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Barcelona returned to training on Tuesday ahead of the resumption of the Champions League, with Ousmane Dembele and Antoine Griezmann both reporting for duty after injury layoffs.

The French duo have both been sidelined with injuries but underwent individual recovery work as they continued their rehabilitation.

Griezmann suffered a thigh problem in the 1-0 win over Real Valladolid on July 11, forcing him to miss the final two La Liga games of the campaign as Barca were dethroned by Real Madrid during the run-in.

As for Dembele, his season was seemingly over when he underwent surgery to repair his damaged hamstring back in February.

However, the extension of the 2019-20 campaign due to the coronavirus pandemic has raised the possibility of the winger featuring in Europe.

Meanwhile, defender Clement Lenglet also worked away from the rest of the group, with the centre-back attempting to overcome a groin injury suffered on the last day of the league campaign.

Barca are beginning preparations for the delayed second leg of their last-16 tie against Napoli, which is to be played on August 8 at Camp Nou. The teams drew 1-1 in the first meeting, which took place on Italian soil at Stadio San Paolo in February.

The subsequent knockout rounds will take place in Portugal, all as one-off games following changes to the schedule caused by the COVID-19 crisis.

Lionel Messi questioned Barca's chances of beating Napoli after their failure to retain the La Liga title, telling reporters after a shock defeat to Osasuna: "We are Barca and we have to win everything.

"We can't look at Madrid…Madrid have done their job, but we have helped them a lot.

"If we want to win the Champions League, we have to change a lot. If we continue like this, we will lose the game against Napoli."

Should Quique Setien's men progress to the quarter-finals, they will be rewarded with a clash against either Bayern Munich or Chelsea.

The German outfit already have one foot in the last eight after thrashing the Blues 3-0 at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of their round of 16 encounter back in February.

Los Angeles FC manager Bob Bradley has showered encomium on Latif Blessing after helping the club reach the quarter-finals of the MLS Is Back Tournament on Monday.

The 23-year-old featured prominently as LAFC secured a 4-1 victory over Seattle Sounders FC in the Round of 16 of the tournament at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

After Diego Rossi opened the scoring from the penalty spot, Ghanaian midfielder Blessing then doubled the lead with a fine effort.

The 23-year-old struck a sublime shot from the edge of the box after he was set up by Bradley Wright-Phillips which was diverted into the net.

Rossi then completed his brace with eight minutes left to play before Brian Rodriguez sealed the victory to render Will Bruin’s effort a mere consolation.

Bradley is delighted with the contribution of the Ghanaian midfielder and Liberty Professionals academy graduate in the encounter.

“We started in a strong way. Latif [Blessing] in the middle brought a lot of energy tonight to go with the strong play of Mark [Anthony Kaye] and Eduard [Atuesta]. The third goal was hard to get,” Bradley told the club website.  

LAFC lost 3-1 to Seattle Sounders FC last time out and Blessing is thrilled with his side's response at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

“We needed to win this game. This time around, it was like payback time,” Blessing said.

The midfielder started his career in his home country in 2013 when he joined Liberty Professionals youth setup and was promoted to the senior side a year later.

In the 2016 Ghana Premier League season, the midfielder scored 17 goals to emerge as the top-scorer of the division and was named the player of the year by the GFA.

Following the performances, he joined MLS side Sporting Kansas City in January 2017 and featured 25 times, scoring three goals, before teaming up with LAFC.

The midfielder will hope to continue his impressive showings to boost his chances of playing for the Ghana national team.

Harry Maguire says the future at Manchester United is all about “winning trophies and Premier Leagues”, with top-four finishes considered to be the “minimum requirement”.

The Red Devils have booked themselves a return ticket to Champions League competition for 2020-21.

Having found a spark at the turn of the year, an impressive run of form has carried Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s through lockdown and to third spot in the table.

Another transfer window has now opened, presenting them with a chance to further bolster their ranks, and the intention of everybody at Old Trafford is to build from this point.

Maguire believes lofty targets should be set, with a side accustomed to challenging for major honours determined to put themselves in a position where tangible success can be savoured.

“That’s why I joined this club. I joined this club to play Champions League football,” club captain Maguire told MUTV.

“At the start of the season not many people fancied us. Now we are third in the league everyone is going to go ‘well, it’s expected for Manchester United’. But at the start of the season no-one fancied us to reach the top four but we’ve worked hard, we’ve improved and I think that’s the main thing this season.

“What you see is a proper Manchester United team where we’re not happy to just fight for the top four, that’s not us.

“We’re realists and we knew we’re not going to jump the points total that we finished on last season to win the Premier League. It’s not impossible, you’ve seen Leicester do it, but it’s hard.

“We set a target of the top four as a minimum requirement, we had great belief that we would get there. We have left it late but we’ve got there in the end.

“It’s not what we want in the future. The future is all about winning trophies and winning Premier Leagues. The main thing this season is to see the improvement from last season, and it’s been enormous.”

United wrapped up third spot when downing Leicester 2-0 on the final day of the season, with Maguire happy to have established momentum that also has the Red Devils chasing down Europa League glory.

He added: “We knew we had to put some run together to reach the top four.

“We gave ourselves a lot to catch up and do. We were a bit inconsistent over the start of the season, as I’ve been saying over the last few weeks, and it was nice to put a run together at the right time.

“I don’t think we sat third in the Premier League since the opening day. To go into the last day knowing we could draw as well, the onus was on them [Leicester].

“We wanted to win the game, that was the priority, finish third in the league. We’ve managed to do that and now it’s full focus on the Europa League because we want to win trophies.”

United will be back in action on August 5 when taking in the second leg of a Europa League last-16 clash with LASK that they currently lead 5-0 on aggregate.

Pele has paid tribute to the efforts of “modern athlete” Cristiano Ronaldo, with the Juventus superstar having added a second Serie A title to his enviable collection of honours.

The Bianconeri have wrapped up a ninth successive domestic crown in the Italian top flight.

Ronaldo’s presence in Turin has helped to cement that dominance, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner showing no sign of slowing down at 35 years of age.

He continues to set the standard for those around him, with a place among the all-time greats safely secured.

Pele also occupies that talent bracket, and the Brazilian legend remains a big fan of a modern-day superstar.

He is pleased to see Ronaldo’s remarkable professionalism and dedication to his craft being richly rewarded, with major honours collected on a regular basis.

An iconic figure of the past is also happy for fellow countrymen Douglas Costa, Danilo and Alex Sandro, who have picked up another medal alongside their illustrious Portuguese team-mate.

Pele said in a post on his official Instagram account: “@Cristiano is the modern athlete, who shows everyone that success always comes to those who are dedicated and love what they do.

“Also, I would like to congratulate my fellow Brazilians @douglascosta, @alxsndro12 and @daniluiz2. Great work winning the @seriea title, @juventus.”

Pele has aired his admiration for Ronaldo on a regular basis down the years, with the three-time World Cup winner going as far as to place the Juve forward at the top of the global game.

For him, Portuguese power wins out over Argentine flair, with Barcelona icon Lionel Messi forced to operate in the shadow of an eternal rival.

Pele has said: "Today the best player in the world is Cristiano Ronaldo.

"I think he's the best, because he's more consistent, but you can't forget about Messi, of course, but he's not a striker."

After helping Juve to another Serie A title, Ronaldo is about to turn his attention towards the pursuit of a sixth Champions League crown.

Maurizio Sarri’s side still have two domestic fixtures to take in this season, but focus is already drifting towards the second leg of a Champions League last-16 encounter with Lyon on August 7 that the Bianconeri currently trail 1-0.

Police FC have announced the signing of goalkeeper Tom Ikara from Mbarara City FC.

Ikara was one of the players being targeted by the newly crowned Ugandan Premier League (UPL) champions Vipers SC but has instead, opted to sign for the ‘Cops’ on a two-year deal.

Police have confirmed the arrival of Ikara on their social media pages by stating: “Tom [Ikara] has put pen to paper to a two-year deal with ‘The Cops’.”

On signing the deal, Ikara, who has also featured Busoga United and KCCA FC before he signed for Mbarara on a loan deal, said: “I'm going to do my best and put in a better performance than before.

“Police is a big team with history and I am happy to associate with it.”

On his part, Police head coach Abdallah Mubiru stated: “We thank God who has enabled us to acquire his services because he brings a lot of experience and commitment.”

The signing of Ikara was done on Tuesday at the club’s offices based at CID Police headquarters, Kibuli. Before signing for Mbarara, Ikara had been approached by Vipers, a move he turned down the same as Uganda Revenue Authority (URA FC) who had sought his services.

Ikara becomes the third signing for Police, who have already captured the services of experienced midfielder Tony Mawejje from Al-Arabi SC in Kuwait, and Hassan Muhamood from Onduparaka FC.

Meanwhile, midfielders Yusuf Ssozi and Johnson Odong have all renewed their contracts with the club, who have set their sight in winning major titles in the coming season.

On unveiling Mawejje a week ago, Police chairman Asan Kasingye stated they will make sure they leave a mark in the league come the new season.

“We no longer just want to compete; we need to win trophies. We are former champions and its time to think big,” Kasingye told reporters.

“Football is a big enterprise in the world that doesn’t entertain mediocrity. We need to do the right thing like other clubs.”

Kasingye added it was the right time for the team to secure sponsors because Police are a big organisation and many people want to be part of it.

Demba Ba has recalled how former manager Jose Mourinho blocked a move to join Arsenal during his time with Chelsea.

The 35-year-old, now at Istanbul Basaksehir, joined Chelsea in January 2013 from Newcastle after impressing during his two-year stay with the Magpies, where he scored 29 Premier League goals in 54 games.

The Senegal international, however, wanted to leave the Blues in the summer as the arrival of Cameroon and Barcelona legend Samuel Eto’o was expected to limit his playing time.  

Ba remembered how he was close to teaming up with Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal on transfer deadline day before the deal was scuttled by the Portuguese tactician.

“I was really close [to joining Arsenal]. I was at my house in Paris, having a day off, when I got a phone call from Arsene Wenger – he asked if I’d come back to London for a medical,” Ba told FourFourTwo. “I woke up at 9am on transfer deadline day, jumped on a train, got to London, but then it never happened.

“Arsenal made a couple of signings on the same day [Mesut Ozil and Emiliano Viviano] and Mourinho chose to block the deal, as he didn’t want to help make one of Chelsea’s competitors stronger.”

Ba only started five Premier League games in the 2013-14 season but made key impacts for the Blues coming off the bench.

The striker recalled one of his most eye-catching performances for Chelsea against Paris Saint-Germain when he scored the match winner in their Champions League quarter-final.

“Being a young kid from the hood in Paris, growing up in poverty and then scoring the goal that took Chelsea to the Champions League semi-finals, that felt like a great achievement,” he continued.

“I had to find a way of dealing with not starting matches, but when you don’t play and you’re surrounded by players who do, the negativity comes.

"Near the end of that season, I decided to stop moaning, work hard until the season was done, then move on. When I stopped complaining, I started to score and play more.

“I remember having a chat with Mourinho once the season was finished when he asked me to stay for another year, but I had already decided to go.”

Ba left Chelsea in 2014 to join Turkish side Besiktas before moving to China to team up with Shanghai Shenhua.

The forward, who has also previously featured for Goztepe, recently helped Istanbul Basaksehir to win the 2019-20 Super Lig title.

The centre-forward has made 22 appearances for Senegal, scoring four goals but was not part of the side that finished as runner-up in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Timo Werner says Frank Lampard was the main reason he decided to join Chelsea this summer.

The 23-year-old Germany forward joined from RB Leipzig for £47.5 million ($59m), signing a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge, and he has now begun training with his new side.

For some time previously it had seemed certain that Werner would end up at Liverpool with the likes of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid also linked, but Chelsea got their man.

Explaining why he chose the Blues, Werner told the club’s official website: “He [Lampard] was the main point.

“We talked a lot about things like the system, how he wants to play and sees me playing, and how the system fits me.

“He is a really nice guy who not only told me what he wants from me as a player because he wants to help me as a guy.

“He knows me now a little bit better and it fits very well between us and now I am happy to be here.”

After four successful years with Leipzig, Werner was keen to ensure he made the right move once he decided to leave.

He left Leipzig as the club's record goalscorer, including 34 goals in 45 games in 2019-20, and he will be looking to continue that form in his new, more storied surroundings.

“When you have a decision to go from your old club and you come to a big club like this, it was for me a dream which came true because Chelsea is a very big club,” he added.

“I know of the players before when they won the Champions League with [Didier] Drogba, with my new manager Frank Lampard, Petr Cech as the technical advisor, it is like a little dream for me but I want to become, not the same player as them, but I want to be part of a new era here so I will try to give my best.

“The style of the Premier League is very fast and my speciality is that I am really fast so I think it is perfect for me to play here.

“It is another league in another country so I can improve myself and go to another level, so those are the reasons I came to the Premier League and to Chelsea.”

Real Madrid have “ended the monopoly that Barcelona had” in La Liga, claims Fabio Capello, with Zinedine Zidane considered to be the man who “best understood what the club needed”.

The Blancos enjoyed a remarkable run on the back of a coronavirus-enforced break to snatch a Spanish top-flight crown from the clutches of their Clasico rivals.

Real entered lockdown sat behind Barca and with questions once again being asked of their ability to deliver on a consistent basis.

They were, however, to string together 10 successive wins from the middle of June, only tarnishing that record in a 2-2 draw with Leganes on the final day, and ended the campaign five points clear at the summit.

Zidane was returned to the club in 2019 with the intention of overseeing further success – having previously delivered the Liga title and a hat-trick of Champions League triumphs.

He has shown once again that he has the winning formula, with Barca having been prevented from wrapping up a third title in as many seasons and a fifth in the last six years.

"They won it on merit," former Madrid boss Capello told Marca of the Blancos’ achievement. "They played the best championship. They scored goals and others didn't score many against them.

"Real Madrid have ended the monopoly that Barcelona had."

He added, with the Blaugrana having stumbled their way towards the finishing post: "Real Madrid have taken advantage of Barcelona's dip, but let it be clear that Real Madrid won thanks to their own merit, not because of others' mistakes."

Capello knows what it takes to deliver title success at Santiago Bernabeu.

He delivered on that remit in each of his one-season spells with the club and believes that Zidane – who was a fan favourite in his playing days – is the perfect coach to fill one of the most demanding roles on the planet.

Capello said of the iconic Frenchman: "Great. My most cordial congratulations.

"He has done really well. It was very difficult to win this title and he achieved it. With 10 wins and a draw, impressive. He has understood more than anybody what the club needed.

"He's discreet, with personality and confidence. He's the coach who has best understood the need for rotation and making changes."

Fresh from a three-week Phase 1 centralised training in July, Maloney is gearing up his players for Phase 2 that will even slightly longer, planned for August 3-30 as he ensures no stones is left unturned in Malaysia's preparations for the AFC U19 Championship in Uzbekistan in October.

Nine players were dropped from the first training camp with the biggest inclusion this time around being star forward Luqman Hakim, who were among the Selangor 2 players that stayed back with their club earlier this month in preparations for the return of the Premier League in August.

However his club team mates in Firdaus Irman, Sikh Izhan, Azrin Afiq, Harith Haikal, Mukhairi Ajmal and Ahmad Zikri have not been called up giving rise to the notion that the Malaysia U19 coaching staff intends to have a closer look at Luqman's fitness levels.

Meanwhile the seven players from Johor Darul Ta'zim II has left Maloney suitably impressed after the first phase with the Australian keeping faith with all of them for the second phase, including Arif Aiman who has already featured for the Johor Darul Ta'zim side in the Super League.

Interestingly, of the three players that came from abroad during the first phase, only Zachry Raiff and Wan Kuzri have been kept in the squad with BISP Cruzeiro Academy player Adam Nadzmi not part of this new call-up.

After the contact training that was allowed midway through the first training phase, the August period is likely to be crucial for the head coach to implement his tactics with friendly matches likely to be allowed beginning August 15.

For the tournament in October, Malaysia are in the same group as Tajikistan, Qatar and Yemen with the top four teams in the competition qualifying for the FIFA World Cup U20 in Indonesia next year.

Squad in full:

GK: Syahmi Adib (AMD), Rahadiazli Rahalim (Terengganu FC), Ahmad Irfan Ibrahim (Terengganu FC), Riezman Irfan (Pahang)

DF: Firdaus Ramli (JDT), Fahmi Daniel (Selangor), Aiman Farhan (Kedah), Faiz Amer (AMD), Marwan Rahman (AMD)

MF: Arif Aiman (JDT), Umar Hakeem (JDT), Firdaus Kaironnisam (JDT), Alif Mutalib (JDT), Shafi Azswad (JDT), Azrul Haikal (Selangor), Fakrul Iman (Selangor), Raimi Shamsul (Selangor), Aiman Afif (Kedah), Amirul Akmal (Kedah), Ziad El Basheer (AMD), Yuseril Yusekil (Sabah), Alan Lagang Keryer (Sarawak United), Azam Azmi (Terengganu FC), Muslihuddin Atiq (Terengganu FC), Zachry Raiff (Brooke House College), Wan Kuzri (St Louis Academy)

FW: Nasip Zain (Sabah), Khairi Suffian (AMD), Luqman Hakim (Selangor), Daryl Sham (JDT)
 

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) presidential candidate Twaha Mbarak has laughed off a letter from the outgoing office signed by CEO Barry Otieno rubbishing the newly formed office which has been given the green light to hold elections in Mombasa County.

According to a letter from the Registrar of Societies signed by Rose Wasike and obtained by Goal, the county became the first one to be cleared after meeting the demands of the registrar.  

The Federation got wind of it and went on to warn its members, saying they will soon communicate the way forward. However, the administrator now believes that is a sign of panic by the incumbent Nick Mwendwa.

"The purported FKF national officials have shown unnecessary panic by giving themselves powers that they don’t have because their term ended on 10th February 2020," Mbarak said in a signed statement obtained by Goal.

The Mombasa-based candidate says the letter had no clear recipients considering the term of the FKF branch chairmen and secretaries expired on January 20.

He says the chairman of Mombasa County, Juma Goshi, as per the 2013 Sports Act, was the right person to be addressed by the outgoing office.

"It is laughable for Nick to refer to officials who were legitimately elected by clubs as non-members. Does it mean for one to be a legitimate FKF member must be Mwendwa’s sycophant?" Mbarak asked.

[Otieno] must know that he is an employee of the Federation and not Mwendwa’s personal assistance. 

"Some of the letters he writes are irrelevant, uncalled for and cause confusion to the good citizens who are complying with the rule of law which Mwendwa and his sycophants failed, despite being in office for over four years now. 

"This proves his incompetence leading to the confusion we find ourselves in following the two aborted shambolic elections that were cancelled by the [Sports Disputes Tribunal]."

Mbarak has accused the incumbent of bribery and intimidation, saying all he should do is wait to hand powers to the incoming president.

"Last but not least, Mwenda should come to his senses and know that he is not above the law, his only task, for now, is to wait for the incoming president to hand over and go home," Mbarak continued.

"[He should stop] intimidating stakeholders who are complying with the laws of the land, bribing voters, misinforming FIFA officials on the reality of things on the ground to win their sympathy and signing illegal contracts without having the National Executive Council. 

"He should know that FKF is not his personal property and the country has laws that must be followed to the letter."  

Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has maintained released custodian Peter Odhiambo will return to play for the club in the future.

Odhiambo was shown the exit door at the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions on Monday and has already been linked with a transfer to Wazito FC.

Speaking to Goal on the exit of the keeper, the K’Ogalo tactician has admitted they have lost a very good player but they could do nothing to stop his exit because “he wanted to go elsewhere for playing time.”

“Nothing really I could do about Peter [Odhiambo] exit, he decided he wanted to leave and you know you cannot force people to stay if they don’t want to stay,” Polack told Goal on Tuesday.

“He is a good keeper, we all know that but we also had to understand why he wanted to leave, it is because he wanted to get more playing time, you know at his age, he will not be happy always sitting on the bench.

“He has always shown he wants to compete with other top keepers and I spoke to him personally before he made the decision to leave and I told him I understand the situation and if he feels he wants to go somewhere else where he can get playing time, then the better for him, I respect that.

“He is a very young keeper, I guess 26 years now if I remember and who knows maybe, he will come back to Gor Mahia one day, you know, some players stay in a club to get money but some players will always leave a club with money to get playing time, and that is what Odhiambo has done, very rare to find such players in Africa.

“Like I said, I respect his decision and that is the way it and I wish him all the best as he moves on.”

On Monday, Gor Mahia also opted to release forward Dickson Ambundo after his loan deal with the club expired.

The 24-year-old joined K'Ogalo on loan from former Tanzania Mainland League outfit Alliance FC in July 2019. The winger was used in the front three positions owing to the team's struggles to get a consistent striker, especially after the departure of Francis Afriyie and Gnamien Yikpe.

Gor Mahia have also signed keeper Levis Opiyo from Nairobi City Stars.

Ghana's special advisor on health at the presidency Nsiah Asare revealed the outcome of three national teams' imminent return to training amid the coronavirus conditions will indicate the way forward for Asante Kotoko and Ashanti Gold ahead of their participation in continental inter-club action next season.

Ghana's women's U20 team as well as the men and women's U17 teams have been granted special permission by national President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to regroup for camping ahead of upcoming international events, despite a lingering ban on all contact sports, including football, due to Covid-19.

The ban has been in effect since March, a situation that resulted in the premature termination of the 2019-20 domestic football season, including the Premier league (GPL).

“The African club competition is a continental competition, how we handle the national teams situation now will be a basis for the government in deciding the fate of Asante Kotoko and Ashanti Gold whether to allow them to train or not," Nsiah told Kumasi FM.

“When the time approaches and the GFA [Ghana Football Association], MOYS [Ministry of Youth and Sports] and NSA [National Sports Authority] present a legitimate proposal, precautions and protocols on the safety mechanisms, we will allow them to play to bring happiness back to the fans.

“The health experts will look into the health risks and if its low, we will allow them. The countries our clubs will go to will also influence our decision [as] some countries do not even conduct Covid-19 test.

“They will have to go through the same process the national teams are going through now.”

Following cancellation of the 2019-20 season and consequent inability to decide Ghana's representatives for 2020-21 continental inter-club football, the GFA Executive Council have given Kotoko and AshGold the nod to represent the nation in the Caf Champions League and Confederation Cup, respectively, next term.

There have, however, been concerns about the standing ban on football as it has a direct impact on when the two clubs can regroup and begin training for their Africa assignments.

There have also been health worries about the safety of team members while training under the current coronavirus situations.

Ghana's U17 and U20 female teams are to commence preparations for upcoming World Cup qualifiers in October and September, respectively, while the male U17 side have a Wafu championship on their time table. 

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has slammed UEFA over its handling of Manchester City's Financial Fair Play (FFP) case.

City were banned from the Champions League for two seasons in February after being found guilty of breaching FFP rules between 2012 and 2016.

The Premier League outfit swiftly launched an appeal against the ruling, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) looked at all the evidence in the case before making a final decision on July 13.

City's ban was ultimately overturned, and their €30 million (£27m/$35m) fine was reduced to €10m, which prompted several Premier League managers to question the way FFP operates, including Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho.

Rummenigge has now pointed the finger of blame at UEFA, insisting the organisation failed to provide proof of City's financial violations in the necessary time-frame.

“I believe the final decision made by CAS was an outcome because the UEFA panel responsible for Champions League matters didn’t do a great job, it’s looking like,” the Bayern chief told a press conference on Monday.

“What I heard from different sources is that it was not well organised in advance.”

Rummenigge went onto express his belief that changes must be made to FFP in order for future controversies to be avoided.

He said: "We have to modify Financial Fair Play because in the past 10 years, football has changed dramatically in [terms of] the financial behaviour and so we have to find different tools.”

Despite disagreeing with the outcome of City's case, Rummenigge also congratulated the club on their reinstatement to the Champions League.

"Congrats to the colleagues of Manchester City that they can participate next year in the Champions League and the year after as well," said the 64-year-old.

City and Bayern recently did business outside of the transfer window, with Leroy Sane completing a €60m (£55m/$70m) move to the Allianz Arena from the Etihad Stadium on July 3.

Rummenigge added on a drawn-out saga finally coming to a close: “The transfer market is looking likely to be affected by coronavirus because we had been interested in signing  him a year ago when the transfer amount was totally different than today.

“So we are happy that we have been able to sign him now for Bayern Munich. The only thing it’s looking like is that the agents are trying to keep their salary on a very high level.”

Fulham midfielder Neeskens Kebano has shifted his focus to their Championship second leg semi-final playoff with Cardiff City on Thursday.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo international delivered an impressive performance in Monday’s 2-0 first-leg win over the Bluebirds. 

After Anglo-Nigeria Josh Onomah put the Craven Cottage outfit in front with his wonder strike, the 28-year-old then sealed the victory in the encounter.

The effort is the midfielder’s fourth goal in 17 games across all competitions this season and has taken to the social media to reflect on the showing while also appreciating the club's fans for their supports.

“Thank you all for your messages. Great team spirit and [I am] very happy to have scored one more time. See you Thursday,” Kebano tweeted.

Kebano has been with the Craven Cottage outfit since the summer of 2016 when he joined from Belgian side Genk.

The midfielder, who scored his first goal for Fulham against Wigan Athletic in February 2017, has now found the back of the net 12 times in 75 league games.

Kebano started his career with ASA Montereau youth team before teaming up with French giants Paris Saint-Germain youth setup in 2006.

The 28-year-old was promoted to the Parisians’ first team in 2011 and featured in three Ligue 1 games for the side before joining Caen on loan.

The former France youth international later departed PSG permanently for life in Belgium with Sporting Charleroi, where he shone, scoring 18 goals in 68 league games during his two-year stay with the side.

His eye-catching performances caught the attention of Genk, who secured his signature in 2015 and featured 37 times for the Blue and White before he moved to Fulham.

Kebano previously played for France U17, U18, U19 and U20 teams before pledging his allegiance to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2014.

The midfielder made his debut against Ivory Coast and has now played 19 times for the country, scoring five goals.

Manchester United are “the next team to go and challenge” for the Premier League title, claims Michael Owen, with the Red Devils needing only “a little bit more” in order to become serious contenders.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have finished as the best of the rest in 2019-20, with a timely run of form since the turn of the year seeing them wrap up third spot and Champions League qualification.

Liverpool and Manchester City have once again pulled well clear of the chasing pack, but they are there to be shot at and have an ambitious group of rivals looking to rein them in.

Chelsea have already spent bid this summer in a bid to push themselves back into contention, with the promise of more to come at Stamford Bridge.

United are also looking to add in the transfer window and have shown that they are starting to get the right pieces of the puzzle in place.

Owen feels the Red Devils are the most likely to give Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola cause for concern, with Solskjaer requiring a few minor tweaks before the 13-time Premier League champions can set their sights on the ultimate prize once more.

The former United and Liverpool striker told Premier League Productions: “The players now, they do look as if they are the next team to go and challenge the Liverpools and the Manchester Citys of this world.

“You’re looking at it for a long time now and they have been miles clear of anyone but on form in the last 20-odd games, United are right up there.

“I think another tell-tale sign was when they won it there (at Leicester on the final day to wrap up a top-four finish)- yes there was celebrating, yes there were handshakes and all the rest of it, but there was no crazy celebrations, there was a steely determination look from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as if to say ‘this is the bare minimum, hang on a minute we’re Manchester United’.

“Top four is bare minimum. They are not going to rest on their laurels now. They are playing particularly well but they still need to add a little bit more before they can go and challenge for top honours.”

Willian will make a final decision on his future when the season ends, according to his agent Kia Joorabchian, who says the Chelsea star "has two concrete offers from Premier League clubs on the table".

Chelsea have reportedly offered Willian the chance to extend his stay at Stamford Bridge through to 2022, with his current deal set to expire in August.

However, the Brazil international is holding out for an extra year, and has made it clear that he will move onto pastures new unless his demands are met.

Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United have all been linked with the 31-year-old in recent weeks, as the opportunity to snap up a seasoned Premier League performer on a free transfer looks set to present itself ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.

Joorabchian has now confirmed that a whole host of potential suitors are interested in Willian's services, including an unnamed club from MLS.

When asked to discuss the midfielder's current stance on his position at Chelsea, the super-agent told talkSPORT: “I don’t think he’s done a U-turn or any kind of turn. He’s always been very much the same mode.

“We had big offers – one from MLS which required him to move on July 1 – but he’s always wanted to finish the season at Chelsea and the day after the season has finished he would decide.

“He has two concrete offers from Premier League clubs on the table, an offer from an MLS club, and two other offers from Europe.

“He is going to make his decision after the last game of the season.”

Chelsea legend Dennis Wise admitted that Willian would be the ideal addition to Arsenal's ranks during an interview with Stadium Astro at the start of the month, as he stated: "I think he’d be a good fit for anyone; Arsenal, I think he’d be a wonderful fit for them.

"That’s the sad thing about it, we’ll let him go to an opponent who wants to compete."

Willian has taken in 339 appearances for Chelsea since joining the club from Anzhi Makhachkala in 2013, scoring 63 goals and laying on 62 assists.

He has featured 47 times this season, and has helped Frank Lampard's side secure a top-four Premier League finish while also reaching the FA Cup final.

The Brazilian will likely be in contention for a place in Chelsea's squad once again for the Wembley date on August 1, before focus shifts back to the Champions League.

The Blues are due to come up against Bayern Munich in a last-16 second-leg tie at the Allianz Arena seven days after their clash with Arsenal, where they will be aiming to overturn a 3-0 deficit.

Real Madrid have confirmed that Mariano Diaz has tested positive for Covid-19 and is now self-isolating at home.

The Blancos are in the process of finalising their plans for the second leg of a Champions League last-16 encounter with Real Madrid.

Zinedine Zidane’s side trail that contest 2-1 on aggregate and have it all to do at the Etihad Stadium on August 7.

Quarantine protocols have been put in place for those arriving in Britain from Spanish shores as the coronavirus pandemic continues to pose a serious threat to public health around the world.

Real had been granted exemption from those regulations, with there no need for them to isolate for 14 days once entering the UK.

There has been no suggestion as yet that a review of that situation will be carried out.

Mariano has, however, tested positive in the Spanish capital and been forced out of Zidane’s plans.

The 26-year-old is said to have had no contact with other players and staff, with his being the only positive test recorded after an initial round of screening.

Real announced via a statement on the club’s official website: "After the Covid-19 tests carried out individually on our first team yesterday by the Real Madrid medical services, our player Mariano has given a positive result.

"The player is in perfect health and complying with the sanitary isolation protocol at home."

Mariano is set play no part against City, but Madrid will be hoping that a fixture in England goes ahead as planned.

UEFA has, however, stated that all games currently lined up in Europe’s premier club competition will be reviewed on a regular basis.

It is intending to hold the latter stages of the Champions League, from the quarter-finals through to the final, on Portuguese soil between August 12 and 23.

A statement was, however, released on July 9 which read: “UEFA will continue to monitor the situation and reserves the right to reassign any such matches to the venues of the final tournament of the relevant competition should new events occur that would make it impossible to play one or more matches at the original venues.”

Mariano has taken in just seven appearances for Madrid this season, registering one goal, and saw just three outings off the bench once La Liga action resumed in mid-June and the Blancos wrapped up an impressive title triumph.

Manchester United will need to have "a serious think" about the future of David de Gea, former Red Devils goalkeeper Mark Bosnich says.

De Gea's place in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side came back under scrutiny following a poor performance in the 3-1 FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea.

The United manager kept faith with the Spain international and he kept a clean sheet in the 2-0 win over Leicester City on the last day of the Premier League season, which secured the Red Devils' top-four finish.

De Gea has been named United's player of the year four times in six seasons but a worrying number of mistakes have crept into his game over the past two years.

Indeed, since the start of 2018-19, he has made seven errors leading to goals in the Premier League – only Martin Dubravka and Jordan Pickford (eight) have committed more.

Bosnich, a league champion with United in 1999-2000, is backing De Gea to recapture some of his best form but thinks United must give serious consideration to the future of Dean Henderson or the prospect of bringing a younger keeper through to compete with their number one.

"I do believe [he will prove himself again], he's been outstanding for such a long time," Bosnich told Sky Sports News.

"Obviously, when you start making mistakes as he has done in the last six to 12 months, people start opening their eyes and because it has happened in certain situations which have cost Manchester United – for example, the FA Cup semi-final – people start asking questions.

"Also, having someone like Dean Henderson playing so well at Sheffield United [on loan], and being on Manchester United's books, it is only natural that people are going to ask if he is up to it.

"The people who truly know that will be Ole and his staff. They see him day in, day out, they made a decision to go with him even after the FA Cup debacle.

"He proved them correct, they qualified for the Champions League but going forward they really need to have a serious think about this.

"Even if they do decide to stay with him, which I believe that they will, and if Dean Henderson wants to stay out on loan, which is understandable to play first-team football, I would seriously consider bringing in a really young up-and-coming goalkeeper.

"When I say young, I would say less than 20 years of age because he [De Gea] is obviously not getting the competition he needs right now at this moment in time."

Bosnich thinks part of De Gea's drop in standards has been born out of a technical flaw in his methods, which has affected him mentally.

"The problem has gone from being a technical problem, which was quite evident when he was diving backwards, which he was doing a lot, and that started to infiltrate into his head," he said.

"He has to make sure in this time off to make sure he gets that right and I believe he will be given that opportunity to reassert his authority in that number one position but it will be up to him to do so."

When Ayoze Perez looked ready to be introduced for Leicester City in their hugely important game against Manchester United on Sunday, the casual observer would have predicted a change of shape rather than a like-for-like replacement by Brendan Rodgers.

Having started with a 3-5-2 against the Red Devils, the Foxes were the dominant side at the King Power Stadium in the opening half and it seemed like the Northern Irishman was looking to be more adventurous with his alteration.

Knowing full well Chelsea were 2-0 up in their encounter with Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge, the ex-Liverpool boss was aware his team needed to beat Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side to seal a top four berth. Surprisingly, Kelechi Iheanacho’s number went up and the Foxes lost the chance to pile even more pressure on the fatigued Red Devils from a position of strength.

Up until then, Leicester had been the better side and their Nigerian forward was arguably their most threatening attacking player. Even though he couldn’t put the home team in front, the former Manchester City striker was a threat majorly due to the intelligent positions he was taking up between the lines.

In fairness, the hosts weren’t particularly creating chance after chance in the first 45 minutes, still, Iheanacho was getting the ball in positions that could potentially hurt the visitors. Following Harry Maguire’s early ninth-minute yellow card, the West African forward stuck to that position to test the nerve of the Englishman, who wasn’t helped by Nemanja Matic who wasn’t at his dominant best, be it on the ball or in protecting the defence.

Unsurprisingly, Jamie Vardy’s strike partner was involved in the home side’s two best moments in the opening half: the first came in the 24th minute of the game from a counter-attack after James Justin cut out a Paul Pogba pass to Marcus Rashford. Iheanacho had already positioned himself between Pogba and Matic and upon receiving the ball after Justin’s interception, ran beyond the Serb and Frenchman, who oddly opted against fouling the Nigerian to stop the attack, before firing tamely into David de Gea’s arms.

Having driven forward with the ball, and with a backtracking United defence reluctant to close him down, Iheanacho took on the shot with his weaker right foot. Indeed, the better option was playing in Vardy, who’d peeled away into the left channel or Justin to his right. In the end, he did neither and the chance was lost.

The frontman did pass on Leicester’s next best opening, though. Approximately 10 minutes after the aforementioned attempt, the African forward, taking up an even more dangerous position just inside the visitors’ half beyond Matic and away from the United centre-backs, received the ball from Youri Tielemans, drove forward and held on long enough for support to arrive.

He returned the ball to the Belgian midfielder who rolled his effort just wide of the post with De Gea scrambling to get across.

Those two instances highlighted Iheanacho’s influence on Leicester’s attack, so it was beyond bizarre that Rodgers withdrew his side’s best forward and possibly best player for an hour at the King Power.

It’d likely have been disappointing for Iheanacho who often gets the chop early regardless of performance. Indeed, it’s been a recurring trend with the 23-year-old forward, especially in important games after the Premier League’s restart in June. Rodgers made the strange choice to withdraw the Nigerian in their 1-1 draw with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium and also at half-time in their 4-1 defeat by Bournemouth.

The Nigeria international was undoubtedly Leicester’s best-attacking player against the Gunners, while he deserved far more than the ignominy of being replaced at the interval against the Cherries having played relatively well at the Vitality Stadium.

Rodgers’ team, despite the man advantage against Mikel Arteta’s side, looked a bit toothless in North London until Vardy finally levelled but Iheanacho’s showing before his withdrawal on the hour suggested they might have had a better chance of turning the game around had he stayed on longer.

It was apparent there was a reluctance to play the Imo-born striker for the entirety of games but whether this is due to an inability to maintain his level for 90 minutes or his manager having pre-planned substitutions is anyone’s guess.

What isn’t in question, however, is that Iheanacho’s withdrawal on Sunday gave the initiative away to the visitors who scored two goals from mistakes by the Foxes in their third.

Given United mustered only two shots in the second-half – Bruno Fernandes’ penalty and Jesse Lingard’s goal from a Kasper Schmeichel error – fans of the Foxes might wish their manager didn’t replace the team’s best player on the hour in a game they needed to win.

With the stakes so high and with fine margins in play, every decision needed to be spot on for the East Midlands’ side who missed out on Champions League qualification following the defeat.

Iheanacho has since been linked with a move to Newcastle United but, unless Leicester force him out of the club, is expected to fancy his chances of playing European football for the first time since joining from Pep Guardiola’s outfit in 2017.

After a season that promised so much, the Foxes now have to make do with competing in the Europa League in 2020/21 after finishing fifth in the Premier League. This could have been different had Rodgers kept Iheanacho on in Sunday’s decisive clash and also been braver in going for all three points against a flagging United side.

In the wake of his recent move to Mamelodi Sundowns, Lesedi Kapinga’s agent Moses Mudau has explained why they opted against entertaining offers from Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates among other teams that showed interest to sign him.

Mudau says his client had attracted interest from many clubs including National First Division (NFD) log leaders Ajax Cape Town, saying the Mother City-based side had promised to sign him once they gain promotion to the Premier Soccer League (PSL).

Mudau revealed the 25-year-old has the desire to lift the Caf Champions League trophy and he felt Sundowns were the only team that could offer him that chance.

“We chose Sundowns because Kapinga has a big ambition to win the Caf Champions League. He felt it’s only Sundowns that can give him that at this stage,” Mudau told Isolezwe.

“All in all, there were 16 clubs that wanted him and that includes Ajax Cape Town. They have been telling us they want him if they secure promotion to the Premier Soccer League (PSL).

“Pirates and Chiefs also wanted him so much. [Ernst Middendorp’s] assistant coach Shaun Bartlett likes Kapinga.”

Having joined the reigning PSL champions on a five-year deal, Mudau has no doubts about his client’s abilities, saying he was born to play football.

“I don’t doubt Kapinga’s talent. He was born to play football. I wish he will get an opportunity to impress at Sundowns,” added the representative.

“I know that people think his career will be finished at Sundowns but there are players that are successful there such as Hlompho Kekana, Themba Zwane, Tebogo Langerman and others.

“Pitso likes Kapinga’s style and I have confidence in him. The kind of football that is played at Sundowns suits Kapinga – he likes to keep the ball.”

The former Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) star became Sundowns' second major signing after the arrival of George Maluleka. 

Although he is likely to make his official debut at the start of the 2020/21 campaign after Leopards decided against keeping him until the end of the season, Kapinga continues to train with his new teammates in Rustenburg.