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National First Division side Moroka Swallows have confirmed three positive cases of the coronavirus from their camp. 

According to club chairman David Mogashoa, the test results for three players of their players came back positive from the laboratory. 

All the 32 member clubs that fall under the PSL umbrella have had to conduct preliminary tests to all the players and officials. 

This is in preparation for the suspended season which is set to resume in the next few weeks following the government's approval of the league's 'return-to-play' protocol. 

"We would like to confirm that Moroka Swallows have one player who tested positive for Covid-19. The player is in good shape and we are following all protocols and giving necessary support to the team and the staff," said Mogashoa in a series of tweets before adding that two more players had tested positive to bring the total to three. 

"Two more Moroka Swallows players tested positive. Total [is] three. Protocols will be observed," he confirmed. 

Mogashoa added that Swallows, through their team doctor, have informed the PSL and all the people involved about the results. 

"We have notified the PSL through our team doctor and all the people involved," he said. 

This brings a total number of players who tested positive for the coronavirus in the National First Division (NFD) to six.

TS Galaxy were the first NFD club to make their results public on Tuesday night - revealing that three of their players had tested positive for the deadly virus. 

Swallows are one of the NFD teams involved in a tightly contested race for promotion to the PSL.

The other two teams are Uthongathi FC and Ajax Cape Town who top the NFD standings with only a handful of league matches remaining before the end of the season.

Swallows will hope to have the three players back as soon as possible and in time for the resumption of the campaign.  

The Soweto-based outfit is currently placed second on the log with 41 points, seven behind Ajax after 24 rounds of matches. 

David Luiz should thank God after being given a contract extension at Arsenal, says Emmanuel Petit, who argued the defender has not played like a "proper footballer" for the last three years.

The Gunners confirmed on Wednesday that the Brazilian centre-back has signed a one-year deal, putting an end to growing speculation over his future.

Many suggested Luiz's time in north London was over after a dismal performance against Manchester City, though the player made clear that he hoped to stay.

Former Arsenal and France midfielder Petit was disappointed by the decision to keep the 33-year-old but feels it is typical of the way the club is run. 

"David Luiz hasn't been a proper footballer for about three years," Petit wrote in a column for Paddy Power. 

"But I'm not surprised that he has been given a new contract at Arsenal, because I've been very disappointed in relation to the club's activity in the transfer market.

"I've been particularly upset in relation to the defenders. We all know one of Arsenal's major weaknesses is their defence and nothing has changed. This makes me miss Arsene Wenger.

"If I was David Luiz, of course I would sign a new deal and I would also say a prayer of thanks to the Arsenal directors every time I wake up.

"Even when he last won the Premier League with Chelsea, he's not the same player any more. This guy has lost something.

"To be honest, it's a joke. Find some proper defenders. Are you telling me there are no young talented defenders on the market? I just don't get it."

He added: "Does anyone think the Arsenal executives and directors know what they're doing on the football side of things?

"For the last few years they have been splashing out on the transfer market - and have brought in some decent players - but I don't know what their target or project for the future is.

"It's far worse now than in the last years under Wenger. What is the point of being one of the richest clubs on the planet with no reason or vision behind it?"

Kaizer Chiefs central defender Daniel Cardoso has lauded the instant impact of the club’s new signings.

Kearyn Baccus, Yagan Sasman and Samir Nurkovic were signed by the Soweto giants prior to the start of the current season.

The trio quickly established themselves as key players under coach Ernst Middendorp as Chiefs mounted a serious challenge for the Premier Soccer League (PSL) title.

The current season was suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic last March with Amakhosi sitting at the top of the league standings.

“Bringing in the new signings was great, Samir Nurkovic he’s got off to a great start," Cardoso said on Far Post.

"I mean he scored [his first goal for Chiefs] in the second game against SuperSport United when we drew 1-1."

Nurkovic has been one of the best performers in the league this season having hit the back of the net 11 times for the Naturena-based giants.

The Serbian marksman is also in the race for this season's Golden Boot award as he is three goals behind the league's top goalscorer, Frank Mhango of Orlando Pirates.

“Kearyn Baccus also gelled in very quickly and Yagan Sasman has been great on the left-hand side for us, he sometimes plays centre-back with me,” added Cardoso.

Baccus, who joined Amakhosi from Australian side Melbourne City, has caught the eye with some solid performances in Chiefs midfield.

While Sasman has done well as a central defender and left-back for the Soweto giants having joined the club from Ajax Cape Town.

Much was expected from another Chiefs new signing Lazarous Kambole after he inspired Zesco United to the Zambian Super League title last season.

However, the striker struggled in front of goal, having failed to score in 12 competitive matches for Middendorp's side.

“Kambole, he had great games, just needs that one goal just to get that confidence and once he gets that first goal, he will start moving up the places,” Cardoso concluded.

Cardoso has established himself as Chiefs' first-choice penalty taker this season and he has netted five goals from 27 competitive games.

Former Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan says his services do not come cheap but he would consider playing in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) if he is approached.

Now playing for North East United in the Indian Super League after a career which took him to Italy, France, England, United Arab Emirates, China and Turkey, Gyan is in the twilight of his career but he says retirement has not yet struck his mind.

“I still feel strong, I still feel young. There is no day I have thought about retiring,” Gyan told Marawa Sports Worldwide on Metro FM.

“Definitely yes if a team from South Africa are interested and feel they need my services why not? We can negotiate and we can have a deal.

“Yes [I don’t come cheap but] it depends on the situation. I am a professional football player and I have to see a lot of things, I have to value a lot of things before making a move. But as I said, I feel strong, I still have fire inside me. Obviously I am not in my 20s but I feel I can prove myself once again.”

The ex-Sunderland man has revealed he was once approached by a PSL club but the team did not show “seriousness” and no deal materialised.

While declining to name the club, he says talks were inconclusive but he is still open to play in South Africa.

“Yeah [I was approached by a South African team] but it wasn’t concrete. This agent thing like you are here, you are going there, but at the end of the day I don’t see anything concrete,” said Gyan.

“I like working with serious people. When somebody wants to make a move or when somebody wants to approach you, the person has to be serious.

“But I didn’t see any seriousness. It was just talks, talks, talks and I didn’t hear from anybody again. Because it didn’t go through I don’t want to mention the club but obviously yes it was a South African club.

“If it was a done deal that really happened then I would mention the club. It was just talks, talks and I didn’t see any paperwork, I didn’t see anything. That is why I don’t want to mention any clubs.”

Coming to South Africa would remind the Ghanaian of his 2010 memories when the Black Stars dramatically exited the World Cup quarter-finals on penalties.

Shouldering the hopes of the entire continent, Gyan critically missed a penalty that could have sent Ghana past Uruguay.

“I don’t want to live my life with regrets. Life goes on,” said Gyan about the penalty miss.

Saint-Etienne coach Claude Puel is hopeful William Saliba can remain with the club for the Coupe de France final before he has to link up with Arsenal.

The centre-back signed for the Gunners on a long-term contract last July but immediately returned to Saint-Etienne on a season-long loan.

Les Verts progressed to the Coupe de France final before the French football season was halted by the coronavirus pandemic.

While Ligue 1 was decided on a points-per-game basis, with Saint-Etienne consigned to a lowly 17th-placed finish, they can still qualify for the Europa League by beating Paris Saint-Germain in the Coupe de France final.

That contest is provisionally scheduled to take place on July 24, but Saliba's loan is due to end on June 30.

Puel, however, is eager to keep him around for a few weeks longer.

“William is at the end of his contract at the end of the month,” he said in a media conference. “He takes great pleasure in training with his team. We will see what can be done to keep him a little longer with us.”

He added: “We ended last season with players who were coming to the end of the contract, with players who were suspended during the season and who could not serve their suspensions.

“I think it’s unfortunate that we did not take into consideration an exceptional case with a four-month gap. They will be deprived of the finals and we will be deprived of them.

“We also have players at the end of the contract, we will take stock. Loic Perrin is with us and may have this possibility of extending. We made an offer to Yohan Cabaye, we await the answer.”

Saint-Etienne have been linked with a move for Paris Saint-Germain youngster Adil Aouchiche, who looks set to leave the club when his contract comes to an end this summer.

The 17-year-old midfielder has been linked with a move to Germany, with Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen said to be interested.

While Puel admitted he is interested in Aouchiche, he refused to say if his team are lining up an offer for him.

“I like to talk about concrete things, Aouchiche has a profile that interests me, and that's basically all I can say,” the coach added. “Many clubs are ready to welcome him, everything will depend on him.”

Gary Neville has urged caution over the prospect of Dean Henderson becoming first-choice goalkeeper at Manchester United next season, despite David de Gea's indifferent form.

De Gea was again in the spotlight when his failure to stop Steven Bergwijn's shot allowed Tottenham to take the lead against United last Friday, though the Red Devils hit back to secure a draw from the game.

The Spain international overcame a shaky start at Old Trafford to become a cornerstone in the team during a period of transition, yet a slip in standards has raised questions over whether he should remain as number one.

Yet while Henderson has impressed in the Premier League during a loan spell at Sheffield United this season, former United defender Neville is wary of pushing the 23-year-old into the top job at Old Trafford too soon.

"David de Gea, for three or four years, was probably the best goalkeeper in the world - certainly the best in the Premier League," Neville said on Sky Sports.

"He was player of the year here and, in a very difficult period for Manchester United post Alex Ferguson, was a shining light. The only player really you would say could go into any other team in the Premier League, or the world. 

"Since that 2018 World Cup, though, he's had a real difficult time.

"What I don't buy into is that Dean Henderson at Sheffield United, obviously from Manchester United on loan, can go into that goal in front of the Stretford End and adapt to what the demands are of being a Manchester United goalkeeper. 

"It takes a special character to play in that goal. What I think David de Gea has done in the four or five year period before this last 18 months is build up a lot of credit, whereby he actually deserves a break, the idea he is given the opportunity to correct his form and get it back to where it needs to be.

"When a goalkeeper, or any player, goes through a rough patch it's mentally tough. He's at one of the biggest clubs in the world and the scrutiny is on him constantly.

"There is no escape at this club – and that is why I'd be a little bit cautious around Dean Henderson. That is a lonely old place out there to make a mistake if you're a Manchester United goalkeeper. With respect to Sheffield United, it's very different making a mistake for Sheffield United."

He continued: "To make that decision, which is a huge call, to say that Dean Henderson comes back to Old Trafford and is the number one, you're essentially dismissing David de Gea and what he's done for the club over the past seven or eight years.

"I would just urge caution on that, at this moment in time."

Neville played with Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar during his own career, yet also saw up close how tough it can be as a goalkeeper at United.

"I've seen it before with players during my period at the club," the ex-England defender said. "We had two great goalkeepers during my time – Peter Schmeichel at the beginning and Edwin van der Sar at the end.  

"In between that, there were real challenges with goalkeepers.

"At times there were young goalkeepers who were talented but found it very difficult to cope with the scrutiny, plus the levels of concentration that are required."

Mathieu Bodmer has described Zlatan Ibrahimovic as a "UFO" and a "great player", while praising him for the impact he had at Paris Saint-Germain between 2012 and 2016.

Ibrahimovic completed a €21 million (£19m/$24m) move to PSG from Milan eight years ago, and went on to enjoy the best goalscoring spell of his entire career in the French capital.

The ex-Sweden international hit a staggering 156 goals in 180 appearances in all competitions for the club, while also contributing 60 assists, becoming the most prolific striker in Ligue 1 in the process.

He won 12 trophies in total during his time at Parc des Princes, including four Ligue 1 titles, and earned a place in the club's hall of fame before joining Manchester United on a free transfer.

Bodmer, who witnessed Ibrahimovic's mercurial talents up close in his final year at PSG, says he "loved" working with the striker - who returned to Milan in January - and credits him for helping the club make great strides forward on the biggest stage.

The former PSG midfielder told Goal: "Ibrahimovic? He's a UFO. I loved his character, I loved the player. He's a great player, a great guy, who has brought a lot for PSG. You can say that he is arrogant, but he has made a lot of things move in the right direction."

Current Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti was the man who initially lured Ibrahimovic to Paris, and Bodmer recalls seeing the Italian head coach command "respect" from all the top players within the squad.

The newly retired 37-year-old said of his former manager: "Ancelotti is Ancelotti. When you see the respect of players for him, like Zlatan or Thiago Silva, it shows that he is a great coach and a great man. Having a coach like him is wonderful. The day he left it was bad news for the club."

Bodmer went on to discuss Ousmane Dembele's struggles at Barcelona, having been alerted to his unique abilities when he was rising through the youth ranks at Evreux FC.

He said of a man who has struggled to live up to his €125 million (£113m/$141m) price tag since moving to Camp Nou from Borussia Dortmund in 2017: "He doesn't have much luck, but Ousmane, when I saw him at 11-12, I said 'he's going to be in the Ballon d'Or ranking if he doesn't screw up.'

"I saw Eden Hazard in Lille at 15-16 years old. It was the same. Ousmane is a good kid bothered by injuries. He's already world champion and I hope that in Barcelona he will regain his physical capacities. When he's fit, he is unplayable."

Hassan Oktay has termed the efforts by Gor Mahia to secure a sponsorship deal with new betting firm Betsafe as fantastic news.

Last week, the Kenyan champions, along with their bitter rivals AFC Leopards, signed a partnership contract with the betting firm that will last for the next three years, with K’Ogalo set to pocket KSh55million per year while Ingwe will receive KSh45 million.

Oktay, who left Gor Mahia last season after winning the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) and also guiding the team to their first-ever quarter-final spot in the Caf Confederation Cup, has now revealed his excitement for the players.

“I am so happy, I am very happy, about my players and Gor Mahia, it is fantastic news now that they secured money,” Oktay told Goal from his base in Britain.

“The players have suffered a lot, they have really gone through tough times, playing football and you don’t get money afterwards is something very demoralising but I like all Gor Mahia players because they never liked to show they don’t have money.

“They are all fighters, they keep fighting for the team even without money and now they will be tougher because they have money and it means their problems have been sorted out.”

Asked whether the arrival of money will help the players to grow their confidence and become mentally fit, Oktay said: “Absolutely yes, of course, it will help the players, a lot, the money will help the players to put food on the table and take care of their families, of course, it is great news.”

According to Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier, the club will, however, have to wait until football returns to start getting the financial support.

“As things stand now, we don’t have anything to give back to the new sponsor because there is no football being played,” Rachier told Goal on Saturday.

“What we agreed on when signing the deal, is they will only be able to start funding the club when football resumes, and that can only be possible when our league starts again.”

Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards have been struggling since SportPesa, their previous sponsor, left, leaving the club to depend on fans, members, and other well-wishers to honour matches and settle players' allowances at times.

The Kisumu ASK Mamboleo Ground has been renamed Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium and is set to be renovated to meet the required standards to host domestic and international matches.

Laying the foundation stone, Kisumu County Governor Anyang' Nyong'o and the Cabinet Secretary for Sports Amina Mohamed said the development is a sign of the national government's effort in improving the sports facilities in the country.

“First of all, I would like to say a big thank you to the Sports Minister [Amina Mohamed] for taking the long journey to Kisumu so as to help us build a new stadium,” Nyong'o said during the launching ceremony.

“I am a very happy man because when President Uhuru Kenyatta assured us that he will ensure his government builds at least one stadium in each county and today the Sports Minister is in Kisumu for the same purpose.

“We are here today to lay the foundation stone of the Jomo Kenyatta Internation Stadium. We will also move to the Jomo Kenyatta Stadium and change the name to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Sports Ground.

“Our main aim is to improve such facilities within Kisumu. I will make sure we will construct this stadium in the correct manner. We need to improve our facilities so as to have modern Hockey and Volleyball Courts as well as a football pitch.

“These projects will go on with support from the World Bank through the Kenya Sports Support Programme.”

Kisumu County has produced many players who have represented the Kenyan national team and Sony Sugar, Western Stima, Muhorni Youth, and Kisumu All-Stars are among the major teams situating in the county.

“Soon, we will also be upgrading the Moi Sports Stadium and those who doubt let them watch this space. I promised the Kisumu residents that we should improve the sports infrastructure in the county including the Muhoroni Stadium,” added the governor.

“We have to invest more in these things and I am happy with the government's gesture and their help in ensuring we do them perhaps with great help from Raila Odinga is encouraging.

“Even the change of names of these facilities has the blessings of the President and the former Prime Minister Odinga.”

“The stadium will spur massive economic growth in and around the Lake Region Economic Bloc,” Mohamed said as she welcomed the move.

The construction and eventual completion of the Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium will complement Moi Stadium which has hosted top-tier matches.

Gor Mahia, with a huge following in the area, has always hosted the majority of their home matches there in the last few seasons.

The Kisumu ASK Mamboleo Ground has a carrying capacity of 20,000.

Frank Lampard has revealed that while he considers Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz to be a "top player", Chelsea are yet to have made a bid for the 21-year-old.

The Blues have already agreed a £47.5 million ($59m) deal to sign Havertz's Germany international team-mate Timo Werner, with Lampard's side now being tipped to also land the Leverkusen sensation.

Havertz has starred in the Bundesliga over the course of the 2019-20 campaign and his form has alerted Europe's top clubs as they attempt to sign one of the world's most highly-rated young players.

The likes of Real Madrid, Manchester United, Liverpool and Bayern Munich have all been linked with the playmaker, who has scored six goals for Leverkusen since the return of Germany's top flight in May.

Chelsea, though, haven't yet made a concrete offer for Havertz, with Lampard describing the forward as a "top player" but telling reporters ahead of his side's Premier League meeting with Manchester City that no bid has been lodged.

He said: "He's obviously a top player, but to carry on from my answer before I'm certainly not going to comment on other players at other teams. And it cannot be our focus. So, nothing to say."

When asked if an offer had been made, he added: "No. No bids have gone in."

The west Londoners face Pep Guardiola's City side in what is their second game of the Premier League restart, with Chelsea having beaten Aston Villa 2-1 on June 21 to boost their hopes of finishing in the top four.

Lampard will have almost a fully fit squad to choose from for the clash at Stamford Bridge on Thursday as Fikayo Tomori and Callum Hudson-Odoi remain the only two first-team players unavailable.

The Blues were handed encouraging contract news on Tuesday after it was confirmed that both Willian and Pedro would be remaining at the club until the conclusion of the 2019-20 campaign.

The Spaniard has agreed a pre-contract with Roma although is willing to risk injury and see out the season with Lampard's side, with Willian, whose long-term future remains unclear, also committing to a short-term extension.

Lampard refused to discuss the 31-year-old's position at the club beyond the 2019-20 season, with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United having been linked with signing the Brazil international on a free transfer.

Chelsea are currently fourth in the Premier League table, five points ahead of the Red Devils, who face Sheffield United at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

Former South African Football Association (Safa) vice-president Lucas Nhlapo has lifted the lid on how Dr Danny Jordaan is running the organization. 

This follows the removal of both Gay Mokoena and Ria Ledwaba as vice-presidents in Saturday's national executive committee (NEC) meeting. 

According to Nhlapo, the writing was always on the wall that the pair would be removed after differing on governance matters within Safa, and he solely put the blame on Jordaan, who he alleged has too much influence on how members of the NEC should vote once anyone goes against him.    

Nhlapo further stated that Safa will not improve as long as Jordaan is still the president, alleging that some NEC members are desperate and relying on the salaries they get from the association to make ends meet.  

"My understanding is that it was expected that Gay Mokoena and Ria Ledwaba would be booted out because that's how president Jordaan operates. Once you differ with him, then you must know your hours and days are limited at Safa," said Nhlapo in an explosive interview with SA FM. 

"We met with him [Jordaan], myself and Elvis Shishana and the other vice presidents on many occasions raising issues about how we operate and dealing with issues and how we communicate certain decisions to NEC members because most of the decisions, it will be him [Jordaan] forcing them to some members and you must remember, the majority of NEC members are desperate because they are not working and they rely on him generally that's what we have observed.

"They would never take anything that contradicts his position on any matter. So, until such time Danny Jordaan is gone, Safa will remain the way it is."   

Nhlapo believes Jordaan had a hand in his removal as vice-president of Safa after he and another axed former vice-president Elvis Shishana questioned him about his trip to America, where he met with the Attorney General without informing his colleagues.  

"What happened was, we were questioning him about going to America for example and instead of answering us as to why he went to America without informing us and why he went to meet the Attorney General there, what he did was to inform the former CEO [Dennis Mumble] to say, 'these people are planning to remove me. Let's convene an urgent congress'," he continued.  

"Instead of having our congress in December, it was moved to May 26 but it wasn't our intention to remove him. That's when we were removed as NEC members and vice presidents of Safa."

"Our issue was that we were not happy about how he's dealing with things, especially going to America when we dealing with the 2010 World Cup $10 million scandal."

Nhlapo alleged that Jordaan also interfered with how the finances should be run at Safa, saying he insisted on including the alleged $10 million Fifa World Cup bribe which made headlines for years in the association's financials.  

In addition, Nhlapo alleged that Safa is on R250 million shortfall and insolvent. 

"We also differed on the issues of finances. He was insisting that we insert the so-called $10 million he was saying the government was owing us and they will be paying us but what was surprising was, why do you want to talk about the $10 million five years later and want us to put it in our financials?"  asked Nhlapo. 

"Because since we started in 2009, and that matter never arose that we have $10 million that will be coming our way that's why we released a statement to say, 'Safa cooked the books'.  

"As we speak now, if you remember, soon after releasing that statement saying Safa cooked the books, the auditors the quit. So, their books are not in order. 

"Hopefully, if you get in touch of the auditors they will inform you why they are no longer auditing the books of Safa but there is a crisis at Safa. I think as we speak now, they are around R250 million in the red. In fact, Safa is insolvent."

Manchester United would be "stupid" not to try and sign Harry Kane this summer, according to Louis Saha, who says the Tottenham striker can help the Red Devils win titles again.

Kane sparked questions over his future at Spurs after admitting he could leave the club if he no longer feels they are heading in the right direction back in March.

Old Trafford has been mooted as a possible landing spot for the England international if he does move onto pastures new, but as it stands, he is contracted to remain in north London until 2024.

United have yet to bring in a natural replacement for Romelu Lukaku, who joined Inter last summer, with Anthony Martial currently the man deployed in a central role.

Saha doesn't think his old club can rediscover past glories unless a "guaranteed 30-goal striker" is added to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's ranks, which has been lacking since Robin van Persie inspired their club's last title success in 2012-13.

Asked whether any of the forwards playing for the Premier League's 'big six" sides would fit in at the Theatre of Dreams, the ex-United forward told Compare Bet: "When you’re talking about Harry Kane – a proper striker. When you see how many goals he scores each season, I would be stupid not to consider him.

"He’s a world-class striker. I know Werner is quite young, but he’s a prolific goalscorer. There’s definitely talent out there in the league and we have to catch up, we need a guaranteed 30-goal striker who is able to create some magic out of nothing, like Van Persie was able to do, removing the burden of having to play well as a side.

"This is what wins titles. There are six to eight sides competing at the top, plus, there’s so much quality everywhere now, you need competition within the team too."

Kane notched his first goal in 2020 during Tottenham's 2-0 victory over West Ham on Tuesday night, and insisted post-match that he feels "as fit as ever" after recovering from surgery on a torn hamstring.

The 26-year-old was criticised for his performance during Spurs' first game back after the coronavirus-enforced break against Manchester United on Friday, which ended 1-1.

Paul Merson expressed doubts over whether Jose Mourinho is capable of getting the best out of his star striker, but the Portuguese boss dismissed the Arsenal legend's comments ahead of his side's meeting with the Hammers.

Mourinho said: "Dear Paul, I have lots of respect for you. I think Harry Kane has no problem at all to score goals in my teams, especially when he’s fit and fresh and has routines of playing.

"That’s my message to somebody I have lots of respect for."

Chippa United have opted against renewing Rhulani Mokwena's short-term contract with the club. 

Mokwena joined the Chilli Boys on-loan from Orlando Pirates earlier this year, and he was expected to continue until the end of the season. 

However, while Chippa United chairman Siviwe Mpengesi indicated that he would like to keep Mokwena beyond his current deal, reports of uncertainty around his future emerged in the past few weeks. 

Now, Chippa chiefs operations officer Lukhanyo Mzizi has confirmed the club's decision to let Mokwena return to the Buccaneers.  

"In the midst of uncertainty and in spite of everything including the announcement by the sports minister [Nathi Mthethwa], we as a club were uncertain as to when we will return to play," Mzizi told The Herald. 

According to Mzizi, Mokwena's representatives kept asking whether or not Chippa will be retaining the young mentor. 

And that's when they made it clear they don't intend to keep Mokwena, and therefore allowing him to go back to his parent club. 

"His (Mokwena’s) representatives kept enquiring to make sure they were certain about his future, we needed to let them know.  

"So, we let them know about our decision to allow the coach to return home to Orlando Pirates," Mzizi confirmed.

Mokwena only took charge of a single competitive match for the Chilli Boys this season; a 1-1 draw away to Bidvest Wits, and this was before the season was suspended in mid-March.

Last week, Chippa United were accused of training in groups at Kings Beach in Port Elizabeth and thus breaking lockdown Level 3 regulations; the matter which both the club and the South African Football Association (Safa) confirmed to be investigating.  

The Herald reports that some of the reported training sessions were conducted by Mokwena although nothing has been confirmed by either the club or the coach himself. 

Other media reports had suggested that Mokwena brought divisions within the squad soon after his arrival from the Sea Robbers by informing a few senior players that they would be released. 

Mokwena's mandate was to help Chippa avoid relegation as they are currently sitting in 12th position, three points above the relegation play-off spot and a further three ahead of bottom-placed Black Leopards.

Kieran Tierney says he is "learning every single day" under Mikel Arteta and that he's confident Arsenal have a bright future under the "brilliant" manager's stewardship.

Arteta was drafted in as Unai Emery's permanent successor back in December, after a successful spell as Pep Guardiola's number two at Manchester City.

The former Gunners captain has since set about implementing his own philosophy at Emirates Stadium, and initial signs of progress were seen before the season was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic in March.

The Premier League was cleared to return earlier this month, and Arsenal were faced with the task of protecting their unbeaten record in 2020 against reigning champions City in one of the first rescheduled fixtures.

Guardiola's men were ultimately too strong for Arteta's, who succumbed to a 3-0 defeat at Etihad Stadium last Wednesday which severely dented their chances of Champions League qualification and they followed up that result with another loss at the weekend against Brighton.

Tierney, who moved to Emirates Stadium from Celtic last summer, made his first appearance in six months against City after overcoming a string of fitness issues.

The Scotland international had nothing but praise for Arteta when discussing how he has helped him through his injury nightmare, and he is "grateful" that the Arsenal boss trusted him to return in such a high-profile fixture.

"He's been brilliant," Tierney told Sky Sports . "Obviously I was injured when he first came in and that was so unfortunate because you want to impress the new manager and get off to a good start. But even then, he was good with me. He watched me from afar and asked for updates on how I was doing.

"It's been an absolute joy to train with him. I feel as if I'm learning every single day and I was grateful for the opportunity he gave me against Manchester City.

"It was my first game in so long and a big game for the club, so for him to trust me was brilliant."

Ahead of a meeting with Southampton on Thursday, Tierney added on the whole Arsenal squad being fully behind Arteta and his long-term vision: "Every day in training you know you're going there to work.

"There are times for a laugh and a joke - Mikel loves that as well - but when we're working, we're working. It's a lot of tactical stuff as well, and that's going to help us all get an understanding of how he wants us to play.

"I've said before, something like that is not going to just work straight away, it's going to be a process, but there is light at the end of the tunnel and we need to stay focused on that. There are going to be bad results and bad games, but as a team we need to keep the confidence, stick together and kick on again.

"All the players are hurting, it's a tough time for everyone at the club, but there are going to be better days ahead.

"The last two results haven't been ideal, but the work-rate is still at 100 per cent every day in training. We're working so hard and we're working to the gameplan that the manager wants. We all believe in it and we're all buying into it."

Former Manchester City midfielder Stephen Ireland has revealed that Bruno Fernandes told him he had a poster of him as a kid and that he would always sign him when playing Football Manager.

In an interview with The Athletic, Ireland explained how the Manchester United midfielder now lives a few doors away from him and that the Portugal international even offered to have a kickabout with his youngest son.

Fernandes has made a big impression at Old Trafford since making the move from Sporting C.P. in the January transfer window.

The 25-year-old has become a key member of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's starting XI and has scored three goals in six Premier League appearances for the Red Devils. He was on the scoresheet once again in United's first game of the Premier League restart, with Fernandes netting the equaliser against Tottenham from the penalty spot.

He is being tipped to form a formidable partnership with Paul Pogba in the Red Devils' midfield and Ireland, who played 176 times for City between 2005 and 2010, is a surprising inspiration for the Portuguese.

He said: "Fernandes told me that, as a kid, he had a poster of me. He said that when he played Football Manager he always signed me. I was like, 'You had me on a poster? And, seriously, you sign me for Football Manager?' I mean, how weird is that?"

United face Sheffield United in the Premier League on Wednesday night as they aim to cut the gap to Chelsea to two points.

The Blues play against City on Thursday, with Frank Lampard's side currently in the driving seat as both sides aim to finish in the top four and secure an automatic place in next season's Champions League.

As for Ireland, he has been without a club since Bolton in 2018 and recalled how Andrea Pirlo once asked to swap shirts with him after a friendly game against AC Milan.

He said: "I was like, 'Whaaaat? Pirlo wants my shirt?'. After the game, Daniel Sturridge turned to me, 'Oh, but I asked him for it ages ago'. I said, 'Take it' and handed it over. It didn’t matter. All I could think was, 'Does Pirlo know who I am? Does he watch football and realise I’m a good player?'.”

Sergio Aguero will have surgery on a knee injury on Thursday with Pep Guardiola waiting to find out when he will have the striker available.

The Manchester City striker is currently in Barcelona where he will be operated on by specialist Dr Ramon Cugat, who has performed surgery on various City players, including Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Benjamin Mendy and Aymeric Laporte in the past.

A timescale has not been put on Aguero's return and he has not yet been ruled out of the Champions League restart in August.

"Tomorrow he’ll have surgery with Dr Cugat in Barcelona. Once he finishes the surgery maybe we’ll know exactly the time when he can come back to join us and play with us," Guardiola told his news conference ahead of Thursday's clash with Chelsea.

"I don’t know right now [about the Champions League]. After surgery we’ll know exactly what the doctor sees and exactly what he has done. He will tell us more about the time to come back."

The injury leaves City with only Gabriel Jesus as a recognised striker although Guardiola insists he has options including Raheem Sterling and Ilkay Gundogan, who has been more recently used as a defensive midfielder.

"We don’t have any doubts about Gabriel," the City boss added. "The only doubt we have is because not one single player with the preparation we have can play every three days.

"We have Gabriel. Raheem can play in this position, even Gundogan and Bernardo [Silva] can play in this position. We have different options. Not like a striker but we can use them."

City face their third game in eight days on Thursday since the return of football following the shutdown enforced by the Covid-19 pandemic when they travel to Chelsea.

Guardiola made eight changes between the victories over Arsenal and Burnley and is expected to rotate again for the trip to Stamford Bridge, but he admitted that he will makes changes with the trip to Newcastle on Sunday in mind with the opportunity of defending the FA Cup becoming a priority as Liverpool run away with the league.

"We can’t deny that we have one eye on Newcastle," he said. "Chelsea and Liverpool are prestigious and important games but Newcastle is our game. A final for us.

"We have one eye on this but the other eye, the team selection depends on physical condition, the minutes they have played. We take a look a little bit at what is going to happen in the next, not just Chelsea."

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should quit "average" Arsenal this summer, says Emmanuel Petit.

Aubameyang became the most expensive signing in Arsenal's history when he completed a £56 million ($70m) move to Emirates Stadium from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018.

The 31-year-old has justified that transfer fee by scoring 61 goals in his first 99 appearances for the Gunners, while also earning a share of the Premier League's Golden Boot last season.

Unfortunately, the Gabon international's strike rate hasn't been enough to inspire a turnaround of fortunes for a club starved of success on the biggest stages. Arsenal haven't won a trophy since 2017, and they are in grave danger of missing out on a place in the Champions League for a fourth successive year after a disastrous 2019-20 campaign.

Aubameyang's current contract at the Emirates is due to expire in 2021, and unless the Gunners tie him down to fresh terms in the coming weeks, they risk losing a key performer in the summer transfer window.

Such a departure would surely represent another major step backwards for Arsenal, but Petit says he would have no hesitation in walking away from the club if he was in the ex-Dortmund star's shoes.

The Gunners legend told Paddy Power: "If I was Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, I would leave Arsenal. There is some quality in this team but when you arrive at the club nowadays you want to do great things. But, come on guys, Arsenal is not the same any more.

"It's becoming an average club. I feel so sorry for the fans and all the people who love the club. I feel sorry for the former players that try to uphold the Arsenal reputation.

"But I don’t feel sorry for the players - I think 75% of them at the club at the moment don't deserve to wear that shirt. They should look at themselves in the mirror and show some pride."

Arsenal have slipped to tenth in the Premier League standings after losing their first two games back following the three-month hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Mikel Arteta watched his side follow up a 3-0 loss at Manchester City with a shock 2-1 defeat away at Brighton on Saturday, and frustrations boiled over after the final whistle at the Amex Stadium.

Petit was embarrassed to see Arsenal players mob match-winner Neal Maupay for his part in number one goalkeeper's Bernd Leno's first-half injury, and he is not sure how Arteta is going to get the best out of squad lacking "desire" going forward.

He added: "Arsenal look like an average team with no spirit, with no anger or pride. I saw them against Brighton at the end of the game, trying to fight Neal Maupay, but that made me laugh.

"Before Covid-19 came, I thought things were different but I was surprised after the Premier League resumed to find that we're back in the old days. Nothing changed.

"It's all a question of mentality and desire. I haven't seen any of that at Arsenal since football came back. They could have played for a century against Man City without getting a shot on goal.

"I wish Mikel Arteta good luck because I think he's a quality manager but just like Unai Emery and Wenger, what is he supposed to do with these players?"