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Atletico Madrid still believe in Joao Felix, according to Diego Simeone, who says the €126 million (£114m/$143m) starlet will "evolve" as he gets older.

Felix became the most expensive player in Atletico's history when he joined the club from Benfica last summer after months of intense transfer speculation.

Manchester City, Juventus, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United had all been linked with the 20-year-old after his outstanding 2018-19 season at Estadio da Luz, but he ultimately decided that Wanda Metropolitano was the best place to continue his development.

Unfortunately, the Portugal international has been unable to justify his price tag in his first full season with Atletico, with niggling ankle injuries significantly limiting his contribution.

Felix has recorded a modest eight goals and three assists in 29 appearances in total, with his latest effort coming in a 5-0 victory over Osasuna on June 17.

Simeone was rewarded for restoring the ex-Benfica midfielder to his line-up for Atletico's second outing since the resumption of La Liga, and he also started the club's 1-0 win at home to Real Valladolid on Sunday.

Ahead of a meeting with Levante on Tuesday, Simeone has backed Felix to become a more "decisive" player as he gains more experience at the highest level.

"He is a different player, but we have always valued his talent as we have seen him in training and matches," the Atletico boss told a pre-match press conference.

"Surely, when he grows older and can spend more time in situations that are decisive for the team and he will evolve as a player.

"He has all the important attributes that can make or break a game, and with his growth in matches he will develop even more as a footballer."

Atletico's latest win saw them move four points clear of Getafe in the race for the final Champions League spot with eight games remaining.

Simeone has been able to shuffle his pack more freely due to the new ruling allowing five substitutions per game, and he would like to see the system become standard practice due to the opportunities it creates for fringe players.

"It seems to me that it gives footballers a greater chance of playing," he added.

"With three changes not everyone on the bench can be involved, but now we've discovered something new and the people who make decisions will decide if it's convenient or not.

"There are more options for players to play, but it's not up to us to make these decisions."

Liverpool may have passed on the opportunity to sign Timo Werner but it would still come as a surprise if Jurgen Klopp does not look to land another striker in the next transfer window, says John Aldridge.

The Reds decided not to table a bid for a prolific Germany international frontman who is now set to link up with their Premier League rivals at Chelsea.

Klopp’s reluctance to join that chase came as a surprise to many, with the general consensus being that greater depth is required in the attacking ranks at Anfield.

Aldridge believes that issue will be addressed at some stage in the near future, with there every chance that Liverpool will look to land “a player or two” when in a position to do so.

The former Reds frontman told the Liverpool Echo: “We understand the reasons why they decided not to sign Timo Werner and how the manager and those around him are determined to build the right kind of squad and not go for quick fixes.

“The position they have got Liverpool into in recent years is absolute evidence that they deserve to be trusted but they're not soft, they know there's a possibility of losing [Mohamed] Salah and [Sadio] Mane for a period of time next January now it looks like the Africa Cup of Nations is going to be rescheduled back to that time of the year and I just wonder whether there might be a change of heart over bringing a player or two in.

“We've got Curtis Jones who can come in for [Adam] Lallana but if [Xherdan] Shaqiri goes we will need another striker, I think.

“It's not easy to improve a squad as good as Liverpool's but Chelse, amongst others, are strengthening well and will be more competitive next season, as will Manchester United who have a great looking player in [Bruno] Fernandes and will no doubt to try attract more.

“When you're ahead, you have to try and make sure you stay that one step ahead so if that means going out and getting a world-class player to enhance the squad then I would like to see us do it.

“There will be a couple of players who leave in the summer and, while we have high hopes for some of the young lads who clearly have big futures ahead of them, I would still like to see us get someone in.

“Ultimately it comes down to whether Jurgen Klopp feels the same but if he does, I'd be surprised if it didn't happen.”

Speculation suggests that there is still plenty of forward-thinking talent registering on Liverpool’s recruitment radar, with Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho and Wolves winger Adama Traore among those to be generating talk of possible big-money moves to Merseyside.

Sergio Aguero's 2019-20 season may already be over after Manchester City confirmed on Tuesday that the striker will travel to Barcelona for a specialist examination on his left knee.

The Argentine pulled up with an injury during City's routine 5-0 win over Burnley on Monday night, sparking fears that he would have to spend time on the sidelines.

Pep Guardiola confirmed after the match that the attacker's chances of a swift return did "not look good" and that he had been struggling with a niggle even before the match.

Now, however, it has been confirmed that specialist Dr Ramon Cugat will examine Aguero, with the severity of the issue currently unknown.

Taking to Twitter following City's update, the 32-year-old wrote: “The scans I did this morning have confirmed that I have damaged my left knee. It’s a pity but I’m in good spirits and so focused to come back as soon as possible. Thank you very much for all your messages!”

The news comes as a blow to the Etihad outfit, who will have wanted their striking talisman fit and firing for the season run-in. While the Premier League title is all but wrapped up, City currently boast a 2-1 first-leg lead over Real Madrid in the round of 16.

An FA Cup quarter-final date against Newcastle also has to be taken in before the season's end, but it will be Europe's premier club competition that City will be focusing on, with a European ban appeal still to be decided upon.

Should the ban be upheld, Aguero, who turns 33 in July, would be entering the final year of his City contract without the prospect of continental football. As such, the club will be focusing all their efforts on the Champions League this term as they look to dethrone Liverpool as European champions.

But while Aguero's absence will undoubtedly sting, the form of players such as Riyad Mahrez and Kevin De Bruyne will no doubt give fans hope that they can still go all the way, with Gabriel Jesus an able deputy for the Argentine.

In addition, Phil Foden's performance against Burnley showed that the youngster is ready for life at the very top, giving Guardiola another option to choose from in an already star-studded squad.

Kenyan referees are beginning to see the benefits of development programs put in place by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) under the leadership of Nick Mwendwa in the last four years.

According to Sylvester Kirwa, the referees’ manager at the federation, they have seen an increased number of whistle-blowers joining the elite status.

“When I was employed by the federation, we decided to focus on certain key areas: building capacity, recruitment, development, and having more women,” Kirwa told reporters on Tuesday.

Kirwa says the fate of the local referees was changed completely after the federation managed to secure two critical Fifa funded courses that they used to support them.

“The result is we sent women referees to the Africa Women Nations Cup (Awcon) and the World Cup for the first time,” Kirwa continued.

“Our two referees, Mary Ann and Caroline Wanjala have also joined the Elite ‘A’ category. Previously, referees used to pay money to attend courses but we abolished these allowing more of them to be trained.”

Kirwa said the number of men elite referees has also gone up to three with Peter Waweru, Gilbert Cheruiyot, and Davies Omweno joining the club.

“Locally, we have seen very young referees coming up and now the majority of those handling the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) are between 24-33 years. This means that they have another 15 years at the top,” added Kirwa.

Meanwhile, Richard Obare a member of the referee’s committee said more than 2000 referees have been trained in the last four years.

“The courses have been quite helpful and our referees have benefitted a lot. Even referees at the grassroots level have benefitted from the new changes,” Obare told reporters.

Margrate Omondi a Fifa instructor noted that she is happy that a number of women referees are now officiating in the KPL.

“Before that, we had just a few women at the top. But now there is no difference as more and more women are handling the KPL. Furthermore, men and women are getting an equal number of matches.”

Kenyan football is preparing to go for elections with Mwendwa seeking to defend his seat but will face stiff opposition from former FKF president Sam Nyamweya, ex-Cecafa boss Nicholas Musonye, Hebert Mwachiro, former Gor Mahia CEO Omondi Aduda and Sammy Shollei.

Willian has agreed on a deal in principle to remain at Chelsea until the end of the domestic season, with his current contract having been due to expire on June 30.

Frank Lampard will be boosted by the news that the 31-year-old has agreed to stay until the domestic season is finished but it remains unclear whether he will compete in the club's Champions League campaign in August.

The outage of football across Europe due to the coronavirus pandemic has seen seasons extended beyond the typical cut-off date of June 30 for expiring contracts.

FIFA had issued guidance that players and clubs should attempt to end the season with their current squads but made it clear that both parties had to agree to continue working together.

Indeed, Chelsea are still tying up Pedro's agreement to carry on for another month or so amid an agreement being put in place for him to move to Roma next season.

Pedro's deal is complicated by the fact that he has a pre-contract in place ahead of a free transfer. Willian, however, has yet to agree terms with any club for 2020-21.

Chelsea still have time to agree on a longer-term deal with Willian, who has asked for a three-year contract, but the Blues are currently only willing to sign him on a short-term basis.

Arsenal and Tottenham are thought to be two clubs interested in the Brazilian, who has grown comfortable in London due to his family situation in the English capital.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have avoided the same problems that they have had with Willian and Pedro for both Olivier Giroud and Willy Caballero by activating one-year extension clauses in their contracts.

Lampard had spoken of the importance of keeping his squad together for the final weeks of the season as he competes for a top-four spot and Champions League football next term.

"We want them to extend their stay and make sure they can see out the season," Lampard told reporters via a Zoom conference call ahead of their 2-1 win over Aston Villa. 

"I see both sides. I see the individual player because I was one, and I respect that they have both been great servants to the club.

"I’ve had nothing but open conversations with them. We’re just trying to make that extension happen. The players have to be happy. We have to be happy. Hopefully we can get there before the 23rd of June, next week, because that’s the day we have to get it done by.

"Anyone around us knows that. So we'll keep talking and hopefully they stay on."

Willian will also play in the FA Cup, which sees his side face Leicester City in the quarter-final on Sunday, while the final could potentially be his last game for the club on August 1 should the Blues get there.

Chelsea's eight loanees in the Championship have mostly agreed to continue on with their respective clubs, while the club has sold Mario Pasalic to Atalanta in a deal worth around £13 million ($16m).

With the first round of games of Project Restart now done and dusted, there were a few winners and losers as the Premier League returned.

In the top-half, observers primarily focused on Chelsea – who defeated Aston Villa 2-1 – and Wolverhampton Wanderers – who beat West Ham United 2-0 – two sides that made great strides in securing Champions League spots...but nobody seems to be talking about in-form Crystal Palace.

The Eagles secured an impressive 2-0 success at Bournemouth, courtesy of goals from Luka Milivojevic and red-hot Jordan Ayew, seeing them pick up where they left off pre-pandemic. Having won three games on the trot before football’s suspension, Roy Hodgson’s troops made that four successive league wins which sees them leapfrog wobbling Arsenal in the table.

With eight gameweeks to play, Palace are ninth in the standings on 42 points and were, interestingly, one of the four sides in the top 10 to pick up a win in gameweek 30.

The excitement surrounding the Eagles’ amazing run is understood when their current situation is put in context: success at the Vitality Stadium put them level with Tottenham Hotspur in eighth, two behind Sheffield United and only four behind joint-fifth pair of Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Despite thriving in what has generally been a mixed campaign for most of the teams below champions-elect Liverpool, Palace haven’t been glorified for their achievements and seem to be flying under the radar. For a club whose highest top flight finish was 10th in 2014/15 and last year ended in the bottom half, this campaign’s transformation has been commendable.

Indeed, no player epitomises the South London club’s success more than Ayew, who scored his ninth league goal of the campaign on Saturday. For a forward who could only find the back of the net once in 20 appearances in the previous season, his renaissance has been astonishing.

Supporters were unimpressed by the club’s decision to sign the forward permanently from Swansea City in the summer but the 28-year-old has rewarded Hodgson's faith to propel the London side into the division’s top 10.

After coming up trumps on several occasions in the ongoing campaign, the same supporters started cheering his name at Selhurst Park before the sport’s shutdown in March.

Ayew’s strike against the Cherries saw him become Ghana’s outright leading Premier League scorer with 25 goals, supplanting Leeds United icon Tony Yeboah who netted 24 goals across two seasons in the mid-90s.

It’s quite the turnaround for the youngest son of African football legend Abedi Pele, who registered only three shots on target from 17 attempts last term.

The forward is one goal away from joining Chris Armstrong (15 goals), Andrew Johnson (21), Christian Benteke, Milivojevic (10, 12) and Wilfried Zaha (10) as the only players to have netted double figures for Crystal Palace in their 11 campaigns in the big time.

If his well-taken effort against Eddie Howe’s team, as well as his three-game scoring streak either side of the pandemic, is anything to go by, Ayew is primed to become the sixth Eagle to hit 10 goals or higher.

For a side that has three more goals than lowest scorers Norwich City (28 to 25), the Ghana star’s return is even more remarkable. Given the low-scoring nature of Hodgson's troops, nearly every strike from their top scorer this term has been of great importance.

Having hit the opener in a 2-1 success over Manchester United in August, Ayew followed that up with the winner over Aston Villa days later in a 1-0 victory. October brought even more joy for the West African striker who netted an 87th-minute winner at city rivals West Ham United before equalizing at Arsenal as the Eagles fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at the Emirates Stadium.

Both London clubs were on the receiving in the reverse fixtures too, with an incredible 90th-minute solo effort completing a 2-1 comeback win over the Hammers (he’d set up Cheikhou Kouyate’s leveller as well) and an equalizer against the Gunners making sure the Eagles would finish 2019/20 unbeaten against two London rivals.

A five-game drought followed Ayew’s goal against Mikel Arteta’s team, but that ultimately birthed his current scoring run which includes winning strikes over fierce rivals Brighton & Hove Albion and Watford, their last two games before the Premier League was suspended.

In a campaign where usual talisman Wilfried Zaha, scorer of three goals and as many assists, has somewhat underperformed, it’s been the Ivorian star’s teammate who has carried the can for Hodgson's side.

This is evidenced by the fact that the Ghanaian’s goals have won Palace 12 points this term as they chase a maiden European sojourn that was unforeseen when 19/20 kicked off.

They don’t have an easy run-in, however, with games against Liverpool (Wednesday), Leicester City, Chelsea, Man United, Wolves and Tottenham on the final day to come in the final weeks of the season.

If the Eagles are to play continental football in 2020/21, they’ll have to secure several positive results against the sides fighting for the same goal as them. All these teams are superior to the ninth-placed side for technical quality, a factor taken into cognizance when playing down their chances of securing a top six finish.

Still, their 2-1 win over the Red Devils (the first at Old Trafford since 1989) and 2-2 draw at Manchester City in January gives them a reason to be bullish going into a thorny climax to the season.

Palace are likely the most unglamorous side in the top-half, but with the wily old Hodgson at the helm and Ayew’s prolific campaign could gatecrash the European party against all odds.

Blackburn Rovers defender Tosin Adarabioyo and Swansea City forward Andre Ayew have been named in the Championship Team of the Week.

Adarabioyo delivered a scintillating performance for the Blue and Whites to help them secure a 3-1 win against Bristol City on Saturday.

The Anglo-Nigerian inspired Tony Mowbray’s side to victory in the encounter, scoring a brilliant effort after Corry Evans’ strike had cancelled out Jamie Paterson’s opener.

The win propelled the Ewood Park outfit to seventh on the league table, one point below the play-off spot.

Ayew, meanwhile, made a key contribution for Swansea in their 3-0 comfortable win against Middlesbrough at Riverside Stadium on Saturday.

The Ghana international set up Rhian Brewster for his side’s opener before wrapping up the commanding display with his well-taken strike from the penalty spot.

Following the eye-catching performances from the African stars, they have been named among the best players in the English second tier.

Adarabioyo, who is eligible to play for the Super Eagles, has featured in 29 games for Blackburn, scoring three goals since his summer loan move from Premier League side Manchester City.

Ayew, meanwhile, has scored 15 goals and provided six assists in 37 games across all competitions for Swansea in this campaign.

The African stars will hope to continue their impressive performances for their clubs in their next league games.

Blackburn will take on Leon Balogun’s Wigan Athletic while Swansea will face Luton Town at Liberty Stadium on June 27.

Bidvest Wits assistant and youth coach Dillon Sheppard says he is not bothered by the sale of the club because the Premier Soccer League (PSL) is yet to approve and confirm the deal.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns winger explains Clever Boys' players must be professional and honour their contract until the end of the current campaign.

Sheppard’s sentiments come after the club had been sold to National First Division (NFD) outfit Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) and they will relocate from Braamfontein to Venda in the next campaign.

“For now, I am not going to comment on the sale of the club especially because the PSL has not confirmed anything,” Sheppard told Isolezwe.

“I am still part of the team and I am also part of the senior team where we have duties to complete.”

Although many of the first team campaigners have been linked with moves to other PSL sides, the former South African international has urged the players to remain professional until the end of the 2019/20 season.

“I don’t think [the sale of the club] will have any distractions. We all have contracts that we must honour,” he added.

“The players are professional and I believe they will be able to finish their contracts and the job in the right manner because they are contracted until the end of the season.”

Meanwhile, key players such as Buhle Mkhwanazi, skipper Thulani Hlatshwayo, Sifiso Hlanti, and midfielder Thabang Monare have all been linked with moves to clubs such as Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs.

On the other hand, Namibian winger Deon Hotto’s name has also been bandied about with some of the key figures set to complete moves to the Buccaneers, Amakhosi as well as the Brazilians.

In addition, head coach Gavin Hunt said he is eyeing a Nedbank Cup triumph as they are in the semi-finals of the league’s premier knockout competition, saying he hopes to qualify for the Caf Confederation Cup.

The Braamfontein-based side is set to face Mamelodi Sundowns in the Ke Yona semi-finals and Hunt is keen to sign off Wits’ PSL status by winning the Cup, although the triumph would benefit Limpopo side TTM to play in Africa next season.

Tanzania Prisons twice came from behind to register a 2-2 draw with JKT Tanzania in the top-tier game played on Tuesday.

The hosts suffered an early shock when Michael Aidan opened the scoring in the 16th minute. It happened to be the only goal in the first half as the Prisoners fought for an equalizer in vain.

However, it took the administrative side just two minutes after the restart to bring the two sides on level terms courtesy of Adily Buha.

The goal did not demoralize JKT but acted as a motivator. Their push for the second goal paid dividends in the 68th minute. When it seemed the match was destined for a 2-1 win in favour of the visitors, Jeremiah Juma managed to find the back of the net and ensure the two sides shared the spoils.

In another match staged on June 23, Mtibwa Sugar defeated their hosts Singida United 3-1.

Boban Zirintusa needed just seven minutes to give the Sugar Belt side a deserved lead after a low start by the Singida based side. The defenders and custodian were punished for poor organization at the back.

In the 25th minute, The Sugar Millers doubled their advantage courtesy of Zirintusa again.

The third goal came in the 64th minute through Riphat Msuya; the consolation for the hosts came with three minutes to go owing to a fine strike by Steve.

Mbao FC needed an early goal by John Jordan to defeat Coastal Union.

Mwadui ended their losing streak with a 3-0 win against Lipuli. Having lost the last two matches against Yanga SC and Simba SC respectively, a win on Tuesday was vital and they delivered it.

Ruvu Shooting and Ndanda FC played to a goalless draw.

On Wednesday, league leaders Simba SC will be away to Mbeya aiming to claim maximum points, same as second-placed Azam FC who will be entertaining Kagera Sugar.

27-time champions Yanga SC will be playing fourth-placed Namungo. Mara based Biashara United will host KMC with Alliance also playing Polisi Tanzania.

Wekundu wa Msimbazi are targeting about seven points to be crowned 2019/20 league champions.

Rennes president Nicolas Holveck has confirmed there is “a lot of interest” in forward M’Baye Niang, but says Marseille, who are widely rumoured to be interested in him, have not yet contacted the club.

A number of clubs have been linked with Niang, including reported Premier League interest from Tottenham Hotspur as well as Brighton and Hove Albion.

Niang has previously turned out for Watford where he had a brief spell and could be lured back to the Premier League.

Ligue 1 giants Marseille have however emerged as the forward’s most talked about suitors but Holveck says the Stade Velodrome side has never approached them.

“M'Baye was on the recovery. We received a lot of expression of interest, but no offers,” Holveck said as per Foot Mercato.

“No agreement as I have heard on some platforms, with Marseille in particular. We didn't even get a phone call from Marseille. M'Baye is here today. He has expressed his wish to develop under different skies, but not as vehemently as the press reported it.”

The former AC Milan attacker has however previously refused to rule out the prospect of signing for Marseille as he admitted contact from the Stade Velodrome outfit, contrary to Holveck's remarks.

“It's flattering [the rumours around Marseille]. There is no smoke without fire. There have been discussions, but today there is nothing concrete,” Niang recently told Canal+ as per Foot Mercato.

“Marseille also has problems to resolve. Yes, it is a club that interests me, it is a club that has a good history, they also have warm supporters, as I like.

“Today everyone talks about Marseille because my wife is from Marseille, I like Marseille, I am there often. But there are other clubs that I can like as much.”

Interest in Niang might not be surprising as he recorded the best statistics of his football career in the past two seasons at Rennes.

In the 2019/20 cancelled Ligue 1 season, he managed 10 league goals and two assists in 26 appearances, while the previous season he grabbed 11 goals and five assists in 29 league games.

Kelechi Nwakali has stated he is committed to helping Segunda Division side Huesca secure promotion to La Liga at the end of this season.

The midfielder joined the Oscenses last summer from Premier League side Arsenal, where he failed to play a single game for the Emirates Stadium outfit.

The midfielder featured for MVV Maastricht, VVV-Venlo, MVV Maastricht and Porto B on loan during his three-year stay with the Gunners.

The Nigeria international could only make his debut for the Spanish division side on June 18 against Mirandes owing to visa issues and the outbreak of coronavirus across the world.

Huesca are already in the playoff spot after securing 54 points from 34 games, following 16 wins, six draws and 12 losses. 

The 22-year-old, who has made two appearances for the Oscenses, has promised to give his best to ensure his side secures promotion to the Spanish top-flight.

“I’m excited to be playing competitive football again. I have waited so long for this moment and I’m fully committed to helping the club achieve promotion,” Nwakali told AOI.

“The aim is to pick one of the automatic promotion tickets; we have a big game tomorrow against league leaders Cadiz.

“It won’t be an easy match but the entire squad is very committed to ensuring we get back to winning ways.”

Nwakali will be expected to play a part when Huesca take on Segunda Division leaders Cadiz on Wednesday.

The midfielder burst into the limelight in the 2015 U17 World Cup where helped Nigeria win the title, scooping the Golden Ball award of the tournament in the process.

Besides representing Nigeria at the U17 level, he has also played for the U20 side and currently has one cap for the Super Eagles.

Nwakali will hope to play more prominently for his club in order to boost his chances with the three-time African champions.

Arturo Vidal has bemoaned the "strange" atmosphere of behind-closed-doors fixtures, insisting it is "difficult to concentrate" without Barcelona fans being present to cheer the team on.

The 2019-20 La Liga campaign was postponed in March due to the coronavirus outbreak, along with every other major league in European football.

The green light was given for the action to get back underway earlier this month after an easing of lockdown restrictions in Spain, but supporters have been barred from entering stadiums with social distancing rules still in effect.

Clubs are now having to adapt to a new competitive set-up in empty stadiums, and Vidal admits that his motivation to even "want to go on the pitch" has been in short supply since the restart.

"It's strange and complicated, from the things we have to do before games to the fixed protocols, as they are things you couldn't imagine before," the Barca midfielder told Radio Cooperativa.

"People gave you feelings we don't have now before we even got to the stadium. Now the atmosphere has changed completely.

"You don't have the motivation of your fans and it's very difficult to concentrate or, even, to want to go on the pitch.

"Football is about the atmosphere its fans create."

Barca got straight back to winning ways by seeing off Mallorca and Levante in comfortable fashion, but relinquished top spot in La Liga after being held to a 0-0 draw by Sevilla on Friday.

Athletic Club are next up for Quique Setien's men on Tuesday night, and Vidal acknowledges the fact that the reigning Spanish champions will have to raise their game to keep pace with Real Madrid.

"It will be a very intense and very hard game and we have to improve because Athletic are very complicated," he explained.

"We have to recover as soon as possible between matchdays."

Barca also still have the Champions League to play for, with a revised format set to see the competition reach its conclusion over the space of 16 days in August.

The Blaugrana will first have to see off Napoli in a round of 16 second-leg tie before the tournament becomes a straight knockout affair, with all remaining fixtures set to be played in Lisbon.

Vidal added on the changes: "If we beat Napoli, it'll be one-legged games and I like that because you're playing for it all in 90 minutes.

"In those circumstances is when important players have to show up, I want to do that."

Young Africans (Yanga SC) custodian Farouk Shikalo has confessed warming the bench at the club has given him the desire to work even hard in training.

The former Bandari custodian is yet to start a game in the Mainland Premier League since the top-flight restarted on June 13, with the Jangwani Street-based giants preferring Metacha Mnata in that position.

In an interview on Monday, Yanga coach Luc Eymael called on the Harambee Stars keeper to keep fighting hard in training and wait for his chance, saying he does not have any bad feelings towards the player.

“If you watched our game against Azam FC, my keeper Metacha [Mnata] played very well, and he as always been fantastic in the position, so Shikalo must wait for his time,” Eymael told Goal on Monday.

"I told him last week he has to wait for his chance and when the chance comes, he has to take it with both hands, it is that simple,

“I like him [Shikalo], he is working very hard during training sessions but how can you change your goalkeeper, when he is doing very well?

“[Mnata] has shown how good he is and for a coach, you don’t change a top player just because you have another one on the bench, but always keep him in your squad.

"I am not against Shikalo playing, he is a good keeper too but must wait for his time, I know his time will come.”

Shikalo has now answered coach Eymael by stating he will not give up on his quest to win his trust and will continue to put in extra effort during training sessions to win his heart.

“To sit on the bench is giving me the burning desire to work even hard and achieve my target of playing for the club,” Shikalo is quoted by Sokaletu.

“In Yanga we have a huge squad and for every player to play, you must be on top of your game and impress the coaches and that is what I am working hard to achieve.

“Every game we play has its own style and it is the coach who knows the players to pick for specific matches and to sit on the bench does not mean I am a bad keeper…no, it is all about the coach because he knows who deserves to play and why and I will continue to fight for my starting role.”

Shikalo has missed the 1-0 win against Mwadui FC in Shinyanga, the 1-1 draw against JKT Tanzania in Dodoma, and Sunday’s 0-0 draw against Azam FC at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has hailed David de Gea as the best goalkeeper in the world despite tipping Dean Henderson to become Manchester United No.1 in the future.

De Gea was heavily criticised for Tottenham’s goal against the Red Devils on Friday night, with Roy Keane describing the Spaniard as "overrated" and that he would've been "swinging punches" in the dressing room at half-time.

The high-profile error has coincided with the impressive form of Sheffield United loanee Henderson, who has been one of the league's outstanding goalkeepers this season.

The 23-year-old has excelled for the Blades and although he will not be available to play when Chris Wilder’s side visit Old Trafford on Wednesday night, there are still plenty of comparisons to be drawn between the pair.

Despite De Gea’s mistakes over the past 18 months Solskjaer does, however, still consider the Spaniard to be the best in the world.

"David is the best goalkeeper in the world," Solskjaer said in his pre-match press conference. "He's conceded two goals in the last seven he's played for us. There are [games against] City, Chelsea, Tottenham, Everton, two goals in seven games.

"The Everton one is a freak one, this one he can't save it, he makes great saves, wins games for us and he's still the best goalkeeper in the world. David is working really hard, he isn't making errors in training. I'm pleased with his work.

"He's had some fantastic seasons and I don't think it's a bad run if you concede two goals in seven games, he's made match-winning saves.

"He saved a point for us against Tottenham with the save [from Heung-Min Son's headed effort], mentally he's a very strong keeper but I speak to him every day, that's fine."

Henderson’s loan at Sheffield United is expected to be extended on Tuesday to allow him to stay there until the end of the current campaign. The 23-year-old has made 29 league appearances this season keeping 11 clean sheets and Solskjaer has been impressed with his development.

"It's a different job to be playing for Sheffield United and for Manchester United, they are different," Solskjaer said.

"He's got different roles and for the last two years he's had fantastic development, played with and against men, played in the Championship and he plays in a team that plays exciting football. The stats show he's proved worthy of a few points.

"He's learning all the time, a passionate keeper, developing, with good coaching. One day he'll be England No.1 and United No.1 and he needs to keep developing."

Arsenal need to “cut their losses” on Mesut Ozil and let the World Cup winner move on, says Martin Keown, with the German no longer considered to be “part of the future” in north London.

Ozil, who joined the Gunners from Real Madrid in the summer of 2013, has taken in 254 appearances during his seven seasons in England and scored 44 goals.

The 31-year-old's creativity has proved to be a useful asset at times, but questions over his form and attitude have never been far away.

That remains the case at present, with Mikel Arteta having left the experienced performer out of his plans for the Premier League restart.

A surprising snub has sparked further speculation regarding Ozil’s future, with the breaking of a lucrative contract having been mooted for some time.

Keown believes Arteta needs to be forcing that issue in the next window, with Unai Emery having ignored similar pleas and ultimately paid the price for failing to get Arsenal’s house in order.

“The Ozil situation when Emery took the job, I felt at that time the best thing he could have done is to take Ozil away and sell him at that point,” former Gunners defender Keown told talkSPORT.

“In fact, I advised him to do that at the time.

“What we have seen with Ozil – for one reason or another, and everyone feels you’re picking on him – he’s a player that isn’t part of the future at Arsenal.

“They need to cut their losses and let Ozil go, otherwise the other players see the bad habits that he may have.

“I’m assuming he hasn’t trained well enough and really given it everything, and the manager now doesn’t want to invest any more time in him.

“But when you have someone around the edges of a football club like that, with all of those impressionable young men, it’s time for change.

“Arteta is part of that change and part of that new freshness, but if you don’t make the right decisions then you are no longer a part of that, you are a part of the past.”

Arsenal, who have seen their faint top-four hopes fade even further on the back of successive defeats to Manchester City and Brighton, will be back in action on Thursday when they take in a trip to Southampton.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has revealed that consultations are ongoing on how to end the 2019-20 domestic league season.

The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) has been suspended since March following the spread of the coronavirus to the West African country.

The chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 and secretary to the federal government, Boss Mustapha, recently stated the government is not excited to reopen sporting activities as the number of confirmed cases of the virus continues to rise in the country.

The Nigerian government is gradually reopening the economy after a period of complete lockdown due to the pandemic, which has claimed 525 lives, but has limited social gathering to 20 people.

The League Management Company (LMC) had proposed four options to end the league, including a point-per-game (PPG) method, which was subjected to a vote at the weekend.

The 17 chairmen of the Club Owners Association voted in favour of the PPG method and that there should not be promotion or relegation of any clubs.

The NFF, however, stated that football stakeholders in the country should be patient until they conclude their consultations.

“The Nigeria Football Federation has declared that wide consultation is still ongoing as to the format and pattern of foreclosing the 2019/2020 Football Season, including that of the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL,” read a statement from the NFF.

Plateau United currently lead the table with 49 points from 25 games while Rivers United are second with 45 points, both in the Caf Champions League spots.

Lobi Stars are third with 43 points while Nasarawa United, Jigawa Golden Stars, Kwara United and Adamawa United occupy the last four spots on the table.

The LMC have adopted the super-six format to end previous NPFL seasons and Enyimba are reigning champions.

Ben Chilwell and James Maddison continue to generate talk of interest from the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United, but Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers says the speculation will not be causing him sleepless nights.

The Foxes, and their experienced boss, are accustomed to seeing prized assets linked with moves elsewhere.

Recent windows have seen a steady trickle of top talent head through the exits at the King Power Stadium, with the likes of N’Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez and Harry Maguire among those to have moved on.

Rumours suggest that Chilwell and Maddison could be next to attract big-money bids, with the sights of Premier League heavyweights being locked on their potential.

Chelsea are said to have made an England international left-back their next target, in a summer of ambitious recruitment at Stamford Bridge, while a talented playmaker has long been linked with a switch to Old Trafford.

Rodgers is fully aware of the gossip, but he continues to turn a deaf ear to it and is prepared for a fight if needs be when it comes to keeping star turns on his books.

The Leicester boss told Sky Sports when quizzed on the unwelcome exit reports: "The club have got good experience of situations where bigger the so-called bigger clubs come in.

"We're always aware that while there are good players, that will always be of interest to other teams that have more money than us.

"We don't lose sleep worrying about it. We're here to develop players and improve the standard of the team. Of course, if we're doing that then that will be taken note of by other clubs.

"We just have to continue with our work and always try to have a pipeline in place where if you lose one, you can have the next one in.

"We're certainly not actively looking to move anyone on that's for sure. We want to keep everyone together but we'll see what happens in the summer."

Asked what Leicester need to do to break into the elite level, Rodgers said: "We're looking to get ourselves into that bracket on a consistent basis and the only way we can do that is by performing well and developing year on year.

"Leicester is a wonderful club in its own right and we are trying to challenge that hierarchy.

"Players may be attracted to that level of club, such as Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United or going abroad, but we can't worry ourselves about that.

"We'll keep fighting to keep players here and if they're not going to be here then the club will get the best price available."

Young Africans (Yanga SC) are on the verge of losing their lead striker David Molinga.

The Congolese import is reportedly keen to leave the Jangwani Street-based giants and sign for Moroccan outfit Renaissance Sportive de Berkane.

Former Yanga coach Mwinyi Zahera, who is said to be behind the transfer and who signed the player for the club before he left, has confirmed the striker will ditch the club at the end of his contract this season.

“Everything in regards to the transfer is already done and now what we are waiting for is the contract with Yanga to end before he makes the move,” Zahera is quoted as saying by MwanaSpoti.

Molinga is among the key strikers for Yanga though they have been struggling to get goals, the latest being their match against Azam FC which ended in a 0-0 draw, forcing their fans to hit out at the club’s strikers for letting them down.

In a recent interview with Goal, Yanga coach Luc Eymael admitted he was lacking strikers to score goals for the club and confirmed he had recommended new names to the team’s signing committee.

“I am disappointed with all my strikers,” Eymael told Goal after the match.

“We created chances after chances, but we don’t finish the chances we create, if we don’t score that is a big problem, 30 crosses and we cannot find the back of the net? I think that is a big problem.

“Our biggest problem currently is we are not scoring, that is the biggest problem we have, it is that simple, we are not scoring goals despite creating chances and something must be done urgently before we play our next match.

“I cannot change the players [strikers] now, I can only ask them to rectify the mistakes in training like we keep doing, we must think about scoring and the strikers must stand up now and be counted, they should get their scoring boots back, I don’t need to shout at them but they should know what they are supposed to do.”

Eymael further said: “But until now we are just waiting for the decision from the stakeholders who are taking decision for signing new players, the coach can only recommend and the work of management is to sign, the only player I recommended for the club is Bernard [Morrison] and you can see the job he is doing for the club.”

Yanga are preparing to face Namungo FC in a league match on Tuesday.