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Everton centre-back Michael Keane has opened up about his battle with coronavirus.

The 27-year-old contracted the disease after the Premier League had been suspended and had to isolate as a result.

Keane has revealed that he had difficulty breathing and could not go for a run before he tested positive.

“I got the virus after we’d finished training but before the country went into lockdown," he told The Mirror.

“I went to play golf at Wentworth, felt ill driving home but my pals didn’t get it so I don’t really understand where I got it.

“I was in the shower and all of a sudden I felt like I was going to faint. It wasn’t something that I’d had before. I came out of the shower, I was soaking wet, just lay on the bed and I just needed to lie down.

“I didn’t think too much of it, I was OK but then I woke up the next day and I felt really off. I didn’t have a cough but felt lethargic, low on energy and then went to bed that night and had the sweats for two nights.

“I went out for a run, was going out for 20 minutes but had to stop after three and a half minutes because my chest wasn’t right, I was really heavily breathing and I had to stop and walk home.

“I knew at that point something was wrong. I told the physios and they sent me a test, it arrived six days later by which time I felt better but it still came up positive.

“Even when I felt better, it probably took two weeks for my chest to feel back to normal when I was running.”

The Premier League has been suspended since March but will return later this month, with Everton hosting Everton on June 21.

The England international says he is excited to start playing again after such a long wait.  

“Three months without football has felt like an eternity and I can’t wait to get back to playing for Everton because I’m not sure I’ve ever gone this long without playing or knowing when I would play again," he added.

“It’s been such a strange time as I had the virus myself early on, training at home in lockdown, watching Netflix and getting back to contact training with all the new protocols.

“It’s been such a long time and when it became obvious that we wouldn’t be going into training for a while, I turned my garage at home into a gym to keep myself fit.

“I’ve got a peloton bike in there, treadmill, weights and flooring and mirrors. It’s a good set-up and once it’s in place I had no excuse!

“You knew you had to put the work in, you can’t cut corners and, looking at the lads since we’ve been back, I think everyone’s done that.

“I watched lots of Netflix, Ozark, Money Heist and then Gangs of London on Sky.

“But I also got back in touch with my old youth team coach Paul McGuinness at Manchester United and I ended speaking to him four or five times on Zoom.

“He works for the FA now and he really helped me with a few things. We looked at some clips and talked about my footwork, how I can turn quicker and going through drills which I can use to improve that.”

In the midst of media reports Bidvest Wits could be sold, coach Gavin Hunt says there is nothing that has been discussed but admits it’s a sad situation.

The Clever Boys are reportedly set to relocate to Limpopo province with media reports suggesting talks to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila’s management are close to securing the Braamfontein-based club’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) status.

However, Hunt has diverted questions of the matter to the club’s management, adding they will have to move on and become jobless should the sale go through.

“Look, I can’t comment or say anything about what is happening to the club. It’s not my place but that of Alan Fainman [Wits chairman],” Hunt said as quoted by Daily Sun.

“If that is the case then we will have to move on and be unemployed. It’s sad! Nothing has been discussed with us.

"We just read about it everywhere. Let’s hope we will finally be told something.”

It is reported by the website that TTM’s owner Mosala Mulaudzi has already confirmed to having sold his National First Division (NFD) club for a whopping R10 million and put up a deposit for a PSL club, which in this case is strongly believed to be Wits, for R20m.

On the other hand, media reports surfaced that the 2016/17 PSL champions are set to part ways with key players such as skipper Thulani Hlatshwayo, winger Deon Hotto, Gift Motupa and Phathutshedzo Nange who are rumoured to be heading to reigning PSL champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

Meanwhile, the former Ajax Cape Town defender and Bafana Bafana skipper has always been linked with a move to join Orlando Pirates whilst Hunt recently denied Motupa’s switch to Chloorkop.

According to the publication, former Jomo Cosmos midfielder Thabang Monare and left-back Sifiso Hlanti are both set to join the Sea Robbers.

Although Monare has been linked with a move to join Kaizer Chiefs in the past few transfer windows, it remains to be seen if their moves will eventually happen.

Medeama coach Samuel Boadu believes his club was on course to win the Ghana Premier League before the competition ground to a halt in March.

The elite domestic championship has been on hold since a national ban on public gatherings, including sporting and religious events, came into effect as part of measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Medeama topped the league table at the time of the suspension but six lost points for fielding an ineligible player in a game has seen the side fall to sixth on the standings.

"Considering our peak and our energetic young players, we were surely going for the title," Boadu told Wontumi Radio.

"We possessed the ball more in our games and so if you look at our numbers, we are a team that scores a lot of goals.

“Should the green light be given for the resumption of the league, we are ready to go all out for the title.

"We had targeted to pick at least five points from our next three crucial away games at Kotoko, Accra Hearts of Oak and Ashantigold.

"This is the analysis we did if we really could win the league."

Medeama are searching for their first league title.

The championship was at the Matchweek 15 stage - with Aduana Stars leading the table - when the competition was brought to a halt.

At the time, a total of six cases had been recorded.

As of Monday, June 8, the West African nation has registered 9,910 cases involving 48 deaths and 3,645 recoveries. 

Globally, over 7,154,389 persons have been infected, and 407,715 lives lost resultantly.

The ban on football remains in place until at least July 31.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has set a June 30 deadline to make a final decision on the future of football in the country.

The football's governing body, through the Ghana Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS), made a proposal to the national government for a possible prompt return of football under conditions such as the playing of matches behind closed doors.

The request was, however, turned down.

Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak are the two of the most successful clubs in the history of the Premier League with 23 and 19 titles respectively. 

Akinkunmi Amoo has teamed up with Swedish elite division side Hammarby on a four-year-deal from Nigeria’s Sidos FC.

The midfielder who clocked 18 on Sunday will continue his progression with the Stockholm based outfit partly owned by football great Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Amoo is currently in Nigeria owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and he will join the Bajen as soon as the ban is lifted on air travel.

In a statement published on the club’s website on Monday, the move was sealed after the teenager chose the team ahead of other suitors and they have vowed to be patient with him.

“We have worked with Amoo, or "Akin" as he is called, for the past two years,” sports manager Jesper Jansson said.

“There has been some interest from other clubs, but during the time we have known each other we have built a strong relationship and we are very happy that Akin chose us.

“Our coaching staff, our players and not least Mikael Hjelmberg and Wadda Tamimi have been extremely involved in making Akin feel like part of the family at Årsta.

“With Akin, we get into an explosive, skilful and offensive player with a nice left foot. But we have to remember that he has just turned 18, so we should have patience and work together to further develop Akin's excellence.”

Hammarby’s CEO Henrik Kindlund also expressed his delight having the former Golden Eaglets’ star in their fold.

“We have had an agreement with Amoo and his family, that if he wants to choose us when he is 18, he is welcome to Hammarby,” said Kindlund.

“Now we warmly welcome him to Hammarby. Although we have a tough time in these corona times, we have felt that we need to stand by our word and that is why we have chosen to go ahead and sign an agreement with Amoo.

“In addition to the purely moral we have also spent a lot of time to follow and develop Amoo as a player, it would feel tough to throw that effort overboard now.”

With this move, he becomes the second African after Gabon international Serge-Junior Ngouali, in manager Stefan Billborn.

Amoo was part of Manu Garba’s Nigeria U17 squad for the 2019 Fifa World Cup in Brazil. Nigeria crashed out of the Round of 16 owing to a 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands at Goiania’s Estadio Olimpico.

Former Egypt coach Bob Bradley has revealed the piece of advice that he believes helped improve Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah’s game and has elevated him to a world-class level.

The 62-year-old took charge of Egypt between 2011 and 2013, during which time Salah was a young star breaking into the team, still playing domestically at Al Mokawloon.

From there, he moved to Switzerland with Basel before spells with Chelsea, Fiorentina and Roma. It has been since moving to Liverpool in 2017 that the 27-year-old has really caught the eye, however, scoring 70 goals in 100 Premier League appearances, helping the club to the Champions League of 2019 and pushing them to the brink of a first domestic league title in a generation.

Bradley believes asking Salah to imitate Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, a six-time Ballon d’Or winner, when he was still refining his game, has been the secret to much of his subsequent success.

“Salah improved a lot since I left the Egyptian NT, he is a great player,” the American told Egyptian TV channel Sada El Balad.

“I told him to watch Messi closely, so he can improve his performance and he took my advice.

“Back then I tried to change his position to play deep as a striker, because he has the speed. He Is now one of the best players in the world.”

Salah and his Liverpool team-mates are gearing up to return to action in the middle of June following an unscheduled break in the season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Jurgen Klopp’s side need only six points to secure a first crown of the Premier League era, with their challenge recommencing against Stanley Park rivals Everton on June 21. After hosting Crystal Palace three days later, they go to Manchester City in a showdown between the top two, with the Reds already hoping to have lifted the lead by that point.

Salah has contributed 16 goals and six assists in 26 league appearances this season, while he finished with four goals and two decisive passes in the Champions League, a competition in which Liverpool’s defence was brought to a premature end as they lost out at home to Atletico Madrid after extra-time.

Osita Okolo, the brother-in-law and agent of Lille striker Victor Osimhen, has not ruled out the possibility of the Nigerian joining Napoli.

Reports surfaced last week the 21-year-old had agreed a deal to join the Partenopei, but the player came out to debunk it as "fake news".

It still has not stopped Osimhen's name from circulating in the transfer rumour mill after scoring 13 goals in 27 Ligue 1 outings with Lille finishing just a point and place shy of Champions League qualification.

Okolo also affirmed no deal is in place for Osimhen to join Napoli, but he did not discard a potential deal happening in future. However, it will be up to Osimhen to decide.

“I can say that, for now, Osimhen hasn’t agreed anything with Napoli or another club. I can also deny that he dreams of going to the Premier League," Okolo told Naples-based station, Radio Marte.

“I don’t know why [the press] says certain things. Naples is a fantastic city and Napoli are a very good team.

“I’m always honoured whenever I hear these links, but for now there’s no deal in place, even if negotiations with them are ongoing.

“He wants to play regularly, we’re not going to repeat certain bad experiences from the past.

“The Napoli fans are fantastic, their stadium is beautiful. I can only speak well of Naples and its team.”

Okolo highlighted racism as a problem in Italy but did not see Napoli fans among them and as such would make a transfer for Osimhen a good choice.

“The real problem with Italy is racism," Okolo continued.

"I know it happens all over Europe, but in Italy it happens a bit more often compared to elsewhere.

“I know Napoli fans aren’t racist. I have the video of them wearing masks for Koulibaly.

“Although Napoli fans aren’t racist, many others are. Naples may be the right destination for Victor, but he still must make a decision.”

Osimhen joined Lille from Wolfsburg in the summer of 2019 and clocked a total of 3,012 competitive minutes on the pitch, scoring 18 goals including two in the Champions League which came against Chelsea and Valencia.

Former Bafana Bafana midfielder Stanton Fredericks says his stint with Kaizer Chiefs between 2001 and 2004 was his most successful experience. 

The 41-year-old retired player said he played with some of the best players at Amakhosi, making mention of Doctor Khumalo, Brian Baloyi and Thabo Mooki who all made their names at the Naturena-based outfit. 

"I played with some big names [at Kaizer Chiefs]... Doctor Khumalo, Brian Baloyi, Thabo Mooki. I think it's safe to say it's my most successful stint in South African football," Fredericks told the South African Football Legends.   

Fredericks lifted 10 trophies with Amakhosi between 2001 and 2003 - winning all the domestic major trophies on offer several times in addition to the African Winners' Cup, two Vodacom Challenge titles and two Telkom Charity Cup titles. 

And he feels he found himself during his three-year stay with the Glamour Boys while adding that playing for Bidvest Wits was different from wearing the gold and black jersey.  

Fredericks believes he learned a lot at Chiefs that it helped him last for seven to eight years in Europe before ending his professional career where it started in South Africa. 

"I think in three years, I won like nine or 10 Cups. I think it's where I found myself as a football player," he said.  

"It's one thing playing for Wits and playing okay every third or fourth game but when you put on the gold and black [jersey], the microscope is on you - every game, you need to produce a certain level of football and [that] certainly helped me focus a little bit more. It started leading me to accept the criticism because as a human being and as a professional sportsperson if you can't accept the good and the bad, it's just going to get into you and you won't perform at your maximum. 

"I think it's a space where I really learned about myself; the mental strength that came into it but most of all, I played under coach Muhsin Ertugral; I think tactically, that's where my understanding of the game really grew and that put me in good stead to continue and play in Europe for seven to eight years," added Fredericks. 

Tim Howard will be the subject of a feature film, to which Amazon have acquired the rights. 

The film will focus on the former U.S. men's national team star's first season at Manchester United and living with Tourette syndrome.

Howard, who is currently a player, sporting director and minority owner of USL Championship side Memphis 901, spent four years as a Man Utd player after moving to Old Trafford from the MetroStars in 2003.

The goalkeeper replaced Fabien Barthez between the sticks for United and went on to make 44 appearances in all competitions in his first season as Sir Alex Ferguson’s team went on to claim the Premier League title and FA Cup.

The film’s producer, Mark Ciardi, originally hoped to start making the film 15 years ago, after he saw a 60 Minutes special on Howard in 2005.

Although there were several other filmmakers hoping to start a project with the shot-stopper, Howard opted to focus on his playing career instead of getting involved.

“I don’t think that would have been a smart thing to do on my end. I had a lot of my career ahead of me,” Howard said, according to Sports Business Journal. “I didn’t want to be a one-hit wonder, I wanted to work and get my feet under me.”

His agent, Dan Segal, added: “It was sort of a fairy tale story, and we got about half a dozen different movie producers reaching out at that point.”

The idea was revived last year when Ciardi reached out to Howard’s management and the two-time CONCACAF Gold Cup winner feels now is the right time to see it through.

“It’s a pretty cool story, if I do say so myself,” said Howard. “We’re far enough removed from that moment that we can capture it in that best light.”

Howard may have had a successful first year in Manchester, he was relegated to the bench the following term as Roy Carroll took over as first-choice.

He featured even less in 2005-06 as Edwin van der Sar was signed from Fulham.

Man Utd then loaned Howard to Everton in and he ended up joining the Toffees on a permanent basis, making over 400 appearances before he returned to the U.S. to join the Colorado Rapids in 2016.

Hakim Ziyech has been warned that facing Premier League defences can be akin to hitting a “wall”, with Anwar El Ghazi telling the Chelsea new boy to ready himself for a physical battle.

The Blues have parted with €40 million (£33m/$43m) in order to bring the highly-rated Morocco international onto their books.

Big things are expected of Ziyech at Stamford Bridge, with many backing him to hit the ground running in English football.

El Ghazi, a former team-mate of the 27-year-old at Ajax, is among those expecting the tricky winger to slot seamlessly into the fold when he arrives in west London.

The Aston Villa forward has, however, pointed out that a markedly different challenge is about to present itself to a man who proved adept at tearing apart Eredivisie defences.

El Ghazi told Voetbal Primeur: “You have to think about your muscles with so many games.

“I thought I was big and heavy, but sometimes you run into player and you think: is that a wall? But Ziyech is going to do well at Chelsea, 100%.”

El Ghazi has already joked in a farewell video to Ziyech at Ajax that the Blues-bound star needs to get himself to the gym.

Expanding on that claim, the Villans winger added: “It was a joke anyway.

“Ziyech has his qualities and he shouldn’t have to be physical. He’s agile and can move well, because he’s so thin.

“Going to the gym doesn’t mean going to Basic Fit [Dutch gym chain] to become a powerhouse.

“You can also work your core, train your abs, pull ups. It doesn’t make you a bodybuilder. Being in the gym doesn’t just mean pumping and pumping.”

Whatever Ziyech has done to this point has clearly been working, with his stock having risen considerably over recent years.

He was one of several star turns for Ajax during a memorable 2018-19 campaign which delivered a Dutch title triumph and stunning run through to the Champions League semi-finals.

Ziyech contributed 21 goals to the collective cause last season, with a further six efforts – to go with 13 assists – offered this time around before Chelsea came calling.

He has now got his big-money move, allowing him to follow in the footsteps of former team-mates Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt who linked up with Barcelona and Juventus respectively in the last summer transfer window.

The launch of the next FIFA game - FIFA 21 - is anticipated some time in 2020 and, as EA Sports boffins continue working on the finer details, eager gamers will already have it on their wishlist.

Of course, the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the entire world and industries everywhere have been impacted, including football, so it remains to be seen exactly how the new game will be affected, if at all.

As we wait to learn what will transpire, Goal takes a look at things such as the next FIFA release date, how much it will cost, consoles it will be playable on and more. 

Contents

When is FIFA 21 released?

FIFA 21 will be released in the last week of September 2020, but only if EA Sports' plans are not disrupted by the coronavirus.

The new edition of FIFA normally hits shelves on the last Friday of September, which means FIFA 21 could be available to buy on September 25.

EA appeared to confirm that FIFA 21 would indeed be released around September this year with the game's inclusion as a launch title for the second quarter of the financial year in its financial report, but timing is subject to change.

Early access is usually granted to those who pre-order the game, meaning they are able to play in advance of that date - usually three or four days, so that could be September 21 or 22.

However, no official date has been set yet and it seems highly possible that production schedules for the game will be impacted in some way by the global coronavirus pandemic.

With E3 cancelled for 2020, EA Sports was set to announce its upcoming roster of titles during a digital event called EA Play Live 2020 on June 5.

This announcement has now been pushed back to June 18 due to the current political climate in the United States and the protests around racial discrimination.

"With the important conversations taking place and important voices being heard around the world right now, we're moving our time to come together in play," EA wrote on Twitter. 

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What is the price of FIFA 21?

The price of FIFA 21 has not been confirmed yet, but in previous years the standard edition of the FIFA franchise cost around £60 in the UK and $60 in the US.

EA Sports has, in recent years, launched a number of different editions - such as Champions Edition and Ultimate Edition - which cost slightly more than the standard edition.

FIFA 20 Champions Edition cost £79.99 or $79.99, while FIFA 20 Ultimate Edition was priced at £89.99 or $99.99.

Extra perks for FIFA Ultimate Team players such as gold packs, special FUT kits and Icons is the reason for the difference between the price of the editions included some.

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Which consoles will FIFA 21 be out on?

FIFA 21 will be available to play on PS4, Xbox One and PC. It is unclear what the status of the game is when it comes to the next generation consoles PS5 and Xbox Series X.

PS5 and Xbox Series X have been earmarked for a launch date somewhere in time for the holiday period in the US, which means they may land between October and December 2020.

Given the proximity of those dates, it would seem logical for EA Sports to work in tandem with Sony and Microsoft to ensure that the new release is available to play straight away.

Google Stadia, which was launched in 2019, did not have FIFA 20, but it is possible that a push will be made to make a game like FIFA 21 available. 

A 'Legacy edition' of FIFA 20 was made available on the Nintendo Switch, which was a disappointment for many, and it is not clear what the status of FIFA 21 will be on the console.

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When can I pre-order FIFA 21?

Gamers should be able to pre-order FIFA 21 a number of months before the release date, potentially when EA Sports promotes the title in the summer.

There are usually a few inducements for gamers to pre-order the game, such as cheaper prices, early access and Ultimate Team perks.

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What new features will FIFA 21 have?

While we wait for confirmation of new features, Goal takes a look at some of the possible additions to the next edition of FIFA.

Career Mode improvements

Issues with Career Mode blighted the launch of FIFA 20 and fans of this part of the game are eager for improvements to be implemented in that regard.

Other things that have appeared on the Career Mode wishlists of FIFA players on forums include more realistic transfer business, greater integration of youth players and a stadium editor.

Gameplay augmentation such as crowds booing former players who joined rivals and a greater variety of managerial reactions have also been suggested.

New Icons

Each new FIFA title sees new Icons joining the roster of heroes from seasons gone by and FIFA 21 should be no different.

Some of the more popular potential new Icons are David Beckham, Franz Beckenbauer, Oliver Kahn and Francesco Totti.

Volta

The street football addition of Volta in FIFA 20 was a popular aspect of the last edition of the series, giving lovers of FIFA Street a dose of nostalgia. 

It has a story mode, its own soundtrack and more, but there is always room for improvement, in areas such as expanding to provide more venues, incorporating more complicated skills and so on.

VAR

The introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) is the biggest change to football in the modern era, with contentious decisions and moments now up for review.

Despite first being rolled out in 2017, VAR has not been a feature in FIFA games, mainly due to the fact that the referee in the game is a computer, so not prone to human error.

Nevertheless, it is very much a massive part of the game now and EA will be wise to add some aesthetic VAR touches to the gameplay.

More official leagues & clubs

One area which FIFA cannot be faulted much for is that of official licensing and the game has long featured a vast array of clubs from across the world.

However, in FIFA 20 Juventus are known as Piemonte Calcio and Barcelona are without a home as there is no Camp Nou. Those particular quirks will continue thanks to Konami boasting exclusive rights.

There is arguably something of a licence race occurring between the two brands, so it will be interesting to see what happens.

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There are a number of potential candidates who could appear on the cover of FIFA 21.

Eden Hazard and Virgil van Dijk were the cover stars for FIFA 20's standard edition and Champions edition respectively. It is possible that EA will continue with this duo for FIFA 21, considering their popularity and profile in the game.

Cristiano Ronaldo had been the sole cover star of FIFA 18 and FIFA 19, but it is unlikely that the Portugal icon will return to grace the front of the game, in part due to Juventus' exclusive partnership with EA's rivals Konami, which is set to last for another two years. A similar situation between Barcelona and Konami could mean that Lionel Messi will not be on the cover of FIFA 21.

The likes of Neymar, Kevin De Bruyne and Paulo Dybala have appeared as FIFA cover stars in recent years and there are plenty of other alternatives besides.

Up-and-coming stars such as Kylian Mbappe, Jadon Sancho and Erling Braut Haaland could be in contention, while other more established performers like Mohamed Salah, Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann are always in the conversation.

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Kai Havertz will not be risked for Bayer Leverkusen's DFB-Pokal semi-final against Saarbrucken, Peter Bosz confirmed on Monday.

In-demand attacking midfielder Havertz sat out Saturday's 4-2 defeat at the hands of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich due to a muscular issue.

The Germany international has been a key figure for Leverkusen in 2019-20, scoring 15 goals and supplying eight assists in 38 appearances in all competitions.

However, Havertz, who has been linked with Bayern, Liverpool, Manchester United and Barcelona, will play no part away at fourth-tier Saarbrucken on Tuesday as a precaution, with Leverkusen chasing Champions League qualification in the Bundesliga.

Asked about the 20-year-old's fitness, Bosz told a pre-match media conference: "The match is too early for him. He's not going to be in the squad.

"The question was if he's able to play. The answer is yes he would be able, but we would take a risk and we don't want to do that. We hope that he's getting better und be able to play [against Schalke] on Sunday. We have to wait."

Leverkusen are one game away from reaching the final for just the fourth time in their history, their most recent appearance having come in 2009 and their only success in the competition occurring in 1993.

"It shows how big the importance is to win titles that we're talking about it again at the moment," said Bosz. "1993 is a long time ago. Because of that the players, coaches and the whole club wants to win titles again. The DFB-Pokal is a possibility."

Exequiel Palacios has made just four appearances since his January arrival from River Plate in a deal worth a reported €15 million (£13m/$17m) and Bosz was unwilling to divulge the reason for the 21-year-old's lack of involvement.

"I won't talk about a single player and tell you what's missing for the starting 11. Of course, I have my reasons for that. I always speak with my players about that," said the former Borussia Dortmund boss.

"So I'm going to do it the same way with him. He already showed that he's a very good player and we will see him in the future in the Bundesliga again.

Cristiano Ronaldo is “competitive in everything”, says former Sporting team-mate Rodrigo Tello, with the Juventus superstar's relentless drive for perfection compared to that of Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan.

Netflix’s airing of ‘The Last Dance’ documentary, focusing on one of the most iconic NBA teams of all-time, has sparked plenty of debate regarding the mindset required to become the very best.

Jordan has never shied away from the fact that he strived for continuous improvement over the course of his distinguished career, with the same determination demanded from those around him.

Ronaldo has been treading a similar path in football circles, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner considered to be an ideal example of what can be achieved when natural ability meets dedication.

Tello witnessed those qualities at close quarters when an all-time great was starting out in Portugal, with it clear even from a young age that a man who has gone on to become a global phenomenon would not settle for anything less than perfection.

“I had the opportunity to be a team-mate of a phenomenal footballer like him,” Tello, who spent six years at Sporting between 2001 and 2007, told Record.

“Cristiano Ronaldo’s mentality was totally different from that of a 17-year-old boy. We played foosball and he was the best, we played billiards and he was the best, we did the weights and he was the one who lifted the most. He reminded me of Michael Jordan, a competitive person in everything. He did personalised training, even on match day.”

Ronaldo’s stock has soared since he started out in Lisbon, with spells at Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus seeing him scale heights that few can dare to dream of reaching.

He is showing no sign of slowing down either despite now being 35 years of age.

Those who helped to put Ronaldo on a path to the top continue to take great pride in his achievements and form part of a fan club that now stretches to millions around the world.

Tello added on a colleague who has become an icon: “I had a good relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo. On my birthday, my wife surprised me and offered me a Juventus jersey signed by Ronaldo. I have no idea how she got it!”

Arsenal loanee Henrikh Mkhitaryan has admitted that he "would like to be at Roma for another few years", but also says he will be "ready to play" if Mikel Arteta calls him back to the Emirates Stadium.

Mkhitaryan joined Roma on a season-long loan in September, with no option or obligation to buy included in the final deal.

The 31-year-old has been hampered by a string of niggling injuries at Stadio Olimpico, but has still been able to contribute six goals and three assists to the Giallorossi's cause in 17 appearances.

Roma boss Paulo Fonseca has publicly expressed his desire to see Mkhitaryan 's services retained beyond the end of the 2019-20 campaign, telling Sky Sports back in February: "He is a player who makes great decisions on the pitch and I would also like to keep Mkhi in our team."

However, Arsenal head coach Arteta has also opened the door for the Armenia international to return to north London, insisting the midfielder "is the kind of player who can fit in any team when he is at his best".

Mkhitaryan claims he would not complain if he was forced to remain on the Gunners' books, but concedes he would rather secure a permanent move to Roma if the two clubs can reach an agreement over the summer.

"Of course I would like to be at Roma next season, not only next season [but] for another few years," Mkhitaryan said on the Futbol with Grant Wahl   podcast.

"But I still have a contract with Arsenal and it’s not up to me. It’s up to Arsenal and Roma if they will agree on terms of the transfer fee.

"So my thinking is to train hard, to play hard, to look forward to what’s going to happen.

"Of course, if I’m not going to stay at Roma I have to go back to Arsenal. I’m not complaining, football life changes so quickly so you have to be ready to play wherever you are.

"If not in Rome, I’m going to go back and play for Arsenal, if not, I’m going to stay here and play for Rome."

Cape Town City chairman John Comitis "has no doubt" midfielder Thabo Nodada will end up playing in Europe but says they are yet to receive offers for the midfielder.

Nodada recently pointed toward Belgium as his most preferred destination amid reports linking him with Kaizer Chiefs.

Transfer talk around the player comes on the backdrop of a good run so far this season in which he has managed five Premier Soccer League (PSL) goals coming from midfield in 20 appearances.

Nodada's form has seen City high on alert to be approached "within a very short period of time."

“Thabo has been fully fit all season. He is extremely talented and we have no doubt that within a very short period of time, we will be getting a lot of requests and inquiries about him,” Comitis told IOL.

“If the timing is right and that works between him and us, he will move. I have no doubt he is going to end up there [in Europe]. That’s what he wants. There’s no doubt that we will continue to give players an opportunity to develop their talent overseas.

“We have a very good technical team. We select our players exclusively with certain characteristics on and off the field.”

In recent seasons, City have exported a number of players to Europe including Zimbabwe international forward Matthew Rusike who moved to Norway, while Gift Links is now playing in Denmark and Ayanda Patosi is on loan at Iranian side Foolad.

Kaizer Chiefs attacker Lebogang Manyama left City to play in the Turkish Super Lig before returning home.

The Citizens have equally imported some European players like Austrian midfielder Roland Putsche, Dutch goalkeeper Leeuwenburgh, Greek defender Ioannis Potouridis and former Fulham midfielder Christofer David.

With the South African government relaxing the coronavirus lockdown regulations to allow sports teams to resume training, Comitis says they are waiting for the PSL's word before they start training as a group.

"We are not back at training. Players are doing exercises. There are programmes for them to follow. We are waiting for the Premier Soccer League to give us the green light to go back," said Comitis.

City have been fighting against relegation for the better part of this season and are currently on 10th spot with seven points above basement side Black Leopards.

Ghana international Joseph Attamah Larweh will be happy to see compatriot Thomas Teye Partey make a transfer move to Arsenal in the summer.

Currently on the books of Atletico Madrid, Partey has become the subject of transfer speculation following a run of fine performances for the side in the Spanish capital.

Aside from Arsenal, there is also Manchester United, Chelsea, Juventus, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and PSG linked with the Ghanaian.

“I will be happy if he goes to Arsenal," Attamah, who plays for Turkish side Fatih Karagumruk on loan from Istanbul Basaksehir, told Citi Sports.

“He has done it all at Atletico and is well known as one of their best players.

“He has to move forward to a different league to prove his worth there as well.

“He needs to let people know that he is capable of succeeding in other places and not just Spain."

Since completing a loan move to Almeria in 2014-15, Partey has made a combined 118 La Liga appearances involving 80 starts. He has registered a total of 11 goals and seven assists.

He helped Los Rojiblancos win the Europa League and the Uefa Super Cup in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

Attamah's comments come on the back of similar remarks by compatriot and international teammate Kasim Nuhu Adams.

“Atletico Madrid is a very good club so he is playing one of the biggest clubs in the world and Arsenal is also one of the biggest,” Adams told TV3 in a recent live Instagram chat.

“For me, it is his decision because playing at Atletico Madrid is the same as playing in Arsenal.

"The two teams always make the same category in the league, fighting for the third and fourth place to play in the Champions League.

"But as we all know the Premiership is the best league in the world so if he joins Arsenal, I will be happy for him.”

Partey, who joined Atletico as a youth team player, spent the 2013-14 season on loan at then second division outfit Real Mallorca.

The 26-year-old, together with Attamah and Adams, represented Ghana at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Egypt.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has celebrated with former internationals Dickson Etuhu, Efan Ekoku and Carl Ikeme on their birthdays.

Kano-born Etuhu clocks 38 years while former Super Eagles goalkeeper Ikeme and Ekoku are celebrating their 34th and 53rd birthdays respectively.

Etuhu played 12 Premier League games for Manchester City before his departure from the Etihad Stadium outfit in 2002, having joined the side in 2000.

He then moved to Preston North End and spent four years with the club where he featured in 134 league games before joining Norwich City in 2006.

The midfielder played for Sunderland before he signed for Fulham, where he enjoyed great success, inspiring the side to finish as runner-up in the Europa League during the 2009-2010 season.

Before his retirement from professional football, he featured for Blackburn Rovers, AIK and IFK Rossjoholm. 

On the international scene, the midfielder had 33 caps for the Super Eagles and was part of Lars Lagerback's squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The NFF has taken to social media to send a congratulatory message to the defensive midfielder as he reaches a new age. 

Ekoku, meanwhile, was born in Manchester and starred for Sutton United, Bournemouth, Norwich City, Wimbledon and Sheffield Wednesday, among others before he quit professional football in 2004.

The former striker was inducted into the Norwich Hall of Fame in 2012 and was part of the Super Eagles team that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations.

Ikeme, on the other hand, spent his entire career with Wolverhampton Wanderers, featuring for the side between 2003-2018 and played 191 league games for Wolves.

The goalkeeper had a short spell with the Super Eagles after making his international debut on September 2015 against Tanzania in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification game.

He made three appearances during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers before he abruptly retired from professional football after he suffered an acute leukaemia but has since recovered from illness.

Chelsea youngster Tino Anjorin has signed a five-year contract extension, the Premier League club have confirmed.

The 18-year-old midfielder has been with the west London outfit since the age of six and has made two appearances for Frank Lampard's side this season.

The England Under-19 international made his senior debut in the Carabao Cup third round against Grimsby, coming on midway through the second half as the Blues trounced the League Two side 7-1.

Anjorin then came on to replace Willian in the second half of Chelsea's 4-0 win over Everton in the Premier League in March.

Anjorin had reached the agreement to commit to another five years with the Stamford Bridge side in April, and the club have now confirmed he will stay put.  

"It’s a brilliant feeling. I’ve been at the club since I was six years old so to get to this stage and then be offered another five-year contract on top of that is amazing," Anjorin told the club's official website.

"I had no hesitation but to take it straight away because to play for the club I always dreamed of playing for is really special for me."

As one of eight academy players to be given a chance in the first team under Lampard, Anjorin feels at home among the Chelsea stars.

"It’s been a really crucial season for young players here. Frank, Jody Morris and Joe Edwards have taken us on board and really committed themselves to bringing young players through," he added.

"Hopefully I can try to carry on being a part of that as long as I keep working hard and impressing the coaches."

He is hungry for more top-flight action after feeling the support of the Chelsea fans.

"You feel like everyone is behind you. When I was about to come on, I remember just hearing this massive roar which was completely unexpected.

"I thought it would be quiet because nobody knew who I was but I think they knew I was from the Academy so the support was brilliant. It put a smile on my face for the rest of the day!

"Against Everton, I’ll never forget the fans singing my name because it just felt so amazing.

"I was on the pitch playing and then I just heard them chanting ‘Tino, Tino, Tino’. It was unbelievable to hear that."

KCCA defender John Revita has finally undergone successful surgery on his knee after about five months since getting injured.

The Uganda Cranes international picked up the injury against URA FC in January as the holders went down 1-2 in the Ugandan Premier League match, and as a result, was ruled out for the rest of the season after the club’s doctors recommended he undergoes an operation to repair the damage.  

The 27-year-old has received medical attention and the healing process has begun.

"Just in, John Revita has undergone successful knee surgery and he is doing fine. Quick recovery, John," the club communicated on Monday through their official social media outlets.

The defender was part of the Johnathan McKinstry team that qualified for the Africa Nations Championship (Chan) competition which was to be played in Cameroon on April 4-25. 

Revita’s injury led to his exclusion from the Uganda team that was preparing for Chan before the training was called off after the competition was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the player might have a chance to help the East African nation in the competition if he manages to recover on time. The new date of Africa's second-tier competition has not been confirmed yet.

The Cranes defender joined the Taxmen from rivals Express FC at the start of the current season, replacing captain Timothy Awany, who left the club to join Israel Premier League side Ashdod FC.

Peter Magambo, Hassan Musana, Filbert Obenchan, Musa Ramathan, and Samuel Kato are some of the defenders who could have filled in for the centre back in competitive matches.

However, the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) opted to cancel the league owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

Vipers SC, who were leading the table with 54 points, were crowned with KCCA, who were hot on the heels of the Venoms finishing second. SC Villa finished third on 46 points.

The league was annulled with five rounds remaining.

The former champions had not played in the second round against Villa (away), Busoga United (home), Wakiso Giants (away), Onduparaka (away) and BUL (home).  

Lyon returned to training on Monday, with the Champions League hopefuls having been at ease since the middle of March due to the coronavirus crisis.

Although the Ligue 1 season was confirmed to be over at the end of April, leaving OL controversially seventh in the standings and, therefore, without a European spot for next season, they are working with the second leg of their European tie against Juventus in mind.

With regards that fixture, the Rhone side have been boosted by the return of Memphis Depay and Jeff Reine-Adelaide, both of whom trained having missed out since December because of long-term knee injuries sustained in a clash against Rennes.

The attacking midfielders had been two of Lyon’s outstanding players this season, with the Netherlands international, whose contract is up in the summer of 2021, particularly eye-catching as he scored nine times in 13 Ligue 1 matches, plus five in five in the Champions League.

Lyon hold a 1-0 advantage before the second leg in Turin, having dominated the opening fixture against Maurizio Sarri’s side and taken the initiative thanks to a goal from Lucas Tousart, who is due to join Hertha Berlin this summer.

Rudy Garcia’s side are the first French side back working since the virus ended the Ligue 1 campaign, with Lyon returning to the training pitch a full week before any of their top-flight rivals.

Although PSG will also play in the Champions League, albeit at a later date as they have already booked their passage through to the quarter-finals thanks to a 3-2 aggregate success over Borussia Dortmund, their return is slated for June 22 – the date Bordeaux, Montpellier, Rennes and Monaco will all go back.

For many Ligue 1 sides, the pre-season will be a particularly long one, with France’s top flight not scheduled for any action until the weekend of August 23, when the 2020-21 campaign will begin.

Meanwhile, the French transfer window opened on Monday, with deals permitted between domestic clubs in a bid to ease the financial anxieties of any sides straining under the pressure imposed by a lack of action in the last three months.