Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits Mohamed Salah’s impeccable fitness record meant the hamstring problem he felt on international duty was a “shock”.

In six and a half seasons since arriving at Anfield the 31-year-old has missed just 10 Premier League matches – one of which was due to Covid-19 and another because of concussion.

So the sight of Salah being forced off just before half-time in Egypt’s 2-2 draw with Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations unsurprisingly set alarm bells ringing.

“In the moment it was a shock. He felt it and we all know how rarely Mo needs to go off so there was definitely something,” said Klopp.

“I don’t have any more information right now. I spoke with him last night. They are doing further assessments and then we will know more.”

After the game Egypt coach Rui Vitoria said he hoped Salah’s injury was not a big problem, adding: “I think it’s not dangerous, but let’s see if Salah recovers.”

Klopp said they would await further updates before deciding whether to send club medical staff to the Ivory Coast.

“It’s too early. We will see. It depends on what the diagnosis is,” he added.

“They (Egypt) will do an ultrasound and an MRI and then we will know what it is and what Egypt’s plans are.”

While Liverpool did not expect Salah to return until early next month, any injury would be a blow as they seek to maintain top spot in the Premier League.

They head to Bournemouth on Sunday looking to extend their advantage to five points but will do so without a number of players.

Wataru Endo is at the Asian Cup with Japan while full-backs Andy Robertson (shoulder), Trent Alexander-Arnold (knee) and Kostas Tsimikas (collarbone), midfielders Dominik Szoboszlai (hamstring), Thiago Alcantara (hip), Stefan Bajcetic (adductor) and Ben Doak (knee) and defender Joel Matip (ACL) are all at various stages in their recovery.

Robertson, Alexander-Arnold and Szoboszlai are closest to a return but the earliest will be Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at Fulham.

“They’re all positive but not ready. They’re all getting closer and closer and closer and some of them might be in team training next week but for the Bournemouth game I don’t expect anyone back,” said Klopp.

“After Bournemouth maybe for Fulham we will see how the boys do, but they are all close. Trent close, Dom close, Robbo close.”

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes believes Greg Stewart’s eagerness to return to Rugby Park will ensure he can hit the ground running.

Killie won the race to sign the 33-year-old forward and he could feature against former club Dundee in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup fourth round in Ayrshire on Saturday if paperwork is completed in time.

Stewart scored eight goals in 16 appearances for Killie in the first half of the 2018-19 season before joining McInnes at Aberdeen in another loan move from Birmingham.

He is now back at Kilmarnock on a deal until the end of the season after spending two-and-a-half years in the Indian Super League, most recently with Mumbai City.

McInnes told his club’s website: “We are delighted to get Greg in, his eagerness to come and be a part of what we’re trying to do here is a big factor.

“He now joins the squad and will try and help us reach our objectives for the rest of the campaign.

“The fact he’s been at the club before means there’s a familiarity about it, he will fit right in.

“We are looking forward to try and get that impact we know he can bring for the rest of the season.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has defended Jordan Henderson’s right to make his own career choices even if they are not always “perfect”.

Klopp’s former Champions League and Premier League-winning captain has left Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq just six months after departing Anfield to return to Europe with Ajax.

Henderson’s lucrative move to a country where same-sex relationships are illegal was heavily criticised in the UK as he had previously been a high-profile supporter of LGBTQ+ rights.

And while Klopp avoided the controversy which surrounded that, he said the 33-year-old was entitled to go where he felt it benefited him the most.

“People are really critical of Hendo about the move, first there and now coming back,” said Klopp.

“I don’t know how we dare, always judging these kind things. We have one life and we have to make decisions and sometimes our decisions are perfect in the first case and sometimes it is different after you made them.

“He was there and it was 100 per cent an interesting experience and I spoke to him and 99 per cent of football things there were absolutely fine.

“There are many things to develop in the future but (he was) never really critical or saying: ‘It’s not possible that that’s not there’, but then he thought it is better for him and the family to come back to Europe and now he is at Ajax Amsterdam, a sensational club in a difficult moment.

“I’m happy for him as it looks like he is happy and that is the most important thing to me.

“He is going to Holland where he can enjoy his football definitely again. The family will feel wonderful because the city is absolutely outstanding.

“I will definitely talk to him in these few days but he has a few things to do which are more important.”

Thomas Frank confirmed Ivan Toney will captain Brentford against Nottingham Forest on Saturday in his first game back after his eight-month suspension.

The 27-year-old has not played competitively since being banned in May for breaching Football Association gambling rules.

He was permitted to return to training with his team-mates in September and has played in a number of behind-closed-doors friendlies in the run-up to becoming available again.

With the team dealing with a number of absences both through injury and international call-ups, Frank said Toney will wear the armband against Forest, with regular skipper Christian Norgaard amongst those missing.

The manager said he is confident that Toney is ready to play 90 minutes despite having been out for 259 days.

“He’s buzzing,” said Frank. “He’s like an eight-year-old boy that just wants to go out and play maybe his first football game. That pure joy of playing football.

“I’m looking into the eyes of a player that is very committed, very excited and can’t wait.

“I can break it now: he will start tomorrow and he will also lead the team out of the tunnel. He will be the captain because Christian is injured.

“I think he is ready (for 90 minutes). There will be extra adrenaline in him, extra excitement. He will run around like he’s never run around before.

“He is very fit, he’s played in-house games and played 90 minutes.”

Toney was the team’s top scorer last season with 20 Premier League goals, making his England debut in March during a European Championship qualifying win against Ukraine at Wembley.

He was first charged with 262 breaches of FA betting regulations in November 2022 and revived his suspension in May after admitting to 232 of the offences.

He has since been diagnosed with a gambling addiction, as was revealed in the FA’s written explanation for the length and severity of the punishment.

Brentford said at the time they would offer the player whatever support was necessary during the course of his suspension.

“He’s a special character,” said Frank, whose team are on a run of five consecutive league defeats. “He’s a fantastic person to be around. The energy he brings, the smile and positivity, is a massive thing. On the pitch he drags people, he wants to win. It’s a massive boost. It’s like a new signing.

“There’s an argument that he is maybe the second-best striker in the Premier League right now, in my opinion. He needs to prove it again, it’s the same with any player.”

Reports have linked Toney with a move away from the Gtech Stadium during the January transfer window, with Arsenal and Chelsea touted as possible destinations.

However, Frank said that the club have received no formal offers and that he expects the striker to stay for the remainder of the season at least.

“It’s 99 point something that he will stay here,” he said. “But football is crazy, you never know what is going to happen tomorrow. He’s very committed to being here. I spoke with him yesterday about it, it’s the only thing on his mind.

“We just have that point zero something number craziness in football that you can’t rule out.

“We are committed to each other. The club is committed to Ivan and the other way around.”

Ivan Toney will captain Brentford against Nottingham Forest on Saturday when he makes his comeback after an eight-month ban from the Football Association for breaching gambling regulations.

Brentford boss Thomas Frank began his press conference ahead of the clash with Forest by confirming that 27-year-old Toney will not only start the match but lead the side out in the absence of the injured Christian Norgaard.

Asked how Toney had been in training this week, Frank replied: “He (Toney) is buzzing. He’s very committed and excited. He can’t wait.

“He will start tomorrow and he will lead the team out as Christian is injured.”

Jordan Henderson admitted the past six months have been difficult for him as he joined Ajax after Saudi club Al-Ettifaq agreed to terminate his contract.

Henderson moved to Al-Ettifaq from Liverpool on a three-year contract last summer, and his decision to go to Saudi Arabia, where same-sex relationships are illegal, caused controversy in the UK as he had previously been a high-profile supporter of LGBTQ+ rights.

He subsequently apologised for any hurt caused, but was booed off the pitch at Wembley during an England friendly against Australia in October.

Al-Ettifaq, who are managed by Steven Gerrard, confirmed they had reached an amicable settlement with the 33-year-old to leave the club, and Ajax announced on Thursday the England midfielder had signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with the Amsterdam outfit.

He is set to be unveiled on Friday at 13:00 (GMT).

Henderson, who captained Liverpool to Champions League and Premier League success, hopes the move to Ajax proves beneficial for both himself and the club.

He told the official Ajax website: “It’s been a difficult year or so for the club, both on and off the field, but that’s the same for me in the past six months.

“So hopefully we can help each other come together and help each other go forward and try and be as successful as possible in the near future.

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, crazy few days, but I’m just so excited now to be here, to start a new chapter, a new journey in my life and my career and I’m just so excited to be here and part of this club.

“Once I knew that there was an opportunity, I was overexcited and really overwhelmed that this opportunity was there for me. It was something that I wanted to try and make happen.”

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Henderson added on Instagram: “I’m sad to say that I will be leaving Al-Ettifaq with immediate effect. It wasn’t an easy decision but one that I feel is best for me and my family.”

The move to Ajax was completed after Henderson, who has 81 England caps, finalised terms and underwent a medical on Thursday.

A statement from the Dutch club read: “Ajax has reached an agreement with Jordan Henderson on his transfer to Amsterdam.

“The free agent, former Sunderland and Liverpool player, signed a contract at Ajax lasting two-and-a-half years, until June 30, 2026.”

Henderson is unlikely to be able to make his Ajax debut against RKC Waalwijk as he is still awaiting international clearance.

Ajax are currently fifth in the Eredivisie, having recovered from a poor start to the new domestic campaign which saw previous head coach Maurice Steijn depart after just 11 games in charge.

The move could enhance Henderson’s hopes of securing a place in the England squad for Euro 2024 this summer.

Ajax coach John van’t Schip told the club’s website: “We wanted an experienced midfielder with leadership qualities.

“Partially due to injuries in the team, we were looking for someone who could step in immediately. Jordan Henderson is that type of player.

“His arrival means a huge enhancement for our squad. Both on and off the pitch, a football player of this calibre is important for our many young players.

“He’s an English international player and has won the Champions League and many other prizes with Liverpool. I am happy he’s here.”

What the papers say

French striker Karim Benzema could have his eyes on a move to England as early as this month, the Standard reports, with the 36-year-old said to be unhappy with how his time in the Saudi Pro League is going. However his high wages could prove to be a hurdle in the former Ballon d’Or winner’s move to either Arsenal or Chelsea.

West Ham are shaping up to be the frontrunners in the multi-national battle for Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips, according to the Standard. Juventus, Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have all reportedly expressed interest in the 28-year-old.

The Liverpool Echo says French team Lyon are looking to sign Villarreal’s 26-year-old winger Arnaut Danjuma, who is currently on a season-long loan at Everton.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Harry Maguire: Manchester United are reportedly considering a defensive overhaul in the summer with the club looking at options to sell the 30-year-old if a significant offer comes in for the defender, ESPN reports.

Pedro Porro: Manchester City are interested in bringing the 24-year-old Spanish Tottenham defender to the club, Football Insider says.

Atletico Madrid dumped Real Madrid out of the Copa del Rey on Thursday night, beating their city rivals 4-2 after extra-time at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Samuel Lino and Alvaro Morata twice had Los Colchoneros ahead, with Real  replying with a Jan Oblak own goal and Joselu header.

However, Antoine Griezmann and Rodrigo Riquelme netted for Atletico in the extra 30 minutes, taking Diego Simeone’s team into the quarter-finals as they seek to win the competition for the first time since 2013.

Jude Bellingham had a shot blocked for holders Real in the 11th minute, then team-mate Vinicius Junior was denied by Oblak nine minutes later.

Rodrigo De Paul saw his header saved at the other end two minutes later, before seeing a shot blocked soon after.

Former Real striker Morata had a 26th-minute shot saved by Andriy Lunin and then Vinicius shot over six minutes later.

The deadlock was broken six minutes before the interval when Lino slid in to convert from six yards after reacting smartly to Antonio Rudiger’s misplaced header.

However, the defending champions were level in the first minute of first-half added-time when Oblak turned the ball into his own goal as he attempted to deal with Luka Modric’s inswinging free-kick, under pressure from Vinicius.

Atleti regained their advantage in the 57th minute, Morata tapping in after Rudiger and Lunin had failed to deal with a ball which deflected goalwards off Eduardo Camavinga. The former Chelsea man was booked for celebrating the breakthrough with the Atletico fans behind the goal.

Rodrygo had a shot blocked 15 minutes from time as the 20-time winners sought an equaliser, which they got soon after Morata had been brilliantly denied by Lunin in the 81st minute.

Real broke away and Vinicius played in Bellingham, who crossed for Joselu to head in from six yards – less than two minutes after coming on as a replacement for Rodrygo. The goal was allowed to stand after a VAR check for offside.

The closing stages of the 90 minutes were more memorable for yellow cards than chances but Vinicius came close to an added-time winner with an audacious flick from Rudiger’s ball to the far post.

Griezmann gave Atletico the lead for the third time with his 175th goal for the club, 10 minutes into extra-time.

The 32-year-old France international, who last week became the club’s all-time record goalscorer with his goal in the Spanish Super Cup loss to the same opponents, beat Vinicius to the ball and held off the Brazilian before cutting inside and firing left-footed over Lunin.

Bellingham was denied by Oblak, then Dani Ceballos tapped in with nine minutes remaining after the keeper had spilled Bellingham’s shot. However, VAR ruled the effort out with the England man in an offside position.

Doubts about the outcome were ended in the final minute of extra-time when Memphis Depay set up fellow substitute Riquelme for Atletico’s fourth.

Egypt captain Mohamed Salah was forced off with an injury before his side twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Egypt and Liverpool fans face an anxious wait to discover the extent of the problem after the 31-year-old was forced off in the last minute of the first half of a thrilling Group B contest.

Salah slumped dejectedly to the ground with an apparent muscle injury and, after briefly being attended to by Egypt’s medical staff, handed over the armband to defender Ahmed Hegazi as he was replaced by Mostafa Fathi.

To add insult to injury, moments later West Ham forward Mohammed Kudus broke the deadlock in brilliant fashion as he held off the attentions of three defenders before drilling a left-footed shot into the bottom corner.

Salah, who scored a stoppage-time equaliser from the penalty spot as Egypt drew 2-2 with Mozambique in their first group game, had earlier been involved in a furious row with referee Pierre Atcho after Omar Marmoush went down in the area.

Salah appeared to be appealing for a penalty despite a free-kick being given against Marmoush and the former was perhaps fortunate not to be shown a yellow card for his vehement protests.

Despite the loss of Salah, Egypt started the second half well and had a goal disallowed for offside in the 51st minute before the impressive Marmoush was gifted the chance to equalise.

The 24-year-old pounced on a woeful backpass from Inaki Williams and calmly rounded goalkeeper Richard Ofori before sliding the ball into an empty net from a narrow angle.

Parity lasted just two minutes however, Kudus receiving a pass from Denis Odoi in the area and seeing his left-footed shot take a slight deflection off the unfortunate Mohamed Abdelmonem and beyond goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy.

The breathless action showed no signs of slowing and Egypt equalised for the second time just three minutes later, with Ghana again guilty of contributing to their own downfall.

Osman Bukari was dispossessed by Trezeguet on the right-hand side of his own area and the Trabzonspor midfielder drove to the byline before pulling the ball back for Mostafa Mohamed to stab home.

Cameroon striker Georges-Kevin Nkoudou believes his side have the “weapons” to get the better of defending champions Senegal in their Africa Cup of Nations clash.

Senegal got their title defence off to an ideal start with a 3-0 win over Gambia, while Cameroon had to come from behind to secure a 1-1 draw against 10-man Guinea in Group C.

However, Nkoudou remains in a confident mood ahead of Friday’s eagerly anticipated clash between the Indomitable Lions and the Teranga Lions at the Charles Konan Banny stadium in Yamoussoukro.

“It’s true that Senegal is the favourite, but as I always say we must never bury Cameroon, we remain a great team and a great nation,” Nkoudou said.

“They started this tournament with a very good victory against Gambia. For our part, we had a good match but unfortunately we only got one point.

“We have to put this behind us for now and focus on our match against Senegal which will be very difficult for both teams. I think we have all the weapons necessary to be able to put them in a more difficult position.”

Senegal can advance to the last 16 with a game to spare if they can make it two wins out of two, but head coach Aliou Cisse expects a reaction from Cameroon following their disappointing draw with Guinea.

“It was important to enter the competition with a victory, which encourages the players,” Cisse said.

“We are ready for the second match against a strong team, and we have prepared well for it. We know Cameroon well and it is a strong African team.

“Cameroon remains Cameroon. Our match against them is not revenge. Cameroon have already won many continental titles and we are going to face a team motivated to make up for the result they got in the first match.

“We have a competitive group and all players can participate, it doesn’t matter who starts the match, the most important thing is the performance provided.

“Our team does not suffer from a lack of efficiency and we scored three goals in the first match.”

Middlesbrough have rejected an offer from Aston Villa for Morgan Rogers, the PA news agency understands.

Villa have turned to Rogers to boost their attacking options but the bid has apparently been turned down.

Rogers, 21, only joined Boro six months ago but has impressed under boss Michael Carrick.

Unai Emery is looking to increase his forward options as Villa aim to maintain a surprise title challenge with the club third in the Premier League.

Jhon Duran could leave this month while Ollie Watkins is Emery’s only other frontline striker.

Rogers, who was born just outside Birmingham in Halesowen, started his career at West Brom – making one substitute appearance – and joined Manchester City in 2019.

He did not play a senior game for City and had loan spells at Lincoln, Bournemouth and Blackpool.

Boro signed him last summer and he has made 31 appearances this season, scoring six times, helping Carrick’s side into the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

Rogers faced Villa in the FA Cup third round earlier this month, with Villa winning 1-0 at the Riverside.

Boro are 10th in the Championship but only a point outside of the top six and host Rotherham on Saturday before travelling to Chelsea – with a 1-0 first-leg advantage – for the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi next week.

Barcelona came from behind to beat Unionistas da Salamanca 3-1 and reach the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.

The third-tier team threatened an upset when Alvaro Gomez’s first-half goal gave them the lead.

However, Ferran Torres levelled in the closing seconds of the first half, before Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde netted in the space of four second-half minutes to complete the turnaround.

Unionistas were quickly on the front foot at Campo de Futbol Reina Sofia and Mario Losada shot wide in the first minute.

Marc Guiu had a shot blocked for the visitors, 31-time winners of the competition, before bringing a good save out of home goalkeeper Ivan Martinez.

Torres responded with a shot for the visitors on the half hour which fell just wide but Barca were behind five minutes later when Gomez volleyed a cross past goalkeeper Inaki Pena at the back post.

In the first minute of added time at the end of the first half, the visitors levelled when Torres’ shot had too much power for Martinez to keep out.

Defender Pau Cubarsi, 16, replaced Andreas Christensen at half-time for Barca, who also brought on Ilkay Gundogan, Pedri and Robert Lewandowski just past the hour mark as they sought the go-ahead goal.

After Lewandowski had brought a save out of Martinez, they got it when Kounde found the net with a well-struck 25-yard effort.

And in the 73rd minute it was 3-1 in similarly impressive fashion when Spain international Alejandro Balde shot powerfully home from distance.

Frenkie de Jong, playing his 200th game for the club, was on the pitch at the final whistle as Barca saw out the closing stages comfortably to ensure their place in the last eight.

Alessio Zerbin scored a late brace from the bench to guarantee Napoli their place in Monday’s Supercoppa Italiana final with a 3-0 victory over Fiorentina in Riyadh.

Napoli, the 2014 winners back when this tournament had a two-team format, set up a clash with either Serie A leaders Inter Milan or Lazio after Giovanni Simeone struck first in a semi-final played in Saudi Arabia.

Jonathan Ikone missed a penalty which would have taken Fiorentina in at the break level and the Tuscan club were thoroughly thwarted in their efforts to outwit Napoli, who rubber-stamped the win in the last 10 minutes with Zerbin’s quickfire brace.

Napoli were first to threaten amid a frustrating opening period, with Matteo Politano letting rip from distance only to see Fiorentina goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano push the shot wide for a corner.

In the 22nd minute the Azzurri made the breakthrough as Simeone collected Juan Jesus’ sumptuous ball from deep and buried it with a diagonal drive.

Fiorentina needed to change tack quickly or suffer a further setback and they got some false hope when Lucas Beltran tucked home only for the goal to be ruled out as Giacomo Bonaventura was offside.

Their luck appeared to have turned just before half-time, however, as Ikone went down in the Napoli box thanks to Mario Rui and duly won a penalty.

It was not to be for the French forward as he beat Pierluigi Gollini but also the crossbar with his wayward attempt from the spot.

When play resumed Napoli looked to rub salt in the wound but Jens Cajuste could not keep his strike down after being set up by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on the edge of the box.

Arthur continued the trend of sending shots over the bar as Fiorentina began to probe more effectively come the hour mark.

Napoli seemed content to sit on their one-goal advantage and set up camp in their own half, leaving Fiorentina to chase the game. A revolving door of substitutions from the blue side took any momentum out of promising moves from La Viola, though.

Indeed one of those new Napoli faces made their introduction count in the 84th minute as Zerbin, freshly on the pitch for Pasquale Mazzocchi, took his time when the ball fell to him following a corner and calmly slotted in.

Two minutes later it was 3-0 and game over as Zerbin raced forward on a counter-attack to beat Terracciano with a low finish.

Jordan Henderson has joined Ajax after Saudi club Al-Ettifaq agreed to terminate his contract.

Ajax announced on Thursday the England midfielder had signed a two-and-a-half year deal with the Amsterdam outfit.

Henderson joined Al-Ettifaq from Liverpool on a three-year contract last summer but has opted to cut his stay in the Middle East short.

Al-Ettifaq, who are managed by Steven Gerrard, confirmed they had reached an amicable settlement with the 33-year-old.

A statement from the Dutch club read: “Ajax has reached an agreement with Jordan Henderson on his transfer to Amsterdam.

“The free agent, former Sunderland and Liverpool player, signed a contract at Ajax lasting two-and-a-half years, until June 30, 2026.”

The signing was completed after Henderson, who has 81 England caps, finalised terms and underwent a medical earlier on Thursday.

Ajax coach John van’t Schip told the club’s website: “We wanted an experienced midfielder with leadership qualities.

“Partially due to injuries in the team, we were looking for someone who could step in immediately. Jordan Henderson is that type of player.

“His arrival means a huge enhancement for our squad. Both on and off the pitch, a football player of this calibre is important for our many young players.

“He’s an English international player and has won the Champions League and many other prizes with Liverpool. I am happy he’s here.”

The move became possible after Al-Ettifaq agreed to Henderson’s request to leave.

A statement read: “Al-Ettifaq FC of the Roshin Saudi League and Jordan Henderson have today mutually agreed to terminate the player’s contract with the club with immediate effect.

“The decision follows an amicable conclusion to the relationship with the player.”

Club president Samer Al Misehal added: “The club and Jordan believe this quick decision, without any delay or further distraction, has been made for the overall good of the club and Jordan.”

Henderson said there were no hard feelings about the matter.

He said in a statement issued by Al-Ettifaq: “I’d like to thank the club, the fans and all involved for the opportunity and wish them the best for the remainder of the season.

“A lot of hard work is going on which I know will pay off in the future.”

Henderson’s move to Saudi Arabia, where same-sex relationships are illegal, caused controversy in the UK as he had previously been a high-profile supporter of LGBTQ+ rights.

He subsequently apologised for any hurt caused but was booed off the pitch at Wembley during an England friendly against Australia in October.

Henderson is unlikely to be able to make his Ajax debut against RKC Waalwijk as he is still awaiting international clearance.

Ajax are currently fifth in the Eredivisie, having recovered from a poor start to the new domestic campaign which saw previous head coach Maurice Steijn depart after just 11 games in charge.

The move could enhance Henderson’s hopes of securing a place in the England squad for Euro 2024 this summer.

It is a proud moment in time for one of the most accomplished Caribbean teams in Concacaf history, as five-time Concacaf Champions Cup finalists Robinhood of Suriname are back in the prestigious tournament for the first time since 1994.

Though it has been 30 years since Robinhood last graced the tournament, this will be the club's 18th appearance overall, with a new generation of players, led by midfielder Renske Adipi, aiming to carve out a legacy of their own on this occasion.

Adipi, steered Robinhood to the mountaintop in both the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Club Shield and Concacaf Caribbean Cup. He was named Best Player in the Caribbean Cup.

The 24-year-old scored a goal, contributed an assist, made eight steals, three clearances and completed more than 83 percent of his passes in the tournament.

Adipi and his Robinhood teammates recently returned to training following a well-deserved break and are busy preparing for the Champions Cup which gets under way with Round One action next month.

“This is a team with a lot of young players, but we trained hard, the coach worked very hard with us so we could reach a level at which we could compete in the Shield and the Caribbean Cup,” Adipi said in an interview with Concacaf.com.

“For Robinhood as a team, it means that we are back at the level we had in previous years in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. We are very proud to be back at the international Concacaf level and proud to be back in Champions Cup,” he added.

As Caribbean Cup champions, Robinhood will start the tournament in the Round of 16 where they will face the winner of the Round One contest between Costa Rica's Herediano and two-time Concacaf champions Toluca of Mexico.

While Robinhood's players are just now returning to the training field, the coaching staff has already been studying the club’s potential opponent.

“Our coaching staff is already busy analyzing Toluca and Herediano, so we will be prepared for whichever team we play,” Adipi shared.

On that note, Adipi reflected on last year's campaign which will forever live in the minds of Robinhood's players, coaches and supporters alike, even more so as their impressive double Caribbean triumph has etched the club's name in the annals of Suriname's sporting history.

Adipi recalled how the team registered big wins in the Shield, and later took that momentum all the way to the Caribbean Cup title.

“At the start of the Shield, we were a little nervous, but when the tournament started after the first game, we grew into ourselves and grew in the tournament, and we became champions. When we entered the Caribbean Cup, we were surer of ourselves. We played a good tournament and also became champions of that event. For the fans they enjoyed it very much and they have not stopped celebrating it. They were great fans in the games, even though it was late at night," he said with a smile.

Robinhood’s Caribbean conquest and Champions Cup qualification was timely, too. On the horizon is the beginning of a new professional league in Suriname, so no doubt Robinhood’s appearance in this year’s Champions Cup will bring plenty of eyes to the country's football and, by extension, its development.

“We know that not only are we playing for Robinhood, but we are also playing for the country of Suriname. It is a very important moment so that Robinhood can have prestige in this tournament, because we are going to start a professional league in Suriname. This is a welcomed moment that everyone can now see the level that Surinamese football has,” Adipi ended.