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Simba SC have completed the signing of Ibrahim Ame from Mainland Premier League rivals Coastal Union.

Ame has signed a three-year deal from Coastal Union of Tanga. He is signing for the club which is expected to fight for starting places with Pascal Wawa, Erasto Nyoni and Kennedy Juma who were in perfect form in the season that saw Wekundu wa Msimbazi sweep three titles.

Apart from Wawa, Nyoni and Juma, the Tanzanian star will have to edge competition from his fellow new signing Joash Onyango of Kenya.

Onyango was an undisputed number one choice for coaches who have worked with him at Gor Mahia since 2018 and that means Ame will need to work extra hard if he has to establish himself as one of the first team choices for coach Sven Vandenbroeck.

“He is a complete defender, and unfortunately, many people might not know him but the technical bench asked the club officials to sign him,” Simba said as they announced Ame as their sixth signing of the ongoing transfer window.

“Do you know why the technical bench desired to sign him? He is a fighter, good in aerial balls as well as ground balls and has the best quality of a defender.

“He is courageous and that is a trait a good defender must possess. Welcome, Ame to the champions of the country. You have chosen the best place where you are guaranteed monthly salaries and of course, trophies.”

Ame and Bakari Mwamnyeto, who have signed for Simba’s rivals Yanga SC, were key for Coastal Union’s 2019/20 campaign where they finished seventh.

The Mwamnyeto-Ame partnership enabled the Tanga club to concede 30 goals; a fifth-best record after the ones registered by eventual champions Simba, Azam FC, Yanga and Biashara United.

‪Simba have already signed David Kameta from relegated Lipuli FC and is expected to vie for positions against Shomari Kapombe and Haruna Ramadhan Shamte.

Bernard Morrison, who handed Yanga a 1-0 win against the Wekundu wa Msimbazi on March 8 in a league tie via a sublime free-kick, has already been signed although the move remains a contested one.

Larry Bwalya from Zambian Super League side Power Dynamos and Charles Ilamfia from Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC FC) are the other new players at the Msimbazi street-based club.

Blaise Matuidi has revealed that David Beckham was one of the main reasons why he elected to leave Juventus for Inter Miami.

The 2018 World Cup winner reached an agreement to end his stay in Italy a year early after the Serie A champions lost out in the Champions League to Lyon, with the MLS outfit, who have lost all of their competitive fixtures this season, his choice of destination.

He has revealed talks have been ongoing for months, with Beckham particularly eager to link up with a man he once played with at Paris Saint-Germain.

“The first contact was in December,” Matuidi told L’Equipe. “A relation of David called me to ask if I was interested. At the time, I told myself it was too early in my career. The Euros were to come and the Covid problems didn’t exist. For me, it was clear I’d stay at Juventus.

“They came back to me in June saying they were still very interested. David really wanted me to be the first Frenchman to wear his franchise colours.

“Things had changed. Confinement made me realise how much I had to think about my family. I already knew they were the dearest thing to me, but after being in lockdown with them for two months, the link became even stronger.

“I told myself I really needed to take advantage of my children, to think of them first, even if they enjoyed being in Italy. I looked back, retraced my career path and though: ‘What do you want to go looking for?’”

Matuidi has revealed that he has also had talks with Beckham himself.

“He told me he’s very happy with my signing and that he’ll be there to help me,” Matuidi said. “It will be an honour to play for his club. David is an exemplary role model on and off the pitch. That’s the path I want to follow.”

Meanwhile, moving to MLS does not mean the end of his France career, at least according to Matuidi.

“I’m aware that by going to MLS, it complicates my access to the France team,” he admitted. “It made me think. I’ve been in it for 10 years, I’ve got 84 caps – and that’s not nothing. 

“I don’t close the door but I’m a realist too. I know that young players will arrive and show they have the qualities to be important. But I’ve not said my last word either, I remain available.”

Meanwhile, Matuidi is backing PSG to win the Champions League. “Since Juve were eliminated, I’ve been a staunch supporter of PSG,” he said of the club with who he spent eight seasons. “I want them to go all the way, but it’s true that the Bayern that beat Barcelona is scary.”

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has admitted that he was surprised by the side's muted celebrations in the wake of their Champions League demolition of Barcelona, but the former forward hailed their collective focus as they hunt European glory.

The Bundesliga champions dismantled their opponents from La Liga in brilliant and brutal fashion on Friday, inflicting an 8-2 defeat upon Lionel Messi and co to secure their semi-final berth in emphatic fashion.

The result set a new record for the most goals in a singular Champions League quarter-final tie, exceeding that of Manchester United's seven-goal haul against Roma in 2007, but post-match, Rummenigge has revealed that Hansi Flick's squad were not getting ahead of themselves.

"I went to the locker room after the game and I was expecting the guys to be celebrating this great victory," the former West Germany star told Sky Sports Italia. "But I saw them there, very calm and focused instead, [and] ready for the next game."

Bayern's evisceration of an aging Barca side was just the latest demonstration of their talents, with the club having won every match across all competitions they have played in since they resumed action in May amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Rummenigge feels that the enforced lay-off only served to fire up the squad's desire more than ever, saying: "They continued training at home when that was not possible on the pitch. When the Bundesliga and the Champions League restarted, they showed that they want to play football."

The 64-year-old also took his time to praise a number of key figures at the club in helping to mastermind their pursuit of a potential treble, following Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal success, citing Flick - who succeeded Niko Kovac on a then-interim basis in November - as well as players Alphonso Davies and Ivan Perisic for their contributions.

"Hansi Flick changed our season," Rummenigge noted. "I have to admit that even we are surprised at how well he did it.

"Alphonso Davies has an incredible pace and a great will to learn. He was bought as a left winger and is now a left-back - and as that, he is indispensable for the team today."

Perisic represents a curious case for Bayern, with the Inter loanee having extended his stay - and taken a pay cut in the process - in order to help the team complete their European quest, for which Rummenigge has professed his gratitude, while suggesting that the Croatian may yet have a future beyond his short-term stay.

He said: "As for Perisic, he may not do spectacular things, but he scores goals and gets assists. We really appreciate the fact that he's stayed until the end of the Champions League season even though we had to cut their salaries. He hasn't made a final decision yet [regarding his future] but both I and Flick like him a lot."

Bayern will next be in action on Wednesday as they look to secure a place in the final in Lisbon, when they face Ligue 1 outfit Lyon following their shock victory over Manchester City on Saturday.

Former Chelsea player Salomon Kalou ha stated he would try to convince his Ivory Coast teammate and former Arsenal player Gervinho in joining Brazilian outfit Botafogo.

Kalou joined the Rio de Janeiro side after his contract with Bundesliga outfit Hertha Berlin had expired. He had been with the German capital team since 2014 and scored 53 goals, providing 16 assists in 173 competitive appearances.

Kalou was officially unveiled by Botafogo on Saturday with the Brazilian Serie A finally kicking off after football in South America’s largest country had been suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Gervinho is currently on the books of Italian Serie A side, Parma.

“I believe that by bringing certain players, you can attract others to have an interest in the club. I think Botafogo is in the right direction and this will attract more players, foreign players, and I hope to help Gervinho come, who knows, next year, why not? It's a possibility he plays at the club and I will advise him to do it too.” Kalou told FogaoNET.

Prior to the announcement of Kalou’s capture, the 35-year-old had joked in a tweet that he had landed in Gervinho’s second country as his nickname is synonymous with Brazilians.

“My brother Gervinho, I am in front of you in our second country. The Elephants of the Ivory Coast know Gervinho-Kalhuno,” he captioned.

Kalou believes he is fit and can still play an important role at the age of 35 when most footballers would be thinking of retiring.

“I think age is just a number. I feel fit, I feel young and I have had no injuries in my career,” he continued.

“I prepare well mentally and physically every day. I believe that playing in Brazil is a good opportunity for me

“My motivation is to play football, good football. Or as they say in Brazil: play nice! I try to play with joy, in a big club, with a big crowd. And I really hope that we can do something together. My goal is to play at Botafogo.”

Kalou also cited former AC Milan midfielder and Cameroon manager Clarence Seedorf as a reason for joining Botafogo. The ex-Netherlands international wrapped up his playing career with the Fogao in 2013, playing 59 times, scoring 17 goals and providing 14 assists.

“Botafogo is one of the biggest clubs in Brazil. Clarence Seedorf played at the club. I've played in the Netherlands and I know a lot about Seedorf. He's a big influence for young players,” Kalou said.

“Knowing that Seedorf already played for Botafogo was a motivation when the club showed interest in me. Clarence Seedorf played at Botafogo for two seasons and had an excellent pass.”

Tanzania Mainland League champions Simba SC have completed the signing of striker Chris Mugalu.

Wekundu wa Msimbazi have been desperate in bolstering their attacking department to be effective in the continental assignments. The move has been confirmed on the team's official social media.

"Our scouts and technical bench including our colleagues from Zambia and Congo have come to an agreement that for Simba to be competitive in the Caf Champions League they have to sign a quality striker like Chris Mugalu," Simba posted on their Facebook page.

"[Milutin Sredojevic] who is Zambia head coach has also expressed satisfaction by the signing of the player, and he is confident the team will have a say in the continent."

The East Africa team has revealed the qualities the former Lusaka Dynamos player possesses.

"He is a top striker in Africa, a fighter in and outside the 18-yard area. By his signing, you will understand our focus.

"With [John] Bocco, [Meddie] Kagere and Mugalu, we have no challenge domestically."  

Last season, Simba were eliminated from Africa's elite competition in the early stages, and this time around they want to get into the latter stages of the competition.

The 21-time league champions managed to secure the services Ibrahim Ame from another top-tier side Coastal Union.

Ame has signed a three-year deal from Coastal Union of Tanga. He is signing for the club which is expected to fight for starting places with Pascal Wawa, Erasto Nyoni and Kennedy Juma who were in perfect form in the season that saw Wekundu wa Msimbazi sweep three titles.

Apart from Wawa, Nyoni, and Juma, the Tanzanian star will have to edge competition from his fellow new signing Joash Onyango of Kenya.

Onyango was an undisputed number one choice for coaches who have worked with him at Gor Mahia since 2018 and that means Ame will need to work extra hard if he has to establish himself as one of the first team choices for coach Sven Vandenbroeck.

"He is a complete defender, and unfortunately, many people might not know him but the technical bench asked the club officials to sign him," Simba said as they announced Ame as their sixth signing of the ongoing transfer window.

"Do you know why the technical bench desired to sign him? He is a fighter, good in aerial balls as well as ground balls and has the best quality of a defender.

"He is courageous and that is a trait a good defender must possess. Welcome, Ame to the champions of the country. You have chosen the best place where you are guaranteed monthly salaries and of course, trophies."

Simba SC fans can now breathe a sigh of relief after their coach landed back in Dar es Salaam ahead of the new Mainland Premier League campaign.

The Belgian coach, who guided the Wekundu wa Msimbazi to two titles – the league and FA Cup – had cast doubt over his future after the final game of the season when he said he was not sure whether he will be in charge of the giants for the new season.

“I don't know with me or without me,” Vandenbroeck answered reporters when asked whether he will be with the team for the campaign or not.

“There is no meaning, everyone reads newspapers, everyone listens to rumours even me, so we will see what happens. I will go on holiday in two days with a big smile with whatever happens.”

Vandenbroeck then went further to explain the need to ensure the team is united ahead of the next campaign.

“But there is one big challenge, you cannot talk about the Champions League [first],” Vandenbroeck added during the interview conducted after beating Namungo FC 2-1 to win the domestic cup. “We first have tours to play. 

“I think the first big challenge is to unify everyone in the club. To unify for the one and the same challenge that is to make this team better. If you can do that, you will succeed, if you don't succeed as a club, to unify everyone, it is going to be difficult.”

The doubts are now over after the 40-year-old tactician was pictured on Sunday arriving at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam where he was received by Simba chairman Mohammed Dewji.

Dewji then went to his social media pages to welcome the coach by stating: “Iron is back! Welcome back, coach! The battle starts now.”

The Belgian took over from countryman Patrick Aussems who was fired late in 2019 after falling out with the club's management.

Simba have actively been involved in the transfer market as they target to do well in the Caf Champions League where they will be taking part for the third season in a row.

Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer says he is not thinking about playing in Caf inter-club competitions next season, but is simply focusing on the “most important” task of winning their next games.

Pirates, who are 10 points behind log leaders Kaizer Chiefs, could earn a Caf Champions League berth if they finish the season in position two.

But they face a stern challenge for that spot from second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns who have played two games less and are four points better than the Buccaneers.

Having been eliminated from the Nedbank Cup, there is still an opportunity for Caf Confederation Cup football for Zinnbauer and his men if they finish in third position, but SuperSport United, Bidvest Wits or Maritzburg United can stop them.

“We don’t speak about next season,” Zinnbauer told the media.

“What we do now is we have a game in every two days and the last two games two points [earned] and not enough. We can speak about the next game and the next game we want three points. That is 100 percent sure what we want and we work on it, then we have to see what will come.

“But you see Wits have less games like us...We don’t speak about the next season. We do what we can. What is most important for me is three points in the next game.”

The last time Pirates participated in Africa was during the 2018/2019 season when they reached the group stages of the Caf Champions League under Milutin Sredojevic.

Now with Zinnbauer in charge, their return to continental club competitions could be complicated as they have failed to win their two league games since the Premier Soccer League (PSL) season restarted.

The 0-0 draws against Sundowns and Wits marked their return to football but saw Bucs extending their winless run to four league matches.

Having also failed to score in their last four games, Zinnbauer would be hoping that his team now makes the most of their five remaining matches, starting against relegation-threatened Baroka on Tuesday.

Arsenal managing director Vinai Venkatesham has admitted that he is "impatient" for the club to compete for trophies at home and abroad after he succeeded Raul Sanllehi as head of football at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners have streamlined their operations amid the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in a reshuffle from top to bottom that saw former Barcelona director Sanllehi the latest non-playing face to leave in the wake of the news that 55 staff would be let go.

His previous role has been absorbed by Venkatesham, whom the club confirmed would lead them off the field going forward as they look to build on Mikel Arteta's first campaign in charge in north London.

The Spaniard saw success in his maiden term at the helm with an FA Cup triumph over rivals Chelsea, but there has been little escaping the fact that without that win at Wembley, Arsenal would be preparing for a season without European football after finishing eighth in the Premier League.

Now, with a Europa League group stage berth confirmed, Venkatesham has turned his attention towards restoring his club's status as a powerhouse of the English game, pledging to match the dreams of supporters who long for a return to the glory days experienced under Arsene Wenger.

"We are fortunate to be followed all around the world by hundreds of millions of passionate fans and we have an extraordinary history of success," he told the club's official website. 

"Our fans expect and our fans demand that this football club wins trophies and is at the top of the game both here in England, but also in Europe.

"What fuels me is delivering on the expectations and delivering in regard to what our fans demand of us."

Venkatesham acknowledged that the club's 2019-20 campaign was broadly a mixed bag despite their FA Cup result, but feels that they are now firmly on the right path.

"We started last season full of expectations, we looked forward and we looked upwards and unfortunately it's not worked out in the way that we wanted it to," he added.

"We obviously changed coach in the middle of the season, which obviously was not part of the plan, and then we've had the coronavirus hit us and hit everybody this spring.

"But despite all of the challenges this season has thrown at us, our squad and our players and our football staff kept fighting and they kept fighting all the way to the end.

"I think we can look forward with some real optimism. I think, in Mikel Arteta, we have an absolutely fantastic, dynamic head coach, and if we look at our academy, I think we're in really, really strong hands with Per Mertesacker.
 
"We did not achieve our expectations last season and we need to do better and we need to improve. But I think we're absolutely on a positive trajectory and we're on the right path. The message really is [that] we need to improve. We're really focused on where we need to improve and there's lots of things that we need to do.

"We are impatient. We know we're not where we want to be and we are impatient, because we want to get to where we want to be, as quickly as we possibly can. I think the key message for our fans is that we all want exactly the same thing.

"We all want Arsenal Football Club to be back where it belongs, competing for and winning the biggest trophies in the game. That's what fuels us, that's what our focus is and we ultimately want to do that so our fans all across the world are proud of their football club."

Former Gor Mahia left-back Godfrey Walusimbi is in transfer talks with Uganda Premier League (UPL) side Police FC.

The Cranes defender last played for Albania Super League side KF Vllaznia Shkoder, a team he signed for after an unsuccessful stint with Kaizer Chiefs of the Premier Soccer League (PSL).

Football256 reports Walusimbi and the Cops are in talks over a possible two-year deal and medical tests are expected to be carried out over the coming week.

“[Godfrey] Walusimbi and Police have agreed on a two-year contract, they will be holding final talks and a medical early next week before they announce him,” Football256 quotes a source close to the full-back.

Police view Walusimbi’s experience as key for their next season after struggling in the 2019/20 campaign, where they finished 13th in a competition that involved 16 teams.

The 2015 Premier League champions have so far signed Hassan Mahmood, experienced Tony Mawejje, Eric Senjobe, Tom Ikara, Sammon Oloka, and Muwadda Mawejje.

Should the deal go through, it means Walusimbi will be featuring for his third Ugandan side after initial stints with SC Villa, from 2006 to 2010 and Vipers SC from 2010 to 2013.

He has also played for CS Don Bosco of the Democratic Republic of Congo where he stayed for a shorter period in 2013.

At Gor Mahia, a club he joined in 2014, the Ugandan won three Kenyan Premier League (KPL) titles in his maiden season, in 2015 under coach Frank Nuttall where they were unbeaten in the KPL, and in 2017 under Dylan Kerr.

Meanwhile, Nicholas Ssebwato and Brian Kayanja have mutually agreed to terminate their contracts with Sofapaka.

The duo's agent Simon Musoke has revealed the Ugandans agreed with the KPL side to end their half-a-season association. They were signed by Batoto ba Mungu from Bright Stars.

“The two parties [players and Sofapaka] agreed on a mutual termination of contracts after the season was disrupted because of the coronavirus pandemic,” Musoke told Kawowo Sports.

Ssebwato and Kayanja's exit follows Ronald Okoth's similar move that was announced a few days ago. Captain George Maelo is also expected to leave the club and the armband is set to be given to midfielder Ellie Asieche.

Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne has won the Premier League Player of the Season award for the 2019-20 campaign, despite Liverpool running away with the title.

The Belgium international playmaker matched the record for assists in a single campaign by providing 20, equalling a mark set by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry in the 2002-03 campaign, while he also scored 13 goals. 

Furthermore, he created the most chances and had the most goal involvements of any player in the division.

The fans recognised his achievement by nominating him as the league’s outstanding player in a public vote, in which he saw off competition from Liverpool trio Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Henderson and Sadio Mane, plus Southampton striker Danny Ings, Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope and Leicester forward Jamie Vardy.

De Bruyne takes the crown from Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk, while Anfield favourite Mohamed Salah won it for the 2017-18 campaign.

The 29-year-old started the season in strong fashion, with eight assists and two goals in the opening seven rounds of fixtures, where he was involved in at least one goal in each with the exception of a shock 3-2 loss to Norwich – a match he played only 33 minutes of after he was named as a substitute.

While he enjoyed his richest vain of form at the start of the season and over the festive period, when he scored three and created three more in a blistering four-game burst, he was a consistent provider of excellence for Pep Guardiola’s side throughout the campaign, finishing on a high as he scored two and laid on another in a 5-0 win over the Canaries.

City, however, finished a distant second in the league behind champions Liverpool, who romped to the crown by an 18-point margin.

The last league-winning player to win the gong was N'Golo Kante of Chelsea in 2016-17.

The news of the award will come as little consolation to the 29-year-old, who was a member of the City squad that surprisingly crashed out of the Champions League to Lyon at the quarter-final stage following a 3-1 defeat. De Bruyne netted in that game but his contribution was not significant enough to stop Guardiola’s side being on the wrong end of a monumental upset. 

In all competitions during the 2019-20 season, De Bruyne featured 48 times for Guardiola’s men, scoring 16 times and laying on another 23.

He has been with City for five campaigns and now has 57 goals and 89 assists in 222 appearances for the club.

David Molinga has revealed he had planned to play for Young Africans (Yanga SC) for another season in the Mainland Premier League.

However, the Congolese import was among the 14 players fired by the Jangwani giants as the team restructures ahead of the new season set to kick off on September 6.

Molinga has now claimed his intention was to stay at Yanga for one more season before he would think of his next move but as fate could have it, he was released by the club.

“I was prepared to stay at play for Yanga for another season, I wanted to show the team that I can help them and score goals but now I don’t have any options rather than get a new club,” Molinga, who was the team’s top scorer last season, is quoted saying by Sokaletu.

“What I know is that I still had a good chance to play for Yanga, and even start in matches, and my plan was to do big things for the team, because at my first season I managed to be the top scorer, but now I have to accept and move on to the next challenge.”

Molinga was axed alongside captain Papy Tshishimbi, ex-Gor Mahia striker Gnamien Yikpe, Mrisho Ngassa, Jafary Mohamed, Mohamed Issa Banka, Tariq Seif, Andrew Vincent Dante, Patrick Sibomana, Muharami Issa, Ali Ali, Rafael Daud, Ali Mtoni Sonso and Eric Kabamba.

On Saturday, the club confirmed they have handed fitness trainer Riedoh Berdien the mantle to handle the team until they secure a permanent coach.

Yanga are without a coach after they fired Belgian Luc Eymael at the end of the 2019-20 Mainland Premier League campaign where they finished the season without silverware.

The Timu ya Wananchi had a disappointing campaign in the last season where they failed to reach the final of the FA Cup after losing to eventual winners and rivals Simba SC, and could only finish a distant second behind their old rivals on the league table.

They have now been linked a number of foreign players, including Kenyans Jesse Were and John Makwatta, who play for Zesco United, Sven Yidah of Kariobangi Sharks, Erick Rutanga of Rayon Sports and Mukoko Tonombe of AS Vita Club from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

AFC Leopards midfielder Eugene Mukangula has revealed he is targeting 20 or more goals a season.

The player has been inconsistent since signing for the 13-time league champions, however, his talent is undoubted. The midfielder has also revealed he is keen on providing goal-scoring opportunities for his teammates.

"It has been my wish to be effective in the league regardless of where I am playing," Mukangula told Goal.

"I have been wanting to score 20 or more goals a season, but I have not achieved it. But I have not given up, it is still possible for me to get my desired goals only if I maintain my consistency.

"My other target is to get most assists in a season and by doing that my team will also benefit."

The player has also compared his time at Thika United and Leopards.

"In terms of numbers, at Thika I was good because assists and goals came consistently," Mukangula continued.

"It has however changed at Leopards because I have not managed to get the numbers I wanted. It is not that the season was bad for us, it was good, only that more work is needed in terms of stats.

"If I manage to get my form back, in terms of scoring and getting assists regularly, then it will be good on my side."

In addition, Mukangula revealed why he was delighted with the 13-time league champions' campaign in the abandoned 2019/20 season.

"We were struggling financially but the team spirit was really good, we enjoyed staying at the top and always gave the best in every game we played," he added.

"It is something we hope we will maintain even in the coming season because we want to challenge for the league. We have a good coach and a good squad, and I am confident the season will be better." 

The last time Ingwe won the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) was way back in 1998 and since then, they have struggled to challenge for honours.

Ingwe are currently in the market to get players who can help them achieve the feat and play in the Caf Champions League. 

When Moussa Djenepo’s year at Southampton is assessed, there will be an inclination to put a negative mark on what was a mixed season in the Premier League.

After signing for a big-money move from Standard Liege, reported being around £14 million, the expectation placed on the new arrival increased significantly owing to his transfer fee.

For context, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s first signing for Saints cost more than Virgil van Dijk and was only about £6 million short on the fee paid to acquire Sadio Mane from Red Bull Salzburg in 2014. Both players have since gone on to make colossal impacts at Liverpool, taking Jurgen Klopp’s men to the pinnacle of the game at home, Europe and the world.

Following a promising breakout year with the Belgian side, the south coast club splurged on the Malian hoping he’d be a success like the current African Footballer of the Year, rather than disappoint like Sofiane Boufal, the then-promising Lille wonderkid whose impact at St. Mary’s has been hit-and-miss.

Eight domestic goals in the Belgian top flight and an additional three in five games in the Europa League, taking his tally to 11 in all competitions in 2018/19, showcased his knack for getting into goalscoring positions, a profile of attacker Hasenhuttl’s side desperately needed.

Indeed, the Saints were joint-sixth lowest scorers in 18/19, something the Austrian boss was out to correct. Fast forward to the end of the season and 51 goals scored, the highest in the bottom half, represented a six-goal increase from the previous season. However, Djenepo’s raw numbers – two goals and as many assists – added little to their overall return.

This wasn’t what player, head coach and supporters expected when he signed, still, it may be harsh criticising the 21-year-old attacker heavily despite a trying season. The youngster had a more than promising start, too, scoring two goals in his first three games but the second of the pair was the highlight of his maiden year in England.

Just after the hour mark against Sheffield United in September, the young attacker picked up an under-hit pass from John Lundstram, beat defensive midfielder Oliver Norwood with skill and poise, dribbled past John Egan and Jack O'Connell with clever feints before finishing coolly into the bottom corner. It was the only goal in a 1-0 win, and Djenepo’s solo effort, a Goal of the Season nominee, was a worthy strike to win any contest.

However, that was as good as it got for the 2018 Belgian Cup winner in 19/20, as he failed to build on that bright start to add to his tally in front of goal.

The undoubted low point for Djenepo came in late February when he lost his mother just before the coronavirus halted the season.

“Rest in peace the queen of my heart. I love you forever because you gave me all the love to succeed. I will never forget you mom,” he posted on Instagram.

His emotional message on social media indicated how distraught he was at the time, a fact echoed by Hasenhuttl before the club hosted Newcastle United in early March.

“Moussa is back now from the funeral of his mum. He seems to be getting into a better mode again. It was not easy for him. We tried to help him as much as we can,” Hasenhuttl told the club website at the time. “I like to see him laughing and don’t like to see him when he is sad.

"He was not really in a good moment when he came back, but now it is getting better and better.

Unfortunately for Djenepo, his very next game against the Magpies saw the 21-year-old receive his marching orders for serious foul play after the VAR intervened to upgrade an initial yellow card to red. A devastated wideman was cheered on by the fans at St. Mary’s as his teammates consoled him, yet the logic in playing him so soon after a personal tragedy was questionable.

That’s the last that was seen of the promising forward, with a three-game suspension, niggling injuries and non-involvement meaning he couldn’t add to his 18 Premier League appearances (10 starts). A couple of goals and two assists after Southampton’s outlay may discourage supporters of the club, but an extensive observation suggests he was already buying into his manager’s ideas.

Per Fbref, Djenepo contributed to the Saints being the division’s top pressing side, harrying his opponent in possession 265 times. He was his team’s 11th highest presser but 10 of the players with better numbers, excluding Cedric Soares, played more games than the Malian.

Despite his limited minutes compared to other colleagues, the tricky winger was Southampton’s fourth-best dribbler, beating his marker 48 times from 70 attempts. He attempted 2.4 dribbles per game, third behind Boufal and Nathan Redmond (2.6 and 2.5 per match) and it’s no surprise he made 11 dribbles leading to shots – also the third-highest in the team.

Even more encouraging for Djenepo was his shot-creating actions (passes or dribbles) per 90 – 3.78 – only outperformed by Boufal, while he topped the goal-creating actions metric. He sits fifth for Expected Goals per 90 and sixth for non-penalty xG per 90.

While the talented winger endured a seemingly tough first season, his underlying numbers suggest he could turn the corner from next season as he gets even more accustomed to Hasenhuttl’s style in and out of possession.

Southampton were heavily reliant on Danny Ings for their output in the final third in 19/20, with the Englishman accounting for 43 percent of their goals. Given the overall improvement after their 9-0 drubbing at the hands of Leicester City in October, the Saints boss will demand even more productivity from his attacking contingent as the south coast side opt to break into the top 10 or even challenge for a European spot.

For Djenepo, fans of the club will hope their talented youngster grows used to life in England and also overcomes personal tragedy that truncated his season as he seeks a significant increase to his raw numbers next season.

Kaizer Chiefs striker Samir Nurkovic has spoken about the importance of his team's 3-2 win over Polokwane City on Saturday. 

Amakhosi came from two goals down to beat Rise and Shine on the day with Nurkovic grabbing two assists and netting the winner in the final 14 minutes of the game. 

According to the 28-year-old marksman, the five-month break due to the lockdown helped the team gain mental strength and he is pleased this was the case in their game against Clinton Larsen's men. 

"I am really happy actually. A very important win for us. Once again, like I said during the lockdown that five months was really important to gain the mental strength and this game has shown from our mental side that mental strength is very important for the team," Nurkovic told SuperSport TV.

Nurkovic urged his teammates to quickly forget about the emphatic result against Polokwane City and focus on the next match as the season isn't over yet. 

"There are still six more games to play. This is in the past now. All that we can do is focus on the next match," he added.

Asked what Chiefs should do differently in the remaining six matches of the season, Nurkovic said: "We just have to continue with the same fighting spirit and focus on the next game."

After netting his 13th league goal and his 14th across all competition, the Serbian striker admitted his job is to score goals but he also has the responsibility to set up teammates whenever they have a better chance of scoring.  

"My job as a striker is to do as much as possible to score and assist. If a teammate is in a better position, I will pass to him," continued Nurkovic. 

Furthermore, Nurkovic isn't concerned about bagging individual awards after edging closer to Gabadinho Mhango in the race for the Golden Boot award, saying the entire team has the same goal and that is to win the league title.  

"I want to say it is not about individual accolades. We all have the same goal - to win the title. And this award is for everyone at Chiefs," he concluded.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) acting coach Riedoh Berdien is confident the team will still challenge for the titles in the new season despite axing 14 players in the ongoing transfer window.

The Jangwani giants shocked many including their fans after they moved to send home 14 players, among them captain Papy Tshishimbi, after they finished the 2019-20 Mainland Premier League campaign without silverware.

Other played released included Congolese striker David Molinga, ex-Gor Mahia striker Gnamien Yikpe, Mrisho Ngassa, Jafary Mohamed, Mohamed Issa Banka, Tariq Seif, Andrew Vincent Dante, Patrick Sibomana, Muharami Issa, Ali Ali, Rafael Daud, Ali Mtoni Sonso and Eric Kabamba.

Berdien, who was working under coach Luc Eymael as the fitness coach before the Belgian was shown the exit door, has been handed the mantle to handle the side on a temporary basis as they search for a permanent coach ahead of the new season, which is set to kick off on September 6.

Berdien has now told Goal it was a blow for the Tanzanian giants to lose 14 players in one go but admitted the few players in camp have already responded well in training and promised to build a winning culture at the club.

“You know we just started pre-season for a week, the players that are in pre-season have responded well to training,” Berdien told Goal on Sunday.

“We are still waiting for the new coach to be named and a few more signings to come through but we still have a good chance now to instil a football fitness working culture with this great club.”

On whether the club will feel any impact after releasing 14 players, Berdien explained: “Of course losing those players is a huge blow but Rome was not built in a day.

“The club is very busy with a great restructuring process both in the management and in how it wants the players to play and work in re-growing the Yanga brand.”

Yanga have already plunged into the transfer market to sign defender Bakari Mwamnyeto from Coastal Union, Yassin Mustapha from Polisi Tanzania, Zawadi Mauya from Kagera Sugar, Abdallah Shaibu from LA Galaxy II, Waziri Junior from Mbao FC, Kibwana Shomari from Mtibwa Sugar and Farid Mussa from CD Tenerife in Spain.

The Timu ya Wananchi had a disappointing campaign in the last season where they failed to reach the final of the FA Cup after losing to eventual winners and rivals Simba SC, and could only finish a distant second on the table.

They have also been linked a number of foreign players, among them Kenyans Jesse Were and John Makwatta, who play for Zesco United, Sven Yidah of Kariobangi Sharks, Erick Rutanga of Rayon Sports and Mukoko Tonombe of AS Vita Club from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The 2020-21 season of the Indian Super League will be held behind closed doors in Goa.

The seventh season of the league will be held in three venues in the region, namely the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, the GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim and the Tilak Maidan Stadium in Vasco.

“I am delighted to bring the ISL Season 7 to the state of Goa, from where we had left the action last season. Congratulations to the beautiful state of Goa and their passionate fans of football, as they once again become the epicentre of the beautiful game in India!," Mrs Nita Ambani, the Founder & Chairperson of Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) commented on the development. 

FSDL will work closely with the Sports Authority Of Goa, Goa Football Association and the State administration to ensure a safe and secure season of football amid the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. The organisers have also confirmed that each ISL club will be allocated a separate training pitch.

An extensive plan to upgrade the facilities has already been formulated after a thorough inspection and the facilities will be made available for use for the clubs after upgradations which will take place next month. 

The sixth season of the competition saw ATK emerge as champions beating Chennaiyin in the final. The winners 

Indian Super League (ISL) club Hyderabad has announced a two-year partnership deal with Bundesliga team Borussia Dortmund on Sunday. 

The partnership will be officially launched during Dortmund's Virtual Asia Tour on August 20, 2020. The two-year deal also has an option to extend for additional years with an extended scope until 2025.

Hyderabad will be the German club's fourth such partner and their first in India. They have existing deals with Thai Premier League Club Buriram United, Australia’s NPL Club Marconi FC and Iwate Grulla Morioka in Japan.

The grand launch of the partnership on August 20 will be streamed live on Hyderabad's social media channels.

Kevin De Bruyne has cited Houssem Aouar as the Lyon player who impressed him most during Manchester City’s shock Champions League exit to the Ligue 1 side on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola’s men suffered a 3-1 loss in Lisbon, despite the best efforts of the Belgium international playmaker, who squared the match up with a composed finish after being the recipient of a cut back from Raheem Sterling.

Prior to that, Maxwel Cornet had pounced to give Lyon the advantage, while the French side cut free in the last 11 minutes, countering effectively to score twice through substitute Moussa Dembele to put the match out of reach.

It was not, however, the goal scorers who impressed De Bruyne the most.

“I don’t watch a lot of French football,” De Bruyne admitted to RMC. “But if I had to pick it one name, for me it would be Houssem Aouar. Today, he played a good game.”

Aouar has been linked with a potential move to City in the past, with his technical attributes thought to be attractive to Guardiola’s style, and indeed his long-term future at boyhood club Lyon is not assured as they will not play European football next season unless a French side wins the Champions League.

Meanwhile, reports in France suggest that Arsenal have made an offer for him in the last week, though Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas judged it insufficient, with the Gunners offering Matteo Guendouzi as part of the deal. 

Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain are also said to be closely following him.

The 22-year-old, who is as yet uncapped for France, has been a lynchpin for OL this season, featuring on 40 occasions, while contributing nine goals and 10 assists.

He made his debut as Lyon made a run to the semi-finals of the Europa League in 2016-17, netting in an 11-2 aggregate victory over Alkmaar, and he has since gone on to feature on 136 occasions for the first team.

He will hope to play a big positive role for the Rhone outfit in their forthcoming Champions League semi-final with Bayern Munich – the second time in their history that they have reached that stage of the competition.

New Express FC defender Richard Bbosa has explained how the club can avoid leaking more goals as they did in the 2019/20 abandoned season.

Bbosa is among the new players the Red Eagles have already signed and he vowed to work hard, in partnership with other defenders, to make the club’s backline as imperious as possible.

“I know about last season’s leakage at the back which is rather unfortunate and no defender would want to be a part of that,” the 21-year-old told Football256 a day after the confirmation of his Express arrival. 

“However, for us to have a solid backline everyone has to come to the party, it takes two to tangle.” 

Express depended on Issa Lumu and Arthur Kiggundu and Bbosa’s signing is expected to make the partnership even better.

Head coach Wasswa Bbosa will be keen to have strong defenders after the club conceded 37 goals in the recently cancelled season.

Bbosa is the third signing made by the club after the acquisition of goalkeepers Crispus Kusiima and Denis Otim previously.

Express last won the Ugandan Premier League (UPL) title in 2012 and Bbosa stated that one of his major targets is to lift the seventh trophy for them.

“I have joined Express to ensure we don’t concede and also work together as a team so that we can win the league next season,” Bbosa said.

Express have also been linked with Faisal Ssekyanzi, Steven Luswata and Godfrey Lwesibawa.

Murushid Juuko, Abel Eturude and Enock Walusimbi are some of the defenders coach Bbosa is also targeting to strengthen the team even more.

Express have also set a top-three finish as one of their 2020/21 ambitions. They last finished among the best three sides in the 2015/16 season.

Finally, midfielder Amos Etoju has joined Malaba Youth Development Association (MYDA FC) on a one-year deal.

“We are happy with the move,” Jens Leidewall, Etoju's manager, told Kawowo Sports.

“Amos could compete to get the needed game time every single week in Uganda Premier League. This is very important for young talented boys like him.”

The newly-promoted side has already signed former AFC Leopards defender Ramathan Yakubu, midfielder Isaac Mweru Doka and Waiswa Kasango, who is also a midfielder.