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Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri says some of the criticism he receives in the media is personal because he may be "an asshole to some people".

Sarri looks set to end his debut season in charge of the Turin side with the Serie A title, as they are four points away from winning a ninth successive Scudetto. They could secure top spot with victory over Udinese should Inter fail to beat Fiorentina on Wednesday.

But the Bianconeri have won just one of their last four matches and many commentators have taken issue with the 61-year-old's style.

The ex-Chelsea and Napoli boss says the scrutiny does not bother him and argued that the resullts speak for themselves.

“I’m probably an asshole to some people! I’m not particularly interested," he told reporters. 

"I know the difficulties we face daily and I think we’ve got more data on our side than those who express opinions."

He added: "I am a man of sport, which means that 'almost' is meaningless. We know that we need to pick up four points, which is difficult at the moment. 

"We've got to focus on one game at a time, think of Udinese, then of Sampdoria, stay in the moment and continue fully aware this is a tough period for everyone."

Juve's attacking duo of Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala have been directly involved in a combined 17 goals in Juve's 10 matches since the campaign resumed in June, with the Portuguese positioned on the left and the latter through the middle.

Ronaldo linked up with Dybala for Juve's second goal in Monday's 2-1 win over Lazio, having earlier opened the scoring from the penalty spot to become the first player to net 50 times in the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A.

But while Sarri has been encouraged by their partnership up top, he believes there is even more to come from the pair.

"It's evident we can play a lot better and have ample margin for improvement," Sarri said at a pre-match news conference on Wednesday when asked about Ronaldo and Dybala. 

"I don't see this difficulty in having top level players like Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala sharing the field, as they have already scored 51 goals between them in two seasons."

As well as breaking another record with his double against Lazio, Ronaldo drew level with Ciro Immobile at the top of the Serie A scoring charts with 30 goals.

But despite the title being within touching distance and the Champions League set to resume next month, Sarri sees no reason to give the 35-year-old a breather.

"I spoke to him 10 minutes ago and he said he's in great shape," Sarri said.

"This is part of his strength - the ability to quickly recover both physical and emotional energy, setting his sights immediately on the next target. It allows him to push beyond fatigue.

"In Germany they have the problem of the season ending a month before the Champions League. We are still playing for the title and cannot think about anything else for now."

Former Netherlands and Aston Villa midfielder George Boateng believes Crystal Palace forward Jordan Ayew deserves to be on the roster of a bigger club.

The Ghana international is enjoying fine form in the Premier League, having registered nine league goals in 36 outings, standing as The Eagles' top scorer.

He previously played for Aston Villa and Swansea City since leaving French side Lorient.

“We [Ghana] are not so blessed in the attacking department of the Black Stars and I think Jordan leads the line very well and he is at a very good age and he is scoring goals for Crystal Palace," Boateng told Citi TV.

“Why I love watching Jordan is because when you see how hard he works, the goals that he scores, he creates them by himself.

“[This] tells me that he should play for a bigger team because when you can create goals in such a difficult team that is not blessed with many chances in a game, that means that he is quite prolific."

Boateng, who also played for Middlesbrough and Coventry City in England, also shared his thoughts on Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Teye Partey who is strongly linked to Arsenal.

The 27-year-old has become a hot subject of transfer rumours, amid the reported competition of interest from Manchester United.

Atletico, it is believed, have also not given up hope of convincing the Ghanaian for a longer stay at Wanda Metropolitano.

He currently has a release clause of about £44.8 million with the Rojiblancos.

“If we look at Manchester United’s situation, that is even more suitable," Boateng explained.

“Pogba in a three-man midfield is a much better player as the 8 and Fernandes operating as the 10.

“Can they have someone like Thomas Partey to control and lead the midfield to allow Pogba and Fernandes to move forward, I think Manchester United will start playing to win the league."

Partey made 35 league appearances for Atletico last season, helping the side to a third-place finish in La Liga. He netted three times, the same number of goals he recorded in each of the previous two terms. 

Former Chippa United coach Norman Mapeza says he kept focused on the future despite the frustration of failing to join West Ham United following a successful trial in 2000.

Having already played in Poland and Turkey including Champions League football with Galatasaray, Mapeza impressed then Hammers coach Harry Redknapp but failed to obtain a work permit.

“In the end, they said they couldn’t get a work permit for me, even though they said they had tried their best to get one,’’ Mapeza told The Herald.

“It was disappointing, of course, because the manager told me they really wanted me to join the team and he told me I had done very well during my time with the team.

“The other players had also embraced me and were happy with my presence there because they felt I could add value to the team. However, such things happen, it’s the way football and life is, there are disappointments here and there, but the most important thing is to keep focused and looking ahead.’’

Another opportunity to play in the Premier League emerged the following year when Redknapp who was now at Portsmouth tried to bring Mapeza to Pompey from Austrian side SV Ried.

But again, the defender-cum-anchorman could not secure a work permit despite having played more than 50 games for Zimbabwe and captaining the Warriors.

At that time, Liverpool legendary goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar and Peter Ndlovu were the only Zimbabweans to have tasted Premier League football.

During the West Ham trial, Mapeza played three friendly matches against Swindon Town, Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City, with Rio Ferdinand his partner at the heart of defence.

Ferdinand rated the Zimbabwean as “good enough for the Premiership.”

“He is a very good player and all the players here are kind of surprised that he did not get signed,’’ Ferdinand told The Herald during that time.

“He is a great guy. He played three games for us and impressed everyone who saw him. He is good enough for the Premiership and he should have impressed other teams, or scouts, who saw him play in the pre-season matches and there should be one club that should take him.

“If that happens, there will be a lot of people, among the players here, who will be happy for Norman because we really liked him.’’

From Austria, Mapeza returned to Turkey to sign for Malatyaspor and then a brief stint at Ajax Cape Town before he retired due to persistent injuries in 2006.

South Africa international Percy Tau's former coach, Luka Elsner believes he would excel at Belgian giants RSC Anderlecht.

The 26-year-old forward has been heavily linked with the Purple and White, who are reportedly looking to sign him ahead of the 2020/21 season.

Nicknamed the Lion of Judah, Tau is coming off a successful spell at Anderlecht's Belgian rivals, Club Brugge on loan from English side Brighton and Hove Albion.

Elsner, who coached the left-footed attacker at Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise in the 2018/19 season, is pleased with how Tau performed at Brugge.

"The step he took was very big," Elsner was quoted as saying in Voetbal Primeur.

"From playing for 3 000 fans to the Champions League with matches in the [Santiago] Bernabeu and the Parc des Princes.

"It would have surprised me if he had played for the entire season."

Tau joined Brighton in 2018 following a successful 2017/18 season with Mamelodi Sundowns having scooped the PSL Footballer of the Year and Golden Boot awards.

However, due to work-permit complications, the Lion of Judah was loaned out to Saint-Gilloise where he flourished and won the Belgian First Division B Player of the Season award.

Elsner believes Tau will explode at Anderlecht, who are the most decorated Belgian club having clinched a record with 34 First Division A titles.

"Percy is 26, but he only came to Europe in 2018. He is still in the learning process and last season's experiences are going to make him better," he added.

"We should not be too strict either, he did not fail at Brugge. Percy also played good matches, such as against Real. He now knows what it is like to play at the top in Belgium and that can help him at Anderlecht.

"The qualities to do well there, he has anyway. He can really explode at Anderlecht."

A versatile attacker, who can play across the front three, Tau hit the back of the net three times and provided four assists in 18 Pro League matches for Brugge during the 2019/20 season.

He helped Brugge clinch their 16th First Division A title and he also played six games in the Champions League and two in the Europa League.

Sports Registrar Rose Wasike has laid down the requirements Gor Mahia's election process must meet if they are to be allowed to proceed.

Gor Mahia have scheduled their election for August 8 and the Registrar has outlined a rigorous process the whole affair must strive to meet.

“This is to request you to submit documents relating to the appointed Independent Panel that will ensure the holding of fair and transparent elections,” a letter from Wasike obtained by Goal read.

“Nomination process of candidates without unfairly blocking any candidate from vying, adherence to 2/3 gender rule, non-discrimination, having an election procedure that adheres to the general provision of Article 81 of the Kenya Constitution 2010, the Sports Act and regulation 20 of Sports Registrar Regulation of 2nd September 2016 and other regulations stipulated in the club's constitution.

“It is a requirement under Regulation 20 of the Sports Registrar of 2016 that an independent panel is appointed and the Sports Registrar, one or an umbrella sports organisation and the ministry observers.

“Note that all your candidates must get clearance certificates from the government integrity clearance offices including Credit Reference Bureau, Higher Education Loans Board, Kenya Revenue Authority, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Directorate of Criminal Investigation, National Social Security Fund, and the National Hospital Insurance Fund among others.

“It is also my request that you submit a list of members that will vote, and who should be paid up members plus copies of their membership cards to prove membership, two passports size photos, postal address and mobile phone numbers to enable the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya [ICPAK) fit them into the online voting system.”

Wasike went further to demand more from the club whose dissatisfied members have already made demands and dared to seek legal action against the whole process.

“It is also my request that you submit duly signed letters from institutions or bodies indicating acceptance of the online election systems offer,” the letter added.

“Approved election calendars stipulating the start and end time of election and the tallying time and other activities before and end of the election.

“Details of returning officers, members of the election panel and their contacts. Title of the election and all positions that are subjected to an election including the number of vacancies available.

“Details of each validly nominated candidates to run for each position and details of valid and eligible members to vote.”

Aristide Bance has announced his retirement from international football after a 17-year career with the Burkina Faso national team.

The Horoya forward, who made his debut in 2003, has earned 79 caps for the Stallions, scoring 24 goals.

He is the country’s third most-capped player and second-highest scorer of all time, but has chosen to hang up his international boots at the age of 35.

Famous for his towering height, Bance featured in four Africa Cup of Nations finals – winning silver and bronze in the 2013 and 2017 editions, respectively.

He played a significant role in the South Africa 2013 edition as Burkina Faso lost out on the title by a whisker to Stephen Keshi’s Super Eagles – with his only goal in that tournament coming in the semi-final against Ghana at Nelspruit’s Mbombela Stadium.

He made his decision known during his meeting with the President of the West African nation on Tuesday.

“I had the honour of being received by His Excellency Mr. Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, President of Faso,” Bance wrote on his Facebook page.

“As the captain of the national stallion team, I wanted to show him my gratitude for all he does for Burkinabe football.

“I also took advantage of these moments to officially announce to him my intention to end my international career, the end of my adventure with the Burkina stallions and definitively give him my lucky number “15”.

“It was a pride for me to wear the colours of the national team. We had rough and good times. We shook together two beautiful African Cup of Nations crowned with a silver (2013) and a bronze (2017). These moments will forever be the best of my life.”

He began his professional career at Cote d’Ivoire’s Stade d'Abidjan before teaming up with Athletic Adjame and later RFC Daoukro.

He moved to Santos Burkina in 2003 – where he was snapped up by Belgian top-flight side Lokeren. After three seasons at Daknamstadion, Metalurh Donetsk was his next destination, albeit, he was loaned to Germinal Beerschot and Kickers Offenbach.

In 2008, he was signed by Mainz. There, he scored 24 times in 62 games over two seasons with the German team.

He also boasts of spells at Al-Ahli Dubai, Umm-Salal, Samsunspor, FC Augsburg, Fortuna Dusseldorf, HJK Helsinki, Irtysh Pavlodar, Chippa United, Riga, Asec Mimosas, Al-Masry, US des Forces Armees before moving to Guinea club Horoya - his 22nd team - in 2019.

Real Madrid have opened talks with Bayer Leverkusen over loaning them 18-year-old Brazilian wonderkid Reinier, with the Bundesliga club potentially looking for a replacement for Chelsea-linked Kai Havertz.

Reinier - who finished fourth place in Goal's NxGn 2020 list of the best young talents in world football - joined Madrid from Flamengo in January 2020 and spent the remainder of the 2019-20 season with the club's Castilla squad.

The Liga club are looking at providing him with more first-team exposure next season, however, and see a loan move to the Bundesliga as being ideal for his development.

Indeed, Leverkusen could well lose star man Havertz in the summer, with Chelsea having been in talks with the Germany international, who is keen to make the switch to Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are yet to have reached an agreement on a final fee with Peter Bosz's side, however, as Leverkusen hold out for a figure in the region of €100m (£90m/$111m), while Chelsea are hoping to negotiate a lower fee.

Seeing Havertz, who has been one of the stars of the Bundesliga in the 2019-20 campaign, leave the club would represent a significant blow, although Reinier's arrival would be something of a coup.

The teenager is seen as one of the stars of the future and helped Flamengo win the domestic title in Brazil in 2019, while he was also part of their successful Copa Libertadores-winning squad.

He made the big move to Madrid in January 2020, although has not yet been fully integrated into the first-team, instead making three appearances for the Castilla side, scoring two goals and claiming one assist.

Should they complete the loan signing of Reinier, Leverkusen would also be able to offer him European football, with Bosz's side having qualified for the Europa League after finishing fifth in the table.

Madrid feel that a switch to Germany would provide an excellent tactical and technical experience for Reinier, who at just 18 has had little experience outside of Brazil, where he spent his youth career with the likes of Vasco, Botafogo and Fluminense prior to joining Flamengo in 2014.

Real Valladolid - who have legendary Brazil striker Ronaldo in place as their majority owner - had also been interested in a temporary deal for the midfielder, however, it appears Leverkusen are now set to win the race for his signature.

Mere participation in the Premier League is highly rewarding from a financial perspective, with each of the division's 20 clubs getting a considerable slice of the money pie.

However, the 2019-20 season has been complicated by the coronavirus pandemic and the three-month postponement that occurred from March until June.

Disruption to the normal broadcast schedule has the potential to severely impact the available prize money, with industries across the world feeling the reverberations of lockdown.

So, what will Premier League winners Liverpool and, indeed, the rest of the clubs get in prize money this extraordinary season?

How much will the 2019-20 Premier League winners earn?

Winning the Premier League brings with it all sorts of concomitant financial rewards, but the immediate prize for the champions is currently in the region of £150 million ($182m).

However, that is expected to change for 2019-20, with revenues predicted to fall in the aftermath of the worldwide lockdown measures imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19.

It had been feared, when the idea of cancelling the season was a real possibility, that clubs would have to hand back or miss out on a significant sum of prize money.

Prize money is drawn from broadcast revenue - TV money - and a team's monetary health come the end of the season depends on how many televised games they are involved in, as well as their final position.

You can get an idea of how the broadcast money is divided among the teams in the table for the 2018-19 season below.

Premier League 2018-19 prize money

With a rough gap of around £2m ($2.43m) between places in the league, even the most innocuous of results can tip the scales in favour of one mid-table team finishing noticeably richer than the other.

While each club earned a minimum of approximately £82m in TV money for their troubles in the Premier League in 2018-19, the 'facility fees' and merit payments were variable from team to team.

For example, in the 2018-19 season, City picked up just under £38.4m ($46.7m) for finishing first in merit payments, while Liverpool's second place earned them £36.5m ($44.4m) .

However, the Reds earned more overall than the champions thanks to their involvement in a greater number of TV games - 29 to City's 26, so three more to be precise.

Premier League prize money breakdown

The Premier League broke down their central broadcast revenues as follows in 2018-19:

The change in the Premier League's broadcast deals for 2019-20 onwards was initially expected to see an overall rise of around £180m ($219m), give or take, though it is unclear if that will be the case now. 

Curiously, domestic income was actually down for the latest batch of contracts, with increased finance from foreign broadcasters instead contributing to the larger fiscal outlook.

In addition, the new injection of revenue from overseas will not, as it historically has been, be split equally between the 20 teams.

Instead, it will follow the pattern of the merit payments, and will be allocated in line with finishing position.

In theory, this will hand a significant increase in finance to the top clubs from 2019-20 onwards, though teams are still set to receive a fair equal share of overall fiscal income.

With revenues from ticket sales set to be down across the board for clubs due to the public-health-led decision to play games behind closed doors, this prize money - whatever it may be - will be crucial.

Mason Greenwood "has the potential to surpass" Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, according to Andy Cole, who thinks the Manchester United starlet is on Wayne Rooney's level.

Greenwood is enjoying a breakout 2019-20 campaign at Old Trafford, during which he has netted 18 goals in 47 appearances across all competitions.

The 18-year-old's latest effort came during a 3-0 win away at Aston Villa on July 9, which saw him become only the second teenager in United's history to score in three consecutive games, emulating a feat achieved by Rooney in the early stages of his career.

Rashford and Martial have both scored four more goals than Greenwood over the course of the season, but most of his appearances came from the substitute's bench before the Premier League was suspended due to the coronavirus crisis.

Since the June 17 resumption, the England international has been a fixture in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's line up, and Cole has talked up his talents ahead of the Red Devils' penultimate game of the season against West Ham.

The former United striker believes Greenwood is currently on track to follow in the footsteps of the club's all-time record goalscorer Rooney, and told The Athletic: “[He is] a special talent. He’ll get better and better.

"He scores with his left foot and right foot. He has the potential to surpass Marcus and Anthony.I’m not even sure if he’s that fast but 16 goals at 18 is incredible. When I was his age, I wasn’t close to Arsenal’s first team.

"This is Wazza (Wayne Rooney) level. He wasn’t even expected to be in the team this season.”

Cole went on to express his belief that Rashford still has plenty of room left to improve before reaching an elite level, while insisting that he should strive for the same level of consistency as Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe.

“I like Marcus, but he’s not a centre-forward. He has to find consistency, which should come with age. Some players at his age already have it, like Mbappe," he said.

“When Marcus is on form, like at [Crystal] Palace the other night, he can get that kind of goal. He’s good running at people when he’s confident. I want to see him be a little bit braver, too. He’s six foot. He’s got the attributes to dominate in the air.”

Cole also reflected on United's FA Cup semi-final defeat at the hands of Chelsea, pointing to their lack of movement in the final third as a cause for concern.

He added: “When Man United pick the ball up in midfield, strikers have come short or go long. Nobody is making the run to get in behind. Martial has pace to burn, Marcus too, and it’s the main asset for Daniel James. Use it.”

Zlatan Ibrahimovic still remains unsure about his Milan future with just three games remaining this season.

The star striker, 38, scored a brace as Milan beat 10-man Sassuolo 2-1 in Serie A on Tuesday.

While Ibrahimovic is only contracted at Milan until the end of the season, the club announced on Tuesday an extension for head coach Stefano Pioli until 2022.

Ibrahimovic, speaking when still unaware of the Pioli announcement, said he was unsure about his future.

"I still have three games, still 10 days, nobody said anything to me and I don't expect anything else," he said, via Sky Sport Italia.

"There are things that we cannot control, but that seem strange to me, but we are doing great things. We play with great confidence and we believe in what we do."

Milan are unbeaten in 10 games since the season resumed last month, and are now fifth in the table. Ibrahimovic, who has scored eight goals in 17 games this season, praised Milan's form.

"I'm working, I'm fine, the team is fine and doing good things," he said. "When I arrived we are second or third in the standings, it means it is not bad."

Milan are in action again on Friday, when they host high-flying Atalanta.

Few clubs so far have expressed an interest in signing Ibrahimovic, including newly promoted Premier League side Leeds United.

Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani said he had attempted to sign the veteran forward in January, before he moved back to Milan rather than switch to the English second tier Championship. He is now unsure about whether Ibrahimovic would be able to handle the pace of the Premier League.

"Ibrahimovic will certainly be difficult," he said. "We tried to sign him in January, but he chose to join Milan and the deal vanished. Now I think it's too late, the intensity of English football is different."

Serie B newcomers Monza also will not be signing Ibrahimovic ahead of next season. The veteran forward has been linked with a move to the Lombardy club, who won promotion to Italy's second division after being taken over by former Milan president Silvio Berlusconi.

However ex-Rossoneri CEO Adriano Galliani, now on the board of Monza, said: "Our budget will be used to get into Serie A. We won't go crazy, but we will do what's necessary.

"I met with Ibrahimovic last week. There's always a great bond between us, but I think his signing is beyond our reach and the reach of many Serie A clubs."

Coach Hossam El Badry says Egypt will not underestimate their opponents in their quest to earn a place in the 2022 Fifa World Cup billed for Qatar.

The seven-time African champions have been drawn in Group F alongside Gabon, Libya and Angola as they chase a fourth appearance at the global football fiesta.

Talking about his side team’s chances of progressing from that group, the 60-year-old who replaced Javier Aguirre after a poor Africa Cup of Nations outing in 2019, told the Fifa website that the Pharaohs will not look down on any team while backing the depth of quality in his squad to pull through.

“It’s certainly a tough section and we can’t take any of our opponents for granted. We’ve recently seen that the gaps between African national teams have shrunk,” he said.

“Every team has progressed thanks to their overseas-based players. I recall that after we won the 2010 Afcon title, we failed to qualify for the next edition despite playing against so-called minnows.

“We currently have quality players based in Europe, so we’re first aiming to go beyond this group stage and reach the final round. Then we’ll be a step closer to realising our World Cup qualification dream and making all Egyptians happy.”

Having ended their 28-year wait at Russia 2018 – where the country got eliminated from the group stage – El Badry is hoping his squad can look at the positives of that experience to achieve their set targets.

“I’ve experienced similar situations in the past. I won the Caf Champions League and local championships, and on each occasion, I wanted to go out the next season and win more titles and face new challenges,” he added.

“This heaps pressure on you sometimes, but we have to make use of that pressure to enhance the players’ confidence and empower them to repeatedly compete so as to attain or go beyond the goals we set ourselves.”

Asked how he hopes to rebuild his team and select his players after a failed expedition at Afcon 2019, the former Al Ahly coach stated the team is open for all, though he claimed the country’s football department has their own role in this regard.

“Our technical team has a system for monitoring all potential players. We evaluate both their technical and physical development,” he continued.

“Every player stands a chance to be selected and I know very well that they all want to put on the national jersey. We’ve already given a chance to some young players and the door will remain open to everyone.

“We want to integrate the promising young players with the seasoned ones.

"In that way we hope to solve a difficult equation: which is to assemble a strong team that can last for a decade, while making sure that we reach and maintain a high level by adapting to [football’s] technical requirements.”

Lautaro Martinez has vowed to continue "giving 110 per cent" for Inter and repay the confidence shown in him by Antonio Conte as speculation over a move to Barcelona gathers pace.

The Argentina international has been strongly tipped to swap San Siro for Camp Nou at the end of the season, two years after joining the Italian giants from Racing Club.

Inter chief executive Giuseppe Marotta has stressed the star player is not for sale, with the forward's €110 million (£100m/€130m) release clause expiring earlier this month, and Martinez, who has formed an impressive partnership with Romelu Lukaku this season, has insisted he will give his all for the club as long as he remains an Inter player.

"I am a boy who always fights - for my goals, for those of the team, for the happiness of the fans," he said in Inter's matchday programme ahead of Wednesday's clash with Fiorentina. "I always try to give 110 per cent for this club, for all the people who love it, for the Inter shirt."

Martinez scored 16 goals in all competitions prior to the campaign being halted in March by the coronavirus pandemic but has netted only twice in 10 games since last month's restart.

Conte has repeatedly defended Martinez's form and the 22-year-old is grateful to have the full support of his head coach.

"Conte has given me confidence," he said. "That is a very important and fundamental thing, because he worked on the mentality of each of us. I really appreciate it, every day he makes us grow."

Nothing definite has occurred regarding Lautaro moving from Inter to Barcelona despite months of speculation, although several prominent figures connected to the player have already expressed their opinions that he would be an excellent fit at Camp Nou.

Fabio Radaelli was in interim charge of Racing Club when he signed Lautaro in January 2014, snapping up a raw diamond from Bahia Blanca outfit Liniers.

He told Goal in April: “In Argentina, we feel devotion to Leo [Messi] because he can make everyone play better. Lautaro can grow a lot with him – also because he would have competition with Luis Suarez.

“There could be many combinations between the three of them. Lautaro and Messi played with Aguero for Argentina – I think it would be similar.”

Andy Cole says he is not sure what Anthony Martial's favoured position is, and has called on the Manchester United forward to "show more desire and passion" on the pitch.

United snapped Martial up as a teenage prospect while he was on the books of Monaco in 2015, forking out £54 million ($69m) to lure him to Old Trafford.

The Frenchman has since recorded 70 goals and 37 assists in 217 appearances in all competitions, but only showed glimpses of his frightening potential under Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho.

Martial has stepped his game up another level since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's arrival as head coach, having been trusted to lead the line following the departure of Romelu Lukaku.

The former Monaco star has broken the 20-goal barrier for the first time in his career this season, and has been the most prolific frontman in the Premier League since last month's return from lockdown.

The 24-year-old has found the net six times in his last seven top-flight outings, while serving as the focal point in a United side now on the verge of a top-four finish.

Cole isn't getting too carried away with Martial's recent record, though, as he believes the France international has taken far too long to start justifying his hefty price tag.

“We all get caught up in the debate about Martial,” the United legend told The Athletic as he watched United's FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea.

“I’m not sure where he wants to play. He’s played well this season as a centre-forward and has scored more goals this season than any other but he should have scored more than 20 in more than one season.

"He came for big money and he’s very talented. He has to show more desire and passion at times. He’s got good feet and a lovely first touch.

"He’s got blistering pace too but you don’t see it enough. He wants the ball to his feet but he should mix it up a bit more.”

Martial had to be content with a substitute appearance during United's 3-1 defeat to Chelsea on Sunday, but will likely return to Solskjaer's starting XI for a crucial midweek clash with West Ham.

The Red Devils can guarantee Champions League qualification if they earn earn at least a point against West Ham and then avoid defeat to Leicester City on the final day of the season.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has requested Berekum Arsenal president Yakubu Moro to face its Ethics Committee for corruption claims levelled against the football governing body.

The club administrator made his remarks following the GFA's announcement of its intended disbursement plan for the Covid-19 relief fund from Fifa and Caf.

"President of Berekum Arsenals Alhaji Yakubu Moro has been asked to substantiate comments he made in a recent radio interview," the GFA has announced on its official website.

"The Club Administrator is alleged to have stated in an interview with Kumasi-based Light FM that the GFA Executive Council intends to share and "chop" the Fifa and Caf Covid-19 Relief funds.

"The GFA Ethics Committee has initiated investigations into the allegations and has written to Mr. Moro to ascertain the veracity of the allegations.

"Mr. Moro has been asked to submit a written Statement of Defence to the Ethics Committee on or before Monday, July 27, 2020, before 5 pm.

"According to the letter, should Mr. Moro fail to prove his allegations, his comments would be considered as a breach of Article 11(2)(a), (b) & (d) of the GFA Disciplinary Code (2019) and Article 22(2) & (3) of the GFA Code of Ethics (2019).

"Mr. Moro would be requested to appear before the Ethics Committee either physically or via video conferencing at its next sitting if he requests for a personal hearing or he fails to submit a written Statement of Defence."

The published disbursement plan has generated controversy, with some major stakeholders expressing dissatisfaction over some allocations.

"I haven't and will never regret what I said. I have nothing to explain again. I will repeat exactly what I said if I meet the committee," Moro told Otec FM as he prepares to face the GFA.

"I will go to court if the GFA decides to punish me over my comment because I see nothing wrong with what I said.

"The way the GFA disbursed the funds was wrong, they should have met us [the clubs] before."

Ghana League Clubs Association (Ghalca) president Kudjoe Fianoo recently called for broader consultation in the disbursement of the funds, warning a lack of due diligence could "result in a third world war".

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has revealed details of their newly-signed sponsorship agreement with BetKing.

The gaming firm and the FKF agreed on a contractual partnership to sponsor the Kenya Premier League (KPL) and after days of intense public debate on the deal, the federation has now moved to make the details public.

The FKF, in a document obtained by Goal, has explained how the sponsorship money will be paid.

“Payment to be made as follows: $120,000 upon or within seven days of the signing of this agreement, $693,334 one month prior to the official kick-off of the season, $693,333 on or before the end of the third month of the season and $ 693,333 on or before the end of the sixth month of the season,” the document read.

“In the subsequent four Premier League seasons, the first instalment will be paid a month before the season kicks-off, the second instalment will arrive at the end of the third month of the season while a third instalment to arrive at the end of the sixth month of the season.”

The document also revealed exclusive rights and obligations the new sponsor will enjoy throughout the agreed timeline of the partnership.

“BetKing will have the exclusive right to be referred to as the ‘FKF Premier League’s Title Sponsor’ and have the exclusive right to be the sole sports betting and title sponsor,” the document continued..

“Ensure that all clubs participating in the BPL wear kits bearing BetKing’s logo on their shirts’ sleeves for both their authentic and replica jerseys and have the right to erect eight pitchside banners in all BPL match venues at its own cost.

“Have the right to display 50% BetKing advertisements and/or logo on every media backdrop, have the exclusive right to activate every BPL venue on each BPL match day.

“Have the right to use images with no less than three players in the BPL clubs, have the right to use clips and still photos, with no less than three players for content generation, and may sponsor the player and coach of the month.

“Have naming rights and bear the agreed costs of the BPL end of the season Gala Night and the BPL Annual Awards.”

The document also stipulated how the agreement may be terminated and how disputes can be solved by the parties.

“This agreement may be terminated; on expiry of the term, if either party suffers a material breach of the agreement and that the termination shall not affect any accrued rights or liabilities of either party,” it concluded.

“Arbitration shall be practised under the laws of England.”

FKF secured the deal before taking over the league as the contract of the KPL Management Limited is expected to expire in September.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon has accused Neymar of always "trying to wind people up", while expressing his belief that the Paris Saint-Germain star knows exactly how "infuriating" he can be.

PSG continued their preparations for the resumption of their 2019-20 campaign by putting Celtic to the sword in a friendly at Parc des Princes on Tuesday.

The Ligue 1 champions ran out 4-0 winners thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Ander Herrera and Pablo Sarabia, with the Hoops' summer tour of France ending on a sour note.

Neymar showed off his full repertoire of tricks and won several free-kicks during the match, much to the frustration of Lennon in the visiting dugout.

The Brazil international's theatrics proved too much for the Celtic head coach at one point, as the two men were involved in a heated exchange on the touchline.

When asked to comment on the incident and assess how his side coped with the threat of Neymar, Lennon told the Daily Record:  " He was just trying to wind people up.

"I said to the players you just have to keep your discipline and not take the bait really.

"He is infuriating but he knows it."

Lennon went on to highlight Mbappe's quality, before praising his players for giving their all against "world-class" opposition.

"I'm a big fan of Kylian Mbappe because I think he's fantastic in terms of his purpose and his pace," he added. "They've got quality all over the pitch.

"That quality is world-class. I'm pleased we've taken it on. I don't think we need to be down about it.

"Sometimes the players need to see the game at that level for what it is, and how far you have to strive to get there. Hopefully, they can take a lot from it physically and mentally."

PSG were crowned champions of France for a third successive year when the Ligue 1 season was cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis in April.

They could yet go on to win an unprecedented treble, with a Coupe de France final against Saint-Etienne to take in on Friday before they look ahead to a Champions League quarter-final final against Atalanta in Lisbon next month.

Sofapaka President Elly Kalkwa has revealed why they missed a meeting to discuss modalities of the new partnership signed between the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and BetKing Kenya.

Goal exclusively revealed on Wednesday that Batoto ba Mungu were the only team from the top-flight not represented in the meeting chaired by FKF president Nick Mwendwa and CEO Barry Otieno.

The teams which attended the meeting conducted via Zoom include AFC Leopards, Wazito FC, Posta Rangers, Kariobangi Sharks, Gor Mahia, Tusker, Kakamega Homeboyz, Ulinzi Stars, Nairobi City Stars, KCB, Zoo FC, Bidco United, Nzoia, Western Stima, Kisumu All-Stars, Mathare United and Bandari.

Kalekwa has now told Goal he was keen to attend the meeting but had an appointment with his doctor which ended late and by the time he logged in, he found the meeting had already ended.

“Sofapaka did not skip the meeting by default, no…I was very keen to be part of the meeting but my appointment with the doctor took much of my time and by the time I wanted to log and join in, the meeting had already ended,” Kalekwa told Goal.

“I don’t have issues with FKF and so there was no reason for me or my club not to attend the meeting, it was only because I had a very important meeting with my doctor and I did not make it.

“I will talk to the clubs which attended and get to know what was discussed.”

During the meeting, KPL clubs were requested to provide their bank accounts to the federation as they wait to receive the first payment from the sponsor.

The meeting also settled on Ulinzi Stars chairman Erick Oloo to lead a five-man FKF Premier League transitional interim committee and he will work alongside other four officials namely Dan Shikanda of AFC Leopards, Ken Ochieng of Zoo, David Aduda of Tusker, and Robert Maoga of Sharks.

The committee has been mandated with drafting proposals on how the FKF Premier League will be run, post-KPL, including the possibility of clubs voting for an independent chairman to lead the new league body.

A week ago, FKF signed a lucrative five-year sponsorship deal worth Ksh1.2billion with the Nigerian-based betting firm that will see clubs receive Ksh8million annually.

Kelechi Iheanacho’s strike against Brentford has been nominated for the Leicester City Goal of the Season award.

The Nigeria international’s strike helped the Foxes beat the Bees 1-0 in January’s FA Cup fourth round encounter at Griffin Park.

The Super Eagles forward beat goalkeeper Luke Daniels from close range after controlling a cross from defender James Justin in the encounter’s fourth minute.

Vardy boasts of three entries with his strike against Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Arsenal shortlisted, while Chilwell’s screamer against Watford at Vicarage Road will also compete for the prize.

Just like Vardy, Maddison has three of his goals competing for the honour – as the club picked his efforts against Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Newcastle United.

Apart from this category, awards will also be handed out for Supporters’ Player of the Season, Young Player of the Season, Players’ Player of the Season, Development Squad Player of the Season and Academy Player of the Season.

Last season’s ceremony saw Pereira win the Supporters’ and Players’ Player of the Season awards.

Leicester City also announced that there will be no End of Season Dinner this season due to the current social distancing recommendations in the United Kingdom.

Although Iheanacho's future at the King Power Stadium remains uncertain as reports have it that the club will be shopping for a replacement, the 23-year-old, who joined from Manchester City, has scored 10 goals and provided four assists for Brendan Rodgers’ men across all competitions this term.

As well as compatriot Wilfred Ndidi, the 2013 U17 Fifa World Cup Golden Ball and Silver Shoe winner is expected to play a role when Brendan’s team tackles Manchester United in the English top-flight's last day.

Victory for them over the Old Trafford giants will see them get a ticket for next season’s Champions League at the expense of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men.

Former Arsenal captain Tony Adams has admitted that he was "very against" Nicolas Pepe's £72 million ($91m) transfer to Emirates Stadium.

Pepe became the most expensive signing in Arsenal's history when he arrived in north London from Lille in August 2019.

The 25-year-old committed to a five-year contract with the Gunners, and big things were expected of a man who had caught the attention of a whole host of top European clubs with his performances at Stade Pierre Mauroy.

The Ivory Coast international has since struggled to justify his price tag at the Emirates, contributing a modest nine goals and eight assists in his first 40 outings across all competitions.

Adams thinks his old club made a mistake investing in another attacker at a time when so many promising youngsters were knocking on the door from the academy, and that they missed the opportunity to strengthen in more important positions.

The former Arsenal defender told Astro Supersport: "I was very against Pepe to be honest with you because we had [Bukayo] Saka coming through, we’ve got Eddie [Nketiah], Reiss Nelson, [Gabriel] Martinelli. 

"We’ve got a lot of kids that need to play and to go and buy [Pepe for] £72m, I thought it could have been used in different areas."

Pepe has featured prominently for Arsenal since the club's return from lockdown, and was singled out for praise by Mikel Arteta following his impressive display against Sheffield United on June 28.

The Gunners boss told reporters after watching the ex-Lille star score the opening goal from the penalty spot in a 2-1 victory at Bramall Lane: "I’m very excited about what he’s bringing to the team

“I think he has made a click, I think he realises what he needs to do for the team as well when we don’t have the ball.

"From the past, I didn’t know him personally but I think he is a player with incredible potential."

Pepe's latest outing came as a substitute during Arsenal's 1-0 loss to Aston Villa on Tuesday, which ended their hopes of qualifying for the Europa League.

Arteta's men will conclude their latest top-flight campaign with a home fixture against Watford this weekend, before focus shifts to an FA Cup final date with Chelsea on August 1.