him and he would absolutely love the football, the team and fit perfectly with Jurgen Klopp."

Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge also weighed in on Thiago's future over the weekend, telling Bild: “We had serious negotiations with him and fulfilled all of his wishes.

"But it looks like he might want to do something new again at the end of his career.

“We don’t want to lose a player for free next year. I say that very clearly.”

Barcelona have no intention of activating the €111 million (£100m/$125m) release clause in Lautaro Martinez’s contract at Inter, but the Liga giants are still keen to thrash out a deal for the Argentine.

Those at San Siro have made any suitors of their South American forward aware that one window of opportunity will swing shut at the close of play on Tuesday.

For them, that is when the current release terms in Lautaro’s contract will expire.

Barcelona consider that clause to be valid for another week, through to July 15, but have no plans to take it up regardless.

The Liga giants are reluctant to enter into discussions at that asking price and are prepared to wait before opening any negotiations with Inter.

Club president Josep Maria Bartomeu has told RAC1 when quizzed on the reported interest that Barca hold in Lautaro: “I am not talking about transfers. We have not marked the signings in the calendar for when they should be completed.”

Meanwhile, Inter chief executive Giuseppe Marotta has told DAZN that the Serie A outfit “does not want to sell its champions, unless there is a desire on the part of the player to leave”.

Lautaro has given little away when it comes to his future plans.

Barca believe an agreement can be reached but, with the financial implications of the coronavirus pandemic taken into account, they see the 22-year-old’s asking price being considerably lower than its current mark.

They have been busy piecing together plans behind the scenes for any summer business, with Goal reporting back in April that a lucrative contract is being readied for Lautaro.

The Catalans hope that those terms will aid their cause, with the club unable to splash out €111m on one player in the next window even if they wanted to.

Barca’s plan is to bring Lautaro’s price tag down, with the player understood to be open to transfer talks.

In his mind, he either remains at San Siro or heads to Camp Nou, and no alternative options will be considered.

Inter, though, maintain that the player has expressed no desire to them for an imminent switch to be pushed through and, with that in mind, negotiations from this point are expected to be tricky.

The Nerazzurri have made it clear that they will not bow to the demands of a European rival and will hold out for the best possible terms if a sale has to be sanctioned.

Barca hope that including a number of their players in a part-exchange package will help to sweeten the deal and relax Inter’s stance.

They want to bring in a proven performer who has 17 goals to his name from 37 appearances this season, with Lautaro seen as the perfect long-term successor to Luis Suarez in Catalunya.

One opportunity to make that happen is about to expire, but there may be many more to put a deal in place.

Ugandan Premier League (UPL) side Police FC have completed the signing of experienced midfielder Tony Mawejje.

The former Uganda international player was unveiled on Tuesday after agreeing to pen a two-year contract to become the first signing for the club ahead of the new season.

On unveiling the player, Police chairman Asan Kasingye said on their social media pages: “We no longer just want to compete, we need to win trophies. We are former champions and its time to think big.

“Football is a big enterprise in the world that doesn’t entertain mediocrity. We need to do the right thing like other clubs.”

Kasingye added it was the right time for the team to secure sponsors because Police are a big organisation and many people want to be part of it.

On what Mawejje will bring to the squad, Kasingye said: “He brings a lot of experience, discipline, and a sign of commitment to the club.

“I also thank Tony for choosing us as he would have gone to other clubs! He was at his prime but he chose Police and he plays with one heart. I take this opportunity to welcome you back to the family.”

The chairman also revealed the club will do what they can to retain most of their players to build a strong side ahead of the new season.

On signing for Police, Mawejje said: “I’m so happy to be back at Police, the team which I played for in 2006 when we won Cecafa. I’m happy to reunite with my family as I have so much history and great memories here.

“I am looking forward to rekindling those memories.”

Mawejje was part of the Police squad, then known as Police Jinja, in 2006 and 2007 although he might take a while to return to full fitness as he has been clubless since 2019 when he terminated his contract with Al-Arabi SC of Kuwait.

Mawejje, 33, is an experienced midfielder having played for more than 10 clubs in his career spanning over a decade.

The Ugandan started playing football in 2004 at Kampala City Council FC, now KCCA FC, until 2005 before he joined Police Jinja for a stint that lasted about two years.

In 2008, Mawejje joined Uganda Revenue Authority (URA FC) and left in 2009 for IBV Vestmannaeyjar and the club became his first foreign team.

Mawejje spent a long time with the Icelandic club compared to the other clubs he has featured for. He made 106 appearances and scored 10 goals.

The midfielder joined Golden Arrows of South Africa in 2012 on loan, made an appearance, and scored no goals before returning to Europe, and this time around joined Norwegian club Haugesund but made no appearance at all in 2014.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is doing a "brilliant job" at Old Trafford, according to Luke Shaw, who says the current Manchester United team is the most confident and exciting he's played in.

United have been in scintillating form since the resumption of the 2019-20 campaign on June 17, winning four of their last five fixtures in all competitions.

Solskjaer's men struggled for consistency in the first half of the season, but a 16-match unbeaten run which began in January could be extended when they take in a trip to Aston Villa on Thursday.

The Red Devils are now only three points behind third-placed Leicester in the table and two adrift of Chelsea, who currently occupy the final Champions League spot.

Shaw is happy to give Solskjaer full credit for United's recent revival, highlighting the Norwegian's shrewd recruitment policy and man-management skills behind the scenes.

"The manager has done a brilliant job," the Red Devils left-back told Sky Sports. "Of course the players he has brought in, the group of players now, we all get on really well and I think there is a great happiness in and around the training ground each day.

"Everyone is smiling, everyone is enjoying each other's company and I think that is important to have a successful team.

"Everyone wants the same thing and gets along with each other and I can see a big change in the group not just on the pitch, but with each other off the pitch too."

Shaw added on being a part of a squad brimming with "confidence" and "belief" after a superb run of form: "Over the past years, it hasn't always been the most exciting and we have not always played as well as I feel like we are at the moment - especially in my time here.

"This is the most confident [we have felt]. Around the training ground and on the pitch now, the confidence is so high and we are going into games now full of belief.

"A big turning point was going 1-0 down [against Bournemouth] the other day. In recent times we would have struggled with getting results, but I think that is a sign that we are going in the right direction.

"Of course we are very happy with how things are going but of course there is still room for improvement we all believe."

Manchester United should still be looking to strengthen this summer despite enjoying a recent resurgence, says Andy Cole, with long-standing target Jadon Sancho one of those who would bring “something different” to Old Trafford.

A raid on Borussia Dortmund by the Red Devils for an England international winger has been mooted for some time.

Those at Old Trafford are, however, said to have reservations about investing too heavily in a player with a price tag that could top €100 million (£90m/$113m).

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has also seen 18-year-old Mason Greenwood emerge as a potential senior star of the future after stepping out of United’s academy system to hit 15 goals this season.

Bringing in Sancho could stunt the progress of a home-grown forward, but Cole believes competition for places and added quality in the collective ranks can only be considered a good thing.

The 1999 Treble winner told MUTV: "You’re always looking to bring in players.

"There’s talk of Jadon Sancho coming in. Would he give Manchester United something different? Of course he would.

"I’m not going to sit here and say, 'Oh no, he’s not good enough!' because of course he’s good enough.

"He’s got pace, he’s got the ability to go past players, score goals and create.

"I think ultimately all those kind of things are going to be down to financial issues coming out of Covid-19 – financially, it’s hit every football club.

"But Manchester United will undoubtedly look to strengthen and look to add to what they have."

While the Red Devils have shown encouraging signs of late, with an unbeaten run stretched to 16 games, Cole believes investment in the next transfer window will help Solskjaer’s side to continue closing the gap on those at the top of the Premier League.

He added: "If you look at the way Liverpool have dominated the league this season, you’ve got to try and close the gap on them and Manchester City.

"So, yeah, I think Manchester United will definitely look to bring someone else in.

"If you look man-for-man at Liverpool and Manchester City, I think we’re possibly three or four players short.

"What we need to get in our head is: if we’re three or four players short and we buy those players, those teams are looking to kick on as well.

"They’re not going to stand still and rest on their laurels. They’re going to look to bring in better players as well."

Neco Williams is ready to start “pushing” Trent Alexander-Arnold for regular minutes in Liverpool’s star-studded team, with another highly-rated right-back having emerged from a famed academy system.

The Reds have already nurtured one home-grown star through their youth ranks to become an established member of their first-team squad.

Alexander-Arnold, at just 21 years of age, is a Champions League and Premier League title winner with nine England caps to his name.

He has expressed a desire to become the greatest right-back of the modern era and has every intention of seeing his career out as a one-club man.

Williams, though, is already knocking on the door behind him, with the 19-year-old Welshman next off the production line.

He is looking to take important lessons from one of the very best in the business and compete with him for minutes before a potential move into midfield for Alexander-Arnold that continues to be mooted.

Williams told Liverpool’s official website: “Definitely - in training now as I’m playing I’m watching him, I’m taking things in and taking stuff that he does into my game.

“In training now I’m pushing. I’m pushing him and he’s pushing me and it’s nice to have a little battle because I’m trying to fight for a place and so are all the other lads, so there’s nothing stopping us from trying to perform and putting in the hard work in training to fight for a place.”

Williams added: “I just need to keep doing what I’m doing in training: keep improving, keep working hard, believe in myself and keep getting the minutes in.

“Because if I’m doing that then for sure, the boss will hopefully give me some game time and I’ll show to everyone what I can do and what I’m capable of doing.”

Williams did figure in Liverpool’s most recent outing, as he replaced Andy Robertson at left-back in a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa, and is now just two appearances short of qualifying for a Premier League winners’ medal.

“Just to take it home to my family and show them would be a dream come true,” Williams said of the title ambition that is driving him and fellow youngsters such as Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott.

“Every day now we are showing the boss what we can do in training and we are improving every day. Hopefully if we keep showing what we are capable of doing and keep improving every day then the boss will have no choice but to give us a bit of game time, and we’ll prove to everyone that we are capable of playing and prove to everyone that they can trust the young lads.

“We will put everything into it and we’ll give 100 per cent like everyone always does as part of the Liverpool team.”