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Bruno Fernandes believes Manchester United can take their game to even greater heights when Premier League football resumes, with a spark having been found prior to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Portugal international midfielder helped to deliver that on the back of his January arrival from Sporting.

A winter addition at Old Trafford has quickly become a talismanic presence, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side looking more assured and consistent with Fernandes pulling the strings.

He could have even more assistance when top-flight action restarts from June 17, with fit-again Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford set to slot in alongside him.

That should help to carry the Red Devils towards their top-four target, with Fernandes confident that there is more to come from a team that still boasts plenty of potential to unlock.

“I am looking forward to starting again like we finished,” Fernandes told United’s official website.

“Maybe doing better than we did. I think it's very important and the first game for us is a good opportunity to look forward to doing very well to finish the season.”

United have been stuck on the sidelines, along with the rest of the sporting world, since the middle of March.

They will return to the field when taking in a trip to Tottenham on June 19, with Nemanja Matic another of those who is eager to get going.

He said: “I miss football and I miss the pressure before the game.

“It's going to be strange, playing without supporters, but we have to adapt. At least we can compete with other teams and, hopefully, can start well.”

United have been back in training for a couple of weeks, with initial social distancing rules having been relaxed to allow full contract and training games to be introduced.

“It's easy,” Matic added. 

“The new routine is to check our temperature every morning, wash our hands and keep our distance, as much as we can. But training is normal - we are now allowed contact training so it's more or less the same. There are just a few different things before the training.”

Fernandes added on the new world that professional footballers are having to get accustomed to: “The difference is just to arrive at different hours and not doing the same as we would in the past. The most important thing is to be training and we can be together at the training ground.”

Idrissa Gueye is giving little credence to talk of a move away from Paris Saint-Germain, where he has enjoyed a fine first season.

Gueye joined PSG from Everton in a €32 million (£29m/$30m) deal last summer and quickly established himself as a key man in the Ligue 1 giants' midfield.

However, the Senegal international has been linked with a transfer back to the Premier League with Wolves in recent days.

Gueye is not concerned by the speculation, citing previous reports of a Chelsea bid, as he insisted all was well at PSG.

"I'm used to these rumours. For each transfer window, it's like that for me," Gueye told Emedia.

"Even in January, six months after I arrived at PSG, I was already linked to Chelsea, so I'm used to it.

"Everything is going well for me at the club, and I am often in contact with the sporting director [Leonardo] and there was never any question of a departure. He never spoke to me about transfers or letting me go.

"So, to me, these are just rumours in the transfer market because there isn't much happening at the moment."

Gueye and PSG were awarded the Ligue 1 title after the season was curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but they are set to return to action later in the campaign for the Champions League quarter-finals.

The French outfit impressed as they rallied past Borussia Dortmund in the last 16, yet Gueye acknowledges a lack of match action could work against them now.

"Once we have resumed training, we must be ready to resume immediately and fight to go as far as possible, even if we are a little disadvantaged by the fact that the other leagues have resumed for some time," he added.

"They will have had a lot more competition than us, but if we try to turn that into our favour, that is to say not to ask questions, to say the others have started again and not us, we can turn that on our side.

"[PSG can] tell ourselves that we will arrive much fresher than the others because they will have played a lot of games, and that we will be fresher to put them in difficulty and win as many games as possible."

Luka Jovic has not fully embraced the idea of succeeding at Real Madrid, according to Predrag Mijatovic.

The Serb was one of the most prolific strikers in European football last season as he recorded 27 goals in 48 outings across all competitions for Eintracht Frankfurt.

Madrid were impressed enough to fork out a reported €70 million (£63m/$80m) on the 22-year-old last June, and big things were expected of the highly-rated forward upon his arrival at Santiago Bernabeu.

However, he has endured a nightmare first season in the Spanish capital, scoring just twice in 24 appearances while failing to earn a regular place in Zinedine Zidane's line-up ahead of Karim Benzema.

Madrid are already being tipped to cut their losses on Jovic ahead of the summer transfer window, with Arsenal reportedly among those ready to offer him a lifeline.

And Mijatovic believes that Jovic has failed to take the chance given to him by the Liga giants and that he's not given his all to be a success story at the club.

The Madrid legend told Cadena Ser radio show El Larguero: "I would like to speak about Jovic’s talent or his goals, but it’s not been possible.

"Jovic came to Madrid after an impressive campaign last year but I think he has missed a trick with Real Madrid.

"It looks like he hasn’t understood the principal idea - the idea of succeeding at Real Madrid."

Jovic made headlines for the wrong reasons again last month, after reporting for Madrid training with a fractured foot.

The Blancos were reportedly not aware of the former Frankfurt frontman's injury until he returned following the coronavirus-enforced break in the season, and he now looks likely to miss the club's remaining games.

Zidane's men will be back in action on Sunday when Eibar arrive at the Bernabeu, which will not be open to supporters due to the continued threat of Covid-19.

Madrid were two points behind reigning champions and arch-rivals Barcelona in the Liga standings when play was stopped in March, and cannot afford any slip-ups in their final 11 fixtures.

Reflecting on the return of La Liga, as well as the potential for a Champions League last-16 return meeting with Manchester City - with Madrid 2-1 down from the first leg - Mijatovic added: "I know from very good sources that Real Madrid players are very motivated.

"They want to finish [the season by] winning another title. All the players are convinced that they could make it happen again. In fact, many sources tell me that Real Madrid players are thinking about beating Manchester City."

Ten minutes after half-time in the opening game of the 2010 World Cup, Siphiwe Tshabalala crashed home a rocket to announce lift-off in the first Mundial to be hosted on the African continent.

Following a first half in which Mexico had had a goal ruled out for offside and tested Itumeleng Khune on multiple occasions, South Africa put together a move of real quality, culminating in Kagisho Digkacoi's delightful through ball which set Tshabalala away.

In two touches, he sculpted a moment he later described as the highlight of his career, coming as it did on the occasion of his 50th international appearance, in the opening game of not just a World Cup but the World Cup.

The finish itself was unerring, guided almost by fate's invisible hand toward the very top corner of the goal, far from the grasp of the flailing Oscar Perez. Then came the equally iconic celebration: four yellow shirts in a line, arms outstretched and then tucked in, pivoting to their left in a dance to the din of vuvuzela noise.

It was a moment so perfect, nothing could ruin it. Not the turgidity of the football that was to follow for the rest of the tournament, not the atrocious Jabulani ball that brought no one joy (aside perhaps Diego Forlan); not even perhaps the corniest bit of commentary Peter Drury will ever utter: "Goal for South Africa. Goal for all of Africa. Rejoice!"

Much of what the experienced commentator says in adorning the tapestry of football spectacle passes into folklore, and this was no different. However, it is difficult to escape a faintly patronizing air to the construction, unconscious though it may have been.

In what way exactly was Tshabalala's strike, gorgeous and true as it was, "for all of Africa"? Was the implication that an entire continent needed the validation of that goal?

Africa's first participation at the World Cup came in the secon edition, with Egypt in 1934, 76 years earlier.

A brace by Fawzi Abdulrahman in a 4-2 defeat to Hungary were the continent's first at a Mundial. Also, 2010 was not the first time an African side had scored the opening goal at a World Cup – that distinction is Cameroon's in 1990. 

So impressive as this one was, it certainly was not a first in any significant sense that justified such a tag.

Sure, South Africa hosting the World Cup was very much a win for the continent. Since Morocco first entered the running in 1994, African bids had been pipped time and again at the final hurdle.

Following the controversy that trailed the award of the 2006 tournament to Germany, Fifa announced a continental rotation, with Africa as the first beneficiary.

As such, when the rainbow nation won the right to host, there was certainly more than their own reputation and competence on the line. It was very much an 'African' World Cup in the eyes of the world, and so censure for any shortcomings would invariably spread around and taint future bids.

That, however, was an entirely separate matter from sporting merit, which is decided by events on the pitch.

There have been more meaningful goals to the African cause scored at World Cups: Maouhoub Ghazouani's goal in 1970 earned the first World Cup point for an African nation, Mokhtar Dhioub's a first win, Abderrazak Khairi's brace a first advance beyond the Group Stage, Roger Milla's a first participation in a quarter final.

Perhaps the biggest quantum leap for African interests at the World Cup came with an increase in slots from three to five in 1998 – that came via the combined efforts of the above, as well as Daniel Amokachi's howitzer in 1994 to secure knockout stage football for the third tournament running.

If ever there was a goal worth dubbing as serving the benefit of Africa as a whole, it would surely be one of the above.

Tshabalala's goal, well-taken as it was, worthy to set the ball rolling in any tournament in fact, was less a vindication of the continent than simply a true finish from the left boot of a player who has, as a result, become almost synonymous with the event. What it was, instead, was the highlight of a tournament that featured too few on the whole.

Tshabalala's goal was for the world.

Gael Clichy has explained his decision to leave Arsenal for Manchester City in 2011, with the Frenchman claiming that he felt forced out of Emirates Stadium by a change in philosophy.

The buccaneering left-back had spent eight years in north London when a decision was taken to make a fresh start.

He had formed part of the fabled ‘Invincibles’ squad during his debut campaign and was the last Premier League title winner to leave Arsenal as an iconic squad was broken up.

Arsene Wenger had to freshen up his ranks as key men departed, but a long-serving coach also started to move away from his efforts to bring in ready-made talent from abroad.

Arsenal sought to add more of a home-grown core to their ranks, with the likes of Clichy nudged towards the exits as part of that process.

The former France international told the Gunners’ official podcast of the reasons for him heading to Manchester after 264 appearances for the club: "I remember clearly at that time the club was trying to promote more British players.
 
"There was a group of four or five players, they were putting them out there, they wanted to build the team around them and I was getting to a point where, not the injuries, but where you feel that the club is saying they [don’t] want to keep you.
 
"I don't think they wanted me to leave but I didn't feel at the time that they wanted me to stay. I believe nowadays in football when you want a player to stay, you tell them you want them to stay and you make sure he stays.
 
"I didn't feel that at the time. I'm not the only one, if you look around at the other players who left at the time that I left they would probably tell you the same and I think overall the decision was good for everybody. It wasn't linked to my injury, it wasn't linked to anything but I could feel that the club was pushing towards something else.
 
"If you speak with my close friends, my family, there was a moment where I was dying to finish my career at Arsenal because I was loving every single moment of it. But at the same time seeing how it was going, seeing that for those last few years where we hadn't won anything, it was down to me as the player and I thought that maybe it was time to break the circle.
 
“They were trying to promote new players so I said to myself, 'You know what? Let's go and see something else.'"

Clichy saw his decision to join City justified by two further Premier League title successes and a couple of League Cup wins, with the 34-year-old now edging towards the end of his playing days at Turkish outfit Istanbul Basaksehir.

Former Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs striker Pollen Ndlanya has urged the Soweto giants to emulate Mamelodi Sundowns president Patrice Motsepe to fork out big money to sign players and develop the game.

‘Trompies’ believes the reigning Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions have the advantage to sign the likes of Thulani Hlatshwayo, Deon Hotto, and Sifiso Hlanti from Bidvest Wits.

He also expressed that the Students trio is experienced in international football and that will bode well with coach Pitso Mosimane’s ambition to lift his second Caf Champions League title.

“If you want to secure top-quality players, you must be prepared to pay big money, the players will be attracted,” Ndlanya told Isolezwe.

“I have so much respect for Patrice Motsepe because he has invested a lot of money in his club, which clearly shows he wants to develop our game and take it to the next level.

“Maybe the Soweto bosses [Dr. Irvin Khoza and Kaizer Motaung] must also do the same thing.”

Although media reports suggest that the Buccaneers, Masandawana, and Amakhosi are in a fierce battle for coach Gavin Hunt’s key players, the South African legend explains why the Chloorkop-based club has the advantage.

“The battle will always be between the three teams that are regarded as the biggest ones in South Africa,” he added.

“My opinion tells me that Sundowns have all the chances to sign a number of players from Bidvest Wits because they don’t have a problem with pumping in money.

“Besides that, Hlatshwayo, Hotto, and Hlanti are international players, and based on their experience with national teams, that will work well for Pitso because he wants to make history and win the Caf Champions League title.

“These players have the necessary experience in playing on the African continent.”

Ndlanya’s sentiments come after speculation the Bafana Bafana skipper, Hlatshwayo, and Hotto are close to securing deals with Sundowns whilst Hlanti has been reportedly linked with a move to coach Josef Zinnbauer’s side.

The continued speculation around the trio’s future was fueled by reports that Wits are in the process of selling their PSL status to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzihandila boss Masala Malaudzi ahead of next season.

Meanwhile, the latest information is that the big centre-back has reportedly indicated his desire to join Pirates as the 1995 African champions have always shown interest in the 30-year-old.

Bryan Dabo has claimed "it was easy to settle in" when be joined SPAL in January from Fiorentina on loan.

The 28-year old Burkina Faso International failed to make a single appearance for the Viola in the first half of the season before being shipped out during the winter transfer window.

His league debut ended in a 2-1 victory away at high-flying Atalanta, giving the assist for Mattia Valoti's 60th minute.

Dabo played the entire game likewise the next one at Bologna which ended in a 3-1 defeat.

He suffered thigh and muscle problems which forced him to miss games against Lecce and Parma and was an unused substitute against Juventus before lockdown measures halted football activities in March.

"I arrived [at SPAL] in a healthy group, and it was easy to settle in," Dabo said on the SPAL YouTube channel.

"[Mohamed Salim] Fares speaks French and has helped me a lot. I can't wait to start again, we want to save ourselves."

Dabo has spent two years in Italy, moving to Fiorentina from Saint-Etienne.

With the Viola, he has played 36 competitive games, scoring two goals and providing another two assists.

He sheds light on the difference between both Italian and French football and again stressed it wasn't difficult to adapt to the new environment.

"Italian football has given me a lot from a tactical point of view, in France it's all more physical, here you need your head," Dabo continued.

"In training the attitude is different, it wasn't difficult to adapt."

Serie A fixtures are set to resume on June 20 with SPAL hosting Cagliari three days later.

Dabo admits things will be difficult after a long time without action, but stressed on the need not to get slack.

Luigi Di Biagio's men are currently 19th on the table after 26 games, seven points away from safety.

"It will be difficult, since it will be hot. However, we want to do very well immediately, we have no time to lose," Dabo said.

"I am convinced of our strength and our quality and I expect to see a team that is difficult to beat. We must save ourselves at all costs."

Harambee Starlets who took part in the 2018 Cecafa Women's Senior Challenge Cup have reported Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to Rigena Human Rights Organisation for unpaid dues.

The Human Rights watchdog states they have received the complaints and will act on behalf of the said players as they demand allowances that are yet to be paid since 2018.

“It is derisive and/or absurdity and all particulars well within your knowledge as the federation completely erroneous and irregular with no legal backing ostensibly aimed only to prejudice the girls who are in need,” a letter in possession of Goal and signed by Thomson Kerongo, who is the organisation's chair, read in part.

“This has subjected more players to worrying situations.

“Our instructions and demands that you do an immediate payment of all the outstanding arrears of Cecafa 2018 of Harambee Starlets and forthwith stoppage of victimization of the aforesaid players unconditionally in the next 14 days.

“Unless we receive a positive response for onward transmission to the players, we shall petition in the Employment Court for redress in the interest of players without any reference to you whatsoever.”

The organisation further claimed the players have been subjected to harassment and their continued demand for payment saw them dropped from the national team for subsequent engagements.

“Information filtering to the public that Harambee Stars 2018 Cecafa players are undergoing mistreatment as some of the players are not in the current team," added the letter.

“The federation called up a new set of girls when the older girls went on a go-slow over unpaid allowances, sought redress at the time, and on several occasions over the past years, you shift the blame to the Ministry of Sports.

“Nobody appears to follow up for them and no one communicates to them upon several attempts to be paid their dues hence jeopardizing the innocent girls.

“With great concern, the civil society has realized and after investigating the matter it is so doleful the manner in which these players are handled with discourtesy and does not meet the threshold and is contrary to the new constitution of Kenya 2010.”

The 2018 Cecafa tournament was held in Rwanda and reports indicate Kenyan players still owe FKF KSh120,000 after they were paid only KSh15,000.

The development comes as FKF battles court cases involving elections, Adel Amrouche and Bobby Williamson.

There was no immediate response from FKF on the development as calls went unanswered.

The Federation of Uganda Football Association (Fufa) has set 17 October as a tentative date for the beginning of the 2020/21 Ugandan Premier League (UPL) season.

This was one of the agreements reached in a consultative meeting involving the Federation and top-tier clubs held on Thursday, June 10. Nine out of the invited 14 UPL clubs made it to the meeting chaired by Fufa President Moses Magogo.

Other deliberations include the release of Club Licensing Regulations set for June 22 with clubs given four days, June 23-26, to express their interest in taking part in the 2020/21 UPL campaign.

Clubs will apply for the licenses with supporting documentation from July 13-24; Fufa will, therefore, inspect clubs' facilities - office premises, stadiums and training grounds among other things. 

The final list of clubs who have met all the set standards will be released on September 17 by UPL Secretariat before the league kicks off a month later.

The following are all the deliberations made as published by the Fufa website.

The 2019/20 campaign was cancelled by Fufa owing to Covid-19, with Vipers SC crowned. 25 rounds had been played and the Venoms had managed to collect 54 points, four more than second-placed KCCA FC.

Marcus Rashford has “looked unstoppable at times this season”, says Luke Shaw, with the Manchester United forward in with every chance of winning the Ballon d'Or at some point in his career.

At just 22 years of age, a highly-rated frontman is approaching the end of a fifth season as part of the Red Devils’ first-team set-up.

Having been given his big break by Louis van Gaal in 2016, Rashford has now taken in 201 appearances for United and recorded 64 goals – including a personal-best return of 19 this term.

Injury had threatened to bring his 2019-20 campaign to a premature conclusion prior to the coronavirus outbreak, but he is now back to full fitness and ready to star for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when Premier League action resumes.

Shaw expects Rashford to remain an important figure for the Red Devils, with his impressive development keeping him on an upward trajectory.

“He’s improved greatly from when he first came on the scene, not just on the pitch, but off the pitch as well,” Shaw told United’s official website when asked by a supporter if Rashford can win the Ballon d'Or one day.

“He’s matured so much. He’s really turned into a man and I think everyone’s seen the way he’s conducted himself off the pitch; especially during this pandemic, he’s been unbelievable.

“He’s a massive example to everyone. He’s matured so much and a lot of credit for that goes to him and also to his family, who have kept him very grounded.”

United have always prided themselves on their production of home-grown talent, with Rashford another success story for their collection.

Shaw hopes many more will be inspired by the efforts of a modern-day star, with an England international having shown what can be achieved through a combination of ability and hard work.

“He’s a big inspiration for a lot of young people, especially the ones who are coming through from Manchester,” Shaw added on Rashford, who he works with at club and international level.

“In Marcus, they’ve got someone to look up to not just on the pitch but off it too, which is really nice to see. As a player, he’s improved so much but he always wants to learn, always wants to get better and, to me, he’s getting better every time I see him play.”

“He’s looked unstoppable at times this season and he’s looked so confident. I haven’t seen that in him before. He was always confident, but not to this level, and he’s matured so much.

“He knows he has the ability to be one of the best and he’s pushing himself all the time to maximise that. There’s no reason why, if he keeps going, keeps pushing himself, that he can’t win it (the Ballon d'Or) one day.”

Highlands Park forward Peter Shalulile has commented on his hefty price tag amidst reported interest from big PSL clubs.

The Lions of the North have put an R30 million price tag on the Namibia international, who has been one of the top performers this season.

His scoring exploits have reportedly attracted interest from Gauteng giants Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates ahead of the next transfer window.

Shalulile would become one of the most expensive footballers in the history of South African football if one of the Soweto giants agrees to meet the asking price for the versatile attacker.

However, the 27-year-old player, who is in his fifth season with Highlands Park, doesn’t understand the rationale behind the price tag.

“As a player, you feel valuable," Shalulile was quoted as saying on Daily Sun.

However, the former Tura Magic player knows the Tembisa-based club has his best interests at heart having established himself as one of their best players.

"I take it as a positive thing because I do not know why they are doing this and what their thinking is. But at the end of the day if you are positive, good things will come," he added.

Shalulile is in the race for this season's PSL Golden Boot award having netted 12 goals - two behind the leading goalscorer Frank 'Gabadinho' Mhango of Pirates.

However, the coronavirus pandemic has led to the indefinite suspension of the current season since mid-March 2020.

The Windhoek-born player will be hoping to beat Mhango and others to the award which is also known as the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot.

Shalulile has already won a Golden Boot award in South Africa, having done so during the 2017/18 campaign.

His 15 goals from 29 matches earned him the National First Division (NFD) top scorer accolade which he shared with Black Leopards hitman Mwape Musonda.

The Lions of the North managed to retain his services amidst reported interest from other clubs after he played a key role in helping the team gain promotion to the PSL from the NFD.

It remains to be seen how long Highlands Park will be able to keep hold of their most prized asset as he continues to shine in South African football.

Frank Lampard should "build a side" around Antonio Rudiger, according to Mario Melchiot, who has urged Chelsea to find a worthy "centre-back partner" for the German.

Rudiger has racked up 105 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea since completing a £29 million ($37m) move to Stamford Bridge from Roma in 2017.

Eighteen of those have come in 2019-20 but injuries issues have significantly limited his contribution, forcing Lampard to shuffle his pack.

Andreas Christensen, Kurt Zouma and Fikayo Tomori have all seen regular playing time in Rudiger's absence, but the Blues' have looked vulnerable at the back throughout their latest campaign, conceding 39 goals in their first 29 fixtures - more than any other top-six club.

Rudiger helped restore some defensive order after returning to full fitness before the coronavirus pandemic stopped play in March, and Melchiot would like to see his talents maximised when the Premier League restarts on June 17. 

The ex-Chelsea right-back has also advised Lampard to bring in someone to complement Rudiger in the heart of the defence, telling 888 Sport: "He has a good standing at Chelsea and I like him as a player.

"He’s doing really well. He is very strong and came back well from his injury when others had a chance to take his place.

"The next step now is to build a side around him but it’s important to find a centre-back partner who is not like him. They can’t play the same way.

"They have to find someone who has the ability to defend but doesn’t defend like him.

"The two guys in the middle of the park should never be identical. Both should be strong, sure, but maybe a guy who is on a different scale technically whereas Rudiger is a guy who says 'don’t mess around with me.'"

Chelsea currently occupy the final Champions League spot in the top-flight standings, but only hold a three-point lead over fifth-placed Manchester United with nine fixtures left to play.

Although Melchiot admits to being "a little worried" about the Blues missing out on a place in Europe's elite competition, he expects his old club to get the job done and finish the season strongly out of necessity.

“It was always going to be an exciting race and now it depends on how teams kick-off," the former Netherlands international added.

"I expect Chelsea to start again just as well as everybody else but it’s like at the beginning of a season when you see smaller teams who don’t have an advantage financially: they tend to start off well.

"So that is the only thing I’m a little bit worried about but away from that I don’t see Chelsea having a problem because the Champions League is a must.”

Manchester City have put a deal in place which will see highly-rated teenage goalkeeper Mikki van Sas join their academy ranks from Utrecht.

The 16-year-old is considered to be a hot prospect in his native Netherlands and was tied to a deal at his previous club through to 2022.

City have, however, moved to buy into Van Sas’ potential by luring him to England.

Those at the Etihad Stadium continue to build with one eye on the future and are scouring the globe for the very best young talent on the market.

A clear path to the first team has not always been cleared in Manchester, leading the likes of Jadon Sancho to head elsewhere, but opportunities will be given to those who prove deserving.

Van Sas will hope that his ongoing development results in him becoming a first-team star.

Utrecht believed that such progression could be made on their books, with the Dutch outfit disappointed to be parting with a home-grown talent they had high hopes for.

They are, however, reluctant to hold any player back and acknowledge that the opportunity to link up with a European heavyweight would have been too good for Van Sas to turn down.

Utrecht’s technical director, Jordy Zuidam, told the club’s official website when confirming a deal with City: “We say goodbye to Mikki with mixed feelings. 

“On the one hand, we regret that Mikki, an incredibly talented goalkeeper, leaves our academy. We would of course have liked to see Mikki shine in the Galgenwaard Stadium, which is what we train for.

“On the other hand, Mikki said that he really wanted to make this move and we also see his transfer to Manchester City as a compliment to our youth academy. This transition confirms the elevated level of the academy. 

“We have reached an agreement with Manchester City on the transfer terms and all parties are satisfied. We wish Mikki every success in England.”

City are in the process of making considerable changes to their academy ranks, with the appointment of new U18 and U23 coaches in the pipeline.

Van Sas will get the chance to work under those fresh faces next season, with only senior football being brought back onto the sporting calendar amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Arsenal “made a mistake” in appointing Unai Emery as manager, says Jens Lehmann, with a Spanish coach who spoke little English always destined to fail and waste the “big present” handed to him.

The Gunners found themselves in the market for a new head coach during the summer of 2018.

Club legend Arsene Wenger had taken the decision to walk away from a role in north London that he had occupied for 22 years – delivering three Premier League titles along the way.

Former Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain boss Emery was entrusted with the responsibility of guiding Arsenal into a new era.

He lasted just 18 months, with no spark found at Emirates Stadium during a period of confused messages and inconsistent performances.

Mikel Arteta was eventually taken back to familiar surroundings in December 2019, with a former club captain asked to get a fallen giant back on its feet.

That project remains a work in progress, with the general consensus being that there are no quick fixes to be found on the back of recent struggles.

Lehmann says Emery has to take his share of the blame for that, with the Gunners making the wrong choice when it came to appointing a man who knew little about the Premier League and was eager to sever ties with former players in his coaching team.

"I was there as an assistant coach two years ago but then Arsene has left and they have changed the whole managerial team and I think they made a mistake by choosing the wrong guys," Lehmann told Stadium Astro.

"The people at the top sometimes don't know what I know about football and they didn't experience how to win things. So it's not easy for them.

"I think he wanted to bring his own staff who couldn't even speak English.

"Then a guy like me, who was a player for them, I think he just didn't want us.

"I think it was a big present to him that he was picked as a manager for Arsenal because I think he was not good enough because he had this lingual problem.

"He may have some good ideas in Spanish but he never came across as being transferrable to English football."

Emery was given money to spend during his time at Emirates Stadium, but found little value in transfer dealings.

That contributed significantly to his demise, with Arsenal left languishing in mid-table – a long way short of the top four and Champions League qualification – when he was ushered through the exits.

Joseph Yobo describes late Shuaibu Amodu as Nigeria’s liberator during stormy times.

Wednesday marked the fourth year in the anniversary of Amodu’s passing at the age of 58 – which was at the time, three days after the death of Stephen Keshi.

The iconic coach was famed for rescuing the Super Eagles whenever they found themselves in an unwarranted state. With Nigeria’s 2002 World Cup qualification hopes in jeopardy, he pulled the country’s chestnut out of the fire after replacing axed Jo Bonfrere.

He qualified the country for the 2010 edition after a tortuous route to South Africa. Sadly, he never led the Super Eagles to both competitions as the Nigeria Football Federation hired new hands.

Quizzed on what he remembers the ex-Orlando Pirates’ manager for, Yobo sees Amodu as the country’s rescuer whenever they found themselves in precarious situations.

“He was Nigeria’s go-to when there was a problem. When the Super Eagles’ boat was rocky, the only person we could count on from the ministry down to the federation was Amodu and he comes to deliver,” the 39-year-old told Goal.

“On that note, he was Nigeria’s go-to who comes in to steady a rocky situation.

“That only happens with a man with experience, technical capacity and man-management skills to be able to do that.”

The former Everton and Norwich City defender also recounts how he handled the news about his death.

“I was devastated,” he continued. “You can’t quantify the pain that someone feels when you lose someone you are close to. The one of Amodu after losing Keshi was more hurtful.

“I was at my lowest point at that period because I hadn’t finished mourning Keshi. I cried like a baby because he was a father-figure to me.

“After I lost my dad, if there was anyone who would advise me about football and life, it was Amodu and a little bit of Augustine Eguavoen.”

Yobo caught the attention of national team selectors after an impressive outing at the 1999 Fifa U20 World Cup. Despite making his senior international cap at a very tender age, he soon formed a fulcrum in the star-studded squad at that time – and he attributes that to coach Amodu’s inspiration and trust in him.

“He saw me come through the Super Eagles rank since 2001 and was very fond of me,” the ex-Everton defender added.

“Before our World Cup qualifier against Tunisia in 2009 where we played 0-0, I was left in Nigeria alongside John Utaka and Daniel Amokachi for some unpredicted reasons.

“It was almost certain that we may miss that game, but Amodu called and said what he was seeing was not looking good and that I had to do everything possible to make that game.

“And he assured that even if he missed that team’s last training I was going to play. That was the kind of confidence he had in me.

“I think I also played my best football under him. Enroute to qualifying for South Africa 2010 World Cup in 2008, I scored Nigeria’s only goals in our 1-0 away triumphs over Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea – and that was because of how he inspired me. Basically, he gave me the biggest inspiration.”

After serving Nigeria for over 13 years, winning one Afcon title and garnering a record 101 caps, he signed out with a testimonial which the late coach played an active role in.

“2016 was my testimonial and after my press conference, a lot of things happened. I was meant to call him a few days and discuss with him his itinerary in terms of transport and accommodation but I was caught up in the whole thing that was happening and he understood,” narrated Yobo.

“I was shocked when I got to the event and met him in the dressing room and he said to me ‘don’t worry about the Nigerian team, I’m here to take care of them. Go and worry about your visitors.’

“After the event, he returned to Benin and we agreed to meet two weeks after. It was the week that we were supposed to meet that he passed away.”

Amodu led Nigeria to a third-place finish at Afcon 2002 and it is worthy of note that he coached BCC Lions, El Kanemi Warriors, Shooting Stars and Orlando Pirates.

Barcelona and Real Madrid are unlikely to appeal to Jurgen Klopp but an opportunity to return to his native Germany at Bayern Munich could lure a highly-rated coach away from Liverpool, says Steve McManaman.

Talk of a move to the Allianz Arena for one of the finest coaching brains in the business is nothing new.

Klopp has long been linked with a role at Bayern, with his exploits in the Bundesliga at Mainz and Borussia Dortmund having seen him register on the radar of a global superpower for some time.

Admissions have been made when it comes to filling a prominent post in Bavaria, with the chance to take the reins of a formidable outfit holding obvious appeal.

Klopp has, however, helped to place Liverpool in that bracket during his time at Anfield, with the 2019 Champions League winners fast closing in on a first Premier League title.

Conquering domestic, continental and world games while on Merseyside will leave a man tied to a contract through to 2024 with little more to achieve, with the remit he was handed in October 2015 well and truly delivered on.

McManaman believes that could see fresh challenges explored at some stage, although a switch to Spain on either side of a fierce Clasico divide is not expected to tempt Klopp away from his current post.

The former Liverpool and Real Madrid winger told the Daily Star: "I think he really adores Liverpool and the Premier League.

"But you could see him going back to Germany and managing Bayern Munich.

"The way that club is run - and the way German managers are treated there - you wouldn't rule it out. A few years ago it looked like Bayern were on their last legs.

"But now, along with the more experienced players, they've got a plethora of youngsters who are hungry.

"I'm not sure Klopp has any desire to manage Real Madrid or Barcelona and I don't see why he'd go to La Liga though.

"They don't have the aura that they did when Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were doing battle every week. There is also all the politics behind the scenes at Barca with the board and players.

"Real is a different scenario. They need to refresh their squad and they are bringing in young players like Vinicius Junior - but they aren't ready yet."

Klopp has offered no indication that he will cut short the long-term contract extension he agreed in December 2019, but managers of his ilk will forever be in demand and high standards will need to be maintained at Liverpool in order for him to stay put.

Liverpool's Andrew Robertson has been singled out for praise by Fabio Aurelio, who describes the full-back as a "complete player".

Robertson quickly emerged as a key player in Jurgen Klopp's line up after moving to Liverpool from Hull City for £8 million ($10m) in the summer of 2017.

The 26-year-old has racked up 119 appearances for the Reds in all competitions over the past two-and-a-half seasons, scoring three goals, while also proving himself as one of the most consistent performers in the Premier League .

The Scotland international has helped Liverpool win three trophies during that period, including a sixth European Cup, and more silverware looks set to arrive at Anfield when the current season resumes on June 17 .

The coronavirus outbreak delayed the Reds' march towards a first league title in 30 years, but football has been cleared to return later this month following an easing of lockdown restrictions across England.

Klopp's men will be crowned champions if they record just six points from their remaining nine fixtures, and Robertson will be looking to pick up from where he left off and finish the best individual campaign of his career to date with a bang.

Aurelio expects as much, and says that the former Hull star is as equally adept defensively as he is going forward, with England international Trent Alexander-Arnold complementing him perfectly on the opposite flank.

The former Liverpool winger told the club's official website : "He's kind of the complete player because physically he's well capable of going forward and going back he defends very well. 

"He's quick, so his one-v-one is good and defensively that's very important in the scheme Klopp plays. He goes forward very easily. 

"One thing that calls my attention is that he's always improving, he's not comfortable in his situation being first choice.

"You will see that in every game he plays as his last one, so that's courage. 

"The two full-backs of Liverpool right now are unbelievable. We can contest in any kind of way."

Liverpool will get back underway following a three-month hiatus with a huge Merseyside derby clash with Everton on June 21.

Reigning champions Manchester City are in action against Arsenal four days earlier, and a defeat would open the door for the Reds to secure the Premier League crown against their Merseyside rivals.

The persistent rumours of Thomas Partey leaving Atletico Madrid for Arsenal this summer have gained traction during European football’s suspension and gathered more momentum in the last fortnight.

Arguably Diego Simeone’s leading midfielder, the Ghanaian’s influence in the team has soared following Rodri’s sale to Manchester City last summer. Even though the two-time Ghana Player of the Year had been impressive since the 17/18 campaign, many observers appeared not to truly appreciate what he brought to the team.

That has changed this year, however, with Juventus, Liverpool and Manchester United all said to be monitoring the West African’s situation in Madrid.

Mikel Arteta’s side are supposedly frontrunners for the anchorman’s signature but negotiations among all parties aren’t expected to develop until the end of the ongoing season.

Notwithstanding, what are the potential consequences of the sought-after midfielder leaving the Wanda Metropolitano this summer?

From Atletico Madrid’s perspective, the accrued debt of £178m from moving to their new stadium – which isn’t due to be paid in full until 2028, per Sky Sports, – already has them in a slightly precarious position financially.

Throw in the astronomical transfer fee for Joao Felix last summer and the potential of not playing Champions League football next season (they are sixth in La Liga with 11 games remaining) in a pandemic-hit period and Partey moving at the end of the season seems more plausible.

For Arsenal, all they have to do in theory is meet the player’s release clause, believed to be £45m, in truth a bargain in today’s inflated market, pandemic or otherwise.

More important than the Gunners’ potential outlay could be the midfielder’s profile, which fits seamlessly into the possession-based style Arteta’s trying to return the north London club to after the loss of identity under Unai Emery.

Partey’s forward-thinking nature hugely helps Atletico’s build-up in more ways than one. His proficiency at passing effortlessly between the lines routinely sees him pick out more advanced players centrally and in the inside right or inside left channels.

He combines that with an underrated passing range which helps him play in his full-backs or widemen if central areas are congested.

What’s particularly impressive about the Ghanaian is his all-round excellence. While many in his position are either experts in build-up play or defensive astuteness alone, the 26-year-old combines both to a T, which means he can hold his own in the middle of the park.

He plays the second-highest passes per game for Simeone’s team (41.2) at an accuracy of 83 percent, the third-best in the side. With 3.2 accurate long balls per match, the midfielder sits third behind Mario Hermoso (3.7) and Stefan Savic (3.4), which is more than fourth-placed Felipe (2.3) and Saul Niguez in fifth (2.2).

Partey’s well-rounded nature is emphasised in how many tackles he also makes per game (2.1), joint-fourth in the team, and interceptions per game (1.4), where he ranks second.

10 yellow cards, four more than Saul in second, shows a player who doesn’t shy away from getting involved in the less flashy stuff on the pitch and the fact he wins 63 percent of his total duels bode well for Arsenal if he does join them.

None of Arteta’s midfielders are as successful as the Atletico man in their tussles: Dani Ceballos and Granit Xhaka win 48 and 49 percent respectively, while Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira win 54 and 58 percent respectively.

Unsurprisingly, given the Gunners’ insistence on possession football compared to Atleti, the Ghana star doesn’t rival the passing stats of the top passers at the Emirates. On the other hand, only Ainsley Maitland-Niles beats his tackle and interception numbers on a game-by-game basis.

Naturally, Partey’s passing figures will improve in an Arsenal side that prioritise keeping the ball, but his positional awareness and steel already make him a good fit for the team.

With David Luiz expected to depart this summer, Arteta will need someone else pulling the strings from deep in the absence of the eccentric Brazilian centre-back.

Given the tendency of one of the midfielders to drop in with the two central defenders when the north Londoners have the ball, the Krobo Odumase-born star’s willingness to receive the ball in tight spots suggests he won’t shy away from assuming Luiz’s current role as the team’s ‘first attacking midfielder’.

Interestingly, Partey’s 1.9 successful dribbles per match is significantly higher than his current teammates’ and bettered by only Nicolas Pepe’s 2.7 at Arsenal. However, while the Ivorian is successful 57 percent of the time he attempts to beat his man, the central midfielder has an 87 percent success rate, further highlighting his assuredness with the ball.

Indeed, the Atletico man is every manager’s dream in central midfield and it’s no surprise Arteta has earmarked him as his primary transfer target in the off-season.

Be that as it may, while the three-time Premier League champions will be beneficiaries of the Ghanaian’s presence in their team, there are doubts as to whether a move to the red half of north London is in his best interests.

Arsenal currently lie ninth in the table, are out of the Europa League and have missed out on Champions League qualification for three successive seasons. They run the risk of making that four on the spin if they finish outside the top four (or five if Manchester City lose their two-year European ban appeal at CAS).

With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s future also up in the air, Partey could potentially join a team significantly weaker than they currently are and not closer to competing for the top honours domestically and on the continent.

Admittedly, he would hugely improve the Gunners’ midfield, but their current transition and uncertainty surrounding their talisman beg the question if they’re the ideal destination club for him at 26 (he turns 27 in June).

The enormity of the job Arteta faces in taking Arsenal back where they truly belong is no mean feat, and the quickness of the process can’t be predicted.

While Partey would be the perfect fit for the 2019 Europa League finalists, it remains to be seen if the Emirates would be the in-demand midfielder’s best bet if the immediate goal is to claim titles.

The jury is certainly still out.

Nigeria striker Uchenna Kanu has admitted she was nervous when named in the country's final squad for the Women's World Cup last year.

The 22-year-old had represented Nigeria at the U17 and U20 Women's World Cup tournaments, before securing a scholarship to the United States of America, where she shot into prominence.

On her first campaign at the senior level, she starred in Nigeria's success at the Wafu Women's Cup, scoring 10 goals before earning her spot in the country's squad to the Women's World Cup.

In France, the forward featured in all four matches for the country to help them reach the Round of 16, and she revealed how she managed to cope with many expectations on the biggest stage.

"I wasn’t expecting to be on the team at the time. However, I was preparing for whatever comes," Kanu told Goal with LaLiga. 

"I believe I could be called at anytime, training hard and when I was called I said ‘Wow, that’s huge and that’s the biggest stage of my career’. 

"I was so proud of myself, so proud of how long I’ve come, like comparing to how I started, or where I am or how I got on the team. I was super excited and at the same time, I was nervous. 

"All the coaches and teammates were encouraging me, saying ‘Uche you got this’. So I got more nervous when they were saying that because there were expectations, coming from college to not just the national team but at senior level. 

"When I got there, it was easier because some of my teammates, I played with them before moving to the US, so it felt warm and was more comfortable, seeing those faces and catching up with my friends and it helped me to build my confidence more and get settled in and blend with the team. 

"Playing on the biggest [stage], it was amazing. I am really thankful that I was not on the team but also able to feature. It was huge. 

"It was a whole other level because I heard about the senior team, how tough, competitive it is and kind of the peak of it, but thank God everything went smoothly."

Since graduating from university last December, Kanu moved to launch her professional career after signing for Sevilla last January and has featured in six matches for Cristian Toro's ladies.

Having missed Nigeria's qualifier campaign for the Olympic Games, she is keen to make a return and solidify her place in the Super Falcons ahead of this year's Africa Women's Cup of Nations.

"My goal is to be able to bring life to the team," she continued. 

"I know there is a lot of fantastic players on the team, people who are not on the team yet. There are a lot of fantastic players in Nigeria. 

"My goal is to make that impact whenever I’m called up to the team and bring a change that whenever I’m not there people will ask about me and there is going to be that little shift. 

"I just want to make that impact on the team and help the team grow more both on and off the field."

Bleary eyed and squinting towards the bright sun light, the world is slowly stepping outside again, following the quarantine order imposed by many governments all over the world due to the now abating Covid-19 outbreak.

Football too has finally returned, albeit behind closed doors, with the Korean league and the German Bundesliga among the first of the world's top leagues to return, while closer to home, the Vietnamese league was allowed to resume with spectators in the stands. 

Strangely enough, although Malaysia, reportedly one of the best countries in the world in terms of coronavirus response, has been gradually allowing economic and everyday activities to return beginning in May, its government has seemed reluctant to do the same for professional football, and footballing activities in general.

Although there are indications that the Malaysia Super League and Malaysia Premier League may resume sooner than expected, the latest being the country's ministry of youth and sports' decision earlier this week to allow football training to take place once again, there was a time when no footballing activities whatsoever would be allowed to take place within the country's borders until the year ends.

Understandably, this reluctance has caused dissatisfaction among the footballing fraternity in the country, when economic activities that are seen to be more at risk of spreading the virus have already been allowed to operate again. In the meantime, fans too pointed out that the world's top leagues either have resumed, or will resume in the coming weeks.

While it is irksome, including to us in the sports media, that pro football is not allowed to resume yet in the country, it is not hard to see why it is not forthcoming.

Frankly speaking, unlike other countries' pro league and Malaysia's other economic sectors, Malaysia's top two tiers are probably not seen as an important economic sector in the country.

Unlike the service sector or restaurant industry which employ and serve millions of Malaysians, and provide revenue to the country in the form of taxes, from the economic stand point, Malaysian clubs employ relatively few people and serve a dwindling fanbase. It is easy to see why pro football is nowhere near the top the government's list when it was formulating its economic recovery plans.

While pro football in the country can perhaps be forgiven for not being a bigger economic contributor to the country, then surely the fact that almost all Malaysian pro clubs are actually a financial drain on Malaysian state governments has made the federal government even less eager to allow the league to be contested again soon.

It's no news that almost all of Malaysia Super League teams rely on state funding in order to compete in a league with among the highest wage structure on the subcontinent, while using other state resources for facilities such as training ground and stadium.

What is even worse is that a number of these clubs have even been embroiled in financial scandals big and small, from failure to settle stadium fees, to outright attempts to scam the revenue board by under-declaring players' wages and withholding social security contributions.

Let us just say that a more cynical administration would have made the pro football hiatus a more permanent one, in order to avoid haemorrhaging money that is now more urgently-needed elsewhere.

Having said that, Malaysian clubs should be thankful that the country's politicians are still unable to wean themselves off the highs of being seen on the podium alongside the winning team, and should expect the league to resume sometime in the next two months.

The return to normalcy post-Covid 19 has called for a new way of thinking and set of daily conducts referred to as 'the new normal', and Malaysian pro football too needs to embrace a new normal, one that calls for more self-sufficiency, if it wants to be taken more seriously.

And it must be stated that although it is desperate to return, the eagerness with which football administrators in Malaysia decided to terminate this year's youth competitions and third tier in the past week or so hinted towards cynicism and Malaysian football's tendency to take the easy way out.

READ - OPINION: Covid-19 crisis should prompt Malaysian league revolution