Young football talent Damek Rennie is about to embark on a journey that could change his life forever. The 17-year-old central midfield player is set to depart Jamaica later this month to join Panamanian first division team, Club Deportivo Universitario, on a one-year deal with an option for a second year.

Damek's story began on the fields of Camperdown High School, where he showcased his talents playing Colts football, and although he hadn't played in the prestigious Manning Cup, his dedication was unwavering.

Behind the scenes, Jevaughn Hutchinson, his manager, played a pivotal role in Damek's journey. It was Hutchinson who recognized the young player's potential and took him to Panama for those crucial encounters with Club Deportivo Universitario's youth teams. "He impressed them a lot," Hutchinson explained, reflecting on Damek's impact in those games.

The journey ahead was promising. The club saw the value in Damek's attributes - his height, his passing accuracy, his dribbling finesse, and his ability to maintain possession. The plan is to integrate him with the first team, allowing him to train alongside seasoned professionals until December. By then, Damek, who turns 18 later this month, would meet the qualifications to officially represent the club.

Damek is embracing this opportunity with open arms. "We have been working hard for the opportunity, and it finally came," he exclaimed with a sense of gratitude.

Damek's familiarity with Club Deportivo Universitario wasn't limited to just news clippings. Last summer, he had faced off against their U17 and U20 teams, leaving a lasting impression with his skills on the ball. This connection had sparked interest from the club, and now, Damek finds himself on the cusp of something incredible.

As he prepares to step onto the Panamanian soil, Damek is determined to make a lasting impression. "I want to go out there and play, help them win the championship, and elevate their standing," he expressed with a burning ambition.

Adapting to the new environment, connecting with teammates, communicating effectively, and blending seamlessly into the fabric of the club, are his primary objectives.

His mind, too, was a fortress of readiness. Damek revealed that his prior experiences in Panama have prepared him mentally for this adventure. His talent had taken him to Panama three times previously, an experience that expanded his horizons both on and off the pitch.

"It was the first time leaving the country to play football overseas. I learned a lot and brought that knowledge back to Jamaica," he said.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has confirmed Harry Kane’s move to Bayern Munich is “imminent” after the clubs agreed a fee that could rise to £120million.

Bayern have tracked the England captain all summer and a number of bids were turned down, but a breakthrough was reached on Wednesday night.

It left the ball in Kane’s court and he decided on Thursday to leave his boyhood club and join the Bundesliga champions, who will pay an initial £100m for the forward with add-ons able to potentially take the transfer up to an overall fee of £120m, the PA news agency understands.

Reports on Friday morning initially suggested Spurs had refused to give Kane permission to travel to Germany, but they were squashed by Tottenham and he is set to fly out on Friday afternoon and will complete a medical once he lands in Munich.

Postecoglou, speaking ahead of Sunday’s trip to Brentford, confirmed: “Fair to say I don’t have a blow by blow account but my understanding is it has progressed to the point where it looks like it will happen.

“From that perspective, at least it gives us some clarity and we move forward without Harry.

“From my perspective it is just about understanding where we are at and the information I have at the moment is the deal is imminent but like with all these things, you leave yourself some leeway.

“But moving forward and training today preparing for Brentford, we are doing it without Harry.

“It is best Harry speaks for himself in terms of the decision but no doubt he is one of the greats of this football club and that never changes.

“I am only new in the building but fairly evident Harry Kane will always be one of the greats for this football club.”

Kane is unlikely to be signed in time to feature in Bayern’s DFL-Super Cup match with RB Leipzig on Saturday night.

However, with the clash taking place at Bayern’s Allianz Arena home, England captain Kane could well be unveiled to supporters before kick-off.

This is not the first summer where Kane’s future has dominated headlines after Manchester City had a failed pursuit in 2021.

Kane sat out the first match of that season – coincidentally against City – but Pep Guardiola’s side never got close to agreeing a fee with Tottenham for the forward.

With Kane into the last 12 months of his contract at Spurs this summer, speculation over his future this time always felt more significant.

Bayern saw bids reportedly turned down in June and July but made their intentions clear, with club officials in honorary president Uli Hoeness and president Herbert Hainer speaking openly in the media about Kane’s desire to join the Bundesliga champions.

A third bid was submitted last Friday and a new twist occurred when Spurs spent all weekend deliberating before chairman Daniel Levy rejected the offer on Monday.

With noises coming out that Kane, who scored four goals in a friendly win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Sunday, had enjoyed working with new Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, confidence started to grow that he could spend the season with his boyhood team.

Bayern’s latest bid proved enough for an agreement to be reached and, after Kane took his time to weigh up the decision, he decided it was right to end his 19-year stay at Spurs.

It means Kane’s pursuit of Alan Shearer’s Premier League goal-scoring record will go on pause, with the Tottenham forward still 47 goals off equalling Shearer’s tally of 260.

He will leave N17 as the club’s leading marksman after he surpassed Jimmy Greaves’ 266-goal record in February with the winner against Manchester City.

Kane will also get the chance to fulfil his career-long ambition of winning trophies at Bayern, while remaining in the Champions League after spending only one of the last three campaigns in Europe’s elite competition.

Back at Spurs, Postecoglou, who only took over in June, will be tasked with filling a huge void.

Australia will make a late call on captain Sam Kerr’s fitness for their Women’s World Cup showdown with France.

Chelsea striker Kerr missed the group stage with a calf injury but came off the bench for the final 10 minutes in the round-of-16 victory over Denmark.

Australia boss Tony Gustavsson must now decide whether Kerr is fit to start Saturday’s quarter-final date with Les Bleues at Brisbane Stadium.

“If Sam is fit to play 90 minutes, she is starting,” Gustavsson said at his pre-match press conference.

“That’s not even a question, and the team knows it.

“I definitely would never, ever see Sam as a disturbance to the team. We’re talking about Sam Kerr.

“Whether she is ready to play 90 minutes plus extra time, that’s to be decided tonight.”

Australia have coped well without all-time top scorer Kerr, scoring six goals in their past two matches – following up a 4-0 win over Canada in their final group game with a 2-0 success against Denmark.

It has been an impressive response to the shock 3-2 defeat by Nigeria that threatened their participation in the knockout stages of a home tournament.

“I look at all the preparation we’ve done over the last few weeks but being ready doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy,” said former United States assistant coach Gustavsson.

“I had the privilege to be in five quarter-finals before this one in three Olympics and two World Cups and you get unhealthily addicted to these types of games.

“This is what you love, this is what you want. I am so happy that the players will get this experience and we will embrace every second of it.”

France, ranked fifth in the world and five places above Australia, have scored 12 goals in three games since opening with a goalless draw against Jamaica.

Brazil (2-1) and Panama (6-3) were beaten in the group stage before Morocco were brushed aside 4-0 in the last 16.

Gustavsson said: “They have proved over this tournament that they have extreme attacking threats: central, left and right.

“They attack with numbers and are brave, technical and fast.

“The one thing they have instilled in this tournament is the work ethic when they lose the ball.

“They are extremely aggressive when they lose the ball, so you get very little time when you win it.

“That’s probably the extra they have over us and that’s going to be the number one challenge to sort.

“But what we have proven is that our defensive structure and defensive work rate has been enormous – we have kept five clean sheets in our last six games – and we have also been very composed in front of goal.

“Once we do break that pressure we know how fast we can attack and one moment can decide the game.”

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell hopes to introduce on-loan Arsenal striker Mika Biereth for a potential debut in Sunday’s cinch Premiership encounter with Hibernian.

With Jon Obika still doubtful with a hamstring issue, Theo Bair produced a goalscoring debut in last weekend’s draw with Dundee and Denmark Under-21 international Biereth could come into contention for Motherwell’s first home game of the league season.

Kettlewell said: “He has trained the tail end of last week, he got two sessions in, and he has trained this week as well.

“He missed a couple of weeks at Arsenal so it’s just a case of us trying to get as much content into him as we can, work away with him over the next couple of days.

“But I am fairly certain that he pushes himself into the reckoning of at least being involved in the squad.”

Amid a shortage of experienced attacking options, Joe Efford replaced Bair in the 88th minute at Dens Park for his first appearance since suffering a thigh tear in October last year.

Efford has played most of his football in Scotland as a wide player and it appears he has some work to do to convince Kettlewell he can fit into his 3-5-2 system.

“The most important part is that Joe needs to stay fit and show us his qualities,” Kettlewell said. “It’s been a hard time for him, a long-term injury and then from that there’s been a lot of stop-start moments.

“There has been a lot of inconsistency, I am sure Joe will hold his hand up to that as well, in reserve games, games to get back to full fitness, pre-season and even in training sessions.

“I am always a great believer that we can’t just go from zero to full throttle, there has to be a period of time where an individual shows you that they can be trusted and that they are offering something on the pitch, they are showing you quality and that they can play in your system.

“He gets his opportunity to come on at Dens Park and that was specifically we were lacking striker options.”

Kettlewell is still looking to move players on in order to bring some in and the process of trimming his squad means the club will no longer compete in the SPFL Reserve League.

“We had more than 50 players at the club last season,” Kettlewell said.

“I feel that everyone who is at the football club must have a realistic opportunity to play in your first team.

“For us to run with another 15-16 players that aren’t pushing to be in your first team, it’s not sustainable for a club like Motherwell.

“We have had to trim that and our focus comes on the under-18s group and the loan system.

“We have four or five with potentially more going out on loan. I have asked a member of staff to focus on that and make sure we are finding the correct loans for players so when they come back it gives them a real chance to play in our first team.

“A lot of the under-18s have been part of our first-team group over pre-season and you see the obvious ones on the bench and in the starting 11.”

Luton boss Rob Edwards will fulfil a dream when he sends his team into Premier League action for the first time at Brighton on Saturday.

Edwards took charge at Kenilworth Road in November last year and guided a club which less than a decade earlier had been plying its trade in non-league football back into the top flight after a 31-year absence.

Life since victory in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final has been something of a whirlwind, with the Hatters busily preparing for their latest – and perhaps biggest – challenge on and off the pitch, but Edwards admits he will feel a huge sense of pride when the dream finally becomes a reality.

He told a press conference: “I’m really proud. It’s hard because you don’t always think about it, you just think about what’s next and don’t always have time to reflect.

“It’s been an aim of mine for long time. I think most people would agree the Premier League is the highest level.”

The game at the Amex Stadium could see skipper Tom Lockyer make his first competitive appearance since collapsing on the pitch early in the play-off final, the result of a heart scare which has since been addressed by surgery.

Edwards added: “This is extremely important and special for Tom. That day was made special by knowing he was OK.

“It was the most scared I’ve ever been during a football game. Health is the most important thing and it’s great to have him back.

“He’s had his own journey as well – he was in the National League and now leading his team out in the Premier League.”

Edwards’ hand has been strengthened since promotion by the arrival of nine summer signings, perhaps the most eye-catching of them former Everton and England midfielder Ross Barkley, and there could be several debuts, particularly with Jordan Clark, Dan Potts, Gabe Osho and Reece Burke all on the casualty list.

Excitement levels are understandably high, but Edwards knows there is a long and tough season ahead.

He said: “We’ve got a big season ahead and it’s been a long time coming since the final kick at Wembley. The elation turns quite real and now we feel ready.

“The fans are the most important people at any football club. They are the most important to me, they’re here before us and they’ll be here after us.

“They’ve been through some really bleak times in the past, so hopefully they can enjoy these moments because they deserve it.”

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has admitted he cannot just “slap money on the table” as he attempts to find the last piece of his jigsaw for the new season.

The Magpies, backed by their majority owners, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, have invested a net £95milion in Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento at the expense of the departed Allan Saint-Maximin this summer but Howe is keen to add one more player to his resources, with central defence a remaining focus.

However, the 45-year-old knows the club may have to be “creative” to get another deal over the line in an attempt to plot a path through Financial Fair Play regulations, with loans and staggered payments among the options.

Asked what that meant on the eve of the new Premier League season’s opener against Aston Villa, Howe said: “It means we can’t just go out and slap money on the table and buy a player. We don’t have the resources to do that at the moment with FFP restrictions.

“It’s about trying to find a different way rather than paying money in the here and now.”

Newcastle have strengthened their squad significantly after last season’s top-four finish, which secured a return to Champions League football, but Howe is hopeful there is another deal to be done.

He said: “I’d love one more player, that’s what I’d love personally, and I think then we’d have the ideal depth at this moment with the injuries that we currently have.”

The Magpies’ surge back into the upper reaches of the league table came less than two years into the new ownership’s reign and took many by surprise, despite the £250million spending spree which helped to fuel it.

They were able to take advantage of below-par showings from the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea, and are likely to face a tougher challenge this time around with TV pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher predicting they will not even make the top six this season.

Asked if that provided added motivation, Howe brushed that aside and said: “Ultimately people will always write us off, and I urge us all to come together and to fight tooth and nail to prove people wrong – and in my job you have to prove people wrong every single day.

“I have said my ultimate emotion that I use is fear of failure. Some people might see that as negative, but it’s fuelled me all my career and to work as hard as I can to make sure we don’t suffer that experience.”

Howe could hand Tonali, Barnes and Livramento competitive debuts against Villa, while defender Fabian Schar is back in contention after a thigh injury.

However, midfielder Joe Willock is likely to be missing until the middle of next month with the hamstring problem he suffered last season.

Howe said: “I think we’ll probably miss him for the first group of games before the first international break.”

Liverpool have agreed a British record transfer fee in the region of £110million for Moises Caicedo as Jurgen Klopp attempts to reinforce his midfield on the eve of the new Premier League season. The PA news agency understands Liverpool have swooped in and had a substantial offer accepted for the 21-year-old Ecuador international, who was attracting significant interest from Chelsea this summer.

Brighton held firm on their valuation of a player who joined them for just £4m from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle in 2021, and it remains to be seen whether Chelsea will match Liverpool’s bid. The fee is upwards of the previous British record of £107m that Chelsea paid for Enzo Fernandez in January and dwarfs Liverpool’s own highest transfer payment of £75m for Virgil van Dijk in 2018.

Klopp has seen Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Naby Keita and James Milner depart the club this summer but Liverpool have signed Caicedo’s former Brighton team-mate Alexis Mac Allister for £35m in June.

The Reds have also brought in Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig but, after missing out on Jude Bellingham – who joined Real Madrid in June in a deal that could rise to £115m with add-ons – Klopp is keen to get the Caicedo transfer over the line.

Ahead of Sunday’s trip to Chelsea for both sides’ Premier League opener, Klopp said: “I can confirm the deal with (Brighton) is agreed, whatever that means because we want the player and not any kind of agreement, we will see.

“We are club that doesn’t have endless resources, we didn’t expect a couple of things happening in the summer, like Henderson and Fabinho (leaving), stuff like this.

“We didn’t think about that before the summer, to be honest, and then it happened. We gave (attempting to sign Bellingham) a go and the club was really stretched. We will see (what happens with Caicedo).”

As for whether Caicedo will undergo a medical in Merseyside on Friday or if signing the youngster would be Liverpool’s final business of the summer window, Klopp was tight-lipped.

“I’ve said what I know,” he added. “Let’s do it step by step, let’s see what happens in the next hours or days.”

Liverpool have agreed a British record transfer fee in the region of £110million for Moises Caicedo as the Reds look to shore up their midfield on the eve of the new season.

The 21-year-old has been on Chelsea’s radar and the Blues – who will take on Liverpool in both sides’ Premier League opener on Sunday – were thought of as front-runners to sign the Ecuador international.

But Brighton have held firm in their valuation of a player who joined them for just £4m from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle two years ago and now the Reds are now poised to sweep in.

The PA news agency understands Liverpool, who are aiming to reinforce their options in the middle of the park following the departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho this summer, will pay upwards of the previous British record fee of £107m that Chelsea forked out for Enzo Fernandez in January.

The fee for Caicedo dwarfs Liverpool’s own transfer record of £75m, which they paid Southampton for defender Virgil van Dijk in January 2018.

Should Caicedo complete the move, he will be reunited with fellow midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, the Argentinian World Cup winner who left the Seagulls for Anfield in June.

Liverpool have also signed Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig this summer after the departures of Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabian clubs Al-Ettifaq and Al-Ittihad respectively.

Tottenham have given Harry Kane permission to fly to Germany to complete his proposed move to Bayern Munich.

The England captain is set to undergo a medical ahead of a reported £95million switch to the Bundesliga champions.

The PA news agency understands reports that Spurs had refused the 30-year-old permission to fly out to Munich are false.

But there could still be some small conditions to change in the deal to prise the striker away from the Premier League.

Kane is about to enter the final year of his Tottenham contract, meaning he would be free to leave for nothing in 12 months’ time.

Chairman Daniel Levy is believed to value the striker closer to £120m, but the risk of the club’s star asset departing for nothing in under a year has underscored negotiations with Bayern.

Kane had reportedly been keen to stay in England in order to pursue Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League scoring record of 260.

He has scored 213 goals in the top flight since making his Spurs debut in 2012.

Kane was the subject of interest from Manchester United earlier in the summer, but they opted instead to target less costly alternatives in a bid to stay within their transfer budget.

Spurs supporters sang “we want you to stay” during Sunday’s 5-1 friendly victory over Shakhtar Donetsk, new manager Ange Postecoglou’s first home game in charge.

The north Londoners begin their Premier League campaign away to Brentford on Sunday.

Liverpool have agreed a British record transfer fee of £110million for Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo, according to reports.

The 21-year-old Ecuador international has been a target for Chelsea all summer but Brighton have held firm in their valuation.

Now the Reds appear to have stepped in and hijacked the deal to complete their midfield rebuild following the departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho.

Should he complete the move, Caicedo will be reunited with Alexis Mac Allister, the Argentinian World Cup winner who left the Seagulls for Anfield in June.

The reported fee would eclipse the previous British record fee of £107m that Chelsea paid for Enzo Fernandez in January.

It would also represent another massive profit for Brighton, who signed Caicedo from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle for £4m in 2021.

What the papers say

Manchester City have identified Rennes forward Jeremy Doku as a replacement for Riyad Mahrez, who left the club to Saudi Pro League team Al-Ahli, the Telegraph reports.

Harry Maguire’s personal terms are now the only issue standing in the way of a move a West Ham after the Hammers agreed to a deal worth £30million with Manchester United for the former captain, the Daily Mail says. Maguire now faces a decision over whether he wants to move to the club and agree to their terms.

The Times reports David De Gea could be set for a move home with Real Madrid interested in a move for the Spanish goalkeeper, who is now a free agent after 12 years with Manchester United. Madrid’s first choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will be out for a long period after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Moises Caicedo: Chelsea have looked the favourites all summer to sign the 21-year-old Brighton midfielder, but Liverpool have struck at the 11th hour and are now favourites to sign the Ecuador international. TalkSport says Liverpool are willing to smash their record player fee to sign Caicedo, adding fuel to their match against Chelsea this Sunday.

Romelu Lukaku: Tottenham have emerged as surprise contenders to sign the 30-year-old striker in the wake of Harry Kane’s likely departure to Bayern Munich, Gazzetta dello Sport reports.

Harry Kane has been given permission to travel to Germany to complete a medical with Bayern Munich, according to reports.

It comes following the news earlier on Thursday that Bayern had reportedly reached an agreement with Tottenham over a £95million deal to sign the England striker.

The clubs are reported to have settled in principle on terms for the England captain to move to Bayern after a series of bids earlier in the summer were rejected, according to reports citing sources in Germany.

Tottenham are not commenting on the latest reports emerging from Germany.

Kane is about to enter the final year of his Tottenham contract, meaning he would be free to leave for nothing in 12 months’ time.

Chairman Daniel Levy is believed to value the striker closer to £120m, but the risk of the club’s star asset departing for free in under a year has underscored negotiations with Bayern.

Kane had reportedly been keen to stay in England in order to pursue Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League scoring record of 260.

He has netted 213 times in the top flight since making his Spurs debut in 2012.

He was the subject of interest from Manchester United earlier in the summer, but the club opted instead to target less costly alternatives in a bid to stay within their transfer budget.

Spurs supporters sang “we want you to stay” during Sunday’s 5-1 friendly victory over Shakhtar Donetsk, new manager Ange Postecoglou’s first home game in charge.

The team begin their Premier League campaign away to Brentford on Sunday, with Kane reportedly keen for his future to have been decided by then.

Lee Johnson knows Hibernian have only done half a job after they earned a commanding two-goal advantage in their Europa Conference League tie against Luzern.

Joe Newell’s opener just 18 seconds into the second half was cancelled out by Ismajl Beka’s header.

But debutant Dylan Vente and Jordan Obita scored to put Hibs in a strong position heading into next Thursday’s second leg in Switzerland.

And Johnson, whose side opened their Premiership campaign with a 3-2 home defeat to St Mirren on Sunday, has told his players they have now set a standard they must reach in every game.

He said: “It’s half-time. I said in Andorra when we lost 2-1 (against Inter d’Escaldes in the previous round) that it was half-time and I’ll say that now when we’ve got a plus-two lead.

“I really like Luzern. They’re a real quality side – brilliant in terms of that education for the club, for myself, for the players.

“And I was really proud today, for the whole club. We took a bit of stick, and rightly so, for our first-half performance the other day (against St Mirren).

“But that’s what Hibs is about. The crowd were up – 13,000 felt like 25,000 – the boys were making big tackles, they had pressure on everywhere.

“But we’ve got to do that in every game. That’s a marker now for this group.

“I honestly think it’s nowhere near done, genuinely. I think they’re a really good side. They’ve got threats and quality everywhere.

“We’re extremely proud tonight but nothing is done in the tie.”

Johnson also hailed debutant Vente, whose work permit issues following his move from Roda JC in the Netherlands were resolved on the eve of the tie.

He added: “I’m delighted for Dylan. I was getting a bit of stick before the game about the team selection, and I was quite surprised. I thought it was quite a bold one.

“Dylan was excellent. Obviously he had a goal and an assist. But, for me, I thought it was more about his work-rate and how hard he worked.

“I thought him and Alfie (Adam Le Fondre) worked their socks off and they’re dangerous.”

Meanwhile, Luzern manager Mario Frick admits his side have a mountain to climb.

He said: “The second half started with a gift from our side when they scored the first goal and, of course, with the support of the fans it got difficult.

“But we were still in the game and we had our chances and the equaliser came pretty quickly.

“Then, it was 2-1 and again a gift from our side and it became a nightmare. It’s a difficult situation for the second leg now.

“Can we progress in the second leg? Not if we play like today. We have to get back to our real game to have a chance.

“It’s not impossible but it’s a very difficult situation.”

Pep Guardiola claims it is inevitable standards will drop at Manchester City following last season’s treble success.

The City boss accepts it is unlikely his team will be able to match the intensity that saw them pick up the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League trophies last term as a new campaign begins.

The Spaniard wants to make sure City pace their challenge for further silverware and is not even thinking about an end goal yet.

“We are going to drop that’s for sure,” said Guardiola, whose side begin their quest for a sixth domestic title in seven years at Burnley on Friday.

“It’s inevitable a little bit. We’ll try to avoid it as much as possible. Now it’s (about) not dropping too much – staying there, staying there, (being) close to our rivals.

“Then try to, in the last four, five, or six months, try to do what we have done every season. I don’t want to do it now. That is my feeling.

“Now, (it would be a) big mistake thinking about trophies and titles – big mistake.”

Guardiola also does not want to set any targets for Erling Haaland in his second season at the club.

The prolific Norwegian enjoyed an outstanding first year, firing 52 goals in just 53 appearances.

Guardiola said: “I will advise him, don’t put much pressure on the goals. I said to Erling, come back at your best, physically and mentally. If you score, fine. If you don’t score, fine.

“Try to improve in your details, in your quality and skills, and the team will help you as much as possible to score goals. I don’t want (to ask of) Erling to score 50 or 60.

“Try to be happy like he was last season and relax. Afterwards, the goals will come naturally, don’t force it.”

Concerns have been expressed this week about the potential impact on players of the edict for referees to be stricter when adding on added time.

Guardiola himself felt the amount added in the Community Shield against Arsenal last weekend was excessive.

He said: “Why eight minutes, not 12 or four? I don’t know exactly what happened. There was one goal and four or five substitutions but no injuries.

“If you want to control it, do it like basketball – stop the clock.

“If they are going to play the 10 minutes (extra) we are going to do it but, at the end we are going to play 41 games not 38 this season.”

The continuing expansion of the football calendar, along with pre-season tours, is also further limiting players’ breaks.

Guardiola said: “Many players asked me, ‘Give me more days off Pep’. I said I can’t.

“It’s a problem. It’s getting worse – more games, more games and more than that. Players need to go to the theatre, cinema, park, the gardens, to do other things that aren’t to do with football.”

Guardiola insists, however, that when it comes to his side’s additional showpiece fixtures this season – next week’s European Super Cup and the Club World Cup in December – he is honoured to be involved.

“I love it,” he said. “I love to play the Super Cup. This club never won the Super Cup and of course to play the Club World Cup you have to win the Champions League. This opportunity is a pleasure.”

Cyriel Dessers believes Rangers’ early performance in the 2-1 Champions League qualifying win over Servette is “only the beginning” for Michael Beale’s new-look side.

The Light Blues boss and his team were widely criticised following the 1-0 defeat at Kilmarnock in the cinch Premiership opener at Rugby Park on Saturday.

There was a marked improvement in the first half of the third qualifying round first leg against the Swiss side at Ibrox on Wednesday night, with skipper James Tavernier scoring a penalty in the sixth minute.

Dessers tapped in a second eight minutes later for his first Gers goal since signing from Cremonese to experience an “amazing feeling”, although a handball by the Rangers new boy just before the break allowed Servette attacker Chris Bedia to pull a goal back from the spot.

The Light Blues were less effective after the break despite the visitors being reduced to 10 men in the 59th minute after David Douline picked up a second yellow card.

Speaking about the importance of the quick start and the demands of the Gers supporters, Dessers, 28, said: “That’s what we wanted. Of course after the loss on Saturday we were not a s*** team or anything like that.

“We knew we had to come out strong and show the fans what we can give them and what we can do as a team and especially the first half hour I think we showed that.

“That’s only the beginning. We are going to grow in fitness and relationships and as a team and it looks very promising.

“At Feyenoord, a similar club, the fans can react very emotional. But that’s what you want, you don’t want to be at a club where everybody just shrugs it off after a loss.

“You want an intense club and you get it in a positive way like Wednesday when you play good. That’s what you need after a tough loss and you get a reaction and at a big club like Rangers, that is normal.”

On his own performance, the Nigeria international said: “Of course I came to Rangers later so I still need some time.

“This was the first time I played more than 60 minutes. Overall, I had some really good moments, sometimes sloppy but that is all part of it.

“I am happy with this performance.”

Dessers acknowledged how difficult the return game in Switzerland next Tuesday night will be against a side who knocked Genk out in the previous round but remains confident of progressing through to the play-off where Rangers would face either PSV Eindhoven or Sturm Graz.

He said: “Overall it was a good night for us. Servette is a good team, a tricky team. I saw them over two nights against Genk and Genk are a really good team and they knocked them out.

“We dominated, we could have scored more maybe but this will keep us on your toes for next week.

“Of course if you can choose you want to go with a bigger lead but like I said, this will keep us on our toes.

“You cannot take anything for granted in Europe and we will need to go there strong and need a good performance to hopefully knock out Servette.”