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Newcastle United could soon have new owners, with a £300 million ($375m) takeover bid under way to take the Premier League club out of the hands of the notorious Mike Ashley.

Magpies fans have been agitating for a change of owner for years now, having witnessed two relegations under Ashley's stewardship, with a feeling of frustration festering among devotees of the Tyneside club.

Ashley is all too aware of that sentiment and he placed the club up for sale back in 2017. After some false starts, it appears that he may now have found a buyer, with the Premier League being informed that the process is close to completion.

So who is buying Newcastle from the Sports Direct boss and what are their plans? Goal brings you everything you need to know about the prospective takeover.

Who is buying Newcastle United?

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), which is headed up by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is the main mover behind the bid to purchase Newcastle United from Ashley.

It has been reported that the takeover plans will see the Saudi PIF acquire an 80 per cent stake in the club. The remaining 20% will be split between Amanda Staveley's PCP Capital Partners (10%) and British businessmen, the Reuben brothers (10%).

The PIF is Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, which invests in various different projects around the world. PCP Capital Partners is a venture capital company and the Reuben brothers - David and Simon - are primarily in the property investment sector.

If the takeover of the club goes ahead, Yasir Al-Rumayyan is in line to become Newcastle chairman, according to the Evening Chronicle. Al-Rumayyan, who is also involved with Saudi Aramco, Uber and SoftBank, will be joined on the club board by Staveley. 

Yorkshire native Staveley, who helped broker the purchase of Manchester City by Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Mansour in 2008, has been involved in negotiations regarding the potential purchase of Newcastle for a number of years, having attempted to strike a deal with Ashley in 2017, when he initially put the club up for sale.

After that deal disintegrated, Ashley described the talks as "exhausting, frustrating and a complete waste of time", but Staveley was not put off by the sports retail magnate's dismissive comments, telling The National in 2019 that it was "water under the bridge".

“We are big fans of Newcastle, big fans of the team,” Staveley said at the time, adding that the Tyneside outfit was among "a lot of clubs" her group was looking at.

The plan behind the takeover is, naturally, to improve the fortunes of the club and transform Newcastle into a team that challenges for Premier League and Champions League glory, similar to that which has happened at Chelsea and Man City.

"For too long, Newcastle has existed for the benefit of one man and that won’t be the case with the new owners," Alex Hurst, chair of Newcastle United Supporters Trust, told the Guardian. 

"As supporters, what we want to see from them is the club being run in a sustainable, transparent and ambitious manner.

"We aren’t demanding we win trophies, or win the Champions League, and we appreciate they might not be able to provide us with a 'Manchester City effect', but what we do want is a firm sense that we have our club back and that it’s again going in the right direction."

Interestingly, it is not the first Premier League club that the Saudi investors have been involved in discussions with. There had been reports in 2019 that Mohammed bin Salman was considering a £3.8 billion ($4.9bn) takeover of Manchester United. The takeover talks were dismissed as "completely untrue", but discussions were held between the club and the PIF about an "advertisement sponsorship project".

What are the difficulties with the Newcastle takeover?

A number of issues have arisen since April when the Saudi takeover of Newcastle appeared to be gathering momentum.

The chief sticking point relates to a dispute with Qatari television company beIN Sports and allegations of broadcast piracy, which is something that the Premier League has had to treat very seriously

In June, the BBC revealed that Angus MacNeil, a member of the British parliament, wrote a letter to the government condemning the idea of broadcast piracy in Saudi Arabia and urging them to block the takeover.

Saudi authorities appeared to be dealing with the issues and were reported to have moved closer to a deal, but a set-back occurred in July when beIN Sports was banned from operating in Saudi Arabia.

In a statement, beIN said: “We would question - as we have for three years - how Saudi citizens can watch Premier League matches legally in Saudi Arabia with this ‘permanent’ ban on the Premier League’s licensed broadcaster."

The stand-off between the Qatari broadcasters and the Saudi government is part of a wider dispute between the two countries, which has been ongoing for a number of years and has been described in some quarters as a "cold war".

As well as the financial and legal complications related to the broadcast dispute, Amnesty International has declared that the Premier League risks becoming "a patsy" if it sanctions the takeover.

"I believe there are serious questions to address in determining whether the owners and directors of the company seeking to acquire NUFC are meeting standards that can protect the reputation and image of the game," Amnesty's UK director Kate Allen said in a letter to Premier League chief Richard Masters.

"If the Crown Prince, by virtue of his authority over Saudi Arabia's economic relations and via control of his country's sovereign wealth fund, becomes the beneficial owner of NUFC, how can this be positive for the reputation and image of the Premier League?

"So long as these questions remain unaddressed, the Premier League is putting itself at risk of becoming a patsy of those who want to use the glamour and prestige of Premier League football to cover up actions that are deeply immoral, in breach of international law and at odds with the values of the Premier League and the global footballing community."

The BBC reported in June that complaints made by Hatiz Cengiz, the fiancee of assassinated journalist Jamal Khashoggi, have also been heard by Premier League bosses.

What transfers are Newcastle's potential new owners considering?

Should the Staveley-driven, Saudi-backed takeover of Newcastle eventually happen, significant financial investment is expected, particularly in the transfer market.

The Middle Eastern kingdom is one of the richest states in the world and their backing would potentially make Newcastle a major player when it comes to signing players, similar to Man City's transformation under Sheikh Mansour.

Barcelona have offered Philippe Coutinho to the club, Goal has learned, with the Spanish giants believed to be open to striking a loan-to-buy agreement. However, Arsenal have also been sounded out

Antoine Griezmann has been touted as a potential recruit once the takeover is complete, with Sport Mediaset reporting that the Barcelona star is on the agenda. The outlet also reports that former Juventus and AC Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri is being lined up as a replacement for Steve Bruce.

As well as Allegri, ex-Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has been tipped as a potential new Newcastle manager, with Magpies legend Mick Martin telling the Express: "[Pochettino] knows big players, he knows South America and he knows Europe. He’s a big name in the game."

Former Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez has also been thrown into the rumour mill, despite leaving the club for China following a protracted disagreement with Ashley over the club's transfers.

A number of Premier League players have also been linked with Newcastle, including Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn and Burnley winger Dwight McNeil. McGinn, who has also been touted as a potential Manchester United transfer target, would likely cost in the region of £20 million to £30 million, while McNeil is believed to be valued at £35 million.

Lyon striker Moussa Dembele has been a target for Newcastle for a number of months now, while fans excitedly ponder the possibility that new billionaire owners would have the capacity to sign Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe.

Others who might be more realistic in the immediate future are AC Milan duo Franck Kessie and Hakan Calhanoglu. Ivory Coast international Kessie would add steel to the Magpies midfield, while Turkey star Calhanoglu possesses impressive technique, particularly from set-pieces.

Will Newcastle's new owners expand St James' Park?

As well as investing money into the club's transfer budget in order to lure big-name players to the north east of England, Newcastle's prospective new owners are planning to improve St James' Park.

The 52,000-capacity stadium was given a slight facelift in 2019, but has not been extensively expanded since 2000 and other stadium developments have seen it slip down the table of biggest football venues in the UK. It is now the 10th largest football stadium in the country and, despite boasting one of the biggest fanbases in the UK, Newcastle now have a smaller ground than clubs such as West Ham and Tottenham.

It is not yet clear how St James' Park will be redeveloped, but a typically modernising upgrade is likely.

Kenya international Joseph Okumu will miss action for the next three weeks after picking up an injury while turning out for his Swedish side on Monday night.

The towering defender picked up an injury and was stretchered off in the 29th minute as IF Elfsborg beat hosts Kalmar FF 2-1 in a Swedish Allsvenskan league match.

The club has now confirmed the Harambee Stars defender will sit out of action for up to three weeks to recover from the muscle problem.

“Small muscle deficiency in the back thighs and Joseph [Okumu] is expected to be back in full football in two-three weeks," revealed team doctor Matilda Lundblad on the club’s social media pages.

“We wish Joseph good luck in rehab training and we hope you will be back on the field soon!”

In a recent interview, Okumu revealed he would love to captain the national team sometime in the future.

The 23-year-old centre-back has been one of the rising stars in the country and his exceptional display in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations held in Egypt sealed his place in the first XI.

The youngster played in all three matches in Group C - the 2-0 loss to Algeria before helping the team to a 3-2 win against neighbours Tanzania and eventually losing 3-0 to Senegal. 

"It is a dream for any player to captain his national team," Okumu told Goal when asked whether he wishes to skipper Harambee Stars in future.

"If an opportunity to [captain] the team comes my way, I will take it with both hands. It will be a privilege, but if it does not, my job is to give my country the best services and I will continue pushing myself harder on the pitch."

In 2017, the towering defender was released by South African side Free State Stars after barely one season.

Ghana's football leadership are set to convene for an Ordinary Session of Congress on August 27, the Football Association (GFA) has announced.

The decision was settled upon at a meeting of the GFA Executive Council on Tuesday.

Among other things, the conference will discuss the activity report for the 2019-20 football season which was prematurely terminated because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"The Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), in the exercise of its powers under Article 31(2) of the GFA Statutes 2019, has fixed the 26th ordinary session of Congress for Thursday, August 27, 2020," the GFA announced on its official website on Wednesday.

"The decision was taken at Tuesday’s Council meeting at the GFA Headquarters in Accra.

"However, in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant limitations imposed under the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012) on public gatherings, the meeting cannot be held the usual way, where Congressmen and women gather at a venue for their deliberations and decision making."

The Ordinary Session will signify Ghana's first step towards burying the unsuccessful 2019-20 season and commencing steps towards a new term.

"It would be recalled in a bulletin (No.1 of 2020) addressed to all Companies and the media, the Registrar of Companies, pursuant to the power conferred on her by Section 378(2) of the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992), directed that all companies may hold their Annual General Meetings (AGM) electronically.

"Consequently, the Ghana Football Association (GFA), having its number of Congress delegates exceeding the limit of One Hundred (100) persons, will apply and conduct its Congress via Online Video Conferencing subject to clearance from the Registrar of Companies on August 27, 2020.

"In compliance with Article 31 of the GFA Statutes 2019, members of the GFA will be sent the formal convocation of Congress in writing accordingly."

Ghana's 2019-20 football season was permanently cancelled on June 30 after a three-month standstill due to the Covid-19 disturbances.

The men's Premier League (GPL) and FA Cup championships headline the competitions affected by the annulment.                                    

A new term, 2020-21, is expected to start in September/October should the nation’s coronavirus situation improve.

Azam FC's efforts to hold onto second place in the Mainland Premier League table suffered yet another shock on Wednesday when they were defeated 1-0 by Mtibwa Sugar.

The Dar es Salaam giants are in a tight race against Yanga SC to capture second place at the end of the season, and their latest loss at Turiani may end up proving costly.

The defeat, which is their second in the last five matches, means Azam will go into the next matchday still on 65 points.

Mtibwa Sugar struck the only goal in the 38th minute, scored by Issa Rashid, and the visitors were unable to find an equaliser.

The win could prove vital for the Sugar Millers, who have been embroiled in a relegation battle for much of the season, as they climb five places to 13th on 41 points.

Namungo FC, who secured their place in the Caf Confederation Cup by virtue of reaching the FA Cup final, defeated Mbeya City 1-0 at home.

The victory means Namungo, on 63 points, are still within a touching distance of their second-place rivals Yanga and Azam.

Namungo’s goal was scored by Abeid Athumani in the 46th minute, and leaves Mbeya, on 39 points from 35 matches, 18th place and still firmly in a relegation battle.

They are only four points clear of 19th-placed Mbao FC, who are away at Simba SC on Thursday.

Another 1-0 scoreline was registered in Bukoba when the hosts Kagera Sugar saw off Coastal Union. Awesu Awesu’s 40th-minute penalty was enough to separate the two sides in a tightly fought bout.

Kagera Sugar, ninth on the log, picked up their 49th point of the season while Coastal Union's tally of 51 points remains unchanged.

Meanwhile, JKT Tanzania and Alliance FC registered a 1-1 draw in their meeting; David Richard struck to give JKT Tanzania an equalizer in the third minute of added time after Adam Adam had scored for the visitors in the first half.

JKT Tanzania are eighth, while Alliance are 14th.

Finally, Ndanda FC were victors at home against Tanzania Prisons after they recorded a 2-1 win. Vitalis Mayanga scored in the 39th minute before Donald Taro added the second for Ndanda, seven minutes after the resumption of the second half.

Jumanne Elifadhili was the scorer for Tanzania Prisons - via a penalty - in the 65th minute. Ndanda are 15th while Tanzania Prisons are 11th.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) striker Gnamien Yikpe was on target as they beat Singida United 3-1 in a Mainland Premier League match played at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday.

The Jangwani giants were in need of a win to calm their fans after they had lost to rivals Simba SC in the FA Cup, a defeat that denied them a direct ticket to the Caf Confederation Cup.

Yanga coach Luc Eymael opted to rotate his squad with Ghanaian forward Bernard Morrison, who has gone AWOL since the defeat to Simba, missing from the starting squad.

Eymael also dropped captain Papy Tshishimbi from the starting XI with Kenyan custodian Farouk Shikalo also coming in to replace Metacha Mnata, while Congolese striker David Molinga was handed the honours to lead the attack.

Despite starting the fixture strongly against the already relegated Singida side, Yanga were forced to wait until the 34th minute to take the lead when Paul Godfrey slotted home from a counter-attack.

Veteran striker Mrisho Ngasa then made it 2-0 for Yanga after connecting to a cross from Molinga but with few a minutes remaining to the half-time break, Singida pulled a goal back courtesy of Stephen Sey.

Second-half substitute Yikpe, who signed for Yanga from Kenyan champions Gor Mahia, and has been the subject of criticism from the fans, got the third goal after racing onto a defence-splitting pass before rounding the keeper to plant the ball into an empty net in the 69th minute.

Earlier on, Azam FC squandered their chance to stay second on the 20-team league table after they lost by a solitary goal to Mtibwa Sugar.

Issa Rashid scored the all-important goal for the Sugar Millers, who managed to keep the Azam strikers at bay to carry home maximum points.

In other matches, Namungo FC edged out Mbeya City 1-0 with the goal coming from Abeid Athumani, Kagera Sugar won 1-0 against Coastal Union, JKT Tanzania pulled off a 1-1 draw against Alliance FC while Ndanda FC scored a goal in each half to beat Tanzania Prisons 2-1.

With the win, Yanga have now moved second on the log with 67 points, two more than third-placed Azam, while Namungo are fourth on 63 points.

David Silva and Gabriel Jesus did the damage as Manchester City earned an unconvincing 2-1 home win over Bournemouth on Wednesday, nudging their visitors closer to the brink.

Eddie Howe's Cherries went into the contest on the back of a shock 4-1 win over Champions League hopefuls Leicester City, but they had no such joy in Manchester, with Silva providing another reminder of his class as his Premier League career winds to its conclusion.

The Spanish midfielder opened the scoring with a wonderful free-kick and then found Jesus for City's excellent second, but in the intervening period Bournemouth were twice unfortunate not to net themselves.

Joshua King then strayed agonisingly offside while scoring a second-half goal the visitors had chalked off, before David Brooks did net legally two minutes from time.

But it was too little, too late, as City clung on at the end and Bournemouth remained three points adrift of safety.

Although Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling dropped to the bench, City began with great intent and took just six minutes to open the scoring – Silva bending a free-kick around the wall and in from 25 yards.

Bournemouth responded excellently, however.

Junior Stanislas went close with a free-kick of his own just past the half-hour mark, as Ederson tipped it on to the post and then got lucky as the ball struck his head and went out for a corner.

Dominic Solanke then saw a close-range effort crucially deflected just over by Nicolas Otamendi, and City capitalised in the 39th minute, Jesus finding the bottom-right corner after a wonderful slaloming run.

Bournemouth were unfortunate again with an hour played – King turned Stanislas' shot in from close range, but a VAR review showed the Norwegian was marginally offside.

City had another escape soon after, with Dan Gosling's effort blocked by Ilkay Gundogan after Ederson had fumbled a cross.

Ederson's clean sheet was wiped out in the 88th minute, with Callum Wilson squaring to Brooks for an easy finish on the break, but City managed to hold on in the face of intense late pressure.

What does it mean? A hint of hope remains for Bournemouth

Even after their remarkable win over Leicester, this was never going to be a realistic chance for three points, given the obvious gulf between the two sides.

In any other scenario, this loss would have essentially doomed Bournemouth, but they can take solace in the fact that at least one of Watford and West Ham – the two teams directly above them on 34 points – will drop points on Friday as they face each other at London Stadium.

Silva stands out

It was hardly a vintage performance from City, but Silva was his usual classy self, opening the scoring in style, before releasing Jesus for his goal with a well-weighted pass.

Big shoes to Phil

Phil Foden is expected to be Silva's so-called heir at City, and while there is no doubt he is a fine talent, he was a little quiet in this game. He did eventually come to life towards the end, setting up half-time substitute Sterling for a chance before then going close himself, but on the whole he was somewhat disappointing.

Key Opta Stats:

- City have won their last six home Premier League matches by an aggregate score of 21-1.
- Although they lost 2-1, Bournemouth were the first team to attempt more shots at goal (14-8) than City in a league match at the Etihad since Stoke City in April 2016.
- They were also the first opposing away team to do so against a side managed by Pep Guardiola since Hoffenheim in March 2014 when he was Bayern Munich boss.
- This was Guardiola's 150th Premier League match as manager – he has won 111 games so far, six more than any other manager won in their first 150 in the competition.
- Silva has scored with each of his last two direct free-kick attempts in the Premier League, with those coming in his last three games – he had scored just one direct free-kick in his previous 305 appearances.

What's next?

City turn their attentions to the FA Cup now, as they prepare to face Arsenal at Wembley in Saturday's semi-final clash, before going to Watford in the league three days later. Bournemouth's faltering fight against relegation resumes with the visit of Southampton on Sunday.

Ghana international Jeffrey Schlupp is in line to make a return to Premier League action when Crystal Palace take on Manchester United on Thursday.

The midfielder is yet to see game time upon football's return after the coronavirus suspension, having picked up an injury in training ahead of the season resumption in June.

He sustained an injury in December and made a return just in time for the re-start, but another setback ahead of the club's comeback fixture against Bournemouth sent him to the treatment room again.

Earlier reports were that the German-born had been completely ruled out of action until next season.

"The doctors and medical people are wary, once again, having been out of football for a long time, how many minutes he [Schlupp] could safely play," Hodgson said in his pre-match conference on Wednesday, as reported by his club's official website.

"But it’s very good to have him available at least and he himself feels good and would be very happy to play the number of minutes I feel I could give him."

With three more matches to end their season, Palace currently are 14th on the league table while United are fifth with an ambition of finishing among the top four to clinch a Champions League spot.

"We’ve got another team of great quality coming to Selhurst. We are aware that a similar performance [as in the recent 3-2 loss to Chelsea] will be required to get the result," Hodgson added.

“It was a very good game from our side against a top team and I would consider ourselves unfortunate not to come away with a result.

“We are aware nothing less than a performance of that level will be good enough if we are to get something from the game.”

Schlupp has made 14 league appearances for Palace so far this season, starting nine matches, scoring two goals and providing one assist.

The 27-year-old joined the Eagles in 2017 from Leicester City, whom he helped win the league in 2015-16.

His last outing for Palace in the English top-flight came in a 0-0 draw with Watford in December last year. 

Harry Kane scored the 200th and 201st club goals of his career as Tottenham boosted their bid for European qualification with a 3-1 win at Newcastle United.

Kane had gone three games without a goal, but the England captain headed home twice as Jose Mourinho celebrated his first Premier League victory at St James' Park.

Son Heung-min opened the scoring for Tottenham in the first half with his 18th goal of the season, but Matt Ritchie deservedly levelled after the break with a thunderous drive.

Kane restored the London club's advantage four minutes later, though, and struck again late on as Spurs followed up their derby win over Arsenal with another three points to move up to seventh with two games to play.

Tottenham were not at their best but ground out another victory, Serge Aurier showing great character to play just two days after the death of his brother.

Newcastle did not start like a team that had lost their last two games and Jonjo Shelvey spurned a great chance to put them in front, heading Ritchie's inviting cross over the crossbar from close range unchallenged after Miguel Almiron had an early shot deflected wide.

Son made the Magpies pay for their profligacy, DeAndre Yedlin allowing him too much room inside the penalty area to find bottom-left corner of the net after Fabian Schar had given the ball away after 27 minutes.

Martin Dubravka produced an acrobatic save to deny Son from long range soon after and Newcastle were almost level when Dwight Gayle headed Shelvey's inviting cross against the post.

Steve Bruce's side were level 11 minutes into the second half, though, Aurier's attempted clearance only finding the onrushing Ritchie, who smashed a stunning strike into the far corner.

Kane ensured Newcastle were not level for long, however, nodding in substitute Steven Bergwijn's cross to reach another landmark.

Valentino Lazaro found the side-netting as Newcastle strived for an equaliser, but Kane sealed it when he nodded in with time running out after Erik Lamela's shot was palmed into his path by Dubravka.
 

What does it mean? All to play for in scramble for European spots

Spurs are unbeaten in four matches, winning three of those, and are just a point behind sixth-placed Wolves after they were held 1-1 at Burnley. Sheffield United are only a point behind Mourinho's side ahead of their game in hand at Leicester City on Thursday.

Kane shows cutting edge Magpies are missing

Kane was certainly not firing on all cylinders and does not appear to be fully fit after a long lay-off before the season resumed.

The clinical striker grasped his chances when they came along, though, showing that predatory instinct to be in the right place at the right time. Newcastle could have had at least a point if they had been more ruthless.

Schar has a night to forget

Schar, playing in a makeshift defence, cost Newcastle when he was too casual in possession just outside his own penalty area and Son capitalised.

He was helped off in the closing stages after suffering what appeared to be a dislocated shoulder.

Key Opta facts

- Mourinho has recorded his first top-fight win at St James' Park at the eighth attempt, having failed to do so on six occasions with Chelsea and once with Man Utd.

- Newcastle have suffered their first home defeat in the league in seven games. The loss is only the second they have endured this season on home soil when scoring.

- Only Liverpool and Manchester City have won more Premier League games than Tottenham since Mourinho's first game in charge last November.

- Newcastle had 22 shots, the most they have had in a Premier League game this season and the most in a league defeat since a loss to Brighton (27) in October 2018.

What's next?

Spurs take on Champions League hopefuls Leicester in their final home game of the season on Sunday, while Newcastle travel to Brighton and Hove Albion on Monday.

Olympique Lyon forward Tino Kaderwere has admitted that he is yet to provide his best for the Zimbabwe national team and promises to deliver more in the country’s quest to qualify for the 2022 Fifa World Cup.

Kadewere expressed respect for fellow Warriors attackers Knowledge Musona and Kaizer Chiefs Khama Billiat, who have overshadowed him in the national team but said his chance to shine is coming.

After some impressive performances in club football which saw him signing for Lyon from Le Havre, Kadewere has often been criticised in Zimbabwe for struggling to translate that form to the Warriors.

He has so far managed two goals in eight national team appearances.

“To be honest, I haven’t had a huge spark with my national team,’’ Kadewere told football presenter Carol Tshabalala.

“And, I still have time, I think. I’m 24 years old and I respect the guys that play in front of me [Musona and Billiat]. I always believe that, one day, I will make my nation proud.’’

Kadewere says he is keen to help Zimbabwe qualify for their first-ever World Cup tournament and the Warriors are in the same group as South Africa, Ghana and Ethiopia in their bid for a ticket to Qatar.

He singled out the home and away matches against South Africa as the ones he is looking forward to most.

“And the goal, for my country, is to go to the World Cup,’’ said Kadewere.

“I want us to go to the World Cup and people to get to say that Tino was in the generation that made our country go to the World Cup for the first time.

“I know, you are not going to like this. You know we have South Africa in our group, but I’m looking forward to that game. I have never played [against] South Africa, but I want to play South Africa. I have played Zambia, they are our neighbours, I have played Botswana, I have played Mozambique, but not South Africa.

“I am looking forward to that game and it’s one of the hurdles, in front of us, for us to go to the World Cup, you know what I mean.’’

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest manager Sabri Lamouchi has described Zimbabwe defender Tendayi Darikwa as a “fantastic” player with the right-back back from a long-term injury.

Darikwa recently returned from the injury and is yet to play an official match, managing to sit on the bench twice.

But Lamouchi has hailed Darikwa’s availability for their push for a Premier League return.

“Tendayi has worked hard for many, many weeks and now he’s back with the group. I’m happy for him because he’s a fantastic boy,” Lamouchi was quoted as saying by Nottingham Post.

Fifth-placed Forest’s best chances of securing Premier League promotion lies in ending the regular season in the top-six and qualifying for the promotion play-offs.

Elsewhere, former Zimbabwe international Costa Nhamoinesu has left Czech Liga giants Sparta Prague after seven seasons at the club.

Ex-Arsenal attacking midfielder Tomas Rosicky, who was Nhamoinesu’s former teammate at Sparta Prague and now the club’s sporting director, has paid tribute to the Zimbabwean.

“Costa was a great professional for the whole time at Sparta. He became a real Spartan,” Rosicky told the Sparta Prague website.

A Czech Liga winner with Sparta, Nhamoinesu made more than 200 appearances for the club he later captained after joining from Polish side Zaglebie Lubin in 2013.

The 34-year-old helped the Czech giants reach the 2015/16 Uefa Europa League quarter-finals and bows out after recently winning his second Czech Cup.

“We meet to part and we part to meet,” said Nhamoinesu

“Thank you for all the amazing years. The most important thing for me is that we always stuck together, in good and in bad.”

Hakim Ziyech has described the Uefa Champions League outing between Chelsea and Ajax which ended in a 4-4 draw as "a crazy game".

The 27-year-old produced a man-of-the-match performance at Stamford Bridge on November 5 last year with a brace of assists despite Ajax giving up their 4-1 lead.

He was also involved in the third goal when goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga turned his free-kick which came off the post, into the back of the net with his face.

The result was not enough for Ajax to progress from Group H in the elite European competition as Chelsea and leaders Valencia moved on to the knockout stage.

Eight months after the game, Ziyech, who is now a Chelsea player after completing a five-year deal from the Dutch giants in February, recalled the night in London against Lampard’s team.

“It was a crazy game. If you were a neutral supporter it was a fantastic game,” Ziyech told Chelsea website.

“For us it was a little bit less because we were 4-1 up, but it was a crazy game. I think the neutral fans, that is why they like football, because of moments and games like this.”

The Morocco international started his individual training sessions at Chelsea on Saturday and he was in the stands as the Blues edged Norwich City 1-0 in Tuesday’s Premier League fixture.

The Dutch-born midfielder said he was inspired by club legends Didier Drogba, John Terry and Lampard before making the move to Stamford Bridge

“When you are a young guy you always want to play for a big club, in the Premier League of course,” he added.

“When I was young, the players that played here, it was always a big club so I am very happy and it means a lot. I was playing in the youth in Heerenveen and here was playing Drogba, Lampard, Terry, all those big names.

“We were always for Chelsea, and if you look at now, if you can play here it means a lot to me.”

This season, Ziyech was involved in 24 goals before leaving Ajax - a tally of eight goals and 16 assists in all competitions and he was named the club's Player of the Year for the third time in a row.

Pep Guardiola has outstripped all of his peers past and present in the Premier League after racking up his latest victory at the helm of Manchester City. 

With City in a festive mood following Monday's decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport to overturn the club's suspension from the Champions League, Wednesday saw Bournemouth visiting the Etihad Stadium for the latest round of league fixtures. 

Pep took the opportunity to rotate his team, resting the likes of Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez, but it made little difference to the overall result as City ran out 2-1 winners. 

David Silva and Gabriel Jesus both netted in the first half, meaning David Brooks' late strike was little more than consolation for the Cherries, who find themselves in serious danger of going down to the Championship. 

Not only was it City's third consecutive Premier League victory, but it also brought up Pep's 150th match in the English top flight, a run in which he has surpassed all previous managers in terms of success. 

Wednesday's clash was his 111th win on the bench, marking an outstanding strike-rate of almost 64 per cent. 

It is also more than any other man has achieved in the same time-frame, even Premier League legends such as Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson. 

Current Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho sits second in the rankings, having picked up 105 victories from his first 150 matches. 

Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp completes the podium with 92, followed by Ferguson (90) and ex-Reds, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle boss Kenny Dalglish (85). 

Guardiola, of course, has the luxury of arguably the Premier League's deepest, most distinguished squad of players at his disposal, and he has not shied away from changing up his first XIs over the course of the season. 

Wednesday saw City make seven alterations from the starting line-up that downed Brighton at the weekend, taking them up to 137 in total in 2019-20 - far outstripping nearest challengers Chelsea, a long way back with 95. 

City will be back in action in Saturday's FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal and continue their Premier League campaign the following Tuesday with their penultimate clash of the season, away to Watford.

Two goals in four minutes, including a thunderbolt from Franck Kessie, helped Milan come from behind to beat Parma 3-1 on Wednesday.

The Rossoneri's European chase under Stefano Pioli appeared to be losing momentum when Parma went ahead at San Siro through Jasmin Kurtic 44 minutes in.

But Kessie pulled his side level with a spectacular effort after 55 minutes and Alessio Romagnoli's header turned the game on its head in quick fashion.

Hakan Calhanoglu made it 3-1 to secure all three points for Milan in Zlatan Ibrahimovic's 100th game for the club.

Milan saw a Romagnoli header bounce back off the left-hand post in a dominant opening spell.

Giacomo Bonaventura had a tap-in ruled out for offside and Kessie missed a great chance from Rafael Leao's cross, with Parma not really threatening until Gervinho ran through the heart of the Milan defence but fired over.

It was Gervinho who helped to fashion the breakthrough, though, his clever pass sending Alberto Grassi clear to cut back for Kurtic, who fired low past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Parma were largely restricting Milan to speculative shots from distance, a tactic that was working well until Kessie thumped an unstoppable strike in off the right-hand post 10 minutes into the second half.

It was 2-1 before the hour mark, Romagnoli escaping into space to nod in Calhanoglu's expert delivery, and Dejan Kulusevski's shot that deflected onto the crossbar suggested fortune was not favouring the visitors.

Calhanoglu made certain of a seventh Milan home league win over Parma in the past eight meetings, the midfielder drilling home a fine finish from Bonaventura's pass.

What does it mean? Never mind top four - Milan are finishing as one of Serie A's form sides

Milan could still qualify for the Champions League after this win, although it would require Lazio to lose all of their remaining games and a few favourable results involving Napoli and Roma.

A sixth season without playing among Europe's elite might be almost certain, but the Rossoneri can at least be pleased with their form since Italian football returned - especially since Pioli appears destined to be replaced by Ralf Rangnick for next term.

Calhanoglu holds the key

Calhanoglu had more touches (80) and passes (58) than any Milan player except Kessie, set up their first two goals and scored the third himself. You will struggle to find a more influential display in that regard.

Theo loses track

Theo Hernandez wasted a couple of good openings at 0-0 and Parma's opener came when they found far too much space down the left of the Milan defence.

What's next?

Milan host Bologna on Saturday, with Parma at home to Sampdoria a day later.

Former Kaizer Chiefs central defender Bevan Fransman has been handed a contract extension at Highlands Park.

The 36-year-old player's previous contract with the Lions of the North expired at the end of last month.

The Tembisa-based club is preparing for the resumption of the current season which was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic in March.

Highlands Park co-chairman Brad Kaftel disclosed that Fransman has also been handed a short term deal like his fellow veterans Musa Nyatama, Reneilwe Letsholonyane and Greg Etafia.

“Yes, we have extended the contract of Bevan by handing him a short term deal like we did with the other guys recently,” Kaftel told Daily Sun.

The short term deals are set to expire at the end of the current campaign which has seen the Lions of the North reach the MTN8 final where they lost to SuperSport United.

Fransman, Etafia, 37, Letsholonyane, 37, and Nyatama, 32, will be looking to impress coach Owen Da Gama and the club's management in order to earn new contracts ahead of the 2020/21 season.

“I’m hoping that football resumes so that we can be able to complete our season and then we’ll decide what to do at the end of the season with other players’ contracts that were renewed,” added Kaftel.

The suspended campaign is expected to be completed in a Biologically Safe Environment (BSE) in Gauteng next month and Highlands Park will be looking to secure a top-eight finish in the league.

Da Gama's side is placed eighth on the league standings having accumulated 31 points from 24 matches.

Fransman was enjoying regular game time just before the season was halted due to the virus which has caused significant disruption to the worldwide sporting calendar.

The former SuperSport United player also captained the Lions of the North in the absence of regular captain and goalkeeper Tapua Kapini, who was nursing a long-term injury.

Fransman has made 17 appearances across all competitions for Highlands Park this term and netted one goal in the process.

He is in his second season with the Lions of the North having joined the club after being released by Maritzburg United in June 2018.

Jose Mourinho praised his Tottenham charges for digging deep in order to overcome Newcastle United on Wednesday, admitting that the players were lagging before they even walked out at St. James' Park. 

Spurs were in action just 72 hours after coming back from behind to win Sunday's north London derby while Newcastle, who had played the previous day, had the luxury of an extra 24 hours rest going into the Premier League clash. 

Despite their fatigue, though, it was Mourinho's men who ultimately came out on top in a clash which could prove vital to their European aspirations in 2020-1. 

Son Heung-Min opened the scoring in the first half and, after Matt Ritchie had levelled for the hosts, Harry Kane scored twice - his 200th and 201st Spurs goals - to see Spurs through to a 3-1 win. 

The victory moved Tottenham up to seventh place, just one point behind Wolves in the final Europa League qualifying spot after they dropped points to Burnley. 

And Mourinho was in no doubt as to why his team were able to play through the tiredness and come home with three points. 

"[It was] resilience, the team was tired before we even started," the manager signalled to BBC Match of the Day after the final whistle. 

"We had resilience and a great desire to win the match and to fight until the last for our objective which is the Europa League."

Tottenham still conserve a slim mathematical chance of making the Champions League, although wins for either Manchester United or Leicester City on Thursday would extinguish that possibility. 

Having taken over with Spurs in dire straits at the end of 2019, though, Mourinho would settle for the secondary club competition.

"Since I started we are fourth in the table. If we cannot get the Champions League than the Europa League is important.

"No doubt the subs were important. I knew they would give us the freshness that we needed.

"Harry Kane knows how important he is, he is incredible. After such a difficult recovery he is playing every minute of every game, this is the fourth game with two days in bewtween, we are the only team to have this, and Harry gave everything.

"I am proud of them and happy with the points. Serge Aurier is a very strong character, every person is different and in his case he wanted to play.

Nigerian Halimatu Ayinde gave an assist for compatriot Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene as Eskilstuna United suffered a 3-2 defeat against Kristianstads in Wednesday's Swedish Damallsvenskan game.

Going into the tie, the Nigerian midfielders were pivotal in Eskilstuna's 2-1 victory at Anam Imo's Rosengard last time out, as they extended their unbeaten run to three matches this season.

For Kristianstads, they had failed to get a win from three matches, having bowed to Goteborg and Rosengard in their two opening games before coming from behind to claim a 3-3 draw at Vittsjo.

The visitors made the brighter start to the encounter as Alice Nilsson twice came close to securing the lead inside five minutes. 

In the 12th minute, the hosts were reduced to 10 players after Elise Stenevik was sent off for a poor challenge inside the area and gifted the visitors a penalty which was converted by Therese Ivarsson.

Twelve minutes later, Eskilstuna were rewarded with an equaliser when Fanny Andersson set up Felicia Rogic to find the back of the net.

After the restart, Magnus Karlsson's ladies returned on a high despite having one of their players sent off and they gained the lead when Ayinde teed up Okobi-Okeoghene to score in the 59th minute.

However, the visitors capitalised on their numerical advantage and Svava Gudmundsdottir levelled matters in the 71st minute before Eveliina Summanen netted the winner seven minutes from full-time.

Okobi, who scored her first league goal of the season, was in action for the duration along with her compatriot Ayinde for Eskilstuna.

The defeat was Eskilstuna's first in four games this season and leaves them in the seventh position with five points.

The Nigerian duo will look to help their side bounce back to winning ways when they host leaders Linkopings, who boasts of Nigerian trio Ebere Orji, Uchenna Kanu and Chinaza Uchendu, on July 19.

Quique Setien expects to remain as Barcelona coach next season despite it looking unlikely he will guide them to La Liga success.

Setien replaced Ernesto Valverde in January and was appointed on a two-and-a-half-year deal, with his possession-based brand of football thought to be a good fit for the club after fans grew frustrated with his predecessor.

But the former Real Betis coach has not been able to inspire the kind of improvement some hoped for, while draws with Celta Vigo and Atletico Madrid at the end of June look set to cost them in the title race.

Barca are four points adrift of Real Madrid, who will clinch the title on Thursday if they beat Villarreal at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.

Club icon Xavi has been frequently linked with a return to Barca as coach, though Setien believes it will still be him at the helm next term.

"Of course, I see myself training Barca next season," he told reporters. "I have already experienced this before.

"The reality is that the expectations one has haven't been achieved, or not yet, but the work done is what must be valued.

"This is what I understand, or what I would like to see assessed. Of course, I think about next year's continuity."

Regarding the seemingly imminent confirmation of failure in La Liga, he added: "I take my share of the responsibility, but not all of it.

"Making that assessment of finding a culprit always focuses on the coach. I don't feel that we did things so badly, drawing three games [since the resumption]. More merit should go to Madrid, who have won every game."

Luis Suarez has already effectively accepted defeat in the title race publicly, though Setien is retaining faith Madrid will slip up.

"That is his opinion. It is not yet [over] because anything can happen, but it is difficult," Setien continued.

"It requires a team that has won every game [since the season resumed] to lose. We have had three draws that make this difference.

"Obviously Madrid have done better because they have won all eight games. It is possible that a circumstance can arise [where Barca can win the title]. We will fight until the end."

Shanghai Shenhua have completed the signing of former Inter Milan and Nigeria forward Obafemi Martins, who returns for a second stint after playing for the Chinese Super League side between 2016 and 2018, Goal understands.

The 35-year-old forward rejoins the team as a replacement for compatriot Odion Ighalo, whose loan deal at Manchester United has been extended until 2021.

On Wednesday, Ighalo shared a video of himself on Instagram, wearing Shenhua kit with the rest of the squad, ahd a source close to the player has confirmed to Goal that he has been re-signed in a playing capacity.

However, he left the Shanghai-based team in 2018 after suffering a hamstring injury, and has been without a club ever since.

Ighalo was loaned to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Red Devils on a temporary loan deal on the final day of the January transfer window as a replacement for injured Marcus Rashford.

Having impressed in his eight appearances before lockdown and the subsequent postponement of football - scoring four goals in three starts - the club extended his loan until January 2021.

Martins’ return will strengthen Choi Kang-hee men’s attack ahead of the resumption of the Chinese Super League.

The former Super Eagles striker recently told Goal that retirement was not on his agenda despite being without a club since leaving Shanghai in 2018.

“After my career-threatening injury in China, many people advised me to quit, but I told myself I still have a lot to offer the beautiful game,” he told Goal. “Football is my life; I eat, drink and sleep football so I don’t see any reason to call time on something that makes me happy.

“I’m 34, but I feel like a teenager, and with this sensation, I can still play for any big team across the world. I’m thankful for what I have achieved in football but I thirst for more.    

“That desire is still there, the desire to score more goals and win more titles. For my next move, I have got offers from the United States, China and Saudi Arabia but I will only move when I see the right bargain.”

After featuring for Reggiana and Inter Milan in Italy, Martins joined Newcastle United in 2006 and helped them win the Intertoto Cup in the same season.

He also represented Wolfsburg, Rubin Kazan, Birmingham City and Levante before moving to Seattle Sounders in 2016.

In international football, Martins scored on his Nigeria debut in May 2004, against the Republic of Ireland, and ended his Super Eagles career with 18 goals from 42 appearances.

Matteo Guendouzi is "not the type of player who is going to knuckle down", according to Kevin Campbell, who thinks Arsenal will cut ties with the midfielder this summer.

Guendouzi hasn't seen a single minute of action for the Gunners since clashing with Brighton's Neal Maupay after a 2-1 defeat at the Amex Stadium on June 20.

The 21-year-old was caught on camera grabbing Maupay by the throat, and reports also surfaced alleging that the Frenchman taunted Seagulls players throughout the game over how much they earn.

Guendouzi escaped a ban after the footage was reviewed by the Football Association, but Arteta has since alluded to "internal issues" when explaining the playmaker's absence from his starting line-up.

Arsenal snapped up the France Under-21 international from Le Havre for just £7 million in the summer of 2018, and he has since racked up 82 appearances for the club across all competitions.

Guendouzi had been tipped for a bright future at Emirates Stadium after an impressive first season in the Premier League, but it is now being suggested that the Gunners will put him up for sale when the transfer window reopens.

Campbell certainly doesn't believe that a divisive figure is capable of turning his Arsenal career around, with Arteta already proving that he is not a manager who will allow any players to disrupt the harmony within the dressing room.

The former Gunners striker told Genting Bet: "I think that Guendouzi will leave the club this summer. Arteta has come in and he's set a lot of disciplinary rules down.

"Guendouzi has fallen foul of those rules. I don’t think he’s the type of player who is going to knuckle down and that’s why he’s training alone. The writing is on the wall on this one, and I can't see him coming back into the fold unless he changes his attitude."

Arsenal dropped to ninth in the Premier League standings after being beaten 2-1 by Tottenham in the north London derby last weekend, and they are now four points adrift of the Europa League places with only three fixtures left to play.

However, Arteta's men had shown signs of improvement during in a five-match unbeaten run prior to that result, and Campbell has praised the Spaniard for the way he has gone about his job since succeeding Unai Emery in December.

"Arteta came into a difficult situation but there has been some initial success," he added. "It's a difficult situation, to define success by if you've won a trophy but I think the small battles he's won are important.

"He's improved the players, integrated some of the youngsters into the squad more successfully and the youngsters have responded to his coaching and to the message he sends out.

"Ultimately, his success is going to be judged on how Arsenal finish the season and how far they get in the FA Cup. So in that respect, yes it has had a level of success for sure."