Netherlands star Vivianne Miedema has tested positive for COVID-19, ruling her out of the Oranje's Group C fixture with Portugal on Wednesday.

Miedema scored 14 goals in 22 Women's Super League appearances for runners-up Arsenal last season, a tally only bettered by Chelsea's Sam Kerr (20).

The 25-year-old, widely regarded as one of the best players in the women's game, has also netted an incredible 94 goals in 112 international appearances, making her the Netherlands' all-time leading scorer.

Miedema started her country's Euro 2022 opener on Saturday, a 1-1 draw with Sweden, but coronavirus will prevent her facing Portugal.

An update from the Oranje's Twitter account read: "Vivianne Miedema has unfortunately tested positive for COVID-19 and will therefore be in isolation for the next few days. 

"When she no longer has any symptoms and tests negative, she can re-join the selection."

Miedema has scored 11 goals for the Netherlands since head coach Mark Parsons took charge last year – no Dutch player has more – and netted four times as the side won the last edition of the Women's Euros in 2017, including a brace in a 4-2 final win over Denmark.

It remains unclear whether the Arsenal forward will be back in action by the time the Netherlands finish their Group C campaign against Switzerland at Bramall Lane on Sunday.

President of the Jamaica Olympic Association, Christopher Samuda, issued a statement congratulating the Reggae Girlz on their qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup on Tuesday.

The Girlz defeated Haiti 4-0 in Mexico on Monday to secure their second consecutive World Cup berth.

“With victory over Haiti, the journey now begins for our Reggae Girlz and as we did on the previous occasion the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) will be on the voyage, down under, with the team of our member association the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF),” Samuda said in the statement.

“History has repeated itself and the JOA commends the Girlz for writing, yet again, another admirable chapter in what we know will be a bestseller in football. Well done Girlz. The fraternity of sport applauds you and the Olympic Movement thanks you for giving our youth, particularly our young girls, invaluable lessons in courage, determination and inspiration,” he added.

Massimiliano Allegri insists Juventus "will be ready" if defender Matthijs de Ligt leaves for Bayern Munich, as he revealed talks were ongoing regarding a transfer for the Netherlands international.

De Ligt has been strongly linked with the Bundesliga champions throughout the transfer window, with Juventus chief executive Maurizio Arrivabene revealing last month that the former Ajax man wants to leave the Bianconeri.

The 22-year-old has made 87 Serie A appearances since joining Juventus for a reported €85million in 2019 but has struggled for consistency in Italy.

Having won eight consecutive league titles prior to De Ligt's arrival, Juventus have only lifted one Scudetto in three seasons with the Dutchman.

Meanwhile, Juventus never conceded more than 30 league goals during any of those eight successive title triumphs but have let in a minimum of 37 in each campaign since De Ligt joined.

Speaking on Juventus' pre-season tour of the United States on Tuesday, Allegri conceded a move to Germany was a possibility for De Ligt, but he is optimistic positive about the club's plan to replace him.

"Yesterday there was a meeting with Bayern Munich, but at the moment he is a Juventus player," Allegri said of De Ligt.

"In football, anything can happen, but if he leaves the club will be ready."

De Ligt contributed to Juventus keeping 11 clean sheets in his 31 league appearances last season, featuring in more shutouts than any other Bianconeri defender.

Meanwhile, Juventus have moved to recruit Paul Pogba and Angel Di Maria on free transfers in an attempt to add more creativity to a side that scored just 57 Serie A goals last season – that was the fewest they have netted in a single campaign since finishing seventh in 2010-11.

And Allegri is expecting big things from his new stars as he highlighted the importance of making a fast start to the upcoming Serie A season.

"Pogba and Di Maria are important players who raise the technical level of the team and take away responsibilities from some players," he added. "I am very happy that they have arrived. 

"Pogba has arrived in the right way, with determination and with desire. In recent years he has not played at his level, now he is back home and can give us a hand. Paul has a level of physique and quality that can help us.

"Last year we didn't even win a trophy. With the additions, for now, of Di Maria, Pogba, [Federico] Gatti, and the returns of [Federico] Chiesa and [Weston] McKennie, [we] make the team more competitive. 

"Winning is never easy and we must do everything to win the championship. The first three months will be important."

Chiesa suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury in January, six months on from starring in Italy's Euro 2020 triumph, and Allegri says Juve fans will have to remain patient as the winger recovers.

"Chiesa should return in mid-September," he said. "Then, with these injuries I am very cautious. He will return to 100 per cent from January onwards."

The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) issued a statement on Tuesday congratulating the Reggae Girlz on their qualification to a second consecutive World Cup.

The Girlz secured their spot in Australia and New Zealand next year with a 4-0 win over Haiti in Mexico on Monday.

“The Jamaica Football Federation wholeheartedly congratulates the Senior Women’s National Team, the Reggae Girlz, for their qualification to successive FIFA Women’s World Cups,” the Federation said to start the statement.

The statement continues: “Their creation of history, once again, has been due their unquestionable strength of purpose, character, determination, unity and patriotism. We commend and lift them up to Jamaica as living example of what is possible even when tremendous challenges abound. The JFF thanks and congratulates the entire technical staff, led by Head Coach Lorne Donaldson who had the team together less than three weeks before the start of the tournament. Finally, none of this would have been possible without our partners, the Bob Marley Foundation, the Reggae Girlz Foundation, the Ministry of Sports and all the well-wishers and supporters. We wish the team further success in their remaining games beginning with the semi-final fixture against Canada on Thursday, 14th.”

Reggae Girlz striker and captain Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw says leading her country to a second straight World Cup “means a lot.”

The Manchester City striker was in fine form in Monday’s game, scoring a brace to help her side to a dominant 4-0 victory over the Haitians to secure a second consecutive World Cup berth.

“It means a lot, especially because throughout the beginning of the campaign we came under a lot of pressure. We just stood together and held our composure,” said Shaw.

“We knew that once we did that, at the end of the day we were going to be victorious and, I think, it just goes to show that we’re a small island, but we can do big things,” Shaw added.

Despite already booking their spot in Australia and New Zealand next year, their CONCACAF Women’s Championship campaign is not over with a semi-final against Canada on Thursday at 9:00pm Jamaica time (10:00pm EST). Defending world champions the USA will tackle Costa Rica in the other semi-final. 

Shaw outlined how the team can overcome the challenge of the unbeaten Canadians.

“We need to remain confident and stay positive. We also have to continue to support each other and communicate. If we continue to stick together and stay confident, I’m sure we can do big things,” Shaw said.

Barcelona have sold striker Rey Manaj to Championship side Watford, with the Catalan giants retaining the right of first refusal on any future move for the Albania striker.

Manaj, who has 30 senior international caps, will join Rob Edwards' side on a three-year deal as they bid for an immediate Premier League return after suffering relegation last season.

The 25-year-old impressed when linking up with Barca's first team for pre-season last year and has Serie A experience with the likes of Inter, Pescara and Spezia.

While Watford did not disclose the fee paid for Manaj, an official statement from Barcelona revealed the club retained first refusal on the striker and will also pocket 50 per cent of any future transfer fee.

Manaj joins the likes of Clement Lenglet and Philippe Coutinho in securing moves away from Camp Nou during the transfer window, while Adama Traore and Luuk de Jong left after their loans ended.

Dani Alves and Ousmane Dembele are both unattached after their contracts expired, though the latter is expected to sign a new deal.

Robert Lewandowski was back on Bayern Munich duty as the Barcelona target showed up for pre-season fitness tests on Tuesday.

The Polish striker would hope to make his Bayern exit as painless as possible, after making it clear to the club he is determined to move on before the new campaign starts.

That meant he obliged a commitment to undergo physical checks at the Barmherzige Bruder hospital in Munich, arriving just after 09:00 local time, according to reports.

Newspaper Bild said Lewandowski arrived back in Germany from his holidays on Monday evening, before showing up to the hospital in a green Bentley.

He is said to have spent around an hour there, before departing. It remained to be seen whether, or when, Lewandowski would follow the hospital visit with a trip to Bayern's Sabener Strasse training ground.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta last week said his club had made an offer for Lewandowski and were awaiting a response.

German media reports said a further bid was expected this week, with Germany's Sky Sport saying a final offer of €50million, plus add-ons, was set to be submitted.

Lewandowski, who turns 34 in August, scored 50 goals in all competitions last season to lead all players across Europe's top five leagues.

Bundesliga champions Bayern have signed Sadio Mane from Liverpool since the end of last season, but they have also indicated they hope to keep Lewandowski.

If Lewandowski remains a Bayern player come the weekend, it could mean he faces an awkward appearance in front of the club's supporters.

Bayern will stage their team presentation event at the Allianz Arena on Saturday, which includes a welcome for new signings and an open training session for Julian Nagelsmann's squad.

That is followed by a pre-season trip to the United States for Bayern, who are due to play against DC United and Manchester City on that trip.

Lewandowski has entered the final year of his Bayern contract and would be able to leave on a free transfer at the end of that deal.

Jamaica punched their ticket to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand in commanding fashion with a 4-0 win over Haiti in their final match of Group A of the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship on Monday night at the Estadio BBVA in Monterrey.

The result means Jamaica have qualified for a second straight Women’s World Cup, making it the second time in history that a Caribbean team have qualified for a Women’s World Cup.

Haiti have finished in third place and will advance to next February’s 10-team 2023 Women’s World Cup Playoff in New Zealand.

The blistering pace at the start made for a back-and-forth affair and Haiti’s Melchie Dumornay almost scored the opener with a dazzling solo run from her own half that ended with her shot ringing off the post.

An opening goal was bound to come and Jamaica were the ones to break the deadlock as some nice work from Khadija Shaw set up Trudi Carter, whose right-footed shot beat Haiti GK Nahomie Ambroise to make it 1-0 to the Reggae Girlz in the 26^th minute.

Haiti went right to work to try to find an equalizer and Roselord Borgella had it all there to get it in the 52' off a Jamaica turnover, but instead swung her shot wide of the post.

Haiti continued to push forward in search of a goal, but it left space behind for the Jamaican attack and Shaw was happy to take advantage of it by firing in a right-footed shot to double the Jamaica lead to 2-0 in the 58'.

Nevertheless, Haiti kept pushing and almost pulled a goal back in the 63’ through a blazing effort from Dumornay in the 63’, only to see Jamaica GK Rebecca Spencer parry the ball onto the post and eventually out of play.

However, the night belonged to Shaw and Jamaica and after a Haiti handball in the area, the Manchester City striker stepped up and fired in her third goal of the CWC from the penalty spot for a 3-0 lead in the 70'.

They then capped off their magical night in the 79' with a well-placed header from Drew Spence off a free-kick to complete the winning 4-0 scoreline, earning their first-ever CWC win against Haiti in three attempts.

Nani is relishing the prospect of a Manchester United reunion after joining A-League side Melbourne Victory.

The 35-year-old former Portugal star has moved to Australia on a two-year contract, with his Victory deal announced on Tuesday.

Nani left United eight years ago and has since had spells at Sporting CP, Fenerbahce, Valencia, Lazio, Orlando City and Venezia.

He could line up against United on Friday, however, with his new team facing the Premier League giants in a friendly at the MCG.

Nani, who won the 2007-08 Champions League and four Premier League titles with United, was asked about his prospects of playing in that game.

"I would like to, I don't know. I just arrived in the country, and it's a long flight, so there are lots of things to do," Nani said.

"The body must be ready to compete. I think the fans and everyone expecting me to be able to perform with all my qualities, so playing that game could be not a good idea, but as a player I always want to play, so give me five minutes and I will be ready."

Nani won 112 caps for Portugal, scoring 24 goals for his country.

As his international career was winding down, so Bruno Fernandes was emerging as a candidate to come into the Portugal side and stamp his own mark.

The pair were team-mates at Sporting for a short time and could now go head-to-head, with Nani saying he had yet to speak to Fernandes about his Melbourne move.

"Not yet, we had to be a little bit quiet about this transfer," Nani said. "I know there will be time for us to meet here and talk about everything."

Nani was impressed with Melbourne boss Tony Popovic's plans, persuading him to try his luck in Australia for the first time.

He said: "I had some clubs interested in me, but Melbourne Victory is a club that has been trying to contact me for a long time. I had the opportunity to talk with the coach and had great feelings, and that was one of the good reasons to make me come here."

Gareth Bale's new Los Angeles FC team-mate Jose Cifuentes has explained why he decided to hand over his squad number to Major League Soccer's latest star import.

Bale signed for LAFC in June after leaving Real Madrid on the expiration of his contract.

The Welsh winger, who turns 33 this week, has signed a one-year deal with the MLS team, though that deal can be extended through to 2024.

With a World Cup campaign with Wales on the horizon in Qatar, Bale has the chance to stay at the top of his game in California, and he will be able to do so while wearing his preferred shirt number – 11.

Bale has worn the number 11 for his country for over a decade, while he also wore it in his last season at Tottenham in 2013-14, and his first seven campaigns with Madrid.

With the number occupied by Erik Lamela when Bale returned to Spurs on loan in 2020, the forward took number nine, while he was given the number 18 last season for Los Blancos.

However, even though Cifuentes was already wearing 11 for LAFC, he was happy to hand it over to Bale.

Writing on his official Instagram account, Cifuentes said: "[Number] 11 has accompanied my career at LAFC from the beginning and although it is special and has an important meaning, I have decided to give it to Gareth, who has used that number much longer than me.

"My interest is to contribute so that my team-mates, the club and the fans feel supported by me and with this gesture I want to demonstrate that.

"Let's stay together because we need each other to achieve the goals."

Cifuentes scored twice in LAFC's last game, a 3-2 derby win over LA Galaxy, with only Carlos Vela and Cristian Arango having managed more MLS goals than the midfielder among his team-mates so far in 2022.

Bale's MLS debut is likely to come against Nashville later this week.

Driven by an over-arching ambition to build the best high school football programme in Jamaica, Hydel High School has begun the process by hiring Devon Anderson. 

Anderson, who coached Holy Trinity High to the 2014 Flow Cup Finals and the 2014 and 2016 Manning Cup semi-finals, confirmed his position as the new head coach of Hydel High School on Monday.

 “I am elated to be part of this Hydel Group. I am optimistic and raring to go as far as the coming season is confirmed,” he told Sportsmax. TV.

“The management team is putting together the players. They call me the builder and once they give me the raw material I will start building the programme.”

 Among the players who have developed under Anderson’s guidance are Phillon Lawrence and Nicholas Hamilton, who play for newly crowned Jamaica Premier League champions Harbour View FC, Tevin Rochester, who suits up for the University of Nebraska, Omaha, Waterhouse FC forward Andre Leslie and Portmore United’s Shai Smith.

 In further confirming Anderson’s appointment Hydel High board member Trevin Nairne revealed that the school has big plans for the future and it all starts with the man, who coached at Trinity High for more than two decades.

 “The management board of the Hydel Group of Schools is determined to continue our development of the island's premier student-athletes via the establishment of one of Jamaica's leading football programmes,” Nairne said. 

 “It is our intention to build a comprehensive system from the U14 through the U17 culminating at the U19 - Manning Cup level. We intend to build a programme that serves our students by helping them matriculate into tertiary institutions locally and overseas and where possible into the professional ranks.”

Nairne, who was once the General Manager at Jamaica Premier League outfit Portmore United, explained why Anderson is the best man for the job.

“The committee considers Devon Anderson as one of the brightest football minds around and one who has a true passion for developing and moulding youngsters into the better versions of themselves,” he said.

 “His work ethic is second to none and the work he did with Holy Trinity often goes unheralded. We believe with the correct structure and support Devon will have the opportunity to develop a strong football culture that wins.”

There haven’t been many wins for Hydel in Jamaican schoolboy football but over the past decade, they have shown glimpses of what is possible under a structured programme.

 Hydel lost to the many-time champions St George’s College in 2012. Six years later, they won the 2018 Walker Cup title, the pinnacle of the school’s football achievements.

 However, as the saying goes ‘Rome was not built in a day', so Nairne expects the building process guided by a fundamental philosophy that is paramount to any goal is the holistic development of the players.

 “We have a philosophy of the Head, Heart and Hands. To provide an integrated education of the head, heart and hands as the means by which to graduate responsible student-athletes with the knowledge, experience, character and passion to improve the communities in which they live, work and serve,” he explained.

 “We respect what other institutions have done but we are not aiming to replicate what others have done. We have a unique philosophy which will take some time to harness but you will see glimpses of it taking shape from day one.

 “We don't know how some institutions judge success but we aim to develop a system that wins while creating strong student-athletes who go to college or go pro.

Those who pass through the Hydel programme will be productive members of our society.”

The Hydel vision also means that while not ruling out recruiting players, the school will use the available talent from their existing student population, preparing them to transition through high school and into the collegiate system in Jamaica and overseas.

“I wouldn't necessarily point to any one feeder institution per se. Hydel Prep is the easiest to consider the feeder for obvious reasons,” Nairne reasoned. 

 “Hydel already has numerous connections to tertiary institutions in North America and we will look to strengthen these connections as well as add a few others over time.”

 As for the coming season, Nairne believes that under the guidance of Anderson, Hydel will be competitive with the aim of improving each year going forward.

 “We hope to have a disciplined and competitive team this first season with realistic ambitions. Remember that greatness can't be rushed. We will be patient with the system and the persons within,” he said.

 “Our plan is to further develop the culture of this excellent institution.”

Gareth Bale insisted Major League Soccer is "not a retirement league", and he hopes his move to Los Angeles FC will allow him to stay in contention for Wales at least until Euro 2024.

While his initial deal with LAFC is only a one-year agreement, it could be extended through to 2024, when Wales will be hoping to compete in the European Championship.

Bale left Real Madrid at the end of June after his contract was allowed to expire, with the forward – who was once the most expensive player of all time – enduring a difficult final few years at the Santiago Bernabeu.

His attitude and commitment to Madrid were often called into question by supporters, who routinely voiced their frustration towards him in recent years.

But Bale has continued to be worshipped by Wales supporters, and he more than played his part in helping them secure qualification to the World Cup for the first time since 1958 earlier this year.

Keeping himself fit ahead of Qatar 2022 is undoubtedly a key reason for the move to MLS, although Bale was eager to stress how he sees the potential for a long-term future in the United States.

While MLS has garnered a reputation for being a league where high-profile European players go to retire, Bale is adamant that is no longer the case.

"Like I said, this is a league that's really grown, that's come a long way in the last 10 years," he told reporters at his official presentation on Monday.

"Everyone's striving to improve the league, the players who come over see that as well. I don't think anyone sees it now as a retirement league, it's really a league that's physical, demanding; the weather changes are difficult, the travel is difficult.

"But it's exciting, and to play football in front of fans like these is what you play football for."

Bale's new club were only founded in 2014, debuting in MLS in 2018, but have since gone on to make a real impression on the sport in North America, even reaching the final of the 2020 CONCACAF Champions League.

Many were surprised by Bale's decision to head for the States given he reportedly had offers from English clubs and boyhood team Cardiff City, but he is convinced the European perception of MLS is outdated.

"I've watched MLS for a long time," he said. "Obviously the time difference makes it difficult, but whenever I could watch I'd try to catch it on the TV.

"The standard is really increasing, it's a lot better than people in Europe really think.

"The quality is improving, the league is improving, the stadiums are improving, the teams are improving.

"It's a league really on the rise. Yes, it's a new club, but it feels like it's been here forever. The job Larry [Freedman] and John [Thorrington, co-presidents] and rest of the team here have done to create such an amazing fanbase so quickly is remarkable.

"It's testament to how well the club is run, and I'm happy to be a part of it.

"To have my first training session today was amazing, the first step in hopefully a long journey."

Arturo Vidal has terminated his contract with Inter as he closes in on a move to Flamengo.

The 35-year-old joined Inter in 2020 and signed a deal until 2022 that included the option for an additional year.

According to reports last month, Inter could pay Vidal a €4million severance fee to cut ties after the first two years of the contract.

Vidal made just two Serie A starts in the 2021-22 campaign, and therefore the Nerazzurri were reportedly eager to move him on.

They confirmed on Monday that the two parties agreed to the mutual termination of Vidal's contract.

That news will not have come as much of a surprise to supporters given Vidal was spotted arriving in Rio de Janeiro last week accompanied by Flamengo personnel before posing for photographs with supporters.

Should Vidal join Flamengo, it will mark his return to South American football after 15 years away.

Chile international Vidal left Colo-Colo for Bayer Leverkusen in 2007 and spent four years in the Bundesliga before moving on to Juventus, where he remained until 2015.

He then returned to Germany with Bayern Munich, before spending two years at Barcelona.

Racing Louisville defender Satara Murray will be in the line-up for the Reggae Girlz in their crucial Concacaf Women’s Championship final round fixture against Haiti after being cleared to represent the Caribbean side on Monday by FIFA.

Haiti and Jamaica are currently second and third in Group A and Monday’s match, scheduled to begin at 9:00 pm Jamaica time (10:00 pm EST) at the Estadio BBVA Bancomer will determine who joins the USA as automatic qualifiers to next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The 29-year-old Murray, who can play as either a right-back or a centre-back, is expected to replace Denisha Blackwood in the Reggae Girlz line-up who is out due to suspension because of an accumulation of yellow cards.

“I’m relieved, happy and blessed to be involved with the game today and I’m thankful and excited to see what we can do. A weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” said Murray in a pre-match interview.

“I’m excited to be out there with the girls tonight and get the job done. That’s why I came here. I came to this camp to help us qualify for a World Cup and that’s what I want to do. I want to be a part of that,” said the former Liverpool defender.

“Leadership and my physical presence,” were her responses when asked what she hopes to bring to the team.

“I’m hoping those can help us win tonight because Haiti is a physical team and that’s one of my best attributes,” she added.

Aston Villa have agreed a deal with Sevilla to sign Ludwig Augustinsson on loan with an option to buy.

The move is subject to the 28-year-old left-back securing a work permit, but as a regular at international level with Sweden, that is not thought to be an issue.

Augustinsson joined Sevilla from Werder Bremen last August.

Although he was never considered a first-choice pick in Andalusia, Augustinsson did manage to make 27 appearances over the course of the season as a back-up to the injury-prone Marcos Acuna.

However, only nine of those outings were as a starter in LaLiga, and his future in Seville never looked entirely secure given Julen Lopetegui often opted to play central defender Karim Rekik ahead of Augustinsson at left-back.

Reports suggest the total value of the deal – including the purchase option – is £3.8million (€4.5m), and the expectation is Augustinsson will be the understudy to France international Lucas Digne.

Augustinsson is the second player to swap the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan for Villa Park this year after Diego Carlos.