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Yanga SC captain Tshishimbi has explained his inclusion in the first 11 against Simba SC in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

The two teams met on July 12 with Wekundu wa Msimbazi claiming the Kariakoo Derby bragging rights after emerging 4-1 victors. However, many felt the poor show by the Jangwani based team was partly contributed by the inclusion of the midfielder.

"I want to shed light in the circumstances that surrounded my involvement in our game against Simba," Tshishimbi told Mwanaspoti.

"It is something I never wanted to talk about but circumstances have forced me to. I have seen some misleading information online, among the fans and some officials as well, and now I want to put the record straight."

The 30-year-old started by revealing his discussion with the doctor regarding his injury.

"There was a rehabilitation program I was following during my time out as prescribed by the doctor," the Congolese continued.

"The process was meant to help me get rid of my pain and to heal fast. Yes, I could have played even in that situation but the doctor advised me to return to action when fully fit in order to be effective for my team.

"This is because my playing position needs a lot of energy and aggressiveness. You might also get injured in the process because of the physicality involved and for that reason, I agreed with the doctor to wait until I fully recover."

Then the player explained why he was involved in the first team against Simba despite these challenges.

"I fully recovered when the Simba game was close and after training, the technical bench expressed their delight regarding my return.

"They asked whether I could play and I told them maybe in the last 40 minutes since my body is re-adjusting after being out for some time. I knew much was needed from me and I was trying to avoid being sluggish.

"The technical bench felt it was important for me to start the match owing to the condition of the entire playing unit. I decided to fight for the team and give my best, owing to my love for the club.

"So those saying I forced my way into the starting 11 do not know what transpired." 

Nigeria striker Charity Adule has signed a new two-year contract with Spanish Liga Iberdrola side Eibar.

Adule arrived in Spain in September 2019 from Kazakstan side BIIK Kazygurt, where she spent four-years, winning four Kazakstani titles and also featured in the Champions League, scoring twice.

She made an impactful debut season, helping Iker Dorronsoro's ladies team gain promotion to the top-flight for the first time since 2011 following the league cancellation due to Covid-19 in May. 

The striker scored 10 goals in 14 outings as her side secured 13 victories, seven draws, and just two defeats to earn promotion after a second spot finish with 46 points from 22 games.

Her impressive showing in Eibar's promotion achievement saw the club move to hand her a contract extension for two more years.

The Liga Iberdrola club took to its website to announce the news, saying Adule will remain at the club until at least June 2022.

"Eibar have renewed the deal of Charity Adule until 2022," the statement on the club's website read. 

"The 26-year-old Nigerian player arrived at the armoury club last season from Bllk Kazygurt, the champion team of the Kazakh league, and 20/21 will be her second season in the team.

"Adule has been an absolute international with his country since 2013."

Having extended her stay, Adule will become the fifth Nigerian to compete in the Spanish elite division next season, after Asisat Oshoala, Rita Chikwelu, Chidinma Okeke and Toni Payne.

And the former Nigeria youth international has taken to social media to express her excitement about her contract extension. 

"I am happy to extend my bond with SD Eibar for more two years...muchas gracias. You're all that matters lord," she wrote on her Instagram page.

Adule, who also welcomes South Africa striker Thembi Kgatlana earlier this week will be hoping to surpass her fine form last term when Eibar open their top-flight campaign in September.

The owner of Benny’s Sports Academy David Mufamadi says former Black Leopards midfielder Lesedi Kapinga was once scouted by Mamelodi Sundowns and the nippy player cried after failing to impress at Chloorkop between 2011 and 2012.

After parting ways with Lidoda Duvha on Monday, the 25-year-old has been unveiled by the reigning Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions on a five-year deal, with Mufamadi saying Kapinga doesn’t belong in the PSL.

On the other hand, former Leopards coach Joel Masutha says the creative midfielder might look lazy when walking but he’s a dazzling player on the field of play.

“Trott Moloto [Sundowns’ chief scout] came through to the academy and they wanted him so much after a tournament we played in,” Mufamadi told FARPost.

“He went to the Mamelodi Sundowns camp with three other boys for two weeks but things didn’t work out.

“He was crying at night after that failed trial saying, ‘I don’t know what to do’. He desperately wanted the opportunity.”

Speaking about the former Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) attacker, Mufamadi added Kapinga is destined for big things in his career.

“He’s not supposed to be playing in the PSL, he belongs in Europe. He has every attribute to create a goal. He is gifted with a football brain,” he added.

“When he stops the ball and there are two opposition players around him, you just know he’s about to eliminate them.” 

Echoing the academy owner’s sentiments, Masutha explains the Musina-born player is regarded as someone that is not willing to work hard, but has left many shocked with his skills.

“From the way he walks, he looks lazy, you can think he’s a luxury player. Most coaches who want grafters in midfield tend to misjudge him, but they will enjoy him when they give him a chance,” Masutha added.

“People look at his body structure, and based on that on its own, he has failed the trials. But what they don’t know is that he is small, but has the heart of a lion."

In addition, a former Leopards and Masandawana hitman Cuthbert Malajila warns the nippy midfielder of challenges under coach Pitso Mosimane.

“He has to go and work hard when he gets his chance, he must grab it with both hands,” warns Malajila.

“At Sundowns if you miss one game it’s not easy to come back into the team because there are many quality players. So, he must maximize his chances.”

Thiago Silva says he doesn’t want to leave Paris Saint-Germain, but he has now accepted the inevitable.

The Brazilian centre-back made more than 300 appearances in eight years at the Ligue 1 champions but will leave once the season is completed.

PSG still have the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue finals still to play, as well as the remainder of the Champions League, and club captain Silva is keen to ensure talk about his future doesn’t overshadow the team.

“It's a special moment for me,” Silva told a press conference. “With the supporters, we have always had a lot of respect. They asked if I could stay, but it's not my decision. Now is not the time to talk about this topic.

“We will have time to talk about it later. I didn't want to leave, but the decision has already been made. I respect [the decision] and will respect it until the end.

“There are no further discussions [about my future]. Leonardo (the PSG sporting director) has already spoken to the press. I don't want you to talk about this just yet. I understand the topic, your urge to know what's going on, but now is not the time to talk about it.”

PSG manager Thomas Tuchel was also asked about the future of the veteran defender in his press conference and had a similar response.

“I can understand that you want to talk about this, but now is not the time,” Tuchel said. “He's my captain, he's super reliable. I have said this many times.

“It is important that he is here for the finals, and for Lisbon in the Champions League. Then we talk about all this.”

PSG’s hunt for a quadruple starts on Friday, with the Coupe de France final against Saint-Etienne.

"The best way to arrive in Portugal would be to do it with two extra trophies,” Tuchel added. “That starts on Friday. All the preparation has been done so as to be ready mentally and physically for this game.

“I don't want to talk about Atalanta, that's not on the agenda. For a club like Paris Saint-Germain, playing finals and winning trophies is important. That would be the best way to prepare for the Champions League.”

Former Ghana U23 coach Abdul Malik Jabir believes the Football Association (GFA) should allocate part of its Caf and Fifa Covid-19 relief funds for coaches of national teams.

The national football governing body, last week announced a disbursement plan for a combined sum of $1.8 million [€1.6m] for various industry stakeholders including the men and women's Premier League clubs, men's Division Two clubs, Regional Football Associations (RFAs), and more, as a support package in the wake of the coronavirus disruptions.

Part of the funds was also reserved for the West Africans' various national teams.

“Why is it that they shared the money all through but they never thought about the liabilities they came to meet like the monies owed the U23 national team under me?" Jabir said, as reported by Joy Sports.

“They owe us; they know they owe us. Our match bonuses and salaries should be paid. Now, money has come, they are sharing because that is their interest and they don’t think about us.

“When I call, they see my number but won’t pick up…he’s never answered my call. I just want to remind them that they shouldn’t only think about the current.

“If you owe us and you think we should forgo it, I don’t think that is right. That’s why I have come out to tell them that as long as they now have money and they don’t pay us, we are here still waiting, and we are not going to forgive them."

While Jabir wants coaches to benefit from the national teams' package, the allocation has generated controversy, with many questioning its necessity as the national teams are believed to be funded by the Government of Ghana.

“On record, the government doesn’t bear all the costs of the national teams, the GFA also has a portion [of expenditure] it takes, especially with the junior national teams," GFA Executive Council member George Amoakoh told Happy FM.

“Apart from the Black Stars which is dominantly financed by the government, the other national teams do camp for a while which the GFA has to finance because we cannot always rely on the government.

“For the national teams, the government mostly takes care of the feeding and the FA does the rest."

Jabir, a former coach of Asante Kotoko, applied for the vacant Ghana technical director job but recently revealed he was unsuccessful in his bid for the role.

The Covid-19 outbreak severely disrupted the 2019-20 football calendar, with a handful of the major European leagues forced to delay their campaigns for three months.

The severity of the outbreak meant that leagues had to push finishing into the summer months of July and August, which in turn means that the start of the 2020-21 is to be postponed to allow players to have a break.

With the Premier League already set to begin on September 12, Goal has all the dates for when the other major European leagues are set to start and finish their latest seasons.

When will La Liga 2020-21 start and end?

Spanish top-flight champions Real Madrid are set to defend their La Liga title, with the next season beginning on September 12 and the campaign ending on May 23, 2021.

When will Serie A 2020-21 start and end?

No official date has been given for when the next Serie A season will begin.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) have suggested, however, that they will target finishing the current campaign in August with the next season to begin on September 1.

They stated: "The Italian Football Federation has expressed its willingness to restart and complete its national professional competitions, marking August 20 as the deadline for Serie A, B and C to close their competitions. Finally, as a result of what has been sanctioned, the 2020-21 sporting season will start on September 1."

When will Bundesliga 2020-21 start and end?

The 2020-21 Bundesliga season is slated to begin on September 18, ending on May 22, 2021.

Bayern were crowned champions of the German league with two games to spare, winning their eighth consecutive title in a row and 30th title overall.

When will Ligue 1 2020-21 start and end?

The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) cancelled the 2019-20 season on April 28 after all sporting events were banned until after July due to the Covid-19 pandemic, awarding Paris Saint-Germain the title early in matchweek 28.

The 2020-21 Ligue 1 season is set to begin on August 22 and will end on May 23, 2021.

Derrick Ngoobi has said he is ready to join record Ugandan Premier League (UPL) champions SC Villa.

The 22-year-old star has been linked with a move to SC Villa and has now made his interest to join them public.

Ngoobi might join the Jogoos given Yayo Lutimba, Bashir Mutanda, Emmanuel Kalyowa, Ambrose Kirya and David Owori have been linked with moves out of the club while Charles Lwanga has already joined rivals KCCA FC.

“I am willing and ready to sign for SC Villa if at all we reach the end of talks,” Ngoob told Sports Nation.

“Though my former club [Bright Stars] is still negotiating with me about staying at the club, I want a new challenge now, so I am prioritising a move to SC Villa.”

The defender was one of the stand out performers for Bright Stars who were entangled in a relegation fight before they successfully dodged the drop.

Paul Kiwanuka, who has so far joined Vipers SC as Fred Kajoba’s assistant, was appointed to save Bright Stars from imminent relegation after coach Muhammad Kisekka was sacked.

They ended up finishing 12th on the log with 29 points when UPL was cancelled.

“In the first round we struggled because of some factors, but we tried to improve in the second half of the season after getting a new manager,” concluded the defender.

Meanwhile, Kyetume FC president Ruben Mubiru Kaggwa has denied they have signed Bernard Muwanga.

Although the club posted on their Facebook page that they had signed the 26-year-old defender, Kaggwa has dismissed the club’s own post regarding the development.

“Every player who wants to hype himself begins with Kyetume FC as a prospective new signing. This is very wrong and bad,” Kaggwa is quoted by Sports Nation as saying.

“For us, we have not unveiled any player for the 2020/21 season yet. It is true we have been in talks with some players but we haven’t concluded as alleged by hypers.

“Kyetume FC management informs our fans and media that the unveiling ceremony shall be done and everyone will be informed on the date and time. Please be patient until that day.”

Azam FC reclaimed second position in the Tanzania Mainland League after a hard-fought 1-0 win against relegation-threatened Mbeya City.

A Frank Domayo strike was all the FA Cup holders needed to go second.

While the visitors came into the match desperate for maximum points to get off the relegation zone, the hosts were keen on getting a win to return to second position thanks to Yanga SC's inconsistencies. 

The first half was characterised with resolute defending by both sides in their bid to avoid conceding a goal which could have dented their ambitions. It explains why neither of the two teams could get an opener in the first 45 minutes.

It seemed like the second half will be more or less the same as Mbeya sat deep in their half, trying to hit their hosts through counter-attacks. For Azam, they resorted to possession hoping to break down their opponents.

In the 55th minute, the match took a break owing to a blackout. However, a few moments later, normalcy resumed.

The break was a blessing in disguise for the FA Cup holders and with 20 minutes to go, they broke the deadlock courtesy of Frank Domayo.

It happened to be the only goal of the match and enough to send the team to the second position with 69 points, same as third-placed Yanga who have an inferior goal difference.

Azam have managed to get 20 wins from the 37 games played, having drawn nine and lost eight. The 27-time league champions have managed to get 18 wins from as many matches, drawing 15 and losing four.

The defeat ensured Mbeya dropped by a position, and they are now placed in the 17th position with 42 points. They have managed to get 11 wins, nine draws and 17 losses. 

Only one round is remaining before the completion of the 2019/20 season and so far, only Singida United have been demoted from the top-tier.

Champions Simba SC failed to pick a win during their season’s penultimate tie against Coastal Union.

Wekundu wa Msimbazi were made to pick a 0-0 draw at Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga by Coastal Union even though coach Sven Vandenbroeck fielded a rather strong starting XI.

A second draw was registered between Alliance FC and Ndanda SC after the two sides fought to a 2-2 draw.

Israel Patrick opened the scoring for Alliance in the ninth minute but Ndanda cancelled the lead in the 16th minute from Abdul Hamis’ strike.

Omary Mponda gave Ndanda the lead, that did not last though, because in the 51st minute the hosts cancelled it with Martin Kigi’s goal.

Lipuli FC recorded a first win in one of the four matches that were held on Thursday evening. Daruesh Saliboko scored a 79th-minute penalty to condemn Ruvu Shooting to a 1-0 loss.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain wants to use his time at Liverpool to inspire the next generation of potential stars.

The former Arsenal midfielder added a fourth Liverpool trophy to his collection on Thursday, finally able to lift the Premier League title after winning the Champions League, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.

The chance to make history and leave a legacy has been a key part of Jurgen Klopp’s message to his players, and Oxlade-Chamberlain is keen to seize the opportunity he and his team-mates now have by winning even more silverware.

“You can’t take moments and nights like this for granted,” Oxlade-Chamberlain told Liverpool’s official website. “You can’t take playing for an amazing football club like this with fans that care so much, you can’t take that for granted.

“So, as a player you need to seize those sorts of moments. We are here for a short time. We have our little spells, hopefully making history at this football club, we’ve got to do our bit to inspire the next generation like Steven Gerrard inspired me.

“At the minute we are going that way to doing that, but we need to go on now and have a strong streak for a few years and once said and done, that will be our story told and this football club will go on and hopefully people can follow us too, but we’ve got more work to do here and it’s an amazing start to a journey.

“We’ve done really well in the last three years since I’ve been here and we need to just keep building on it, but it’s a good time to be a Liverpool player and to be involved in this amazing football club so I’m really looking forward to what comes next, but we need to stay hungry and stay focused.”

Oxlade-Chamberlain put the icing on the cake of Liverpool’s trophy lift on Wednesday, scoring his side’s fifth goal in the 5-3 victory over Chelsea. Some had suggested Liverpool might struggle for motivation against a side chasing Champions League qualification, but Oxlade-Chamberlain wasn’t worried.

“I don’t think it was hard [to find motivation at all,” he said. “It’s a football match against Chelsea, a top team, and when you go out there as a professional you want to beat them.

“We knew what we needed to do, we knew what was coming afterwards but the job in hand was to make sure we got three points today, did our job first and we could worry about this after. I’m glad that we did it."

Shkodran Mustafi looks set to suffer FA Cup heartache, with the defender expected to miss the Wembley showpiece with Chelsea through injury.

Mustafi, who was firmly out of favour with former boss Unai Emery, has become an integral part of Mikel Arteta’s side and had started nine of Arsenal’s 10 games prior to the FA Cup semi-final with Manchester City.

But after suffering a hamstring injury in the closing stages of the 2-0 win over Pep Guardiola's side, Mustafi was forced to miss Tuesday night’s 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa.

The Germany international has undergone a scan on the problem and head coach Mikel Arteta has now revealed he fears the centre-back will not be available to face Chelsea at Wembley.

“I doubt it,” said Arteta, when asked if Mustafi would be fit for the final.

“We have to see how he evolves in the next few days, but at the moment I doubt it.”

Arsenal go into Sunday’s Premier League finale with Watford sitting 10th in the table, knowing they can’t finish higher than eighth. It will be the club's worst league finish since 1995.

That means Europa League qualification for the 2020-21 campaign rests on winning the FA Cup final a week later.

Should they beat Chelsea, it would be a fourth FA Cup success for the club since 2014, but Arteta admits that winning at Wembley would not make up for the poor league campaign.

“No,” he said, when asked whether an eighth-placed finish and a FA Cup success would add up to a good season.

“For me, this club deserves the best and you have to be fighting for every title.

“Obviously after everything that happened, if we are able to win the final and qualify for Europe, we can say it’s OK. But it’s not the level for this football club.”

Meanwhile, Arteta says he plans to play as strong a side as possible against relegation-threatened Watford this weekend out of respect for the other sides who are battling with the Hornets to stay in the Premier League.

With the cup final looming, there could be a temptation to rest some key players, but Arteta insists that won’t be the case.

“I’m going to assess the squad and how they are feeling,” he said. “Ideally I want to play as strong a team as I can.

“We have to respect there are a few teams in the relegation battle and we are responsible for that as well.”

Michael Owen expects the silverware to continue rolling in at Liverpool, with the former Reds striker claiming the only question facing the Reds is “how many trophies are they going to win.”

Jurgen Klopp’s side have enjoyed a remarkable run over the course of the last 13 months. Having waited seven years for tangible success, the floodgates opened when capturing the 2019 Champions League crown.

UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup success soon followed, while their 30-year wait for English top-flight glory has also been ended.

Liverpool got their hands on the Premier League title after seeing off Chelsea 5-3 on Wednesday, with wild scenes of celebration sparked inside Anfield and around the football-mad city.

The challenge now is to maintain the stunning standards that have been set, with the Reds aware of the need to establish another dynasty and avoid being a flash in the pan.

Owen believes many more triumphs will be taken in, especially as charismatic Klopp has been tied down on a contract through to 2024.

The ex-Liverpool frontman told Premier League Productions of the Reds’ highly-rated coach: “The man just gets it. He gets life, he gets the city, he gets how people tick. He’s just the man.

“I find it hard to get impressed by too many people, but that fella, every time he opens his mouth, I can’t stop listening. I think he’s absolutely brilliant.

“The club, the city, they’ve embraced him and he’s embraced them in return. He’s everything that Liverpool needed at the time. He’s everything that they need now and in the future.

“You are striving for perfection at the moment. It’s just a matter of how long he can keep this going now, in terms of how many trophies Liverpool are going to win - but I couldn’t speak highly enough of him.

“When you’re playing, you don’t feel the magnitude of what you’ve done. Even Klopp said it’s two or three hours to think about what you’ve done, but I can guarantee that for him it will be a quick holiday with the family and then ‘how are we going to defend it again?’

“Football is a short career, you’re on a hamster wheel in many ways, and as soon as you retire you think ‘I won that, and I won that’. When you’re doing it, it’s relentless. It’s a relentless pursuit of what is next, what can I win next?”

Premier Soccer League (PSL) giants Orlando Pirates have announced the death of Matina Elsie Khoza on Thursday.

Matina, who was Pirates club chairman Irvin Khoza's wife, had been in and out of the hospital as she battled ill health.

The Buccaneers released the following statement on their official website.

"The Khoza Family is announcing the sad passing of Mme Matina Elsie Khoza, the wife of Dr. Irvin Khoza, mother of Sonono, the late Zodwa, Nkosana and Mpumi Khoza."

"Mme Matina, who was affectionately referred to by everybody, including her ten grandchildren, as Mama, has been in and out of hospital in the last few years battling ill health."

"She sadly passed at 09h11 this morning, Thursday 23 July 2020. She was 69 years of age."

"The Khoza Family pleads with the public to help us observe restrictions imposed on the nation by the Covid-19 pandemic."

"There will, as a result, be no visitations and prayer services held at home," a club statement read.

Khoza also lost his second wife, Yvonne Mantwa Kgotleng-Khoza, who sadly passed away last January.

The PSL chairman has been busy working with the South African Football Association (Safa) to ensure that the 2019/20 season resumes.

The campaign was suspended last March due to the coronavirus pandemic which has impacted the staging of sporting events worldwide.

PSL had plans to resume the suspended season in a Biologically Safe Environment (BSE) in Gauteng on July 18.

However, Safa made it clear that football can only start in August 2020 as the match officials were not ready to officiate top flight league and National First Division (NFD) matches.

The PSL Board of Governors is set to hold a meeting on Friday to discuss the way forward regarding the resumption of football.

Mikel Arteta says he's "positive" Arsenal can close the "big" gap between themselves and English football's top sides in the coming years, and that he is looking forward to the "beautiful challenge ahead".

A 1-0 defeat away at Aston Villa on Tuesday ensured that Arsenal will miss out on a place in the Premier League's top six for the first time since 1995.

The result left the Gunners languishing way down in 10th in the standings after 37 fixtures, with little left to play for in their final day clash against Watford on Sunday.

Arteta has, however, overseen significant improvement at Emirates Stadium since being appointed Unai Emery's permanent successor in December.

Clear signs of progress were evident during a 2-1 win over 2019-20 champions Liverpool last week, and Arsenal followed up that performance by knocking Manchester City out of the FA Cup at the semi-final stage.

The Gunners can still gain re-entry to the Europa League if they beat Chelsea in the showpiece event on August 1, but Arteta acknowledges the fact that his long-term project at the Emirates is still very much in its infancy.

The Spanish head coach told his press conference ahead of this weekend's meeting with Watford: "I don't think the league table lies at the end of 10 months with 38 games. Hopefully next season it will be very different.
 
"We have a beautiful challenge, a very demanding challenge but a beautiful challenge ahead of us. We have to get this right and bring this club back to where it belongs which is with the top teams in the country and in Europe. In order to do that we have to make a lot of good decisions.
 
"We haven't been consistent. We obviously had a lot of issues as well in the background, a lot of things that had happened, but at the end of the day we weren't good enough to be with the top teams.

"That's not a lie and it shows the big room for improvement and the gap that is still there and has to be minimised really, really quickly in order to be in a good position to challenge those teams."

Arteta added on Arsenal's failures in the second half of the season and the "direction" he is trying like to take the club in: "It hurts so much. When I said it's a beautiful challenge, and as well from my side, it's to bring the club into those positions again.

"I know how difficult it's going to be because you can see the other teams, what they're doing, what they've been doing the last few seasons.

"The road and the direction we have to take in order to be quick in that transition. I'm very positive that we're going to be able to do it."

Mikel Arteta congratulated Unai Emery on his appointment as Villarreal boss, while acknowledging his predecessor has left him with a considerable but "beautiful challenge at Arsenal".

Emery was appointed to replace Javier Calleja on Thursday, eight months on from a winless run of seven matches across all competitions that resulted in him being sacked by the Gunners.

Arteta was handed the reins as his permanent successor the following month and has guided Arsenal to the FA Cup final, although a midweek defeat to relegation-threatened Aston Villa showed inconsistency remains.

Nevertheless, the former Manchester City assistant was keen to thank Emery for what has often appeared to be a flawed inheritance.

"Congratulations for the new job, he's going back to Spain," he told a news conference ahead of Sunday's final Premier League match versus Watford – another game where Arsenal will have a defining say on matters in the bottom three. "He's a manager who has a lot of experience there and has been very successful there.

"We wish him all the best from our side. There are a lot of people from our side who like him a lot and have huge respect for him.

"Thanks from my side as well for what he did here with the players, trying to improve the team and the squad. We wish him all the best and hopefully things will go well for him."

Arsenal head into the final matchday 10th in the table, with an eighth-place finish their best-case scenario.

Victory over Chelsea in the FA Cup final is their only remaining route into European competition and Arteta acknowledges they have fallen some way from being a Champions League fixture during his playing days.

"I don't think the league table lies at the end of 10 months and with 38 games gone," he said. "Hopefully next season will be very different.

"We have a beautiful challenge, a demanding challenge but a beautiful challenge ahead of us. We have to put this club back to where it belongs, which is with the top clubs in this country and Europe. In order to do that we have to make a lot of good decisions."

A 2-1 victory over Premier League champions Liverpool last week preceding a 2-0 FA Cup semi-final triumph against City has done nothing to obscure this reality.

"It hurts so much, [but] it's a beautiful challenge to bring the club into that position again," Arteta added.

"I know how difficult it is going to be, because we can see what other clubs have been doing over the last few seasons, but I am very positive that we are going to be able to do it."

Mamelodi Sundowns have confirmed the signing of former Black Leopards winger Lesedi Kapinga.

The attacking midfielder was recently released by Lepaords after his contract with the club expired at the end of last month.

Kapinga has been a revelation for Lidoda Duvha this season and he was heavily linked with Gauteng clubs, Sundowns, SuperSport United and Orlando Pirates.

Masandawana have since announced that they have signed the 25-year-old player on a five-year deal.

"Lesedi Kapinga has joined the rest of the Mamelodi Sundowns team in camp (based in Rustenburg) after parting ways with Black Leopards earlier this week."

"The new signee has been welcomed by everyone in camp, digitally, as he is currently in isolation as part of the Covid-19 protocols and will interact with the rest of the squad in person once his isolation period is completed," a club statement read on Thursday.

Sundowns head coach Pitso Mosimane, gave a perspective on the club’s recruitment plan when he welcomed Kapinga to the reigning PSL champions.

“Lesedi is a good young prospect and we are looking at getting as many young players as we can," Mosimane told the club's official website.

"He fits the programme with his age and the style of play. He is the type of player who likes combination play and loves one on one and taking defenders on. He scores goals also and I wish him all the best."

Another club statement read: "Lesedi can only be registered for the upcoming season when the transfer window opens and will not feature in any matches when the current season restarts."

Kapinga was enjoying his breakthrough season in the PSL before the campaign was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic last March.

The former Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila player was influential for Leopards in the league having hit the back of the net five times and registered five assists this term.

Kapinga will compete with the likes of Themba Zwane, Gaston Sirino and Phakamani Mahlambi for a place in Sundowns' starting line-up.

The PSL are hoping to resume the suspended season in a Biologically Safe Environment (BSE) in Gauteng soon.

Arsenal would sell Mesut Ozil “tomorrow” if they got the right offer, says Tony Adams, but he considers the World Cup winner unfortunate as he remains an “enormous talent surrounded by a lot of mess”.

That situation appears to be edging the former Germany international towards the exits at Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta looks to have dropped the enigmatic playmaker from his plans, with the 31-year-old sparking further rounds of transfer talk after entering the final 12 months of a lucrative contract.

Finding a buyer is likely to prove tricky, with every chance Arsenal will be forced into a corner which sees them retain the services of a player they have deemed surplus to requirements.

If that proves to be the case, Adams believes the Gunners’ coaching staff need to be asking questions of why they have allowed such a situation to come to pass, with Ozil a talented performer who could be a match winner for them if managed correctly.

The former Arsenal captain told Stadium Astro: "I think I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt. He's a very laid-back kind of guy, he doesn't get too flustered with anything to be honest with you. He just goes a little bit – what we would call in our day – going through the motions; but players are very different today, they're not questioned in training.

"There was an article that came out recently about Kieran Tierney being questioned because Tierney was getting a few tackles in in training and he was asked to take things a little bit easier. I kind of went, 'Hold on a minute, no, no, no, you test them, you rattle them, you get involved'.

"I think Ozil, he's a very calm, sweet man, so don't judge him too quickly. He is a talent, and half the job of a head coach is getting the best out of that talent.

"So you could swing it on Arteta. The minute you don't get results, this is going to be more of an issue. If we lose in the FA Cup final, I think people will start then going, 'Actually, how Arteta are you dealing with this situation? What are you going to do?'

"Then all the questions you've fired at me, are the ones the public are going to be saying, 'Come on then Ozil, what you posting on your social media? Are you applying yourself? What are you doing?'

"Is there anybody at the club saying that to him? 'Why are you doing your clothing range, what’s that about Ozil?' Is there was anyone at the club, around Mesut Ozil, passing on the message of, 'Come on, what’s going on here? What are you doing?'

"There's too many outside influences and that's where I think the Ozil brand comes into it, and the people on the periphery, and the agents get involved.

"Actually, if you look underneath all that, there's a really sweet human being in there, really shy boy, that has enormous talent, but he's surrounded by a lot of mess."

Pressed on whether Ozil has any future at Arsenal, Adams added: "If they get an offer, I think they'll let him go tomorrow. If they don't, then they're going to say to the coach, 'Actually coach, you've got to work with this guy, you've got to get something out of him next season, you need to get him into the team and into a system whereby you can utilise him and use him'."

Daniel Amokachi has advised Kenneth Omeruo and Chidozie Awaziem to leave Spanish side Leganes after the club was relegated from La Liga.  

Omeruo teamed up with the Cucumber Growers permanently from Premier League side Chelsea after delivering convincing showings during his loan stint.  

The centre-back featured in 23 league games for the Estadio Municipal de Butarque outfit in the 2019-20 season as his side finished 18th and relegated from the Spanish top-flight.

Awaziem, meanwhile, joined the Cucumber Growers on loan from Portuguese giants FC Porto and played 29 times for Javier Aguirre’s men across all competitions. 

Amokachi has recommended his former club Besiktas to Awaziem as he believes the defender along with Omeruo needs to continue their development in the top-flight leagues. 

“It’s sad the team was dropped but with the quality of the players and being Super Eagles players, I think they should find a way to move and play football in the top leagues,” Amokachi told Brila FM.

“In Turkey, my former team Besiktas are looking for cover and I think Awaziem will fit in very well and Omeruo is being linked with two Premier League teams.

“And with the stamp he has put in Turkey [during Omeruo’s loan at Kasimpasa and Alanyaspor] I’m sure teams there will come for him, it just depends on where he wants to go.”

Amokachi also discussed Sunday Mba, who starred for the Super Eagles at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

The forward struck two decisive goals for the West Africans at the tournament, including his match-winner against Burkina Faso in the final to help Nigeria win the title for the third time in their history.

The 30-year-old has been without a club since he was released by Turkish side Yeni Malatyaspor in September 2017.  

Amokachi, who was an assistant to late Stephen Keshi at Afcon 2013, is disappointed with the forward’s current state but feels he still has the quality to play football again.

“I spoke with Mba about three weeks ago when Ahmed Musa was in Nigeria. Musa called me and said other guys like Sunday Mba and Emmanuel Emenike were with him and they were reminiscing about their time in the national team camp and we all laughed about it,” he continued.

“Mba has been going back and forth. He played in the second division in Turkey, he was playing, but I think his lifestyle didn’t help him a bit and the contract he had in France after the AFCON destabilised him a bit.

“Up till today, we don’t know the true story of what really happened, with the Bordeaux deal, only Mba and those involved can really tell us what happened and why the deal didn’t work out and things just broke away for him.

“But I think he is a quality player and probably age is not on his side but I still think he can give the world a few years of quality football if he really wants to.”

Amokachi, who had 44 caps and 13 goals for the Super Eagles before his retirement, is currently Nigeria football ambassador.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has confirmed that Liverpool-linked Thiago has told Bayern Munich he wants to leave, but says the club have yet to receive any offers for the prized asset.

Thiago has won 14 major trophies in total at Allianz Arena since completing a move to Germany from Barcelona in 2013, including seven consecutive Bundesliga titles.

The Spain international has cemented his status as one of the top midfielders in Europe during his time with Bayern, and has been a fixture in Hansi Flick's side in 2019-20.

Thiago's performances in the middle of the park helped Bayern secure yet another domestic double, with the prospect of a first treble since 2012-13 also on the cards when the Champions League resumes next month.

However, the 29-year-old only has one year left to run on his current contract at the Allianz, and Flick has admitted that the playmaker has ambitions to "experience another big league" before he calls time on his career.

Liverpool has been mooted as a potential landing spot for Thiago, and Jurgen Klopp fuelled speculation over his future by expressing his admiration towards the ex-Barca star earlier this month.

Rummenigge says the Spanish star has made Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic aware of his desire to undertake a new challenge away from the Bundesliga, but insists that the club hasn't been contacted by Liverpool or any other potential suitors over his availability.

The Bayern CEO told a press conference on Thursday: "Hasan had talks with Thiago. They were always very positive, but he told Hasan some time ago that he wants to do something new to finish his career.

"So far no club has contacted us. We don't know if he's settled things with a new club. Hasan is in talks with David and his advisor.

"So far we haven't found a solution. We want to extend. If that's not possible, we have to look."

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been among those to weigh in on Thiago's situation at Bayern, having worked with him at Barcelona between 2008 and 2012.

When asked if the midfielder would be able to adapt to the demands of English football, the former Blaugrana manager told reporters: "A player who plays for Barcelona and Bayern Munich can play in the Premier League. Of course he can play. He’s an exceptional player, but I don’t know what he’s going to do.”

Leroy Sane has revealed the lengths Joshua Kimmich went to convince him to join Bayern Munich, saying that it felt like he was calling every day to ask for updates relating to his exit from Manchester City.

The Germany international joined the Bundesliga club for an initial €49m (£45m/$55m) fee on July 3, with an injury-ravaged 2019-20 campaign limiting him to just two appearances in all competitions over the course of the season.

City were keen to retain Sane and made attempts to tie him down to a new deal, although he ultimately decided that he wanted to join the Bavarians.

The former Schalke star was presented to the media as a Bayern player on Thursday, a little over two weeks since his transfer was confirmed. Asked who was the most persistent player from the Bayern ranks prior to confirmation of his move to the Bundesliga champions, Sane replied: "The most annoying one was Joshua Kimmich.

"It seemed that he wanted to call me every day and ask how the situation is. Everyone was behind this transfer and that was an important point."

Bayern have already won a league and cup double in the 2019-20 season and will also have the chance to reach the quarter-final of the Champions League.

Hansi Flick's side face Chelsea in the return leg of their last-16 tie at the Allianz Arena on August 8, with the Bavarians in a strong position having won the first meeting between the two sides by a 3-0 scoreline.

They won't, however, be able to call upon Sane for the remainder of their European campaign, with UEFA rules not allowing the registration of new players in the competition after it was delayed amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Should they advance past the Blues, Bayern will then face Napoli or Barcelona in the last eight, prior to a possible semi-final meeting with any of Real Madrid, Manchester City, Lyon or Juventus.

Despite not being available to play, Sane has already been integrated into first-team training with Bayern at their Saebener Strasse base.

The 2020-21 Bundesliga season is due to get underway on September 18, with the fixture list announcement coming on August 7.