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Mikel Arteta has confirmed sorting out a new contract for Bukayo Saka is a priority for Arsenal alongside resolving Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s future.

Saka has enjoyed a breakthrough season at the Emirates Stadium and has made 29 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals and supplying 10 assists.

He impressed as a makeshift left-back in the weeks leading up to the coronavirus lockdown, but is keen to revert to his more natural position on the left wing in the future.

With Kieran Tierney now fit again, and Aubameyang generally deployed on the left flank, Saka could find starting opportunities more limited when the Premier League resumes on Wednesday.

At the same time, Arsenal are also trying to tie down Saka to a long-term contract, with the 18-year-old’s current deal due to expire in 2021.

The likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund have been linked with Saka, and Arteta acknowledged the teenager’s situation is one of the more urgent ones facing Arsenal.

"We are trying, as a club, to finalise the deals that are more urgent and are a priority for us," said Arteta.

"The ones you are talking about [Bukayo and Aubameyang] - they are both really important, not just for now but for the future of the club as well and if the club has something to announce, they will do it in the right moment."

The Gunners restart their season with a trip to Manchester City on Wednesday and it is likely to be a hectic period during the coming weeks.

Arteta will need to juggle his squad, but is keen not to place any undue pressure on the talented crop of young players at his disposal.

He added: "They have to keep developing and one of the biggest challenges is always consistency.

"They have been doing it for a certain period of time, for certain moments of certain games but to do it consistently for every three days for 94 or 96 minutes, that's a different story.

"In order to do that and develop the right way, they need the right players next to them, with the right mentality, with the right qualities and with the right drive.

"That's what we have to do, we have to give them the right foundations in order for them to feel free to develop, without the extra pressure that they don't need in these moments and they cannot carry on.

"We don't give them too much responsibility too early, because there is always a risk to burn them."

Yanga SC have parted ways with their secretary-general David Ruhago, effective immediately.

In a letter dated June 15, the 27-time league champions confirmed the exit of the official.

"Yanga club management and Secretary-General David Ruhago have today [Monday, June 15] reached a mutual agreement to part ways," read the statement signed by communications officer Hassan Bumbuli and obtained by Goal.

"The decision has been reached after extensive talks by all the parties involved. So effective today [Monday], Ruhago is no longer serving the team as the secretary-general."

The Jangwani-based side went on to thank the former official for his services before appointing his replacement. 

"The Yanga Service Committee under the leadership of Chairman Mshindo Msolla wishes to thank Ruhago for the time he served at the club," the statement continued.

"During this transition period, the service committee has appointed Simon Patrick who is a lawyer by profession to take over as the new Yanga secretary-general."

Ruhago was reportedly shown the door for failing to agree with the top management regarding some issues regarding the club's future.

Timu ya Wananchi have gone three seasons without the league title, and during the same time, they have been under tough financial constraints.

The East Africa side is aiming at winning the league next season; however, in the current campaign, they are targeting the FA Cup.

In the league's restart last Saturday, Yanga managed to defeat Mwadui by a solitary goal.

On Tuesday, they will be playing JKT Tanzania in Dodoma and in an earlier interview, Bumbuli admitted it will not be a walk in the park.

The Dodoma-based side have regularly been a difficult opponent for the 27-time league champion and in the last four meetings, they have managed two draws and as many wins.

With that in mind, the official admitted it will be a tough game but all they want are three points on the road.

"We respect [JKT Tanzania] they are a good team, and to be honest we respect all our opponents," Bumbuli told journalists.

"All teams are tough to beat especially at this time when they are chasing their objectives. However, we all know Yanga is a big, established and historic team and will do absolutely everything to win especially on the pitch.

"Like our game [on Saturday] against Mwadui, it was tough but we won; we scored two goals, we were denied one but still managed to get maximum points by the 1-0 win.

"We are one team determined to get maximum points regardless of the opponent we are playing against. For instance Prisons, they were unbeaten by the time we played them in the first round, but we defeated them.

"So regardless of how good JKT are, we just want to go there, beat them and return to Dar es Salaam with maximum points."

Eddie Nketiah can help Arsenal move to "the next level", according to Mikel Arteta, who has been impressed with the striker during the first few months of his tenure at Emirates Stadium.

Nketiah rose through the youth ranks at Arsenal before graduating to the senior squad in 2017, but was made to wait for his breakthrough after a string of cameo appearances.

The 21-year-old notched his first Premier League goal on the final day of the 2018-19 campaign against Burnley, and went onto enjoy a strong summer under Unai Emery.

Despite scoring four goals during Arsenal's pre-season tour of the United States, Nketiah was sent out on loan to Leeds in August to continue his development.

Unfortunately, he struggled for regular playing time at Elland Road, and the Gunners ended up calling him back to the Emirates in January.

Arteta. who replaced Emery in December, says he quickly decided not to allow Nketiah to go out on loan again after witnessing his ability at close quarters, and he is now expecting the young English forward to reward him for his faith by helping Arsenal finish the season strongly.

"We treat Eddie as an important part of our squad," the Gunners boss said in a press conference on Monday.

"We had to make an important decision not to let him go on loan again after the spell he had at Leeds.

"I watched him train and I was very convinced he was the right player for us to move us to the next level, that he can contribute in a big way to the way we want to play.

"He has been fantastic so far."

Nketiah hit three goals in seven outings for Arsenal after returning to the club from Leeds, before seeing his progress interrupted by the coronavirus outbreak.

He will be hoping to pick up from where he left off when the action resumes on Wednesday, as Arteta's men prepare to come up against reigning Premier League champions Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

Arsenal slipped to ninth in the top flight when play was stopped in March, eight points behind Chelsea in the race for a top-four finish, but they do have a game in hand on their Champions League rivals.

Azam FC have confirmed striker Donald Ngoma has left the club after his short-term contract ended on June 14.

The Zimbabwean player signed for the “Ice Cream Makers” from Young Africans (Yanga SC) two season ago but the two parties have now reached an agreement not to renew the contract which has run down.

Azam have confirmed the exit of the player, who helped them to win two trophies – Mapinduzi Cup and Azam Sports (domestic Cup) – last season.

“We can officially confirm Donald [Ngoma] has left Azam after his contract came to an end on June 14,” the club confirmed in a statement seen by Goal.

“We want to thank him for his services and especially for helping the club to clinch two trophies last season and also want thank him for being a dedicated player, who led by a good example during his stay here.”

For the period he played for Azam, Ngoma was the club’s main striker and managed to score 14 goals in all competitions last season to become the club’s top scorer in that period.

Ngoma managed to play a total of 42 matches for Azam in all competitions, notching 20 goals in the process with four assists.

Goal understands the fate of the striker was sealed by head coach Aristica Cioaba, who gave the green light for the player to leave at the end of his contract.

Ngoma was among the seven foreign players in the Azam squad but was yet to report to Tanzania owing to the lockdown being experienced in Zimbabwe.

Last week, Azam managed to secure the services of their Uganda defender Nicolas Wadada ahead of the Mainland Premier League which resumed on Saturday.

Wadada had relocated to his native Uganda and with the country still serving the lockdown occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic, getting the player back to Dar es Saalam was not an easy task.

Azam’s other foreign players include the Ghanaian trio of Razak Abalora, Dan Amoa and Yakubu Mohamed, and two players in Zimbabwe - Never Tigere, and Bruce Kangwa.

In a recent interview, coach Cioba confessed the absence of the players from his squad will greatly affect the team’s performances when the league resumes.

Azam, who are second on the league table behind leaders Simba SC, are also in the quarter-finals of the domestic Cup.

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has confessed he has not thought of discussing new signings with the club in the coming transfer window because “there is no money to support my transfer activities.”

K’Ogalo have already been listed by the Confederation of African Football (Caf} as Kenya’s representatives in the lucrative Champions League for next season and will need to strengthen their squad if they are to make a mark in the competition.

While Polack has already identified a few players he would love to bring to strengthen the squad, the financial situation at the club has forced him to wait for things to improve.

“Sorry, for now, I cannot talk about signings when the club does not have any money for the business,” Polack told Goal on Tuesday.

“Let me give you a very good example, let’s say you are a player and I am talking to you, by the way, please I will like you come and play for my club, this is the reason why and tell me about you, you explain to me and then you ask me, what about the finances, do you have the money? 

"That will be one of your questions and currently, Gor Mahia doesn't have the money.

“I cannot tell you, yes we might have some money in the future, I cannot pledge because the situation is bad. I cannot discuss anything to do with transfers until the clubs shows me they have finances, you cannot do anything, we might have some in the future so for now, I don’t want to discuss anything.

“For me, I don’t want to tell players to come to play for us when we don’t have money when you want to sign a player I always talk to the management first, how much money do we have? And then I can bring in my new players, but the case, for now, is different at Gor Mahia because we don’t have money.”

In a recent interview, Polack revealed to Goal he was praying hard that some of the key players in the club will stay in the coming season.

The Kenyan champions are struggling to pay salaries to players and the technical bench and most of their key players have already expressed the desire to move to greener pastures if they get good offers.

Goal understands captain Kenneth Muguna and his assistant Joash Onyango are among the players who are targeted by a number of clubs, with Tanzania giants Simba SC already in talks to sign the former.

Tanzanian keeper David Mapigano has also claimed he will not return to play for Gor Mahia unless they pay him all the money he is owed, while defender Dickson Ambundo is a transfer target for another Tanzanian club, Yanga SC.

India is set to host the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in 2022 and hence participate in the final round of the tournament for the first time since 2003. One country from which they should pick up a few tips and tricks is Vietnam.

Vietnam hosted the tournament twice so far – in 2010 and 2014. Along with Thailand, they have also been one of the most common ASEAN faces in the final round of the tournament since the turn of the century.

Given the exceptional way in which Vietnam hosted the tournament, India could possibly take a leaf from their handbook ahead of the 2022 edition. Of course, India will be hosting a bigger tournament and will have the experience of hosting the U17 Women's World Cup, scheduled for next year.

We look at how Vietnam organised the 2014 edition of the Women’s Asian Cup and whether they faced big challenges during the build-up to the big tournament.

Australia were set to host the tournament but a withdrawal from the same in May 2013 allowed Vietnam to be considered. However, their status as hosts was subject to qualifying to the main tournament from a group that also contained Hong Kong, Bahrain and Kyrgyzstan. Vietnam smashed 24 goals past their opponents in three games to storm into the final round.

There were very few operational difficulties in hosting the tournament and good footballing infrastructure was one of the biggest reasons why. Ho Chi Minh City was chosen as the host city for the tournament that was held over 11 days between May 14th and May 25th.

Eight months prior to the competition, AFC representatives gave the go-ahead to the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) after an inspection of the infrastructure and progress of the preparation ahead of the tournament. There was no big roadblock to discuss at that time.

Eight teams featured in the tournament – Australia, Japan, South Korea, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Jordan. The first four qualified by virtue of finishing in the top-four of the 2010 AFC Women’s Asian Cup. The other teams won their group in the qualifying rounds.

Thong Nhat Stadium was used as the main venue for the games. The presence of university stadiums and training grounds in close proximity to the stadium ensured reduced operating costs. The RMIT University and Ton Duc Thang University grounds were near the Thong Nhat Stadium and the training ground in Phu Tho Football Centre was also just two kilometres away. These grounds were used for training purposes.

The last set of Group Stage games are to be held simultaneously. The Go Dau Stadium in the Binh Duong province hence hosted two games – Japan vs Jordan and Thailand v Myanmar.

This stadium is home to Becamex Binh Duong FC, a popular first division Vietnamese club and one of the biggest in the country. It is located just 30 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City and travel was hence not a big concern.

The Thong Nhat Stadium is often the host to Vietnamese V-League games, Vietnamese National team matches and meets the AFC standard requirements. The presence of high profile hotels at Ho Chi Minh City ensured a pleasant stay of the players and match officials.

With two high profile stadiums in proximity hosting the games, there were little operational hiccups during the tournament. That women’s football does not garner as much attention as Men’s football reduced the burden on security. There was hence little chance of pitch invasion.

The attendance for the games that did not feature the Vietnamese women was rather underwhelming, with only a few thousand turning up for the games. This is less than your average attendance for a V-League game.

However, the fifth-place tie featuring Vietnam and Thailand witnessed about 20,000 people pouring into the stands. The long-time rivalry between the two countries ensured this fixture gathered the hype and was turned into a grand spectacle. Much to the dismay of the local crowd Vietnam lost 2-1 to finish sixth.

In India, the women's national team matches rarely attract many spectators which was also the case in Vietnam. However, as you can see, 20000 people attended a fifth-placed tie of the Vietnam national team. The 2022 tournament will see more interest in the women's game in India and will, hopefully, attract more fans to support the team from the stadium, as evidenced in Vietnam.

Elsewhere Japan and Australia overcame China and South Korea to book a date for the final. Azusa Iwashimizu scored the lone goal that won Japan their first title in the competition.

Thus, concluded one of the smoothest and well-organised tournaments. The then AFC General Secretary Mr Dato Alex Soosay praised the VFF for the organisational work of the Asian Cup and ensuring the tournament was completed without any big difficulties.

Come 2022, India will be the cynosure of women's football in the continent. They will do well to replicate what Vietnam managed in 2014.

Kerala Blasters sporting director Karolis Skinkys believes changes to the foreign player policy in the Indian Super League (ISL) should be a gradual process. 

As reported earlier , after the recommendation of the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) technical committee and the ratification of the Executive Committee regarding the '3+1' rule, ISL clubs had agreed for a reduction in foreign players' from the 2021-22 season. The decision was in line with the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) guideline of including a maximum of four foreigners in the starting lineup out of which one player should be from Asia. 

Though the number of foreigners in the starting XI is set to be brought down, the compulsory inclusion of the Asian foreigner in the starting XI is syet to be agreed upon.

In an exclusive chat with Goal. Skinkys said, "To be honest, this (foreign) policy has two sides. I agree with the argument that domestic players will get more games with fewer foreigners. However, it is equally important for them to have a competitive environment to grow and learn."

He continued, "The goal should always be to ensure greater development of Indian players who can compete with and against the best. All things considered, we are in line with the vision of AFC but any change should be a gradual process as opposed to a sudden transition."

During a meeting held a few weeks ago, most of the clubs in ISL agreed to the recommendation of fielding a maximum of four overseas players at any given point of time on the pitch from 2021-22 season. But there are still some differences in opinion on the number of maximum foreigners that could be registered in the squad. While some want the teams to register five foreign players, a few want the number to be increased to seven.

There have been suggestions on not making it mandatory for the Asian foreigner to be in the playing XI as well. In the last two seasons, the ISL clubs were allowed to sign a maximum of seven and a minimum of six foreign players and could field at most five foreigners on the field. 

Even at a young age of 22, Chennaiyin FC's Anirudh Thapa has established himself as one of the best midfielders in India, with consistent performances for both club and country.

A lot of credit for Thapa's rise in stature over the years lies with the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) Elite Academy which identified his talent and gave him an opportunity to fulfill it. Thapa was also sent on a three-month long training stint to Ligue 1 side FC Metz which he feels has been highly beneficial in his growth.

Thapa explains the challenges he had to face when he first moved to the AIFF Elite Academy from the St. Stephens School in Dehradun when he was 14 years old.

"When I joined AIFF Academy, I was just 14 and I had come from St.Stephen’s. The players there were all really advanced. I had a good coach at St.Stephen's but I never really had the quality players around me whom I found at the AIFF Academy to challenge myself," Thapa told Goal . 

"The facilities and coaches were great at the AIFF Academy. It was difficult for me at first because the competition was huge."

But Thapa, who had paid scant attention to domestic football in India before, was to get an intensive crash course in the same during his stay at the academy.

"It was a great process for me. I could advance my game. I learned what football is in the country. We used to watch Pailan Arrows and I-League together. Before that, I just saw the national team but after coming to AIFF Academy, I got to know the history, Kolkata football and more."

Thapa's impressive performances in the AIFF set-up soon saw him grab the attention of numerous clubs, with Chennaiyin FC managing to sign the player up. The Dehradun-born player was also selected for a three-month training stint at FC Metz in 2016, alongside Jerry Lalrinzuala and Prosenjit Chakraborty.

It was a period that helped Thapa improve his technique and understanding of the game, thanks to the intensive nature of the training sessions in France.

"When I went to Metz, it was a huge step up. The football there was very advanced. The quality of the players, facilities and infrastructure was great. Players were training even at the age of six-to-eight. We used to train with the B team and sometimes with the U23 teams. It was great to learn from them. The tempo of the game was really high and the training we used to do was more technique-oriented and it was more with the ball.

"The food was also very different from what we got in India. Even my sleeping pattern. But it was great to learn and when I came to Chennai, it was not that hard for me to make the step up. Of course, the players at the club were more experienced but when it came to technique and game, I was able to compete with them. That was a huge thing for me.

"Yes, I wanted to stay there longer but I had already signed a contract with Chennaiyin FC and had to come back."

A lot of young players in India have been moving to lower tiers of European leagues of late. Thapa feels that it is very important to move to Europe at a young age and spend some time there. He feels that the amount of knowledge and skills you learn in a short period of time in such leagues is a lot more than what you learn in India.

"If you go at a young age, you get to learn a lot. When I went, I was 18 and even then, I learnt a lot. If you go at 14-16, you will learn much more and become much better players.

"If they can stay for a longer period, it will be good because you can advance your game and be technically better. It is not just learning these things, it is also about learning it quickly. That is the main thing.

"In India, what you learn in two-to-three years, you will learn it there in one year. The training sessions are advanced and you play a lot more games than in India. They obviously play twice a week. It’s a big thing. You get more game time and it is very important in the learning curve for a player," reasoned Thapa.

Pep Guardiola has taken Bernardo Silva's game on to another level at Manchester City, according to former Portugal great Nuno Gomes.

Silva joined City from Monaco for £46 million ($58m) in May 2017 with a Ligue 1 winners' medal in his possession.

He has since been an integral part of the side that Guardiola has guided to six of the past seven major domestic honours on offer, including back-to-back Premier League titles.

Silva was voted City's player of the year in 2018-19 and went on to inspire Portugal to glory on home soil in the inaugural Nations League Finals.

Gomes told Stats Perform News he is a keen admirer of the 25-year-old.

"Bernardo is, for me at the moment, one of the best players that we have in Portugal," he said.

"With Pep he's improved a lot. I believe that Guardiola has said a lot of times that he is a massive fan of Bernardo Silva, and I believe Bernardo Silva, knowing that he has the trust and the confidence of the coach, he goes onto the field and he plays naturally, because he has a talent that is natural."

As he did during Monaco's run to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2016-17, Silva has excelled roving in from the right flank at City.

However, injury problems for Kevin De Bruyne last term meant he also spent a lot of time operating on the right of a central midfield three and Gomes feels the defensive side of the playmaker's game has come along considerably.

"He has improved also in terms of defending, the way that he pushes the opponent, [as well as] the way he can compromise [opposition] defensive situations, because with the ball he is one of the best," he added.

"I believe with Pep Guardiola, he has already improved a lot in his style of play, and I’m a big fan of Bernardo Silva."

Guardiola's men host Arsenal on Wednesday when the Premier League resumes from the coronavirus shutdown.

Liverpool are poised to end City's reign as champions, but Silva and his team-mates remain in contention in the Champions League and FA Cup.

Lucas Hernandez still needs to get up to speed with the tactical demands of playing for Bayern Munich following his spell on the sidelines, according to boss Hansi Flick.

World Cup-winning France international Hernandez was an €80 million (£72m/$91m) acquisition from Atletico Madrid last year but he has struggled during his debut campaign in Bavaria.

The 24-year-old suffered ankle ligament damage at the end of October and was sidelined for more than three months.

During that time, Niko Kovac was sacked as head coach and Bayern were revitalised under Flick, who will complete a stunning resurgence and guide the club to their eighth consecutive Bundesliga title if they beat Werder Bremen on Tuesday.

Alphonso Davies has enjoyed a rapid rise to establish himself as first choice at left-back, while David Alaba has slotted in at centre-back in accomplished fashion, meaning Hernandez's versatility is of no immediate use in terms of remedying his situation.

Flick handed Hernandez a start in the weekend win over Borussia Monchengladbach, but Hernandez was substituted after the hour, having been replaced at half-time during the 5-0 thrashing of Paderborn

Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Manchester City are among the clubs to have been linked with his services and Flick concedes the player has work to do after such a long spell on the sidelines.

"Lucas is an absolute professional, I like his dynamic training," he told a news conference on Monday.

"He was absent for a long time and therefore has tactical deficits. 

"I'm happy with him, every player needs a rhythm. I see its potential."

Star forwards Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski are set to return from suspension against Werder, while Niklas Sule is to resume training later this week following a long-term knee ligament injury, along with Philippe Coutinho (ankle).

"There will be two changes that everyone can think of." Flick said, alluding to Lewandowski and Muller's involvement, although Javi Martinez is laid low with a stomach bug.

Weekend goalscorer Joshua Zirkzee is nursing a knock, as is winger Ivan Perisic.

Bayern lead second-placed Dortmund in the Bundesliga title race by seven points with three games to play.

Real Betis played a 2-2 home draw against Granada in Monday’s LaLiga outing, with Zouhair Feddal and vice-captain Aissa Mandi put up a fine display.

Having bowed 2-0 at Sevilla, the Green and Whites came into the fixture with the ambition of returning to winning ways; however, their efforts met strong resistance from the visiting side who are unbeaten in their last six league outings.

Courtesy of Antonio Puertas' assist from an attacking move from Nigeria’s Ramon Azeez, Carlos Fernandez handed Granada a 29th-minute lead.

The hosts missed a big chance to level matters in the closing stages of the first half as Nabil Fekir’s long-range strike was saved by impressive Rui Silva.

Betis continued to torment the Nasrids’ backline but were unsuccessful as Jesus Vallejo and German Sanchez combined well to mark out Loren Moron and Joaquin.

However, Sergio Canales restored parity in the 85th minute from the penalty spot after the VAR confirmed that Domingos Duarte pushed Borja Iglesias in the goal penalty area.

This goal fuelled Rubi’s men and they shot into the lead for in the 88th minute through Joaquin’s replacement Cristian Tello who effort outside the box beat goalkeeper Silva.

With Betis looking destined for their ninth win of the league, super-sub Roberto Soldado powered in the equaliser which was unstoppable by Joel Rubles.

The duo of Feddal and Mandi lasted for the entire duration of the encounter. The encounter was Morocco’s Feddal 12th league appearance of the season, while for 28-year-old Mandi, it was 23rd so far.

For the visitors Cameroon youngster Yan Eteki was on parade from start to finish for his 19th of the 2019-20 season in his first year at Nuevo Estadio de Los Carmenes having joined from Almeria in July 2019.

Nigeria international Azeez was replaced by Antonin Cortes. The tie at Estadio Benito Villamarín was his 18 so far with two goals to his credit.

Owing to the draw, Granada climbed to eighth in the Spanish topflight log with 42 points from 29 matches and will host Samuel Chukwueze’s Villarreal on Friday, while Real Betis are 13th after garnering 34 points from same number games and are guests of Athletic Club on Saturday.

In-demand talent Sandro Tonali will not depart Brescia as part of a player-swap deal, according to club owner Massimo Cellino.

The 20-year-old midfielder has been in the sights of Barcelona and PSG, while Italian giants Juventus and Inter are also firmly in the race.

Cellino revealed Tonali is keen to stay in his home country, giving a boost to Juve and Inter's hopes of snaring the Italy international in the off-season.

However, he noted Brescia were keen for financial remuneration for Tonali and would prefer to not receive any players in return.

"So far there’s only been a few phone calls, without anything beyond that," Cellino told Gr Parlamento.

"It’s difficult to talk about [the transfer market] after everything that’s happened, but I hope the lad keeps having fun on the pitch like he did before.

"I wouldn’t like all these rumours to lead to another problem, which hurts our chances of staying up.

"Inter and Juve have both asked me about him, as have other teams. What’s for certain is that the player wants to stay in Italy and we’ll accommodate him.

"I don’t like swap deals. We’re not that desperate."

Tonali, who played a key role in Brescia's promotion from Serie B last season, has again starred for the club despite their position at the bottom of Serie A.

He received his first Italian cap against Liechtenstein in October last year and has subsequently played twice more for his national team.

Speaking earlier this month, Cellino revealed the specific interest from Barcelona and PSG for Tonali, and also spoke of offers from Napoli and Fiorentina.

“[PSG president] Nasser [Al-Khelaifi] would like him in Paris, he wrote to me today, but Tonali doesn't want to go to France," Cellino told Corriere dello Sport.

“Inter and Juve are the destinations he prefers. [Napoli president Aurelio] De Laurentiis has offered me 40 million, Fiorentina wants him too, but his destiny is pretty much written.

“Before Covid, Barcelona had offered 65 million plus two very interesting young players, one was a full-back. I believe that the Catalans received an answer they didn't like, and not from Tonali.

“I'm not dealing with anyone. There are still 12 games to play and the boy must remain calm."

Aurelio De Laurentiis has accused Maurizio Sarri of forcing him into a change of management at Napoli, saying that the head coach made him angry with his "tasteless excuse of money".

Sarri managed Napoli from 2015-18, enjoying a successful spell in charge of the Serie A club before heading to Chelsea.

The coach had a fantastic reputation during his career in Naples, but that reputation in the city has taken a hit in recent years due to his abrupt exit and eventual decision to return to Serie A to lead Juventus.

With Sarri's Juve set to face Napoli in the Coppa Italia final, the club's chairman, De Laurentiis, opened up on Sarri's departure, criticising the manager for his last few months in charge while calling for recognition for his own role in the club's success.

“He made me angry with the tasteless excuse of money,” De Laurentiis told Corriere dello Sport. “He forced me to change [head coaches] and still had a two-year deal.

“In February, he invited me to lunch in Tuscany, close to his house and his wife was there. He didn’t mention stopping and led me on all the way to the day ahead of the last game. That created uncertainties for the club.

“Three unforgettable seasons? There are other factors: in football the rule of cinema applies where to make a good film you need an excellent director and an excellent producer, they are the parents of the work of genius.

“Who brought [Edinson] Cavani here? And [Walter] Mazzarri? What about [Rafa] Benitez? What about [Gonzalo] Higuain, Sarri? When I chose them, the city was plastered with banners against me.”

Sarri's replacement, Carlo Ancelotti, spent just a season and a half with the club before departing this past December.

And De Laurentiis has stated that he made a mistake in hiring Ancelotti while adding that he should have moved on sooner.

“He reminded me of my father. I chose his serenity, composure, his pleasant closeness. My father was a philosopher, an extremely sweet man. Like Carlo,” he said.

“But signing him, being able to resort to the release clause, I should have told him: ‘Carlo, I don’t think you are made for the type of football they want in Naples, let’s keep the great friendship because football here is different. I introduced you to a city that you now love and that surprised you, better to end it here.’

“Instead, I made the second mistake.”

Currently led by Gennaro Gattuso, Napoli are set to face Juve in the Coppa Italia final on Wednesday. 

Over the years footballers have used countless excuses to explain away late showings at training sessions - but Guillermo Marino's claim that his soul was removed by extra-terrestrials on the way to practice surely sets a new benchmark for players everywhere. 

Marino came through the ranks at Newell's Old Boys in Rosario and also enjoyed two brief spells at Boca Juniors, but the ex-midfielder's most successful spell came in Chile. 

As a member of Jorge Sampaoli's Universidad de Chile side at the start of the last decade he lifted three Primera Division titles as well as the 2011 Copa Sudamericana title, starring along the likes of current Leverkusen star Charles Aranguiz, Chile international striker Eduardo Vargas and fellow Roja stalwarts Marcelo Diaz and Eugenio Mena, now at Argentina's Racing Club. 

The player's spell in Santiago, however, was not without incident, with ex-team-mate Gustavo Lorenzetti explaining that a close encounter with little green men once held him up for one of Sampaoli's sessions. 

"Guillermo says that he arrived late to one training because he was abducted by aliens," Lorenzetti revealed to Lado B. 

"He gave us the entire explanation of what he felt and the rest of it.

"There are cases where the player says: 'I left and I came back two days later because I was kidnapped by aliens'. But Guille is not that kind of player. Guille was a very proper guy. Everyone knows him." 

Marino continued to give a graphic account of his abduction, leaving his team-mates in no doubt that he was telling the truth. 

"He started to explain that he was suddenly lost and abducted by aliens," Lorenzetti continued. 

"He explained that they take out your soul, analyse it and all the while on the journey they are looking after you. He said something like that. 

"Honestly I believe in aliens. He gave a great explanation and we'll have to believe him. So other types of channels will have to call him so he can tell it better. But in any case: he was abducted by aliens. 

"I don't know if Guille would have told [Sampaoli] the same story, honestly. They must have had a chat afterwards. But knowing Guille, I think he must have believed him. What can you say? This is worthy of the Discovery Channel or something." 

Mustapha Yatabare scored the only goal as Sivasspor pipped Denizlispor 1-0 in Monday's Turkish Super Lig match but Ogenyi Onazi suffered an injury in the encounter.

Yatabare broke the deadlock just before the half-time, to take his league tally to 12 goals after 26 appearances so far this season.

The Mali international was in action for 70 minutes before he was replaced by Ivory Coast's Arouna Kone while Onazi was introduced just after the interval, but he could only manage 13 minutes of action before he was replaced due to injury by Cameroon's Marc Mbamba in the 59th minute.

The triumph moved Sivasspor to third in the Turkish top-flight standings with four points behind leaders Trabzonspor while Denizlispor dropped to 11th with 31 points after 27 matches.

Following his recovery from an Achilles tendon rupture that ruled him out of action for the most part of the 2018-19 season, Onazi joined the Roosters on a free transfer in January after struggling for playing time at Trabzonspor.

The Nigeria international has played eight matches so far this term, including his seven league appearances.

Meanwhile, Yatabare has proven to be Sivasspor's main threat in front of goal this season with his tally of 14 goals after 30 games across all competitions.

The France-born striker has played 32 matches for Mali, and he has scored five goals since his debut outing for the West African country in 2009.

The 34-year-old is joined by Mali goalkeeper and his compatriot Mamadou Samassa in Riza Calimbay's side as they aim for a European spot this season.

On the international scene, Onazi played for the Nigeria U17 and U20 teams at the 2009 Fifa U-`7 World Cup and 2011 Fifa U-10 World Cup before making his international debut for the Super Eagles in 2012.

The 27-year-old has made 52 appearances for the three-time African champions so far and he broke his duck during an international friendly game against Venezuela eight years ago in Florida.

On Sunday, Yatabare will be hoping to help Sivasspor maintain their fine form when they visit Konyaspor on June 21, however, Onazi will be looking to be available in time for Denizlispor's next league match against Besiktas on Saturday.

Julian Green has signed a new deal with Greuther Furth, the club announced on Monday.

The 2014 World Cup veteran's new deal sees the midfielder extend his contract by one season with the potential of adding another season on top of that down the line.

Green has been with Greuther Furth since joining the club on loan in 2017 from Stuttgart.

The former Bayern Munich attacker has gone on to make a total of 85 appearances for the 2. Bundesliga club, scoring 11 goals in the process.

According to SBI Soccer, the deal, which sees Green re-sign amid interest from several clubs in Europe and in MLS, includes a buyout clause.

"We have improved every year now and I want to do my part to ensure that we continue to pursue this development," Green said. "Working with the coaching team, the whole team and everyone in the club has been a lot of fun. I am convinced of the quality that is in our team."

Greuther Furth currently sit seventh in the 2. Bundesliga, with Green scoring four goals in 21 appearances this season.

The club sits nine points back off a promotion spot through 31 matches, with Green providing an assist in the team's recent 1-0 win over Nuremberg.

“Julian plays an important role in our planning and he should take on even more responsibility in our team in the coming season," said managing director Rachid Azzouzi.

"We are pleased that we were able to convince him of our path. This means that a large part of our group this year already has valid contracts for the coming season and we can continue on our path with a healthy level of continuity."

Added manager Stefan Leitl: “I am happy that Julian has extended because he is an important player in our system who has had a good season so far despite an injury break. 

"With his strong right foot, he can not only finish himself, but, as shown on Saturday, can also use his teammates well. We would, of course, like to see scenes like this in the future."

Green was a member of the U.S. men's national team's 2014 World Cup squad, famously scoring against Belgium in the team's final match that summer.

He has gone on to earn 15 total caps, scoring four goals, but has not made an appearance for the U.S. since 2017.

Olatunji Samuel Okuku believes resuming the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season is a sheer waste of time and feels cancelling the campaign might be a healthier option.

Numerous leagues across Africa including that of Nigeria were suspended following the outbreak of Covid-19 which claimed many lives as well as crippled numerous activities worldwide.

Football is gradually returning owing to the relaxation of lockdown restrictions across the globe. For instance, leagues in Spain, German, Portugal and Turkey have resumed while the Premier League will resume on Wednesday.

For the West African nation, no decision has been made despite receiving a letter from the Confederation of African Football (Caf) asking football associations to stipulate when and how their leagues will be determined.

Nevertheless, the Tripple 44 Academy CEO suggests ending the league will be the best verdict while advising the League Management Company and clubs to start thinking about next term.

“I don’t think the Nigeria Professional League should be allowed to resume, instead, we should focus on preparing for next season,” Okuku told Goal.

“The NPFL and Nigeria National League have got nothing to lose because our games are not live on television where we would have talked about TV rights.

“In addition, the majority of the teams are state-owned which means that players’ salaries are paid by the government plus incomes are not generated from gate fees.

“The LMC can choose some teams at random based on points and organise a mini-tournament for them where the country’s representatives in the Caf Champions League and Caf Confederation Cup will be decided.

“Then, they can rule that no club would go on relegation while teams will be promoted to the top-flight. And next season, there would be more numbers of relegated teams.

“To be frank, the fitness of Nigerian clubs will be really affected because they have not been training and playing together as a team – and resuming the league would mean we should be ready for several injuries – which will not be good for the image of the competition."

Unlike other leagues, especially in Europe where games are now played behind closed doors, Okuku believes that would be a tough standard to achieve in Nigeria.

“If we say the league should resume, we do not have the resources to keep the fans out of the stadium like in Europe,” he continued.

“Nigerian fans are so passionate about their teams and they would break lockdown rules to come and watch their darling clubs in action.

“However, if the league organisers want the league to continue then they consider playing the remaining games on neutral grounds to control excesses of home fans.

“Also, the players should be tested for Covid-19 as soon possible so that they can resume training in groups. But I’m unconvinced if the League Management company has the resources to do that.”