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Burkina Faso international Edmond Tapsoba has been handed a starter’s role by Bayer Leverkusen for Monday’s Europa League quarter-final clash with Inter Milan.

Since joining the Bundesliga outfit from Vitoria Guimaraes on 31 January 2020 after agreeing to a five and a half year contract worth €18 million, the 21-year-old centre back has been a regular in Peter Bosz’s squad.

He was in action from start to finish as Bayer Leverkusen defeated Steven Gerrard’s Rangers 1-0 in their second leg Round of 16 clash – that saw them progress 4-1 on aggregate.

Against the Italian giants in Dusseldorf, he would be expected to stop Inter Milan’s attacking formation anchored by Romelu Lukaku.

For Antonio Conte’s men, former Nigeria international Victor Moses will start from the bench alongside Alexis Sanchez, Daniele Padelli, Stefano Sensi, Lucien Agoume and Antonio Candreva.

Victory in this one-legged affair will them face either Shakhtar Donetsk or FC Basel in the semi-finals.

Mats Hummels says Jadon Sancho can be “the player who makes the difference” for Borussia Dortmund next season after the club announced they had made a final decision not to sell the winger this summer.

The England international is high on Manchester United’s wanted list and extensive talks have taken place between the two clubs over recent weeks.

Goal can confirm that the Bundesliga outfit want €120 million (£108m/$142m) for the 20-year-old, and the two clubs were said to be far apart on their negotiations last week despite claims an agreement had been reached.

The uncertainty caused by the coronavirus outbreak has impacted on Manchester United’s finances, meaning they are not willing to pay over the odds for any transfer, even one as high profile as Sancho.

Dortmund, meanwhile, are not under any financial pressure to sell and set their own unofficial deadline of August 10 on the deal, insisting if a transfer was not confirmed by that date then Sancho would be staying in Germany.

With that deadline now set to pass without agreement, Sancho was included in the travelling Dortmund squad on Monday for their pre-season training camp in Switzerland.

BVB sporting director Michael Zorc then publicly stated that Sancho, who has two years remaining on his current deal, would be staying at the club, insisting “the decision is final.”

Dortmund defender Hummels was unsurprisingly delighted at the news, telling reporters: "He can be the player who makes the difference. I'm happy that he is staying.”

Hummels also confirmed he is on the road to recovery after suffering an ankle injury in individual training at the end of last month.

The 31-year-old is also part of the squad travelling to Bad Ragaz for their pre-season training camp, which includes friendlies against Austrian sides SCR Altach on Wednesday and Austria Vienna on Sunday.

"I'm completely on schedule,” he added. “I was able to do what was planned every day. It's only a matter of days before I can at least do part of the team training again.”

Dortmund begin their 2020-21 Bundesliga campaign against Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday, September 19.

Strasbourg manager Thierry Laurey has confirmed Lebo Mothiba will undergo surgery to treat his recurring knee injury, and he will be out of action for 'four to five months'.

Mothiba recently featured in the Racers' 2-1 friendly win against Montpellier on July 28, but he was only in action for 20 minutes before suffering 'a knock'.

Ahead of their next preparatory match against Dijon on Tuesday, Laurey disclosed the 24-year-old forward will not be available and the French club is looking to solve his knee problem permanently.

“It's a problem with a knee tendon that he has had for a while, we prefer to fix it once and for all,” Laurey told DNA.

“Lebo will be unavailable for four to five months, until January.”

Mothiba who developed his game at local side Mamelodi Sundowns before moving to Europe in 2014, has spent his professional career in France so far. He joined Strasbourg from league rivals Lille in 2018.

Last season, the 24-year-old played 21 Ligue 1 games for the Stade de la Meinau outfit and he contributed three goals and three assists before the French top-flight was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The injury update means Mothiba will be unavailable when Strasbourg kick-off their 2020-21 league campaign against Lorient on August 23.

When asked whether the club will move to sign players following Mothiba’s injury blow, Laurey said: “Not necessarily, because we know he's going to come back.

“We hope that he will come back “new”, without recurring problems. We will already work with the boys who are able. And we will see in the coming weeks whether to recruit or not, without rushing.”

Rio Ferdinand believes Manchester United have made a big mistake by failing to agree a deal with Borussia Dortmund to sign Jason Sancho this summer, after suggesting they are spurning the chance to sign a player who could become "the best in the world" over the next decade.

Dortmund announced on Monday that they will not consider any more offers for Sancho in this transfer window, after United failed to meet their deadline to pay their €120 million (£108m/$142m) asking price despite lengthy negotiations. 

Manchester United, meanwhile, are refusing to give up hope despite Dortmund's statement, although the Red Devils have been left frustrated by negotiations.

Speaking exclusively to Goal at a BT Sport event the banks of the River Thames in London, Ferdinand insisted Sancho was worth the money Dortmund were demanding, but it now seems their hopes of snapping up the England youngster have gone for now.

“If you have a chance to sign a player who has all the potential to be the best player in the world for the next ten years and has been the best teenager in the world for the last two years, go and get him, it's as simple as that,” stated Ferdinand.

"We have all seen how good he is now and we can only guess how could he can be at a massive club like United. You are buying him at an age where you can get ten years service out of him and if he is going to be as good as I think he will be, that has to be a good deal for United. It makes sense in many ways, but this is not a normal summer for transfers. 

“The window is open and not a lot is happening, which says it all about what is happening now. The situation we have all lived through in the last six months will affect what clubs can spend, but I still feel that one big transfer will lead to a few more around Europe.

“The big clubs with the big revenues can still spend money, but it is the teams below them that will struggle to spend what they did before. That gives United, Chelsea and Man City a chance to close the gap on Liverpool if they get their signings right this summer.”

Man Utd's signing of Bruno Fernandes in last January’s transfer window gave Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side an injection of invention, with Ferdinand suggesting it highlighted the importance of making key marquee signings.

“Fernandes has been a breath of fresh air for the team since he arrived,” he added. “Where he has been great is unlocking the imagination of the team. You see Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood and the minute Fernandes get the ball, they are off, they know their chance is coming.

“That’s what top players do. They change a team and a club with their presence and we have seen that with Fernandes at United.”

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Ahmed Musa found the back of the net for the first time in the Saudi Arabia Pro League this season as Al Nassr claimed a 2-0 away win against Abha FC.

The Riyadh side was on the end of a heavy 4-1 defeat at Al-Hilal last time out. It was their first game since the top-flight was suspended back in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It was a goalless first-half at the Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Stadium on Monday evening but the game changed in the 55th minute after Musa was brought down as the last man by Karam Barnawi in an attacking move. After consultation with VAR, Barnawi was given a straight red card and Abderrazak Hamdallah scored the resultant penalty.

It did not take long for the visitors to make it 2-0 which came from Musa seven minutes later. The Nigerian winger latched on to a sublime pass by Khalid Al Ghannam from almost 40 yards before going past two challenges and also Abha goalie Abdelali M'Hamdi, then placed the ball into an empty net with consummate ease.

Musa was taken off in the 82nd minute and replaced by Abdullaziz Al Dawsari. The 27-year-old was Al-Nassr’s best player of the evening with his contributions including three key passes, 29 accurate passes at 74.4%, 60 touches and 100% success from his dribble attempts (three from three).

He also won nine of 11 total duels, eight of them coming from nine ground duels and was fouled four times by the opposition.

Aside from scoring his first goal of the campaign, Musa has provided five assists in the Pro League with all of them ending in victories. His most recent was in a 1-0 win at Al-Ettifaq just before the top-flight was suspended.

The 87-time capped Nigeria international joined Al Nassr from Leicester City last season and scored seven goals alongside another seven assists as the Riyadh outfit won the league, one point clear of Al Hilal.

Al Nassr are currently in second place after 24 matches and will next host Al Wehda at the Prince Faisal bin Fahad Stadium on Saturday.

Manchester City have completed the signing of the United States’ World Cup-winning midfielder Sam Mewis.

The 27-year-old, who started six of the USWNT’s seven games in their 2019 World Cup triumph in France, joins the club from the North Carolina Courage of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).

“I'm so happy to have everything sorted,” Mewis said upon announcement.

“The opportunity came along at a really great time - as soon as I heard about the chance of coming to play for Manchester City, I was immediately interested.

“The club is one of the best in the world and I've heard such good things about the women's side as a whole and the incredible facilities. I've followed the men's team too for a long time.

“This is a really cool, unique and amazing opportunity in my career and I'm so excited to come and see Manchester as a city, be a part of this incredible club and hopefully help the team achieve their goals.”

Gareth Taylor, City’s newly-appointed head coach, added: “We’re thrilled to welcome Sam to Manchester City and we’re thoroughly looking forward to working with her.

“As well as being a World Cup winner, she will bring a wealth of experience and quality to our squad and I’m really pleased that she feels she can fulfil her ambitions with us.

“She will also be a fantastic addition to the Barclays FA Women’s Super League (WSL) as a whole and we can’t wait to see her pull on a blue shirt for the first time.”

Mewis has been with the Courage since January 2017, winning three NWSL Shields and two NWSL Championships in that time.

However, the coronavirus pandemic forced the NWSL to a condensed, cup competition this year, lasting a month compared to its usual seven or eight-month season.

That competition, the NWSL Challenge Cup, ended on July 26, leaving players in the league facing a potential eight-month spell until the 2021 NWSL season commences.

“[Mewis] wanted my blessing to go, and I gave her my blessing because I think it’s important for her,” Paul Riley, head coach of the North Carolina Courage, told WRALSportsFan of the move.

“The fans might be disappointed because she could miss a couple of months of the [NWSL] season, but if you get a better player out of it, then it’s worth what she’s doing.

“We’ll survive, we’ll continue to grow the club, and wait for a better Sam to come back. I would almost make one guarantee: that she has not played her last game for North Carolina.”

While the contract length has not been revealed by City, Riley also added: “If she decides come April or May that she wants to come back [to the Courage], then Sam will come back before the [WSL] season finishes.”

Mewis will wear the number 22 shirt in Manchester and could make her competitive debut for the club when they travel to Aston Villa on the opening day of the new season, a game to be played on September 5 or 6.

The American is City's second signing of the summer, following the arrival of young England forward Chloe Kelly, who joined the club from Everton earlier this summer.

Rio Ferdinand says a Europa League triumph could set up a new winning culture at Manchester United, after eight years of "sporadic" success in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

United can cap a productive season by winning Europe's second-tier club competition this month, having already secured third place in the Premier League to qualify for the Champions League.

Solskjaer fielded a much-changed line-up in the second leg of his side's last 16 tie against LASK last week, as they came into the clash boasting a 5-0 aggregate lead.

Goals from Jesse Lingard and substitute Anthony Martial earned the Red Devils a 2-1 home win to keep confidence levels high heading into the quarter-finals, where they are scheduled to meet Copenhagen.

Ferdinand believes Solskjaer can use the Europa League as a springboard to greater things if United can go all the way in Germany this month, after watching his old club go three years without winning a single piece of silverware.

"This could be part of setting a new culture at the football club," the former Red Devils defender told BT Sport.

"I think the club has been missing that for the last seven or eight years – it’s a sustained period of winning you’re looking for, not that sporadic trophy here and there.

"It’s challenging for the league on a yearly basis and then getting your foot in finals every year.

"If they can get that culture now with these young players coming in and the way that Ole’s really trying to mould this team, we’ll be in for a good future but we’ve got to execute."

United won the Europa League in 2017 under Jose Mourinho, and Ferdinand is confident Solskjaer will take the team through to the last four this time around, but has warned against complacency heading into the straight knockout clash with Copenhagen.

Ferdinand expects the Norwegian to welcome a number of household names back into his starting XI after the victory over LASK, as he added: "It was a case of resting some players for the game that’s coming up and I think he’ll have the three Ms up top (Martial, Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood).

"I’m not looking to see anyone else there and Bruno Fernandes behind that.

"I fancy Man Utd to go through but if your head’s not on it and you’re expecting to win easily, you can very much come a cropper."

Thomas Meunier has opened up on the "outrageous" party culture at Paris Saint-Germain, while expressing his belief that the club's main players are "more than footballers".

Meunier racked up 128 appearances for PSG between 2016 and 2020, winning nine trophies in total, including three Ligue 1 titles.

The 28-year-old played alongside world-class players such as Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Edinson Cavani and Thiago Silva at Parc des Princes, and managed to carve out a reputation as one of the most consistent performers in Thomas Tuchel's squad.

He also attended a number of large social gatherings to honour various players' birthdays, which often took place in lavish locations with scores of high profile celebrities in attendance alongside the rest of the squad.

Neymar's wild birthday parties have been well-documented in recent years, with Tuchel admitting that the Brazilian's 28th celebrations came as an unwelcome "distraction" for his side at a crucial point in the 2019-20 season. 

Meunier, who signed for Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer in June, has now offered in an insight into the annual events at PSG, which he says mirror the size of one of Europe's largest clubs.

"Nothing but birthday parties - incredible," the Belgian defender told RTBF.

"When I was at Bruges, we'd celebrate birthdays by playing darts or pool in a bar, but here it's just outrageous.

"But that just reflects the club: hire a palace, hire a building, parties with hundreds of people.

"That's when you see that they're more than footballers; they're stars.

"I always had a good time but it was all a bit extravagant and 'did you see me?' But that's part of it, part of the game."

After reaching an agreement to join Dortmund, Meunier criticised PSG for refusing to allow him to remain on their books through to the end of their latest Champions League campaign.

The Ligue 1 champions' sporting director Leonardo rejected the defender's claims that he'd been disrespected by the club, but he has doubled down on his comments ahead of their quarter-final clash with Atalanta on Wednesday.

"I would have liked to have played," said Meunier. "I was with my agent in Dortmund and I was almost on my knees begging for permission to let me end the season in the Champions League with PSG.

"I simply had to pack my bags and I received a letter from the club's lawyer which said I was no longer welcome and could no longer come to training, not even in my final week. I found that unbelievable."

Manchester United have been dealt a potential blow in their pursuit of Jadon Sancho, with Borussia Dortmund claiming they have made a "final" decision not to sell the winger this summer.

Sancho is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s top transfer target this summer, and there have been ongoing negotiations between the two sides over a potential deal for the former Manchester City man.

The 20-year-old was named in Dortmund’s squad to travel to Switzerland for a pre-season training camp on Monday, and BVB sporting director Michael Zorc provided an update on Sancho’s future.

“Jadon Sancho will play with us next season,” he said. “The decision is final. I think that answers all the questions. 

"Last summer we adjusted Jadon's salary to match the development of his performances. So in context, we had already extended his contract until 2023 back then."

United are keen to strengthen the right-hand side of their attack this summer, but with financial uncertainty due to the implications of Covid-19, the club are not willing to pay over the odds for any transfer.

Goal can confirm that the Bundesliga outfit want €120 million (£108m/$142m) for the England international, and the two clubs were said to be far apart on their negotiations last week despite claims an agreement had been reached.

United were always prepared to walk away from the deal and pursue other targets if a price could not be agreed upon, one of which is Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman.

Dortmund set their own unofficial deadline of August 10 on the deal, and have been insistent that if a transfer was not confirmed by that date then Sancho would be staying.

It is understood United were not willing to be bound by the "unrealistic" deadline and were not rushing to get the deal done by that date.

It is also understood that Sancho, who has spent the past two years in the Bundesliga, wants a move to Old Trafford, and the latest comments from Zorc show he will have to force a transfer through if he really wants to make the switch back to England.

United have yet to conclude any business in the summer transfer window but are understood to have plans for at least a couple of deals before it shuts in October.

Solskjaer’s side play FC Copenhagen in Cologne on Monday night for a place in the Europa League semi-finals.

Real Madrid winger Takefusa Kubo has completed a loan move to Villarreal, the La Liga champions have confirmed on Monday.

Villarreal have paid Madrid a fee of €3 million (£2.7m/$3.5m) and agreed to cover Kubo's wages for the duration of the 2020-21 season.

The 19-year-old will have the opportunity to play in the Europa League at Estadio de la Ceramica, after the Yellow Submarine secured a fifth-place finish in La Liga under Javier Calleja last term.

Calleja was ultimately relieved of his duties for failing to deliver Champions League qualification, with ex-Arsenal boss Unai Emery drafted in as his replacement on July 23.

Kubo will go straight into Emery's squad with a view to getting more regular minutes under his belt and continuing his development following a bright start to his La Liga career at Mallorca.

The Japan international was sent straight out on loan to Son Moix after joining Madrid from FC Tokyo last summer and went on to record four goals and four assists in 35 appearances for the club.

Back in April, Kubo expressed a desire to return to Santiago Bernabeu and fight for a place in Zinedine Zidane's line up at the end of his stint at Mallorca.

He told AS: "My preference is clear, to be able to play at the Bernabeu with a Real Madrid shirt on. It all depends on me and I will have a place at Real.

"Right now, I'm at Mallorca to give it my best and to show that I can be there."

The talented young attacker added on his relationship with the Madrid boss: "Zidane treated me very well. He is a coach who is alert to the details."

Kubo will now have to wait at least one more year before being handed the chance to prove himself at the Bernabeu, but he will at least have the opportunity to continue playing in Spain's top flight.

Despite his best efforts, Mallorca were relegated from La Liga in June, and although the club were reportedly keen on retaining the teenager's services, Madrid refused to entertain any possibility of a loan extension.

Real Sociedad had also been linked with Kubo in recent months, but Villarreal have won the race for his signature and he will now be tasked with helping the club regain a spot at Europe's top table next year.

Every annual release of a FIFA video game features heightened anticipation about which new icons will be added into the FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) mode.

In FIFA 21, EA Sports has revealed 11 new Icons, which will take the number of these special players in the game to 100.

Icons in previous versions of FIFA - that will remain in the new game - include Pele, Diego Maradona, Brazil's Ronaldo and Alessandro Del Piero.

FIFA 20 saw the addition of the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Pep Guardiola and Didier Drogba as icons - while Goal can reveal a sneak peak of the new players added in FIFA 21.

Eric Cantona (France)

Ex-Manchester United and France attacker Eric Cantona is finally added to the game as an Icon with his career trophy haul including four Premier League titles and two FA Cups.

Ferenc Puskas (Hungary)

With the FIFA award for best goal of the year named after him, Hungarian hero from the 50s and 60s, Ferenc Puskas, will now be in FIFA 21.

Barcelona legend and Spain World Cup winner Xavi gets the honour of being named as a FUT Icon - having won an incredible four Champions League and eight La Liga titles with the Blaugrana.

Nemanja Vidic (Serbia)

Nemanja Vidic joins his long-time Manchester United defensive partner Rio Ferdinand as an Icon and expect Red Devils fans to look to pair the duo in-game.

Former Chelsea and Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech gets rewarded with FUT Icon selection after an incredible trophy-laden career across the two Premier League clubs.

Joining follow African legend striker Didier Drogba as a FUT Icon, Samuel Eto'o has played for an illustrious list of clubs including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter and Chelsea.

Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany)

Bastian Schweinsteiger - the legendary German and Bayern midfielder - gets the honour of being added as an Icon less than 12 months after his retirement from football.

Philipp Lahm (Germany)

Versatile German star Philipp Lahm is a slightly surprising but worthy addition as an Icon to the game. Lahm spent 22 years at Bayern, winning every major trophy at the club, while he also lifted the World Cup with Germany.

Fernando Torres (Spain)

Fernando Torres won a World Cup and two European Championships with Spain - while becoming an icon at Liverpool with two extraordinary seasons.

Ashley Cole is one of the few star players that have traded London rivals in the Premier League - moving from Arsenal to Chelsea in 2006 - winning the title on three occasions between the two clubs.

David Villa (Spain)

David Villa is a Spanish legend who won a multitude of domestic and European trophies at Barcelona, Valencia, Atletico Madrid and Real Zaragoza. He was also a part of the Spanish national team that won the 2010 World Cup and 2008 Euros.

Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Helman Mkhalele believes every player in the PSL is under pressure, saying striker Gabadinho Mhango is not the only player that will feel the heat as the league returns on Tuesday night.

The Malawi international is vying for the top goalscorer award - he was on the score sheet in the first round as the Buccaneers bagged a 1-0 win against coach Pitso Mosimane’s troops, but Mkhalele hints the Brazilians will look to rectify their defensive errors.

“I think each and every player in the PSL is always under pressure to deliver and perform. Yes, Gabadinho Mhango would like to continue where he left off,” Mkhalele told Goal .

“So, I would say it will also depend on how much he wants to win the top goalscorer award.

"On the other hand, we are talking about errors on the part of Sundowns defence and that can work for Sundowns to wake up in a game as big as this one and ensure they don’t repeat them against Pirates," he said. 

“I also believe that when big teams play together, players tend to be hyped up and the motivation is different. These two teams have big stature in the league. I’m expecting a better and improved defending from Mamelodi Sundowns."

Although the 50-year-old legend also explains why all PSL players are under pressure, he is unsure if some will be able to adapt to playing behind closed doors at Dobsonville Stadium.

“I would say all the players are under pressure. The stakes are high. Sundowns still believe they can catch Kaizer Chiefs. On Pirates' side, as much as they have a less chance to catch Chiefs compared to Sundowns, they have to fight for their pride – that is at stake.

“But the other factor is playing in front of zero crowds; that will go to say how far the players have prepared mentally. It’s not an easy thing and I did experience it when I was in Turkey - it’s challenging.

“Even if they have been watching international games being played under the same circumstances, but to experience it is different.”

On Rhulani Mokwena’s return to Chloorkop, ‘Midnight Express’ believes the reigning PSL champions have the edge but there's no guarantee Sundowns will beat his former team.

“Having someone who has worked at Pirates in the likes of Rhulani can work better for Sundowns. It will come in handy because he knows the majority of the players at Pirates,” he added.

“He knows their mentality, strengths, and weaknesses especially the mental side of it. It will make it easier for Pitso or Sundowns to deal with such players.

“In terms of the quality, Pirates have quality players there’s no doubt about it but to know more about their mental status or level becomes more of an advantage for Sundowns.

“I would say Sundowns have an upper hand over Pirates but that alone doesn’t mean they will win the game. Having Rhulani is definitely a boost for Sundowns for this game because they have an advantage on something that’s very critical, knowing the mentality of the players on the opposite side.”

Vincent Oburu has revealed how he joined the AFC Leopards youth team with nothing but hope and ended up playing for the senior team for three years.

Ingwe parted ways with the forward after the contract expired with the player having no will to extend it. The youngster is reportedly eyeing greener pastures and it is the reason for not extending stay at the den.

"Four years ago, armed with nothing but hope, I joined the AFC Leopards youth team as I dreamt of working my way up to the Kenyan Premier League," Oburu said on his official social media account.

"Things turned out well for me as after an impressive campaign in the KPL U20 tournament I got the chance to join Ingwe's first team.

"In my first year, in KPL, I got the chance to play for the national team, Harambee Stars, we won the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup, which was another milestone in my career.

"It has been some good three and a half years at the den but it's time to say goodbye."

The 22-year-old had nothing but appreciative words for the club that developed him.

"As I exit I want to thank the club for the opportunity they gave me. I joined as a young boy and I now leave as a full-grown man. I owe nothing but gratitude to this great club," Oburu added.

"To the coaches, the staff, the management, and the fans from the bottom of my heart I want to say thank you. The fans, in particular, were good to me and I will be forever indebted to you."

Former Ingwe striker, who was in charge of the Cubs, is the one who brought Oburu to the team and his contribution has been acknowledged.

"Special mention to coach Boniface Ambani who spotted my talent and gave me a chance with the youth team. He has been like a big brother to me over the years.

"As I depart, I wish the team success and I hope they will win titles for the amazing supporters."

During his spell at Leopards, the forward managed to score 13 league goals.

Sevilla signing Ivan Rakitic from Barcelona this summer is almost impossible, according to the club's sporting director Monchi.

After establishing himself as one of the most consistent performers in La Liga at Sevilla between 2010 and 2014, Rakitic was snapped up by Barca for £16 million ($21m).

The 32-year-old has since proven to be one of the bargains of the decade at Camp Nou, as he's helped the club win 13 major trophies, including four league titles and the Champions League.

Rakitic has contributed 35 goals and 42 assists across 310 appearances for Barca, but he's fallen down the squad pecking order in 2019-20, and only has one year left to run on his current contract.

With no signs of an extension forthcoming, it has been suggested that the Croatia international will move onto pastures new in the summer transfer window, with a possible return to Sevilla mooted for the experienced midfielder.

Rakitic insisted he remains happy in his current surroundings after returning from lockdown in June, but also admitted that he would like some "clarity" over his future at Camp Nou .

Although Monchi believes the ex-Sevilla talisman would be open to retracing his steps, he cannot see a deal coming to fruition in the current financial climate.

"Ivan is a player who, from what he declares, would like to return to Sevilla today, tomorrow or in two years," the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium chief told Diario de Sevilla.

"That I personally would like him to return? Would I particularly like it to work out so that he could come back? I don't hide the fact that he is my friend.

"Are those possibilities realistic? At the moment, it looks difficult to me, if not impossible.

"It is so complicated economically, that I do not see it. We always carry out our planning in secret."

Rakitic played the full 90 minutes of Barca's last outing against Napoli in the Champions League, putting in a strong performance to help Quique Setien's men reach the quarter-finals 4-2 on aggregate.

Goals from Clement Lenglet, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez gave the Blaugrana a 3-1 win in the round of 16 second-leg tie at Camp Nou, and they are now looking forward to a huge last-eight meeting with Bayern Munich on Friday.

Provincial borders will be divided this week when the remaining contestants battle it out for a spot in the final.

This is after judges Kunal Rathi, Alexander Wessberg and Ibuki Yoshida gave their verdicts on the final-four contestants of the on-going South African Freestyle Football Championships.

The virtual event will crown the country's king of freestyle football and has seen some gruelling contests in the quarter-finals.

Mkhize, the Head of Freestyle for Southern Africa revealed the judging procedure to pick the semi-finalists.

"For the Top-8, one of the criteria is the time has been moved to 50-60 seconds and harder tricks were needed," revealed Mkhize.

"Secondly we are focusing more on difficulty now. We want the guys to dig deep bring out their best."

Former champions Rishaad Ebrahim and Sipho “Six” Busakwe have progressed to the semi-finals and will be joined by Emilio Nahamuja and Kyle Rinquest.

Northern Cape's Ebrahim will square off with Western Cape's Nahamuja while Gauteng's Busakwe will also take on a Capetonian, Rinquest in the other semi-final.

Semi-Final Draw:

- Rishaad Ebrahim vs Emilio Nahamuja

- Sipho Busakwe vs Kyle Rinquest

Judge and French Open Championship 2019 winner Rathi commended the entrants for the skills they've displayed.

"I am glad to have been part of the judging panel for the online RSA Freestyle Football Champs 2020," he said.

"From all the entries, I see a lot of strong skill sets in most of the participants.

"Looking forward to the next rounds and hope the best freestyler takes the title in this edition."

Goal will be publishing the winners of each round, all details and selected videos in their different platforms.

Paul Pogba would be the "ideal gift" for Andrea Pirlo following his appointment as Juventus head coach, according to former team-mate Luca Toni.

The France international won eight major honours in four seasons with Juve - three of those playing alongside Pirlo - before returning to Old Trafford in 2016.

Pogba has been strongly linked with a move back to the Allianz Stadium in recent times and is into the final season of his United contract, though there is an option to extend that agreement by 12 months.

The Frenchman expressed a desire to undertake a new challenge away from Manchester last year, with Real Madrid also credited with an interest in his services, and his future is once again the subject of intense speculation with the transfer window now open.

Retired forward Toni, who played with Pirlo at both club and international level, believes Pogba would be the perfect signing to mark a new chapter at former club Juventus.

"Knowing Andrea, he will start building from midfield," he told Tuttosport. "The ideal gift would be Pogba. I don't know if that's possible, but it would certainly be the best option.

"Andrea will not be a coach who focuses on defending and counter-attacking. He loves to dominate the ball and will want to impose that on his team.

"I don't know what system he will use and I don't think it matters. Andrea is intelligent and flexible."

Pirlo was named Juve's new head coach on Saturday, hours after Maurizio Sarri's sacking on the back of the Italian champions' last-16 exit against Lyon in the Champions League.

Fabio Capello tipped Pirlo to replicate the success of three-time Scudetto-winning boss Antonio Conte, but Toni thinks he has more in common with Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola.

"Character-wise, he's more like Pep," he said. "Having said that, Antonio impressed him a lot during his three years at Juventus.

"But in terms of group management, he was fortunate enough to be coached by the two best: [Carlo] Ancelotti and [Max] Allegri.

"All useful experiences, but in the end, he will be himself. He will be Pirlo and he will go his own way. Without pretending or copying anyone."

Chelsea transfer target Kai Havertz is part Michael Ballack, part Mesut Ozil and can help the Blues win the Premier League says former Bayer Leverkusen team-mate Roberto Hilbert.

Havertz, the youngest-ever Bundesliga debutant when he made his first appearance at 17 years and 126 days in 2016, has been tipped to leave Leverkusen once their current Europa League campaign draws to a close. Tonight they face Inter in the quarter-finals in Dusseldorf.

Chelsea are continuing with talks over his signature with Frank Lampard keen on adding the playmaker to a squad that now contains his Germany national team colleague Timo Werner.

Werner has already signed for Chelsea in a £47.5 million deal (€52m/$61m) from RB Leipzig and trained with the squad ahead of the FA Cup final, which was won by Arsenal last Saturday.

"He is the next big, big player to come from Germany," Hilbert said of Havertz. "I was there when he made his debut in our team at 17. In this generation, I think he will be a game-changer. He is a really smart player, quick and he is a nice person.

"He has some things Ballack had, some things Ozil had but he puts it into one package which is what makes him so dangerous.

“I think he has a level of talent that nobody else has. When Chelsea sign him for the next years then I think it will be a great chance to help them win titles in the Premier League.

"That’s how good he is. He worked hard, but he is a smart and humble person. That comes from his good family unit and he will continue to work hard and improve every day."

Having won the Bundesliga with Stuttgart and starred for Leverkusen, Hilbert has followed Werner and Havertz closely, and he believes that a Premier League move will take their games to the next level.

While at Leverkusen, Hilbert faced a direct battle with Werner and admits he did not find it easy.

"He is really fast!” said Hilbert. “When I played against him I saw he was young and he wanted to earn respect against other players.

“Sometimes, he went too far but it was okay because he is a nice young guy. He had a good upbringing and he knows what respect is.

"Werner is a big, big talent. In Germany, he shocked everyone because he got so good so fast. Right now, it is a new day because the Premier League is a step up from the German Bundesliga.

"It will show what level he can reach for the rest of his career, especially in one of the biggest clubs at Chelsea.

"The expectation will be high because he cost a lot from Germany and he will have to pay back that money.

"The pressure will be on every day and it will be interesting to see if he can handle his pressure. I hope he can, I think he is a really really good young player.

"He is able to help the German team and change history there too."

A whole lot can change in 12 months, something Kenneth Omeruo will know a thing or two about following Leganes’ relegation from La Liga.

For the former Chelsea defender, 2018/19 was a really good year with Lega, where he thrived initially on loan for Mauricio Pellegrino’s side to end the campaign in 13th as arguably the team’s best central defender.

He then rode the wave of that rosy season in the Spanish top flight to be one of Gernot Rohr’s leading men at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. While Odion Ighalo got most of the rave reviews for ending top scorer at the continental showpiece, Omeruo was arguably the Super Eagles’ best performer and certainly their most influential defender as they finished third.

However, the emergence of Semi Ajayi after the Afcon saw the Kaduna-born defender surprisingly lose his place at the heart of the Nigeria defence alongside captain William Troost-Ekong.

This could have turned out differently had work permit issues in Spain not caused Omeruo to pull out of September’s friendly vs Ukraine in Dnipro. Ajayi deputised for the ex-Blue against Andriy Shevchenko’s side and has started every game for the West African nation since.

While persisting with the towering defender at centre-back seemed odd initially, Ajayi’s steady improvement with West Bromwich Albion in 19/20 was striking. Having joined Slaven Bilic’s team from relegated Rotherham United, the former Arsenal defender was largely consistent during a gruelling Championship campaign that culminated in automatic promotion on the final day.

Up until football’s suspension, it seemed like the West Bromwich man was the only competition for Omeruo, but Leon Balogun’s resurgence since the turn of the year has seen him roll back the years to show the sort of form that saw him form half of the ‘Oyibo Wall’ in the second half of the 2010s.

After a largely frustrating time at Brighton & Hove Albion, the 32-year-old was part of the Wigan Athletic group that rallied late on in the Championship season trying to beat the drop after entering administration.

Even though the Latics couldn’t retain their second-tier status, the former Mainz centre-back seemed back to his very best following a run of games.

Given he endured a torrid time in Nigeria’s 2-0 Afcon defeat by Madagascar just over a year ago, where he was culpable in the concession of the first, Balogun’s short spell and early-season form at Rangers bodes well if the goal is to push for a Super Eagles return.

Meanwhile, Omeruo’s end to the season was a bit of a mixed bag. His performances were decent-to-good but Leganes’ poor run of results meant satisfactory individual performances never really translated into points for the Cucumber Growers.

After a tough start to the season, the 26-year-old nearly returned to his 18/19 form and was playing well till injury struck post-lockdown.

What made this period stand out was how that injury, as well as Chidozie Awaziem’s struggles at the time, saw Javier Aguirre stumble on a central defensive trio that kept Omeruo out of the side till the end of the season.

As far as a place in Rohr’s Nigeria is concerned, the triumvirate are locked in a three-way battle to partner the nation’s captain Troost-Ekong.

Ajayi, 26, is probably the bigger threat to the former Chelsea defender because he seemed to be in favour just before a positive season at the Hawthorns and could well be the likelier to challenge Omeruo.

The Albion defender also has age and durability on his side, whereas Balogun, 32, won’t be a mainstay in the Super Eagles selection even if he regains his place. Injuries have also been a bugbear for the former Brighton defender whose resurgence has nonetheless been pleasing to see.

A keen eye will be kept on Ajayi at West Bromwich at the start of next season’s Premier League, assessing the performances of the Nigeria defender to evaluate his progress at the top level. Balogun, for his part, has been quick out of the blocks for Steven Gerrard’s Rangers side and looks to have picked up where he left off with Wigan. He wasn’t only a defensive colossus on debut vs Aberdeen, he then played even better in Sunday’s victory over St Mirren.

Omeruo’s performances haven’t been bad, rather the raised standard, increased competition from Ajayi and resurgence of Balogun at various points in the last 12 months are putting his place in the side in danger.

Dropping further down the pecking order won’t be ideal, especially after that 18/19 season and dominant Afcon campaign, still, the turnaround in the ex-Chelsea centre-back’s fortunes since isn’t any less notable.