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Liverpool should be looking to bring Philippe Coutinho back to the club from a forgettable spell at Barcelona as there is nobody better to fill their number 10 berth, says Jose Enrique.

The Reds parted with the Brazil international playmaker back in the winter transfer window of 2018.

A professional dream was chased as Coutinho headed to Camp Nou, but a spell in Catalunya has becoming something of a nightmare.

The South American schemer has struggled to find his spark at Barca, leading to him being loaned out to Bayern Munich.

Further struggles for form and fitness have been suffered in Germany, with Coutinho about to see his No.10 shirt passed to Leroy Sane.

The 28-year-old is facing up to an uncertain future, with there seemingly no role for him back in Spain.

That has led to talk of a return to the Premier League being made, with various landing spots offered up – from Tottenham to Newcastle.

Liverpool have offered no indication that they are looking to bring Coutinho back into what is now a Premier League title-winning squad.

Enrique, though, believes that a player who has thrived at Anfield before could be the perfect option for Jurgen Klopp as he seeks to bring added creativity into his ranks.

The former Reds defender told Stadium Astro: “We need a playmaker, a number 10, who is going to be better than Coutinho for us?

“He knows the club, he knows the city, he’s going to perform straight away because he’s been a Premier League player.

“The only problem is wages-wise, I believe he’s very, very high wages-wise in Barcelona, so I’m not sure if he will go to Liverpool obviously losing money.

“The problem with Barcelona, they try to play him on the left side all the time, in Neymar’s position and he’s not this type of player, he needs to play in the middle.”

During his previous stint on Merseyside, which lasted five years, Coutinho took in 201 appearances for Liverpool.

He recorded 54 goals and 45 assists across those outings and Liverpool have, despite enjoying considerable success over the course of the last 13 months, opted against bringing in a like-for-like replacement as yet.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have received a major boost after forward Bernard Morrison boarded the plane to Bukoba ahead of the team’s Mainland Premier League match against Kagera Sugar on Thursday.

The Ghanaian player has been in and out of the Yanga squad and only featured once since the top-flight resume on June 13 – when he came on as a second-half substitute in a 0-0 draw against Azam FC at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Morrison has been at the centre of a transfer saga after reports emerged that rivals Simba SC had tabled an offer to sign him, a move that forced Yanga to lodge an official complaint with the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) asking them to take action against the giants.

Despite returning to training last Thursday, Morrison once again could not show up as Yanga travelled to Mwanza for their league match against Biashara United which ended in a 0-0 draw on Sunday.

Morrison has now travelled to link up with the team ahead of their league clash against Kagera and also in readiness for the FA Cup derby against rivals Simba on Sunday.

“I said it before, I don’t have a problem with [Morrison] and I wanted the club to clear him to come and I am happy he is travelling to be with us before we play Kagera on Thursday,” Eymael told Goal on Monday.

“I would love to have him in my squad because we are chasing to finish second on the log and we also have the derby coming up, which I will like to use him against Simba, he can help us win the match and I want him to be fit and ready to play.”

Eymael had in an earlier interview told Goal the club will face Simba without their key midfielder Haruna Niyonzima, who picked up an injury against Biashara United.

“I lost Haruna [Niyonzima], one of my best players to injury, after only ten minutes into the game and it was due to a bad tackle and his knee twisted and so he will be out of Simba, and there was no reaction from the referee only a free-kick was given,” Eymael told Goal on Monday.

“It is a huge blow to my team because Haruna is one of my best players, one of my favourites, a hard worker a player who fights for the team, so he will not be available to play in the derby."

On Sunday, Yanga lost the second spot in the 20-team league table to Azam FC, who hammered Singida United 7-0 at Azam Complex.

Midfielder Ibrahim Sadam Juma has revealed he turned down a chance to extend his stay at Ugandan Premier League giants KCCA FC.

Allegedly, the Kasasiro Boys tactician Mike Mutebi is not in the player's good books, something that might have contributed to his decision to snub a new deal.

"The club approached me last year about renewal and we held talks but as an individual, I need a new task," Juma revealed as quoted by Sports Nation on Monday.

"The global pandemic has affected my next move but when all comes back to normal, I will let you know where I will be playing from."

The 26-year-old midfielder joined the 13-time league champions in 2017 but has struggled to command a regular starting berth owing to several factors, among them injuries.

The former champions, who surrendered the Uganda Premier League (UPL) crown to rivals Vipers SC after the league was ended owing to the coronavirus pandemic, had initially expressed their intentions to release midfielders Sadam Juma, Muzamir Mutyaba, forward Mike Mutyaba - who has since retired owing to a heart condition - goalkeeper Jamal Malyamungu, and winger Simon Serunkuma.

The other players who might leave the Lugogo-based giants include defensive midfielder Nicholas Kasozi, midfielder Jackson Nunda and striker Erisa Ssekisambu.

KCCA coach Mike Mutebi had confirmed the club is already looking at bringing in youthful players to fill the gap when the changes are effected.

"We have already notified these players they are not in our plans and we wish them well," Mutebi is quoted by Daily Monitor. 

"It is only left to the club CEO [Anisha Muhoozi] to give them farewell letters.

"We thought Muzamir [Mutyaba] would step up and lead the team after Allan Okello left but he is not making progress after five years with us. Mike [Mutyaba] tried his best but injuries have hampered his delivery.

"Like Nunda, we gave Sadam a second chance but in three years they have both barely made 50 matches. They are ever in the sickbay and we can’t hold on anymore."

Mutebi went further to explain why he was sending away Ssekisambu, who joined the club after a stint with Kenyan champions Gor Mahia.

"Most of the players I’m driving out like [Ssekisambu] have failed to impress me with the second chance I gave them. It is the right time that I clear out this generation and look at the next one," he concluded.

Bayern Munich will let Thiago Alcantara and David Alaba dictate their own future, with the pair yet to sign contract extensions amid links to the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City.

The Bundesliga champions are reluctant to part with two prized assets, but have been unable to get either tied down on fresh terms.

With both men entering the final 12 months of their current deals, big decisions need to be made on where they will be playing in 2020-21.

Liverpool have emerged as frontrunners in the race for Thiago, with the Spain international said to be keen on making a fresh start in England. Jurgen Klopp has aired his admiration for the former Barcelona midfielder, with the newly crowned Premier League title winners in the market for more creativity in their engine room.

Alaba, meanwhile, has seen moves to either City or Chelsea mooted. Talk of interest in the Austrian from La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid is also never far away, with the versatile 28-year-old having long been lauded as one of European football’s top talents.

Bayern are understandably keen to keep such ability on their books, but Flick will allow Thiago and Alaba to make up their own mind when it comes to any extended stay in Germany.

He told reporters when quizzed on the pair: “Both of them know what I think of them. We will give them time to think. I try to support as a coach and as an advisor. Ultimately, the player has to decide what he wants. We have to respect that.”

Thiago and Alaba have been a regular topic of conversation for Flick over recent weeks, with Bayern having once again wrapped up a Bundesliga crown with room to spare.

“It’s just that I always have hope. I always see things very positively,” he has said.

Asked specifically about Alaba, who has been on Bayern’s books since joining their academy system in 2008, Flick said: “You can end your career at a club where you were trained. That does not happen all too often today. He could lead the way. I hope we can convince him to sign with Bayern.

“In the end, he’s a very important player for us, the heart. He’s not only an absolutely world-class player, but also important off the pitch.”

Lugano manager Maurizio Jacobacci has expressed his disappointment after Franklin Sasere missed a glorious chance in their 3-0 defeat to Young Boys in Sunday’s Swiss Super League game.

Ivorian midfielder Yao Eloge Koffi scored two own goals in the encounter before Mohamed Camara wrapped up the victory.  

Sasere joined the Cornaredo Stadium outfit last summer from Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side Sunshine Stars on a three-year deal.  

The forward has since struggled for game time, having only featured in five league games for the side since his arrival in Switzerland.

The forward was afforded his first start at Stade de Suisse but failed to make the most of the opportunity and wasted the few chances that came his way before he was replaced in the 46th minute.

 When asked about Sasere’s missed chance in the encounter, Jacobacci expressed his displeasure at the situation.

“As for wasted opportunities, there is a bit of anger, because with a little more calmness, at least one of those goal-bound efforts could and should have been scored,” Jacobacci told the club website.

“Then it is true after conceding two goals that it is difficult to come back into the game and claim three points with a team like Young Boys".

The loss is their 11th in this campaign which ensured they dropped to seventh on the Super League table after gathering 33 points from 28 games.

Sasere is yet to open his account in the Super League and has only managed seven appearances across all competitions.

The former Ifeanyi Ubah player will hope to get a chance to play a part when Lugano take on St. Gallen in their next league game on Thursday.

Nemanja Matic has signed a new Manchester United contract which will keep him at the club until 2023.

The Serbian has been key for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side during their current unbeaten run and has been rewarded for his good form with a new deal.

There were doubts over the midfielder’s Old Trafford future earlier in the year as he struggled to keep his place in the starting XI after a slow start to the season.

The 31-year-old was considering a move away from United if game time was to be limited and his contract was set to expire this summer.

The club exercised an option to extend that deal for a year back in March and the former Chelsea man has now agreed fresh terms to keep him at the club for another three years.

Matic has made 27 appearances in all competitions this season and has been central to the club’s current good form acting as a shield in front of the defence, and the midfielder, who has made 114 appearances since arriving in 2017, is delighted to be extending his stay at the club  

“I am very happy that I will continue to be part of this great club. As a player, I still have a lot more to give and achieve in my career and to do that with Manchester United will be a huge honour,” Matic said.

“This is a really exciting team to be part of, we have a good balance of youth and experience within the squad and there is great comradery amongst the group.

"This is a key part of the season and we are playing well. We will continue to fight to finish the season on a high and make our amazing supporters proud.”

Solskjaer regularly started Matic after Christmas after an improvement in his form and the Norwegian explained why he is happy he has signed a new deal.

“I am delighted that Nemanja has signed a new contract, I know his experience, professionalism and leadership will be invaluable to this young talented group,” Solskjaer said.

“We have great strength in midfield and Nemanja’s attributes are a key part of that. Nemanja has been here for three seasons now and really understands the values of playing for Manchester United. 

"He remains hugely ambitious and determined which will be vital as we look to achieve our aims over the coming years.”

Somalia Football Federation (SFF) president Abdiqani Said Arab believes the renovation and completion of the Mogadishu Stadium will help them cut costs.

The Somalia football national team has been hosting their matches in neighbouring Djibouti due to the issues of insecurity that has rocked the Horn of Africa country for the last three decades.

“The use of Djibouti for our home games means that Ocean Stars had travelled twice for every national duty which caused SFF to spend a lot, so the availability of Mogadishu Stadium will save money for Somali football federation,” Arab told the federation's website.

Arab has, however, noted the unavailability of more stadiums to complement the national facility is another issue but all in all he is optimistic that the multipurpose capital city-based facility will serve in the meantime.

“The country doesn’t have enough facilities and we are still eying to have more venues, but the most important thing is the return of Mogadishu Stadium which is the home of Somali national team and having it in place will also cover other major needs” Arab added.

The federation chief also noted the newly-renovated stadium will serve the fans better in the upcoming matches. Somalia, like its neighbours and global nations, suspended football activities due to the coronavirus outbreak a few months ago.

“Somalis are football-mad people and the re-launch of Stadium Mogadishu would mean that we will get enough space for the tens of thousands who turn out for football matches in Somalia- most notably the best-supported competitions," he concluded.

Somalia national team coach Said Abdi Haibeh revealed they are looking forward to matches at their home stadium which has not been in use for a very long time after it was captured and used by militants.

“The players and I are all looking forward to enjoying at home and play in front of tens of thousands of home-based Somali fans,” Haibeh said in an earlier interview.

“It was a great honour for me to be selected and act as the manager of the history-making Somali national football team last year. The players are well-prepared and ready for the national duties including international friendlies.

“However, I believe that the home atmosphere is going to be electric. This is the long-standing dream of Somali Football Federation authorities and it will soon be true if Allah allows.” 

Mogadishu City Club and Horseed Sports Club featured in the opening match of the stadium on July 1.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Anthony Martial settling into the number nine role has prompted his good run of form which has seen the Manchester United forward reach 20 goals for the season.

The Frenchman scored his first career hat-trick against Sheffield United last month and followed it up with a perfectly-struck strike against Bournemouth at the weekend, taking him to 15 Premier League goals this season.

It is already Martial’s best goalscoring season and United still have five league games remaining, an FA Cup semi-final and the Europa League to continue. And Solskjaer explained the secret behind unlocking the attacker's potential.

“I think the team creating chances, Anthony working hard, being the number nine in a settled position, but also once in a while rotating with Marcus [Rashford] and switching positions,” Solskjaer said.

“For his goal (against Bournemouth), he started off on the left and curled it into the top corner.”

While Martial has been impressing, the spotlight has been on 18-year-old Mason Greenwood. He became the youngest United player since Wayne Rooney to reach 15 goals for a season after he scored a brace against Eddie Howe’s side.

The teenager has already been compared to the former United captain and Robin van Persie, and there has been ongoing debate as to whether the forward should be called up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad.

“If you can handle playing for Man Utd, then you can handle playing for any team and Mason's got the qualities that not many others have,” Solskjaer said.

“So he could play for England's full team or Under-21s, I don't really mind. I know he's doing well for us and it's great to have him here.”

Whether or not Greenwood gets a call from Southgate, Solskjaer is confident the youngster will continue to improve and has been impressed with what he has seen from the academy graduate.

“He’s a naturally good finisher, so he'll always score goals,” Solskjaer explained. “He's a humble boy, he wants to learn, he listens, he's worked hard, you can see his fitness is getting better and better.

"He's just a young boy who will fill out, he's exciting to work with and we'll keep on building him up in the gym and on the pitch.”

Coach Lehlohonolo Seema has left Bloemfontein Celtic, Goal can confirm. 

Seema had been in charge of Phunya Sele Sele for the past two seasons alongside John Maduka and Simon Gopane. 

In an interview with Goal, the former Lesotho international confirmed he has indeed parted ways with Phunya Sele Sele. 

"I no longer have a job, my brother," Seema told Goal.

However, Seema didn't want to go into details about the reasons why he will no longer be at Bloemfontein Celtic.  

"Nothing wrong really happened but such is life," he said. 

Asked about media reports that he could surface at Chippa United, Seema said: "I don't know yet but there's a big surprise in store. Maybe I might surface in Botswana. Who knows?" 

"I just get my passport ready but we will talk later in the day,"  he added. 

Azam FC striker Obrey Chirwa set a new high in the Mainland Premier League this season after he scored four goals as his team mauled Singida United 7-0 on Sunday.

The Zimbabwean forward proved to be a hot knife in butter for the Singida United defence as he set up two goals and notched four, to walk away with the match ball and also become the first player in the league to score two hat-tricks this campaign.

Chirwa had also scored a hat-trick as Azam clobbered Alliance FC 5-0, while Kagere’s hat-trick came in the match they hammered Singida United 8-0 at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

The 28-year-old had also achieved the feat of scoring two hat-tricks in one season in the 2018-19 campaign, when Azam beat Mbeya City 5-0 and also thrashed Njombe FC 4-0.

The four goals he scored on Sunday have seen him rise to 12 goals in the scoring chart, which is headed by Kagere who has notched 19 goals, while Yusuf Mhilu of Kagera Sugar is second on 13 goals.

Chirwa has credited his exploits to teamwork and promised to score more goals before the season comes to a close.

“I cannot achieve such records without my teammates and I want to thank them for the teamwork we have that has seen us win tough matches and also keep the pace to finish second on the log,” Chirwa told reporters after the match played at Azam Complex.

“I know we still have like five matches to play before the season ends, I am hoping to continue scoring goals and hopefully catch up with Kagere or even beat him to the Golden Boot, I know it is possible if we continue playing like we are doing, we can achieve the target together.”

The 7-0 win was also the best result for Azam since they were promoted to the top-flight in 2008. Their best results until Sunday was a 6-2 win against Villa Squad and a 6-1 win against JKT Tanzania.

The win also enabled Azam to move above Young Africans (Yanga SC) to the second position on the log as they have 62 points, while Yanga have 61.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang needs to be made aware of Arsenal’s transfer plans before committing to a new contract, says Sol Campbell, with extension talks now becoming a matter of “trust”.

A prolific Gabonese frontman is yet to extend his stay at Emirates Stadium beyond the summer of 2021.

Uncertainty regarding his future has led to inevitable exit talk, with Arsenal in no position to let another key man head towards free agency.

Those in north London remain optimistic when it comes to thrashing out fresh terms, but no agreement has been reached as yet and a long-running saga continues to provide an unwelcome distraction.

Campbell believes Aubameyang needs assurances from the Gunners regarding their ambition before putting pen to paper, with the 31-year-old looking to challenge for more major silverware before hanging up his boots.

“He’s got to settle down and have a conversation with the manager and he needs to have a clear understanding of what they’re looking to spend, who they’re trying to get in,” former Arsenal defender Campbell told Stadium Astro.

“It’s going to come down to trust, can he trust the club to say, 'right we are looking for x, y and z, we’re going to bring two or three players in' and I think they’ll push us on to really challenge for the top four, or really you never know [with] the Premiership.

“He needs to sit down with his people and have a serious conversation about where the club is going in the next two or three years, because he hasn’t got five years, six years to say let’s see how it goes, he needs almost instant success now.”

Campbell added: “Sometimes you need to spend a lot of money, but, sometimes you get really lucky and have a lucky, fantastic year. You’ve got to say Leicester, they just kept on going, it does happen.

“I think he [Mikel Arteta] is trustworthy, there’s no doubt, he [Aubameyang] has to decide himself where he wants to go in his heart and soul and spirit.

“Where does he feel that, ‘If I can do it here I’ll just stay here I’ll give it a go, I believe they’re going to get two or three players in and I’ll believe in them.'

“That’s what it comes down to, no one’s got a crystal ball, it doesn’t matter, you can spend £150-200 million, it doesn’t bring you any trophies. 

“It can probably help the profile of the players around you, but not necessarily end up winning something.

“Sometimes you’ve got to trust yourself, your own instinct and hope it matches up with the hierarchy.”

Aubameyang has remained coy when it comes to his future plans, but Arsenal need to make a decision quickly on a player who has hit 63 goals for them through 102 appearances.

Pep Guardiola "interfered in medical matters" at Bayern Munich, according to former team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt, who says the highly-rated coach thought he "knew everything better than I did".

Guardiola was drafted in to replace Jupp Heynckes in the Allianz Arena hot seat in the summer of 2013, inheriting a treble-winning squad brimming with world-class talent.

The Spaniard had already established himself as arguably the finest manager in Europe by that time, after assembling one of the greatest teams in history at Barcelona between 2008 and 2012.

As expected, Bayern continued to dominate the domestic scene in Germany with Guardiola at the helm, but he was unable to deliver success in Europe.

The 49-year-old picked up seven major trophies during his time at the Allianz, including three Bundesliga titles, before moving onto a new challenge in the Premier League with Manchester City in 2016.

Muller-Wohlfahrt, whose 40-year stint as Bayern's first-team doctor ended in June, recalls being frustrated by Guardiola's input when it came to assessing the physical condition of the players.

The 77-year-old told BR24: "It was just that I couldn't put up with the fact that a young trainer - who was very successful and who is probably one of the really, really big ones - interfered in medical matters and knew everything better than I did."

Muller-Wohlfahrt went on to reveal that although he didn't always see eye to eye with Guardiola at Bayern, he still enjoys a good relationship with the current City boss.

He added: "We met and talked to each other, and then it's over. We appreciate each other and he appreciates my work above all. He never questioned that."

Bayern secured an eighth successive Bundesliga crown this season, finishing 13 points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund.

Hansi Flick's men also picked up the DFB Cup by beating Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 in the final on Saturday, and another treble could be on the cards if they continue to advance in the Champions League.

Before Bayern's 1-0 victory over Dortmund on May 26, Flick hailed Muller-Wohlfahrt for his work on the touchline and behind the scenes. The German tactician said: "I am very grateful. For me, he is the best doctor I have ever known."

Western Stima chairman Laban Jobita insists there is no way the 2019/20 Kenyan Premier League (KPL) can be played to completion.

The annulling of the top tier by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) on April 30 has been contested bitterly by the league managers, who feel the Federation overstepped their mandate by ending it and crowning Gor Mahia as champions.

The KPL initially hoped the government would relax the cessation and curfew measures put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19, but that has not been the case.

"There is absolutely no way we can play the season to completion as initially planned," Jobita told Goal on Monday.

"Time is not on our side, what we expected is not happening and we should now focus on the new season.

"Suppose we are given a green light to resume, we will need two months to prepare which will take us to September. Then we will need about two months or so to play the games which will affect the start of the 2020/21 season.

"We should just accept, there is no way we can play the current campaign to a conclusion."

The contract between the KPL and the FKF ends on September 24 and the latter has confirmed it will not be renewed.

"KPL operates under the blessings of FKF and it is important for both to try and get a solution to their issues," Jobita added.

"It should not be about arguments every now and then because it hurts the game as well. This is the right time for the two parties to settle their problems and help the game grow."

In an earlier interview with Goal, Bandari technical director Twahir Muhiddin opined on the issue as well.

"In the last 17 years, KPL has done enough to help our football grow," the tactician said.

"I do not know where we would have been without them. Despite a lot of criticism, I insist football quality in the country improved under KPL's management.

"They have enough experience to continue overseeing our top-flight football and all the involved parties should do is get a solution and continue working together.

"They kept all the teams on their toes and ran the league the way it should; it has helped in our development." 

The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) president Moses Magogo has urged clubs to cooperate in order to make the club licensing project a success.

In this project, dubbed Clubs Pro Agenda, all the Ugandan Premier League (UPL) teams will need to comply before the start of the 2020/21 season.

The administrator has also stated he intends to make the country the leading football nation on the continent on and off the pitch.

"The success of the Fufa Clubs Pro Agenda will largely depend on the co-operation of the respective clubs," Magogo said as quoted by Sports Nation.

"And it is therefore important that clubs co-operate and desire to reorganise internally to create robust structures and strong brands that will eventually be trusted and desired by the fans and other football consumers.  

"This is what will generate money for club football and consequently improve the standards. With improved standards and performance, it will be a matter of time for Ugandan football to achieve our vision; to become the number one football nation in Africa on and off the field."

To achieve the objective and help the teams comply, Fufa has scheduled a special training program for the clubs.

The training is meant to empower the teams and also prepare them to turn them into a sustainable source of revenue.

"In order for a club to participate in this phase of Clubs Pro Agenda, they must express interest, in writing, to participate in the respective Division in the season 2020/2021 by 16:00 hours Monday 6th July 2020," Decolas Kiiza who is the Fufa Deputy CEO told the Federation's official portal.

"The club stakeholders expected to attend include the club owner(s), club president/chairman, club board/executive, club CEO, administrative and technical staff, volunteer staff, if any, representative of fans and the representative of players.

"Full cost of the programme is estimated to be not less than USh2 million per club which must be conducted in any case not later than 16th July 2020."  
 
Another proposal by the Federation has been the reduction of the number of UPL teams to 12. According to Fufa, this will help in increasing the quality of the top tier and make clubs easily marketable and the entire league at large.

David de Gea remains a “great goalkeeper” for Manchester United, says Dwight Yorke, but he urged the Red Devils to bring Dean Henderson back as they start to plan for the future.

The current No.1 at Old Trafford is set to play a prominent part in that project, with United having worked hard to tie De Gea down on a long-term contract. At just 29 years of age, he still has many seasons ahead of him.

Questions have, however, been asked of his reliability in the 2019-20 campaign, with a man who was once a model of consistency allowing costly errors to creep into his game.

That has led some to suggest that academy graduate Henderson, who has been starring on loan at Sheffield United, should be given a chance to prove his worth.

Yorke believes the 23-year-old should be welcomed back into the fold by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer next season, allowing him to see game time for the Red Devils, but he is not ready to write De Gea off just yet.

The former United striker told the Manchester Evening News: "I don't have a problem [with De Gea]. I think people forget that we've all been in that type of position. He was Manchester United's player of the year for three or four seasons running.

"Often enough, people don't look back at that and remember how fantastic he was. Unfortunately, people have short memories.

"He's still a great goalkeeper. He's developed in such an immense way and we were talking about arguably the best goalkeeper in the world a couple of years ago. For me, he's still my No 1, and if I was in Ole's position I would be backing him.

"We all make mistakes, I expect him do to better and I'm sure he will. I have no doubt he will remain at United for some time to come."

Yorke added: "I think you have to have a conversation with the player. I think that's where man management comes in but you want the best players at your football club.

"Of course, Henderson is progressing nicely. I would think integrate him now. I would say to him: 'Listen, De Gea is number one but we will give you time in other competitions.'

"De Gea will need the competition there to keep him sharp. One thing we had at United throughout my time as player, we had healthy competition in training every day.

"If you slack off or you're not performing well, the manager would make changes and that kept us on our toes. That was something that was evident and I think Ole will try to recreate that atmosphere.

"Having him back and letting him get used to that environment as well as keeping De Gea on his toes is a conversation worth having."

Henderson has made no secret of the fact that he wants to become United’s go-to option between the sticks, but accepts that he has a “brick wall” in front of him when it comes to De Gea.

Jose Mourinho says that Tottenham are building for "five years' time" and that fan "realism" will be needed as they negotiate their way through a transition period.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy turned to the three-time Premier League winner after sacking Mauricio Pochettino in November following Spurs' descent into the bottom half of the table.

Mourinho has won silverware at every club he's managed, but his last spell at Manchester United was deemed a failure amid reports of unrest behind the scenes.

Suggestions that the Portuguese's tactical approach is now outdated have been widespread since his Old Trafford exit in December 2018, but his reign at Tottenham got off to a very strong start.

The team won five of their first seven matches with Mourinho in the dugout, re-emerging as top-four contenders and progressing in the Champions League in the process.

Pochettino's free-flowing, high-intensity style was quickly replaced with a more pragmatic, cautious philosophy, which initially helped Spurs get their season back on track.

However, results have taken a downturn in 2020, and Tottenham are now in danger of missing out on a place in Europe's elite competition having slipped back down to 10th in the top-flight table.

There have already been calls for Mourinho's head, but he insists that the foundations are in place for future success if he is granted patience.

"In this team, we have lots of people of the right age, with the right quality, with the right ambition," the 57-year-old head coach told  Sky Sports , ahead of a vital meeting with Everton on Monday .

"So I would say that in three, four, five years' time, the base of the team will still be around. Important players that are in the club now. That's why I say we don't need to make lots of changes. I believe we have an important nucleus of players.

"(Like some of the fans), I want too much too soon, but I think my realism is stronger with experience. I think it's very important to be realistic, to be in control of emotions and to understand that there is a process.

"I understand the fans' ambitions of course. I understand people dream of the best things, they don't dream of the worst things, but it takes time.

"The good thing is that we are all together in the club. We are all very stable, very realistic, very experienced and we are going to get there."

Spurs will be desperate to bounce back against the Toffees after a 3-1 defeat to Sheffield United last time out, which left Mourinho questioning the mental strength of his players.

The former United boss went on to reveal that he sat his squad down to discuss what went wrong at Bramall Lane in a civilised manner, so that important lessons are learned for the remainder of the season.

Mourinho added: "What happens inside stays inside - I think that's a golden rule - but it was a very honest meeting.

"It wasn't a monologue, it was a dialogue, because the players also had the chance to speak with me, and we shared views, and we shared emotions, and we shared analysis.

"I've lost many matches in my career but the ones that gave me the worst possible taste are the ones where I feel we should do much more than we did."

Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Joseph Malongoane hasn't taken his departure from Kaizer Chiefs badly as he understands the club is running a business. 

Malongoane had been with Amakhosi since 2016 but it was during Steve Komphela's tenure that he really worked hard and showed he can be an asset to the club. 

Komphela, the same man who handed Malongoane his PSL debut at Platinum Stars in 2009, played him as a right-back when Chiefs were hit with injuries in 2017, and the nippy attacker did an excellent job.   

The Alexandra-born player further added that he would have loved to be at Chiefs for more than just four years.  

"I have beautiful memories with Chiefs but at the end of the day, you have to understand that's a business," Malongoane told City Press. 

"I took this on the chin like a man and accepted it. I am a soldier and I'll bounce back."

"And let's be realistic, my time at Chiefs would have ended at some point and it happened on Tuesday [June 30].

"I would have loved to be there for more years but I respect their decision."

Malongoane also thanked the Amakhosi faithful for the messages of support he received when the news of his departure broke last week.  

"I'll to thank them for the messages of support; that's what pushes me ahead and keeps me strong," he added.  

He has vowed to keep training hard and wait for a call from any team that's interested in his services while assuring his potential employers that he's 100 per cent fit and healthy. 

This despite not playing competitive football for months as he was recovering from a broken ankle he suffered in August 2018. 

Malongoane's last appearance was against Golden Arrows in April 2019 but the match aggravated the injury. 

"I will keep training, be ready and wait for a call but people must understand I am 100% okay and healthy - and I am free of Covid-19. The lockdown has helped me a lot in terms of full rehabilitation. I am 100% now," said Malongoane with confidence.   

"I was doing everything with the team [in terms of virtual training]. I am ready for a new chapter in my life." 

"Maybe I am strong but I just put in the hard work and follow the doctor's orders. That's all. Even now, I am 100% fine - it's just a matter of getting a new job and doing what I like best, which is playing football," he continued. 

Already 32, 'Tight' as Malongoane is affectionately known, said he's not worried that he's fast approaching the twilight of his career, saying to him age is just a number and feels Ryan Giggs proved that when he played until he was 41 years old.  

"Age is just a number. Ryan Giggs played until he was 41. As long as you can push until a certain stage, it doesn't matter whether you are 40 or younger. 

"I am still much quicker off the mark than some 18-year-olds," he concluded.