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Mikel Arteta has "got a lot of work to do" at Arsenal, but he's "going to be a top manager", according to Alan Smith.

Arteta was drafted in to succeed Unai Emery in the Emirates Stadium hot seat back in December after a successful three-year spell as Pep Guardiola's number two at Manchester City.

The Spaniard inherited a squad which had slipped to 10th in the Premier League standings following a disastrous start to the season, but quickly set about implementing his own unique philosophy while raising the confidence levels within the squad.

Results didn't pick up overnight, but Arsenal's former captain had begun to affect significant change before the campaign was suspended in March due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Gunners haven't lost a single Premier League game in 2020, and they picked up five wins from their last seven in all competitions - recording five clean sheets along the way.

Arteta's men are still eight points adrift of a place in the top four but there is still a chance they could snatch Champions League qualification if they can pick up from where they left off when the action resumes on June 17.

Smith had been encouraged by his old club's form since the turn of the year, and thinks their 38-year-old head coach is capable of bringing through the next generation of talent at the Emirates as his "long-term project" gathers pace.

“He has got a lot of work to do and a lot of wrongs to put right," the ex-Arsenal striker told Sky Sports.

“It’s not easy to take over mid-stream and you could see certain improvements, a little more steel to the side, better organisation when they lose the ball.

“They had a lot of draws and if - and it is a big if - they can turn those draws into wins they would be gunning for a Champions League spot.

“But it’s a long-term project and before that, you fancy he needs a few quid in the transfer market.

“But he is a coach who can improve the players that he has got. He has got this raft of youngsters coming through from the youth team and I think he will be keen to work with them. They’ve got that hunger and energy.

“With the break, he has players like Rob Holding [coming back] which is a bonus.

“I was a big advocate of Arteta getting the job because he is going to be a top manager and hopefully a top manager at Arsenal.”

Thierry Henry admits to having screamed at and argued with Arsene Wenger during his iconic spell at Arsenal, with the legendary French forward viewing a fellow countryman as a “father figure”.

A meteoric rise to prominence for Henry was enjoyed under the guidance of Wenger in north London.

The languid frontman was already a World Cup winner by the time he was snapped up by the Gunners, but his full potential had not been unlocked by Monaco or Juventus.

That is because he was often asked to fill a wide attacking role, with Arsenal the ones to transform him into a fearsome central striker.

Henry would leave English football for Barcelona in 2007 – briefly returning on loan in 2012 – as the Gunners’ all-time leading goalscorer and a two-time Premier League title winner.

Wenger was the man to get the best out of him, but a productive working relationship between two passionate Gallic characters did not always run smoothly.

Speaking as part of the A Fresh Perspective with Thierry Henry and Heineken campaign, an all-time great said of his former boss: “He was like a father figure for me. So, as you can imagine, with your dad, you argue, you scream, he punishes you. 

“Then, I want to show him the same relationship that you have with a dad: it’s complicated at times, sometimes it’s the best, sometimes we’re best friends, sometimes we’re worst enemies and we argue. 

“But that’s what happens when you love someone. Because you care, that’s why you argue. But I’ll tell you, there are two guys – since we’re mentioning Arsene. 

“Arsene triggered my brain, and every day, it was something about my brain, about asking myself the right questions. And then you have Pep [Guardiola], who tactically triggered my brain. 

“So those two guys had a massive impact on me, but I cannot, obviously, talk about my career without Arsene, because I think one of the most important things in the world, not only in sport, is to trigger the brain of someone, to stimulate the brain of someone every single day. 

“If not, it’s close to dying, if your brain is not functioning properly.”

Henry hit 226 goals in 369 appearances during his initial stint at Arsenal, with a further two efforts added to that record-setting tally after returning on loan from the New York Red Bulls.

He is forever immortalised outside Emirates Stadium in statue form and is currently looking to carve out another successful career in coaching with MLS side the Montreal Impact.

Reports of Manchester United entering into transfer talks with Bayern Munich midfielder Corentin Tolisso have been rubbished by the Frenchman’s agent.

The 25-year-old midfielder is said to have emerged as a top target for the Red Devils.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is reportedly looking to add further graft and guile to his engine room at Old Trafford , with Tolisso among those to fit the mould.

It was suggested that an approach from Manchester to Munich had already been made, with the potential availability of a France international sounded out.

Eric Castagnino has, however, been quick to refute claims that he has been in contact with the Premier League heavyweights.

He told Sky Deutschland when quizzed on the speculation: "I am not having any discussions with Manchester United.

“Corentin is currently injured and his return to the field is an absolute priority.”

Tolisso has not figured for Bayern since competitive football resumed amid the coronavirus pandemic.

His last outing came on March 3, when he was replaced late on in a 1-0 victory over Schalke.

Niggling knocks have restricted him to just 24 appearances in the current campaign, but Bayern think highly of him and have a long-term contract through to 2022 in place.

Transfer talk is building, though, and former United defender Rafael is among those who feel the Red Devils should be stepping up efforts to land Tolisso.

The Brazilian tweeted on the reports linking his former Lyon team-mate with a switch to the Theatre of Dreams: “One of the best midfielders I've played with. I think he will be perfect for Manchester United. Hope he goes there.”

Tolisso has offered no indication that he will be pushing for a move, with it his sole focus at present locked on returning to fitness and favour with Bayern.

He has said on his injury struggles : “I knew that I had to work hard to get back to the top level. I have to continue like this and find my true level before my injury. It depends only on me. I have to give myself a little time.

“With Bayern, I worked a lot too. I made good preparations. It's up to me to continue like this." 

Sven-Goran Eriksson wants more black coaches in football's top jobs and he sees no reason why former England defenders Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole cannot be in such roles.

With a greater focus on racial inequality across society following the death of George Floyd, attention has again shifted to the absence of black representation in football's managerial circles. Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling this week claimed there was "no representation of us in the coaching staffs".

Sterling suggested Campbell and Cole "haven't been given the right opportunities" as coaches, in contrast to Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard and Rangers boss Steven Gerrard.

Campbell is at Southend United having previously managed Macclesfield Town, while Cole last year took up a coaching role in Chelsea's academy. Eriksson coached both as England boss and says the pair are "very clever young men" who can become successful managers.

"Unfortunately, I have to say there are not so many black managers around the world and if you ask me why, I don't know, but it's a fact," Eriksson told Stats Perform News.

"You have [Clarence] Seedorf, who has been rather successful here and there, so there are [some]. I think you have a lot of South Americans, but probably it should be more.

"[Campbell and Cole] are two very clever young men, boys when I had them. Extremely good football players, of course, and the knowledge of football is second to none.

"They know their football and are good people. When they talk, you listen. So I can't see any reason why they shouldn't be good managers as well - coaches, managers, whatever."

Eriksson saw similar potential in Lampard and has been impressed by his early work at Chelsea, having been appointed last year following a successful season at Derby County.

"I think he's doing very well and already last season we saw what he could do, so I think it was a good choice of Chelsea to take him," Eriksson said. "I think he will be there for many, many years.

"He's doing a great job and he's coming from a football family. He was born with football - his father, his uncle, the whole family - so I'm not surprised. When I had him with England, you could see that he's a very clever man, clever football thinking, so it's not a surprise that he's become a good manager as well."

Nelson Semedo was not involved in Barcelona training on Thursday, with the Spanish league leaders explaining his absence was "as per protocol established by La Liga".

Barca revealed the right-back's omission from the session on Twitter just two days before their first fixture back after the season was suspended due to coronavirus, away at Real Mallorca.

The Blaugrana are two points clear of rivals Real Madrid at the top of La Liga ahead of the league's resumption on Thursday amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Semedo was kept out of training after reports emerged with pictures apparently showing the defender attending a birthday party and breaching social distancing measures. 

The right-back instead had to train on his own after reportedly going to the party with 19 other people.

Barcelona is still in Phase 2 of the de-escalation process in Spain, which allows only groups of up to 15 people to gather. The guests at the party were also not wearing face masks or observing social distancing.

Barcelona tweeted a picture from the team session, captioned: "Training session with available first team players. Nelson Semedo did not train as per protocol established by La Liga."

According to local station Catalunya Radio, Semedo will be tested for coronavirus today and be allowed back into team training tomorrow if he comes back negative, however it puts his position for the game against Mallorca in jeopardy.

The 26-year-old, who joined Barca from Benfica for £32 million in 2017, has been the team's first choice right back whenever fit this season, although a muscle injury has restricted him to only 21 appearances in La Liga during the 2019-20 season before coronavirus forced it to be postponed.

While Semedo could be missing, Lionel Messi will definitely be able to play after shaking off a minor muscle injury.

Team-mate Clement Lenglet told Mundo Deportivo of Messi's condition: “He is ready for what is to come. For players like Messi, Antoine [Griezmann], Busi [Sergio Busquets]… who play all the time - as well as with their national teams - and travel a lot, the lockdown was a good thing. They've been able to rest."

Thomas Muller has talked up a potential move to Bayern Munich for Kai Havertz, while ex-Bayer Leverkusen boss Reiner Calmund has expressed his belief that the midfielder will not be sold for less than €100 million (£90m/$113m).

Havertz has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence over the last couple of seasons, emerging as both a talismanic figure for Leverkusen and one of the most sought after talents in European football.

The 20-year-old has scored 15 goals in 38 appearances for Peter Bosz's side in 2019-20, while also contributing eight assists, and is now being touted for a step up to the elite stage.

Bayern, Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona and Juventus have all been linked with Havertz ahead of the summer transfer window, as his stock continues to rise with each passing game in the Bundesliga. Muller has witnessed the Leverkusen star's ability up close at international level, and would also like to link up with his "exceptional" compatriot at Allianz Arena.

The Bayern striker told Sky Germany: "In my last appointments for the national team, I always enjoyed training and playing with him [Havertz]. He is a very good player, if not the best player of his age group in Europe at the moment.

"His skills are exceptional. Of course, we always want the best players at Bayern."

Calmund, who enjoyed an 11-year spell in the Leverkusen dugout between 1988 and 1999, is confident that his old club will not be forced into letting Havertz go on the cheap, despite the financial impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

The 71-year-old also thinks the German playmaker is unlikely to join Barcelona due to the club's limited transfer budget, as he told RTL: "The transfer market will calm down a bit and the Leverkusen company has the idea of ​​collecting 100 million for him [Havertz]. The Leverkusen Trinity has decided that we won't sell him for a cheaper price.

"It will not be possible for the Catalans, they don't have enough coal. I know from decision-makers from Barcelona that they would like him, but that they would like to exchange a few players for him.

"These players have high salary requirements, Bayer Leverkusen will not take part."

Federation of Football Uganda Associations (Fufa) President Moses Magogo has stated the Federation usually engages the clubs on matters affecting them before making a decision. 

Fufa met with nine Ugandan Premier League (UPL) clubs on Wednesday, June 10 where important matters including the league restart and club licencing processes were discussed. However, five teams snubbed the consultative meeting stating it came on a short notice.

"To our understanding as Fufa, we delegated the responsibility to run the league to the UPL Board or Fufa Super League Limited (FSLL)," Magogo said in the aforementioned meeting as quoted by Fufa website.

"The delegated authority of the company called FSLL has shareholders – the clubs. We are all aware of how companies operate as Board of Directors as appointed by the clubs and have the mandate to represent them.  

"Fufa has continuously engaged the UPL Board for matters that probably concern the clubs. I have also been informed on a number of occasions that there are meetings that have been going on between the Board and the clubs. So, our interpretation as Fufa is that there has been consultation on a number of occasions."

The administrator promised improvement on matters the Federation failed to perform as expected including communication.

"In areas where we have not performed, we shall improve amicably," Magogo admitted.

"I am the head of the institution and I take full responsibility; we need to improve upon the communication between Fufa and the UPL Clubs. It is an area we have taken as positive criticism."

KCCA FC Vice-Chairman Aggrey Ashaba pointed improvement is needed out on the aforementioned issue and went on to challenge Fufa to include the clubs in planning and lobbying for funds from potential sponsors.

"There is a lack of proper communication between Fufa and UPL. We also need to listen to each other more. The inclusion of all stakeholders, especially clubs is key in the game.  

"We must have the data and analysis of previous licensing exercises so that it helps in the future. We also need to get the correct trend of compliance to see whether the shortfalls are in the areas of knowledge, skills or finance.

"If the shortfall is in finance, then the FA and clubs work to see how to support clubs.

"It is important to include the clubs in planning and lobbying for funding from Government and FIFA because the industry is just developing."

The 2020/21 UPL season will start on October 17.

Jean II Makoun is open to the idea of playing in Ligue 2 as he is currently a free agent since leaving Northern Cyprus side Merit AYSK.

The former Cameroon international has played for top-flight clubs throughout his career that include French clubs Lille, Lyon and Rennes as well as Premier League side Aston Villa and Olympiacos and Antalyaspor in neighbouring Greece and Turkey.

Makoun has been at Merit AYSK since 2018 however Northern Cyprus is not an internationally recognised country neither is its football league and national team.

At 37, he believes he can still keep going rather than retire.

"The Ligue 2 is a very good level. I am ready to come and try it out to be judged, like a young person just starting out," Makoun told L'Equipe.

"My goal is to replay. I do not tell myself that we must take me right away because I have evolved at the highest level before.

"I want to continue playing and bring my help and my experience to a club and its young players. I know the high level and I feel that I can still play and help.

"Everything is going well, I'm in good shape. I work to keep up. I am very serious, I pay attention to my lifestyle.

"It is not always obvious because I have not played this season since my departure from Northern Cyprus where I played at Merit Alsancak.

"I know that my age can challenge but I am serious and I really feel that I can still render services."

Makoun's longest spells in his career were at Lille and Lyon where he spent a combined 10 years, making a total of 313 appearances, scoring 26 goals and providing 18 assists.

His only piece of silverware till date is the Greek Super League title and Greek Cup with Olympiacos, both in 2012.

Makoun played for Cameroon between 2003 and 2014, earning 68 caps and scoring five goals.

He played at four Africa Cup of Nations (2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010) and also featured at the 2010 and 2014 World Cup in South Africa and Brazil respectively.

Erling Haaland is set to return to the Borussia Dortmund squad for Saturday's trip to Fortuna Dusseldorf, while Marco Reus is also back in training.

BVB have been without two of their attacking stars in recent weeks as they look to secure Champions League qualification in the Bundesliga.

Haaland, who has scored 10 goals in 11 Bundesliga games since joining the club in January, has been out of action since hobbling out of a 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich that all but ended second-placed Dortmund's title bid on May 26.

Reus, meanwhile, last played at the start of February as a thigh strain robbed Dortmund of their captain, who had been enjoying a fine individual campaign.

The 31-year-old had contributed 12 goals and seven assists to BVB's cause in 26 appearances across all competitions before sustaining the injury during a 3-2 defeat against Werder Bremen. 

The skipper is still not quite ready to feature again but has at least stepped up his recovery, while Haaland's knee problem is seemingly now behind him.

Head coach Lucien Favre told a news conference on Thursday: "[Haaland] has been training again since Wednesday and has been involved in everything. He looks very good.

"Otherwise, everyone else who was available last week is okay.

"Marco started training with the team this week. We're happy that he is training again and we all hope that he can play again as soon as possible.

"Unfortunately, I cannot give a more precise forecast yet. He will train again on Friday."

Dortmund have softened the blow of losing Haaland and Reus in recent weeks by turning in improved defensive showings.

Despite losing to Bayern last month, BVB have conceded just three goals in their past nine league matches - including a hard-fought 1-0 win over Hertha Berlin last time out.

Favre's men are now four points clear of third-placed RB Leipzig with four fixtures remaining, with Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen both three points further back in fourth and fifth.

"The defence is very important for success," Favre said ahead of the Fortuna game. "We have to find the right balance."

Dele Alli will miss Tottenham's first game back following the coronavirus-enforced break after being banned by the Football Association for a video posted online mocking an Asian man for supposedly having Covid-19.

In February, Alli posted a video on Snapchat from Heathrow Airport as he waited for a flight to Dubai while wearing a face mask, seemingly suggesting an Asian man in the terminal could be infected with the virus.

The midfielder turned the camera to the man and then to a bottle of hand sanitiser, adding the caption: “The virus gunna have to be faster than that to catch me”.

The England international will miss Spurs' Premier League clash with Manchester United, which is set to take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the evening of Friday, June 19.

The FA confirmed on Thursday that Alli has been fined, banned for one match, and will have to undergo a re-education course.

Their statement read: "Dele Alli has been suspended for one match with immediate effect, fined £50,000 and must undertake an education course following a breach of FA Rule E3. 

"The Tottenham Hotspur player denied that a social media post breached FA Rule E3(1), as it was insulting and/or improper and/or brought the game into disrepute, and constituted an “Aggravated Breach”, which is defined in FA Rule E3(2), as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to race and/or colour and/or ethnic origin and/or nationality.

"However, it was subsequently found proven by an independent Regulatory Commission."

The FA said they accepted that Alli had not meant to be racist, however the nature of the video meant it was inevitable that people would find it offensive, and that Alli had picked on the man to film him because of a racial stereotype.

They said: "It was not the FA’s case that Dele Alli was a racist. The FA’s case was that ‘without sufficient thought’, the player shared a video that depicted an ‘unacceptable racist stereotype’ in a misguided attempt at humour.

"He was selected, argued the FA for his appearance and not because there had been any coughing. That ‘targeting’ was said to be consistent with a racial stereotyping of persons of Asian appearance being connected with coronavirus."

In a statement on the Tottenham website, Alli apologised for the video - having previously said sorry after the initial backlash, via Chinese social media site Weibo - and said he was thankful that the FA had agreed that he had not been deliberately racist or offensive.

He said: "In response to the FA decision, I would like to apologise again for any offence caused by my behaviour. It was an extremely poorly judged joke about a virus that has now affected us more than we could ever have imagined.

"I’m grateful that the FA has confirmed that my actions were not intentionally racist because I despise racism of any kind. We all need to be mindful of the words and actions we use and how they can be perceived by others."

Alli was previously defended by his Tottenham manager, Jose Mourinho, who had said he felt the player had shown "humility" since being criticised for the video.

"I feel that [a ban] would be unnecessary, but in relation to these decisions, I am nobody," Mourinho said at a press conference in February.

"It is unnecessary because the player understands the naivety of the situation, the player is a good guy, the player even in the dressing room has a big Asian friend that he loves. He learned the lesson immediately with the embarrassment. I don’t feel we need more than that."

In a similar incident earlier this season, Manchester City winger Bernardo Silva was handed a one-game ban and a £50,000 fine for a tweet aimed at team-mate Benjamin Mendy.

Silva tweeted a photo of Mendy as a child alongside an old image from Spanish company 'Conguitos' that has been condemned for racist undertones, with the caption: "Guess who?"

Bidvest Wits defender Buhle Mkhwanazi has expressed his frustration on the fact there has been no communication from the Premier Soccer League (PSL) regarding the resumption of the 2019/20 season.

Mkhwanazi said he was looking forward to returning to training with his teammates last week after Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa announced that non-contact sports training and activities can resume on 1 June when lockdown level 3 started.

However, PSL clubs are still waiting for a go-ahead from the league and South African Football Association (Safa) on when they can resume training as a team.

The current PSL season was halted in March because of the coronavirus pandemic and it’s almost three months since the clubs stopped training.

“I just can't wait for us to know what's happening, because even now we're not sure on when we're going back, and already two months have passed," Mkhwanazi told South African Football Journalists'  Association (Safja).

"We're still waiting, we thought last week we would be back at training, [but] it's not like that. Even this week, no word has been said.

"So, we're still wondering what's going to happen. Hopefully, it will be solved very soon so that we can get back and try and do what we usually do, being out there and [competing].

"Obviously football is all about competing, whether it's at training or a match, we mostly miss that [competition], going one-on-one with players and doing all those things," he added.

"It's not an easy situation that we're in but I hope it will be better, and we're trying to be professional as much as possible."

While both the league’s governing body and Safa are confident of resuming the season, the ball remains in the hands of the government to ease lockdown regulations and allow competitive matches to take place even if it's behind closed doors like in Spain, Germany, Italy, and England.

Safa has maintained that no football should be played under current Level 3 of the lockdown which is expected to come to an end on June 30. 

However, it's unclear if the country's FA will endorse the PSL for the league to return under Level 2 lockdown.

Sergio Aguero is the most pivotal signing in Manchester City’s recent history and only a striker of Robert Lewandowski’s calibre could fill the Argentine’s boots when he moves on, says Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Those at the Etihad Stadium hope they will not be forced into the market for another frontman any time soon. Questions have, however, been asked of Aguero’s ongoing presence as the Blues face up to the threat of being stung with a two-year ban from European competition.

Ambitious performers, particularly those approaching the end of their careers, will be eager to ensure that they remain at the very highest level for as long as possible. That could lead to the likes of Aguero seeing their head turned, with plenty willing to offer fresh starts to proven performers.

Wright-Phillips admits that a South American frontman has become essential to City’s plans, with a man snapped up in 2011 and now the club’s all-time leading goalscorer considered to be the pick of the big-money deals pushed through by Sheikh Mansour’s regime in Manchester.

“Yes, I would definitely 100% have to say Serge,” former Blues winger Wright-Phillips told AmericanGambler. “Not many foreign players come in and hit the ground running as well as he has done, and consistently done it for eight or nine years.

“With injuries as well. He’s never really had a season without a few weeks out, he has been out through injuries and he still always races for the Golden Boot. He shows up in all the big games. I think that he is definitely the most pivotal man.”

Whether Aguero chooses to move on in the next transfer window or works towards the end of a contract that is due to expire in 2021, at some point a successor will be required by City.

They already have Brazil international Gabriel Jesus on their books, but Wright-Phillips believes a forward such as prolific Bayern Munich star Lewandowski would be required in order to ensure that there is no noticeable dip in the final third.

The ex-England international added: “I had this conversation with my mate to the other day, and we both thought ‘who can you actually sign to replace him?’. There are a lot of great strikers out there, but are they going to come in and do what he has done for the last 10 years?

“Gabriel Jesus knows how to play his role and how to score the goals, so at the moment he is the natural replacement, and he knows the City way - but for somebody to come in and fill those big shoes, it’s a lot of pressure. Maybe Lewandowski, but he is getting on now.”

Salzburg midfielder Majeed Ashimeru admits he is "getting used" to playing a deeper position for the club since resumption of football activities.

Football kicked off with the Bulls seeing off Austria Lustenau 5-0 in the Austrian Cup final, before bagging Bundesliga wins against Hartberg and Stum Graz which sent them top of the championship play-off log.

Ashimeru has featured for a total of 135 minutes since the resumption.

"It's a new role for me but usually when you play number 10 and 8, you can also play the number 6 position too," he told Joy Sports.

"It was difficult in the beginning but I am getting used to it because I spoke to the coach [Jesse Marsch] and he said he can see I like to hold the ball and can help in the number 6.

"He wants the team to keep the ball, and I love to keep the ball a lot so I am getting used to it, and I am not complaining because I am here to work and wherever he wants me to play I will play."

All football games in Austria will have to be played behind closed doors to limit the spread of coronavirus and so far Ashimeru says the experience is like training session.

"It feels like we are training but when you know the situation we are in, you will really appreciate playing behind closed doors," the 22-year old Ghanaian continued.

"I think we all know what the world is going through so it's nothing we have to complain about. We have to get used to playing behind closed doors and appreciate the situation.

"It feels like training though but we have to get used to it."

Ashimeru also recounts winning his first-ever title in the Austrian Cup final against his former employers where spent time on loan during the 2017-18 season. He got his name on the scoresheet, his third in all competitions this season.

"It was a crazy day because this was a team [Austria Lustenau] that when I first signed my contract, I went there on loan and they helped me a lot and years came by I had to play against them, It was a great feeling and a great moment," Ashimeru said.

"It was a final and a cup match so playing against your former club is great, and I got a goal to so it was really really a great moment for me and it is my first major trophy too."

Steven Gerrard has been warned that he will not come into contention for the manager's role at Liverpool any time soon, with John Barnes suggesting that another stepping-stone will be required after leaving Rangers.

A Reds legend is considered by many to be the ideal candidate to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Anfield whenever another coaching change is made.

The current boss on Merseyside has committed to a contract through to 2024, with Gerrard doing likewise at Ibrox. By then, it may be that he has offered enough in Scotland to convince Liverpool that he is ready to fill one of the most demanding roles in world football.

Barnes, though, is not convinced that Gerrard can take such a step straight out of Glasgow, with the ex-England captain urged to consider treading a similar path to former team-mate Frank Lampard – who ended up at Chelsea after cutting his teeth in the Championship with Derby.

“I’m sure Steven would see himself managing a club in England, as that is most likely a more attractive proposition than Rangers possibly,” Barnes told BonusCodeBets. “However, it may not be a Premier League club but a Championship club — and would that be as attractive as Rangers?

“I don’t know is the answer. Steven is the only one who can decide that. So I think he will stay where he is for the time being, but never say never.”

Gerrard is currently charged with the task of trying to knock Celtic off their perch in Scottish football, with Rangers having seen their Old Firm rivals handed a ninth successive crown in 2019-20.

Former Hoops boss Barnes added: “Steven has shown that he is a good manager and I believe he is where he should be.

“You shouldn’t expect Rangers to be insulted because they are not as good as Celtic.

“It has nothing to do with issues of managing Rangers.

“But at the end of the day Celtic are superior, which may be down to the financial differences of the two clubs and the strength of their players, and just now Rangers are behind, despite Steven being a good manager.”

Innocent Mutiso has revealed he regrets resigning as the Kenya Footballers Welfare Association (Kefwa) chairman. 

The body was established to fight for players' rights in the country and ensure they are treated right by their respective clubs. However, pressure by other interested parties in 2016 forced him out, with former Sofapaka captain James Situma succeeding him.

"I regret the moment I resigned as the chairman of Kefwa," the former Gor Mahia winger revealed to Goal on Thursday.

"It was the role I enjoyed because it gave me an opportunity to fight for players' rights. We managed to help several players who had been mistreated by their employers and their contracts terminated illegally. So I just feel by resigning, I let the players down."

Mutiso was one of the key players for the title-winning Mathare United side in 2008. The former Kenya international has also stated the impact the then-teammate Anthony Kimani -who is the current AFC Leopards coach, had on his career.

"Kimani's character on and off the pitch was something I wanted to emulate," the 33-year-old recalls.

"He was always determined to win and focused on the pitch; you could not hear of any disciplinary issues off-field either. Kimani was a role model.

"I also remember Jamal Mohamed and Titus Mulama; they were very intelligent on the ball and would pick me with a pass anywhere on the pitch. It was just for me to call for the ball and it would be delivered."

During his playing times, the winger played under several coaches in national and club levels. He has pointed toward the one he felt was the best.

"At any given time I will go for Francis Kimanzi, I learnt a lot from him. He is one of the most tactical coaches I know," Mutiso concluded.

The winger's football life was cut short by a knee injury sustained in 2014 when playing for Gor Mahia.

The forward never fully recovered from his niggling knee injury and struggled to get back to his best form. His last competitive game was with National Super League (NSL) side Nairobi City Stars a couple of seasons ago.

He briefly coached and played for Nairobi County team Imara Daima FC and is currently the Chapa Dimba ambassador where he mentors upcoming players.

Emile Smith Rowe is setting his sights on Mesut Ozil’s No.10 role at Arsenal, with the 19-year-old eager to follow the lead of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka by becoming a first-team regular.

An England U20 playmaker is considered to be one of the hottest prospects to have emerged from a famed academy system in north London.

Smith Rowe has taken in 12 senior appearances for Arsenal to date, recording three goals, but has also been forced to look for game time away from Emirates Stadium.

He currently finds himself out on loan at Championship side Huddersfield, with a short-term deal agreed with the Terriers in January.

Smith Rowe intends to make the most of any minutes he sees in the second tier, allowing him to go and compete with a World Cup-winning mentor for a prominent position in Arsenal’s side.

“I like to be versatile and I can also play in other positions. But I probably would say I do enjoy playing in the No. 10 position the most,” Smith Rowe told The National.

“At Arsenal, I look up to Mesut Ozil a lot.

“I watch him in training and the movement he has and the little touches he does. For me to train with him every day, I can’t think of anything better.”

Smith Rowe is also looking to take inspiration from a number of other iconic figures – some who boast strong ties to Arsenal and others who have starred elsewhere.

He said: “My dream was always to play for Arsenal.

“I used to watch Thierry Henry a lot. Dennis Bergkamp was definitely a player I always looked up to. We play in a similar position. Freddie Ljungberg was there and he is working at Arsenal now, helping all the young players.

“In that era when [Lionel] Messi, [Andres] Iniesta and Xavi were in the Barcelona team, I used to watch almost every game with my dad.

“Since Kevin de Bruyne joined [Manchester] City, I like to base my game around him. I look up to him so much. I just like the way he plays and everything he does.” 

With the perfect role models in place, Smith Rowe believes he is capable of emulating fellow teenagers Martinelli and Saka by cementing a spot in Mikel Arteta’s plans.

He said: “I am obviously happy for all the other boys but I definitely want to go back and play as well. I think it will be great if more young players play.”

On his immediate future, Smith Rowe added: “Nothing has been confirmed yet.

“The main thing is to finish the season with Huddersfield as strong and as well as I can and then go back to Arsenal in pre-season and we will see what happens.”

Cameroon's Michaela Abam and Nigeria's Uchenna Kanu believe the signing of more Africans will bring quality and title successes to clubs in the Spanish Primera Iberdrola in the coming years.

Spain is becoming the dominant force in European women's football in recent years, with Barcelona reaching the Champions League final last season and in the semi-final with Atletico Madrid.

Behind the rise, reigning African Women's Footballer of the Year Asisat Oshoala is a shining example as she made history, scoring the only goal in the Catalan's maiden European final in 2019.

Spain has become the new mecca for Africans since 2019 as it witnessed the influx of the continent's stars, with more than 20 plying their trade in at least 10 of the 16 Spanish top-flight clubs.

And the Cameroonian striker, who has scored three goals in 15 appearances since her arrival at Real Betis last summer, feels the entry of Africans will make the Iberdrola more competitive.

"I feel like it is definitely a league that will benefit from having African players," Abam told Goal with LaLiga. 

"They will bring a lot of different styles and sense to the game. They will also help teams grow and be successful in each step of the way. 

"I also believe bringing more African flavour and seasoning, will help the league become a little bit more tasteful."

On her part, the Nigeria international, who has played six matches since joining Sevilla from the USA in January, is backing many talents from the continent to establish themselves.

"It is a tough league and I feel the fellow Africans that I know are very tough," Kanu told Goal with LaLiga.

"They are ready to take up whatever challenge that comes their way. It will be a very great deal for Africans to be on the teams here in Spain and beyond."

Daniel Jinadu has signed his first professional contract, with English Premier League outfit West Ham United, a few days before his 18th birthday.

The goalkeeper made five appearances with the U18s in the 2019-20 season and has been rewarded for his consistency and diligence with his first professional deal.

Jinadu began his career at Chelsea before joining the Hammers in December 2017 and taking up a two-year scholarship in the summer of 2018.

He joins Keenan Appiah-Forson, Harrison Ashby, Sam Caiger, Dan Chesters, Will Greenidge and Joshua Okotcha in the list of seven West Ham United teenagers who put pen to paper.

Reacting to this development, academy manager Ricky Martin expressed his delight as he claimed the players deserved the contracts.

“This is a tremendous achievement. All our young players aspire to be offered a professional contract, and these players have all deservedly been rewarded for their efforts and development to date,” Martin told the club website.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Kevin Keen, Mark Phillips and Billy Lepine, the three coaches for the U18s who have worked with these players all season and given them all the support and guidance they’ve required.

“These players are still progressing, and fully deserve the opportunity to move into the next stage of their development with the U23 squad. They have shown resilience, determination and dedication so far, so as long as they keep those traits up, they will give themselves every opportunity to progress further in the future.”

Jinadu revelled in his latest feat and claimed it was a dream come true.

“Dream come true and proud moment for me and my family signing my first professional contract at West Ham. The hard work continues! All the glory to God!” he wrote on Instagram.

He is expected to join his teammates at Chadwell Heath once training resumes after the coronavirus pandemic.

Having represented England at U15 and U16 level, the teenager switched allegiance to his country of birth at U17 level. He started in three games for the Golden Eaglets in their failed expedition at the 2019 Fifa U17 World Cup where Manu Garba’s boys crashed out in the round of 16 to the Netherlands.

Mikel Arteta has revealed that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang called him to request a show of solidarity for the Black Lives Matter movement.

The Gunners squad warmed up for their behind-closed-doors friendly with Brentford on Wednesday wearing T-shirts in support of the widespread protests which have swept the world since the death of George Floyd in US police custody last month.

Teenage winger Bukayo Saka wore a shirt which stated: 'My skin is not a crime', while Kieran Tierney wore a T-shirt with the words: "I can't breathe”, the same words uttered by Floyd while he was being held on the floor by police before he died.

Hector Bellerin had the message: "I'm not black but I stand with you" on the front of his T-shirt.

After finishing the warm up ahead of Wednesday’s game, all of the players and Arteta then took a knee on the Emirates pitch for a picture.

And speaking to Sky Sports, Arsenal’s head coach said Aubameyang rang him in the build-up to the match to ask if he and his team-mates could do something to show their support for Black Lives Matters.

“The thing that I like most is that it came from them,” revealed Arteta. “I got a phone call from the captain asking to do that.

“I spoke with the club straight away and we were very clear that we wanted to support their intentions, everyone collaborated, we created the shirt. 

“It was a really strong message and it is more powerful because it comes from them. They think they have to support these types of causes.”

Arsenal, who restart their Premier League campaign with a game at Manchester City on Wednesday, went on to lose the friendly against Championship side Brentford 3-2.

The Gunners were twice ahead through goals from Joe Willock and Alexandre Lacazette, but slack defending saw them concede twice in the final 20 minutes as they slipped to a 3-2 defeat.

The loss followed on from a 6-0 win against Charlton Athletic on Saturday.

“We are trying different things,” Arteta explained. “We are trying to give minutes in the legs to all the players. 

“We have had to change a lot of players through the games. We are getting adapted to playing in an empty stadium as well and losing that energy from the fans. 

“It was good, we played two friendlies and we are getting the rhythm, we haven't played for a while. We tried to make it as close as possible to a real game.”

AFC Leopards midfielder Musa Saad has revealed Victor Wanyama is his role model as he hopes to move to Spain in future.

Saad has been at AFC Leopards for the last one and half years and is one of the players tipped to help the club return to their glory days.

Having played for Nairobi Stima and Thika United, the attacking midfielder says Wanyama, former Harambee Stars duo; Zablon Otieno and Ali Breki have been his inspiration.

“[Victor] Wanyama is my role model; how he plays and his discipline are virtues that I have come to love from our national captain. Whatever he is doing, I will do them in future, that is my hope,” Saad told the clubs Online TV.

“I think his legacy will live on and I will achieve the same with God's guidance.

“[Zablon] Otieno inspired me too when I was young and also [Ali] Breki is another who I was happy with when I watched.

“My grandfather also gave me the support I wanted.”

The attacking midfielder also revealed his ambition to play in Spain when his time with AFC Leopards lapses. 

“I would love to join a European team, a club that pays better when I get done with my AFC Leopards contract,” added Saad.

“And if a chance to join a La Liga team comes up, I think I would have achieved my dream because that is my best competition.”

The Kibera-born star also talked about how his involvement in football has helped him avoid engagement in bad habits.

“Football has impacted my life in many ways and has helped me to avoid so many things that might have not been good in society. Were it not for football I would not have reached where I am and I am thankful to God for that,” said the attacking midfielder.

The former Thika United star says setting up an academy is his priority in future.

“A football career is always very short. Although my focus now is on football, I have got small businesses here and there,” he explained.

“But when I will finally retire, I would want to start an academy because there are a lot of children in my locality who have no ground to nurture their talents and do not have the necessary training pieces of equipment.

“Many people around here do not have anyone to look up to for support, especially on matters football. That is my dream after hanging my boots eventually.”

Saad also pointed out how the upcoming footballers should try and grow their talent so as to achieve their dreams.

“Let no one believe there is luck in football because talent has to be nurtured. One must be humble, focused and work hard in chasing their dreams,” he concluded.

“Place your eyes on the big prize, lay down targets that you would want to achieve and, in that way, one is assured of going places as he wishes.”

Saad has been training at home since the league was suspended and subsequently cancelled due to the coronavirus restrictions.