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The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (RMFF) has that announced Kaizer Chiefs will not be allowed to enter the country ahead of their Caf Champions League game.

Amakhosi are scheduled to face Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca in their opening Group C match at Stade Mohamed V on Saturday.

However, RMFF has now revealed that the match will not take place in the North African country due to health and safety reasons amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The RMFF has now urged the Confederation of African Football (Caf) to postpone the match, or hold it in another country according to the following statement:

"The Royal Moroccan Football Federation sent a letter to the Caf Clubs Committee informing it that the Moroccan authorities decided not to allow the Wydad Casablanca match with the South African Kaizer Chiefs team to be held on February 13th in Casablanca for the first round of the African Champions League, due to health and safety-related to the recent developments of Covid-19," a statement read. 

"The Royal Moroccan Football Federation called on the Confederation of African Football to postpone the match, or hold it in another country if this is not possible."

This comes after Chiefs confirmed that the team’s departure to Morocco has been delayed due to the hold up with the issuing of visas to Morocco and lack of communication from the RMFF.

The Soweto giants were planning to leave South Africa for Morocco in Thursday, but RMFF has now announced that Amakhosi will not be allowed to enter the country.

Last month, Chiefs' PSL rivals, Bloemfontein Celtic were barred from entering Nigeria to honour their Caf Confederation Cup first round second-leg game against Rivers United.

The match was then played on January 23 in Benin with Rivers securing a 3-0 win at Stade Charles de Gaulle in the city of Porto-Novo. 

As a result, Rivers advanced to the playoff round after winning the tie 5-0 on aggregate and Celtic bowed out of the tournament. 

Former Black Leopards head coach Dylan Kerr has confirmed that he is moving to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM). 

The English tactician is on the verge of joining Vhadau Vha Damani to succeed Joel Masutha, who was recently fired by the Limpopo-based club. 

Kerr has been jobless since last month having been dismissed by Leopards with the team struggling in the PSL in what was his second spell with Lidoda Duvha.

Tshakhuma were recently reportedly purchased by Dr Abram Sello with the club having endured financial problems under Masala Mulaudzi in the current campaign. 

Vhadau Vha Damani are currently placed 15th on the league standings having eliminated SuperSport United from the Nedbank Cup in their last game and Kerr is looking forward to coaching the team.

What's been said

“I am positive that this team will move from the position they are in as the confidence is back after their 1-0 win against SuperSport United in the Nedbank Cup last week,” said Kerr on the Daily Sun.

“The other good thing is that from what I have seen so far at training, the boys are now happy because all the problems they had with the previous management have been solved.

“They all have been paid their salaries and they can’t wait to work hard for this team. I’m pleased that I’ll be joining a happy team," he added. 

“I have watched them against SuperSport and they have a good team. I think if there was no financial problem, this team would have been up there in the log."

Why does it matter and what's the bigger picture?

Further reading

Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has attempted to distance his side from talk linking them with a move for Dayot Upamecano and Erling Haaland.

The Blues are among a host of top European sides linked with RB Leipzig defender Upamecano and Borussia Dortmund striker Haaland. 

Both players will be in high demand this summer, but Tuchel said he is showing respect for their current teams by avoiding the subject.

What did Tuchel say about Upamecano and Haaland?

"I can understand the interest in the question and the interest of every fan and supporter to talk about these subjects," Tuchel said. "I am always a fan and am interested in what's going on.

"But now it is February and there is a long way to go. As you get to know me, you will know I will not talk about other players who are under contract.

"This is the type of respect I show. Everything else will be decided behind closed doors. I'm sorry."

Upamecano's situation at RB Leipzig

Upamecano is one of the most sought-after defenders on the market, with the 22-year-old France international looking likely to depart RB Leipzig this summer.

Chelsea have been linked with a move, along with other top European clubs like Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Manchester United and PSG.

Upamecano is tied to Leipzig until 2023, but his agent, Volker Struth, has confirmed he has a €42.5 million (£38m/$52m) release clause in his deal.

Haaland's situation at Borussia Dortmund

Haaland has emerged as one of Europe's top strikers at the age of 20, putting him in the shop window for some of Europe's biggest clubs.

As Dortmund struggle through the 2020-21 season, they could be forced into a summer sell-off should they miss out next season's Champions League.

Haaland has a contract through 2024, but it has been reported that a €75 million (£67m/$92m) release clause was included in that deal which is due to become active in the summer of 2022.

How would Haaland and Upamecano fit in at Chelsea?

Chelsea could be back in the market for a striker in the summer should Upamecano's former RB Leipzig team-mate Timo Werner fail to turn things around after a difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge.

Olivier Giroud could also leave Chelsea in the summer, leaving the club in need of another striker. 

Upamecano could be a welcome addition in the club's back line, with 36-year-old Thiago Silva only on a one-year contract and other options, such as Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Kurt Zouma, failing to lock down starting spots.

Further reading

Upamecano's €42.5m release clause confirmed

'It absolutely stinks' - Not even Haaland can save Dortmund's disastrous title challenge

Former Liverpool and Barcelona star Javier Mascherano has hailed the performance of Al Ahly at the Club World Cup in Qatar.

The African champions started the global tournament on an impressive note, securing victory over Qatari side Al Duhail.

The Egyptian side then suffered a 2-0 defeat against Uefa Champions League winners Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of the competition on Monday.

The Red Devils will now square off against Copa Libertadores side Palmeiras in the third-place match on Thursday.

The former Argentina midfielder has showered encomium on Al Ahly for their performances in the competition so far and lauded the developmental programme of the Egypt Football Federation, which also produced Liverpool star Mohamed Salah.

"They [Al Ahly in their Club World Cup semi-final against Bayern Munich] left a very positive impression on how Egyptian football has evolved in recent years," Mascherano said, as per BBC Sport.

"And also how a world-class player, such as Mohamed Salah, has taken Egyptian football to another level.

"Watching Al Ahly shows that Salah is not a one-off, but rather proof of the good work done by Egyptian football when it comes to developing players and being more competitive. And they will surely continue in this way over the coming years."

Former Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar has also praised the display of the nine-time African champions against Bayern Munich and expects a tough clash when Al Ahly take on Palmeiras.

"We were able to watch a brave team play against Bayern Munich creating opportunities, mainly with the counter-attack,"  Cesar said.

"Bayern Munich are one of the best teams in the world, and maybe the best at present. You can be sure also that Palmeiras will work hard to try to win that third place - without a doubt. They have all that is needed to play a great game.

"I was talking the other day with Kaka that we felt admiration towards Egyptian teams. We had the chance of playing against the Egypt national team back in 2009 during the Fifa Confederations Cup [with Brazil] and we were greatly surprised.

"Egyptian football has evolved greatly - the same way with other football teams around the world. And, in turn, that generates more passion for soccer globally."

Mamelodi Sundowns have provided an update on Kenya international Brian Mandela.

The towering central defender had an impressive start after joining Masandawana in October 2020 as a free-agent.

Mandela formed a great partnership with Ricardo Nascimento in the heart of the team's defence until he picked up an injury in the PSL clash with SuperSport United last month. 

The Chloorkop-based giants have now revealed that the player could make his return from injury this weekend as Sundowns take on Sudanese giants Al Hilal in a Caf Champions League game.

"The twenty-six-year-old has played nine games in all competitions before picking up a thigh injury late in the Tshwane Derby against SuperSport United," a club statement read.

“Mandela” as he is known, will be hoping to recover from his injury and be back and part of the team as Mamelodi Sundowns will begin their African Journey."

"Masandawana take on Al Hilal at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in the opening game of the Caf Champions League groups stages on Saturday."

Mandela also shared how his progress has been since the SuperSport game which ended in a 0-0 draw at Lucas Moripe Stadium.

“I have been recovering well. I give my thanks to the medical team for taking good care of me. I can’t wait to be back on the field when I have recovered and help the team," Mandela said. 

The 26-year-old also discussed how he is settling into the team and what he plans to achieve with the reigning PSL champions. 

“It has been great since I joined the club, being on the field of play and contributing to the team. We are taking each game at a time," he added.

"The games are coming thick and fast, we must go out and get maximum results in every game. We have a target as a team and I do believe with hard work and commitment anything is possible.

"Our focus this week is the Champions League and we want to do well and fight for the second star." 

Mandela became a free-agent for one full season after being released by Maritzburg United at the end of the 2018/19 campaign. 

Tanzania Football Federation has moved to terminate the contract of coach Etienne Ndayiragije.

Goal can exclusively reveal the Burundian tactician has been asked to step aside just a week after Taifa Stars performed dismally at the African Nations Championship held in Cameroon where they failed to make it out from the group stage.

A source within the federation has confirmed to Goal they have indeed parted ways with the tactician and will announce his replacement in due course.

“We have decided to terminate the contract of Etienne [Ndayiragije] and this is after the performance of the national team at the Chan tournament in Cameroon,” the source told Goal.

“We will make an announcement anytime soon to confirm the changes we have effected to the technical bench of the national team.”

Another source, who did not want to be named, also confirmed he had talked to Ndayiragije, who revealed he had been fired and was no longer the coach of the team.

“I spoke to Ndayiragije today [Wednesday] and he indeed told me he is no longer the coach of Taifa Stars, he never gave me further details but what he said, is they have already parted ways amicably,” confirmed the source.

Goal now understands TFF is working on plans to re-hire former coach Kim Poulsen to take up the vacant role.

The Danish coach was appointed to handle Taifa Stars in 2012 but was later fired two months before the expiry of his two-year contract.

Under his stewardship before being fired, the Taifa Stars fell in the Fifa rankings, dropping from 112th spot at the time of his appointment to their current position of 145th.

Ndayiragije has paid the price of the team’s poor show at Chan where they finished third in Group D with four points from three matches while Guinea and Zambia qualified for the quarter-finals.

Lawrence Juma and Kephwa Aswani struck for Sofapaka in a 2-0 Football Kenya Federation Premier League win against Zoo FC on Wednesday at Kasarani.

Juma and Aswani earned the goals in a dominant first half and Zoo were lucky not to concede more in the subsequent half.

Sofapaka threatened in the seventh minute when Collin Wakhungu was set through on goal by Stephen Otieno but Zoo’s Brian Lumumba did well to punch out the shot targeted at his goal.

After Lumumba had denied them, Sofapaka started another build-up that ended up producing the opener three minutes later. Wakhungu set Juma through on goal and the former Gor Mahia midfielder – who scored a hat-trick against Mathare United – managed to find the back of the net.

Wakhungu, who was lively since the first whistle, was unlucky to see his effort parried over the bar by Lumumba in the 12th minute as Sofapaka mounted more attacks.

Otieno would have made it 2-0 in the 23rd minute but his shot went just wide as an isolated Lumumba was again exposed by his backline.

Batoto ba Mungu were not to be denied in the 28th minute when Aswani scored with an assist from Roy Okal. At this point, Zoo were clearly unable to deal with a Sofapaka side that attacked from all angles.

Joe Waithira – who recently signed from Wazito FC – missed the target slightly in the 57th minute as Lumumba was all but beaten. Timothy Otieno, who earned his debut since signing from Napsa Stars – could have made a big contribution in the 65th minute when his defence-splitting pass found Wakhungu who was unable to tap home the cross.

With his side looking dominant, coach Ken Okoth decided to make a change when he introduced Mike Amisi for Wakhungu in the 67th minute. Two minutes after the change, Mohamed Kilume was stretchered off after a dangerous tackle by an opponent.

Waithira almost earned a debut goal in the 73rd minute when, after an individual run, he managed to enter into Zoo’s area but his final shot was a let-down as it flew out.

Otieno’s 83rd-minute effort was blocked by Zoo who had resorted to a defensive approach against the 2009 league champions who were determined to get an additional goal.

The visitors were lucky not to concede more in the remaining minutes in addition to the three given after regular time.

Professional footballers are notoriously competitive and it is hardly a revelation considering the nature of their careers, where they must maintain the highest standards.

However, the competitive spirit is not confined to the grass pitches where they carry out their day jobs - it's also evident when they play video games such as FIFA 21.

So, which footballers play FIFA 21? More importantly, who is the best? Goal takes a look at some of professional football's star eFootballers.

Which footballers play FIFA 21?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, lots of professional footballers play FIFA 21 in their spare time.

Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe and Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland are the highest-profile FIFA gamers, with both players having featured heavily in the promotion of the latest game.

Along with Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix and Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold, who also play the game, they are FIFA 21 ambassadors for EA Sports.

A look at the FIFA 21 Pro Player Cards list gives a picture of some of the real-life professional footballers who play the game in their spare time.

The Pro Player Cards are gifts given to players by EA Sports and players or their agents can reach out to the business in order to request one.

Manchester City stars Sergio Aguero, Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne each have a card, suggesting that they are among a cohort of FIFA gamers at the Etihad Stadium.

It seems likely that Alexander-Arnold plays FIFA with team-mates Diogo Jota and Harvey Elliott, who also have FIFA 21 Pro Player Cards, as well as other Reds stars such as Virgil van Dijk, who had one for FIFA 20.

Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish is an avid FIFA 21 player and recently locked horns with Leicester City's James Maddison in a forfeit game. 

A number of other England stars play FIFA too, including Chelsea playmaker Mason Mount and West Ham midfielder Declan Rice.

Here is a list of some of the players who have FIFA 21 Pro Player Cards.

Note: The list does not include every single player with a Pro Player Card.
See here for a list of footballers with FIFA 20 Pro Player Cards.

The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have also been seen playing FIFA games over the years, usually in their roles at events to help promote the games.

Paul Pogba, Wayne Rooney, Neymar, Isco and many more have played the game at various stages, but they are not as wedded to the game as those in the list above.

The likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Dani Carvajal, Joao Cancelo, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Jadon Sancho and many others have or at one time have had Pro Player Cards.

Others who have or had cards include Donny van de Beek, Paulo Dybala, Antoine Griezmann and James Rodriguez.

The truth is, loads of real-life professionals play FIFA 21 in their spare time, but only a relatively small cohort of elite-level stars shine on the virtual plane.

Which footballers are the best at FIFA 21?

Diogo Jota has a strong claim to being recognised as the best FIFA 21 player in the professional footballer community.

While there may be plenty of claims to the title of best FIFA player, Liverpool and Portugal star Jota actually topped the FIFA Ultimate Team Champions leaderboard in February 2021.

He won 30 games in a row in the highly competitive FUT Champions tournament, which means he defeated some of the best FIFA players in the world, including professional gamers.

It wasn't the first time Jota came out on top in such a tournament, having been crowned the king of the inaugural ePremier League invitational in April 2020.

Then representing former club Wolves, Jota defeated his soon-to-be team-mate Alexander-Arnold - who beat Raheem Sterling in the semi-final - in the final.

James Maddison won the second ePremier League invitational in May 2020 when he beat Sheffield United and Republic of Ireland defender John Egan.

Some of the other players who took part in those invitational tournaments include Burnley's Dwight McNeil, Chelsea defender Emerson and Tottenham's Ryan Sessegnon.

Udinese have not ruled selling Rodrigo De Paul in the summer following links with Liverpool in the January transfer window.

Liverpool were credited with an interest in De Paul last month along with Serie A giants Juventus and Inter, having seen the Argentine shine at Stadio Friuli in the first half of the season.

De Paul's current contract at Udinese is not due to expire until 2024, but the club's sporting director Pasquale Marino has conceded that they may be powerless to prevent his departure later this year.

What was said?

“He has characteristics that many top clubs in Europe are missing,” Marino told Italian broadcaster Radio 24.

“I hope it doesn't happen, but whoever signs him next summer will raise their team to a different level.”

De Paul's stance on his future

De Paul, who was also strongly linked with Leeds United before the start of the 2020-21 campaign, has revealed that he informed the club of his intention to stay put amid persistent rumours surroundings his future during the winter transfer window.

“I don’t know when my last day here will be,” The 26-year-old told the club's official website.

“I will give everything for Udinese until that moment. There were many rumours about my future in January, but I immediately met the director to tell him I wanted to go nowhere.

“I closed doors for everyone, my daughter was born here, and my son is going to be born here, he will be Friulano.”

De Paul's record at Udinese 

Udinese snapped De Paul up from Valencia on a permanent transfer back in 2016, and he has since appeared in 168 games for the club in all competitions, scoring 30 goals.

Five of those efforts have been recorded this term, with the Argentina international's most recent strike coming from the penalty spot in a 1-0 win away at Spezia on January 31.

The bigger picture

Liverpool may be in the market for a new midfielder at the end of the season with Georginio Wijnaldum's contract set to expire in June, and De Paul could emerge as a good option for the Premier League champions given his age and current value.

The Udinese star is reportedly worth around £30 million ($42m), but the Reds may not be the only club set to revive their interest in the playmaker, with Leeds likely to invest heavily in new talent once again after a promising first season back in the top-flight.

De Paul hinted that he was keen on a move to Elland Road last September, and would have more chance of nailing down a regular spot in Marcelo Bielsa's side than Jurgen Klopp's, as competition for places at Liverpool continues to increase with each passing year.

Further reading

Express FC winger Godfrey Lwesibawa has stressed he will train harder to perfect the act of scoring from free-kicks after his latest goal earned the team a 1-1 draw against Vipers SC in a Ugandan Premier League match on Friday.

The 24-year-old player rejoined the Red Eagles at the start of the 2020-21 campaign and has already delivered two goals from free-kicks and on both occasions helped his side to take the lead.

His first free-kick was against Mbarara City as the two sides settled for a 1-1 draw and he was at it against the Venoms, as his deflected free-kick hit the back of the net as they took the lead before Vipers scored for a 1-1 draw.

The pacy winger has now said he will continue to work hard in training so he can perfect dead ball situations even better.

“I am happy that so far I’ve managed to score two goals from free-kicks, honestly you need a lot of concentration and technique to do it and in some instances, there’s a bit of distance from goal but I will keep going for them,” Lwesibawa said as quoted by the club’s official website.

“My target is to perfect it more so that my conversation rate is high, it is achievable.

“I also want to thank my teammates for trusting me, we all wanted to win the game [against Vipers] but we take the point, we shall return to the drawing board and plot a win in the next game [away to URA FC].”

The Red Eagles have so far managed to score six goals in the top-flight from five matches with Lwesibawa managing to hit two while Frank Kalanda has scored three and Erick Kambaale grabbed one.

The draw somehow gutted Express coach Wasswa Bbosa who blamed missed chances for the team’s inability to carry the day against the reigning champions.

“I thought it was a good fight, the boys for me ticked all the boxes but our biggest undoing was the failure to convert the chances we got,” Bbosa told the club’s official website after the match.

“Going forward, especially our game against [URA], we shall do our best to win.”

The draw means Express will remain sixth on the league table as they prepare to face URA in their next league assignment the Arena of Visions in Ndejje.

Everton welcome Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park on Wednesday night targeting a win to make it to the last eight of the FA Cup.

For Jose Mourinho, the domestic cup gives him a realistic chance of winning silverware in the 2020/21 season and a win will be vital for him to keep the dream alive.

Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur Latest Odds

The Toffees have won two of their last three home FA Cup matches in regulation time, winning the other in extra time. They are backed to defeat Spurs at (2.65) with ZEbet.

The Londoners have won their last two away games in the competition, scoring nine goals in the process and conceding one. Their chances of making it three wins in a row are tipped at (2.80).

Chances of getting a draw in regular time are backed at (3.30).

Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur Team News

James Rodriguez will face a late fitness test after coming off injured in the 3-3 draw against Manchester United, the same as Allan and Jordan Pickford. However, Jean-Philippe Gbamin remains sidelined.

For the visitors, Dele Alli is doubtful but Giovani Lo Celso, Serge Aurier and Sergio Reguilon are both ruled out. Harry Kane is in contention after making a return from injury in the 2-0 win over West Brom.

Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur Match Preview

This is going to be the first FA Cup meeting between the two sides since the 1994/95 semi-final, with the Toffees winning 4-1 en route to winning the annual competition.

Spurs haven’t lost consecutive meetings against the Toffees in all competitions since December 2012, while they haven’t lost twice to the Merseysiders in the same season since 1985-86.

Rodríguez has provided the assist for three of Everton’s five FA Cup goals this season, while all five goals have been scored by a different player.

Son Heung-min has been involved in 20 goals in 22 appearances in the FA Cup (12 goals, 8 assists), including an assist from the bench in Spurs’ 4-1 win at Wycombe in the last round.

Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur Tips and Predictions

The Toffees have scored nine goals in the last five games where they have only kept one clean sheet and conceded seven. On the other hand, Spurs have scored seven goals, kept one clean sheet and conceded four. Punters can, therefore, take an offer of under 2.5 goals at (1.58) with ZEbet.

Under 2.5 goals at (1.58) with ZEBet.

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

Pep Guardiola has issued a sarcastic title warning to his Manchester City stars, declaring "we are already champions".

City opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table by beating defending champions Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, and they still have a game in hand to take in on all five teams currently sitting directly below them.

Guardiola is being tipped to deliver the domestic crown to Etihad Stadium for the third time come May, but the Spaniard isn't getting carried away by his team's current position.

What has Guardiola said?

With his tongue firmly planted in his cheek, Guardiola told a press conference: "Two or three months ago we were out of everything: we didn't have any chance to be champions, to qualify for the Champions League yet now we are ready.

"We are ready, so maybe we shouldn’t play any more games in the Premier League because we are already champions.

“I don't understand why we have to play against Tottenham and after against Everton? I don't understand it because we are already champions."

The City boss then switched to a more serious tone, adding: "I understand why people are talking about it but nothing is eternal, nothing is perfect. Just because we won in the past it doesn't mean we are going to win in the future.

“We have to focus on the next game. Always in my career with my teams we have thought in this way and talked in this way and this is not an exception."

Does Guardiola still see Liverpool as title contenders?

Liverpool slipped 10 points behind City in the standings after their humbling on Merseyside at the weekend, with it now being suggested that the Reds have fallen out of the title race and into the battle for a top-four finish.

Guardiola is not writing Jurgen Klopp's team off just yet, though, having seen first-hand how quickly the Premier League landscape can change week on week.

"Liverpool remains one of the best teams I’ve seen in my life and were able to make an incredible run of 68 games at home unbeaten - destroying, winning by big margins, winning in the last minutes - for three seasons without one defeat," he said.

"Then immediately, you don't know why, three defeats in a row. Do you think it cannot happen with us? Of course it can happen.

"It can happen in one week and you can lose three or four games immediately after an unbeaten run."

What's next for Man City?

City's quest for an unprecedented quadruple will continue when they take in a trip to Swansea in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Wednesday night.

Guardiola and his players will then look ahead to a Premier League meeting with Tottenham at the Etihad on Saturday, which comes four days before they are due at Goodison Park to face Everton.

Further reading

Kolo Toure has disclosed his tackle on former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger changed his professional career.

The former Cote d’Ivoire international was scouted from Asec Mimosas before his invitation to England for a trial with the Gunners.

During his auditions, Toure hacked down star players Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp, and launched a two-footed tackle on Wenger.

Thinking that his career was over, Wenger went ahead to sign the youngster, where he became a cog in the Arsenal set-up for seven years.

The Leicester City assistant manager recalled that incident while claiming it changed his career for good.

"I think that slide-tackle changed my career. It showed the manager just how much I wanted to be successful, and how much I wanted to become a professional footballer. That’s how he took it, anyway," Toure told FourFourTwo.

"All the players were laughing and I was in shock! I thought they were going to get rid of me there and then.

“But Arsene is an intelligent guy: he only saw a young African boy who was keen to impress him, and gave me that opportunity to express myself and show what I was capable of doing."

He was a key member of the Invincibles, featuring in most of Arsenal’s games in the 2003-04 title-winning season. Aside from that, he won two FA Cup titles, two Community Shields, and was part of the squad that finished as runners-up in the 2005-06 Champions League.

For Toure, who started his career as a midfielder, his transition into a centre-back and rise to stardom came as a surprise to him, not forgetting the roles the senior players played in his development.

"I had no idea. I was a young player at the club and it was a huge step up, but I took my chance," he continued.

"I was playing every match like it was the last one for me, giving everything. To play for Arsenal at this time was a big, big thing, and I wanted to show that I was capable of coping with the challenge.

"The older guys were incredible with me. I’ve played in many teams and at many clubs, but I’ll always remember that Arsenal team: big-game players, but great guys as well. I’ll never forget that.

"I’ve found that the players who have achieved the most in their careers are actually some of the most humble.

"My big brothers, I call them. Someone like Dennis Bergkamp: what a guy – so dedicated, and such a great role model every day to be the best you can be."

Toure left for Manchester City in 2009 for a fee worth £14 million. Four seasons later, he joined Liverpool before teaming up with Celtic, where he drew the curtain on his trophy-laden career.

Arsenal-linked striker Manor Solomon has confirmed that a number of Premier League clubs have expressed an interest in signing him.

Solomon has reportedly emerged as a transfer target for Arsenal in recent months, with reports claiming the 21-year-old's agent Pini Zahavi having been in touch with the club's technical director Edu over a potential summer deal.

The Gunners are not the only club in England considering a swoop for Solomon, though, with the Shakhtar Donetsk star now claiming he has several different options with regards to his future.

What has Solomon said? 

"There are talks with teams from England," Solomon told Israeli organisation Sport5. "There are things that can happen in the summer.

"My dream is to play in England and it also seems to be the most realistic option for me.

"And teams in England can pay."

Who is Manor Solomon?

Solomon has been a regular feature in the Champions League over the past two years.

He began his career in his homeland with Maccabi Petah Tikva back in 2016, where he spent three years before being snapped up by Shakhtar for €6 million.

The talented frontman signed a five-year contract with the Ukrainian club, and has since contributed 20 goals and 13 assists to their cause in 135 appearances across all competitions.

Two of the five goals Solomon has scored this season have come in the Champions League, with the youngster finding the back of the net during surprise home and away wins over Real Madrid in the group stage.

Solomon's failed move to Man City

City made a formal approach for Solomon while he was still on Maccabi Petah Tikva's books, but the Premier League giants ultimately decided against meeting his €10m asking price.

Solomon opened up on the negotiations with City in November last year, telling The Guardian: "They really wanted me and I had a meeting with them but unfortunately it did not work out.

"My owner in Israel demanded a lot of money; he wanted €5m for me and then when he heard it was Manchester City, he wanted €10m."

The bigger picture

Arsenal have lacked a cutting edge in the final third during their inconsistent 2020-21 campaign, with the goals drying up for Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and the likes of Alexandre Lacazette, Nicolas Pepe and Willian also failing to live up to expectations.

Mikel Arteta has been tipped to bring in extra attacking reinforcements when the transfer window reopens, and Solomon could represent a cut-price option for the Gunners amid the financial uncertainty of the coronavirus crisis.

Further reading

Hearts of Oak coach Kosta Papic believes his team are on par with Ghana Premier League leaders Asante Kotoko despite an inferior position on the standings ahead of their upcoming clash.

Ghana's two biggest clubs, the two teams are bracing up for a matchday 14 showdown at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Whereas Kotoko lead the table with 23 points, Hearts find themselves eight places below on the ninth position with 17 points.

“I don’t think Kotoko are playing better than Hearts of Oak at the moment. We are playing good football but just lacking the goals," Papic told Nhyra FM.

"The problem with Hearts of Oak is we are creating chances but the team is unable to score the goals.

Papic was appointed Hearts coach in December with a task to lead the club to GPL glory for the first time since 2009.

It is the Serbian's second stint with the Phobians, his first coinciding with Hearts' last league success.

"My target is also the same, to win the league when the bad results are coming, But like I said if we find the winning formula we are going to catch those people who are ahead of us," Papic added.

"The difference is not big. The gap is not strong which is meaning we still have a chance. If we do a proper job, we are going to catch everybody and be in the position to fight for the title."

It has certainly not been a smooth ride for Papic, whose second reign has so far produced a string of topsy-turvy results.

"We are looking to strengthen the Hearts of Oak team in the transfer window. We will receive the scouting reports tomorrow for the list of potential players we could buy," the former Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs boss said.

"We need to strengthen the defence, midfield and striking zones during the transfer window but it it’s all about the availability of the players I want.

“It is not about what I want and it is not about what we need, it is all about available players. I cannot do anything if the player is not available.

“Whichever player I want that is not the issue. I want [Barcelona ace Lionel] Messi, but unfortunately, he is not available and I tried [Juventus star Cristiano] Ronaldo and he told me he cannot come.

“Let’s not joke about it, try to understand what is going on. If the player is free and is fitting to the style, fitting the level of the club, in that case, we are going to sign him but if we don’t find that kind of player, we are going to continue with the available players."

Hearts are 19-time GPL champions; only Kotoko has more titles. 

Stellenbosch FC have announced the signing of Nigeria youth international Ibraheem Jabaar.

The teenager has joined PSL club from Nigerian outfit Ijebu United as Stellies strengthened their squad in the current transfer window.

Stellies released the following statement on their official website: 

"The club is excited to announce the signing of this young Nigerian International who puts pen to paper with Stellenboch FC," a club statement read. 

"Welcome Ibraheem Jabaar (18-year-old). Jabaar is proudly Stellenbosch."

Jabaar is the second Nigerian player to sign for Stellenbosch this season as he joins his countryman Stanley Dimgba at the Western Cape-based club.

Dimgba was snapped up by Stellies from Nigerian giants Enyimba at the beginning of the current campaign and he has made an impact under coach Steve Barker.

The left-footed marksman, who is one of the most powerful shooters in the PSL, has netted three goals from six starts in the league.

Jabaar will also be hoping to impress in the South African top-flight having played in two international youth football tournaments. 

The promising player, who will wear jersey number 27 at Stellies, starred for Nigeria at the 2019 Caf Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Tanzania.

His two goals in the continental tournament helped the Golden Eaglets finish fourth in the competition and the team qualified for the 2019 Fifa Under-17 World Cup finals.

Jabaar also played for his nation at the Fifa U17 World Cup finals in Brazil where he was mainly used as an impact player from the bench. 

The Golden Eaglets were eliminated by the Netherlands in the Round of 16 after suffering a 3-1 defeat at Estadio Olimpico with Jabaar having been introduced in the 64th minute. 

Stellenbosch assistant coach Wesley Sergel welcomed Jabaar to the 2018/19 National First Division champions. 

"Welcome Ibraheem," Sergel wrote on his official Twitter account. 

"He joins the team after playing in the 2019 FIFA U17 World Cup held in Brazil, where Nigeria were knocked out by the Netherlands in the last round of 16."

Stellies are scheduled to take on Lamontville Golden Arrows in a PSL match at Danie Craven Stadium on Friday. 

Antonio Rudiger has expressed his satisfaction at being reintegrated into the Chelsea starting XI following the arrival of Thomas Tuchel and believes the new Blues boss has made a solid start to life at Stamford Bridge.

Tuchel inherited the managerial reins in January following the sacking of Frank Lampard and has made a positive impact early on after the Blues' inconsistent start to the season.

Chelsea are unbeaten in their first four matches under the German, with 10 points claimed from a possible 12, leaving Rudiger in no doubt that he is the right man to take the club forward.

What has been said?

The Blues defender told Sky Germany of Tuchel's impact: "The most important impression he's made is that he knows what he wants.

"He has his way of playing football, which is positive for many players.

"This is also reflected in the latest results This has been a good, positive start for him."

Lampard only used Rudiger sparingly in the first half of the campaign - much to the frustration of the defender - but he has been ever-present in Tuchel's starting XI so far, with his latest outing coming in a 2-1 win away at Sheffield United.

The 27-year-old is glad to be back in the team after so long on the fringes of the action, as he added: "At the end of the day you want to be on the pitch as a footballer.

"As a footballer, you can’t be satisfied and you want more, you want to play so that’s been a real positive for me. He (Tuchel) wanted to bring me to PSG in the summer but otherwise we had not spoken.

"I've only ever played against him so we didn’t know each other before."

The bigger picture

Having been frozen out somewhat under Lampard, Rudiger is now back in contention at Chelsea and has played the full 90 minutes in all four of the Blues' games since Tuchel arrived.

Indeed, there were reports that the Germany international centre-back had been trying to get club legend Lampard sacked - something that Rudiger himself was forced to strenuously deny.

Lampard did, however, lose his job towards the end of January amid fears that Chelsea were on course to miss out on a top-four finish. The mood of doom surrounding the club since then has given way to a fresh feeling of optimism, with Tuchel now at the helm.

The Blues moved up to fifth in the Premier League standings after beating Sheffield United - one point behind fourth-placed Liverpool - and still have the FA Cup and Champions League knockout stages to look forward to.

Chelsea's outlook is suddenly looking bright again, and Rudiger is looking to capitalise by rediscovering the form he showed during his second year with the club under Maurizio Sarri.

"You can take something from every coach," he said. "I hope he (Tuchel) brings me back to the level I was at under Maurizio Sarri."

What's next for Chelsea?

Tuchel is currently preparing his side for an FA Cup fifth-round clash against Barnsley on Thursday, which comes four days before they play host to Newcastle in the Premier League.

Chelsea will then look ahead to a round-of-16 Champions League encounter against Atletico Madrid, with the first leg of that tie set to take place in Bucharest on February 23.

Further reading

Former Shooting Stars and Nigeria defender Yisa Shofoluwe has died, aged 53.

The Nigeria Football Federation confirmed that Shofoluwe, rated by many as one of the finest defenders in Super Eagles’ history, passed away at the Intensive Care Unit of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

He had been diagnosed few days ago with cerebral atrophy.

His former national team colleague Mutiu Adepoju took to social media to mourn his demise.

“Rest easy brother. You will be greatly missed,” Adepoju tweeted.

Nicknamed the ‘Dean of Defence’, Shofoluwe was part of the first Nigerian squad to feature at Fifa-organised championship – at the 1983 U20 World Cup in Mexico. There, Christopher Udemezue's Flying Eagles crashed out in the first round following defeats to Brazil and then Soviet Union in Group D.

That same year, he won his first senior cap as the Super Eagles triumphed 4-3 over Morocco in a 1984 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against in Benin City, which ended goalless.

Alongside Stephen Keshi, Muda Lawal and Peter Rufai, he played a key role in the team’s expedition at the 1984 Afcon in Cote d’Ivoire, where Festus Onigbinde’s side bowed 3-1 to Cameroon in the final played at Abidjan’s Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny.

Before then, he scored his own penalty kick in the country’s 8-7 defeat of Egypt after the scores stood at 2-2 after extra time.

He also featured in the 1988 Afcon and racked up 40 international caps, with one goal to his credit, in the 3-1 defeat of Kenya in a 1986 World Cup qualification fixture.

On the professional scene, the former ITT FC, Abiola Babes and Gateway FC star won two Nigerian FA Cup diadems in 1985 and 1987.

“It is another sad, sad day. Just a couple of weeks ago, we were lamenting the loss of former goalkeeper and coach Joseph Erico. Now, Yisa Sofoluwe. That man was a gem in the green-and-white and did his very best for Nigeria whenever he was on the field. Personally, I have sweet memories of Yisa Sofoluwe,” NFF boss Amaju Pinnick wrote.

“It is more painful that he left just when help was coming to him from everywhere and the process was on to rectify his medical condition. We loved him but God loves him more. May his soul rest in peace.”