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Former Belgium coach Rene Vandereycken has encouraged Paul Onuachu to take a step higher by signing for a Premier League or Bundesliga club.

The 26-year-old has been with Belgian side Genk since the summer of 2019 after teaming up with the club from Danish side FC Midtjylland.

The Nigeria international starred for the Wolves for seven years, scoring more than 50 league goals, and again proved his worth with the Blue and White.

The lanky forward has been delivering consistent eye-catching performances for Genk since his arrival at the club and in the current campaign, he has been in terrific form.

The attacker has bagged 33 goals in 36 appearances and provided three assists across all competitions, amid other dazzling displays.

Vandereycken is in awe of his performance and has urged the forward, who has three years left on his current contract, to move to the next level.

"Onuachu is a very special type of striker, you can hardly compare him with anyone," Vandereycken told Het Nieuwsblad as per, Voetbal Primeur.

"Despite being 2.01 meters, Onuachu is technically strong and fast, and he often succeeds in making the right decision.

"He will also feel that after a season in which he has already scored 33 times, it is the time to take a step higher.

"He must be able to keep up perfectly in the Bundesliga or even the Premier League, as long as he chooses the right club and trainer, although we always have to wait and see how a body reacts to a more demanding competition."

Onuachu will be expected to continue his impressive performances when Genk take on Anderlecht in their next league game on Wednesday.

The attacker is a member of the Nigeria national team and recently helped the West African country qualify for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

The forward has 11 appearances for the three-time African champions and has found the back of the net three times for the side.

Simba SC have maintained they will not be affected by the postponement of their Kariakoo Derby against rivals Yanga SC when they take on Kaizer Chiefs in a Caf Champions League quarter-final clash on Saturday.

The Msimbazi giants were due to face their rivals in the Mainland Premier League derby at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Saturday but it was called off after Yanga refused to adhere to the Tanzania Football Federation’s late kick-off time change.

Simba team manager Patrick Rweyemamu has told Goal despite the players failing to play in the derby, they are well-motivated heading into the first leg clash against Amakhosi and they will not be affected in any way by not playing against their rivals.

“Psychologically we are prepared to face Kaizer [Chiefs], we are not thinking of the derby now and remember this are two different competitions, against Yanga is a league match and this is a Champions League fixture,” Rweyemamu told Goal.

“The Mainland league is a marathon, you fight to win and get points and whoever get more points at end of the season, wins the title, but in Champions League it is a knockout competition, you win you proceed to the next stage, you lose you are knocked out, so this are two different competitions and not playing against Yanga will not affect us at all.

“So we always prepare differently when playing in the two competitions and we have already forgotten what happened against Yanga, we respect them, they are a great team but now our focus is on Chiefs, it is the task we are focused on.”

On how prepared the squad is, Rweyemamu said: “The squad is good, they are ready to play in South Africa, they are all in good shape and we have travelled minus three players namely Said Ndemla, Miraj Athuman and Perfect Chikwende and Bernard Morrison, whom as I explained earlier he had issues with his travelling papers but will be sorted to join in South Africa soon.”

“We all know Perfect Chikwende is not registered to play in Caf competition and Ndemla and Athuman have not travelled because of sickness and family issues but the most important thing we have travelled with a squad of 24 players and we will be 25 when Morrison joins us," Rweyemamu explained.

On what to expect in the game, Rweyemamu told Goal: “It will not be an easy game, remember there is no easy game in football, whether in Mainland league, FA Cup or Champions League, because any team you come up against is always prepared to get a win, but we have prepared well but in football, you have to have respect for your opponent.

“We respect them [Chiefs] and for them to have also reached the quarter-finals means they are a good team and we cannot underrate them but we believe we have prepared our players well and we are going for a good result because we have the desire to do well in the competition.”

The match against Chiefs will be played at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

Manchester United manager Casey Stoney is set to step down from her role as manager at the end of the current season.

Stoney has been in charge of Man Utd since 2018 when the team was first founded, having earned promotion from the FA Women's Championship to the Women's Super League in 2018-19.

She led Man Utd to a fourth-place finish in their second season of the Women’s Super League this campaign, finishing just short of a Champions League spot.

What was said?

“It has been an honour to lead the women’s team at this great club and this has been an incredibly tough decision," Stoney said in a statement. "Having come on board to start the team from scratch, then winning the Women’s Championship in our first season, we have now successfully established the team as a force in the Women’s Super League.

"I have loved leading this group and I am proud of what we have achieved together. However, after a difficult season with disruption caused by the pandemic, I now feel the time is right to take some time away and for someone else to come in and lead the team on the next stage of its journey.

"I want to thank the club, all of the fantastic staff, the fans, and most of all the players, for the incredible experience we have shared over the past three years.”

'An inspiration' 

Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, who is also set to step away in the coming months, hailed Stoney's impact on the club for her role in establishing Man Utd as a legitimate contender in the WSL.

“Casey has been a driving force behind the success of our Women’s team since she joined the club in 2018," Woodward said. "She has been an inspiration to her players and staff, to everyone at the club, and to the fans.

"Everyone at Manchester United thanks her for her unstinting hard work and dedication and pays tribute to her achievements. She will always be part of the Manchester United family.”

The club confirmed that it is currently in the process of searching for a new head coach with an appointment to come "in due course".

“Manchester United is completely committed to its Women’s team and to building on the legacy of Casey’s achievements as we move forwards," said Football Director John Murtough. “With the recent historic first game at Old Trafford and the impact the team has made in the Women’s Super League, the future is bright.

"While we will be sad to see Casey leave, the team and the operation will continue to go from strength to strength.”

Man Utd remain in contention to win the FA Cup and will play Leicester City on Sunday in their fifth-round match.

Further reading

Mohamed Salah would have deserved the Ballon d'Or between 2017 and 2020 rather than Sadio Mane, according to Goal readers.

Since both players joined Premier League outfit Liverpool, from AS Roma and Southampton respectively, they have been a key figure in Jurgen Klopp’s squad.

Their immense contributions propelled the Reds to win the Champions League in 2019. The following year, they helped the Anfield giants end their 30-year wait for a Premier League trophy.

Interestingly, the Senegal and Egypt internationals shared the English top flight’s Golden Boot prize after scoring 22 goals each that season.

Considering their awe-inspiring form during that period, we asked our readers who should have won the Ballon d'Or between them.

In a poll conducted on the Goal Africa Twitter handle, a massive 63.6 percent of total votes believed Salah was a worthy winner of the individual honour – which would have made him become the second African to claim the prize after George Weah.

On the other hand, 36.4 percent pitched their tents with the 2019 African Player of the Year winner.

After placing 23rd in the 2017 edition of the awards, Mane moved one step higher to 22nd in the 2018 Ballon d’Or vote.

In 2019, however, he finished fourth on the podium behind Lionel Messi, team-mate Virgil van Dijk and Cristiano Ronaldo. Had the Ballon d’Or for 2020 not been cancelled due to the outbreak of Covid-19, the 29-year-old could have been in contention for the prize.

For Salah, he was nowhere to be found in the 30-man shortlist for 2017 but his notable performance in 2018 saw him ranked sixth, while finishing fifth in 2019.

If their performances this season and that of Liverpool are anything to go by, the African duo does not stand a chance of making the top three this time around.

Salah and Mane are expected to lead Klopp’s attacking line when they travel to Old Trafford for Thursday’s Premier League showdown against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United.

With their league title ambition over, the Reds would be hoping to earn a berth in next season’s Champions League.

As it stands, they occupy the sixth position in the log having garnered 57 points from 34 matches.

Kaizer Chiefs might finish the season without forward Khama Billiat and goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune after coach Gavin Hunt’s latest update on the duo offers little hope of a speedy recovery from their respective injuries. 

Hunt described the aggravation of Billiat’s leg fracture as “worrying” and he sees the Zimbabwean’s absence as “a big blow.” 

The Amakhosi tactician has also revealed that Khune’s progress is at a level of “general fitness stuff” as the veteran goalkeeper is recovering from a shoulder strain.  

“We’ve got a squad, we must use it. We have a lot of key players not available so we must use the squad,” Hunt told the club’s website . 

“Itumeleng Khune’s shoulder is not right so he has not done too much in terms of goalkeeping. He has been doing general fitness stuff, but he has been out since the Chippa game two-three weeks ago.  

“Khama Billiat’s worrying because he was kicked on the same leg that was broken. He is a big blow because we don’t have enough in that department. We are pretty much short as we only have three strikers available.” 

Billiat was injured on May 25 during the 2-1 Premier Soccer League win over Mamelodi Sundowns, a match he lasted just 45 minutes after being at the end of an Andile Jali tackle. 

The injury sent him back to the sidelines after also missing action between January and early May while nursing the same leg which is fractured again. 

Since Billiat’s injury, Chiefs have played three league matches, losing two to relegation candidates Chippa United and Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, while drawing against Bloemfontein Celtic. 

As for Khune, he got injured at a time when he had reclaimed the number one jersey and has not featured in Chiefs' last two outings. 

Amakhosi are missing some key players at a critical stage of their season as they bid for a top-eight finish as well as extend their campaign in the Caf Champions League. 

They go into Wednesday’s league tie against Swallows FC without injured defender Eric Mathoho while Njabulo Blom is suspended.

In their last game against TTM, they had another goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi unavailable but the Nigerian has begun training and could be back soon. 

Bruce Bvuma is expected to continue in goals against Swallows and deputised by Brylon Petersen.

Mamelodi Sundowns playmaker Gaston Sirino says he would love to join reigning African champions Al Ahly in the future.

The 29-year-old was on the radar of Al Ahly in the last two transfer windows with the Egyptian football powerhouse having expressed their desire to lure Sirino to the North African country.

However, the two clubs could not reach an agreement regarding Sirino's services and he stayed put at the Chloorkop-based giants where he is one of their key players.

“It’s always good that a big team like Al Ahly to be interested in me. I’m very focused on keeping playing well to appear and then we’ll see what happens,” Sirino told Sky News Arabia according to King Fut.

“I want to thank the Al Ahly fans for their love. It would be a great challenge if I could someday wear this shirt.

“The match against Al Ahly is an early final. It’ll be a great match because we are two very good teams, and it will be an important match as well, so we have to enjoy it."

The Uruguayan player has established himself as one of the best players in the PSL since he joined Sundowns in January 2018 with Masandawana under the guidance of coach Pitso Mosimane at the time. 

Sirino and his Sundowns teammates are currently preparing for their Caf Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash against Al Ahly, who are under the tutelage of Mosimane. 

“Al Ahly have very good players and a coach that makes them play well too, so it will be a very difficult game. I’m not afraid of any defence," he continued. 

"I’m only focusing on performing well and winning for our team. Pitso is the coach that achieved great things with Sundowns, and he deserves to be where he is now.

"He knows us well but we are ready for him and we have a strong team to go ahead in the Champions League. Mosimane will play a great game against us."

Sirino was a key member of the Masandawana side which thumped Al Ahly 5-0 in a Champions League game in 2019 and he insisted that they are not thinking of the emphatic win over the Red Devils. 

“We are not thinking about that. We are only thinking about passing the ball and implementing the instructions the coaches give us,” he concluded.

Sundowns will be away to Al Ahly in Cairo on Saturday in the first-leg match and the return leg game is set to take place on May 22.

Yanga SC technical and administrative advisor Senzo Mazingisa has stated the postponement of the Kariakoo Derby denied their fans a chance to see a new-looking side.

Yanga were to be hosted by Simba on May 8 before a disagreement arose from the change in the kick-off time. Yanga objected to the new schedule that pushed the kick-off time from 17:00 EAT to 19:00 EAT while Simba were ready to have the game start under the new programme.

Mazingisa said Yanga are now looking a great outfit especially with the appointment of Naserredine Nabi as the head coach.

"The team is taking great shape and it is unfortunate the match against Simba was called off. The fans would have got a chance to see a new team under the new coach Naserredine [Nabi]," Mazingisa told Mwanaspoti.

"The fans now need to rally around the team because with the new coach, we are about to see a greatly improved squad. It is also important to ensure we win the remaining games."

The former Simba chief Executive Officer added they will be guided by the government's direction in as far as the preparation for the derby is concerned.

"The government has given a direction and it is from there we will sit down and take the next step on our part," he added.

The government has already ordered that the Kariakoo Derby be played after it told Tanzania Football Federation and the Premier League Board to set a new date.

The fans who had purchased tickets will have access to the stadium according to the ministry’s direction.

"Data Center Company, which is responsible for tickets during match days, has been ordered to ensure the tickets purchased by 43,947 fans in readiness for the match are used to access the game once the dates are set," the ministry’s statement said. 

"The company will also manufacture extra tickets for the fans who were unable to purchase the initial ones for the match. The tickets should satisfy the number of fans allowed to fill the stadium."

The derby's results are expected to have a major impact on the title race given that Simba and Yanga are direct competitors sitting first and second at the top.

Eduardo Camavinga's agent, Jonathan Barnett, says they have had "a lot of offers from top clubs" for the Rennes star.

The midfielder, who finished second in Goal's NXGN list of the best young footballers in 2021, has been linked with several top European sides including Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Barnett says the 18-year-old, who already has three senior international caps for France, is swimming in offers and will have his pick of clubs this summer, should he decide to move on.

What has been said?

Barnett, who also represents Gareth Bale among other top players, told SNTV: "Believe me we have a lot of offers for this year, a lot of offers, and good ones. I mean top, top clubs. We don’t want to rush. There is the right time to move on and playing games is the most important thing at his age.

"Playing in a good club is nice for him. It might be this year, or he wants to have another year. He has got to talk to his family, his father. We will all sit down and decide. We will talk to Rennes as well and decide. There is no rush for him.

"He’s probably the best young player in the world. He has just turned 18. He has already been a French international. He’s an unbelievable talent. He could play in any team in the world. He is still going to be a great talent at 19. It’s not that old you know, 19."

What does Camavinga think?

Barnett is echoing his client, who has previously said he is aware of the interest in his services, but will not rush into a decision and is open to staying with Rennes.

Camavinga recently told Telefoot: "It makes you feel flattered and it's nice that teams like Real Madrid or Bayern are interested in your situation. I'm not going to lie, but I have not yet thought it over with my family."

Why is Camavinga in such demand?

The midfielder, who has made 37 appearances in all competitions this season for Rennes, has impressed immensely with the Ligue 1 side and is in contention for a call-up to the France squad for this summer's European Championship.

A switch to a leading European club has been talked up for a while, with Real Madrid the club most consistently linked with his signature.

Further Reading

Ismaila Sarr has been announced as Watford’s Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season.

In his second season at the Vicarage Road, the Senegal international played a crucial role in the Hornets’ return to the English Premier League.

For the Player of the Season accolade, he beat Kiko Femenia and Francisco Sierralta to second and third place respectively.

“It's very important because it's an award for all the hard work I've done this season, but I cannot afford to stop,” he told the club media.

“I have to keep the same level. I'd also like to thank my teammates as well.

“I am happy that all the players voted for me as this is an award from the players who it has been a pleasure to share every day with this season.

“So, the only thing I have to say is I have to carry on and thanks to all the guys.”

Featuring in 39 English Championship games, the 23-year-old accounted for 13 goals and five assists, not including penalties.

Also, he was fouled more than any other player in the league during the 2020-21 English second-tier campaign.

Ireland midfielder of Nigerian descent Bosun Lawal was voted as Academy Player of the Season.

The 17-year-old was a regular in Simon Clark’s Under 18 squad from the beginning of the season and also captained the young Hornets to the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup.

There, they silenced Colchester United and Lincoln City before eventually falling to Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

Eligible to represent Nigeria at the senior level, Lawal joined Watford from St Kevin’s Boys in Dublin in 2019.

Elsewhere, Belgium international of Congolese origin Christian Kabasele was named as the club’s Community Ambassador of the Season.

The 30-year-old centre-back played a crucial role in reaching out to the supporters through Watford’s Hornets at Home scheme during the coronavirus pandemic and has regularly supported the club’s Community Sports & Education Trust.

Last week, he gave away a customised training shirt on Instagram and donating to the Trust for every entry.

In addition, Kabasele took part in Show Racism the Red Card sessions for local schools and has been a strong voice for change in terms of anti-racism and discrimination.

Kaizer Chiefs will be looking to boost their hopes of finishing in the PSL top eight when they take on Swallows FC in the Soweto Derby encounter at FNB Stadium on Wednesday.

The Glamour Boys extended their winless run to three matches in the league when they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) away on May 4.

Coach Gavin Hunt and his charges know that they cannot afford to drop any more points if they are to book their place in next season's MTN8. 

Chiefs will be up against a Swallows side that is determined to secure a top-three finish in the league this term and qualify for either the Caf Confederation Cup or Caf Champions League. 

The Beautiful Birds are undefeated in their last eight league matches, but Brandon Truter's side has recorded four consecutive 1-1 draws including their last game against Maritzburg United away on April 30.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

Squads & Team News

The Chiefs camp has been hit by injuries with Itumeleng Khune, Daniel Akpeyi, Erick Mathoho, Lebohang Lesako and Khama Billiat having all missed the clash against TTM due to medical reasons.

However, Daniel Cardoso is now available for selection after the central defender served his one-match suspension against TTM, but Hunt will have to plan for the game against Swallows without Njabulo Blom, who is suspended. 

Lebogang Manyama grabbed a consolation goal in the defeat to TTM and the attacking midfielder will be confident of inspiring Chiefs to a victory over Swallows which would see Amakhosi climb up to the eighth spot on the standings if they win by a margin of two-plus goals.

Meanwhile, Swallows have not reported any injuries ahead of the Soweto Derby clash and they have no players on the PSL's midweek suspension list.

Kagiso Malinga, who has struggled with injuries this season, returned to action in the draw with Maritzburg as a substitute and the striker could be handed a start against Chiefs having scored goals with ease in the National First Division last season.

Truter will look to Zaphaniah Mbokoma with the winger having scored two goals and recorded two assists in the league this season and he could be key to a Swallows win over Chiefs which would see them move up to third place on the log if the other results go their way.

Match Preview

In head-to-head stats since 1985, Swallows and Chiefs have clashed in 62 league matches.

Amakhosi have recorded 34 wins compared to 12 for the Beautiful Birds, while 16 matches ended in a draw.

Looking at Chiefs' home record against Swallows, the Glamour Boys have won 17 of their 31 matches as the hosts and they have suffered five defeats in the process.

The first round league clash between the two teams ended in a 1-0 win in favour of Swallows at Dobsonville Stadium in November 2020.

Joseph Mhlongo's second-half goal earned the Beautiful Birds’ their maiden league win over Amakhosi since 2009.

Chelsea will host Arsenal on Wednesday, having won more points in Premier League London derby games this season than any other side.

Victory would equal the record for most points won in such games in a single Premier League campaign; with Arsenal in 2013-14, and Chelsea in 2005-06 and 2014-15 winning 25 points.  

Chelsea vs Arsenal Latest Odds

Chelsea are unbeaten in their last eight home Premier League matches against Arsenal (W6 D2) and another victory is valued at (1.73) with BetKing.

Arsenal have won their last two meetings with Chelsea in all competitions and a win in Wednesday's London Derby is tipped to occur at (5.00).

A draw in the London Derby at Stamford Bridge is considered to occur at (3.75).

Chelsea vs Arsenal Team News

Former Real Madrid midfielder Mateo Kovacic is expected to be unavailable for Chelsea yet again. However, Kovacic is fighting to recover in time for the FA Cup final.

Andreas Christensen will not be present to face the Gunners as he got a thigh injury. His absence could see Thomas Tuchel line up Kurt Zouma to fill the void.

Mikel Arteta, on the other hand, will miss David Luiz who is out due to a hamstring problem. Pablo Mari and Granit Xhaka will also not be available for the Gunners due to ankle and groin problems respectively.

Chelsea vs Arsenal Preview  

Chelsea have kept a clean sheet in seven of their eight Premier League home games under Tuchel, with the exception being a 5-2 defeat to West Bromwich Albion in April.

Chelsea’s last eight Premier League defeats against Arsenal have been with a different manager in the dugout; Claudio Ranieri, Avram Grant, Felipe Scolari, Carlo Ancelotti, Andre Villas-Boas, Antonio Conte, Maurizio Sarri and Frank Lampard. Of those eight, only Grant, Scolari, Villas-Boas and Conte lost their first league meeting with the Gunners.

Arsenal are unbeaten in their last five away league games (W3 D2), winning the last two by an aggregate score of 5-0. The Gunners haven’t won three in a row on the road without conceding since May 2013.  

Arsenal have never lost a Premier League match against Chelsea when facing them in mid-week ties (Tuesday or Wednesday). Though six of those games have ended level (W2). The Gunners’ four such visits to Stamford Bridge have all ended in a draw (0-0 September 1998, 2-2 September 2000, 0-0 April 2005, 2-2 January 2020).  

Chelsea vs Arsenal Tips and Predictions

Chelsea have scored eight goals in the last five games across all competitions and conceded just two. Arsenal have scored 11 goals and have conceded five in the same number of games and punters can take an offer of under 2.5 goals at (1.75) with BetKing.

Under 2.5 goals at (1.75) with BetKing.

Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.

Former Kaizer Chiefs striker Mark Williams says Orlando Pirates are struggling in the PSL because they tend to underestimate their opponents.

This comes after the Buccaneers drew 0-0 with Stellenbosch FC in a league game that took place at Danie Craven Stadium on Tuesday.

The result saw Pirates remain fourth on the league standings and they are now mathematically out of the race for this season's championship.

"You give the instructions to the players on the day and you expect them to give at least 80 percent, you want 100 percent but 80 percent is [still] fine," Williams told SuperSport TV.

"Then they end up giving you 60 percent [during the match], this is due to lack of concentration first of all and undermining the opposition."

Bucs, who have won just one of their last six competitive games, were outplayed by Stellies in the first-half, but the hosts could not take their chances. 

"I think that is basically what it is because you look at the difference between the two teams [on the day] you think why didn't Stellenbosch win the game,: he continued. 

"For both teams, they have been up and down like a rollercoaster, Pirates are up and down and the same with Stellies, not scoring goals."

Bucs came into the clash as the favourites having thrashed relegation-threatened Black Leopards 3-0 last week, while a struggling Stellies side had failed to win their previous eight league games. 

"I don't know if it is the same team that played against Black Leopards. There is only one change [to the starting line-up], but you ask yourself if they really pitched up," he said. 

"As a coach, you have a team which had a great result against Leopards and you come here to the Western Cape and they can't say that was a chance, it is free-kick, that was a goalkeeper's goal."

"There were no clear-cut opportunities [for Pirates] and then you ask yourself where is the consistency from this Pirates team."

The former Mamelodi Sundowns marksman believes that the Soweto giants were lucky to collect a point against Stellies, who remained 12th on the league standings. 

"Stellenbosch should have taken the three points and took themselves further away from the relegation zone because they had the opportunities," he said. 

"Then you look at Pirates and you say wow with the team that they have, that is a little bit disappointing for the coach [Josef Zinnbauer], they are lucky to come away with the point."

John Obi Mikel should not consider the prospect of returning to the Nigeria Professional Football League, according to Goal readers.

After a brief stint with Turkish Super Lig outfit Trabzonspor, the former Super Eagles captain teamed up with English Championship side Stoke City on a short-term deal.

Nevertheless, his contract with the Potters expires at the end of the 2020-21 campaign and he is expected to continue his professional career.

As speculation continues to grow on the destination of the former Chelsea midfielder, we asked our readers if he should follow the footsteps of Ahmed Musa and return to the Nigerian topflight where it all started.

In a poll conducted on Goal Africa Twitter handle, a massive 60.9 percent of total votes cast advised him to forget about the prospect of lacing his boots for any Nigerian league outfit.

Mikel starred for Plateau United before Lyn Oslo after an impressive outing at the 2003 U17 World Cup Finland. In view of that, 29.5 percent support the gesture that he should return home.

Meanwhile, 9.7% of voters are undecided if he should return to the NPFL or not.

For veteran coach Henry Makinwa, should the 34-year-old consider a switch home, it would be a "massive win" for the Nigerian top flight.

“That would be highly welcomed if he can consider that option,” former Abia Warriors and Katsina United boss Makinwa told Goal.

“I once wrote about this many years back but that could not stand then. If he does that, we will welcome him back home.

“It would be a massive win for the NPFL and the local fans. I made the same appeal to our qualified Nigerian coaches abroad like Finidi George, Emmanuel Amuneke, Haruna Doda and so on to come home so that we can build the country’s football together.”

In the 2020-21 campaign, Mikel featured in 39 English second-tier games as Michael O'Neill’s men finished in 14th place after accruing 60 points from 46 outings.

He was nominated for Stoke City’s Player of the Month award for April following his stirring performances, albeit, Jacob Brown picked the individual accolade.

Gor Mahia defender Harun Shakava has stated they are still in the title race for the FKF Premier League title and has warned table-toppers Tusker to stop celebrating.

The Kenyan top-flight is set to resume on Friday, May 14, after the government lifted the ban imposed on sporting activities owing to coronavirus pandemic.

The K’Ogalo captain has insisted despite Tusker topping the 18-team table, they still have a full second leg to play for in the season and that they will still fight to the end to make sure they clinch a fourth successive title in their history.

“We are hoping games will kick off as planned, at least FKF have given us four to five days to train, so I am confident the team will be fit and ready to play, we are preparing for the start and we are ready to start again,” Shakava told Goal.

“Every season is always different, this season is tough, we are lying seventh on the table and it is a tough season but I cannot say Tusker have won the league, we still have an entire second leg to play so anything can happen and I hope if we play well, we should not be written off, we can also compete for the title, I don’t see anything difficult for us to compete for the title.”

On the problems they faced during the break caused by Covid-19, Shakava said: “Covid-19 has really affected us and the rhythm of the players, it is not easy to train individually, but we struggled to train alone, we fought to maintain our fitness level because that is the most important thing.

“But it was not easy to make it on your own, but at least now we have come together, training as a group then it will shape us well, the mood in the camp is good and we are good to go.”

On his part, former captain Kenneth Muguna told Goal: “I think it means a lot [to take the Covid-19 test], finally we have a smile back on our faces, we have missed playing as you all know, so I think this is a big step for the return of the league and we hope that we start playing as soon as possible.

“It has been great when started training as a group, you know when you train alone is not as a good as when you are in a group, there is always fun when training as a group and I think the mood in the team is now great and we are now hoping the league could just start.”

Gor Mahia, who will resume action with a clash against Nairobi City Stars, were struggling before the season was halted as they had already suffered six defeats from 14 matches and were lying seventh with 22 points.

Tusker are topping the table with 36 points from 16 matches while KCB are second with 30 points from 15 matches and AFC Leopards are third with 29 points from 14 outings.

Gor Mahia coach Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto has explained his happiness at seeing FKF Premier League return after almost 50 days out without action owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Portuguese tactician, who stayed in Kenya after President Uhuru Kenyatta suspended sporting activities owing to a spike in numbers of the Covid-19 cases on March 26, 2021, has told Goal the Kenyan champions are ready to kick the ball again when action resumes on Saturday.

“It is very good when you come back to your job, we missed this a lot and it’s important to improve again our players to be ready to resume the action and to be honest we are ready for the action,” Vaz Pinto told Goal.

“It was very good today [Tuesday], training together, not only the coach missed such training sessions but also the players, and they have put in a lot of commitment, and these training sessions were very good and now we are very anxious to resume the league.”

Pinto has, however, bemoaned the tight schedule the teams will face when the league will resume insisting his main target is to make sure he protects his players from big injuries.

“Because the schedule changed again we need to plan about the new schedule because of that tomorrow [Wednesday] we have a meeting with my staff to plan this again,” Pinto continued.

“But what we expect of course is one schedule, not like very crowded because we stopped playing around 50 days ago and this is too much and it is not easy for the players.

“We need to prevent injuries and big injuries because we did not have enough time to do a new pre-season and now we have maybe short time to prepare for the first game and we need to take care about our players this is now what we are planning and my hope is to prevent injuries.”

The fixture for resumption of the league was once again altered after FKF pushed opening matches to May 14 to allow all players and officials of the 18 clubs in the league to undergo mandatory Covid-19 tests.

The exercise was conducted on Tuesday with Gor Mahia among the teams whose players were tested others being Bidco United, Mathare United, KCB FC, Kariobangi Sharks, Posta Rangers, and Kakamega Homeboyz.

Western Stima, Nairobi City Stars, AFC Leopards, Bandari FC, Tusker FC, Nzoia Sugar will be tested on Wednesday, at the Evangelic Harvest fellowship church, Ligi Ndogo grounds, GEMS Cambridge, Mbaraki grounds, Ruaraka grounds, and Sudi Stadium, respectively.

Ulinzi Stars, Sofapaka, Wazito, and Vihiga United will close the Covid-19 testing exercise on Thursday at the Eastleigh High School (Sofapaka), Marist College (Wazito), Senede High School (Vihiga).

Gor Mahia will face Nairobi City Stars in their first match at Kasarani Annex on Sunday.