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Bruno Fernandes will establish himself as a Manchester United great, according to former Portugal defender Abel Xavier.

Fernandes joined United from Sporting for €55 million ($50m) in January and had an immediate galvanising impact on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side.

The 25-year-old has three goals and as many assists in seven Premier League appearances, with United unbeaten in 14 matches across all competitions and yet to taste defeat with the mercurial playmaker in their ranks.

Xavier has expressed his belief that his compatriot can go on to be remembered alongside the likes of David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo by the Old Trafford faithful if he continues on his current trajectory.

"My view of Bruno is that he is going to be one of the major players for Manchester United over the next years," the ex-Liverpool full-back told Stats Perform News .

"The way he plays, the way he controls the moments of the game... I think from what I know about the fans, they will love him for many years like they loved many legends from the past like Cristiano, David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand, Eric Cantona, Paul Scholes – all these legendary players.

"Bruno I think will end up in this gallery of players."

One man whose standing has not been quite so lofty since returning to Old Trafford from Juventus in 2016 is Paul Pogba.

The France international's performances have been a frequent matter of debate, while injuries have decimated his 2019-20 campaign.

Pogba is back to full fitness now, however, and Xavier believes he and Fernandes can enjoy a fruitful midfield alliance.

"Pogba is compatible with him because Bruno Fernandes is a clever player," he said.

"He can adapt, he is flexible. I think he is a player who is very easy to manage for the coaches. Man United will be strong.

"We are not just talking about a great player but a player with a lot of personality.

"It is not easy to arrive to a different place like England, with a lot of history and a lot of comparisons in his position, and make a complete impact.

"He had a little profile. He was accepted, he made the difference. I think that Man United are building the team around him."

United are scheduled to face Brighton on Tuesday in the Premier League, where they will aim for a victory to go level on points with Wolves and close to within two points of fourth-placed Chelsea.

Declan Rice continues to generate talk of a big-money move to Chelsea being made, and West Ham team-mate Aaron Cresswell admits the England international would reach “another level with better players around him”.

The versatile 21-year-old was released by the Blues as a youngster as they saw no path for him through to their first team.

A return to familiar surroundings is, however, being mooted for Rice after proving himself to be deserving of a place among the Premier League elite.

He has looked assured in defensive and midfield berths for West Ham, allowing him to switch senior international allegiance from the Republic of Ireland to England along the way.

Chelsea are looking to splash the cash this summer, with deals for Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech already wrapped up, and it may be that they table an offer for Rice at some stage.

West Ham may find it hard to resist advances from afar, especially as they remain locked in a relegation battle at present, but will be reluctant to part with any prized assets.

Cresswell hopes that the Hammers can keep Rice on their books, but concedes that a step up the ladder would aid the ongoing development of a hot prospect.

He told talkSPORT of Rice: “He’s close to 100 Premier League games already, and I’m not just saying that because he’s a West Ham player and a good mate of mine, but I really do believe he’s one of the top talents in the country.

“I wouldn’t like to see him leave, but if he were to ever leave he would become another level with better players around him.

“He’s come in at centre-back over the last couple of games due to injuries we’ve had and he can play either. It’s a great option he’s got but in terms of ability-wise, he’s a fantastic player.”

West Ham’s next outing is set to see them play host to Chelsea on Wednesday.

The Blues have been in fine form since the Premier League restart, cementing their standing inside the top four, but the Hammers are desperate for points and Cresswell is hoping to deliver derby delight for those at London Stadium.

He added: “As a team, as I’ve mentioned before, the kind of luck against Tottenham didn’t go our way and get the break we needed.

“But I’m confident we are going to stay up, for sure. It’s down to us now as players and as a team to make sure that happens.

“We are fully focused and fully confident that will happen.”

Lille forward Victor Osimhen is reportedly set to travel from France to Italy for transfer negotiations with Napoli.

The red-hot striker has been linked to a number of European clubs following his imperious performances for Christophe Galtier’s men in the 2019-20 campaign,

According to Sky Sport, Osimhen and his agent are expected in Italy in a few hours for a potential move to the Stadio San Paolo outfit.

The forward joined the Mastiffs last summer from Belgian side Sporting Charleroi as a direct replacement for Ivory Coast international Nicolas Pepe, who moved to Arsenal.

Osimhen wasted no time to establish himself in the French top-flight, scoring seven goals in his opening nine games which saw him scoop the Player of the Month award for October.  

The 21-year-old ended the campaign with 18 goals and six assists in 38 appearances across all competitions, winning the club’s Player of the Season award in the process.

The Super Eagles striker was also recently rewarded for his five-star performances in his debut Ligue 1 season, scooping the Marc Vivien Foe best Ligue 1 African player award.

Last month reports claimed the forward had agreed to join the Parthenopeans on a four-year contract, which the Nigeria international vehemently denied, calling it ‘fake news’.

Osimhen was signed by Wolfsburg in 2017 on the back of his sparkling performances for Nigeria at the 2015 U17 World Cup in Chile, where he won the Golden Boot and Silver Ball awards to help the Golden Eaglets win the title.

He did not play as he would have loved for the German side, owing to injury problems among other issues and his quest to experience a change in fortune saw him move to Charleroi.

The forward scored 20 goals across all competitions for the Belgian club, performances that inspired Lille to secure his signature last summer.

Should he join the Parthenopeans, the striker would link up with Senegal international Kalidou Koulibaly and Algeria’s Faouzi Ghoulam at Stadio San Paolo.

Odion Ighalo has his sights set on an entry in the Manchester United history books, with the Nigerian striker having maintained a stunning run of scoring form when it comes to starting games for the Red Devils.

When included in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s line-up, the 31-year-old frontman has guaranteed end product.

The target has been found in each of his four starts to date, with five goals recorded in total.

Ighalo’s latest came in an FA Cup semi-final victory over Norwich, with the deadlock broken at Carrow Road in what proved to be a dramatic 2-1 win for United after extra-time.

His goal-getting feats mean that the experienced striker has now matched the achievement of Jimmy Hanson from 1925 – with the former United player the only other man to have netted on his first four starts for the club.

Ighalo is delighted to be delivering record-setting performances for the Red Devils and hopes there will be more to come from him over the coming weeks as he seeks to cement a place in Old Trafford folklore.

“I’m very happy because it’s a great achievement for me. I think my name is being in the book in United’s history and I’m very happy for that,” Ighalo told the club’s official website of emulating Hanson.

“Especially as, in the game on Saturday, we won and got to the semi-final. That was the most important thing as it was a difficult game, so scoring and winning the game makes it even greater for me.

“I’m happy with this achievement, it’s a bit of history made and I hope to keep adding more to it.”

Ighalo, who has seen his loan deal at United extended through to January 2021, has helped Solskjaer’s side to stretch their unbeaten run across all competitions to 14 games.

The challenge now, with silverware and a top-four finish on the line, is to maintain those standards through to the end of the season.

“It’s tough but this is what it is,” added Ighalo, with United heading to Brighton on Tuesday as the games continue to come thick and fast.

“This is the job. We don’t have any other jobs so we are happy to do it. We have to keep doing it. It’s a tough one after 120 minutes two days ago. We’ve just finished training and are getting ready to fly down to Brighton.

“It’s a tough game on Tuesday evening but we don’t have any excuses. We’re only going there to win.

“The manager will probably rotate the team and bring in fresh legs so that we can keep going. It’s one of the advantages of having a big squad, having players ready to come in to change the game and come in to play in any position, so it’s really good for us.”

Renowned Ghanaian coach Bashir Hayford has expressed concerns about his chances of landing Ghana's vacant technical director role in the wake of recent developments.

The position became void following the exit of long-serving Francis Oti Akenteng following the expiration of his contract in March.

In April, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) announced six candidates, including three Ghanaians, have been shortlisted for the top office but failed to reveal the exact identities. The football governing body also disclosed it had begun interviewing the candidates via video conferencing technology.

“I’m yet to hear from the GFA since applying for the technical directorate position but I’ve heard that they’ve been calling people to interview them on this same position I have applied for too,’’ Hayford told Wontumi FM.

“I think this is the time that the upcoming coaches need to learn from me and that can happen by my being the technical director of the FA.

“As a technical director, I will make sure I mobilise the coaches for a meeting to let them know the direction of the FA, organise coaching courses for them, upgrade them, let them know new ideas of coaching, etc.

“It hurts me that I might send my knowledge in football to my grave I won’t disseminate to anyone.

“Now where are [renowned Ghanaian coaches like] Ben Koufie, Osam Duodu and Afrane [all now late]? I will join them soon, so the FA needs to make use of my knowledge until I leave the earth."

Hayford was last in charge of Somalia's senior men's team as head coach.

Prior, he led Ghana's senior women's side as well as Ghana Premier League clubs Asante Kotoko, Medeama, Ashanti Gold and Ebusua Dwarfs.

According to the GFA, "the new technical director will be responsible for the technical development and progress of the GFA.

"His responsibilities also include planning and executing a long-term view of how to continually raise standards and innovations both on and off the pitch and to ensure the path from development teams, (junior national teams) to the Ghana Men's Senior Team (Black Stars) and the Women’s Senior Team (Black Queens) are always integrated, learning is shared and the basic principles of how we play are integrated."

Ex-Asante Kotoko and Kano Pillars coach Abdul Malik Jabir, who also applied for the Ghana job, was first to express disappointment about a possible snub, having failed to hear from the GFA despite the commencement of the interview stage.

Mohamed Salah says he is “happy” at Liverpool, with the Egyptian forward giving no thought to a future elsewhere as he continues to enjoy trophy triumphs in the present.

Talk of a big-money move to Real Madrid continues to swirl around a prolific frontman.

Said speculation has resurfaced on the back of a Premier League title being landed at Anfield, with there seemingly little left for Liverpool’s star-studded class of 2019-20 to achieve.

They have captured domestic, continental and global crowns, with Jurgen Klopp overseeing a remarkable run of success.

Salah has been integral to that, becoming the first man since Robbie Fowler to break the 20-goal barrier for the club in three successive seasons.

In total, the 28-year-old has found the target on 92 occasions through 145 appearances, with it easy to see why his services are coveted by those outside of Merseyside.

Salah is, however, tied to a contract through to 2023 and claims to feel settled in his current surroundings.

He told Liverpool’s official website: “It’s great to score goals to help the team to win games.

“So I feel like I am happy here, I am doing good and everything is also working well with the team and we’ve won trophies.

“Everything is good and I am enjoying it.”

Salah has helped to make history with Liverpool this season, as their 30-year wait for top-flight glory came to a close, and is thrilled to have played a part in delivering on the expectations of a loyal fan base.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling to win a trophy like that,” Salah added of the Premier League crown.

“To win the Premier League after long years for the club and the city, it’s unbelievable.

“I can’t describe with words, it’s so hard to say that [how it feels]. When I came here, I said I wanted to win the Premier League - it’s my first thing in my head, I want to win the Premier League and the Champions League. People said, ‘If you could choose one…?’ But now I can say that I’d choose both!

“The Premier League, I can say now after we won it, for the city it is something else. Everybody is crazy about the result, everybody is crazy about the Premier League.

“It is an unbelievable feeling for everybody, for all the fans around the world. Without their support, we could not do it. They did a great job, the players also did the same. It is a great feeling, I cannot explain it with words.”

The Federation of Uganda Football Association (Fufa) has confirmed the death of its former Vice-President Jackson 'Bell' Tushabe.

Although Fufa did not confirm the source of his death, Tushabe is understood to have been suffering from a back problem and died at Nakasero Hospital.

Ggaba helped in the formation of Victors FC in 2001 and the club earned a Ugandan Premier League promotion in 2005.

Victors had a taste of continental football when they played and lost to CAPS United in the preliminary round of the Caf Confederation Cup in 2009.

The club earned a second slot to represent the country in the Confederation Cup in 2011 but their journey was cut short when they lost to DC Motema Pembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"Fufa mourns the death of former football administrator and club owner Brigadier Jackson 'Bell' Tushabe who breathed his last on Tuesday morning 30th June 2020," Fufa confirmed.

"We would like to express our heartfelt condolences on the demise of Brigadier Jackson 'Bell' Tushabe. Words are inadequate to express this sad moment as football has lost a great contributor to the game.

"Bell served the game with a lot of diligence and always showcased his vast experience in projects assigned to him. He loved the beautiful game and he was enthusiastic about anything connected to football.

"We shall miss him dearly. Our condolences go out to the bereaved family and the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces."

"A retired army officer in the Uganda People's Defense Forces he was the owner of Victors FC which played in the Uganda top-flight and also won the Uganda Cup twice 2007/2008 and 2009/2010.

"His club represented Uganda on two occasions in the Caf Confederation Cup in 2009 and 2011.

"Bell also served in various positions in Ugandan football as Fufa Vice President of Competitions, Chairman of Super Division Clubs Association [SDCA 2005-2009], and Chairman of Security Committee for Cecafa 2012 hosted in Kampala."

Tushabe's death comes days after SC Villa confirmed the death of former defender Constantine Nalumoso.

Nalumoso had joined the Jogoos in 2012 from Hoima-Busia FC when he was signed by Mike Mutebi.

Mikel Arteta has warned against putting too much expectation on William Saliba ahead of next season.

Arsenal signed the centre-back last summer from Saint-Etienne in a £27 million ($33m) deal and immediately loaned him back to the Ligue 1 outfit for the 2019-20 campaign.

Despite being just 19 and having only made 32 senior appearances in his career so far, there are many who believe the teenager is going to come in and immediately improve the Arsenal defence next season.

But Arteta believes it would be unfair to put too much pressure on the Frenchman ahead of his debut campaign in the Premier League.

“I know how high the expectations are on him for next year but we have to bear in mind the age that he’s at and what he’s done in the past,” said Arsenal’s head coach.

“We have to make sure we create the right environment for him so he can keep growing as a player.”

Saliba has managed just 15 appearances for Saint-Etienne this season due to two significant injury issues.

A hamstring problem saw him miss the opening month of the campaign before a fractured metatarsal saw him sidelined for nearly three months over the turn of the year.

While he was sidelined, Saliba spent some time at Arsenal and has been in contact with Arteta since he replaced Unai Emery in December.

“I’ve spoken with him a few times,” said the Spaniard. “He’s been around here a few times as well.

“We’ve been following him this season. Again, as a young player he had a difficult season with the injuries he’s had but it’s part of his process.”

Although the Ligue 1 season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Coupe de France final is still scheduled to be played on July 24 and will be between Saint-Etienne and Paris Saint-Germain.

Arsenal have been in talks with Saint-Etienne ahead of the game, with the French club keen for Saliba to be involved - but the situation has been complicated as the defender’s loan ends on Tuesday, June 30.

Arteta has revealed, however, that the centre-back will be able to feature in the final.

“I think he needs to stay there, we’ve got an agreement with Saint-Etienne,” said Arsenal’s head coach.

“He’s been all year over there, he’s earned his right to play that final if the manager wants him to do that

"I think we have to give him the opportunity to do that, to enjoy that and we can have him after.”

Kenyans from all walks of life have united to pray for the quick recovery of former Harambee Stars captain Musa Otieno who was hospitalised with Covid-19 symptoms on Tuesday.

According to Collin Okinyo, Otieno’s brother-in-law, the long-serving defender was admitted to the hospital after undergoing several tests including that of the coronavirus.

Otieno served the national team from 1993 to 2009 and made 105 appearances including the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Tunisia.

He won Kenyan Premier League (KPL) titles with AFC Leopards in 1992 before doing the same with Kenya Breweries, now Tusker, in 1997. He left for South Africa in 1997 to join Santos FC and became one of the key figures as they lifted the league title in the 2001/02 season.

Otieno left Santos on loan to Cleveland City Stars before returning to the Lansdowne club and retired in 2011.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa is among those who have wished the towering defender a quick recovery.

Below is how Kenyans reacted to the news.

Timo Werner admits to having had “several offers” on the table before opting to make a move to Chelsea, with the Germany international having sparked talk of interest from the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Inter.

Having become one of the most sought-after talents in European football, the prolific frontman swung open an exit door at RB Leipzig.

A clamour to secure his signature was set into motion, with many aware of the benefits that the proven 24-year-old could add to their ranks.

Liverpool appeared to be leading the chase at one stage, but an alternative Premier League destination has been found.

Chelsea have triggered the £54 million ($66m) release clause in Werner’s contract and will shortly welcome him onto their books, as the promising forward will not be sticking around at Leipzig to complete their Champions League campaign.

Werner is delighted with his decision, having been talked into a move to west London by Frank Lampard, with a number of other enticing bids having been shunned in order to link up with the Blues.

"I agreed a few weeks ago," Werner told Sportbuzzer of a long-running saga.

"The whole thing was quite unproblematic because I had a lot of time to think about it before the corona [virus] period.

"It's no secret that there were several offers."

Quizzed on whether he could have ended up at United, Liverpool or Inter, Werner added: "It could have been.

"There were some top clubs that fought for me. The entire Chelsea-London package was the best for me, my game and my career.

"The game is played more often in England than in Germany, so there is not much time left for training. But it's true, I still have to prove myself and go full throttle."

Having missed out on Werner, or opted against following up their initial interest, United and Liverpool are turning their attention elsewhere.

Both have been heavily linked with Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho and Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, although it remains to be seen whether Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jurgen Klopp will be given the funds required to land their top targets.

Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is a natural-born winner who has proven he does not like to be in "the comfort zone" throughout his glittering career, says Abel Xavier.

Since joining Manchester United as a prodigious teenager, Ronaldo has racked up the biggest collective and individual prizes in world football.

In six years with the Red Devils, Ronaldo won three Premier League trophies, two EFL Cups, an FA Cup and the Champions League in 2008.

That tradition of winning continued during nine prolific seasons with Real Madrid, during which time he became Los Blancos' all-time record goalscorer, won two La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey crowns and the Champions League on four occasions.

Ronaldo opted to depart Madrid for Juventus ahead of the 2018-19 campaign and lifted the Serie A trophy and Supercoppa Italiana during that debut term.

Another league title with Juve appears on the horizon, with the Bianconeri sitting four points clear of Lazio with 10 games remaining.

Former Liverpool and Roma full-back Xavier says Ronaldo is fuelled by undertaking different challenges and would be successful wherever he plays.

"He's a winner and his mental focus is great," the ex-Portugal international told Stats Perform News of the five-time Ballon d'Or winner .

"You realise he does not like the comfort zone. He was in Madrid, he won; he was at Man United, he won; he's at Juventus and has also won things.

"Wherever he goes, he is going to win – individually and collectively.

"Of course, there is going to arrive a moment when he is not going to be able to produce the same style of football, but when you're looking to win – concerning the goalscoring positions – he is one of the best.

"Nowadays, the effort [for the team] is to try and put him in the right place to score. His qualities now are more a finisher, being in the right place to finish.

"For me, as a Portuguese, and for all people who love football, we admire him. He's a great player, a great athlete and a great team-mate in football."

Ronaldo is now 35 but Xavier sees no let-up in his hunger for glory and says helping Juve defend their title will be at the forefront of his season aims.

"I think that is his main goal. That is his main objective because he's a winner," Xavier added.

"I know him from my time as a player when he was a young player who started to be integrated into the national team environment.

"I believe he is still intact, he is still a very strong-minded, focused person. And he wants to win titles. He wants to win titles individually, he wants to win them collectively."

Earlier this season, which was disrupted for three months due to the coronavirus pandemic, Ronaldo was reported to have fallen out with Juve boss Maurizio Sarri, with rumours exacerbated by the head coach substituting a talismanic figure in two straight games when Juve were not in front.

Xavier believes regardless of the personal relationship between the two they will always be brought together by their shared desire for success.

"They've been having a few problems recently. A moment arrives for a coach when it becomes hard because you need to manage egos, you need to be able to keep forming the players and putting in the correct identity for your style of play," said Xavier.

"The players need to accept that to be together.

"But, I don't know if the administration will make a decision on that, concerning the coach. But the leadership of the players is very important and they still have the chances and opportunities to win two important titles – Serie A and the Champions League.

"Whatever is happening with the coaching position, they have these two main objectives to be focused on."

Kieran Trippier has heaped praise upon Arsenal target Thomas Partey, insisting his Atletico Madrid team-mate would "fit in perfectly in the Premier League".

Partey rose through the academy ranks at Atletico before making the step up to the senior squad in 2015 following loan spells at Mallorca and Almeria, and has since managed to establish himself as a key member of Diego Simeone's squad.

The 27-year-old has featured in 179 games for the club in total, scoring 15 goals, while also getting his hands on Europa League and UEFA Super Cup winners' medals.

The 2019-20 season has been arguably Partey's best yet for Atletico, with his best performances coming during a two-legged Champions League last-16 tie against Liverpool.

The Ghana international was linked with a move to Anfield after helping Simeone's side knock the Reds out of Europe, but Arsenal have been touted as a more likely next destination for the midfielder in recent times.

The Gunners are reportedly considering triggering the £45 million ($55m) release clause in Partey's current contract, as Mikel Arteta looks to make several changes to his squad this summer.

Trippier doesn't think his Atletico colleague would "have a problem" making the transition from La Liga to the Premier League, even though he would prefer to see him remain in the Spanish capital.

"I'd seen him play for Atletico but I didn't realise how good he is," the Atletico right-back said on The Beautiful Game podcast.

"He's unbelievable, his physicality, how he breaks up play. Technically he's got everything. 

"He ranks as one of the best midfielders I've played with, but Mousa [Dembele] is Mousa and he's on a different planet that guy. Even in training, he was in cruise control.

"Thomas is still a very young player and everyone loves him out here.

"Going to the Premier League who knows? Obviously I want him to stay here because he's a valuable member to our team.

"He speaks perfect English, very good English. I don't think he'd have a problem with the Premier League."

Asked whether he has been educating Partey on English football behind the scenes at Wanda Metropolitano, Trippier responded: "Not really. Obviously everyone watches the Premier League.

"He just asks what's it like, the style of play, but a few players have. It doesn't mean they are leaving by the way!

"It's just about certain players who play in the league, what it's like and I just say, 'the Premier League is the Premier League and is one of the best leagues in the world'.

"Thomas will fit in perfectly in the Premier League."

Pep Guardiola will not allow Liverpool to run away with the Premier League title again next season, says Stephen Ireland, with the Manchester City boss fully aware of “how much work has to be done” at the Etihad Stadium.

The Blues, who secured an historic domestic treble in 2018-19, have been knocked from the top of the tree in English football by resurgent rivals at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp’s record-setting outfit have swept aside all before them in the league this season, with a first crown in 30 years wrapped up with seven games to spare.

City can still end the campaign with another three pieces of silverware to their name, but there is a notable gap to be closed on Liverpool.

Ireland expects that to be addressed by Guardiola, who is still waiting to discover whether a two-year European ban for his side will be upheld and what impact that will have on his plans.

Forays into the transfer market may be made by the Blues, with there issues to address at the heart of their back four, while the talismanic presence of David Silva is also set to depart at the end of his contract.

Former City midfielder Ireland told Sky Sports of the challenges facing dethroned champions: “Manchester City, I guess it’s a bit of a rebuilding year.

“David Silva is on his way out, [Vincent] Kompany left and they didn’t quite replace him.

“It’s a bit of an eye-opener just how much work has to be done now throughout the summer period.

“Seeing as Liverpool are pushing on, that gap is getting bigger and bigger and bigger. Man City struggled to start clawing it back.

“I can’t see the gap being this big again next year because I don’t think Guardiola will allow that to happen. I think it’s been a bit of a lesson for everybody.”

Guardiola has vowed to stick around and lead another title charge from City in 2020-21, but his current contract is due to expire at the end of that campaign and no extension has been agreed by the Catalan coach as yet.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have Klopp tied to terms through to 2024 and are determined to ensure that they build on the progress they have made over the course of the last 12 months.

Adrian is among those revelling in the success enjoyed by Liverpool over the course of the last 12 months, with the Reds keeper eager to point out that few teams can claim to have been champions of England, Europe and the world.

That is a standing that Jurgen Klopp’s side currently savour after enjoying a stunning run of form.

With a barren run on the trophy front having been ended by a Champions League triumph in June 2019, the floodgates have been opened at Anfield when it comes to the collection of major silverware.

Adrian played his part in a UEFA Super Cup success, with the Club World Cup added to a notable roll of honour in December.

A first English top-flight crown in 30 years has now been wrapped up by Klopp’s men, with those on the red half of Merseyside making the most of their standing at the very top of the global game.

Adrian told Liverpool’s official website: “[It’s] all the smiles on the faces.

“Being champions of Europe, champions of the world and champions of England - not everyone can say this, so we are champions. All of the Liverpool fans are champions and I think everyone deserves this moment.”

The Spanish shot-stopper added on landing a long-awaited Premier League crown: "It’s an outstanding sensation for everyone because we know all of us how difficult it is, even the fans who were waiting for this moment, and we did it. 

“We fight from the beginning of the season to give everything. The season has been outstanding, historical for many staff as we know, but we give that happiness and that joy to the Liverpool fans because they deserve it.

“It was euphoria all round [on Thursday]. As you know we were waiting for this for a long time. We were fighting from the beginning but this is like life, we have highs and lows.

“Last season was a really bad end of the [domestic] season because we couldn’t get the Premier League, but then we won the Champions League. 

“And this season everyone wanted to win the Premier League from the first second because everyone had the same target.

“We fight every session of training here [at Melwood], for every ball, for every second that we play, so I think we deserve it and we need to enjoy the moment - but also keep going because we have another seven games to go.”

After progressing to the FA Cup semi-finals, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea return to Premier League action in midweek, as the race for Champions League qualification takes another twist.

While the English title race has already been concluded, it’s still all to play for in the battle to finish in the top five—with fifth place likely to result in a UCL berth unless Manchester City’s European ban is overturned.

Leicester City remain in pole position and enter their midweek fixture away at Everton in third on 55 points.

However, their form has been underwhelming since football returned, with a lack of creativity in midfield and an absence of dynamism without the injured Ricardo Pereira.

They were particularly toothless as they were eliminated from the FA Cup at the hands of Chelsea on Sunday, and must improve if they’re to secure a result away at Everton on Wednesday.

The Toffees have improved in recent weeks, holding Liverpool 0-0 between winning away at Norwich on Wednesday, and Brendan Rodgers’ side need a significant improvement to break them down.

In fourth place, Chelsea will be confident they can get over the line, although they face a potential banana skin in Wednesday’s London derby against West Ham United.

Frank Lampard’s side improved dramatically in the second half of their FA Cup clash against Leicester on Sunday to advance 1-0 and they will be buoyed after consecutive victories over Aston Villa and Manchester City.

While they still must play Liverpool, Manchester United and Wolves, the dark horses in the UCL qualification race, this season, the Blues have momentum on their side, and their attacking options may prove too much for the Hammers when these two collide on Wednesday.

SuperSport Fixures

Tuesday 30 June – Torino vs Lazio (Serie A)

Tuesday 30 June – Genoa vs Juventus (Serie A)

Tuesday 30 June – Brighton vs Manchester United (Premier League)

Tuesday 30 June – Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid (LaLiga)

Wednesday 1 July – Inter Milan vs Brescia (Serie A)

Wednesday 1 July – Everton vs Leicester  (Premier League)

Wednesday 1 July – West Ham vs Chelsea (Premier League)

Wednesday 1 July – Arsenal vs Norwich (Premier League)

Down in ninth, Arsenal have their work cut out to muscle their way into the top five.

They’re nine points behind Wolves, but have played a game fewer, and could climb above both Sheffield United and Tottenham Hotspur with a victory at home against Norwich City on Wednesday.

The Gunners’ victory over the Blades in their FA Cup quarter will have done the confidence and morale of Mikel Arteta’s side a major boost, as will the 2-0 victory at Southampton on Thursday, as they put the disappointment of consecutive defeats behind them.

Nicolas Pepe was again the hero against Sheffield United, having netted against Brighton last weekend, and the Londoners will be confident they have the edge against a Norwich side who had to play to extra time against United on Saturday.

Speaking of the Red Devils, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side has returned to action in style, battling back to draw at Tottenham Hotspur in their first match after the restart, before thumping the Blades in midweek.

Admittedly, they struggled to put Norwich away on Saturday, but having given many of his starters a rest, Solskjaer will be confident they can take maximum points away at Brighton—live on SuperSport—on Tuesday evening.

There’s also Serie A action in midweek, with the top three all looking to boost their title aspirations.

Internazionale came from behind to defeat Parma at the death in dramatic fashion on Sunday and move eight points behind leaders Juventus.

Despite beginning to lose their composure, and seeing reserve keeper Tommaso Berni sent off from the bench with a 68th-minute red card for dissent, Stefan de Vrij and Alessandro Bastoni struck inside the final six minutes to keep the Nerazzurri’s hopes of a grandstand finish alive.

Admittedly, Juve—who are away at struggling Genoa on Tuesday—are favourites, but Antonio Conte will be acutely aware that his rivals have some tricky fixtures to come before the season’s conclusion.

Inter will be confident of taking all three points from 19th-placed Brescia on Wednesday, although they’ve displayed a certain brittleness throughout the campaign so far, and have lost two of their last five.

Lazio, on 65 points, bounced back from their 3-2 defeat by Atalanta with a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina on Saturday evening, and could yet be the dark horses in the title race.

Can they dispatch relegation-threatened Torino away on Tuesday evening?

In La Liga, there’s also a massive midweek match-up, as Barcelona host Atletico Madrid on Tuesday evening.

The Catalan giants are fast in danger of throwing away a title that had appeared theirs for the taking and dropped two more points on Saturday when Celta Vigo twice came from behind to snatch a 2-2 draw.

This draw, coupled with Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory at bottom-placed Espanyol on Sunday, has led to Zinedine Zidane’s side pulling out in front; they’re now two points clear of Barca with six games to go.

This one could still go either way, but third-placed Atletico, who have won their last four matches in a row, have the quality to heap further misery on Barca this Tuesday.

Alexander Nubel says he is ready to "take the next step" of his career at Bayern Munich after completing a medical and signing a five-year contract.

Bayern snapped Nubel up in January from Schalke, where he saw out the remainder of the 2019-20 campaign, after reaching an agreement over a free transfer.

The 23-year-old is now ready to join up with his new team-mates at Allianz Arena after committing his future to the Bundesliga champions through to 2025.

Nubel passed all necessary medical evaluations after arriving at the club on Tuesday morning, and has already been taken in by his impressive new surroundings.

The highly-rated keeper explained his decision to join Bayern after his move was finalised, telling the club's official website: “The first impressions are very, very good. I wanted to take the next step.

"My goal is to improve steadily and celebrate many successes with FC Bayern."

Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic added: “We’re glad Alexander is with us now. He has decided to join FC Bayern, and we’re certain we’ll enjoy having him as our player.

"Alexander Nubel is one of the biggest goalkeeping talents, he’ll continue to improve at FC Bayern and make good progress. He’ll get every possible form of support from us.”

Nubel will now be expected to compete with Bayern legend Manuel Neuer for the No.1 jersey at the Allianz.

Questions were asked over Neuer's future at the club after the signing of the ex-Schalke star, but his performances in the second half of the season helped silence speculation.

The 34-year-old was rewarded with a new two-year contract in May, and Bayern legend Oliver Kahn expects him to retain his place in Hansi Flick's line-up until the time is right for Nubel to succeed him.

Khan told Sky90 of Bayern's move for a new keeper in June: "It was a sensible decision at the time. It is a path he is taking - to accept the situation with Manuel Neuer and to line up behind Manuel Neuer and gradually become number one."

Nubel signed his first professional contract with Schalke in 2016, and went on to feature in 53 matches for the club in all competitions.

2019-20 was another solid season for the Germany international between the sticks, but he couldn't prevent Schalke from slumping to a disappointing 12th-placed finish in the Bundesliga.

Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain have extended the contract of Eric Choupo-Moting until the end of the 2019-20 season.

The forward’s two-year deal was set to expire at the end of June but the outbreak of coronavirus means the season will be extended.

Football activities have been suspended in France and across the world since mid-March following the pandemic, including the French top-flight.

The French top division, was, however, concluded on a points-per-game basis in April and the Parisians were declared champions.  

PSG will compete for two more domestic titles, Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue which have been scheduled for July 24 and 31 respectively.

The Parisians will also be contending for the Champions League trophy, a competition which has been put on hold since the outbreak of coronavirus but has now been given the green light to restart in August.

According to L'Équipe, Choupo-Moting, Thiago Silva and Sergio Rico have been handed contract extensions to enable them to play in the three competitions.

The Cameroon international made a stunning switch to the Parc des Princes outfit in the summer of 2018 following the relegation of Stoke City from the Premier League, having featured for the side in the 2017-18 season.

The forward made an impressive start to his PSG career, scoring in his first game in Ligue 1 after making his debut against Liverpool in a Champions League game.

The 31-year-old has, however, largely endured mixed fortunes since teaming up with the Parisians and in April 2019 he made a mistake that was tagged “one of the worst misses in the history of football".

In a match against Strasbourg, the forward unintentionally diverted a goal-bound effort from his teammate Christopher Nkunku in an attempt to touch the ball as it was about to cross the line.

Choupo-Moting has made 48 appearances for the Parisians across all competitions, scoring eight goals during his two-year stay with the side so far.

The forward will hope to help PSG clinch more titles before the end of this campaign and probably add more goals to his tally.

The striker has spent most of his career in Germany, playing for Hamburger, Mainz and Schalke 04.

Virgil van Dijk is “top of the list” when it comes to centre-half talent in the Premier League, admits Caglar Soyuncu, with the Leicester defender looking to take important lessons from a Liverpool title winner.

Many have a talismanic presence at Anfield in the number one spot when it comes to defensive talent in the world game.

That is because Van Dijk has starred not only on a domestic stage, but also in Champions League and Club World Cup triumphs for the Reds.

His arrival on Merseyside has coincided with a record-setting return to prominence for Liverpool, with the Netherlands international considered to have been a final piece in the puzzle for Jurgen Klopp.

Soyuncu forms part of Van Dijk’s ever-growing fan club, with the Turkish star prepared to admit that he can learn plenty from those he lines up against on a regular basis in the English top flight.

The highly-rated 24-year-old told Sky Sports: "I always watch and learn from other players.

"There are so many great defenders in this league. I wouldn't limit myself to only watching one or two teams and their players, there are so many quality players in the Premier League and I try to watch and learn from many others.

"There are so many good centre-backs playing in this league but I have to say Van Dijk is top of that list and where they [are] in the league and how he's done shows that."

Soyuncu is rapidly climbing the centre-half rankings himself, with there suggestions that he could be targeted by Manchester City as the Blues seek to find a long-term successor to Vincent Kompany.

Ilkay Gundogan, one of those already on the books at the Etihad Stadium, has claimed that the Leicester star is only behind Van Dijk when it comes to the cream of the Premier League crop – with the German ranking the Turk ahead of the likes of Harry Maguire and Aymeric Laporte.

"I agree I'm having a very good season. It's been great so far," Soyuncu added.

"Every time I play, I get better, I believe that. So to hear such good things from a player like Ilkay is very flattering. He's a great player himself."

For now, Soyuncu’s focus is locked on the present, rather than the future, with Leicester in the process of trying to rediscover a spark that will allow them to wrap up a top-four finish and Champions League qualification.