Abdul Karim Zito, the head coach of Asante Kotoko, is expecting this weekend's MTN FA Cup final to be a tough matchup with Golden Kick.
Coach Zito stated before the much-awaited encounter that Golden Kick's desire to overcome a top-tier team like Kotoko makes the game particularly challenging.
"It will be really challenging. Because the lesser teams are eliminating the larger teams in this competition. It is extremely challenging since the lesser teams have to motivate themselves before playing the larger teams.
"If they beat us, it is something, but if we beat them, it is nothing. Accordingly, that will be the most challenging aspect of the game we play," Coach Abdul Karim Zito stated in an interview with AKSC Media.
On Sunday, June 15, Asante Kotoko and Golden Kick will square off in the highly anticipated championship match.
At the University of Ghana Sports Stadium, the match will begin at 5:00 p.m.
Golden Kick is certain they can pull off an upset to win the FA Cup, even though Kotoko is the clear favorite.
Here are some further events that occurred in the sports world.
Weekly transfer window: Man United to Gyökeres? Has Onana been replaced?
The Club World Cup transfer window has ended, but as business begins to get done, the Premier League's main window will open on Monday, with the rest of Europe to follow shortly after. However, what are reporters for ESPN learning about potential deals?
We will provide you with the most recent information and analysis on the most significant transfer news every Friday till September.
Does Man United have a chance to win Gyökeres?
Manchester United is not ruling out Viktor Gyökeres, but nothing has progressed with him. Throughout the summer, they will keep an eye on developments, and it will be their responsibility to take decisive action.United's top goal is to finalize a deal for Bryan Mbeumo of Brentford. They will look at other deals after that.
United will have more money to spend on new players if they can find speedy ways to let go of Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Antony, and Alejandro Garnacho.
Will United support Onana, or will they back off?
André Onana believes he will be at United for the upcoming campaign. He has three years left on his contract, and Saudi Arabia has shown some exploratory interest but has not yet made any firm offers.Ruben Amorim, the manager, has made it obvious that no player can be certain of their position following such a terrible season, but he cannot fire the entire team in a single summer.
Despite being aware of Emiliano Martínez's possible departure from Aston Villa, United is now keeping a close eye on him.
Will Chelsea return to get Maignan?
For Mike Maignan to participate in the Club World Cup, Chelsea wanted him to join them this week. The Blues began negotiations with AC Milan very early because of this.According to ESPN sources, the Italian team, which is not competing, turned down their initial offer of €15 million because they believe he is worth €25 million. To sign the France international before his flight to the United States, the Londoners had to act quickly.
Maignan, who will turn 30 in three weeks, has only one year left on his San Siro contract, but Chelsea has informed the goalie that they would make another attempt to sign him following the Club World Cup.
Meanwhile, Maignan has made it clear to Milan's management and new manager Max Allegri that he intends to play at Stamford Bridge next season. Milan is therefore aggressively searching for a new number one.
In the meantime, despite Djordje Petrovic's stellar season on loan at Strasbourg, Chelsea has left him out of their Club World Cup squad.
He will likely depart permanently to play for the first squad; a €30 million deal with Monaco is reportedly being considered, and the money will go toward Maignan's budget.
What will become of Jack Grealish?
Jack Grealish's exclusion from the Club World Cup squad is a very strong indication from Pep Guardiola that he has no future at Manchester City. But where does he go? That is the real question.Although Premier League teams and international teams have made numerous approaches, he still has two years remaining on a lucrative contract. Although it is not their preferred situation, it might force City to approve a season-long loan move.
Is Zabarnyi the next high-profile Bournemouth player to go, heading to PSG?
With Milos Kerkez expected to join Liverpool for €52 million and Dean Huijsen moving to Real Madrid for €50 million, Bournemouth may still see an increase in costs this summer.In fact, Bournemouth made it plain that center-back Illia Zabarnyi would not depart for less than €70 million during talks with Paris Saint-Germain over his sale.
The European champions do not want to increase their proposal just yet, and Bournemouth is not budging either after the Cherries rejected PSG's €50 million offer.
Ukraine International's desire to join PSG is Bournemouth's issue. The 22-year-old is already upset over missing out on the Club World Cup after he and his team reached a personal agreement ten days prior.
If Bournemouth does not reduce its asking price, Paris will look for another player because they have other possibilities.
Why is Barcelona making a move for Perisic, 36?
As Barcelona looks at various pricing points for the upcoming campaign, Ivan Perisic has emerged as a surprising candidate to add depth on the wings. Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Rafael Leão (AC Milan), Nico Williams (Athletic Club), and Luis Díaz (Liverpool) are among the more costly choices. Perisic is a free agent.
The amount of money available will determine who they ultimately sign, if anyone.
In 2019–20, Perisic played for Bayern Munich under Hansi Flick. Because Barça's team is generally youthful, the coach does not mind Perisic's age and appreciates his versatility, as he could also cover Alejandro Balde at left-back.
In any decision, Perisic will keep in mind his desire to play for Croatia at the World Cup next summer and his negotiations to stay longer at PSV Eindhoven, the side he helped win the Eredivisie last season.
Are there any other intriguing deals in the making?
Leeds Strasbourg has turned down United's €26 million bid for midfielder Habib Diarra, according to sources who spoke to ESPN. The Senegal international is drawing a lot of interest from all across Europe after scoring in Monday's 3-1 victory over England.The recently promoted Premier League team believed their bid would be sufficient for the box-to-box midfielder, but they have now learned that the 21-year-old is worth €40 million.
Instead of losing again, Atletico Madrid wants to assemble a team that would enable them to fight for the championship the following year. In addition to Álex Baena (Villarreal) and Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), with whom negotiations are still in progress, they are also considering Theo Hernández.
A deal for the AC Milan left-back, however, may take till the end of the summer, according to sources who spoke to ESPN.
Despite interest from Serie A clubs, Adrien Rabiot has chosen to remain at Marseille for another season, according to sources who spoke to ESPN. After his Juventus contract expired a year ago, the 30-year-old moved to Stade Vélodrome as a free agent and performed admirably.
He was among the top midfield players in Ligue 1, and both OM and their manager, Roberto De Zerbi, are thrilled that the France international will captain the squad when they make their Champions League comeback the following season.
Barça's left-back Premier League teams are showing interest in Gerard, notably Wolverhampton Wanderers, who this week sent Rayan Aït-Nouri to Manchester City. Although Martín recently signed a new contract with Barça, the team would nevertheless entertain any fair bids for him as a backup to Balde.
It seems possible that Noa Lang will join Marseille. The winger was upset that the Netherlands international turned down a January transfer to Napoli, and now he might be going to Ligue 1.
Vitezslav Jaros of Liverpool is one of the names involved in the search for a new goalkeeper for Ajax. John Heitinga, the new coach of Ajax, is familiar with Jaros because he was a member of the Anfield coaching team. NEC Nijmegen's Robin Roefs is also being considered.
Aaron Ramsey is almost certain to be the first player Pumas signs for the upcoming campaign. The Mexican team is in very advanced negotiations with the 34-year-old and his representatives to sign the former Cardiff City star, according to sources who spoke to ESPN.
Given that they are both represented by the same agency, manager Efraín Juárez has had a significant role in the transfer.
Richard Ledezma, who is dual-national (Mexico and the United States), will sign with Chivas. The 24-year-old can match the Guadalajara club's condition of only signing Mexican players. He played with PSV for five seasons before joining on a free transfer. ESPN Deportes' Enrique Ortega
Javairo Dilrosun, a Dutch midfielder, departs América to play for LAFC in the Club World Cup. The player signed during the league's short transfer window, which was open to teams participating in the competition.
Since neither Seattle Sounders FC nor Inter Miami CF has made any additional signing announcements, Javairo will be the sole MLS addition for the tournament.
Diego Valdés has verbally committed to leaving the United States and joining Argentina's Vélez Sarsfield. Although the teams still need to reach an agreement, Buenos Aires residents are hopeful that the deal can be completed.
The Chilean international is no longer in the club's plans, according to ESPN sources, who also confirmed that the trade is moving forward.