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AC Milan midfielder Ismael Bennacer has shared how his teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic strives for perfection, and joked that the Sweden legend could kill someone who doesn’t pass to him.

The veteran Swede scored a brace and provided an assist in Wednesday's 4-1 victory over Sampdoria at the Luigi Ferraris to take his tally since re-joining the Rossoneri in January to nine goals and five assists in 17 appearances.

He was previously with Milan between 2010 and 2012, scoring 56 goals in 85 appearances, winning the Serie A and Italian Super Cup in 2011.

“He helps you a lot,” Bennacer told Sky Sport Italia. “With him there, you want to do more, you don’t want to lose a ball.

"You must give your best because he is looking for perfection, and if you don’t give it, he’ll kill you.

“He’s like that, but he’s right. It’s right to scream when you make a mistake and not say anything when you do well.

“That’s how you learn and become a player at the highest level.”

Ibrahimovic has also shown he is still agile at 38, having completed the entire 90 minutes on 10 occasions and coming off the bench only twice.

The forward has likened himself to Benjamin Button, a character in a 2008 Hollywood movie who reverses in age and becomes younger over time rather than older.

"People tell me I'm old and tired but I'm just getting warmed up. I'm like Benjamin Button, except I've always been young, never old,” Ibrahimovic previously told Milan TV.

Wednesday’s victory also means Milan are guaranteed to finish in sixth place heading into the final against Cagliari on Saturday and will thus participate in the Europa League next season.

Bennacer is hoping the Rossoneri will be able to do better in the coming season and make it into the Champions League

"We are in Europe and it is nice, maybe they are among the protagonists of this year but I have not done anything in particular,” Bennacer said. “We will try to go to the Champions League next year and to get higher in the standings.

"This year I had a lot of fun with this team.”

The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations winner has played 30 times in the Serie A for Milan this season, scoring his first goal in a 5-1 win over Bologna.

The Lombardy giants have remained unbeaten since the restart of league fixtures, winning eight games and drawing three.

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka revealed he was "very, very close" to leaving the club in January and has thanked head coach Mikel Arteta for giving him a second chance.

Xhaka looked set for the exit after he was stripped of the captaincy in November for reacting angrily to supporters who jeered him when he was substituted during a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace the previous month.

The 27-year-old was also dropped from the squad for five matches, but he won back his place and, eight months on, is a regular member of the starting line-up again.

Arteta last week praised Xhaka for winning over the fanbase with his displays on the field, but the former Borussia Monchengladbach star admitted he seriously contemplated leaving.

"Everyone knows what happened with me and the fans - or the fans with me. It was not a good time. It was not a nice time," he told BT Sport.

"But maybe it was the key because I came back stronger than ever, so I learned a lot from this situation. I hope the fans have too.

"I was always saying to myself, but to the fans too, I am a guy that will go 100 per cent each game. The people start to understand me more and more now again.

"I have to be honest, I'm very honest with everyone. I was very, very close to leaving the club. I had, until this moment, had a great, great time in this football club.

"But after this, I was of course a bit down because I did not expect that from the people, from the fans.

"It was never in my mind to leave the club before, but after this happened, of course you think about it."

Switzerland international Xhaka has credited Arteta, who succeeded Unai Emery a little under two months after the incident, for turning around his career in north London.

"When Mikel arrived, I had a very good meeting with him, very good conversations," he said.

"Mikel was the guy. He turned me around and gave me a second chance, and he showed me he trusted me and I have tried to give him everything back."

Arsenal take on Chelsea in the FA Cup final on Saturday with Arteta seeking his first piece of silverware in management.

And after picking up victories over the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool in the past few weeks, Xhaka has praised the Spaniard for improving the team's fortunes.

"Since Mikel came to this club a lot of things have changed," he said. "He has changed the mentality, the spirit, not only for us players, but in the group.

"Everyone knows exactly what their job is. We have a clear gameplan.

"He prepared us really well against a lot of good teams and yeah, at the moment, it's like we are back with happiness. Coming to training with happiness, we do amazing work."

When the full-time whistle went to signal the end of Arsenal’s FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City, a roar could be heard echoing around an empty Wembley Stadium.

It came from Arsenal keeper Emiliano Martinez, who had dropped to the turf in his penalty area and put his hands over his face.

While his team-mates celebrated in the centre circle, Martinez briefly lay there on his own, overcome by emotion, thoughts of his family flashing through his mind, as well as the decade long journey he had been on to get that point.

“I was emotional,” said the Argentine keeper. “Not because we beat City, but more because of how much I have been fighting to play in a final with the club I love.

“I was delighted, for what I have been through. Obviously you have to deal with frustration and lack of game-time, but I always believed that I could do it, and I had done it - but I still think that’s not enough. Obviously you need to beat Chelsea to complete what you have been fighting for. I have been fighting 10 years to win trophies, not just to reach a final.”

Martinez’s road to the FA Cup final has been a long one. He was spotted by Arsenal while playing for Argentina U17s and after he impressed during a trial, a £1.1 million ($1.5m) deal was swiftly wrapped up with Independiente to bring him to England.

He was just 16 at the time and the prospect of leaving his family behind was a daunting one, but it was a decision he felt he had to make, not just for himself, but for the loved ones he was leaving behind.

“I was scared,” Martinez recalled. “When I was on the plane, I said to my agent, 'I am only going to trial and see what happens. I am not going to stay.'

“In my mind, there was no way I was going to leave my family. It was not a poor, poor background but my family struggled a lot in financial terms.

“I arrived back in Argentina and a week after I had the offer from Arsenal. They called my agent and my family and I thought it was all about signing a new contract for my club in Argentina because they wanted to offer me one at the time, but it was actually to sign for Arsenal.

“I saw my brother and mum cry, saying, 'Please don't go', but I had also seen my dad crying late at night because he could not pay the bills. So I had to be brave at the time, because I said “yes” for them. Now I don't regret anything. I have a wife and a kid here and I have a future in London.”

Whether that future is with Arsenal remains to be seen. That will decided after Saturday, but for now Martinez’s focus is purely on beating Chelsea and getting his hands on the FA Cup.

“As a club we have won it 13 times and to win it again is something the club needs, especially with what we have been through this season,” he said. “We have changed managers like we have never done before since I have been here.

“We had problems with fans and players like we never had before. It has been a tricky season so for the fans and the club to win a trophy, after Covid-19 and everything, it’s something that the fans will be really excited to see. We have to give them something and we know that. We are more than ready for the final.”

Saturday’s Wembley showpiece will be Martinez’s 12th successive appearance for Arsenal, his best run since arriving at the club more than a decade ago. It will also be his 23rd of the season in all competitions.

He has seized his opportunity since stepping into the void left by the injured Bernd Leno, and even though the German is back in full training once again, it will be Martinez who keeps his place this weekend - something Mikel Arteta confirmed immediately after last Sunday’s 3-2 win against Watford.

It’s an example of hard work paying off. Martinez has never doubted himself. He’s had loan spells at Oxford, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham, Wolves, Getafe and Reading, but through them all he’s maintained belief that one day he would make the grade in north London.

Before he left Argentina he made a promise to his father, Alberto, that he would become Arsenal’s No.1 and it’s a promise he’s been determined to keep.

“Talent is not enough,” he said. “It’s a mental game. You have to deal with frustration when you don’t play, you have to deal with the pressure. There are no excuses.

“A second-choice goalkeeper can sometimes say ‘oh it’s a lack of games, it’s different when you train compared to when you play’ but there is no excuse if you do everything right.

“My wife was saying to me in lockdown: ‘why do you train so much?’ Because I thought I might have my chance, I might do it, and look, I have it. After two games I was already fitter than when I left.

“So when Bernd got injured at Brighton, if you see straight after that I had to make a lot of saves, and I made it look easy because I was confident I had done the right thing to prepare for each game. I don’t do week in, week out. I do it day by day. That is why it drives me forward.”

Martinez’s form since stepping in for Leno has certainly given Mikel Arteta food for thought this summer.

The German had cemented his place as No.1 with his performances prior to his injury against Brighton, something highlighted by the fact he joins Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka in the running for Arsenal’s player of the year award.

However Martinez has ensured he hasn’t been missed and there are some who now believe that he should keep his place when the 2020-21 campaign gets underway on September 12.

So what does he think? Having enjoyed such an exceptional run in the side, can he see himself dropping back to the bench after Saturday’s final?

“I don’t think anyone wants to be a second goalkeeper,” he said. “Especially if you believe so much in yourself. I never accepted that I am a backup keeper. People say ‘oh you are the backup’ and it hurts your feelings. You work to be the No. 1, that’s me.”

Martinez added: “I am not thinking about next season. We have got a final.

“My agent called me the other day and said ‘how do you feel, what do you think about next season?’. I said I don’t want to talk about next season. I have a contract with Arsenal. I need to play in the final and have my mind clear.

“Whatever happens in the final and next season, it happens. It’s football. I can go anywhere but I have two years contract left in my Arsenal career. Let me win that trophy and ask the question again.”

Arteta’s arrival in December has been huge for Martinez. He got on well with Unai Emery and former goalkeeping coach Javi Garcia, but Martinez was a team-mate of Arteta during the Spaniard’s playing days at Arsenal and the pair were close.

Back then, he knew his friend would go on to become a top coach, but even he has been surprised at the impact he has made since replacing Emery just before Christmas.

“I remember when he was a player he would talk a lot with Arsene Wenger, asking about tactics,” said Martinez. “We always knew Mikel would be a top manager but we never knew how good he was going to be and it's incredible.

“He always gives us a game plan. What we did against City is what we practiced in training. So we start to realise that we need to trust more in the training sessions because it happens in games.

“We all know how good he is. So I don't think anyone would want to leave. Why would you leave when you know something good's going to happen?

“We obviously didn't finish the Premier League season how we wanted but we are in a final and if we can win it we are in Europe, and many players would think "OK, in Europe, with Arteta, with a year of work, we can reach good things here". So I think he can be a real influence in signing some players to stay, even Auba.

“Obviously I don't know what he's thinking but he knows he's got someone leading a team that is going to be competitive next season.”

For Martinez, however, next season feels a long way away. All he cares about right now is Wembley, winning the FA Cup and making his family proud.

Unfortunately his father, mother and brother will have to watch from back in Argentina due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the lockdown in his homeland meaning they won’t even be able to watch the match together in the same house.

Martinez will be thinking of them all this weekend: “I remember the day me and my brother ate and my mum and dad did not,” he said. “I know what they did for me to reach the top.”

Reaching the top may have felt a long way off at points during the past decade, but when Martinez strides out at Wembley on Saturday, that's exactly where he will be.

The Covid-19 pandemic severely disrupted the 2019-20 football calendar, pausing all play for three months, but with matches having returned and most European leagues seeing out their seasons, this also means the return of the summer transfer window.

Originally, the 2020-21 summer window was supposed to begin on June 10, closing on September 1. Due to Covid-19, however, it was forced to open on July 27, a day after the end of the Premier League season and it will end on October 5, 2020.

Goal is on hand to bring you all the comings and goings across the Premier League through the season.

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Bayern Munich are optimistic they will reach an agreement over a contract extension for David Alaba and that he will ultimately stay with the club for the rest of his career, according to chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

Alaba, 28, joined Bayern's academy in 2008 and has since gone on to enjoy a glorious association with Die Roten's senior side, winning a total of nine Bundesliga titles.

Ever since his breakthrough campaign in 2011-12, when he made 30 league appearances, Alaba has rarely struggled to hold down a place in the side.

The recently concluded 2019-20 campaign posed an entirely different challenge, as a defensive injury crisis led to the Austria star featuring as a centre-back.

He took to the task with aplomb, allowing teenage sensation Alphonso Davies to shine at full-back.

But Alaba has just a year left on his contract and is reportedly admired by the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and Barcelona.

While Thiago Alcantara appears unlikely to renew with Bayern, Rummenigge remains relaxed about reaching an agreement with Alaba, whom he compared to club icon Franz Beckenbauer.

"First of all, I have to say about David that he had a great season," Rummenigge told Sky Germany.

"It was born out of necessity that he had to play at centre-back because we had several injuries, and then Hansi [Flick, Bayern coach] put him in this position.

"He did it with flying colours. We haven't had a 'chief' in defence for some time now, one who really takes the reins in hand and sets the tone there and simply acts as the head of the defensive unit - he did that.

"This has been seen especially in these coronavirus times. In these empty stadiums, his instructions showed how well he organised it at the back. Even with his style of play he is a very, very important player for us, we don't need to talk about that.

"I am nevertheless optimistic that at the end of the day we will find a solution that David will even end his career here.

"I have always said that, for me, David is actually something like Franz Beckenbauer. He is the first player to play again at this level like Franz back then.

"I think David knows what he has at Bayern, and we know what we have in David."

Yanga SC forward Bernard Morrison has been arrested in Tanzania for allegedly being in possession of marijuana, according to reports in the South African media.

The 27-year-old was stopped by police in Dar es Salaam when officials, in a routine check on the roadblock, allegedly found an illicit substance, as per Kick Off.

The Ghanian was taken into custody, but Goal has since learned that he was released on bail, although the ex-Orlando Pirates attacker is due to be tried for substance possession.

Morrisson was signed by disgraced former Yanga SC coach Luc Eymael at the beginning of the season, and while he struggled in South Africa, the West African settled quickly for Wanachi and became an instant hit.

His goal on March 8 against Simba SC in the Kariakoo Derby won maximum points for the Jangwani-based side, although it's not been entirely plain sailing for the attacker, who has been accused of ill-discipline on occasion. 

The latest incident was failure to report back to the camp after his team lost 4-1 against Wekundu wa Msimbazi in the FA Cup semi-final.

It was during this match when Morrison’s conduct came under scrutiny after he was substituted for Patrick Sibomana, and instead of going to the bench, the player threw a tantrum close to the technical bench and headed straight to the dressing room, where he changed and duly left the stadium.

Yanga have always insisted Morrison, who has been linked with a transfer move to Simba, has two years on his contract remaining but the player insisted he had run down his deal and was free to leave.

It is, for this reason, that Yanga information officer Hassan Bumbuli reportedly told the player to go ahead and leave if he felt he had come to the end of the deal he signed after joining from Amabhakabhaka of South Africa.

The Ghanaian forward had been in and out of the team since the top flight resumed on June 13 until its completion.  

"If people are not there perhaps they are thinking beyond the club, maybe their mind is not at the club and what can we do?" Eymael asked Goal in an earlier interview. "We have to live with that and work with those players who are ready to play.

"The issue with Morrison is now a complicated one; I don’t know his whereabouts the same as the players who have shown up for training since the derby, I can only let the management do their work and give us the way forward."

The 27-time champions have not yet commented on the issue.

Spanish Primera Iberdrola outfit Sevilla have secured the services of Namibia striker Zenatha Coleman for the 2020-21 season.

The Namibia international becomes the latest addition to Cristian Toro's team ahead of the commencement of the season in September after ending her journey with rivals Valencia in May.

In 2018, she started with Zaragoza after arriving in Spain from Lithuanian side Gintra Universitetas, where she scored 110 goals in 31 games and had her first taste of the Women’s Champions League.

The 26-year-old, who joined Valencia from then Spanish top-flight side Zaragoza in 2018, scored 11 goals in 42 appearances for Jose Bargues' team during her two-year stint at the club.

During her first season, she scored seven goals in 24 matches, including being nominated for the Player of the Week award twice and in her second outing, netted four times in 21 appearances.

The striker is Namibia women's national team captain and featured at several Cosafa Women's Cups and also starred at the 2014 Africa Women's Cup of Nations staged in her country.

Her signing means manager Toro has secured a replacement for Nigeria's Uchenna Kanu, who left for Swedish Damallsvenskan side Linkopings as he moved to bolster his ranks for the new season.

She will become the second African at the club as she teams up with Nigerian-American striker Toni Payne, who joined from Netherlands Eredivisie women's champions Ajax in 2018.

Having excelled in Spain, she will be aiming to bring her experience and goalscoring ability to Cristian Toro's side in pursuit of domestic glory this term, having finished 11th last season.

Osinachi Ohale has joined Serie A Women's League outfit AS Roma on a one-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

The Nigeria international parted ways with Spanish side CD Tacon, now renamed Real Madrid, last month after the expiration of her contract with the Primera Iberdrola outfit.

On joining CD Tacon from Swedish side Vaxjo last September, she made 15 appearances, scoring twice for David Aznar's side before the Spanish league's coronavirus cancellation.

For her two goals, the first came in Tacon's 5-1 thrashing of Toni Payne's Sevilla on January 4 and the second in a 4-3 win over rivals Madrid CFF in a local derby in the capital four weeks later.

Following her announcement, she becomes the latest Nigerian to join an Italian outfit and also the club’s third signing this summer after Spain's Paloma Lazaro and Italy's Rachele Baldi.

Reacting to her historic move, Ohale told the club website: “I chose Roma because of so many things; so many amazing things about the club, about this city and this country that interested me.

“I felt like it would be a great thing for me, to explore and to experience new things and a new challenge.”

At club level, the 28-year-old starred at Delta Queens and Rivers Angels in Nigeria before her first contract abroad with Houston Dash in the United States, and she later moved to Sweden for stints with Vittsjo and Vaxjo.

The defender, who has 26 international appearances for Nigeria, has won four African Women's Cup of Nations titles and featured at three Fifa Women's World Cups with the Super Falcons.

Having joined the Giallorosse, Ohale will hope to make a fine debut in Italy when Roma open their league campaign in  September.

Thomas Tuchel says Paris Saint-Germain will need a "miracle" to have Kylian Mbappe fit in time to face Atalanta in the Champions League. 

The 21-year-old attacker was this week ruled out for around three weeks after suffering an ankle injury in his side's Coupe de France final victory over Saint-Etienne last Friday.

PSG's Champions League campaign will resume on August 12 when they take on the Serie A side in the quarter-finals of the competition, and Tuchel does not expect the France star to be available for selection.

"This will have an important influence for us, but I hope that the solution will be found," Tuchel told reporters ahead of Friday's Coupe de la Ligue final against Lyon. "We still hope [he can play against Atalanta], but the chances will be very, very small. Every day counts to achieve a miracle, but tomorrow we will have to adapt without Kylian."

Tuchel's team will call on Mauro Icardi to line up alongside Neymar for the matches against Lyon and Atalanta, and Tuchel is confident the Argentine forward, who has scored 20 goals in all competitions since joining from Inter initially on loan then on a permanent transfer, will continue his good form. 

"He was very strong in the first friendlies, he is always very strong with Neymar, Kylian and Angel Di Maria. He likes to play with all three," Tuchel said.

"He matches the characteristics of the team. It is not necessary for him not to touch the ball too many times. He can wait. He has a lot of patience. It's up to everyone to improve, not just him. He will improve and he can play better. He works a lot defensively, he is disciplined, he is important for us.

"If we don't play enough for him, we can tell that he is not in good shape but it is not like that. He remains the same player as when he arrived. He always wants to score and it is also our goal to give him good balls to score. He remains important for us."

Nevertheless, the German manager will not be treating Friday's final as a warm-up for the European clash, as their Italian opponents have a completely different playing style.

"It is not possible to tactically prepare for Atalanta in a match against Lyon," he added. "I don't know a team that plays like Atalanta. We can just work on our state of mind and show our hunger to win. This will prepare us from this point of view if we get a good result tomorrow."

Ghana international Bernard Tekpetey has prematurely ended his loan stint with relegated Bundesliga side Fortuna Dusseldorf, the club have announced.

The development brings to end weeks of dispute between the two parties which resulted in the player being excused from training earlier this week.

Promptly, the attacker, who was on loan from Schalke 04, has joined Bulgarian side Ludogorets on a two-year loan deal.

"Bernard Tekpetey returns to FC Schalke 04 after one season. The loan was originally designed for two years," Dusseldorf announced on their official website on Thursday.

Tekpetey signed a two-year loan deal with Dusseldorf last summer following the club’s promotion to the elite division.

The 22-year-old was, however, agitated by his limited playing time at Merkur Spiel-Arena as the club suffered relegation at the end of the season.

With just nine league appearances involving five starts all through last term, he made up his mind to move on despite one more year remaining on his contract and refused to show up to training this week.

"The loan from Bernard Tekpetey could now be ended prematurely because we found a solution with Schalke 04 that could fully take our economic demands into account. We wish Bernard all the best for the future," Dusseldorf Sports Director Uwe Klein explained.

Earlier, Tekpetey was quoted by Express saying he "will never play for Dusseldorf again", a comment which drew a reaction from Klein.

"If a player is disappointed, he cannot simply say that he doesn't want to come anymore. I made it clear to him and his adviser in a personal conversation that I gave my opinion. We won't just give Bernard the go-ahead," the Dusseldorf executive remarked.

Last season, Tekpetey played in the Bundesliga 2 with Paderborn, making 32 appearances involving 23 starts, with 10 goals and four assists.

He joined parent club Schalke from Ghanaian side UniStar Academy in 2016.

The following year, the attacker was farmed out on loan to Austrian fold Altach owing to limited opportunities at Veltins-Arena,

He was then sold to Paderborn ahead of the 2018-19 term but a fine outing in the lower division saw Schalke exercise a buy-back option to re-sign the Ghanaian before promptly sending him out on a two-year loan to Dusseldorf last summer.

A full Ghana international, Tekpetey represented the Black Stars at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nicholas Mwendwa has claimed Fifa will take over the elections matters should it be blocked further by court injunctions.

The FKF failed to hold the mandatory elections in the last two attempts as the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) blocked them after dissatisfied members raised issues, especially regarding the electoral code.

In a leaked audio recording, Mwendwa is heard assuring his election campaign team of Fifa protection should more court cases be registered.

“I have made a clear explanation to Fifa of the risk we are facing especially people rushing to courts,” Mwendwa said in an audio message received by Goal.

“They have understood our situation and said if anyone goes to court again, it is they who will handle the situation.”

Mwendwa assured his ‘Team Blue’ campaign team that they need not worry as he hopes they will overcome the challenges.

“Members of ‘Team Blue' let me go through it again so that everyone listens and understands,” he added.

“When you were here, I remember saying you need to be confident in order to surmount any challenge. We have seen the challenges so far but the challenges have not defeated us. This is not the time to panic.

“There is nothing to fear about although some of us were calling for fresh exercises so that our opponents should not have any more reasons to complain.

“My point is we cannot seem weak to Fifa. Fifa is being told that we are fearing elections and that we are locking people out. Let us be calm, support one another and be ready for elections.”

Mwendwa further confirmed there will be a repeat of elections for the lower level positions of the federation.

“Elections are set to be repeated from the branch levels going up to the national office. But anyone who had presented his papers and paid [the nomination fee], will not need to present them again or pay the money,” the incumbent added.

“Only opponents, if there are any at all, in every county are the ones that will present the papers and pay the requisite money.

“We have analysed and seen that in over 35 counties, there would be no opponent.

“Secondly, there will be no changes to the electoral board. This is because there is no mechanism of changing the electoral code because the national executive committee members are not in the office and I cannot call for a Special General Meeting (SGM).

“What is going to happen is, the people who want to run for the national offices and the former players will be allowed to run.

“At the branch level, there will be no changes.”

Amnesty International has suggested the collapse of Newcastle United's Saudi-backed takeover will be seen as a "sign" that human rights defenders have not been completely disregarded.

A proposed £300 million ($390m) purchase of the Premier League club, backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) whose chairman is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, had been ongoing for several months.

The prospective new owners pulled out of a deal on Thursday, owing largely to the protracted nature of negotiations, which combined with the coronavirus pandemic had made the investment "no longer commercially viable".

There had been strong opposition to the deal from human rights campaigners concerned about Saudi Arabia's welfare practices.

Matters were complicated further when the World Trade Organization (WTO) published a report that found representatives of the kingdom facilitated the breach of piracy laws through broadcasting network beoutQ, who were accused of illegally showing Premier League football and other sport.

Amnesty International, the world's leading human rights organisation, was among the most vocal critics when the deal first came to light, saying in April that the takeover was an attempt to "sportswash" – using sports or a club as a PR tool to divert attention from areas of concern, or improve a country's image.

Following Thursday's collapse, the organisation is hoping human rights defenders take heart.

"This deal was always a blatant attempt by the government of Saudi Arabia to try to sportswash its abysmal human rights record by buying into the passion, prestige and pride of Tyneside football," Peter Frankental, Amnesty International UK's economics affairs programme director, said.

"The fact that this sportswashing bid has failed will be seen by human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia as a sign that their suffering has not been entirely overlooked.

"Numerous peaceful Saudi human rights activists are currently behind bars, and of course a Saudi journalist was grotesquely murdered by agents of the Saudi state less than two years ago.

"Looking ahead, there needs to be a rule change to ensure the Premier League's Owners' and Directors' test provides proper scrutiny of the human rights records of those trying to buy into English football, not least when the buyers are governments or government representatives.

"We'll be watching developments at St James' Park with interest and meanwhile we wish Newcastle United and its fans well."

Highlands Park coach Owen Da Gama has confirmed his loyalty is with the Tembisa-based club despite media reports linking him with a move to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM).

The Lions of the North manager, however, confirmed he was approached by an official from the National First Division (NFD) outfit as the club that bought Bidvest Wits look to secure Gavin Hunt’s successor.

In addition, Highlands Park are reportedly considering selling their Premier Soccer League (PSL) status and are heavily linked with TS Galaxy, but the former Bafana Bafana manager says everything is going normally in their camp.

“Someone [from TTM] called me some time ago, during the sale,” Da Gama told Phakaaathi.

“But it was not the owner of the club, it was someone with a name I have never heard of, and I told them I am under contract at Highlands Park and happy at Highlands Park.

“All we know is also what we have heard and read about [about the sale of the club]. There is nothing official, so from our perspective, we are just carrying on with the team.”

On the other hand, the former Platinum Stars coach says they welcome the move to play their home games at Dobsonville Stadium, saying the pitch has been of good quality.

“We have played a few friendlies there, it is a very good field, I don’t know how well it has been maintained during the Covid-19 period, but I am sure that the PSL has done its spadework. The pitch has always been even and of good quality,” Da Gama added.

The MTN8 losing finalists will play their remaining 2019/20 PSL season home games in Soweto in a Biologically Safe Environment (BSE) in Gauteng, a move that is aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

As things stand, the Lions of the North are eighth on the PSL table with 31 points from 24 matches and are gunning for a top-eight finish.

Da Gama’s troops will resume their campaign with a clash against reigning PSL champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who will ironically use the same venue as their home base for the rest of the campaign.

However, the eagerly anticipated match will technically be hosted by the Tembisa-based outfit as the league matches will get underway on Tuesday, August 11 when Orlando Pirates visit Masandawana.

Ghana international Rahim Ayew believes younger brother Jordan deserves to be named as the Black Stars' deputy skipper and the team's next captain.

The Crystal Palace forward is one of the longest-serving players in the national team, having made his debut in a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier against Swaziland in 2010.

Swansea City attacker Andre, the third of the Ayew siblings, is the current captain of the Black Stars, having assumed duty in May last year ahead of the 2019 Afcon in Egypt, while Inter Milan defender Kwadwo Asamoah currently enjoys the privilege as deputy skipper.

“What I know personally, apart from Dede [Andre Ayew] and Jonathan Mensah, I think Jordan should be the next captain because he has been there for long, but the coach has the power to decide," Rahim told Adom TV.

“However, I feel he deserves to be the assistant captain for now because he has the character and he is a leader as well."

Jordan has made over 60 appearances for the Black Stars, including outings at all but one Afcon tournament since 2012.

He also featured at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil where Ghana exited the tournament at the group stage.

“He [Jordan] has been in the Black Stars for a very long time. I made my debut in 2009 and I have not been able to play again," Rahim explained further to Asempa FM after his comments generated controversy.

“I said when Jonathan and the likes are not around, Jordan must be made the next captain.

“Jordan has the qualities of a leader. He is a guy of few words but he has everything as a leader.

“Jordan is a different player compared to Andre Ayew but within the family, we don’t do comparisons.

“I stand by what I said. Jordan deserves to be the next Black Stars captain. He has proven it and moving forward, that must be the way to go."

On Wednesday, Jordan scooped a treble of honours at Crystal Palace's end of season awards on the back of a brilliant 2019-20 term.

The 28-year-old, who was adjudged Crystal Palace Player of the Season, Crystal Palace Players' Player of the Season and the scorer of the most outstanding goal, finished the campaign as the club's top scorer with nine goals. 

Amanda Staveley, the businesswoman at the centre of a Saudi-backed bid to buy Newcastle United, has claimed opposition from other Premier League clubs caused the deal to break down.

On Thursday, a consortium led by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) pulled out of a bid to buy the club.

A proposed £300 million ($390m) purchase, backed by the PIF, whose chairman is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, had been withdrawn mainly due to the protracted nature of negotiations.

Staveley, whose PCP Capital Partners would have taken 10 per cent of the club, with another 10 per cent going to property developers Simon and David Reuben, was at the centre of negotiations.

"We are heartbroken obviously," she told The Times. "Of course we do [blame the Premier League]. They had a chance, they say we have not answered all the questions and we have done so.

"The other clubs in the Premier League didn't want it to happen.

"We are so heartbroken for the Newcastle fans as the investment that was going to go into the club, especially with everything happening with Brexit and Covid-19, would have been so important. This is catastrophic for them. It has been going on for so long and the opportunity was there."

A further complication to the deal came after Saudi Arabia were found by the World Trade Organisation to have enabled the piracy of Premier League matches being broadcast by beIN Sport. Staveley, though, insists the hurdle could have been easily overcome.

"The piracy issue was not an issue but we tried to resolve it anyway," she said. "They [the Premier League] tried to make the state of Saudi a director. The PIF had agreed to become a director."

However, Staveley hinted there may be a possibility of reigniting the deal.

"Do we give up now? I don't know, there may be a way forward, but we have had to put a statement out," she added. "I'm trying to deal with the facts and we had to make a decision today."

A statement released on Thursday on behalf of the PIF, PCP Capital Partners and Reuben Brothers confirmed: "With a deep appreciation for the Newcastle community and the significance of its football club, we have come to the decision to withdraw our interest in acquiring Newcastle United Football Club.

"We do so with regret, as we were excited and fully committed to invest in the great city of Newcastle and believe we could have returned the club to the position of its history, tradition and fans' merit.

"Unfortunately, the prolonged process under the current circumstances coupled with global uncertainty has rendered the potential investment no longer commercially viable."

Kenyan striker Ronald Okoth believes Nicholas Pepe has not flopped in his first Premier League season at Arsenal.

The Ivorian was signed for £72 million from Lille and the huge transfer fee attracted high expectations from Arsenal fans.

The expectations from club and fans alike, and difficulty settling in a new country might have contributed to his inconsistent form in the 2019/20 campaign, according to Okoth.

“I think he has not been a flop because he was still fighting to adapt and again I also think he has not played that bad,” Okoth told Goal.

“The moments he has been playing his work on the pitch has been seen, to me, those were some good performances.

“You know when the whole team is having a bad day, there will be no player who can be regarded as outstanding. It is more of a collective effort and that is why he might have been seen as a flop, which is not the case to me.

“The expectations that the club had on him as well as the fans especially after arriving with so much invested in him money-wise, might have drastically affected him.

“He has not lived up to those expectations, yes, but hopefully in the next season he might rightfully prove his worth.”

The 25-year-old forward was signed by Unai Emery before the manager was sacked before Mikel Arteta took over, and Okoth believes the Emery-Arteta transition had an impact on Pepe’s maiden season in England as well.

“Without a doubt, a change of managers affected his performance overall,” the Sofapaka striker added.

“In any club, any new manager will come with his own playing style and philosophies that will affect players in one way or another.

“But under Arteta, it is a matter of time before Pepe hits his top form. This season has been more of a survival fight but in the next campaign, it will be a new team chasing new ambitions.

“In that regard, Pepe stands a better chance of having good days on the pitch.”

The 2013 Kenyan Premier League (KPL)-winning striker also compared Pepe to the signings that were made during his time of England arrival.

“There were plenty of good signings that were made when Arsenal went for Pepe and he is among the best. I can say every team signed in accordance with their ambitions and Pepe was one of them.

“Every team is always signing a good player in their own perspective, and Pepe is among the best signings done in the EPL then.

“He is one of the best players we have on the continent at the moment.”

The Ivorian scored his first Arsenal goal, a spot-kick, during a 3-2 win over Mbwana Samatta’s Aston Villa.

His first European goals came during a Europa League match against Vitoria de Guimaraes at the Emirates.

On June 28, the former Angers star earned his first FA Cup goal against Sheffield United as Arsenal won the game 2-1.

Lyon right-back Leo Dubois says Kylian Mbappe's absence will not affect his side's strategy in the Coupe de la Ligue final against Paris Saint-Germain.

The two sides will meet in the decider on Friday, but PSG's star attacker will not be available after being ruled out for at least three weeks with an ankle injury. 

But with the likes of Neymar and Mauro Icardi still available, Dubois has warned that his side will have a tough time regardless of Mbappe's absence.

"It doesn't change the plans. There are only world-class players opposite us, even in the absence of Kylian," the 25-year-old told reporters.

"We are convinced of our quality, of our ability to win this trophy. Lyon need it. We come with this mentality and we'll see how it goes tomorrow.

Lyon have not played a competitive match since March because of the coronavirus pandemic, whereas PSG beat Saint-Etienne in the Coupe de France final last week.

But Dubois feels his side are mentally ready for the clash and hopes they are in good physical condition for the clash with the French champions.

"We had to get the bodies back on track, we prepared our bodies well for the resumption of competition. Everything has been done to prepare well for the past eight weeks," he added.

"We know the qualities of PSG. On the physical question, we are a little in the unknown, but mentally we are preparing for a very high level match. 

"We have to go and dig deep into ourselves. It's up to us to set the bar very high. I'm sure there will be a lot of intensity even if it will be our first competitive game and there will be a lot of heat. 

"We will have the ambition to go for a title, and I think that will take over.

"Tomorrow's match may allow us to win a trophy. It's the only thing we think about. The preparation matches are over, we are really entering the competition. 

"With this Coupe de la Ligue final, we have to be motivated. The club expects that, the supporters too. We can go look for Europe for next season, and that's just what we're focused on."

Azam FC have completed the signing of midfielder Awesu Ally Awesu from Kagera Sugar on a two-year deal.

The player makes a return to the team which developed him between 2014-15 while at the Azam Academy. In the last two seasons, the player has been in good form and it was not a tough decision for the technical bench to make him the first signing in the transfer window. 

"I am delighted to sign this deal, it is like making a return home," Awesu said during the signing.

"No one can turn down a deal from Azam because it is a big team in Tanzania. It is home for me because I played for them [in the reserve team] for two years.

"I had to leave and gain experience elsewhere, but in my heart, I always promised myself to make a return to the team and not in the reserve but as a first-team player. I am happy it has happened."

The creative midfielder has also shed light on what he intends to do at the 2014 Tanzania Mainland League champions. 

"I am here to help the team as much as I can," Awesu continued.

"My desire was to come back in this team and achieve something; I want to achieve great things with this team and God will help me realise my objectives."

After leaving the Chamazi-based academy, Awesu managed to play for Mwadui, and the now second-tier side Singida United before joining the Sugar Millers. Last season, he managed to score seven goals.

Azam have not had as good a season as they had anticipated at the beginning of the campaign.

They finished third in the league with 70 points, 18 fewer than winners Simba SC, and two behind second-placed Yanga SC. They managed to get 20 wins, 10 draws and eight losses.

The team also failed to defend their FA Cup title to stand a chance of representing the country in the Caf Confederation Cup. They were paired with Wekundu wa Msimbazi in the quarter-finals and fell 2-0.

The technical bench promised to bolster the squad and has now signed their former youth product. 

With MLS is Back concluding August 11, questions have been raised about when the remainder of the regular MLS season will take place.

The MLS regular season started on February 29, but teams were only able to play two games before the Covid-19 outbreak forced all games to be suspended from March onwards.

So when could the remainder of 2020 MLS be played? Goal takes a look.

When will the regular MLS season resume?

MLS 2020 could continue with their regular season as soon as August 22, two weeks after the MLS is Back final on August 11.

MLS is Back began on July 8 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, with the three group-stage fixtures counting towards the final standings.

Additionally, the winner of the MLS is Back tournament will earn a place in the Concacaf Champions League, as well as a share of a $1.1 million (£880k) prize fund.

Once the tournament ends, MLS plans to continue the regular season "with a revised schedule in home markets" and complete the MLS Cup playoffs and final.

No official confirmation has been released about the remainder of the MLS 2020 season, but several figures from around the league have hinted about the current campaign's future.

Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson iterated his belief that the campaign will begin later this summer, alongside expert advice from MLS medical staff on how to resume the season safely.

“I’d say I’m confident,” Paulson said. “It’s not without its challenges. A lot of thinking, equal amount if not more thinking, is going into the second phase of this season post-Orlando MLS is Back Tournament.

"And a lot more moving parts there. I know the league is working tirelessly right now in ironing out a plan. Again, not without its challenges, but I’d say I’m confident.”

Additionally, New England Revolution coach Bruce Arena added: “I think there’s a plan. And I know the league hasn’t announced that yet, but we anticipate getting on with our regular season once we leave Orlando, and there’s going to be a lot more games ahead.”

“I think when September comes around, we’re going to have a better feel for all the clubs in Major League Soccer."

What could the MLS 2020 schedule look like?

According to the Athletic, the potential fixture schedule for MLS 2020 would see teams playing six games between August 22 and September 13 as part of phase one of the restart.

The three MLS Canadian teams (Montreal Impact, Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps) would stay in Canada and play exclusively against each other.

The second phase of the restart would involve teams playing 12 games from September 16 to November 8, which would mean that each team would play a total of 23 regular season games (including the two fixtures played prior to the Covid-19 suspension, as well as three from the teams' group stage results during MLS is Back).

The 18 remaining fixtures following the conclusion of MLS is Back would be played over 11 weeks.

Following the end of the regular season, the 18 sides (nine per conference) progress to the postseason that begins on November 20.

The teams participating would then play in a single-elimination tournament leading up to the MLS Cup as the grand finale of MLS 2020, to take place on a proposed date of December 12.