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Liverpool will not be breaking the bank for Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, claims John Barnes, with the Reds not in the market for “a Neymar or Lionel Messi” which requires them to spend big.

A raid on Napoli for another proven centre-half has been mooted for those at Anfield.

The Premier League title has been secured by Jurgen Klopp’s side in record-breaking style this season, but those on Merseyside are aware of the need to seek continuous improvement, and that means further bolstering star-studded ranks if the right additions become available.

Barnes concedes that Koulibaly would fall into that category as the “finished article” , with it possible that the Senegal international could aid the ongoing development of Joe Gomez, rather than stunt the 23-year-old’s progress.

The Reds legend told BonusCodeBets : “Koulibaly is a very good player and you’re looking at Joe Gomez coming through and he could help him, Koulibaly is already the finished article so if they get him that would be a good signing for them.

“If they don’t get him, well they’re still 25 points better than any other team, so as long as they don’t lose players…

“I don’t think there’s necessarily a reason to go out and make big-name signings. Yes, they’ve signed [Takumi] Minamino and they may be able to sign some players that aren’t going to go straight into the first team, but I don’t think they necessarily need that.”

Barnes does not expect Klopp to be drawn into a bidding war for any player in the next window and is not convinced that Liverpool’s standing as champions means that they are guaranteed to fend off competition for top targets .

He added: “If Manchester City offer Koulibaly twice the salary, then he’ll go to Manchester City.

“The whole idea that Liverpool are the champions and that means he’ll go to them, that’s not the case.

“Liverpool is an attractive proposition, as attractive as anybody else, whether they are more attractive than Barcelona or Manchester City I don’t think that’s necessarily true.

“What may happen is that his type of football may suit Liverpool. I don’t think he’s suited to the type of football that Manchester City play.

“Liverpool are always looking to improve on players and you’re always going to be linked with players if you’re a big club and it’s a good time to buy when you’re at the top.

“I don’t think there’ll be many signings coming to Liverpool. If there’s a signing that they feel will improve them they’ll do that, but that’s no different to any other club.

“Liverpool won’t break the bank to sign anybody, the type of player Liverpool want isn’t going to be a Neymar or Messi who you may have to break the bank for, so they will able to get the players they want but they won’t have to break the bank for them.”

A new scheme has been launched by the Premier League, English Football League (EFL) and Professional Footballers' Association to increase the amount of black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAME) coaches.

The scheme will start from next season and has been introduced to try and help BAME players move into full-time coaching positions within the professional game.

It will see up to six coaches per season undertake an intensive 23-month work placement at EFL clubs.

A statement from the Premier League said the first intake will work as a pilot scheme either in the club's academy or first-team set-up.

"It is vital that there are no barriers to entry to the pipelines for employment in coaching," Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said. "We need more BAME coaches entering the system to create greater opportunities throughout the professional game.

"This new programme has been developed through collaboration and consultation with our colleagues across football.

"We have taken what we have learned from running the Premier League Elite Coach Apprenticeship Scheme and applied that experience to develop this framework.

"We welcome the support from our Black Participants' Advisory Group and the PFA Coaching team, their experience and knowledge will undoubtedly provide meaningful mentorship to those involved in the programme.

"We hope this scheme will create clear pathways and substantially improve future employment prospects for BAME coaches."

Mentoring will be provided by the PFA's coaching team, while members of the Premier League's Black Participants' Advisory Group - including its chair Darren Moore - have offered to support players and clubs involved in the programme.

"This is a critical time for black, Asian and minority ethnic coaches," said Doncaster Rovers manager Moore. "We all know and agree that the diversity of coaches and managers must increase and this placement scheme represents a positive step.

"There are lots of roles in the academy system, all the way through to first team, and young coaches can slot in at different points to begin that journey.

"We need to have the right structures and people in place to develop their careers. I know from my own experiences the value of strong support throughout the coaching journey."

Former Bafana Bafana defender Bongani Khumalo says he is honoured to have participated at the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament and explains how he ensured hard work helped him.

The SuperSport United centre-back scored for the 1996 African champions in their 2-1 win over France in the final Group A match in Bloemfontein.

In addition, Khumalo was a 17-year-old when South Africa was announced as the host nation back in 2004 and the former Tottenham Hotspur defender says he told himself he couldn't miss the opportunity of representing his country on home soil.

“When it was announced that the World Cup was going to be played in South Africa, I was in matric, playing at Arcadia Shepherds. So, for me, the goal was to be part of it. That was something that was realistic, considering it was going to be on home soil,” Khumalo said as quoted by IOL.

“The challenge was there even for professional players at the time. Personally, all I did was to take the challenge, work as hard as I could, and prepare myself so that I am ready if the opportunity actually does arrive.

“There were so many camps before the World Cup, and a lot of players gunning for a starting position.

"Obviously, with the captain being a centre-back, it was clear that there was space for only one more. So, I didn’t focus on anyone else but myself in terms of the work.”

After representing the Southern Africans, Khumalo went on to join the Lily Whites in the English Premier League when he joined them in December 2010.

“The World Cup can be a springboard for anything. That’s where the legends are made. You are literally showcasing your talent in front of the world,” he added.

“But going into it, you don’t think about such but representing your country, yourself and family - hoping to do the best that you can.”

Although he didn’t command a regular spot at White Hart Lane, he enjoyed loan stints with the English Championship and with Greek Super Ligue 1 side, PAOK Thessaloniki.

Kaizer Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung and club legend Donald Khuse watched Khama Billiat in action for Zimbabwe’s Aces Youth Soccer Academy in 2009 but were not impressed by the pint-sized forward and instead settled for defender Thomas Sweswe.

Motaung and Khuse were on a scouting mission in Harare when Musona and Billiat, then 19-year-olds, played for Division One side Aces Academy in a curtain-raiser for a Premiership match between Dynamos and Monomotapa United in which Sweswe charmed the Chiefs men.

Musona was already on Chiefs radar for two years, dating back to the 2007 Cosafa Under-20 Championship where, as a 17-year-old, he came on as a substitute to fire in a hat-trick which helped Zimbabwe sink South Africa 3-0 in the final.

But Motaung and Khuse wanted to have another look at Musona and their eyes also settled on centre-back Sweswe ahead of Billiat who was just right under their noses.

This was despite how the club’s former defensive midfielder Tinashe Nengomasha had alerted Chiefs of Billiat, but the forward still appeared anonymous to the scouts.

“I had kept an eye on Knowledge Musona, and they wanted to fly out to Bulawayo to watch a different player, but I told them there was a gem of a player who had recently been to Sundowns for trials,” Nengomasha told Far Post.

Chiefs went for Sweswe although Billiat was already being monitored by other Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs. He had just undergone trials at Mamelodi Sundowns who did not see much value in him.

A year later, Billiat was snapped up by Ajax Cape Town where he spent two and a half seasons before Sundowns he came calling for the man they had previously overlooked.

In 2018, it was now Chiefs’ turn to sign Billiat whose talent had escaped their eyes nine years earlier and when he finally arrived at Naturena, they made him their highest-paid player in the PSL.

Sweswe recalls that day in Dynamos FC colours at Rufaro Stadium when he made the Chiefs scouts turn a blind eye on Billiat.

“I remember seeing ‘BobSteak’ and Ace at the hotel where we were camping. They were with Nengomasha, whom I knew from school. He told me they had come to see Knowledge, but they would also watch the Dynamos game,” Sweswe said.

“I played my normal game, I didn’t try too hard or else I’d have messed up. Kaizer Chiefs changed my life, I live in my own house, I drive my own cars because of that opportunity.”

Sweswe spent three seasons at Chiefs, before crossing the Johannesburg divide to Bidvest Wits where he played for just a season.

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has criticized Wilfred Ndidi for his poor defending which led to the goal conceded in Leicester City’s 1-0 FA Cup loss to Chelsea on Sunday.

Ross Barkley scored the goal which sent the Stamford Bridge outfit to the semi-final of the FA Cup, thus, extending the poor run of the Foxes, having failed to secure victory since the restart of the season.

Ferdinand feels the Nigeria international could have done better in the encounter and probably prevented Barkley’s goal. 

"The gap between the centre-backs start to develop. When that happens, when that big gap comes, the big job is for Ndidi, who has had great reviews for how he’s played over the years, and rightly so," Ferdinand told BT Sport.

"Once you see the gap between the centre-backs when the ball’s wide, his job is to drop in, drop in here and be that guard in there. If you keep your eye on Ndidi here and look how many times he looks over his shoulder to see where Barkley is.

"One look, two looks - when he looks there - he has to drop in there and cover the run from Barkley. He knows he can get in behind Ndidi because he’s not looking.

"Jonny Evans, one of my old team-mates, sees this but he’s marking his man - Tammy Abraham - once he sees it he’ll come over to try and cover. But once this happens at this level, it’s too quick, the quality is too good, it’s a great cross and the timing eliminates defenders out of it.

"Barkley sees the space, darts into it, great ball, great finish. Bad defending from Ndidi and the midfield."

Ndidi has been delivering solid defensive performances for the King Power Stadium outfit this season.

His impressive showings have seen him linked to a number of European clubs including Arsenal, Real Madrid and Manchester United.

The midfielder has made 32 appearances across all competitions for Brendan Rodgers’ men in this campaign.

Leicester take on Everton in their next Premier League game on Wednesday.

AFC Leopards head coach Anthony Kimani has confidence disciplined Marvin Nabwire will overcome a long knee injury ahead of next season.

The injury kept the youngster out for the better part of the 2019/20 season but Kimani says the forward is working perfectly towards full recovery.

Kimani himself got injured and had to retire at the age of 28.

"I've been in a similar situation before and I know how it feels being out injured," Kimani told Standard Sports.

"But I think he is a very determined and disciplined player; I've been keenly monitoring his development and progress in order to get himself back into the team again.

"It's definitely going to be a big boost to us once Nabwire returns. He made a return at some point but things didn't go well as he had to go back to the physio after a minor setback.

"And from where I sit, all looks good and his leg is not giving him any problem at all. He's gone past the recovery stage and he's fit enough to join the team and battle it out for a starting place.

"You rarely see a player who's talented and work hard for the team at the same time. His work ethics are also superb, therefore his return is like a new player for us."

Although Kimani is hopeful of the forward's full recovery soon, Nabwire admits the process has been very frustrating at times.

"It has been a really frustrating and draining experience for me. Just when I thought I had recovered, I suffered another setback," he told the same publication.

"My knee is now in good shape, but the worst of it is that I spend most of my time with the physio as my teammates enjoyed themselves on the pitch. However, I've always remained positive and that has helped me to come back. I thank the club for all the support they gave me."

Nabwire further detailed what he has learned as an individual during the recovery session.

"I think this experience made me grow mentally, hardened me, and made me a better player. It is my hope that I will be injury-free and continue playing," he concluded.

"To be honest, the break has been useful to me because it has given me more time to recover and work on my fitness. I've already started individual training as I wait for either the league to resume or start the new season. I can't wait to get involved in the team and doing what I love best."

Nabwire first got injured during a match against Sofapaka at Mbaraki Stadium in Mombasa.

Liverpool have embraced Jordan Henderson as “one of their own”, says Jamie Redknapp, with a Premier League title-winning captain having proved in some style that there is “life after Steven Gerrard”.

A slow start to life on Merseyside was endured by the England international midfielder, with questions asked as to whether he could be a long-term option in the Anfield engine room.

Doubters have been silenced in style by Henderson, with a prestigious armband inherited from Gerrard along the way.

The 30-year-old has got his hands on Champions League and Club World Cup crowns, while a Premier League title has also been collected by Liverpool.

Henderson has become a key cog in Jurgen Klopp’s well-oiled machine, with the consistent performer doing the dirty work that allows others around him to flourish.

Said qualities are now getting the recognition they deserve, with club and country, and Redknapp is among those who feels that a figure who was once much-maligned is now destined to nail down a place among the greats in Anfield folklore.

“So many Liverpool skippers have tried and failed to lead their team to the title, myself included. But Henderson did it,” ex-Reds midfielder Redknapp told the Daily Mail.

“I took over as captain in 1999 from Paul Ince, a great player. When Steven Gerrard left in 2015, I thought: ‘Where do you go from here? How can you cope with losing the presence of someone like that?’ Liverpool were losing an icon — a leader whose personality coursed through the corridors of Melwood and Anfield.

“But Henderson took over and showed there is life after Gerrard. The players respect and respond to him. The 30-year-old showed that same leadership when it came to the Players Together initiative.

“He, like all Liverpool fans, will hope this is just the start of a period of domination. With Klopp and these players staying put, the odds are this will not be the last Premier League title they win together.

“Klopp is a remarkable person. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone capture another language with such humility, positivity and, occasionally, unrivalled comedic value. Kudos to Klopp’s English teacher — he always knows exactly what to say!

“Liverpool fans have embraced him as one of their own, and the same goes for captain Henderson.”

Henderson is up to 361 appearances for Liverpool and is tied to a contract through to the summer of 2023.

John Utaka has opened up on his omission from Nigeria’s 2014 World Cup squad, claiming he “just moved on and forgot about it”.

He former Lens and Portsmouth forward enjoyed an appreciable career at the international level, racking 49 caps in total and scoring six goals.

Despite his notable performances in Sivasspor, a team he joined from Montpellier on a two-year contract in 2013, he could not make Stephen Keshi’s team to the global football showpiece staged in Brazil.

Six years later, Utaka revealed that not featuring in a third World Cup was a disappointment – found the cut tough, but saw his omission as a challenge to drive him onwards.

“I was disappointed but not upset. That was just it, I didn’t question anything, I did well for Nigeria and it was an honour to put on the National jersey. I just moved on and forgot about it,” the 38-year-old told Ojbsport.

“I did not really have a low point during my playing career. Maybe, I can say when I was not selected for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, it was somehow a low point for me.

“I saw it as a challenge because you know a football game comes with a lot of pressure. So whenever I come across a challenge I just brush it off because it can set you back if you dwell on it.

“I just turn to the bright side, take the positive part and keep going.”

Having shot into international limelight playing for Qatar’s Al-Sadd in 2001, Utaka featured prominently for Nigeria at the 2002 World Cup staged in South Korea and Japan, albeit, Festus Onigbinde’s men failed to get past Group B that had Argentina, Sweden and England.

He made Lars Lagerback’s team to the 2010 edition staged in South Africa, nevertheless, he was not listed for any game.

Before drawing the curtain on his international career in 2012, Utaka featured in the 2004, 2006 and 2008 Africa Cup of Nations where he won bronze in all.

Alongside compatriot Nwankwo Kanu, the 38-year-old contributed to Portsmouth’s 2008 FA Cup triumph.

Utaka is currently the U19 team coach of French topflight side Montpellier, a team he featured for between 2011 and 2013.

Barcelona head coach Quique Setien has denied reports that the dressing room is split after a recent run of poor results.

Since returning from the coronavirus suspension, which lasted three months, the Catalans have struggled to hit their stride in the league.

Although they initially swept past struggling Mallorca 4-0, they were unimpressive in home wins over Leganes and Athletic Club, while they were only able to draw against Sevilla and Celta Vigo.

Saturday’s 2-2 draw in Vigo, a match in which they twice led, has left their championship challenge in a particularly vulnerable spot, as they trail leaders Real Madrid by two points, with the capital side having the insurance of a better record in the head-to-head matches, the matrix by which the title will be decided upon should the teams finish level on points.

Following that setback, there have been reports of discontent behind the scenes, and Goal has learned that Barca are ready to sack the former Real Betis coach, who was only appointed in January, at the end of the season unless there is a dramatic improvement.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi was seen apparently ignoring instructions from Setien's number two Eder Sarabia during the drinks break at Celta, where heated words were allegedly exchanged in the dressing room after the game. 

Speaking at a pre-match news conference for Atletico Madrid's visit, Setien insisted Messi and the squad are united in the battle to retain their title. 

“I don’t recall any problems that are worth mentioning,” said Setien.

"In reality it is true that there are always controversies, as in life, and it is normal that there are differences. 

"But this has always happened. I was not an easy player either. What we have to try to do is to convince everyone of the common idea.  

"I understand it as something natural. There is good communication. I don't give it any importance.

“When there are no victories, when things happen, everyone makes their point. This is the circus in which we show ourselves.

“The relationship between the players is good.”

Meanwhile, the coach is simply focusing on his own side and is not fixated on Real Madrid’s results.

“We can control what we can control: ourselves,” he said. “We have to improve so that what happened the other day doesn’t happen again.

“If we don’t win, our chances of winning the league are reduced. We have to try to win every game and what happens will happen.

“Hopefully, our rivals will give us the possibility, but we have to keep thinking about ourselves until the final day.”

Raul Jimenez continues to offer hope to suitors such as Manchester United and Arsenal, with the Wolves striker welcoming talk of possible transfers involving “many millions”.

A standout season has been enjoyed by the Mexico international in 2019-20. His personal-best goal return has been raised to 24 across all competitions, with the 29-year-old having shown no sign of rustiness on the back of a coronavirus-enforced break.

Jimenez’s efforts are continuing to keep Wolves in the hunt for a top-four finish in the Premier League, while Europa League glory is also possible.

The decision by those in the West Midlands to snap him up from Benfica has been fully justified, with the target found on 41 occasions in 91 appearances. That prolific return is earning the Mexican plenty of admiring glances from afar, with leading sides in England and Spain said to be mulling over moves.

Jimenez has been keeping the exit door propped open, admitting any interest from Barcelona or Real Madrid would be difficult to ignore. He has also spoken of his pride at earning links to domestic rivals of Wolves, with his price tag said to have soared to around the £90 million ($111m) mark.

Jimenez is enjoying being swept along for the ride at present, with no definitive call on his future offered once again when discussing the speculation he is generating with Telemundo.

“First of all I am very happy here with the Wolves,” Jimenez said. “I am in a place where from the first moment we made an incredible connection.

“I am no stranger to all that [the rumours], every day a new team comes out, every day a new offer comes out, I do not know how many millions.

“It is good to know that they are talking about you, but what I have to do to make that happen is to continue doing my job here with the Wolves.”

Jimenez drew a blank in his last outing against Aston Villa, but he does have two goals to his name since the restart and has helped Nuno’s side to move into fifth spot in the Premier League table – three points adrift of Chelsea and the final Champions League place.

England international full-back Kieran Trippier has criticised Tottenham for the way in which his move to Atletico Madrid was handled.

Former manager Mauricio Pochettino and chairman Daniel Levy were particularly targeted by the 29-year-old, who claims that their failure to give him assurances over his future led to his departure from a club that had just reached the Champions League final.

Indeed, Trippier claims that his preference would have been to remain with Spurs rather than make a £20 million ($25m) move to Spain.

“I did knock on his [Pochettino's] door, and I said I have an opportunity to go to Atletico Madrid,” he told The Beautiful Game podcast.

“If I am part of your plans, then I will stay. He didn't give me a yes, and he didn't give me a no in his office. So as a player you think: ‘Oh right okay, no problem.’

“Then I went to the chairman and told him the exact same. I had a conversation with the manager, and I said am I part of your plans? If I am, no problem but I have a great opportunity here to go to Atletico Madrid.

“Going back to what I said before, in March/April I hear off people I trust that they've tried to offload me. Offering me to clubs.”

Pochettino had previously insisted that the deal was instigated by the player. 

The Argentine said: “The only conversation when he arrived after the summer was when he came to see me, he asked me for a meeting, and said: ‘Gaffer, I think I have a good possibility and for different reasons I would like to accept the offer from Atlético Madrid.’

“He didn’t ask me nothing. He only communicated whether the club were going to accept the offer. Nothing more. It wasn’t a conversation – Do you want me? Or don’t you want me?”

Trippier has proven to be a regular at Atletico Madrid, where he has featured on 29 occasions this season, most notably in the club’s 3-2 extra-time victory over Liverpool at Anfield which eliminated the Champions League winners and allowed Diego Simeone’s men to progress to the quarter-finals of the competition, which will be played in Lisbon in August.

AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda is confident they will no go 30 years without winning the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title.

Shikanda, during the club's virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM), said AFC Leopards are determined to win the league title soon to avoid staying for long like how the English Premier League side Liverpool did.

Liverpool won their first title after a 30-year wait and Leopards, who won their last title in 1998 are keen to avoid that length of a period without a trophy.

“Liverpool went for 30 years without a Premier League title. We have gone 22 years and we don’t want to go the Liverpool way. We are keen to build a team that will lift the KPL title sooner,”  Shikanda assured during the AGM.

The chair, who has been in office for the last year, acknowledged the difficulties they underwent during the cancelled season. He, however, states there is a need to work even harder in the coming seasons so as to achieve the set targets.

“AFC Leopards look to the future with renewed confidence after a difficult season that saw the departure of a key sponsor and now the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic,” the chair added.

“We are encouraged by the fact that we have managed to ensure the club ran smoothly and met our league obligations. Going forward we need to up our game to compete favourably.”

AFC Leopards have already signed a sponsorship deal with Betsafe for the next three years but Shikanda says they must work hard and bring more financial partners on board.

“It may not be enough, but it is a sign of confidence by sponsors. We call upon for more corporates to partner with AFC Leopards,” continued the former Ingwe star.

With the transfer window ahead, Shikanda revealed players are going to be signed and others will exit. Rumours though have had that they target former captain Duncan Otieno and ex-Gor Mahia star Harun Shakava.

On the reported list of those expected to leave, Eugene Mukangula and Musa Saad have been named.

“The team is intact as there are no departures so far. There are those whose contracts will be renewed and others let go when the time comes," Shikanda concluded.

“We will definitely have some arrivals to reinforce the team.”

Gareth Bale is “getting shafted” by Zinedine Zidane and Real Madrid, claims David Bentley, with the Wales international a player who can “do anything” and deserving of greater respect.

A dream switch to Spain in 2013 for the forward got off to a perfect start, with decisive contributions in Copa del Rey and Champions League successes.

Bale has collected a Liga title and three more European crowns since then, while passing the 100-goal mark for the Blancos, but his Santiago Bernabeu adventure has become something of a nightmare.

Form and fitness issues are now seemingly never far away, with the 30-year-old becoming an easy target for a demanding fan base that is never afraid to make scapegoats of those that they consider to be underperforming.

Madrid boss Zidane also appears to have bought into that way of thinking, with the Frenchman choosing to overlook Bale on a regular basis across his two spells at the helm.

That has led to inevitable exit talk, but Bentley believes that a man he saw enjoy a meteoric rise to prominence at Tottenham is being unfairly treated by those reluctant to acknowledge his true value.

The former Spurs winger told 888sport: “Gareth Bale. He could do anything. We had numerous players when I was there who were talented and young footballers. We had loads.

“It’s only when I look back that I see we were a really great football team. We didn’t win anything but should have with [Luka] Modric and [Rafael] van der Vaart and [Jermain] Defoe, but Gareth Bale could do anything.

"His tackles were better. His free-kicks were better. He could throw it longer than anyone else and run faster and was stronger. He could leap and get up for a header. Literally an all-rounder.

“I just can’t believe what’s happening to him at Real Madrid. I think Zidane isn’t happy that Gareth scored a better goal than him. It sounds like a personal thing.

“The thing is Bale isn’t arrogant. He’s quiet. He will eat his dinner and not say much so maybe they then think he’s arrogant and just wants to play golf and not socialise, but he just wants to get on with what he’s getting on with.

“It annoys me because I always looked out for him. I watch him still at Real Madrid to see how he’s doing. He’s a lovely boy, well he’s a man now, and he’s done so well for himself. He is so successful yet he’s getting shafted.”

Bale earned his move to Madrid after starring in the Premier League, with there no plenty of talk that Harry Kane could soon tread a similar career path away from Tottenham.

Bentley concedes that the prolific striker is another who will be generating plenty of interest, but he cannot see a home-grown star being lured away from north London unless an “extraordinary offer” is tabled.

The ex-England international said of Kane: “When you have Daniel Levy in charge people won’t leave unless it’s financially correct for the football club.

“We will have to see how badly the club miss out on gate revenue because that’s what the stadium was built for and Champions League football is where the players want to be, but nobody will leave unless there is an extraordinary offer that’s for sure.”

Read the full 888sport interview with David Bentley here.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta needs to take an axe to his squad this summer, according to David Bentley, who says that around half of team is not worthy of playing for the club.

Since returning to action following the coronavirus pandemic, the Gunners have seen their hopes of reaching the Champions League next season fade with defeats against Manchester City and Brighton.

Although they have subsequently bounced back by defeating Southampton and reaching the FA Cup semi-finals with a dramatic success over Sheffield United on Sunday, major changes are required to make the Emirates Stadium outfit competitive again on a national scale, according to their former academy product.

“I don’t know what the thinking is at boardroom level because Arsenal need to ship out half the team and get a good core in. That’s difficult but can be done. The major problem is that we don’t know if they’re singing from the same hymn sheet at boardroom level,” David Bentley, speaking exclusively to 888Sport, said.

Bentley pinpointed David Luiz as a symbol of the club’s current struggles.

“I don’t know if it’s because of a lack of preparation in getting players in but the recruitment with the back four is a problem. It always has been. David Luiz is problematic,” he said.

“He’s a great technical player but if you want to bring the youth through and create a winning mentality is he really the type to help with that? I was surprised at the new contract.

“I don’t know why they didn’t look to bring in Gary Cahill or someone like that, over David Luiz. Maybe Luiz is more fashionable. Cahill has the core ability and has been there and done it. He would have been more of a fit for Arsenal.

“You look at Liverpool – and Manchester United are trying to do it – and they build a solid foundation that allows the players to express themselves. If you have solid back-four and solid spine of the team it’s easier for the young players to step into that. Instead Arsenal leak goals and look vulnerable.”

Arsenal currently lie ninth in the Premier League standings with seven games remaining and find themselves 11 points behind Chelsea in fourth, while they still have four of the top five to play.

Read the full 888sport interview with David Bentley here.

Belgian First Division A side Genk have announced the arrival of their African stars Paul Onuachu and Eboue Kouassi.

The duo departed the Luminus Arena in May to their home countries following the outbreak of coronavirus which forced football activities into a hiatus.

Onuachu joined the Blue-White last summer from Danish side Midtjylland and has become a key component of Hannes Wolf’s team.

The Nigeria international scored 10 goals and provided two assists in the recently ended 2019-20 campaign, helping his side to finish seventh.

Kouassi, meanwhile, teamed up with the Blue-White on loan in January from Scottish giants Celtic and delivered convincing showings which earned him a permanent deal.

Genk confirmed the Ivorian returned to the Luminus Arena on Thursday while Onuachu arrived on Saturday.

“Paul Onuachu and Eboue Kouassi are back in Genk after a stay in their home country - Nigeria and Ivory Coast respectively,” read a statement from the club website.

“Flying back from the African continent to Europe in corona times proved far from obvious.

“Onuachu trained until mid-May and then left for Nigeria. He returned to Genk via Paris on the night from Friday to Saturday.

“After the end of the group training, Eboue Kouassi continued to train individually for a while before flying to his native country. He has been back in our country since Thursday evening.”

The African stars have joined the rest of the squad in training ahead of their pre-season games in preparation for the 2020-21 campaign.

Onuachu, who started his career with Ebedei in Nigeria moved to Denmark in 2012 and teamed up with Midtjylland.

The 26-year-old forward bagged 52 goals in 135 league games during his seven-year stay with the MCH Arena outfit.  

The impressive performances immediately caught the attention of Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr, who handed the lanky striker a call-up in March 2019.

The forward made his debut for the West Africans against Egypt in a friendly and has now featured six times for the side.

He was part of the Super Eagles team that finished third at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt and will hope to continue his fine showings for his club in order to enjoy more playing time with the national team.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer expects Marcus Rashford to soon be back among the goals for Manchester United.

England forward Rashford has 22 goals for club and country this season, although he is yet to find the net since top-flight football resumed from its coronavirus hiatus.

United's return to Premier League action at Tottenham was Rashford's first appearance since suffering a double stress fracture of his back.

Although the 22-year-old supplied a pair of assists for Anthony Martial in last week's 3-0 victory against Sheffield United, he also spurned a pair of glorious chances to get on the scoresheet.

After that match, Solskjaer urged his team to be more clinical as a collective, but he has no concerns over Rashford individually.

"Of course Marcus has been out for a while but I think he's looked sharp, he came on and looked sharp against Norwich," the United boss said ahead of Tuesday's trip to Brighton and Hove Albion.

"Against Sheffield United he missed one or two chances but the goals he created is what we're focusing on and he's on his way to his best season ever. I'm looking forward to him getting more minutes and he'll definitely score a goal soon."

Rashford appeared as a substitute after the hour as Norwich City took United to extra-time in Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final at Carrow Road, with captain Harry Maguire proving a more unlikely matchwinner in the 118th minute.

A semi-final encounter against Chelsea awaits with United the form team in England – their unbeaten run stretching back 14 games to a mid-January reverse against Burnley at Old Trafford.

"The players are working really hard and want to do as well as they can and, for me, as a team we're trying to implement our ideas," Solskjaer said. "Talk about 14 games, we can talk about the next one - go into the next game knowing you've won the previous game. It's a good place to be in."

United are firmly in the hunt for a top-four finish and victory at Brighton would move them level on points with Wolves in fifth and two shy of four-placed Chelsea – albeit having played a game more than Frank Lampard's Blues.

"I think every year you're in the Champions League is a great experience, for the players it's a step forward," Solskjaer added. "For us it's what we're striving to do, winning trophies, and we need to focus on one game at a time and there are so many teams that want that place.

"We can't get distracted about looking too far ahead and onto the next one."

Christian Pulisic has been told that “the sky’s the limit” for him at Chelsea, with fellow countryman Kasey Keller backing the United States international to star in English football.

Big things were expected of the 21-year-old forward when he arrived at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2019.

Having burst onto the scene in Germany at Borussia Dortmund, the Blues were aware of the potential they were buying into.

Pulisic did take a while to find his feet in new surroundings, with no immediate burst out of the blocks enjoyed by the American playmaker.

A hat-trick against Burnley was, however, to light a Premier League fuse, with belief and confidence restored to the youngster’s game.

Another unfortunate setback was suffered when picking up a troublesome injury at the start of 2020, but a coronavirus-enforced break has worked in Pulisic’s favour.

Having returned to full fitness during a three-month hiatus, a key role is once again being nailed down in Frank Lampard’s plans.

Pulisic has found the target against Aston Villa and Manchester City, while also helping the Blues into the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

The desired impact is now being made by the precocious talent, with Keller – who spent several years in England with Millwall, Leicester and Tottenham – of the opinion that his compatriot can reach the very top of the game.

“I thought he was Chelsea's best player for the majority of the match,” former USMNT goalkeeper Keller told ESPN FC after seeing Pulisic catch the eye in a 1-0 FA Cup win over Leicester.

“What he's able to do in not just setting up other players but finding himself in goalscoring opportunities, [Kasper] Schmeichel made a brilliant save or he would have scored in the first half.

“If Pulisic can stay healthy and continue to learn and play better, there's no question I completely agree with Frank that the sky's the limit.

“You've seen that from him this season already. Alright, it's been stop-start, he's had a few injury issues, but now he looks to be back at full form.

“His ability to on the turn skate past defenders and create space for his team going forward and create goalscoring chances not just for himself but for his team-mates, that's a rare gift.

“Like I said, the sky's the limit.”

Pulisic has taken in 26 appearances across all competitions this season, with eight goals and six assists offered to the Chelsea cause.

Bayern Munich will not be knocked off their perch at the top of the Bundesliga, honorary president Uli Hoeness has warned the club’s rivals in Germany.

Although an early-season slump saw Bayern drop to seventh in the domestic standings under Niko Kovac, they recovered spectacularly once Hansi Flick was at the helm, powering to the title and winning it by 13 points ahead of second-placed Borussia Dortmund, scoring exactly 100 goals in 34 games to boot.

This on-field statement of intent, which was highlighted by their 4-0 win over Wolfsburg on the final day of the season, has now been matched from the boardroom.

“It will be difficult for the others to match us in the future because Bayern is well equipped for the future, even in this coronavirus crisis,” Hoeness told Blickpunkt Sport . 

Each of the last eight Bundesliga titles has ended in the hands of the Allianz Arena club, who have seen the crown surrendered elsewhere on only six occasions since 1999.

Some critics have suggested that the apparent inevitability of their victories is making the Bundesliga boring, but Hoeness is not concerned.

“You can’t expect people at Bayern Munich to work only half a day to make the Bundesliga exciting again,” he said, stating that the direct competition “just need to make more effort” in order to make the title race more engrossing.

Schalke, meanwhile, are reportedly ready to introduce a voluntary salary cap within their club in order to mitigate any effects of the Covid-19 crisis, which saw clubs in Germany go nearly three months without competitive football and return with matches behind closed doors.

Hoeness, though, is more bullish about the future and says Bayern will not go down a similar path.

“You can’t forget the upper limit of salary, so you can’t go any further with these discussions,” he said.

“When the coronavirus crisis is over, football will prosper once again.”

While Bayern’s league commitments for the season have ended, they will play the DFB Pokal final against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, while they are still involved in the Champions League, a competition in which they hold a 3-0 advantage over Chelsea after the first leg of their last-16 clash.

Jesse Lingard has “come a little unstuck” at Manchester United, says Dwight Yorke, with the out-of-sorts playmaker told the time has come for him to “look elsewhere” in the next transfer window.

The Old Trafford academy graduate has found himself slipping down the pecking order in 2019-20. Much has been made of his lack of end product over the course of the last 18 months, with goals and assists proving to be in short supply.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has countered those creative deficiencies by drafting in Bruno Fernandes and handing more prominent roles to the likes of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.

The hope is that Paul Pogba will also start to deliver the consistency expected of him, meaning that there is no place for Lingard in the bigger picture.

This not the first time that the England international has generated exit talk, but a change of scenery could now be on the cards. Lingard has already moved to bring in Mino Raiola as his agent, in what is considered another nod towards a move elsewhere, and Yorke believes a fresh start could prove beneficial to all concerned.

The former United striker told Stadium Astro on the back of seeing Lingard get a rare start against Norwich in the FA Cup quarter-finals, but last just 63 minutes: “The jury’s still out.

“We had a lot of hopes, he came through the ranks and we love that. He knows the club through and through, he loves the football club and we thought he was going to go on where Rashford is at the moment.

“He’s come a little unstuck at the moment and he has to find another gear somewhere along the line. At the moment, it’s just not happening.

“At 27 years of age, you ought to be a bit regular. If it’s not happening, maybe he has to look elsewhere. But for now, he’s still got some games and he’s still got to prove himself.

“ I think there is a little bit of a question mark over his name at the moment for sure, he’s fully aware of that, there’s no two ways about that. He knows that he’s not in the team and he needs to do more to get back in.”