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Thomas Tuchel believes Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League prospects are "different but not impossible" after learning he will not be able to call upon Thomas Meunier and Edinson Cavani.

PSG's all-time leading scorer Cavani and Belgium right-back Meunier rejected short-term contracts to stay on for the final stages of Europe's premier competition in August, with the Ligue 1 giants having reached the quarter-finals courtesy of victory over Tuchel's old employers Borussia Dortmund.

France's top-flight was curtailed in April, with PSG declared 2019-20 champions, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

That in turn complicated matters for Tuchel's out-of-contract players, with an eye towards the Champions League and the finals of the Coupe de la Ligue and Coupe de France – the latter two showpieces which are yet to be given rescheduled dates.

Captain Thiago Silva, along with Layvin Kurzawa, is reportedly set to stay on for the short term, but the veteran Brazil centre-back will not be offered a deal beyond this season.

"All the players are important to create a group and a mentality and to lose these three [Cavani, Silva and Meunier] decreases the group," Tuchel told his news conference. "We have always played with these players and therefore we lose quality with their departures, that's for sure.

"After that it will not be impossible and I am convinced that we will be very strong. We have to prepare this team for the two finals with a very good mentality.

"We played an extraordinary Champions League with everyone. It is different but not impossible."

PSG were not only depleted in terms of senior professionals on their return to training this week.

Despite making 13 first-team appearances this season, 18-year-old defender Tanguy Kouassi has rejected an extended contract and is understood to be on the verge of joining Bayern Munich.

Midfielder Adil Aouchiche will also seek pastures new, although Kouassi's exit is the one preying on Tuchel's mind.

"For Adil I can understand because it is difficult to fight for a place in midfield at a club like this," he said. "But for Tanguy, I'm sorry because it's been a pleasure to work with him. It's different because it's no secret, I wanted to keep him with us.

"He played against Dortmund, the most important game of the season with the most tension and stake. He played at 17 when he had no contract.

"There was confidence, he would have had minutes, he could have been a key player. I can't understand and I'm sad, but that's how it is. It is difficult to understand this situation for him."

Julian Draxler could also be heading for the exit door, with Hertha Berlin reported to be his next destination, although Tuchel would be keen to keep the Germany international.

"He is with us and for the moment," Tuchel added. "I only see the two finals and the Champions League. For me he is a very important player, I like working with him, he is ready.

"I count on him in the next four or five weeks for the finals and afterwards for the Champions League. After that is not my choice, we have to talk and make a decision together. I really like this player, I'm very happy that he is here."

Toni Kroos has revealed that he drank so much after Bayern Munich's Champions League defeat to Chelsea back in 2012 that he had to call an emergency doctor.

The midfielder, who now plays for Real Madrid, was attempting to numb the pain of the defeat to the Premier League side, who triumphed on penalties in the final at Bayern's own Allianz Arena.

The Bavarians, who were red-hot favourites going into the match, were ahead in the match with just a few minutes remaining after Thomas Muller netted the opener after 83 minutes.

Didier Drogba headed home before full-time, however, sending the game into extra-time and then penalties - with the Ivorian scoring the winning spot-kick after Bastian Schweinsteiger had hit the post with his effort.

The victory sparked jubilant scenes among the Chelsea players as the Blues claimed what was their first European win, with Bayern left to rue losing a match that had appeared in their grasp.

Indeed, it was all too much for Kroos, who turned to alcohol to help ease the pain of the loss.

Speaking on the Einfach mal Luppen podcast, Kroos's brother Felix recalled: "The Champions League final against Chelsea in 2012 - that was us drinking out of frustration. We were close to needing an emergency doctor!"

To which the Madrid star replied: "It was not a good thing but at least there was a reason for it. I remember that Jessi (Kroos's wife Jessica) then said: 'We can't do that (call a doctor) now. Imagine if it came out that I called an emergency doctor for having too much to drink!'

"There was no other way [to ease the pain of defeat]. In the end I had to call the emergency doctor myself because I thought: 'It can't be allowed to get worse than this.'"

Toni Kroos also referred to another night of boozing with his brother, and former Bayer Leverkusen defender Stefan Reinartz, where he ended up drinking tequila shots "because that was the only thing that went down pretty well".

He was left to regret the decision the following day, however, with Felix joking about how he had to sit on the couch with his brother to make sure he was breathing.

It would appear that was the night that put the now 30-year-old off drinking alcohol for good, with Toni Kroos revealing: "It was my fault that I wasn't feeling well the next day. That was the point I said: 'It (drinking alcohol) doesn't do any good. I couldn't look at tequila that evening and that's why I gave it up completely. It didn't hurt [giving it up] and I don't miss it."

Granit Xhaka says Arsenal's youngsters have "big futures" after Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock led the way in the Gunners' latest win.

Nketiah and Willock scored the two goals in the north Londoners' 2-0 win over Southampton on Thursday, the club's first since the Premier League's restart.

In the 20th minute, Nketiah opened the scoring with his fourth goal of the season, having netted five times while on loan with Leeds United for the first half of the season.

Willock's goal, meanwhile, sealed the win in the 87th minute - his fifth strike for the club in 34 appearances.

At just 21 and 20 years old, Nketiah and Willock are seen as vital for Arsenal's future, with the two emerging as key players already this season.

And Xhaka, one of Arsenal's more experienced players, believes that the club's younger group are already stepping up to help as the team looks to build on its most recent win.

“I think we have some very good youngsters and they have big futures,” he said, as quoted by the Evening Standard. “They are already helping us and they keep working hard as well.

“Of course, we had to win yesterday [to keep our hopes of qualifying for Europe alive].

“We didn’t play well last week [at Manchester City] and then we were a little bit unlucky [at Brighton], but yesterday we played very, very compact we were aggressive in a lot of the duels and we deserved the three points.

"I think we worked very hard, we had a game plan and Mikel [Arteta] did very good preparation for us.

“But sometimes you need luck, sometimes it is not your day but yesterday we started again with another three points and we want to keep going.

“We are happy to take the first three points since the lockdown and we hope to continue like this."

Arsenal currently sit ninth in the Premier League, one point behind eighth-place Sheffield United and two points behind rivals Tottenham in seventh place.

The Gunners will face Sheffield United on Sunday in the FA Cup before returning to the Emirates Stadium next Wednesday to take on Norwich.

Quique Setien says he has not been told Arthur will be leaving Barcelona for Juventus, urging the Brazil international to stay focused for the rest of the season as he admitted his disappointment at the "absolutely abnormal" circumstances.

Arthur is reportedly set to join Serie A champions Juve for €80 million (£72m/$90m), with the more experienced Miralem Pjanic potentially heading in the opposite direction for €70m (£65m/$78m).

Barca take on Celta Vigo at Balaidos on Saturday and Setien insisted the former Gremio midfielder remains available for selection and could feature, despite the distractions of transfer talk.

"This that is happening is absolutely abnormal. In principle I still have Arthur. He is important like the rest. He will train and he will travel and has the possibility of playing," said the Barcelona boss. "I hope all this noise does not affect him and that if he plays, he tries to give the best of himself.

"Any player who is in such a situation must make it clear the season is not over, win a title and leave a good impression until the last day he is here.

"I do not take it for granted that he is going to leave. The club has not informed me Arthur is leaving. He will be with us until the last game of the season. If it happens, I will try to convince him to leave a good impression. The most important thing is to be honest until the last day and I am convinced he is."

Setien was unwilling to comment on the possible signing of Pjanic and suggested Arthur has struggled to adapt to the style of football he wants Barca to play.

"Since he has been with me, he has put a lot of interest in doing what we asked him to do," Setien said.

"Maybe he lacked a little continuity. It is not easy to change things in a footballer that other coaches told him were very good. When they tell him it is very good to keep the ball and we come and we want to play two touches, it is difficult.

"Yes, it's possible he lacked some physicality, but he is on the right track."

Former Everton and Egypt defender Ibrahim Said believes he is better than Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk.

The Dutchman has been a solid rock for the Reds since he joined from Southampton in January 2018, helping the Merseyside club to the Champions League, Uefa Super Cup, Club World Cup and most recently the Premier League which they clinched for the first time under the current format and first since 1990 when it was the old English First Division.

The 28-year old has made 115 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 11 goals and providing six assists.

He is famously known for going 65 games without getting dribbled past until Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus did it in the 2019 Community Shield at Wembley which City won 5-4 on penalties after ending 1-1 in regular time.

"I am more skilled than Van Dijk, because he plays in only one position, while I have been playing in more than one. Certainly, I'm better than him,” Said told Egyptian TV channel TEN.

Said went on to stress that Van Dijk has a negative in that he loses focus at times. He also says the presence of strong teammates helps him shine on the pitch.

"I talk seriously about this, if you compare me to him, you will find that there is a huge difference between us in everything, because he has a negative, which is that when he loses his focus, [he plays] completely incorrectly,” Said continued.

“The possibilities he possesses, in addition to his teammates, make any player shine at this level, I am seriously talking about this."

“[Van] Dijk is a good defender, but sometimes he makes mistakes like all defenders in the world."

Said was loaned to Everton from Al Ahly in 2003 but he failed to make a single appearance for the Toffees.

He enjoyed his best days with Ahly, winning the Egyptian Premier League, Egyptian Cup, Caf Champions League and Caf Super Cup.

Said also won 49 caps with the Egypt national team between 2000 and 2008, winning the Africa Cup of Nations with the Pharaohs in 2006 on home soil and in 2008 in Ghana.

Pep Guardiola enjoyed an impressive playing career as a stylish midfielder for Barcelona and Brescia among others, but his profile really exploded when he became a coach.

The Catalan is widely credited as being the mastermind of Tiki-Taka and has tasted success with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City, such is his tactical influence.

That habit of winning - and winning well - has ensured that he continues to earn lucrative contracts for his services after hanging up the boots for good.

So how much is Guardiola worth and what sort of money is he earning? Goal takes a look.

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What is Pep Guardiola's net worth?

Guardiola's net worth is reported to be in the region of $40 million to $50 million (£32m - £40m), which places him in a similar bracket to his long-time rival Jose Mourinho.

Spear's puts the Catalan's net worth at just over £30 million ($38m), while the website Celebrity Net Worth estimates that his net worth is around $40 million (£32m).

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How much does Pep Guardiola earn?

Guardiola's current deal with Man City, which was signed in 2018 and will run until 2021, is reported to be worth £15 million ($19m) a year.

That means the Catalan native is due to pocket at least £45 million ($55m) over the three years.

The pay packet is roughly the same as that commanded by Mourinho, but reports suggest that Guardiola's salary could be bumped to £20 million ($25m) a year, should he put pen to paper on a new deal with City.

Of course, his income is naturally supplemented by investments and endorsement deals. You can see a breakdown of Guardiola's reported earnings per year, month, week and so forth below. 

*Approximates

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What sponsorship deals does Pep Guardiola have?

Guardiola is not flush with endorsement deals in the same way other coaches such as Mourinho or Jurgen Klopp are, but he does have a handful of partnerships.

Notably, the Catalan signed a personal deal with sportswear brand Puma at the same time they became the new manufacturers of Man City's kits.

When the Puma deal was unveiled, Guardiola made sure to reference the fact that his mentor Johan Cruyff had been sponsored by them too.

During his time as Bayern Munich head coach, Guardiola had a personal endorsement deal with Gore-Tex, an outdoors wear company.

He has previously worked in an ambassadorial role for the Qatari World Cup 2022 bid and has a deal with car manufacturers Nissan.

While it could hardly be said that Guardiola's endorsements are not lucrative, the relative lack of such partnerships is arguably consistent with his outwardly austere persona. 

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What charity work does Pep Guardiola do?

Guardiola has never been shy about contributing to charitable causes and notably donated €1 million (£900k/$1.1m) towards the purchase of medical supplies in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

He has taken part in a number of charity golf tournaments over the years and even teamed up with Rory McIlroy in 2017 to raise money for the golfer's charitable foundation by appearing as a special guest at a function in Belfast, as well as donating a number of signed items for auction.

In 2019, Guardiola lent his time to the Salvation Army, appearing along with former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson as a surprise guest at one of their homeless football tournaments.

He has promoted the work of the Fundacion Luzon, which aims to work towards the improvement of treatment for people who have ALS.

The Catalan has also taken part in the promotion of Man City's City in the Community project and the grey cashmere Herno hoodie he wore during the 2018-19 season raised £6,000 in an auction.

It is not strictly charity work, but Guardiola has devoted a lot of his time towards the cause of Catalan Independence and has campaigned for the release of Catalan activists. He notably fell foul of the Football Association for wearing a yellow ribbon in support of imprisoned Catalan politicians.

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How many social media followers does Pep Guardiola have?

Guardiola's social media presence comes under the umbrella of 'Pep Team' on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Across those three platforms, he has approximately 5.5 million followers.

The 'Pep Team' Facebook page has the biggest following with over 4.1 million subscribers and the Instagram page follows with just over a million followers. The Twitter page has just over 300,000 followers.

Like most football personalities, Guardiola's social media pages are used to comment on matches, share updates on activities and also to promote sponsors.

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Mamelodi Sundowns team doctor Carl Tabane expects more PSL clubs to confirm new cases of the coronavirus.

Kaizer Chiefs, Bloemfontein Celtic, Stellenbosch FC and Orlando Pirates are the four PSL clubs which have confirmed Covid-19 cases in their camps thus far.

Tabane explained that he is not surprised by the increasing number of PSL players who are testing positive for the virus which has led to the suspension of the current season since March.

“It was not going to be Kaizer Chiefs alone. Many clubs and players are going to be affected. The whole country is feeling the pandemic," Tabane said on Daily Sun.

"So, I am not surprised by the numbers increasing because players do not live alone. They have family members and they go to the shops just like you and me.”

Pirates midfielder Ben Motshwari became the first PSL player to contract Covid-19, but he has since recovered, while Celtic recently revealed that midfielder Given Mashikinya has tested positive.

Three Stellenbosch staff members have contracted the virus and Chiefs confirmed two cases within their squad, but they have not disclosed the names of the players.

Nevertheless, the government has given the PSL the go-ahead to resume the suspended season.

PSL chairman Irvin Khoza has disclosed that a national camp based in one province will conclude the campaign and clubs are expected to follow all the required safety measures.

“We developed a medical protocol for the admin offices and also for the training facilities. Everyone [players and officials] at the club has gone through it," Tabane said.

"We’ve had inputs from health officials in terms of all the club’s training fields. Training will be staggered, with individual training or in small groups. We want to put the players at ease and to comply with government regulations.

“If we receive players who are positive with Covid-19 when they come back, we will know exactly how to react and to deal with everything.”

Tabane is not concerned about the fitness levels of the players after a three-month lay-off as Sundowns have enough depth in their squad.

“The fitness may not be what we want, but no club can say they have reached a maximum fitness level. Inactivity can lead to poor performance and to some extent, increase the risk of injuries," he explained.

"Fifa is helping with the five substitution rule and that would be assist clubs in great deal. That’s where depth in the team will come handy.

"We do not have a lot of casualties in our list except for Thapelo Morena and Mauricio Affonso who are recovering beautifully."

Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick has heaped praise on Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp following his side's Premier League title success.

Liverpool were crowned the winners of the English top-flight after Manchester City suffered a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Thursday, leaving the Reds 23 points clear with seven games left to play.

After their Champions League triumph last season, Klopp's men put an end to their 30-year wait for a domestic league title just over a week after Bayern secured an eighth consecutive Bundesliga victory.

Bayern boss Flick says he has congratulated his compatriot after the Anfield outfit were confirmed champions and says the coach deserves all the credit for all of his good work at the club.

"We already know each other and of course we congratulate each other," Flick said to reporters.

"He's doing an outstanding work in Liverpool. It's great to see how they play football. We are both very, very happy that we managed to win the league title."

Asked if Klopp should return to Germany in the near future, the 53-year-old replied: "Only he can answer that. In the ranking of German coaches, he definitely belongs at the top. He has already done a great job in Dortmund and has now done a sensational job in Liverpool."

Klopp's former side Borussia Dortmund, who he guided to consecutive Bundesliga crowns and a Champions League final, were also happy to pass on their congratulations, with sporting director Michael Zorc comparing him to boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

"Congratulations, Jurgen! You are the greatest. It's not for nothing that I have been calling you the Muhammad Ali of football for years," he said.

The club's managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke added: "To be champions in such a strong league as the English with so many top teams and so many matches before the end of the season is just outstanding.

"Jurgen has further developed the pressing system that he created in England. With this latest success, he is one of the greatest coaches in the world."

Liverpool's first game as confirmed champions is on July 2 when they visit second-placed City.

Hansi Flick hit out at the "so-called experts" who do not see the value in Thiago Alcantara as he reiterated his desire to keep the Bayern Munich midfielder.

Thiago's contract with Bayern runs out in 2021, and while the club have extended the deals of others such as Thomas Muller and Manuel Neuer, they have so far been unsuccessful in convincing the Spaniard to follow suit.

Given the form of Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka at the base of the Bayern midfield since the season resumed last month, some fans may be wondering if Thiago's extension is necessary.

The 29-year-old, who is currently out injured with a groin problem, is not renowned for his scoring prowess - having found the net just three times in 24 Bundesliga appearances this term - and he has not registered an assist in a campaign that has seen Bayern win an eighth straight title.

However, as a ball-playing central midfielder who came through Barcelona's famed La Masia academy, Thiago's qualities are obvious to Flick, who remains desperate to keep him despite links with newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool.

"There is no [contract] news. We always talk, almost every day, but there is no news," Flick told a news conference before Bayern's final Bundesliga game of the season against Wolfsburg.

"I see him every day at practice and at the games. There are always so-called experts who have their own opinions. When you see him on the pitch and in training, you see his extraordinary quality in possession of the ball.

"But he has now also shown that he can play against the ball. For me there are no two opinions about Thiago's quality.

"He gives the team a little something extra. He is an exceptional player who gives a team that certain something. That's my opinion and there is no other one."

The focus is not just on potential outgoings at Bayern Munich, who are expected to be Leroy Sane's next destination after it was confirmed he would be departing Manchester City either this year or next.

Bayern have also been linked with a move for Real Madrid right-back Achraf Hakimi, who has spent the past two seasons on loan with rivals Borussia Dortmund.

A third campaign at Signal Iduna Park looks unlikely given BVB signed Thomas Meunier on Thursday, yet, amid suggestions Hakimi could be bound for Inter, Flick would not be drawn on Bayern's possible interest.

"He is currently under contract at Dortmund and I think he still belongs to Real Madrid," Flick added.

"Therefore, I don't have to worry about that. It's very difficult at the moment anyway concerning transfers. That's why I would like to stay out of it.

"Hasan [Salihamidzic, Bayern sporting director] and I are in a very good exchange. I have every confidence that we will have a very good team for the new season."

Jesse Lingard is poised to return to action for Manchester United against Norwich City after recovering from illness, says manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

United face Norwich at Carrow Road on Saturday with a place in the FA Cup semi-finals up for grabs.

Lingard has not played in either of United's two matches since the season resumed but is now back in contention, with Solskjaer labelling the 27-year-old as a "vital player".

"Jesse has come back after the lockdown with a smile on his face, loads of energy," Solskjaer said at his pre-match news conference. "Unfortunately last week he fell ill for a couple of days, but we have done all the tests and he's fine now so he'll be involved against Norwich now.

"Hopefully he can kick on because he's scored vital goals for us and he is a vital player for us. So let's see what the future holds because at the moment he is looking really sharp and focused."

Another player to impress Solskjaer is right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who is experiencing his first season with United after signing from Crystal Palace.

Having established himself as a solid defender, Wan-Bissaka is beginning to show what he can do going forward and set up the second goal of Anthony Martial's hat-trick in Wednesday's 3-0 Premier League win over Sheffield United.

"You saw an exceptional defender when I watched him last season, he had a couple of games especially against [Leroy] Sane against Man City and you think, 'Wow he's so hard to go past'," said Solskjaer.

"Then when we managed to sign him you get to know him, he's a shy boy, he wants to learn, he listens and he's providing more and more assists, create chances, crosses – it's in him, because he's been a winger.

"The best full-backs at the moment, sometimes they've been wingers before. We rely on them to go forwards with the way we want to play. I'm very pleased with his progress."

Solskjaer admitted it "hurts" everyone associated with Manchester United to see Liverpool win the Premier League title.

He said: "That’s the feeling everyone associated with United has - all our playing staff and supporters. Of course, we want to get back to winning ways and that is our challenge."

Former Liverpool star Luis Suarez was among those to reach out and congratulate his former team, specifically mentioning Jordan Henderson, as he toasted the new Premier League champions.

Suarez starred for Liverpool from 2011-14, having made the move to Anfield after breaking through at Ajax.

It was at Liverpool that Suarez truly became a global star, as the Uruguayan was named PFA Players' Player of the Year and the FWA Footballer of the Year while winning the Golden Boot for his exploits in 2013-2014.

Suarez fired 31 Premier League goals that season after netting 23 the year prior, as he pushed the Reds to the precipice of the club's first Premier League title. However, that push fell short as Liverpool came second in the league, finishing two points behind champions Manchester City.

The forward moved to Barcelona the next season, ending his time at Liverpool with only the 2011-12 League Cup added to the club's trophy cabinet.

However, Liverpool have gone on to find success in the years since Suarez's departure, topping the Uruguayan and Barcelona en route to the club's sixth Champions League crown before claiming the Premier League title on Thursday in record time.

Having watched his former club's triumph in the Premier League this season, Suarez reached out to offer his congratulations to his former team-mates.

"Jordan and all the other Liverpool players - I am so happy for you and your family, and for the people working in Liverpool and the Liverpool fans," Suarez told LFCTV. "I hope you enjoy this time because it’s amazing for the Liverpool supporters. You are the champions!"

Suarez was not the only former Liverpool striker to send a message to the club, with Fernando Torres also reaching out after the Reds' were officially named Premier League champions.

"Huge congratulations to everyone at @liverpoolfc on winning the @premierleague," Torres wrote on Instagram. "An unbelievable squad, magnificent manager, great staff but above all my sincere congratulations to every single @liverpoolfc supporter. You have been waiting so long and finally that desired trophy is yours. Very well deserved!"

Liverpool are set to face Manchester City on Thursday in the club's first game as Premier League champions.

Jurgen Klopp has praised his Liverpool players and staff after they were crowned Premier League champions.

Manchester City’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Thursday saw the Reds confirmed the top-flight champions for the first time in 30 years, as they now sit 23 points clear at the top of the table with seven matches left.

Much of the credit for the Anfield side’s recent success has gone to the German coach, but Klopp says he owes it to the ambitious players and coaches around him.

“I am nothing without my coaches and even less without my players,” Klopp said. “We have a common idea and common dream. We have big dreams and we've always had them – that doesn't mean we can fulfil them, but we have to give them a proper try and that is what we have done since we have been here.

“Not more, and it will never be less, and the more people dream the more important and stronger it gets. So of course, without the players buying into this philosophy I have no chance, but we will not stop.

“We have to show that on the pitch obviously and two games here or there and you will tell us: 'That is not the Liverpool of last year'.

“It is OK to try but these questions will never come up that we will show you it is possible to do things even longer, not only one year, not only two years because if you into detail you would see we have done it for four years.

“We try to squeeze everything out and it didn't work out always, but the intensity was never less, it was just not as successful.

“The boys are in good age group, more experienced, more confident, more convinced and we should use that as much as we can but we know there are other teams out there who will do the exactly the same to improve their situation and there will be hard fights but that is how the Premier League is, a hard fight every three days.

“We have seven days off before Man City and then we play six of the seven remaining games in 18 days or so, so there is not a lot of time to think, only about the game we play and then the next game. That will be pretty intense.”

Spanish club Zaragoza has confirmed the signing of Hellen Mubanga from Zambian side Red Arrows for the upcoming 2020-21 season.

This will bring to an end to the Zambia international's four-year tenure with the FAZ Women's League side as she looks to pursue her professional career with the Reto Iberdrola club in Spain.

On the global stage, Mubanga played a vital role for Zambia to reach a maiden Cosafa Women's Cup final in 2019, bagging the Player of the Match twice and later being named Player of the Tournament.

Before the Cosafa Cup in South Africa, she was part of the Copper Queens campaign at the 2018 Africa Women's Cup of Nations in Ghana, where they defeated two-time champions Equatorial Guinea.

She scored the winner against Cameroon in Lusaka to see Bruce Nwape's team edge the Indomitable Lionesses to qualify for the Olympic Games for the first time in their history.

Having agreed on terms with Zaragoza, she becomes the fifth signing for Nacho Bracero's side as they continue bolstering the ranks ahead of the new season.

Besides Mubanga's arrival, Zaragoza had earlier confirmed the acquisition of Austria's Annelie Leitner, America's Mady Brown, Venusela's Lisbeth Castro and compatriot Racheal Nachula.

Her transfers also increase the number of Zambian female footballers to ply their trade in Spain to three after Barbra Banda joined Logrono in 2018 and recently Nachula to Zaragoza.

Mubanga will be hopeful of having an impactful professional career in Spain, beginning with inspiring Zaragoza to the Spanish top-flight.

This year, the two most powerful consoles ever released will be launched on the market as the Sony PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X arrive during the holiday period.

Both consoles feature a variety of exciting launch titles, with FIFA 21 set to be among the early releases this autumn/fall.

The PS5 and Series X boast more powerful processors than their predecessors, meaning they will be much faster and have better graphics than the current generation of consoles.

How will FIFA 21 differ on PS5 and Xbox Series X to the PS4 and Xbox One editions?

What are the differences between FIFA 21 on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4?

FIFA 21 will look much better on PS5 than on PS4 thanks to EA's Next Level technology which promises to "take The World’s Game from visual to visceral."

The new DualSense controller on PlayStation 5 introduces controller haptics, meaning players can sense the impact of tackles, passes and shots, letting them feel the "rhythm of the game" in their hands.

The PS5 uses a solid-state drive (SSD) rather than the hard disk drive (HDD) used in previous consoles, which greatly improves load times. Examples unveiled by Sony at the PS5 launch showed that games would load 10 times more quickly than in the past.

There will be a huge increase in graphic quality thanks to the PS5's eight-core AMD Zen 2 CPU, which FIFA 21 utilises through elements like deferred lighting and rendering and exquisite weather detail.

What are the differences between FIFA 21 on Xbox Series X and Xbox One?

Microsoft is highlighting games which have been greatly improved from Xbox One to Xbox Series X through its "Optimized for Xbox Series X" branding.

One of the first titles to be Optimized for Xbox Series X is FIFA 21. According to Microsoft, this means that "the developer has either natively designed or fully rebuilt their game to take full advantage of the unique capabilities of our most powerful console ever."

The Xbox Series X is powered by DirectX 12 Ultimate and has support for hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing, which "enables developers to create more physically accurate worlds" improving both graphics and audio to make games and cut scenes in FIFA 21 appear more realistic than ever before.

Load times should also be eliminated on Xbox Series X thanks to Xbox Velocity Architecture technology, meaning that games should load almost instantaneously.

How can I upgrade FIFA 21 to PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X?

FIFA 21 will be released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on October 9, with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X editions of the game set to come later when the two consoles are officially launched.

As a result, many gamers will have bought FIFA 21 on their existing consoles before the release of the next generation of consoles.

In order to ensure these football fans do not have to pay for the game twice, EA Sports is offering a free digital copy of FIFA 21 on PS5 or Xbox Series X to everyone who previously purchased the title on PS4 or Xbox One.

Using EA Sports' Dual Entitlement offer, you can easily download a digital copy of FIFA 21 on PS5 or Xbox Series X at no extra cost. This Dual Entitlement offer will be available until the launch of FIFA 22.

Can I use the same FIFA 21 account on multiple consoles?

The Dual Entitlement offer also means that when you upgrade from PS4 to PS5 or Xbox One to Xbox Series X, all in-game progress will be copied over to the new console.

Any progress made or content acquired in FIFA 21 Ultimate Team will transfer over to the new console and back, including players, items, coins, FIFA Points, match record, and leaderboard placement as well as game saves from the VOLTA game mode.

However, any progress made in Online Seasons, Co-Op Seasons, Career Mode or Pro Clubs will not transfer over and will remain on the original console.

After availing of the Dual Entitlement offer, you can play FIFA 21 on either console, even switching between the two with progress updating in FIFA Ultimate Team and VOLTA.

Championship club Wigan Athletic have announced the permanent signing of Leon Balogun from Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion.

The Super Eagles defender arrived at the American Express Community Stadium in the summer of 2018 from German Bundesliga side Mainz, signing a two-year deal.

The centre-back made his Premier League debut against Manchester United, helping the Seagulls secure a shock victory in the encounter.

The 31-year-old, however, failed to enjoy sufficient playing time with Graham Potter’s side, featuring in 12 games across all competitions.  

His lack of playing time at Brighton also limited his role in the Super Eagles team, as he sparingly features for the three-time African champions.

In his quest for a change of fortune, the centre-back joined the Championship club on loan in January and has since been delivering solid defensive performances.

The Super Eagles player has featured in six league games to help Paul Cook’s men steer clear of the relegation zone.

Balogun’s six-month loan deal will expire in June but the defender has now been signed permanently until the end of the 2019-20 campaign, which has been extended as a result of the outbreak of coronavirus.

“Leon Balogun has completed a short-term permanent transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion until the end of the 2019/20 season,” read a statement on the club website.

The German-born player, who started his career with Hertha, has featured for a number of clubs in Germany including Hannover 96, Werder Bremen, Fortuna Düsseldorf, and Darmstadt 98 before teaming up with Mainz in 2015.

The defender played 52 league games for Mainz during his three-year stay before he moved to the Premier League in 2018.

Balogun will hope to deliver more convincing showings for Wigan for a chance to secure a long-term deal with the DW Stadium outfit.

Championship side Reading FC have confirmed contract talks between them and Beijing Renhe are ongoing concerning Kenyan international Ayub Timbe.

Timbe joined the English club from the Chinses side for a short-term stint and a decision concerning his future is expected to be a subject of intense debate as the contract is expected to end soon.

The forward is among the five players at Reading on loan terms and the club has revealed all the talks are expected to be finalised before the end of this month.

“Discussions with Chelsea, AS Monaco, Liverpool, Beijing Renhe and Torino are ongoing regarding the five loan players extending their contracts to the end of July – these discussions will be concluded before the end of June when each of our current loanees’ deals with the club is set to expire,” the club's Friday statement read.

Reading confirmed six players have extended their respective stays with the club.

“Reading Football Club can confirm that six of the seven players whose contracts with the club were due to expire at the end of June have now signed extensions with the club enabling them to play for our first team until the end of the protracted 2019-20 campaign,” the statement added.

“Charlie Adam, Tyler Blackett, Chris Gunter, Garath McCleary, Jordan Obita and Gabe Osho have all offered to extend their services to the club until the end of July – we are grateful to all six professionals for their continued commitment to the Royals cause as we aim to end this campaign as strongly as possible.

“The deadline for signing these short-term contract extensions passed earlier this week and young forward Danny Loader opted not to sign an extension. Danny will remain available for selection for the final two fixtures in June – Derby County away and Brentford home – but will then no longer be under contract as a registered player for Reading Football Club.

“However, the offer of a longer-term contract remains on the table for Danny should he wish to continue to represent the Royals for the remaining six games of this season and keep progressing his career in RG2 beyond the conclusion of the 2019-20 campaign."

Reading will take on Derby County on June 27 in their next fixture.

Brazilian defender Gerson Fraga has declared his commitment to helping Simba SC to retain the Mainland Premier League title and thereafter have a successful Caf Champions League campaign.

Simba are in pole position to win the league once more especially after their 2-0 win over Mbeya City at Sokoine Stadium on Wednesday.

“As a player, my sole duty is to help the team win in every match that I am lined up for. It is also my duty to help Simba retain the league title and have a better and successful campaign in the continental matches next season,” Fraga told the club's website.

Although the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports has banned Simba's fans from attending their remaining away matches, Fraga has called for their support.

“We also need our supporters' backs as we fight to win the title,” concluded the defender.

Meanwhile, coach Sven Vandenbroeck has praised midfielder Said Ndemla, who has been in good form since the season resumed.

Ndemla, who had failed to stamp his authority on the first team before questions were raised about his future at the club.

“I told my players when we were starting training after the break that anyone who will work harder will be assured of a regular starting position. This is what has happened to [Said] Ndemla and Yusuf Mlipili,” Vandenbroeck told Soka Letu.

“Shiza Kichuya has also been hardworking and this explains his recent involvement.

“Ndemla has been doing what he is required to before every match. I asked him to prove that he deserves a place in the first team and indeed he has worked hard to prove his worth.

“From now on, I believe Ndemla will be in the same form so that he gets a starting position in the coming matches.

“Every player needs to work hard. I do not want them to work at 60% or 70% level because it is at the end of the league that one is given the title.

“We still need to work and bag three points in the remaining matches until when we will conclude the assignments ahead.”

Jesse Lingard is “in a rut” at Manchester United and appears to be looking for a way out, says Paul Parker, with Serie A giants Inter considered a good fit for a player slipping down the pecking order at Old Trafford.

Romelu Lukaku and Ashley Young have taken a similar career path in recent times, with life at the Theatre of Dreams traded for that in Italy at San Siro.

It may be that Lingard is given the opportunity to follow in their footsteps, with the England international’s decision to appoint Mino Raiola as his agent viewed by many as a sign that he is mulling over a move.

Fierce competition for places in the United squad is likely to intensify the search for a new club, with the likes of Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes now pulling the strings for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Parker believes a change of scenery may be required for a 27-year-old who is starting to lose his way, but a player who has struggled for consistency throughout his career has been warned that he will struggle to find “a top European club who wants him”.

“One player who may be moving on is Jesse Lingard,” former United defender Parker told Eurosport.

“He is on the periphery now. Once he was delivering for club and country, and he became big news - a local boy who took his opportunity.

“But now when he gets his chances he can’t stand out and lead a group of young players, and nor do senior colleagues help him raise his game. He’s in a rut.

“When the team are playing well, that will be killing him. If you’re in his position, you don’t want the team to do well because then you can get another chance.

“For now Mason Greenwood, [Marcus] Rashford and [Bruno] Fernandes are doing their jobs. They’ve done what United needed Lingard to do, but he has to get close to Fernandes’ level before he can demand another chance.

“Now he’s signed up with Mino Raiola he’s probably looking to get abroad.

“He’s unlikely to find a top European club who wants him, but everyone is looking for cheap players right now.

“He could go to Italy to re-establish himself, perhaps at Inter Milan. But he has to ask, is he moving to spark his career or simply to embellish his CV?”

Lingard’s current contract with United is due to run until 2021, with the option for a 12-month extension, so the Red Devils may open themselves up to offers in the next window and sever ties with a player who has recorded 31 goals for them across 202 appearances.