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Manchester United are missing a striker like Robert Lewandowski, according to Rene Meulensteen.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took the bold decision to stick with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford as his two main forwards after Romelu Lukaku was sold to Inter last summer.

The pair have evenly shared 38 goals between them this season, helping United challenge for a top-four finish as well as the FA Cup and Europa League.

Mason Greenwood has also been impressive in a back-up role, and Odion Ighalo's arrival at Old Trafford on loan from Shanghai Shenhua in January added extra depth to United's attack.

Solskjaer has been tipped to target Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho in the summer transfer window to complete a squad rebuild, but Meulensteen doesn't think the Red Devils need to recruit another wide player.

The former United first-team coach would prefer to see a new forward in the same mould as Lewandowski brought in, with the Bayern Munich star boasting a record of 49 goals in 42 appearances for the German giants in 2019-20.

“They brought Ighalo in as a player who could help United in certain times and he’s actually done very, very well," Meulensteen told talkSPORT.

“But if you look at the other players there – Rashford, Martial, they’re not really out-and-out strikers.

“Greenwood, a young player coming up, it’s the same thing there.

“A lot of chances and goals can be created from the wide areas, Sancho is actually the same player.

“What I think Man United are missing is a striker of the calibre of Robert Lewandowski.

“Somebody up there who can hold the line, link play, but when it comes to finishing chances in and outside the box, that sort of player, they are hard to come by.

“Fifty million for Sancho, is that too much? For me, looking at what United have in those wide areas, is that where you want to strengthen?”

United extended their recent unbeaten run to 15 matches by beating Brighton 3-0 at Amex Stadium on Tuesday night.

Solskjaer's men are now only two points behind Chelsea in the race for fourth, with a home clash against Bournemouth up next this weekend.

Kaizer Chiefs legend Doctor Khumalo has indicated George Maluleka was unhappy at Amakhosi and that his departure is a great loss for the club.

The experienced midfielder officially parted ways with the Soweto giants on Tuesday, June 30 when his contract with the club expired.

Nicknamed Mido, Maluleka is now set to join Mamelodi Sundowns having signed a pre-contract with the Tshwane giants earlier this year.

"It is a great loss man. I'm sure both parties didn't want to end the marriage like that," Khumalo told IOL.

"But obviously there are things that are beyond the game that maybe both parties couldn't come to terms in terms of understanding each other."

Maluleka played an instrumental role in helping Amakhosi challenge for this season's PSL title and he has left the team placed at the top of the league standings.

"It is an unfortunate situation. At the end of the day, it is all about being happy. It is all about delivering the goods for the club and you must do that with pride," Khumalo said. 

"But if you are not happy, there's no way that you are going to be able to deliver."

The Bafana Bafana international decided to leave Amakhosi after failing to reach an agreement over a new deal with the club's management.

Khumalo revealed he recently spoke to Maluleka, who called him to wish him a happy birthday when the Amakhosi legend celebrated his 52nd birthday on June 26.

"George has been a wonderful boy, I worked with him when we won the league with Stuart Baxter," he added.

"I had an opportunity to talk to him when he called me to wish me a happy birthday. Obviously, as his senior, I wanted to ask how he is.

"He did explain to me. Obviously, I can divulge that. But the sound of his tone was low because he was not happy."

Maluleka, 30, helped Chiefs clinch the PSL title and MTN8 during his five-and-a-half-year stint with the Soweto giants.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) coach Luc Eymael says he will not mind if they are drawn to face sworn rivals Simba SC in the next phase of the FA Cup.

The Jangwani Street-based giants cruised into the last four of the domestic competition after coming from a goal down to sink Kagera Sugar 2-1 in a clash played at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday night.

Kagera were the better side as they raided Yanga in the opening stages and it took them only 20 minutes to take a deserved lead when Aweku Ibrahim scored from close range.

Kagera went into the break enjoying a 1-0 lead and they should have scored more than the single goal as they dominated proceedings in the first period.

After the resumption, Yanga levelled matters when Molinga met a cross from a corner-kick to head home to score his third goal for the club in just three days. The Congolese import had scored two goals as Yanga came from a goal down to beat Ndanda FC 3-2 on Saturday.

Dues Kaseke then won the game for Timu ya Mwananchi after he slotted home from the penalty spot in the 76th minute after a Kagera defender was punished for bringing down Molinga.

Eymael has now told Goal he does not care who will be next opponent in the semi-finals as Simba and Azam are set to clash in the other quarter-final clash on Wednesday.

“To face Simba again? We are ready, but first, they play Azam, who are a very good side and we must wait for the outcome to see who comes top,” Eymael told Goal on Wednesday.

On the Kagera game, Eymael hit out at officiating once again, blaming the match officials for denying his side a clear penalty in the first half.

“The game was tough, it was a difficult game, we conceded a very silly goal, but we recovered and scored two nice goals, we should have received a penalty in the first half, it was a clear penalty, and I don’t know what the referee was thinking,” Eymael continued.

“My players were brought down inside the box and it is very clear that when you are fouled inside the box it is a clear penalty, I looked at the referee waving play on and was shocked with the decision, it was a clear penalty if you ask me.

“But I don’t want to talk more about it now, we have progressed to the semis and that was our main plan, we want to win the trophy and we will continue to work hard, my players showed good character and I am happy they are all coming back to fitness after that long break occasioned by the lockdown.”

In another quarter-final match played on Tuesday, Namungo FC made it to the last four after a goal in each half helped them to beat Alliance FC 2-0.

On Wednesday, newly crowned league champions Simba will take on Azam FC at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam while Sahare All-Stars will come up against Ndanda FC.

Halfway into the current Premier League season, Leicester City were in second-place and appeared shoo-ins for a Champions League spot.

Despite successive defeats by Liverpool and Manchester City in gameweeks 18 and 19 respectively, Brendan Rodgers’ troops were a point above City, seven ahead of Chelsea in fourth and nine above Wolverhampton Wanderers in fifth place. Notably, Manchester United were eighth, a staggering 11 points adrift of the Foxes before their resurgence since the turn of the year.

After the last round of games, however, Leicester seem to be hanging on to a top four spot with seven games to play. While the Blues, Wolves and the Red Devils seem to be gaining momentum at the right time, the East Midlands side appear to be running on fumes, despite a three-month enforced break.

Observers have focused on two draws vs Watford and Brighton & Hove Albion since the league’s restart but, in truth, the 2016 champions’ decline began months ago in January.

Having played 12 games in all competitions from the start of December to January 11, when they suffered a surprising 2-1 loss at the hands of Southampton, fatigue was said to be the overriding factor, others argued Wilfred Ndidi’s absence was equally significant. 

The Nigeria anchorman’s absence against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s troops told on an afternoon at the King Power Stadium where the Saints probably should have won by more. With Rodgers unable to call upon on the West African's impeccable protection of the back four, the Foxes conceded chance after chance against the club from the South Coast.

Ndidi, struggling for fitness from mid-January to early March, missed key games for Leicester and it showed in their results: they lost games vs Southampton, Burnley, Man City and Norwich City (he got a 20-minute cameo on his return), while drawing with Wolves and Chelsea.

It’s no coincidence that Leicester’s two wins in that period, 4-1 over West Ham United and 4-0 success against Aston Villa before the lockdown, came in games where the ex-Genk man featured for sufficient minutes on the pitch (56 and 83 minutes respectively).

The upshot of the Foxes’ drop-off in the second half of the campaign is demonstrated by how they’re currently looking over their shoulder, with the aforementioned trident of clubs putting together a run of results before and after the lockdown.

Rodgers’ team won 12 of their opening 19 fixtures but have only picked up a measly four victories from 12 matches since. Frank Lampard’s charges are now a point behind, Wolves three adrift having played a game more and United three behind. Interestingly, all three are top of the form table while the wobbling Leicester are 15th.

Fatigue may have been an understandable excuse in January given the frantic schedule at the time but the underwhelming performances and results linger. Thus, it begs the question why Rodgers’ team have found the going tougher in the last few months and whether this was expected given their underlying statistics in the final third earlier in the season.

Leicester have not only lost the element of surprise they had when the campaign started but are now experiencing a reversion to the mean in front of goal. Their elevated status now means opponents sit deeper with numbers behind the ball, denying them space between the lines and making the jobs of players like Ndidi difficult as they struggle to find players in little pockets of space higher up the pitch.

In the early months of the season, the Nigerian defensive midfielder found midfield creators James Maddison and Youri Tielemans between the lines with ease but his underrated impact in possession has been blunted lately with passes now going backward or sideways in recent games.

Consequently, the side are struggling to create chances, which is reflected in blanks in five of their last eight games in all competitions, including Sunday’s FA Cup elimination by Lampard’s men, which could prove to be a psychological blow in their top four chase.

The Foxes were also outperforming their Expected Goals, Expected Goals Against and Expected Points tally in the first-half of the campaign, prompting observers to doubt the sustainability of their impressive early season numbers.

Statistics show that the 2016 Prem champions are outdoing their xG by 9.67, xGA by 10.54 and xPTS 5.29, the greatest disparity of any side outside Liverpool in the top 10 in the standings. Indeed, with Expected Points of 49.71, Leicester are interestingly sixth below Nuno Espirito Santo’s charges (54.89), Man United (57.43) and the Blues (59.44).

Given the current form of the sides below them, there remains a strong possibility that the campaign could end with Ndidi and co. failing to feature in Europe’s premier competition next season. This scenario wouldn’t have been envisaged after their bright start, and their upcoming fixtures in the closing weeks inspire little confidence.

Leicester’s tough run of fixtures begin with a tricky trip to Alex Iwobi’s Everton on Wednesday, a side unbeaten at Goodison Park since Carlo Ancelotti took charge in December.

They are still to concede a goal since the league’s restart and will fancy themselves against the East Midlands side without an away victory since winning vs Newcastle United on New Year’s Day.

The Foxes then travel to Arsenal in early March before closing out the season with games against Tottenham Hotspur and United, the latter of which could be a top-four six-pointer if both sides remain close together in the table.

Rodgers hinted recently that performances have to improve if results have to turn promptly, a challenge that shouldn’t be lost on Ndidi and his teammates.

Leicester have been victims of their early success but now need a strong final push to make sure a prolific campaign that promised Champions League football doesn’t fall flat on its face.

New SuperSport United captain Ronwen Williams says their experience from the 2017 Caf Confederation Cup will come in handy when the current season resumes.

Williams prefers playing a lot of games within a short period of time with Matsatsantsa left with six matches in the league.

“If we were to play every day, the guys would probably prefer that,” Williams told The Citizen.

“You sometimes hear a lot of coaches complaining but they know deep down that they would rather play each and every day because that is what we live for, we want to play those games."

Williams was a key member of the SuperSport side which went all the way to the Confederation Cup final where they lost to DR Congolese giants TP Mazembe in 2017.

“The time we were playing in the Confederation Cup, we enjoyed playing on Wednesday and Saturday, Tuesday and on the weekend again, and the travelling will also help because we are used to travelling a lot and still perform on the pitch," he continued.

"That is why we want to be professionals because we live for this. It comes with a lot of sacrifices and discipline as well, you can’t be going out for no reason, you can’t walk around in the malls, you need to stay at home and rest.”

The Tshwane giants are placed third on the league standings - four points behind second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns, who have three games in hand.

“Once the season resumes, I’m sure we are going to be playing Wednesday and Saturday and that is what we enjoy," he added.

"The less training you do, the better because we just want to play more games and challenge other teams and see how far we can go on the log.”

Williams was an ever-present for Matsatsantsa before the season was halted having started all of the team's 24 matches in the league.

The Bafana Bafana international was appointed new SuperSport captain following the departure of Dean Furman last month.

Ferran Corominas has lit almost every venue in the three years he has spent with FC Goa in the Indian Super League (ISL).

The forward, who has not yet penned an extention with the Gaurs or any other club yet, looks back at his time at the Gaurs fondly.

"Everything went very well," he told Goal. "Always playing, having good results and scoring goals. Only the first year, the first days, adaptation to the country was difficult."

However, even though the club has become the first Indian team to be entitled a place in the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Champions League group stage, Corominas is not entirely convinced that ISL clubs are ready to embark on a deep run in the continent's premier club championship.

It must be noted that Indian clubs haven't fared that well in the continental tournaments in the recent past with Bengaluru FC failing to get into the group stages this season while Minerva Punjab and Chennaiyin FC did not make it out of the group last year.

"I think that the level of the Indian (Super) League is not up to other countries to compete and win the Asian championship, but little by little the level of soccer (football) in India will grow and it can be a great power in the future," the Spaniard certified.

Corominas also believes India has a good pool of talented players and listed out some of the names that caught his eye.

"There are many good players in India - Brandon (Fernandes), Liston (Colaco), (Mohammad) Nawas, Gurpreet (Singh Sandhu), (Sunil) Chhetri, Sahal (Abdul Samad), Raynier (Fernandes), (Anirudh) Thapa," he named in one breath.

Coro, who has a degree in psychology, feels that coaching himself is an option for him but is yet to take a conclusive decision on his future.

He added, "I don’t know if in the future I will be a coach but I will take out my licenses to be prepared in case I want to be it. At the moment I have already taken the first and second levels, I only need the third."

Malaysia's decent run in the ongoing World Cup Asian qualification campaign has been achieved partly due to the inclusion of better players on the Harimau Malaya roster.

Tan Cheng Hoe's charges are currently in second place in Group G with nine points, thanks to the great work of a squad composed of not only local-born players, but also of overseas-born mixed-heritage footballers, as well as one naturalised man.

The effort to identify more overseas-born players who could potentially represent Malaysia is not stopping anytime soon, especially not when it is an endeavour that is also being passionately undertaken by the fans as well.

The most recent example of the fans' effort in unearthing hidden gems abroad is the one involving Zambian side Zesco United defender Marcel Kalonda, who was brought to everyone's attention thanks to the aggresive efforts of Twitter user Marco Negeri.

By the Twitter user's own admission, he identified the 22-year old defender on the football management video game Football Manager, while stuck at home during the Covid-19 home lockdown earlier this year.

While Kalonda was at first mistakenly reported to have been born in the Malaysian state of Sabah, he later rectified to the Malaysian media, who began showing interest in him; it was his paternal grandfather who was from Malaysia, while Kalonda's late father was Malaysian also. He however added that he was not raised by his biological father, and instead grew up with his mother and step father.

Records of his playing career are scarce as of now (Goal has reached out to the player on social media), with Transfermarkt.com listing him as having joined Zambian Super League side Kabwe Warriors in early 2016, before moving to Zesco the following year, where he remains until now.

However, what is known about him is that he is playing for one of best Zambian clubs in one of the top African domestic competitions. Zesco have won eight top tier titles, three of them from the most recent three seasons, and they are regular CAF Champions League participants. In their most recent 2019/20 Champions League campaign, Kalonda was listed on their matchday squad for all six of Zesco's group matches, playing in two of them. (Zesco finished last in Group A and did not advance to the knockout stage.)

More encouragingly for him, Malaysia boss Cheng Hoe has been quoted to speak positively of the player's chances to be called up.

"I've seen him play in a CAF Champions League match, and I can say that he has potential due to his height and physique.

"He will be a good option for the team because everyone knows we lack quality defenders. Futhermore, he is only 22 years old, which is good for the team's future," he told Harian Metro.

Malaysia fans will be delighted to know that unlike most mixed-heritage players with eligibility to represent either another country or Malaysia, the 1.88 m tall player has unambiguously expressed his eagerness to don the yellow and black of the country from the get go.

"I'm very, very ready to come play for Malaysia. If the FAM (Malaysian FA) says I can come next week, or today, I'll just come. There's no problem, I'm glad to be of service," said the defender in the interview with Astro Arena.

And Kalonda has backed up his verbal willingness to catch the first flight to Kuala Lumpur when called up, with action.

According to reports, the defender has submitted documents that support his eligibility claim to FAM in early June, and they are currently being verified by the association. At the time this story was published, FAM was yet to respond to Goal's enquiry on the status of Kalonda's eligibility. 

The recruitment of foreign-born players by FAM is sometimes viewed cynically by critics and fans alike, but in the case of the Congolese defender, it has to be said that he has the potential to be a key member of the Harimau Malaya, and that potential is backed up by a willingness that can only be described as infectious.

Saint-Etienne have slammed Arsenal for "imposing absolutely unacceptable sports and financial conditions" after they failed to secure a loan extension for defender William Saliba. 

The Frenchman has spent the season with the Ligue 1 club after the Gunners had bought the teenager last summer for £27 million ($33m) only to loan him straight back to Saint-Etienne.

While the Ligue 1 season has been abandoned due to the coronavirus pandemic, Saint-Etienne will face Paris Saint-Germain in the Coupe de France on July 24. 

Claude Puel's side were therefore hoping to secure Saliba's services for a little longer with his loan set to expire at the end of June, but they have been unable to strike a deal with Arsenal despite initial optimism. 

"Saint-Etienne was pleased to learn yesterday Tuesday that Mikel Arteta, Arsenal coach, was ready to leave William Saliba at the disposal of the club until the final of the Coupe de France," a club statement read. 

"William Saliba had been training for several days with Claude Puel's group and was obviously very enthusiastic about the idea of ​​finishing his course in Green with such a match. 

"Alas, ASSE, which simply wanted the extension of the initial loan until July 24, could not find an agreement in the evening with Arsenal to allow the defender to properly prepare and play this meeting, the English club imposing absolutely unacceptable sports and financial conditions." 

Arteta looked to cool expectations surrounding Saliba on Tuesday and suggested Saliba had earned the right to play in the Coupe de France decider next month. 

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

“He’s been all year over there, he’s earned his right to play that final if the manager wants him to do that I think we have to give him the opportunity to do that, to enjoy that and we can have him after."

Saliba has been restricted to just 15 appearances in all competitions this season with two significant injuries limiting his playing time. 

Saint-Etienne finished the shortened Ligue 1 season in 17th, only two places shy of relegation to Ligue 2, and haven't won a trophy since the Coupe de la Ligue in 2013. 

From stomping on the grounds of St. Patrick's School in Asansol to playing on the snow-clad TRC Turf Ground in Srinagar for a professional side in Real Kashmir, Ritwik Das has come a long way. 

Right from his childhood, he had an affinity towards sports and academics would often take a backseat. With a football at his feet, he would spend hours often drawing the ire of his mother, Mita Das. But soon she realized the potential in her son and then backed him to the hilt, a rare sight in Bengal where academics is placed on the higher pedestal. 

"She has worked tirelessly and I owe everything to her. I was playing in the U13 team of my school but she understood that it was necessary to get out of Burnpur to get better training. So, when I was in class eight, my mother took me to Kolkata. I enrolled myself in Mohun Bagan's training school and under the tutelage of Sankar Lal Chakraborty, I started training," reminisced Das to Goal. 

He spent almost two years training at Mohun Bagan. It was a tough job for a child to travel almost 500 km to and fro every weekend, but his persistence saw him through.

"Every weekend I used to go there and come back to attend school on Monday. It was a good learning curve. But I did not get any competitive matches there."

It was during his stint in Mohun Bagan he closely witnessed how a professional football team works and what it takes to play for a club of the stature of the Mariners. But the lack of matches was a niggling concern for the budding footballer. At that juncture, he came across Chinmoy Sarkar, who would play a pivotal role in shaping his career. 

"I used to stay near Jadavpur and while returning from Mohun Bagan practice, I came across a trial for a coaching camp. That was the turning point. Chotka da (Chinmoy Sarkar) saw potential in me while I was training in his academy. Whatever I am today, that is because of him.

"I started participating in junior tournaments which gave me vital exposure to competitive football. He used to train me in various positions in the attacking third and midfield and insisted on the necessity to become a versatile player who could play in several positions," stated Das. 

He got selected by Calcutta Customs for the Calcutta Football League (CFL) but he did not get many minutes during that campaign. However, as Das was raring to get on the pitch, he took a step back and joined Kalighat MS, a second-division CFL side, to get more playing time. 

Under veteran coach Arun Ghosh, he further honed his skills and prepared himself for the next big step. 

"Real Kashmir held trials for second division I-League at the SAI (Sports Authority of India) complex in Salt Lake. I felt I was ready for national-level competition and fortunately I got selected as well. It was a wonderful campaign. I was the joint top-scorer (four goals) of my team and more importantly, we beat Hindustan FC in the final 3-2 to qualify for I-League."

The 23-year-old was a regular under David Robertson and after proving his mettle for two seasons in the I-League, he is all set to join Kerala Blasters. The Kochi-based outfit has roped in Kibu Vicuna as the head coach for the next season and Das seemed enamoured by the Spaniard's style of football that he implemented in Mohun Bagan. 

"Vicuna's Mohun Bagan was a delight to watch. They were the best team in the league and were deserving champions. Their possessional style of football was very difficult to play against. I think a player can improve enormously under Vicuna. He likes to play with the ball and a player who is comfortable with the ball can learn a lot from him."

Das has been careful with his career progression. From plying his trade in the CFL second division to joining an ISL side, he has not missed a step in between. His ultimate dream is to go on to represent the country. With patience and perseverance being his forte, no distance should be too long for the demure winger.

For the past decade or so, the Malaysian FA (FAM) has been actively searching for foreign-born players with Malaysian heritage, in the hopes of giving the national team a leg up at the continental and world stage.

While there maybe concerns that this search is leading the association to neglect its youth development duty, it is undeniable that the current crop of mixed-heritage players have given their adopted country an advantage at the international stage.

In Malaysia's ongoing 2022 World Cup Asian qualifying campaign, the Harimau Malaya are currently placed in second place in Group G of the second round, thanks to the services of the likes of Australian-born Matthew Davies and Brendan Gan, as well of England-born defender La'Vere Corbin-Ong.

But at the same time, FAM is already thinking ahead, by identifying youth players that are currently training at top professional clubs all over the world.

One of the youth prospects that have been scouted in recent years is England-born forward/winger Jaami Qureshi. Claiming Malaysian and Malay heritage through his mother, who hails from Manjoi, Perak, the 16-year old is currently a trainee at English Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion. At the same time, the youngster's father Perviz has Iraqi heritage.

In interviews with Malaysian media, including those given to media conglomerate Astro when he visited the country back in 2018, Jaami revealed that he is the youngest sibling in a family of four brothers and one sister.

His interest in football began when he was four years old, having kickabouts with his brothers. Fast forward a few years later, he signed as a youth trainee at Championship division club Brentford FC's academy.

His time at Brentford however lasted only two years, after the club shuttered its youth academy, due to intense competition for talents and heavy financial costs.

Stints with London sides Chelsea and Fulham followed, but in the end he decided on Brighton in 2016, signing a two-year contract at age twelve. At the conclusion of this particular contract, he was then offered a four-year contract, with the expectation that he will be promoted to the first team when he turns seventeen.

According to Soccerway records, the youngster has not made any appearance for the Seagulls' U-18 side in the 2019/20 season, but he has been on the bench for them in two U-18 Premier League Cup fixtures.

He idolises Barcelona star Lionel Messi as well as PSG's Kylian Mbappe, and harbours dreams of representing the Spanish club as well as English side Arsenal.

For now, the future looks bright for Jaami, inside and also outside of football. He had also been a keen youth rugby player with reported interest from English Premiership side Harlequin.

As a school boy, he is also a keen sprinter and long jumper, clocking a personal best time of 12 seconds in the 100-metre dash, and a personal best record of 5.58 metres in long jump.

And if somehow his sporting career does not take off, he revealed in an interview with Astro that he already has a backup plan; to train as an architect.

However, it seems that his current focus is undeniably on football, especially when he has previously trained at the England U-15 level (UK news organisation Daily Mirror described him as one of "England's great hopes"), a fact that is certainly going to make FAM's attempts to persuade him to don Malaysian colours in the near future more challenging.

But the association is not giving up, with discussions having been held with the youngster and his father. They met FAM when he visited the country in 2018, and again the following year, reportedly with the view of calling him up for the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Manila. In the end, the youngster was noticably absent from Malaysia U-23's centralised camp and competition squad.

Meanwhile, his father had revealed to Berita Harian that Jaami had previously received offers to join Malaysia's National Football Development Programme, but had to decline as he would have to train in Pahang, a considerable distance from the family's Malaysian base in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.

On his part, like most footballers with the chance to play for more than one country, the youngster has adopted a wait-and-see approach.

"I've been with England U-15," he told Berita Harian. "But for me, nothing is impossible. I will decide on it when the time comes. I'll be happy to play in Malaysia, because I've seen a number of talented players there, who can play in Europe.

"And I can't afford to be complacent here, so I need to up my game."

Until the time comes that Jaami decides on the nation he will be representing, Malaysian fans will be waiting with bated breath. Not just for a possible Malaysian debut by him, but also for the possibility of having the first English Premier League player with Malaysian heritage.

UPDATE: In a brief Twitter exchange on June 29, Perviz claimed that Brighton are willing to let Jaami join Malaysia U-19 in the coming 2020 AFC U-19 Championship finals, should he be selected.

Maurizio Sarri lauded the "phenomenal skills" of Cristiano Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala and Douglas Costa after Serie A leaders Juventus defeated Genoa.

Stunning goals from Ronaldo, Dybala and Costa ensured titleholders Juve stayed four points clear of scudetto challengers Lazio thanks to Tuesday's 3-1 victory at struggling Genoa.

Dybala broke the deadlock with a fine individual effort in the 50th minute before Ronaldo made it 2-0 six minutes later via a thunderous long-range strike.

Juve substitute Costa then put the visitors out of sight with an equally impressive effort, while Andrea Pinamonti drilled in a 76th-minute consolation for Genoa.

"In the second half we lead thanks to our single players because we scored on three excellent plays by three single men," Juve head coach Sarri said.

"Paulo's [Dybala] great slalom, the outstanding Ronaldo's shoot, incredible for its precision and strength and the sensible touch from [Douglas Costa].

"This is how we solved the match, thanks to our individualities and phenomenal skills. We created the team's assumptions." 

Sarri and Juve were heavily criticised following the coronavirus break, which saw the Italian champions go back-to-back games without scoring, including in their Coppa Italia final defeat to Napoli.

Ronaldo was also scrutinised but Juve have now won three consecutive matches to be top of the table with nine fixtures remaining.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner equalled his tally from last season across all competitions with his 28th goal in 2019-20, while he has scored 14 goals in 2020 – more than any other Serie A player this year.

Sarri added: "After the lockdown I made an assessment: I said that something changed. Then everybody almost made fun of me because we lost the Coppa Italia on penalties.

"The truth is that once we improved our condition we started paying better this kind of football. This due to our condition that's getting better after the lockdown."

Juve are back in action against city rivals Torino on Saturday with nine Serie A games still to play this season. 

Sarri's side face a few key fixtures in coming weeks with an away game against AC Milan before they welcome high-flying Atalanta. 

On July 20, the Serie A title could well be decided when Juventus host Lazio.

Rennes sporting director Florian Maurice said the Ligue 1 side have no intention of selling teenage sensation Eduardo Camavinga amid links to Real Madrid, even for €80 million (£72m/$89m).

Camavinga is reportedly wanted by La Liga giants Madrid following a breakout Ligue 1 campaign before the 2019-20 season was cut short in April due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 17-year-old midfielder has also previously been linked to French champions Paris Saint-Germain.

"Camavinga's departure has not been spoken about," Maurice told RMC Sport. "There has never been a real interest. Since my arrival, I was clear that Camavinga would be included in the project. 

"If Real Madrid offer €80 million for him as is being talked about, the answer is no. We want him to stay so that he keeps developing at Rennes."

"For me it is clear, this player must be part of the project for the coming season. We want to continue with this player," Maurice continued.

"It is important for him that he continues with Stade Rennais. He's a very good boy, a great player.

"These are discussions we will have together. For our part, we have no intention of letting him go.

"It is worth pointing out that the player has the ambition and maybe the desire to go elsewhere. I would listen to him, but at the moment he has a Rennes contract and we will then see how the transfer window is working."

Camavinga has previously been encouraged to take the next step in his career by joining a club like Real Madrid by former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot. 

"When I left Ajax, people said to me it was too early and that I should stay in Holland," Melchiot, who played for Rennes during the 2006-07 season, told Goal. "Let me tell you something, as a player just do what’s right for you and not listen to what people tell you.

"If you feel like it isn’t the right move, then stay where you are. I think you should always consider your development. The team you go to should make you better and you should make the team better.

"But if Real Madrid feels right to Camavinga, he shouldn't listen to what the critics are saying. Every move in football is a risk, but it is about knowing what you can achieve. If he thinks he can achieve great things at Madrid now, he should go for it."

A surprising but really important part in the business end of ATK's title triumph in the 2019-20 Indian Super League (ISL) was perhaps Michael Regin.

The tough tackling defensive midfielder arrived without much fanfare to ATK last season, unlike his illustrious brother Michael Soosairaj. But the underrated player went on to be an important cog in the wheel for Antonio Habas, especially in the play-off and the final.

Having made his move to ATK after helping Chennai City FC to the I-League title, Regin ended up winning India's two domestic leagues in consecutive seasons. It was nothing less than what the midfielder from Eraviputhenthurai in Kanyakumari deserved, for it was the culmination of years of hardwork, coupled with a bit of misfortune. 

"When they approached me to play in the ISL, I was very happy that I will be able to play with my brother in ISL together. They also told me this might be the first time brothers are playing together in the ISL. I was very happy," Regin told Goal.

"He (Soosairaj) was even happier for me because I had a lot of problems with injuries before. Even last year at Chennai City, I had injuries but I got some matches towards the end. So I was very happy that they signed me."

The 32-year-old could have had a bigger impact at ATK, had he not been sidelined by an ankle fracture at the beginning of the season.

"Before the season started, in August, there was a tournament in Kolkata. So, ATK asked their new Indian signings and some reserve players to form a team and play in order to get some match practice. Prabir (Das) and I were in that team. During a practice match, my ankle twisted and I suffered a fracture.

"I was supposed to be out till December but it took a lot of time before it healed properly. It only healed some 10 days before that NorthEast United game (27 January, 2020) and I got to play a few minutes in that match. But it was not completely healed even throughout the season. But the coach had some belief in me and I played through a bit of pain."

Once he recovered from his injury, he made seven appearances for ATK including four starts. Three of those starts came in the play-offs and final, highlighting the trust that Antonio Habas had in the strongly built midfielder from Tamil Nadu. However, such unwavering backing from the coach was something that surprised even Regin.

"Even I was not sure why the coach trusted me so much in such crucial matches for the team - like play-offs and the finals. I was not sure I would have played in the final too. Normally, the coach would tell us in advance during the players meeting on the morning of the match what the playing XI is. But the play-offs and final, he revealed the team only after we reached the dressing room. Even a lot of other players were surprised at the trust the coach showed me," revealed a coy Regin.

Regin did admit that the role that Habas asked him to perform in the ATK side was not something he was used to, having played in a more advanced role for Chennai City  and his earlier teams. But he thanked the Spaniard for helping him understand the role better.

"He would always tell me during practice that you are going to play an important role and he did not want me to make even a single mistake since I was playing as a defensive midfielder. But it was not my game style. I used to play a lot more forward and do dribbling etc.

"He encouraged me a lot and my job was just to tackle, get the ball and immediately give it to a teammate. He used to coach me through the role. It took me a bit of time to understand the role. If my injury had healed earlier, I think I could have played even better in that role," said Regin.

Though he had to fight off an injury and adapt to a new role, Regin ended up tasting success and played a key role in the final against Chennaiyin FC. It was nothing short of just reward for a player who missed out on professional football during some of his peak years physically.

Regin hails from a small village called Eraviputhenthurai in Kanyakumari. He is quick to accredit his group of about 30 friends from his hometown for whatever he has achieved in life, pointing out the support they have given him throughout.

"I used to play a lot during childhood with whatever means available. I have played football with that small rubber ball you use for cricket. Then there was a time we would play cricket a lot. When I was in Class XI and XII, we started playing football on the sand at the beach. I had a lot of friends there, around 30 of them. They were a huge support for me, encouraging me to play football seriously," explained Regin.

Regin's footballing fortunes turned for the better once he moved to Chennai to pursue college education. He started making a name for himself in footballing circuits, with his college and in the Chennai Football Association (CFA) leagues.

"Then I moved to Chennai to Loyola college on sports quota. In 2008, I was in my third year in college and I went to the University tournament and I was the best player in the final in the All India level competition. That achievement was a very important norm for sports quota jobs. Then I played for SBI (State Bank of India) in the CFA senior division. I was the best midfielder. Then they called me for Santosh Trophy in the Tamil Nadu team."

However, a job offer from Railways was to turn his life around during a time that could only be described as an athlete's peak. But it was a choice that the midfielder had to make, given his family circumstances.

"By that time, I got a call from the Railways who offered me a job in Bengaluru. I badly needed a job due to my family situation. And that too a Government job, it was a big thing. There was a referee called Suresh and I used to play for his team once. He had said once during an interview that Regin should not take a government job since he had the capability to play in the I-League. But at the time, I did not know it and nobody told me. Once I took up the job with Railways, I could not come out of it. I wouldn’t get permission to go out and play for other teams," rued Regin.

For almost four-to-five years, Regin was bogged down in Bengaluru, his footballing involvement restricted to playing Santosh Trophy for Railways apart from a few local competitions - years that were crucial to an athlete. Even then, Regin managed to attract the attention of Bengaluru FC coach Ashley Westwood and could have played for them in the I-League but for a stroke of misfortune.

"Those were my peak years when my body would respond to what my mind wants. For almost 4-5 years, my life was the job at Railways and the tournaments, including Santosh Trophy and some local competitions.

"In 2014, there was a local tournament and in the quarter-final, we played well. But after the game, Bengaluru FC manager Ashley Westwood came to the field and there was a huge reception for him with the stadium on its feet. He shook my hand, and told me to leave my number with the BFC manager and that they will call me and offer me a deal. I was extremely happy."

This was a period Regin feels his career would have taken a different turn if he had somebody to guide him properly.

"He told me that the team was going for the Federation Cup. He asked me to remain in Bengaluru and work on my fitness. He would talk to me after the Federation Cup. But at that time, Santosh Trophy came up and Railways asked me to join the team. I was obligated to go and unfortunately, the tournament lasted almost three months that year. By the time I came back, my chance to join BFC was gone. There was nobody to guide me properly at that time. It was a huge opportunity that I lost," rued Regin.

However, the indomitable spirit and passion for the game in Regin meant it was not long before he managed to come back to Chennai and play for Chennai City in CFA senior division. And once the side got into the I-League, he finally got the chance at the national stage - something he should have achieved a fair few years back.

"Then I came out and started playing Chennai league before getting my chance with Chennai City and now I’m standing in the ISL."

Regin, the tough character that he is, has taken it all in his stride and is focusing on enjoying the rest of his career.

"Those years were my peak. I might have lost those years, but I want to play hard even now. Age does not matter. I just need to practice harder," he said with a measure of determination that will serve him well in the upcoming season and more.

Arsenal great Nwankwo Kanu has donated relief package to residents of his home town in Owerri as the coronavirus pandemic continues to shake the global economy.

Food items, sanitisers, soaps and protective equipment were donated in Imo state’s largest city, as nearby cities will also benefit from this largesse in the coming days.

Apart from that, several communities were educated on how the virus can be prevented and controlled by observing simple hygiene measures.

The two-time African Player of the Year has opened up on why he is a vanguard of a philanthropic drive amid the lockdown in the eastern part of Nigeria.

“I value life and more importantly I hate to see others suffer, so that was my major motivation for choosing to embark on this project,” Kanu told Goal.

“This is my own little way of reaching out to the struggling families during this trying period and also to show them that my heart is always with them.

The coronavirus pandemic no doubt has left a hurtful effect on people. You will agree with me that while many have been rendered jobless, many find it very difficult to feed themselves.

“So far, we have visited several communities to share food items and relief materials. God helping me and with the support of Nigerians, I hope to do more because I find joy putting smiles of people’s faces.

“Alongside my team, we have also embarked on sensitization walks in both urban and rural areas for them to know that coronavirus is very real while demonstrating to them how to keep a healthy lifestyle as it concerns handwashing with soap and water. I believe we can limit the spread of the virus.”

Since launching the Kanu Heart Foundation (KHF) in 2000, the foundation has saved the lives of more than 560 Nigerian children.

2020 marks the 20th anniversary of the foundation that is working tirelessly towards opening a specialist hospital in Abuja, but the outbreak of Covid-19 seems to have unsettled concluded plans to play a football game, have a dinner and a concert to raise funds.

Even at that, the former Super Eagles captain claimed a statement will be released as soon as a decision is taken on the next line of action.

Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone said he is "without words" amid Antoine Griezmann's struggles at Barcelona.

Griezmann was a 90th-minute substitute against former team Atletico, who earned a 2-2 draw away to stuttering Barca in La Liga on Tuesday.

A €120 million (£108m/$134m) signing from Atletico at the start of the season, Griezmann arrived amid much hype but the star forward has struggled at Camp Nou, where he has started on the bench against Sevilla and Athletic Club in recent weeks.

Griezmann has scored eight La Liga goals this season and 14 across all competitions for second-placed Barca, who could fall four points adrift of bitter rivals Real Madrid on Thursday.

However, Griezmann has not scored since Barca's 1-1 draw against Napoli in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie prior to the coronavirus pandemic in February.

Asked about Griezmann, Simeone told Movistar: "I'm without words."

Diego Costa's 11th-minute own goal had put Barca ahead before Saul Niguez's penalty restored parity for Atletico eight minutes later.

Lionel Messi converted a penalty of his own five minutes into the second half to celebrate his 700th career goal, but another Saul spot-kick – in the 62nd minute – secured a draw for Atletico.

It is the first time Atletico have scored two goals against Barca in La Liga under Simeone, whose side are third and two points clear of Sevilla with five matches remaining.

"We are respectful of Barcelona ​​with the quality they have," Simeone said.

"The game was played as a result of what we usually do. We started well. Their goal came in an isolated play. Then to generate a difficult game against a team that keep the ball well.

"We tried until the end. The work was very good, a very competitive team. I'm happy."

Setien admitted he felt bad for Griezmann after the match but revealed he wary of introducing the Frenchman as he can 'destablise' his team. 

"I understand it's tough for Griezmann to come on when so little time left. I will speak with him tomorrow, I won't say sorry because [it's about] decisions," Setien said.

"But I understand he may feel bad and I feel bad for him because he's a great person and professional.

"It's difficult to put him on without destabilising the team."

Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes said strength in depth is behind the club's unbeaten run after his brace helped see off Brighton.

Fernandes scored twice as in-form United outclassed Brighton 3-0 in the Premier League on Tuesday to stretch their undefeated streak to 15 matches across all competitions.

After Mason Greenwood's opening strike, January recruit and former Sporting captain Fernandes stole the show with goals in the 29th and 50th minutes at the Amex Stadium.

United have gone eight Premier League games without defeat to be fifth and two points adrift of Chelsea – who face West Ham on Wednesday – with six matches remaining in the Champions League qualification race.

"In the last games, before the stop, Scotty [McTominay] and Fred played very well and we have a lot of good results," Fernandes, who has scored five goals in eight league appearances, told MUTV.

"Now it's Nema [Matic], Paul [Pogba] and me, sometimes Andy [Pereira] or Juan [Mata] can play no.10, or Jesse [Lingard] - we have a lot of qualities and I don't think it is fair on the guys who are out to just talk about me and Paul.

"We have so much quality and this becomes higher because we train together and we push [each other]. I know if I'm not okay, another player will play. So I need to be at my best on the training field.

"I need to be better and better to help the team. Everyone thinks the same way and that's why we are playing this way and the results are coming. We know we need to give our best because we have such good quality."

United have not tasted defeat since losing 2-0 to Burnley in January – keeping 11 clean sheets – and Portuguese midfielder Fernandes added: "You need to be focused and give everything for the team, for the club.

"I think everyone here knows that we represent a big team, so we need to give our best and to push forward and to keep trying.

"This is what the players are doing now - that’s fantastic. It doesn't matter if we are tired, other guys are coming in and playing such a good game.

"They can bring more intensity because they are fresh, so we know we can give everything and if you are tired, you can come out. Now we have five changes this is better for us. The most important thing is the result at the end."

Quique Setien praised Lionel Messi after the Barcelona superstar scored his 700th career goal on Tuesday.

Messi celebrated the landmark moment as stuttering titleholders Barca drew 2-2 at home to Atletico Madrid in La Liga.

The six-time Ballon d'Or winner's delicate 'Panenka' penalty put Barca ahead in the 50th minute before Saul Niguez's second spot-kick ensured the points were split.

Discussing captain Messi – who has scored 630 goals for Barca and 70 for Argentina – post-match, Barca head coach Setien said: "I suppose that another 700 goals will not be scored by Leo, but he will continue to score.

"You don't know what the ceiling is for a player of this type."

Diego Costa's 11th-minute own goal had put Barca ahead before Saul's penalty restored parity for Atletico eight minutes later.

Messi converted a penalty of his own five minutes into the second half to bring up his landmark goal, but another Saul spot-kick – in the 62nd minute – secured a draw for Atletico.

Barca are one point behind leaders and rivals Real Madrid, who can move four clear with victory over Getafe on Thursday, as pressure mounts on Setien.

Setien's side have only won one of their past four league fixtures but the Barca boss said: "I'm quite happy with them [the team]. It's true that we haven't been able to win, but at times we controlled the game well.

"It's not easy against this team. They're disciplined. I'm quite happy with my players' work.

"I don't feel at all under threat. It's a shame. We're having more and more difficulties. Leaving these points behind means we're moving further away from the title. But we have to keep working and Atletico are a good team."

Antoine Griezmann was only brought on as an injury-time substitute on Tuesday with Setien admitting the French attacker has the potential to 'destabilise' his side. 

"I understand it's tough for Griezmann to come on when so little time left. I will speak with him tomorrow, I won't say sorry because [it's about] decisions," Setien said.

"But I understand he may feel bad and I feel bad for him because he's a great person and professional."

Barcelona head coach Quique Setien admitted it is difficult to play Antoine Griezmann without "destabilising" the team as he threw the Frenchman's future into further doubt.

Griezmann was a 90th-minute substitute against former team Atletico Madrid, who earned a 2-2 draw away to defending La Liga champions Barca on Tuesday.

A €120 million signing from Atletico at the start of the season, Griezmann arrived amid much hype but the star forward has struggled at Camp Nou, where he has started on the bench against Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao in recent weeks.

Explaining Griezmann's place on the bench as Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Riqui Puig started in the attacking third, Setien said: "It's difficult to put him on without destabilising the team."

Griezmann has scored eight La Liga goals this season and 14 across all competitions for second-placed Barca.

However, Griezmann has not scored since Barca's 1-1 draw against Napoli in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie prior to the coronavirus pandemic in February.

"I understand it's tough for Griezmann to come on when so little time left. I will speak with him tomorrow, I won't say sorry because [it's about] decisions," Setien said.

"But I understand he may feel bad and I feel bad for him because he's a great person and professional."

Messi scored his 700th career goal but stuttering Barca still dropped more points in the title race.

Diego Costa's 11th-minute own goal had put Barca ahead before Saul Niguez's penalty restored parity for Atletico eight minutes later.

Messi converted a penalty of his own five minutes into the second half to celebrate his landmark goal, but another Saul spot-kick – in the 62nd minute – secured a draw for Atletico.

Barca are one point behind leaders Real Madrid, who can move four clear with victory over Getafe on Thursday, as pressure mounts on Setien.

However, under-fire Barca boss Setien said: "I don't feel at all under threat.

"It's a shame. We're having more and more difficulties. Leaving these points behind means we're moving further away from the title. But we have to keep working and Atletico are a good team."

Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala have learned to work together following their goalscoring displays, according to Juventus head coach Maurizio Sarri.

Ronaldo and Dybala both scored stunning individual goals as defending champions Juve stayed four points clear atop the Serie A table with a 3-1 win at Genoa.

There have been doubts over whether Ronaldo and Dybala are compatible in Juve's starting XI, but the star duo starred on Tuesday.

Sarri hailed the pair post-match, telling Sky Sport Italia: "Something has changed in terms of movements, but they have learned to look for each other more often.

"They have realised that by benefitting from each other, both reap the rewards. It's something I have noticed in training too."

After a dominant first-half display failed to produce the goods, Dybala broke the deadlock in the 50th minute before Ronaldo made it 2-0 six minutes later with a thunderous long-range effort.

Juve substitute Douglas Costa then put the visitors out of sight with an equally impressive strike, while Andrea Pinamonti drilled in a 76th-minute consolation for Genoa.

Ronaldo equalled his tally from last season across all competitions with his 28th goal in 2019-20. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has scored 14 goals in 2020, more than any other Serie A player this year.

"In the first half he went for the shot five times, so it means he was doing more than he should," Sarri said.

"Cristiano often plays to free himself to finish, but when he decides to move the ball quickly, he is the best of them all.

"Honestly, I was going to replace Dybala, then I chose Ronaldo, who has played many minutes. We discussed it over the last days, he knew that he would go off at 3-0 and he did it with serenity."

"I think the team did well, even in the first half. We had clear chances, without conceding any," Sarri said. "It was a good team effort and we scored three beautiful goals.

"The team have recovered well after the disappointment from the Coppa Italia, but it was only a matter of time before we were physically well."

Miralem Pjanic was in Juve's line-up after confirmation of his transfer to Barcelona at the end of the season, with Arthur moving in the opposite direction.

Pjanic played 74 minutes and Sarri added: "I haven't even talked to Miralem these days. I often did it after the suspension, after the lockdown, because he had these 20 to 25 days in poor shape.

"We asked ourselves the reason and we tried to find the solution. It was a drop in the mental condition more than anything else. I'm sure he will do well in this period. I find him happy and calm. I have no worries."

Jacinto Dala was on target as Rio Ave silenced 10-man Sporting Braga 4-3 in a thrilling Primeira Liga outing on Tuesday.

Both teams went into the game needing a win which would boost their Europa League ambitions.

Nevertheless, it was the hosts who secured maximum points despite a two-goal deficit at Estadio dos Arcos.

After an entertaining 20 minutes that saw both sides come close to scoring, Braga took the lead in the 21st minute through Paulinho.

The Portuguese forward fired past goalkeeper Pawel Kieszek after profiting from Toni Borevkovic’s poor defending.

Six minutes later, they doubled their lead courtesy of a brilliant free-kick by Ricardo Horta.

Not minding the setback, the Vilacondenses continued to fight and they pulled one back in the 34th minute through Mehdi Taremi. The Iranian fired home from close range Nuno Santos’ cross.

A minute later, Santos levelled matters after volleying past goalkeeper Matheus Magalhaes owing to Braga’s shambolic defending.

Four minutes before the half-time, the hosts took the lead for the first time as Dala drilled home a low pass from Santos.

The visitors made it 3-3 as Paulinho headed past Kieszek a cross from Wenderson Galeno.

Victory was sealed in the 90th minute as Taremi earned his double from the penalty spot after substitute Rolando denied an obvious goalscoring chance with his arm – which got him sent off by referee Nuno Almeida.

On loan from Sporting Lisbon, Dala put in an impressive shift but was replaced in the 66th minute by Carlos Mane. The goal was his sixth this term from 10 Portuguese topflight outings.

Guinea Bissau defender Eliseu Nadjack was an unused substitute by manager Carlos Carvalhal, whereas Libya star Ali Elmusrati who is on loan from Vitoria Guimaraes saw every minute of action.

Angola’s Wilson Eduardo was introduced for Horta in the 79th minute but his presence could not rescue the Arsenalists from their ninth defeat so far this term.

With this result, Rio Ave stay fifth in the log after gathering 47 points from 29 games. They continue their chase for a place in Europe next season with a trip to Gil Vicente on Sunday.