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Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the most fascinating and absorbing figures in modern-day football, with a glittering playing career worthy of his unique personality.

Already the subject of a number of books and documentaries, Ibrahimovic's story will now be told in a movie co-produced by Nordisk Film and BR•F, the team behind 'Midsommar' among other productions.

Directed by Jens Sjogren, 'I Am Zlatan' has been a number of years in the making and is set to hit screens in 2021.

So what is it about, when is it being released and how can you watch it? Goal brings you everything you need to know.

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What is I Am Zlatan about?

I Am Zlatan tells the story of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and his ascent from being a child with a dream of becoming a professional footballer to making a breakthrough at Ajax.

Showing the young Ibrahimovic growing up in Malmo, Sweden, the film depicts the footballer's journey, including his love for martial arts and his relationship with his family.

The biopic is understood to be based on sections of the 2011 autobiography I Am Zlatan Ibrahimovic (sometimes styled I Am Zlatan), written with Swedish author David Lagercrantz.

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When is I Am Zlatan released?

I Am Zlatan will be released on September 10, 2021 in the Swedish theatrical opening.

It is set to be released to a wider audience a week later on September 17, 2021, according to IMDb.

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Who is in I Am Zlatan?

Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be played by at least two different actors, one for different stages of his life.

The 11-year-old Zlatan will be played by Dominic Bajraktati Andersson, while Granit Rushiti will portray 17-year-old Zlatan. 

Rushiti, interestingly, shares something in common with Ibrahimovic in that he too came through the ranks as an academy player at Malmo.

Emmanuele Aita is set to play Ibrahimovic's long-time agent Mino Raiola, with Merima Dizdarevic and Cedomir Glisovic playing Ibrahimovic's mother and father respectively.

I Am Zlatan trailer

The trailer for I Am Zlatan was first aired on June 28 on Zlatan Ibrahimovic's official social media channels.

Ibrahimovic introduced the trailer on Twitter and Instagram with a simple caption: "I AM ZLATAN. THE MOVIE."

It features scenes depicting Ibrahimovic at different ages along his career, along with moments showing his mother and what appears to be the agent Mino Raiola. 

You can watch the trailer in the video above.

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How can I watch I Am Zlatan?

It looks like I Am Zlatan is set for a theatrical release before it will be available to watch on any streaming platforms.

People will be able to watch the film in Swedish cinemas from September 10 before a wider release across the world on September 17.

As yet there is no indication as to which, if any, streaming service will have I Am Zlatan.

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Sassuolo are aware of how difficult it will be to repel interest in Domenico Berardi, with the Italy international already being linked with Liverpool and Tottenham, but they are hoping to keep a "symbol" of the club in his current surroundings.

The highly-rated 26-year-old forward is yet to produce his best for the Azzurri at Euro 2020, but he has helped Roberto Mancini's side into the quarter-finals.

He is performing in a prominent shop window, allowing Premier League suitors to get a good look at him, and those back at his Serie A employers accept that their resolve may be tested in the summer transfer window.

What has been said?

Sassuolo chief executive Giovanni Carnevali told Radio 24: "Berardi is our symbol, we have a deep bond with him.

"He is doing extraordinary things. He has shown his values and the decisions over the years where he gave up on big clubs were not bad choices.

"We hope to keep him. It is not easy to do, even with him."

Any other business?

Sassuolo's success since securing promotion to Serie A in 2013 has seen them attract plenty of admiring glances.

Berardi has been a reassuring presence throughout the meteoric rise, finishing as the club's leading scorer in six separate seasons since stepping out of their academy ranks.

He is not the only star turn to be catching the eye of others, though, with Manuel Locatelli another of those that could soon be on the move.

Arsenal have a big-money bid on the table for the talented 23-year-old midfielder, but Juventus continue to lead the race for his signature and intend on keeping him in Italy.

Further reading

Sergio Ramos is in talks with Paris Saint-Germain regarding a move to France, but Goal has learned no deal has been done and Arsenal have asked to be kept updated regarding any future talks regarding the former Real Madrid captain.

The 35-year-old World Cup winner has become a free agent this summer after reaching the end of his contract at Santiago Bernabeu.

He feels that there is still plenty left in the tank and is hoping to land the two-year deal somewhere that he was denied in the Spanish capital.

Will Ramos join PSG?

Various options have been considered by the veteran centre-half. Goal can confirm that contact has been made with Ligue 1 giants PSG but there is no agreement so far, as a formal offer from the French outfit is yet to be tabled.

Interest has been acknowledged and discussions between the relevant parties are set to continue.

A move to Parc des Princes could appeal to Ramos as there are plenty of familiar faces at PSG, such as ex-Real Madrid colleagues Keylor Navas and Angel Di Maria, close friend Neymar and Spain colleagues Ander Herrera and Pablo Sarabia.

Any options in England?

Manchester United were linked with an approach for Ramos prior to his departure from Madrid being confirmed. They are, however, exploring other options such as Raphael Varane and Pau Torres.

Admiring glances are being shot in Ramos' direction from England, with Goal learning that Arsenal have asked to be kept in the loop regarding any future talks.

There has also been speculation regarding supposed interest from Chelsea, but Goal is unable to verify whether there have been any enquiries from Stamford Bridge.

The bigger picture

Ramos sees PSG as a suitable destination for him to prolong his distinguished career.

Mauricio Pochettino's side are looking to strengthen this summer as they seek to recapture the domestic title surrendered in 2020-21 and force they way back into Champions League contention.

Further reading

Chelsea have confirmed that winger Victor Moses has completed a permanent switch to Spartak Moscow, ending his nine-year association with the Blues.

The 30-year-old joined the Premier League club from Wigan back in 2012 although hasn't played for them since October 2018, with him having been shipped out on a number of loan moves over the years.

He has, however, now left Chelsea on a permanent basis, signing a contract with Spartak until 2023.

When did Moses last play for Chelsea?

Moses' last match for Chelsea came in the 2018-19 season, when he appeared as a second-half substitute in a 3-1 Europa League win over BATE Borisov.

Plenty of the current Blues squad featured on that day back in October 2018, with the likes of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Emerson, Mateo Kovacic, Olivier Giroud, N'Golo Kante and Callum Hudson-Odoi all featuring over the course of the 90 minutes.

Indeed, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who is due back at Stamford Bridge following a loan spell with Fulham last season, scored a hat-trick in that game, although it remains to be seen if he has a long-term future at the club under Thomas Tuchel.

In total, Moses made 128 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea, scoring 18 goals. He also won the Premier League, FA Cup and two Europa League titles during his spell as a Blues player.

How many loan moves has Moses had?

Much of Moses' time registered as a Chelsea player was spent out on loan, with the former Nigeria international having taken in six temporary spells away from Stamford Bridge since 2013.

The first of those loan moves saw him join Liverpool for the 2013-14 season, where he made 22 appearances in all competitions and scored two goals, including on his debut for the Reds.

He spent the 2014-15 campaign on loan with Stoke City, before a move to join Chelsea's London rivals West Ham, where he remained for the 2015-16 season.

Moses' last game in the Premier League was in the Hammers' 2-1 defeat to Stoke back in May 2016, with the winger then taking the decision to move to Turkey and join Fenerbahce, where he remained for two seasons.

His next club was Inter, where Moses joined up with former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte in Italy, although he was on the move again in 2020, this time heading to Russian Premier League side Spartak Moscow.

And with the Blues having now reached an agreement over a permanent deal with Spartak, Moses will stay in Russia, with the player signing a two-year contract with Rui Vitoria's side.

Further reading

Arsenal have signed England international Nikita Parris from Lyon for a fee of €80,000 (£68,000/$94,000), which may rise to €100,000 (£85,000/$118,000).

The forward arrives having spent two years in France, winning the treble in her first season with the club, including their seventh UEFA Women's Champions League title. In total, she scored 33 goals in 53 games.

With 57 goals in 109 Women's Super League appearances across spells with Everton and Manchester City, Arsenal will get a prolific goalscorer in Parris, as well as someone with big experience through her exploits on the European stage and at international level, too.

What has Parris said?

Speaking upon the announcement of her move, Parris said: “I'm very happy to be here, Arsenal has an unbelievable history and I want to be a part of this. I want to achieve all domestic titles and compete in the Champions League here. I’m happy to be back in the WSL which has grown and improved so much since I left.

"I think the most important thing was making sure that I chose the best club and the best place for me to really push on my career. Here at Arsenal, after talking with Clare [Wheatley] and the staff, it became apparent that it was here. Hopefully we can make more success here at Arsenal."

The forward cited Julie Fleeting, one of the all-time top scorers at international level, and Thierry Henry as two of the Arsenal icons she idolised as a young girl, which makes her move to the club even more special.

"It was [Fleeting's] goalscoring. Every time I watched her play, she would score two or three goals, like she did in that game," she said. "At times, Fleeting would be out of the game for 70 minutes but you always knew that she was going to deliver and she always did.

"As a striker, as a forward, you want to be scoring goals and the different ways she scored with heading, shooting and volleys, you want to take that on board. Her and Thierry Henry were my role models growing up."

What other transfer business could Arsenal do?

It's already been a busy summer for the Gunners. Parris is their second signing, after Japan international Mana Iwabuchi arrived from Aston Villa, while they also recently appointed a new manager, Jonas Eidevall, and renewed the contract of Leah Williamson, one of their most important players.

There is still a lot of work to be done though, as the club have watched four players leave already - Jill Roord joining Wolfsburg, Ruby Mace switching to Manchester City, Danielle van de Donk signing for Lyon and Leonie Maier leaving on a free.

With ambitions to be competing for titles again, such is their status as the most successful club in English women's football, they will need to replace those players and with real quality too, to keep up with Chelsea and Man City.

Arsenal will hope there are no more significant losses either, with rumours surrounding star striker Vivianne Miedema nothing new. The Dutch forward, one of the best in the world, has a year left on her contract.

Further reading

Bayern Munich's sporting director, Hasan Salihamidzic, says that while the Bundesliga champions will continue to "keep a close eye on the transfer market", more big-money deals are unlikely this summer.

The German giants have already added Dayot Upamecano and Omar Richards to their defensive ranks, but have also bid farewell to the likes of David Alaba and Javi Martinez.

More targets are being mooted at the Allianz Arena, with continuous improvement sought by an ambitious outfit, but the funds are not there to make a big splash on the recruitment front.

What has been said? 

Salihamidzic has told Bayern's official website when quizzed on the club's transfer plans: "First of all, we have an excellent squad which still has potential and which we’ll continue to develop. 

"That means we’re already well-placed, and we did our work early this time by signing Dayot Upamecano and Omar Richards in defence. 

"But we’ll still keep a very close eye on the transfer market until the end. 

"However, we have clear financial limits this summer because of coronavirus and can only move within these limits."

How will Julian Nagelsmann get on at Bayern?

While little movement is expected on the field at Bayern, there has been plenty of change off it.

Hansi Flick has left his role in Bavaria to take charge of the Germany national side, paving the way for Julian Nagelsmann to step into his shoes.

The 33-year-old is one of the most exciting coaching talents in world football, with Bayern delighted to have him on board.

Salihamidzic added: "With Julian we’re getting a young and very innovative coach. 

"Julian is also a coach many top clubs in Europe wanted to sign, so we’re very happy he decided to continue writing his and our success story here with us. 

"FC Bayern is really looking forward to him."

Further reading

Toni Kroos has announced his international retirement, with the World Cup-winning midfielder earning 106 caps for Germany.

The Real Madrid star is only 31 years of age but, having made his debut for Die Mannschaft back in 2010, feels the time is right to cut down on his commitments.

Kroos' last outing for his country came in a 2-0 European Championship defeat to England at Wembley Stadium, with the decision taken to walk away alongside departing coach Joachim Low.

What has been said?

A statement from Kroos on his social media channels reads: "I've played for Germany 106 times. There won't be another time.

"I would have dearly wished, and I gave everything again, that there would have been 109 internationals in the end and that this one big title, the European Championship, would have been added at the end.

"I had made the decision to quit after this tournament for a long time. It had been clear to me for a long time that I would not be available for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

"Mainly because I want to focus fully on my goals with Real Madrid for the next few years. In addition, from now on I will deliberately allow myself breaks that have not existed as a national player for eleven years.

"And moreover, as a husband and dad, I would also like to be there for my wife and three children.

"It was a great honour for me to be able to wear this jersey for such a long period of time. I did it with pride and passion.

"Thanks to all fans and supporters who carried and supported me with their applause and cheers. And thanks to all the critics for their extra motivation.

"At the very end I would like to say thank you very much to Jogi Low. He made me a national player and world champion. He trusted me. We have written a success story for a long time.

"It was an honor for me, doing it well - and good luck and success to Hansi Flick."

Kroos' international career

Kroos' senior international bow came in a meeting with Argentina in March 2010.

He would go on to appear at three World Cup finals, including a triumphant campaign in 2014, along with three European Championships.

A century of caps for Germany was secured in October 2020 during a Nations League outing against Switzerland.

Kroos hit 17 goals for his country and only six men have made more appearances for Die Mannschaft than he has.

The playmaker, who will now focus solely on club matters, is tied to a contract with Real Madrid through to the summer of 2023.

Further readiing

Arsenal, Juventus, AC Milan and Benfica were among those involved in the round one qualifying draw for the 2021-22 UEFA Women’s Champions League on Friday.

Arsenal face Kazakhstan outfit Okzhetpes in their first game, with PSV the favourites to stand between them and a place in round two. Juventus have North Macedonian side Kamenica Sasa to look forward to, before either Besiktas or St. Polten, the Austrian side who reached the UWCL last 16 in 2020-21.

AC Milan face Zurich, then Hoffenheim or Valur should they emerge victorious, with Glasgow City, Benfica, Celtic and FC Twente among the others to feature in the first round. This season will be the first to incorporate this new format, which UEFA announced in late 2019.

How does the qualifying stage work?

There will be 15 ‘mini-tournaments’ in round one, 11 on the 'champions path' and four on the 'league path'. The champions path is made up of those who won their league titles across Europe, such as Juventus, with 10 of the tournaments made up of four teams and one made up of three.

In the groups of four teams, there will be two semi-finals played, with the winner of the final to progress to round two. In the group of three teams, the team with the highest coefficient will progress directly to the final, with the remaining two teams to play a semi-final to decide who faces them.

The league path includes Arsenal, who finished third in the Women's Super League this season, as well as others across Europe who feature in leagues with more than one UWCL place available.

The games in round one will be played between August 18 and August 21, which will be crucial for the bigger clubs in particular, coming just 12 days after the end of the women's football tournament at this summer's Olympic Games.

The draw for round two of qualifying will take place on August 22 and will determine the two-legged ties that will take place. Giants such as seven-time champions Lyon, two-time champions Wolfsburg and Manchester City, as well as a Real Madrid team entering the UWCL for the first time, await in round two. The first legs of those ties will be played on August 31 and September 1, with the second legs on September 8 and September 9.

Winners of these ties will then progress to the group stage, for which Barcelona, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich have already qualified. It’s the first time that the competition will feature a 16-team group stage.

UWCL qualifying draw in full

Champions path - tournament 1: Breidablik vs Klaksvik, Gintra vs Flora Tallinn

Champions path - tournament 2: Glasgow City vs Birkirkara, BIIK-Shymkent vs Slovan Bratislava

Champions path - tournament 3: Anderlecht vs Hayasa, Osijek vs Breznica Pljevlja

Champions path - tournament 4: SFK 2000 Sarajevo vs Racing FC Union Luxembourg, Benfica vs Kiryat-Gat

Champions path - tournament 5: AFC Universitatea Olimpia Cluj vs Aland United, Servette Chenois vs Glentoran

Champions path - tournament 6: WFC CSKA vs Swansea City, Apollon vs Dinamo-BSUPC

Champions path - tournament 7: PAOK vs Agarista CSF Anenii Noi, Valerenga vs Mitrovica

Champions path - tournament 8: Juventus vs Kamenica Sasa, St. Polten vs Besiktas

Champions path - tournament 9: FC Twente vs WFC Nike, Spartak Subotica vs Peamount United

Champions path - tournament 10: WFC Kharkiv vs NSA Sofia, WFC Pomurje Beltinci vs Rigas Futbola skola

Champions path - tournament 11: Ferencvarosi vs Czarni Sosnowiec, Vllaznia vs Ferencvarosi/Czarni Sosnowiec

League path - tournament 1: Hoffenheim vs Valur, FC Zurich vs AC Milan

League path - tournament 2: Brondby vs Kristianstads, Bordeaux vs Slovacko

League path - tournament 3: Levante vs Celtic, Minsk vs Rosenborg

League path - tournament 4: Arsenal vs Okzhetpes, PSV Eindhoven vs Lokomotiv Moskva

Further reading

Chelsea women's manager Emma Hayes has signed a new contract following their run to the Champions League final last season.

Hayes has won 10 major trophies in her nine years in charge of the Blues, with her next game on the touchline her 250th as manager of the club.

She has guided Chelsea to four Women’s Super League titles, two Women’s FA Cups, two Continental League Cups, the FA WSL Spring Series, and the Women’s FA Community Shield.

Hayes stays

The manager has gained an increased profile in recent years, both through her success with Chelsea and also her outspoken personality away from the pitch, including her acclaimed work as a pundit during the current European Championship.

Chelsea broke new ground in 2020-21 as they reached their first Women's Champions League final, only to be well beaten 4-0 by Barcelona.

Hayes' reputation has been hugely enhanced, however, and despite being linked with other jobs - including in men's football - she has pledged her loyalty to Chelsea and is set to spend at least a decade in charge.

She joined Chelsea in 2012, and led them to the Super League and FA Cup double in both 2015 and 2018. They claimed further WSL titles in 2020 - on points per game after the season was curtailed by coronavirus - and 2021. Over the course of their back-to-back crowns, Chelsea set a WSL record for successive unbeaten matches, going 33 games without defeat.

What has been said?

Hayes told the official Chelsea website: "Everyone knows what this club means to me. The work we’ve done together over the last nine years has been hugely rewarding, full of growth of the women’s game, accompanied with winning, which is one of the club’s key values.

"I really look forward to keep building on the successes we’ve already achieved and I’m delighted to have extended further. It’s been a year and a half without fans, so I can’t wait to welcome them back to our home and share with them the wonderful team we’ve built together."

Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia added: "We are delighted Emma has committed to stay at Chelsea. History speaks for itself, and we are really proud of what she has achieved in the past nine years, not just at the club, but also for the growth of the women’s game. It is phenomenal and a real credit to Emma for her continued passion, hard work and dedication to the sport.

"We have no doubt there’s more exciting times to come and look forward to watching her take Chelsea Women to even greater heights in the years to come."

Further Reading

Chelsea defender Thiago Silva has expressed a desire to emulate the efforts of AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini by playing on into his 40s.

The vastly-experienced Brazil international will turn 37 in September, but he has committed to a 12-month contract extension at Stamford Bridge and is showing no sign of slowing down.

Champions League glory was savoured with the Blues last season and, as he now chases down a Copa America crown with his country, Silva has no imminent retirement plans in place.

What has been said?

Silva has told reporters of trying to emulate an iconic defender that spent 25 years with Serie A giants Milan: "I hope I can do the same thing that Paolo Maldini did at Milan, playing until he was 40 or 41 years old.

"That’s my plan for the immediate future. I have prepared myself for that and now at 36 years old I continue to play at a high level and that gives me a great deal of pride."

How long can Silva continue?

Chelsea jumped at the chance to snap up Silva when his contract at Paris Saint-Germain came to an end in the summer of 2020.

Age was no barrier for them and a productive, if slightly injury-impacted, debut campaign in west London convinced all parties to agree an extended stay.

The commanding centre-half believes he can continue to thrive at the very highest level, although he concedes that his workload now needs to be managed.

He added: "From this moment on I have to live each season and each competition.

"I play very carefully because my physique is no longer the same as it was two or three years ago and the recovery from one game to another takes longer."

Once international duty with Brazil comes to a close, Silva will start counting down the days to Chelsea's clash with Villarreal in the UEFA Super Cup on August 11 and a 2021-22 Premier League opener against Crystal Palace three days later.

Further reading

Football Kenya Federation Premier League side Gor Mahia have claimed the Shield Cup final match against AFC Leopards will be held at Nyayo Stadium on July 4.

In a Facebook post on Friday, K'Ogalo have stated the match has been moved from Utalii Ground to Nyayo Stadium. The government had initially confirmed the facility at the city centre is not available as it had been booked for a different event.

"The venue for Sunday's Cup match final [Gor Mahia vs AFC Leopards] has been changed to Nyayo Stadium from Utalii Grounds. Kick-off time remains the same," the local heavyweights stated on the social media post.

Although Gor Mahia gave the update, FKF's CEO Barry Otieno has said they are not aware of the venue change announced by the club: "We have requested the government several times to use Nyayo Stadium for the derby final and we were denied access, we have not been told anything about the availability of the venue,” Otieno told Goal.

“We don’t know if they have communicated directly to the clubs but as FKF we are not aware whether they have given green light to use Nyayo, all we know we have already prepared Utalii grounds, and the final will be played there. But it is sad for football anyway when we ask for Nyayo and we don’t get a response, even our latest letter has not been replied to.”  

None of the government-owned stadiums has been available for the FKF Premier League and the National Super Leagues sides since the suspension on sports activities were lifted in May.

Even the national U23 side - the Emerging Stars - have been denied access to the Moi International Sports Complex in Kasarani for the preparations of the Cecafa Championships that will be held in Ethiopia in July.

Pressure has been mounting on the government to allow top-tier sides to use either Kasarani or Nyayo Stadium. AFC Leopards' chair Dan Shikanda stated why Utalii and Ruaraka Grounds should not continue to host any game.

“It is a big match which deserves a huge atmosphere, these two teams met last in such a final in 2013 and you can imagine how good if they face with fans rallying behind them, I wish the government can listen to us and give us a good venue and also allow a few fans," Shikanda said in an earlier interview.

“Our players have suffered a lot playing at Utalii and Ruaraka, the playing surface is getting worse and players are picking unnecessary injuries, the game is also not flowing as per what the coaches want, we hope to get Nyayo at least for the final.”

AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia will face off in a meeting that will decide which side will grab the Caf Confederation Cup ticket.

Chelsea defender Abdul Rahman Baba has opened up on his loan move away to Schalke 04 in 2016, revealing a fall-out with then manager Antonio Conte forced his exit.

After a first season with the Blues, the left-back was among the casualties as then newly-appointed Chelsea manager Conte hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge.

Baba had joined Chelsea from German fold Augsburg the season earlier.

“I left Chelsea because I didn’t get on well with Conte. When he arrived I had a first meeting with him before the season ended," Baba told Joy Sports .

"He told me how he wanted to play and how I can be in the team if I decide to stay. So I said okay that’s fine. When we went on vacation and came back, he was at the Euros [with Italy] so we started the pre-season and then he came to join us.

"And during the pre-season I didn’t like the way he was reacting toward me. So I went to speak to the sporting director and I told him my worries.

"I told him this is what is happening in training and I don’t have confidence anymore and if I stay here I will not be confident enough to show my qualities."

In his first season, Baba made 15 Premier League appearances, having signed for the London-based club during the managerial reign of Jose Mourinho.

The Portuguese coach was later fired and temporarily replaced by Guus Hiddink before Conte, then manager of Italy, was announced as new Chelsea manager ahead of the 2016-17 campaign.

"The first meeting, he [Conte] told me to just keep calm and keep working hard so I said that’s fine. This was in London and then we went to Austria and it started getting worse and that’s when I said no, I can’t take it anymore," Baba added.

“I don’t know, maybe my name was easy on his tongue, like every small thing was like ‘Baba’ ‘Baba’ and most of the players came to ask me what’s going on and I said I don’t know.

"[John] Mikel Obi told me to just stay and shouldn’t bother what [Conte] is doing, but as young as I was , I was not taking it lightly so when we went to Austria I spoke to the Sporting Director and told him [that] it is going overboard and I can’t take it.

"So they told me okay, so what do you want to do? I told them I would prefer to leave and they said no the club doesn't want to sell me. So I said okay, if that’s so then I would prefer to go on loan from here.”

He joined Schalke on a season-long loan, reuniting with former coach Markus Weinzierl.

The duo had previously worked together at Augsburg.

"The then coach of Schalke 04 was my former coach in Augsburg so he called me and told me, Baba you know if you are not feeling good at Chelsea, you know I’m here to help you. I’m in Schalke now so if you want to come that’s fine," the full-back added.

Baba is currently back at Chelsea after a short-term deal with Greek side PAOK during the second half of last season. 

Veteran coach Brian Kidd has left Manchester City as part of a shake-up of Pep Guardiola's backroom staff.

The 72-year-old joined City in 2009 following the arrival of Roberto Mancini and also worked under Manuel Pellegrini before Guardiola took charge in 2016.

Under-18s head coach Carlos Vicens has been promoted to join the first-team coaching staff.

End of an era

Manchester-born Kidd has had one of the most extraordinary careers in football both as a player and as a coach.

He started as a youngster with Manchester United and scored in the 1968 European Cup final victory over Benfica as a teenager before going on to play for Arsenal, City and Everton.

Kidd was also Sir Alex Ferguson's right-hand man at Old Trafford as they ended a 26-year wait for a top-flight title before going on to become the manager of Blackburn Rovers.

What's been said

“It has been a privilege to be part of such an exciting chapter in this club’s history,” Kidd told the club’s website.

“I can only thank Pep, Roberto and Manuel for their leadership during a period of huge change and challenges for everyone involved here. I hope to have offered them enough help and support along the way to have made a difference and played a small role in the different teams’ successes.

“Having also played for Manchester City, it was very special to return and throughout the last 12 years I have felt the warmth of the leadership, the staff and of the fans throughout. I am incredibly grateful to all of them.”

Guardiola added: “Brian Kidd is a legend in this country. Not only for what he has done here at Manchester City, but at other clubs throughout his incredible career.

“He has been so important to me during my time at the club, and I am sure to Roberto and Manuel also. He has so much respect in our dressing room, from myself, my coaches and most importantly the players.”

Who else is moving?

Vicens will join Guardiola's team just a year after a promotion from assistant to U18s boss following Gareth Taylor's move to take charge of City's women's team.

After guiding them to their first FA Youth Cup success in more than a decade, he is seen as someone who can help Academy players make the transition to the first-team environment, with players such as Cole Palmer, Liam Delap and Romeo Lavia set to make the step up next season.

His job at the U18s will be filled by Ben Wilkinson, the son of former Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday boss Howard, who steps up from the U16s.

The new U23s boss is still to be confirmed following the departure of Enzo Maresca to Parma. Brian Barry-Murphy, who recently left relegated League One side Rochdale, is seen as a possible successor.

Nicolas Joever, who was the set-piece coach for the first team, is also set to leave the club.

Further reading:

Ghana midfielder Anthony Annan has conceded he is always ready to play for the national team if his services are needed.

The 36-year-old Inter Turku player last featured for the Black Stars six years ago, and some supporters felt his extended absence might lead to his retirement. However, he has stated that is not going to be the case.

"I am Ghanaian and my doors are always open if my nation needs my services," Annan said in a brief statement to Skyy Power FM.

The midfielder was part of the Ghana squad that finished third at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations and also played in the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa, where the West Africa nation reached the quarter-final. 

He was one of the players who played in all five matches in the aforementioned competition before getting eliminated by Uruguay in a penalty shootout. 

Annan played for Ghana 67 times, scoring two goals in the process.

Meanwhile, Genk attacker Joseph Paintsil is backing the Black Stars to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar next year.

The West Africans have set their sights on securing a place at the global gathering, having missed out on the 2018 edition in Russia.

Ghana will battle it out with South Africa, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe in the second round of the qualifiers for a ticket to the third and final phase of the series.

"For me, we have good players and a higher chance of qualifying for the World Cup if we do well," Paintsil told Citi TV.

“We have good players and I think we are going to have a good tournament.

“It all depends on the players and the management, we need to come together and work as a team and go out there to deliver."

Ghana, who are also targeting the Africa Cup of Nations title in Cameroon next year, will commence the qualification series with a home clash with Ethiopia in September, a few days before travelling away to face South Africa.

For their last match of the first round, the Black Stars will host Zimbabwe. 

Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour has joined Norwich City on a season-long loan as the Scotland international seeks regular first team football in 2021-22.

The 20-year-old, who put in a man of the match display as Scotland drew with England at Euro 2020, made only 11 first team appearances for the Blues last season.

Gilmour has therefore joined the newly promoted Canaries for their upcoming Premier League campaign, after Norwich were promoted as champions from the second-tier after being relegated in 2019-20.

Why Norwich for Gilmour?

Gilmour, who joined Chelsea's academy from Rangers in 2017, has immediately impressed after stepping up into the first-team picture at Stamford Bridge, with with N'Golo Kante, Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and more ahead of him, has found regular game time hard to come by.

After making his first team debut in a Premier League draw with Sheffield United in August 2019, Gilmour has made 22 senior appearances for Chelsea. Now 20, the time is right for him to get many more games under his belt.

He has therefore moved away from the Champions League winners for the 2021-22 season, and will join up with Daniel Farke's Norwich following their impressive Championship-winning campaign in 2020-21.

Gilmour has also impressed at international level. He has three senior Scotland caps and made his first start in the 0-0 draw with England at Wembley, although he was unable to prevent his country crashing out of the Euros group stages after testing positive for coronavirus before the crucial clash with Croatia.

What has been said?

Gilmour told the official club website: “I’m very excited to be here. I can’t wait for the season ahead. I’ve been looking forward to coming here, playing as much as possible and helping Norwich City compete in the Premier League.

“I spoke to the head coach here. He called me and we had a nice talk about how he wants to play and how he sees me fitting in. Everything he said was what I want to do on the pitch, get the ball down and play nice football. He spoke really highly of his team and I wanted to come join here and help.

“There are very exciting times ahead, coming in for pre-season and seeing all the lads. Let’s get to it.”

Farke added: “We are really happy to have brought Billy in. We must say a big thank you to Chelsea and all those involved for making this deal happen. I think it helped that in the past we have shown that young players with potential are in good hands here at Norwich City.

“We are delighted to bring Billy in because we’ve lost some players in that area. We’re looking to improve our options, particularly in the centre of the park, and for that we’re happy to bring Billy in.

“We got the feeling that he can help us a lot with his ability to link the play, his technical qualities and also his work against the ball. From the football point of view, but also from his character he is the perfect fit to our squad.

“He will help us to achieve our targets. We still have to keep in mind that he is an unbelievably young guy and that he hasn’t played regularly on this level. We have to give him some time and space to improve and find his rhythm.All in all, we got the feeling that he can help us achieve our targets and he’s a perfect fit for us.”

Further Reading

Yanga SC have hit back at their rivals Simba SC by claiming they are in good shape to beat the reigning champions when they clash in the Mainland Premier League derby on Saturday.

The two giants will face off in the second round fixture of the top-flight at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium and on Wednesday, Simba media officer Haji Manara bragged that they will win the match by more than three goals.

The statement has irked Yanga, whom through their media spokesman Hassan Bumbuli have responded by stating they will instead beat Simba 4-0.

What has been said?

“Simba are just daydreaming, they don’t know what they are talking about, we have the best team currently in the league and we know our players are ready to give us happiness, by the end of the final whistle, we will win 4-0,” Bumbuli told Goal while answering Manara.

On claims that Simba have requested the Tanzania Football Federation to bring the trophy to the stadium as they will be crowned if they beat Yanga, Bumbuli said: “Simba are just making noise, we can also talk if they want us to talk, we know what the match entails, it is a derby and we will fight to win it, so Simba should stop crowning themselves.”

What had Manara said?

“If the referees do their job well on Saturday, Simba will beat Yanga by more than three goals, that is a fact,” Manara told Goal.

“Forget about those saying derbies can go either way, those things have been overtaken by events, do you expect Simba with their current form to lose against Yanga? Just forget about that and wake up, Simba will never lose to Yanga.

“If the referees follow the 17 rules of officiating, Yanga will ship in more than three goals, and nothing will change, we are the best team in East Africa and people should stop judging things by fluke, those things have been overtaken by events.

Meanwhile, the Tanzania Premier League Board has named Emmanuel Mwandembwa from Arusha as the central referee for the derby.

He will be assisted by Frank Komba, also from Dar es Salaam, and the Mtwara-based Hamdan Saidi while Ramadhan Kayoko from Dar es Salaam will serve as the fourth official whereas Soud Abdi from Arusha has been named the referee assessor.

The match commissioner will be Hosseah Lugando from Lindi, protocol officer Jacqueline Kwamwamu from Dar es Salaam, officer for marketing is Aaron Nyanda (Dar es Salaam), match doctor is Lisobine Kisongo (Dar es Salaam), and the media officer is Karim Boimanda (Dar es Salaam).

Juan Mata has signed a new one-year contract at Manchester United, with that agreement keeping him out of the free agent pool and at Old Trafford until the summer of 2022.

The 33-year-old World Cup winner had seen his previous deal with the Red Devils expire at the end of June.

Discussions regarding fresh terms had, however, been taking place for some time and a long-serving member of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad will be sticking around for a ninth season.

What has been said?

In a statement on the club's official website, the Red Devils said: "Manchester United is delighted to announce Juan Mata has agreed a one-year contract, keeping him at Old Trafford until June 2022.

"The 33-year-old completed a transfer from Premier League rivals Chelsea in January 2014 and has since made 273 appearances as a Red, scoring 51 goals in the process.

"His impressive tally of strikes includes a memorable brace against Liverpool at Anfield in 2015 and an all-important equaliser in the victorious 2016 Emirates FA Cup final versus Crystal Palace.

"Dubbed a magician on the pitch and a gentleman off it, Mata has become one of the most popular players in recent United history and he is highly respected by all of his team-mates. 

"The World Cup winner’s influence on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s young, improving squad is invaluable and the manager continues to be a huge supporter of the fleet-footed Spaniard.

"While his 2020-21 season was limited to 18 appearances, partly due to personal circumstances, Mata’s contribution remained and he was notably one of six Reds to win our Player of the Month awards, alongside Edinson Cavani, Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw. 

"With a new one-year contract agreed and pre-season training about to start at Carrington, Juan is raring to go in what will be his ninth campaign at United. 

"Congratulations on your new deal, El Mago."

The bigger picture

Mata faces fierce competition for places within United's squad, with Solskjaer not short on creative options.

The likes of Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba and Donny van Beek are all battling for the right to provide a playmaking spark.

Uncertainty over regular game time could have forced Mata to look elsewhere, with minutes needed at this stage of a distinguished career.

He has, however, committed to another 12 months in Manchester and will be looking to help the Red Devils bring a five-year wait for major silverware to a close in 2022 - having already taken in FA Cup, League Cup,

Community Shield and Europa League triumphs during his time with the club.

United are due to open their 2021-22 Premier League campaign with a home date against arch-rivals Leeds on August 14.

Further reading

Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has promised to help new club Al Kuwait SC to achieve their targets for the new season.

On Thursday, the Kuwaiti Premier League outfit disclosed the former Stoke City and Trabzonspor star had penned a one-year contract that will keep him at the club for the 2021-22 season.

Mikel's signing came as reinforcement for Al Kuwait, who finished third in the Premier League last season behind Al-Qadsia and leaders Al-Arabi.

Subsequently, the 34-year-old has revealed his delight after signing for the side and promised to give his level best to help the team have a successful campaign.

“I am very happy to sign for Kuwait SC, I thank the President of Kuwait SC for the trust that he has given to me to come to Kuwait,” Mikel said in a video posted on Kuwaiti’s Instagram page.

“I promise to be on my best level to help the team to make sure that together as a team we can achieve a great season next year and hopefully we can be successful”.

Meanwhile, Stoke City boss Michael O'Neill has admitted they already had an agreement in Mikel’s contract that he could leave the club anytime.

“Although John triggered the second year of his contract, we always had an agreement in place whereby we would let him leave if a significant overseas opportunity came along,” O'Neill said as quoted by stokesentinel.co.uk.

“John is a fantastic professional and was a huge presence for us last season both on and off the field, particularly with the young players in our first-team squad.

“I really enjoyed working with him and would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his contribution and wish him every success for the future.”

Mikel will not be the only African star at the Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium as he joins Morocco's El-Mehdi Barrahma, Tunisia duo Ahmed Akaichi and Rami Bedoui, and Mali's Abdulwahid Sissoko in the Brigadiers' line-up.

He was one of the standout players in O'Neill's team in the 2020-21 season with 39 league appearances under his belt as they finished 14th in the table and was also part of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations-winning squad and he also helped the country win bronze at the 2006, 2010 and 2019 editions.

Xavi "would bet on" Lionel Messi signing a new contract at Barcelona at some stage in the near future, once financial issues at Camp Nou are ironed out, with both sides of those discussions considered to "need" each other.

The six-time Ballon d'Or winner is technically a free agent after seeing his previous deal come to an end on June 30.

No discussions are being held with other clubs, despite long-standing interest from the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, but the Liga giants have salary cap concerns to contend with before they can thrash out fresh terms with the talismanic presence.

What has been said?

Xavi, a former team-mate of Messi, told Mundo Deportivo of an unwelcome headache for those in Catalunya: "These are market circumstances, we have to wait.

"I imagine he is talking to the club and the president.

"I wish Leo the best, as a friend of his and as a cule [a Barcelona fan], I wish him to continue at Barca. Hopefully, it can be announced as soon as possible."

Will Messi sign a new contract?

A man that has spent his entire senior club career to date with the Blaugrana remains in contact with those at Camp Nou.

Barca president Joan Laporta has expressed confidence on a regular basis that a new deal will be put in place with the all-time great.

A hefty wage bill does, however, need to be trimmed before that paperwork can be signed, with plenty of departures being discussed.

Xavi remains confident that Messi will be back for more in 2021-22, adding: "If I had to bet, I would say that he will continue at the club, although many things have been said in football, but I would say that he will continue.

"Leo needs Barca and Barca need Leo. He is happy in Barcelona; he has spent his life there. I would bet on him renewing."

Further reading