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Former Germany star Lothar Matthaus says it is only a matter of time before Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland moves to one of the world's biggest teams.

The 20-year-old has been a huge hit in the Bundesliga since joining Dortmund from Red Bull Salzburg a year ago, scoring 35 goals in 34 appearances in all competitions.

Haaland played a pivotal role in his side's 3-1 win against RB Leipzig on Saturday, netting twice as Dortmund moved to within five points of league leaders Bayern Munich.

Ex-Bayern and Inter midfielder Matthaus has been astounded by the Norway international's impact at Dortmund and expects him to keep getting better.   

"Haaland is the face of Dortmund and I believe that he is not yet at his peak, but will learn. He has a life plan that is fully focused on football," Matthaus wrote in a column for Sky Sport. 

"He's a machine. A hurricane that blows you over. For me he's sensational at 20 years of age.

"At some point he will play for one of the biggest clubs in the world. But I hope that Dortmund and the Bundesliga will enjoy him for a few more years.

"What he does with his size, dynamism, strength and passion on the pitch is madness. Technically, too, he scored two goals in an outstanding manner. He's a machine. Wow."

Dortmund's results have stabilised since they sacked coach Lucien Favre and put his assistant, Edin Terzic, at the helm.

They have won four of the five games they have played since the change, but although Matthaus has been impressed by the 38-year-old, he believes Borussia Monchengladbach boss Marco Rose could be the long-term solution.

"[Rose] is definitely one of the preferred candidates for the BVB bosses. I believe Rose will switch at some point and even fear that it will be after this season. For me it looks a lot like moving to the Ruhr area," he said.

"Except Terzic continues to do such a good job and the win in Leipzig was just one of many that might follow. Then a rethink could possibly take place and Terzic could gain even more trust. 

"I haven't seen the Dortmund team perform like this in such an important game for a long time. The criticism from Mats Hummels seems to have had an impact, the team showed great character and their miracle striker was once again a pleasure."

Callum Hudson-Odoi claims to be aware of his “flaws” at Chelsea but, after sparking more transfer talk in 2020-21, is determined to iron them out and become a key part of Frank Lampard’s plans.

The Stamford Bridge academy graduate has always been held in high regard by those in west London.

Having burst onto the scene as an exciting teenage forward, big things were expected of Hudson-Odoi.

Injuries and competition for places have stunted his progress at times, while talk of interest from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich is seemingly never far away.

The England international has, however, worked his way back into favour of late and is eager to ensure that he unlocks his full potential under the guidance of a Chelsea legend.

Hudson-Odoi, who has taken in 16 appearances for the Blues this season, told the club’s official website of his development: “Nobody is a perfect player. There are always flaws and you want to keep improving every day.

“I want to keep working hard and learning every day. I want to keep educating myself whether it’s at home watching clips or just learning under the manager.

“He knows what to do and he knows what is right for me and how to play so I want to keep learning under him and working hard.

“Every time I get on the pitch or in training, I want to give my best every time. I want to give 110 per cent in the match.

“I want to always make sure that I’m ready. The best way you train is the best way you play in a game.”

Chelsea have struggled for consistency in 2020-21, with just four points taken from their last six Premier League games, but a star-studded squad remains in the hunt for major silverware.

A 4-0 FA Cup third-round victory over Morecambe was secured last time out, with that contest allowing Hudson-Odoi, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz to find the target and restore any fragile confidence.

“We keep improving and keep working hard,” added Hudson-Odoi.

“This game was a good step for us, we want to go back into the right way of winning games, so hopefully this is a start of good things and we keep going and keep pushing.

“We want to keep pushing on from this game and hopefully keep winning games and get a good run. As I said, this game was a good step. I feel like we needed this game to show the right mentality and attitude to get the job done.

“We kept a clean sheet and scored four goals which is a good thing for us. We want to keep improving at both ends of the pitch. We are all going into the next game against Fulham full of confidence trying to win that game as well.”

Chelsea will take in a derby date with neighbours Fulham on Saturday evening, with that fixture having been pushed back as the Cottagers are due to take in a rearranged meeting with Tottenham on Wednesday that had initially fallen foul of a coronavirus outbreak.

Robert Lewandowski has revealed that a €50 goal bet with Jurgen Klopp helped to put him on a path to becoming The Best, with the current Liverpool boss forced to back out of a training ground wager while calling the shots at Borussia Dortmund.

The prolific Polish frontman was snapped up by Dortmund in 2010 and charged with the task of spearheading quests for domestic and continental glory.

He would ultimately deliver on that remit, claiming two Bundesliga titles while also reaching the Champions League final, but a modern-day great initially found the going tough in Germany.

Klopp, who has cemented a reputation as one of the best man managers in the business, helped to aid Lewandowski’s transition by making every aspect of his work more competitive.

The 32-year-old found that those challenges left him out of pocket early on, but the tide soon turned as he started “raking in the cash”.

Lewandowski told The Players’ Tribune of how his remarkable skill set was honed: “When I arrived [at Dortmund] I could barely speak a word of German. I knew danke. Thank you. The weather was rainy and grey. And with Klopp, the intensity in training was very, very high.

“I was desperate to make my mark, and Jurgen wanted to challenge me. So in the first few months we made a little bet. If I scored 10 goals in a training session, he’d give me 50 euros. If I didn’t, I’d give him 50 euros. 

“The first few weeks, I had to pay up almost every time. He was laughing. But after a few months, the tables turned. I was the one raking in the cash. 

“So one day he said, ‘Stop! OK! That’s enough. You’re ready now’.”

Lewandowski was ready, with 103 goals plundered through 187 appearances for Dortmund.

His predatory instincts were then taken to Bayern Munich in 2014, with a further 269 efforts recorded for the German champions in just 309 outings.

The Poland international has been getting better with age, with a personal best return of 55 goals in a treble-winning 2019-20 campaign allowing him to land the prestigious FIFA Best award.

Lewandowski’s legacy as one of the very best in the business is now safely secured, but he acknowledges that a number of important figures have helped him to this point.

He added: “Of course, Jurgen was not the only one who helped me get better. When I moved to Bayern, I learned so much from coaches like Jupp Heynckes, Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti and now Hansi Flick.

“Just playing for Bayern is an educational experience really, because the demands are so high, and the club culture is so professional — you are forced to raise your standards, and you do. Still, I could not have performed the way I have without help from those close to me.”

Championship club Cardiff City have revealed Sol Bamba has started chemotherapy after he was confirmed to be suffering from cancer.

The Ivory Coast international has been with the Bluebirds since the summer of 2016 after leaving Leeds United.

Bamba helped Cardiff gain promotion to the Premier League in 2018 and featured prominently during their campaign in the top flight.

The defender, however, suffered a ligament injury in March 2019 which ruled him out for the remainder of the season and could not help the side as they were relegated to the Championship.

The 35-year-old captained the club on a number of times and has made 117 appearances, scoring 10 goals across all competitions.

In the current campaign, the centre-back has played six times for Neil Harris’s men and has previously spoken of his target to help the club return to the Premier League.

Cardiff have confirmed that Bamba has been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and has started treatment

“We are saddened to inform supporters that Sol Bamba has been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma,” according to a statement from the club website.

“With the close support of the club's medical team, Sol has immediately started a course of chemotherapy treatment.⁣

“Universally admired by teammates, staff and supporters in the Welsh capital, Sol has begun his battle in typically positive spirits and will continue to be an integral part of the Bluebirds family.

“During treatment, Sol will support his teammates at matches and our younger players within the Academy, with whom he will continue his coaching development.⁣

“All future updates on Sol’s progress will be provided only via official Club channels. While we request privacy for him and his family at this time, messages of support to be passed on to Sol may be sent to club@cardiffcityfc.co.uk."

Besides playing for Cardiff, the defender also featured for Paris Saint-Germain, Dunfermline Athletic, Hibernian, Leicester City, Trabzonspor and Palermo.

Bamba has 46 caps for Ivory Coast and was part of the West African side that finished as runner-up at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.

Victor Ogada, the brother to Harambee Stars striker Michael Olunga, has fueled further speculation the player is indeed set to sign for Al Duhail SC.

Ogada, who resembles the towering striker, has posted a photo on Instagram sitting in a room in Dubai which he only captioned as Doha, just a day after a photo leaked of Olunga in a Duhail jersey.

Doha is the capital city of Qatar, where Duhail is based, and according to QSL Newss, the striker could even feature against the Xavi-managed Al-Sadd on Tuesday, January 12, after sealing his transfer from Kashiwa Reysol of Japan.

Ogada is a close friend to Olunga and on many occasions, he followed his brother when he signed deals outside his home country.

Meanwhile, Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama has waded into the transfer issue by saying he will support any move Olunga makes this transfer window.

Wanyama, who currently features for Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer (MLS) and was in the same situation before leaving Tottenham Hotspur, has now said Olunga is mature enough to make a good decision.

“In football, it is always difficult to try and advise someone who has played the game and knows what’s next in his move,” Wanyama said as quoted by Standard Sports.

“But Olunga is a mature player and he knows what’s next for his career. All of us have ambitions and they cannot be the same. So, I’m supporting him in every step he is going to take and I wish him all the best in whatever move he is going to take.”

On the other hand, former Harambee Stars striker Dennis Oliech has called on Olunga to move with speed and sign the contract with Al Duhail.

“I haven’t talked to him [Olunga] but heard he has another good offer from Qatar,” Oliech said as quoted by Nation Sports. “I encourage him to pick up these offers because he is [almost] 27 and not 22.

“He has about four or five years remaining at the top level. It is time for him to make good money.”

Oliech however, warned Olunga to prepare for a tough life in the Gulf by stating: “He will have to get a strong agent and negotiate a good contract.

“When I was there, most club owners would delay the salary of a player when his performance dipped, there wasn’t much world-class management.

“It is also very hot over there and he will have to adapt fast.”

Last week it was reported in Japan that Kashiwa Reysol have already accepted a transfer fee of 7million Euros (approximately Ksh890m) from the Qatari club.

Simba SC striker Meddie Kagere has stated they will have to rectify some mistakes to stand a chance of winning the Mapinduzi Cup final against their sworn rivals Yanga SC.

Wekundu wa Msimbazi qualified after a 2-1 win over Namungo in the semi-final played at Amani Stadium on Monday night.

Meddie Kagere and Miraji Athumani scored the goals for the Tanzania Mainland League reigning champions, to set up a Kariakoo Derby, while Ghanaian Stephen Kwame Sey grabbed a consolation for his team.

On their part, Wananchi sealed the final slot after defeating Azam 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regular time. Timu ya Wananchi opened the scoring in the 55th minute when Tuisila Kisinda found his way past the Azam backline and fired past Wilbol Kaseke.

In the 66th minute, Azam equalised through Obrey Chirwa, who headed home from a cross that was delivered by Bruce Kangwa from the left-wing.

"First I would like to thank my teammates because we have done our best and reached the final," Kagere told reporters.

"We will now have to focus on the final which is a derby to us. But before then, we need to rectify some mistakes we made to stand a better chance of winning.  

"Our job as Simba players is to make our fans happy. We know what they want [against Yanga] and we will do everything possible to get a win in the final."  

This is the second time the two rivals are meeting this season. The first meeting was in the Tanzania Mainland League where they settled for a 1-1 draw. Michael Sarpong scored for Timu ya Wananchi with Joash Onyango scoring for his team.

It will be the first time the two rivals meet in the Mapinduzi Cup, considering this is the first time Yanga have qualified for the final,

The final will be played on Wednesday, January 13 at Amani Stadium from 20:15 EAT.

Namungo and Azam will be playing in the third-place play-offs at the same venue on the same day.

Mtibwa Sugar defeated Simba by a solitary goal in the last edition to be crowned champions. However, this time around, the Sugar Millers did not make it to the final.

Samuel Eto’o believes Ansu Fati is “the one to take over from Lionel Messi” at Barcelona, with those at Camp Nou having to start contemplating life without the six-time Ballon d’Or winner.

The Liga giants have seen their talismanic captain make one push for the exits, with the summer of 2020 dominated by speculation regarding the mercurial Argentine’s future.

Messi was eventually talked into staying put, as he revealed to Goal that he will be honouring the final year of his contract.

No fresh terms have been agreed in Catalunya, though, and the 33-year-old is free to speak with interested parties now that the January transfer window has opened.

Barca have not given up hope of extending their career-long association with an all-time great, but the clock is ticking as free agency looms large.

If Messi were to move on at the end of the season, with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain among those said to be keen on doing a deal, then a sizeable void would be left in the Blaugrana’s ranks.

Filling the biggest of boots will be an almost impossible task, but Eto’o feels that 18-year-old forward Fati could be the man to succeed a fellow La Masia academy graduate.

The former Barca striker told SPORTbible of a potential changing of the guard: “I think [Fati] is the one for the future.

“He's currently doing amazing stuff so I think the club really needs to groom him and take very good care of him.

“Let's hope he's the one to take over from Messi.”

Eto’o was on Barca’s books when Messi broke through as a precocious teenager, with five memorable years spent trophy-collecting at Camp Nou between 2004 and 2009.

At the peak of his powers he landed La Liga and Champions League crowns under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, but the Cameroonian icon who went on to enjoy similar success with Jose Mourinho at Inter claims to favour Portuguese passion in the dugout over Catalan charisma.

Eto’o said of the bosses he thrived under: “I am more friends with Jose Mourinho's style. It's a question of style, they each have their own way, I prefer Jose Mourinho.

“However, Pep is a top, top coach, so I don't think you can make a decision, but I can tell you that there is no other coach, no other manager, who will get to motivate his players as much as Jose Mourinho does, for me the treble with Jose is the special one.

“Now there are more coaches with their own style. Yet, in terms of motivating and getting the most out of their players, that is Jose Mourinho.”

After the debacle of the last Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Philippines where Malaysia Under-23 side got knocked out from the competition in the group stages following defeats to Philippines and Cambodia, it would seem that Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) are revamping how the biennial competition is being looked at.

It was one of the agendas discussed during the 12th executive committee meeting for the term 2017-2021 held on Tuesday morning, it was decided that the upcoming SEA Games in Vietnam later this year will be represented by the Under-19 squad instead of the usual Under-23 side.

This comes as FAM looks towards qualification to the 2024 Paris Olympics by starting to give the players that would be elligible for that qualification a headstart, not unlike what Japan Footbal Association has done with their age-group squads in recent years.

New FAM Technical Director, Ong Kim Swee explained later that the decision was made to give the players a longer period of adaptation and progression that sees two separate cycles being completed by the squad ahead of the vital qualifiers in 2024. 

"The management has yet to decide on who the coach will be, just that for now we have decided to give an opportunity to these Under-19 players who we know can take the responsibilty for the long term. Our purpose is to give them exposure for us to be prepared in 2024 for the Olympic qualification to Paris," said Kim Swee on Tuesday.

"It will be down to the coach who we are going to appoint to decide on the selection because the scope is big. The Under-19 squad with Brad Maloney and the FAM-MSN Project Squad with Yusri Che Lah will likely form the team as they are all in the same age category.

"We have a long period before the Olympic qualification. Before that there's the SEA Games, AFC U23 qualification as well as the 2023 SEA Games. This is among the best generation that we have and it's not about looking down on the SEA Games, just that we want to give them a lot of exposures.

"Up to the Olympic qualifications, there will be two cycles of SEA Games and AFC U23 qualifications with other tournaments along the way. In the short term we are not looking at achieving success during the SEA Games in Vietnam for example but once they gain more exposure, we do expect some form of success during the second SEA Games in Cambodia in 2023."

The Citizens confirmed the news on Tuesday morning with a simple post on Twitter, stating ‘Signed. Sealed. Shonga.’

There was also an accompanying video which showed the Zambian international training with the Cape Town side.

The 24-year-old has only been with Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) for the past few months, having signed from Orlando Pirates in the off-season.

During his time with the Limpopo side, Shonga played seven league and cup matches and scored one goal and added one assist.

Prior to that, he spent three seasons at Orlando Pirates, where he made a promising start before his form tapered off last season.

In the 2017/18 season, he played 23 games for Bucs and scored four goals. The next season he played 35 matches and netted eight times. But last season, 2019/ 20, the Chipolopolo striker managed just 10 appearances and failed to find the back of the net.

Shonga initially arrived at Pirates after signing from Zambian side Nkwazi FC. He has 15 caps for the Zambian senior national team and has scored seven goals.

He will now be looking to resurrect his PSL career with the Cape Town club. City actually played TTM this past weekend, drawing 2-2, with Shonga not involved in the match at all.

Coached by Dutchman Jan Olde Riekerink, the Citizens are currently in fourth spot on the table – with 16 points from 10 matches, they are eight points behind league leaders and defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

Shonga could potentially offset the loss of Kermit Erasmus, who joined the Brazilians this season after scoring 13 league goals for the Mother City side last season.

He will be competing for a place in the starting line-up at City with the likes of Fagrie Lakay, who scored a brace against TTM, as well as Tashrique Morris and Ghana forward Prince Opoku Agyemang.

Shonga will also be joining his countryman Charles Zulu at City.

Should Shonga’s paperwork be ready in time, he could potentially make his debut this Saturday – at home against Kaizer Chiefs.

Victor Wanyama has said he will support any move that Harambee Stars striker Michael Olunga makes this transfer window.

The Kenyan star has been linked with a move to Qatari champions Al Duhail SC from Kashiwa Reysol of Japan, and on Monday a photo of the player in the jersey of Duhail leaked in Qatar, with QSL Newss reporting the transfer will be made official by Tuesday.

QSL Newss further reported the striker could even feature against Al-Sadd on Tuesday, January 12, a club managed by Barcelona legend Xavi.

Last week it was reported in Japan that Kashiwa Reysol have already accepted a transfer fee of 7million Euros (approximately Ksh890m) from the Qatari club.

Wanyama, who currently features for Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer (MLS) and was in the same situation before leaving Tottenham Hotspur, has now said Olunga is mature enough to make a good decision.

“In football, it is always difficult to try and advise someone who has played the game and knows what’s next in his move,” Wanyama said as quoted by Standard Sports.

“But Olunga is a mature player and he knows what’s next for his career. All of us have ambitions and they cannot be the same. So, I’m supporting him in every step he is going to take and I wish him all the best in whatever move he is going to take.”

His sentiments come just a day after former Harambee Stars striker Dennis Oliech called on Olunga to move with speed and sign the contract with Al Duhail.

“I haven’t talked to him [Olunga] but heard he has another good offer from Qatar,” Oliech said as quoted by Nation Sports. “I encourage him to pick up these offers because he is [almost] 27 and not 22.

“He has about four or five years remaining at the top level. It is time for him to make good money.”

However, Oliech, who retired from active football after playing for Kenyan champions Gor Mahia in 2019, has warned Olunga to prepare for a tough life in the Gulf.

“He will have to get a strong agent and negotiate a good contract,” Oliech continued.

“When I was there, most club owners would delay the salary of a player when his performance dipped, there wasn’t much world-class management.

“It is also very hot over there and he will have to adapt fast.”

Olunga won the 2020 J-1 League Golden Boot after notching 28 goals from 32 matches.

Al-Duhail formerly Lekhwiya SC, is a Qatari sports club that plays in the Qatar Stars League.

The club is based in the Duhail district in the city of Doha and plays their home games at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, and were the first team in Qatari football to win the first division title in their debut season.

Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier has stated the team is in the market for an assistant coach for Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto.

The Portuguese tactician was confirmed K'Ogalo coach on Sunday, January 10 to head the Kenyan champions. However, the club did not unveil the assistant coach and the chairman has explained why.

"We are in the process of engaging the assistant coach because recently our assistant coach [Patrick Odhiambo left for holidays] and though he maintains he is still with us, we have not seen him for two weeks and we intend to think he will not return," Rachier told Gor Mahia's online TV.

"We have heard he has joined another team and we cannot wait for that. So we are in the process of looking for a new assistant coach now.

"But with the arrival of the new head coach, we have no problem."  

The 47-year old tactician came in to replace Brazilian Robertinho Oliveira, who left K’Ogalo after the Confederation of African Football (Caf) barred him from sitting on the touchline during Caf matches after having problems with his coaching qualification papers.

Oliviera’s abrupt exit forced Gor Mahia to hire Posta Rangers coach Sammy ‘Pamzo’ Omollo on a temporary basis and the former international had already taken charge of the team in two Caf Champions League assignments, against APR of Rwanda and CR Belouizdad of Algeria.

With Gor Mahia dropping to the Confederation Cup after losing 8-1 on aggregate to CR Belouizdad and where they have been drawn to face Napsa Stars of Zambia in the play-offs, Vaz Pinto will now be tasked with the job of guiding the side in the competition and also help the team win the league title for the fifth season in a row.

Pinto will also be aiming at helping the team turn their fortunes in the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League.

The reigning champions have lost two of their three games played and won just one. The recent loss was against Kariobangi Sharks on Sunday.

K'Ogalo fell 4-3 to make it back to back defeats after a previous 2-1 loss to 11-time champions Tusker FC.

Eric Kapaito, Daniel Sakari and John Kuol scored Kariobangi Sharks’ goals while Gor Mahia’s were scored by Clifton Miheso, John Macharia and Joachim Oluoch.  

Young Africans (Yanga SC) coach Cedric Kaze has explained why his team failed to finish off Azam FC in normal time of their Mapinduzi Cup semi-final clash played on Monday in Arusha.

The Jangwani giants were forced to wait until after a penalty shoot-out to eliminate Azam, after the two teams were tied 1-1 in normal time.

Yanga had taken a deserved lead through Tusila Kisinda in the 51st minute but Obrey Chirwa levelled matters for the ‘Ice Cream Makers’ with a fine header four minutes later.

The Belgian tactician, who is still unbeaten since joining Yanga as a replacement for Serbian Zlatko Krmpotic, has revealed his players deserved to win the game in normal time but they relaxed, which allowed Azam to hold them to a draw.

“The intensity of the match was high but the match was very slow,” Kaze said as quoted by Daily News.

“We did not pressurise our opponents for more goals, instead we got back to defend and this resulted for Azam to gain the confidence to recovery and score an equalizer.”

Kaze has, however, praised his players for their quality from the penalty spot and said they are in the final to win the trophy.

“They have done a great job and we will try our best to secure the trophy, that is our target," he concluded.

Azam coach George Lwandamina blamed their defeat on exhaustion, saying it was not right for the players to play two matches in 48 hours.

“We have gained some confidence in the league since I took charge but on the competition, scientifically it is not possible for any team to play two matches in 48 hours, the players need time to rest," he told the same publication.

Kenyan keeper Farouk Shikhalo was the hero for Yanga as he saved two penalties, taken by Awesu Awesu and Daniel Amoah, but he could not save those from Bruce Kangwa, Ally Niyonzima, Mudathir Yahya, and Nicholas Wadada.

Azam keeper Benedict Haule managed to save one penalty from Ghanaian Michael Sarpong, but Yanga scored the rest through Tusila Kisinda, Congolese Tonombe Mukoko, backs Paul Godfrey ‘Boxer’, Abdallah Shaibu ‘Ninja’ and midfielder Zawadi Mauya.

Yanga will now face rivals Simba SC in the final of the competition set for Wednesday in Arusha.

Simba reached the final after beating Namungo FC 2-1, with striker Meddie Kagere and Miraji Athumani notching the goals from the league champions, to set up a Kariakoo Derby final, while Ghanaian Stephen Kwame Sey grabbed a consolation for his team.

Wekundu wa Msimbazi had defeated former champions Mtibwa Sugar 2-0 after an initial 3-1 victory over Chipukizi, in Group B, to seal their place in the last four. 

In Monday's semi-final, Namungo were aiming at avenging the 2-1 loss suffered against Simba in the 2019/20 FA Cup final.

Kenyans have taken to social media to welcome news Harambee Stars striker Michael Olunga is on the verge of signing for Qatari champions Al Duhail SC.

On Monday, a photo of the towering striker in the Al Duhail jersey leaked across Qatar from QSL Newss and Goal now understands the player will officially be unveiled in the coming days.

According to QSL Newss, the striker could even feature against  Al-Sadd on Tuesday, January 12, a club managed by Barcelona legend Xavi.

Last week it was reported in Japan that Kashiwa Reysol have already accepted a transfer fee of 7 million Euros (approximately Ksh890m) from the Qatari club.

A source close to Olunga told Goal a move to Qatar could be in the offing but he refused to divulge more details.

“What I know, Olunga’s club Reysol and Al-Duhail have been in talks for a possible move for the player but I don’t want to give out details or how far they have reached in the negotiations,” the source told Goal.

Al-Duhail, formerly Lekhwiya SC, is a Qatari sports club that plays in the Qatar Stars League. The club is based in the Duhail district in the city of Doha and plays its home games at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium.

They are also the first team in Qatari football to win the first division title in their debut season.

They are currently second on the 12-team table with 27 points from 13 matches, eight fewer than table-toppers Al Sadd, who are on 35 points.

Considering his age, 26-years-old, many Kenyans feel the former Gor Mahia striker has made the right decision to switch to the Gulf, and below is how Twitter reacted to the transfer news.

The fairytale wasn’t meant to end like this.

Odion Ighalo’s arrival at Manchester United a year ago was the stuff of dreams—literally—for the Nigeria international, but things haven’t worked out as planned.

As his inevitable exit from Old Trafford draws ever closer, the weekend’s FA Cup meeting with Watford ought to have been an opportunity for a final farewell to his boyhood club—and potentially—to English football.

The Hornets, after all, were the club who had given him his first chance in the Premier League before then encouraging him to depart for China—reportedly against his wishes—when his first stint in England came to an end.

Even though things hadn’t quite gone to plan in the Prem since the pandemic arrived on these shores, the striker appeared in line for a rare opportunity to make an impact from the bench after being named among Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s substitutes on Sunday.

Ultimately, even this chance for a final showing in red was denied him, as the Norwegian coach instead introduced Harry Maguire, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Nemanja Matic from the bench and left Ighalo unused.

The West African was ultimately denied the chance for a final farewell against the club he served for three years, and his FA Cup goal against Norwich City last season may remain his final goalscoring contribution for the Red Devils.

While United progressed—thanks to Scott McTominay’s early opener—Monday’s draw pitting them against fierce rivals Liverpool in the Fourth Round isn’t great news for Ighalo.

The match, which comes eight days before the striker’s loan deal ends, is set to be cagey and hotly fought contest, with Ole unlikely to be handing out emotional cameos.

Ighalo appears destined to end his time at United on a low note and, ultimately, without the sign-off he will have been hoping for.

Certainly, his time at the club has been underwhelming.

He was never meant to have been United’s first choice, nor was he the kind of glamour signing to get the pulses racing, but as short-term fixes go—particularly with the club’s injury concerns at the time of his arrival, and the Red Devils competing on multiple fronts—his arrival made sense.

Initially, things worked out well, with Ighalo engendering much goodwill when he revealed—seemingly with striking authenticity—that United had been close to his heart since his youth.

Easing the pressure on the side as they competed on multiple fronts, Ighalo became the go-to man for the cup competitions; he scored at will in both the FA Cup and the Europa League.

He even equalled a United record that had stood for 95 years when he bagged that goal against Norwich following the resumption of action after the coronavirus suspension, becoming the first player since Jimmy Hanson in 1925 to score in his first four competitive starts for the club.

It almost didn’t matter that he was barely playing in the Premier League, and not scoring when he did.

Ultimately that effort against the Canaries was as good as it ever got for Ighalo at Old Trafford, with the Covid-19 suspension and United's strong performances during Project Restart not working in his favour.

Marcus Rashford returned from injury, providing more competition, then Mason Greenwood proved that he could be a difference-maker in the Premier League, United were knocked out of the FA Cup, and the decision was taken to play the Europa League after the conclusion of the Prem season.

Soon after football returned in 2020, it was clear that the reasons why Ighalo was brought to the North-West were no longer reasons at all.

He was way down the pecking order before Edinson Cavani was recruited on a free transfer before the transfer window closed.

Here was another veteran—older than Ighalo no less—with a greater pedigree in the game; more success, more silverware, and destined for more playing time at Old Trafford than his new teammate.

While Cavani has begun to make his mark, Ighalo's playing time has dried up; he has featured just four times so far this season and has played just once - as a last-minute substitute against Paris Saint-Germain - since the Carabao Cup victory over Brighton & Hove Albion in September.

If he didn't get any gametime in the FA Cup Third Round against lower-league oppositions 

Cavani may have endured a tough season in Ligue 1 in 2019-20, as he scored just four, but he bagged 100 league goals alone across the previous four seasons, and has already scored three in nine in the Prem so far this season.

No one can blame Ighalo for jumping at the chance to extend his loan stay at United until early 2021, given the way the chance to make a genuine impact was denied him last season due to Covid.

However, as his time at the club comes to an end, and another chance to leave a mark goes by, the forward must surely reflect on six wasted months of his career spent on United's bench.

The Red Devils, too, may reflect on money poorly spent, with the ageing attacker arriving for an initial £6 million and a hefty wedge of his reported £300,000-per-week wages.

It’s a disappointing conclusion to Ighalo’s time at Old Trafford, as while things didn’t begin particularly auspiciously, he overcame the initial scepticism with his goals and attitude, and arguably deserved more opportunity to build on his encouraging goals-to-minutes ratio of last season.

In the 69th minute of Mumbai City's top-of-the-table clash against ATK Mohun Bagan, Hugo Boumous picked the ball up in the centre of the field and started running at the league's best defence.

There were more than five defenders in front of the midfielder but he still managed to get into the box, make a turn and find Bartholomew Ogbeche to his left. What happens when defenders leave Ogbeche unmarked and provide him space and time to pick his spot? He scores. And that goal separated the two teams on Monday.

The Mariners took close to an hour to complete 100 passes on the field out of the 164 they managed to complete succesfully. And that was because Mumbai City, at no point, decided to relinquish control of the game. 

Bagan did what they have done really well so far this season. They formed an organized defence and camped in their own half, hoping to break away when an opportunity arrives. But such instances were few and far between. 

Lobera's men registered more than twice the number of passes than ATK Mohan Bagan did (513 vs 253) and held 75 per cent possession in the first half which is the highest percentage a team has achieved in the first 45 minutes since the 2015 ISL season.

Habas' team had just seven touches in the opposition box against Mumbai City, the fewest in a game this season. It was absolute control. 

Ogbeche scored the all-important goal but it was Hugo Boumous who ran the show from the midfield for the Islanders. The absence of Ahmed Jahouh meant Boumous had to drop deeper multiple times in the game but he was a delight to watch whenever he got on the ball and the opponents had no answer to his technical prowess.

Habas will have wished he had a midfield presence like Carl McHugh in there to keep Boumous in check because McHugh, who has been stellar this season, were their best bet against such a silky smooth talent. 

Boumous now has five assists this season, the most by any player and has extended his overall assists tally to a total of 22, currently the most by any player in the league. He has quickly become Mumbai's marvel. 

Roy Krishna and David Williams need to quickly regain the chemistry that propelled ATK to the trophy last season if Bagan are to catch the Islanders at the top of the table. They have an excellent defence but without enough firepower up front. If Krishna and Williams have an off-day, the Mariners would be stuck. 

And it's going to be difficult to catch Lobera's team who not only have a good starting lineup but also a strong bench. They had Adam Le Fondre coming on as a substitute in the second-half against Bagan! 

Mumbai City now have amassed 25 points from their first 10 games and in doing so, they have beaten the record set by Bengaluru during the 2018-19 season wherein the Blues had 24 points in the first 10 matches.

Bengaluru finished the league stages on top of the table and went on to win the title. Will Mumbai City take the same route? 

All stats used in this article are from @OptaJeev.

Rio Ferdinand has described Amad Diallo as a potential "world-beater" and feels there are comparisons to when Manchester United signed Cristiano Ronaldo.

United struck a deal to sign Diallo from Atalanta last October, with the player remaining in Italy before joining the Red Devils in January.

Diallo arrives at United somewhat under the radar - although manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he has "special abilities" - but he has impressed many overservers in Serie A with his pace and trickery out wide.

Those attributes were similar to what Ronaldo brought to Old Trafford from Sporting Lisbon in 2003. Like Diallo, Ronaldo was 18 when he made the move to the North West of England and Ferdinand is hopeful of seeing the player make a similar impact to the now five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

"We’ve just bought a kid in from Atalanta and hopefully he does something,” the former Manchester United defender said on Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE podcast. “If you see his clips and speak to people at the club who are involved in buying him, potentially this kid could be a world-beater.

“That is the thought of Manchester United people that this kid is one they have unearthed.”

Mentioning Diallo in the same breath as Ronaldo is a bold call, but Ferdinand feels there are similarities to when the club brought a relatively unknown teenager to the club from Portuguese side Sporting CP.

“I don’t want to put the pressure of Ronaldo on him, but no-one knew about Ronaldo when we bought him other than the people in Portugal,” Ferdinand said. “This kid seems similar in that sense and if you see his clips and the way people talk about him, the world is his oyster if he applies himself right.”

While Ronaldo arrived at United as a relative unknown, he came with a hunger to improve and drive himself on to greatness.

He won the Premier League title on three occasions with the Red Devils, along with a Champions League crown, before heading to Real Madrid and propelling himself to superstardom.

Two La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns followed at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Now 35 and at Juventus, Ronaldo is still winning trophies and setting benchmarks.

If Diallo has half the career of Ronaldo, it will be money well spent by the Red Devils.