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Union Berlin forward Taiwo Awoniyi has explained the difficulties he faced while growing up in Nigeria and how he ended up moving to Europe.

The 24-year-old Nigerian star is currently featuring for the Bundesliga side after sealing a permanent transfer from Premier League side Liverpool in the summer window.

Awoniyi has detailed how difficult it was for him to get money to buy playing boots and even getting money to eat and further said he loves Nigeria as a country by stating: “I always go back because there’s no place like home.”

"I always said it's difficult to go into detail but it was really difficult, let me just put it that way,” Awoniyi told Bundesliga.com when asked about growing up in Nigeria.

“Football is like a lifeline for my family because it changed a lot of things. Getting the money to buy football shoes, getting the money to eat sometimes is quite difficult, but my parents were able to send everyone to school which is the most important thing to be able to do.

“I'm very grateful to them for it, but it was not an easy journey, to be honest.”

On leaving Nigeria to play in Europe, Awoniyi said: “Yeah, I've always loved to play football. I started football really quite early. I went to school also but my goal was always football, football, football.

“So when I had the chance to come into the national team, I realised this is something I wanted to do and when I had the chance to get signed by Liverpool, I couldn't say no. It was a dream come true for me because it has always been what I wanted - to play football all my life.”

Asked if he still goes back to Nigeria, the former Liverpool star said: “Every time I have the opportunity to go back, because my parents are there, my brothers and sisters, I always go back because there's no place like home like they always say.”

On whether Nigerians love watching the Bundesliga, he said: “I think Nigeria is a really great football country, with the talent we have. I think they follow every league.

“Nigerian players are all over the world playing in different leagues and for Nigeria, when they see their players playing somewhere, I think they follow it and they look up to the league and everything. But I think it was a good connection.”

Awoniyi has so far scored three goals from three matches after playing only 250 minutes and speaking on his aims for the season, he said: “I always say my target is something personal to me, which I always keep to myself. But for me, the most important thing is the team. So long as the team is winning, I'm happy.”

He will hope to continue with his scoring prowess when Berlin welcomes FC Augsburg at Alte Forsterei Stadium on Saturday.

Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti has hailed Kalidou Koulibaly for reporting to training immediately after he landed in Italy from his international assignment with Senegal.

The 30-year-old captained the Teranga Lions to back-to-back victories as they kicked off their 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Togo and Congo.

After Senegal’s trip to Brazzaville on Tuesday, Koulibaly was said to have changed his itinerary in order to be available for Napoli's Serie A encounter against Juventus on Saturday.

Spalletti, in his press conference, described the rock-solid centre-back as an exemplary leader after he reported for training without going home.

“Koulibaly changed flight twice to speed things up, then got to the airport and went directly to the training ground without even stopping off home first. That’s remarkable!” Spalletti said as per Football Italia.

“In terms of presenting practical examples that others can follow, he is excellent. If we all had a bit of Koulibaly, life would be easier.”

Aside from Koulibaly, Spalletti has Algeria’s Adam Ounas, and Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen available and Cameroon’s Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa is also in contention to make his Serie A debut following his loan move from Fulham.

On Wednesday, the Parthenopeans confirmed that they won their appeal to reduce Osimhen’s two-game suspension to one after he was shown a straight red card in their opening league match against Venezia on August 22.

“Napoli have successfully appealed to the Sports Court of Appeal to reduce Victor Osimhen’s suspension from two games to one,” read a statement on the club’s website.

“Given that the striker already served the first match of the suspension against Genoa, he will be available for selection this weekend.”

Napoli are fifth on the Serie A table and they are looking to extend their 100 percent start to the 2021-22 season at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona having won their opening two games (vs. Venezia and Genoa).

Cristiano Ronaldo is all set to take the Old Trafford pitch once again when Manchester United host Newcastle United on Saturday evening. The Portuguese international has already started to train with his new teammates and is raring to don the red shirt once again since he left for a big-money move to Real Madrid in July 2009.

The Red Devils' manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has also confirmed that Ronaldo will be involved in some capacity in the weekend. 

 “He's been having a good pre-season with Juventus, played with the national team and had a good week with us, he'll definitely be on the pitch at some point, that's for sure," he stated. 

However, there has been a burning question amongst United fans since the five-time Ballon D'Or winner joined United - will Bruno Fernandes make way for his senior compatriot on the penalty duties? However, the Norwegian manager preferred not to reveal his decision. 

“I knew that question was going to come and of course, I’ve had a chat with the two of them,” Solskjaer said. “We’ve got two players there that I’d trust with my life to put a penalty away and that’s a great position to be in.

"They’ll know via the conversations we’ve had and the conversations we’ll have before the games how we’re going to solve this. It’s going to be my decision what’ll happen. The two of them will keep on doing what they do when they’re asked to take the penalties. I’ve had this conversation, of course, and they know my position on it. They know that I decide who is going to shoot the penalty if we get one.” 

Ronaldo has a panache for breaking records and if he does get the responsibility to take spot-kicks for United, he will look to displace Frank Lampard from the mantle of most penalties scored in the Premier League. 

How many spot-kicks must Cristiano Ronaldo convert to become the all-time highest Premier League penalty scorer?

Ronaldo has some way to go if he is to snatch away the record from former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard. The former England international has 32 strikes from 12 yards, while Ronaldo has only 11. So the Portuguese must score at least 22 penalties to set a new record. In fact, Jamie Vardy and Harry Kane, with 26 and 24 penalties to their name, are the favourites to displace Lampard. 

Top-10 Premier League penalty scorers

Orlando Pirates will be looking to record their first win of the season when they welcome their Soweto neighbours, Swallows FC, to Orlando Stadium in a PSL encounter on Saturday.

The Buccaneers have endured a poor start to the campaign as they are winless in three matches having drawn 0-0 with Marumo Gallants away in their last game on August 24.

Co-interim coaches Fadlu Davids and Mandla Ncikazi will be under pressure to mastermind a win over Swallows and avenge the team's 2-1 loss to the Beautiful Birds in the MTN8 quarter-final clash last month. 

However, defeating Swallows will be an uphill battle for Pirates as the Beautiful Birds remain undefeated this term under their tactically astute coach Brandon Truter. 

Amaswaiswai are coming into the Soweto Derby clash having drawn 0-0 in their last game which was against Cape Town City away in the MTN8 semi-final first-leg clash just before the recent Fifa international break.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

The game will be shown live on SuperSport TV.

Squads & Team News

Swallows will be without their key midfielder Tlakusani Mthethwa, who is nursing a long-term injury, while defenders Wandisile Letlabika and Vuyo Mere are both doubtful after missing the game against City due to knocks.

Truter may keep his faith in defenders Junaid Sait and Sipho Sibiya with the latter having been named Man of the Match after the game against the Citizens.

The 44-year-old mentor will pin Swallows' hopes of securing another win over Pirates on Ruzaigh Gamildien, whose brace inspired Amaswaiswai to a cup win over the Buccaneers.

Meanwhile, Pirates are known to be sweating on the fitness of their first-choice goalkeeper Richard Ofori, who picked up an injury during the Fifa break, while versatile defender Ntsikelelo Nyauza will be missing due to an injury.

Davids and Ncikazi have capable replacements in experienced shot-stopper Siyabonga Mpontshane and utility defensive-minded player Abel Mabaso.

The return of Tshegofatso Mabasa from injury has given the Buccaneers a massive boost as the left-footed striker tends to score important goals for the team whenever he is fit.

Match Preview

In head-to-head stats since 1985, Swallows and Pirates have clashed 62 times in the league. 

Bucs have dominated this rivalry having registered 23 wins compared to 12 for the Beautiful Birds, while 27 games ended in draws. 

Pirates also have the upper hand when looking at their home record against Swallows having registered 12 wins, 14 draws, and six defeats from 32 matches. 

However, Amaswaiswai managed to hold Bucs to a 1-1 draw away at Orlando Stadium last season, while the second round clash also ended in a 1-1 draw at Dobsonville Stadium.

Premier League clubs including Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea will be able to field their South American and Mexican international players in this weekend’s fixtures, Goal can confirm.

Following extensive talks with FIFA, the Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Mexico Football Associations have all agreed to waive their automatic five-day restriction, which would have prevented a number of stars from featuring in the latest round of domestic matches.

It means the likes of Liverpool duo Fabinho and Alisson Becker, Manchester City’s Ederson and Gabriel Jesus, Manchester United midfielder Fred and Chelsea defender Thiago Silva are all free to play.

What was the row?

The dispute had erupted after Premier League clubs had decided unanimously to stop players from appearing for their country in the latest round of international fixtures if it meant travel to a red-list country, which would require a 10-day period of quarantine upon their return.

FIFA had unsuccessfully lobbied the UK government to allow quarantine exemptions for players returning from international duty, leading the Brazilian, Paraguayan, Chilean and Mexican federations to enforce the ‘five-day rule’, a FIFA directive which was designed to protect international teams from unnecessary, club-influenced withdrawals.

That would have meant the above players, as well as Leeds winger Raphinha, Wolves striker Raul Jimenez, Watford's Francisco Sierralta, Newcastle star Miguel Almiron and the Blackburn striker Ben Brereton would all have been unavailable for a five-day period following the conclusion of the international fixtures.

In this instance, that period would have covered September 10-14 and would have ruled both Fred and Thiago Silva out of their respective clubs’ first Champions League group matches, as well as this weekend’s Premier League games.

A win for managers

The news will come as a significant boost to the leading Premier League managers, who had voiced their concerns over the issue during their Friday press conferences.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, whose side visit Leeds on Sunday, had accused the federations of “punishing players” and called for a resolution with two more rounds of international fixtures scheduled before the end of the year.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Klopp’s Manchester United counterpart, labelled it a “lose-lose situation” and “a farce”, while Pep Guardiola of Manchester City admitted he “did not understand the situation” and called upon FIFA to do the right thing and allow the players to play.

They have done that, meaning the only clubs without international players this weekend will be Tottenham and Aston Villa, whose Argentine internationals - Giovani Lo Celso, Cristian Romero, Emiliano Buendia and Emiliano Martinez - are isolating having flown to Brazil, a red-list country, for the World Cup qualifier in Sao Paolo, a game which was eventually abandoned.

Further reading

Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has confirmed his side aimed to sign Sevilla defender Jules Kounde prior to the close of the summer transfer window.

The Blues ultimately failed to prise the 22-year-old away from Sevilla, with the Liga side holding on to their highly-rated France international.

Chelsea did manage one deadline-day addition from Spain, signing Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid on loan.

What has been said?

"It was clear we tried for Kounde and Saul and it was very, very late but it was a very, very smooth transfer window because I had full concentration on training and on my team," Tuchel said.

"The amount of support of (technical and performance advisor) Petr Cech as a link, and together with Marina [Granovskaia, Chelsea director], was fantastic, so it was pretty relaxed with a good outcome because in the end it was possible to add Saul into the group, which was a key position for us to have more alternatives and to not put all the pressure on the three guys' shoulders.

"So there's a lot of competition now going on and it's my job to be a good moderator."

Why didn't Chelsea sign Kounde?

Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui has said that interested clubs did not meet his side's valuation of his star defender.

“Kounde in the end has stayed because the club has decided that it was the right thing to do based on the evaluation of the offers they may have had,” he told Diario de Sevilla.

Sevilla sporting director Monchi said last week that Kounde would only leave if an interested club paid his €80 million (£68m/$95m) release clause.

Chelsea could return with another bid for Kounde in the winter or next summer, with the defender's current contract set to expire in 2024.

Further reading

Cristiano Ronaldo was never going to sign for Manchester City this summer, according to Manchester United head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. 

Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes had talks with a number of clubs, and United’s city rivals were favourites to land the Portugal international until United started negotiations to bring him back to Old Trafford. 

United fans were upset about the prospect of Ronaldo joining City, but Solskjaer has refuted the suggestion that it was ever a possibility. 

What was said? 

With Ronaldo getting ready to make his second debut for United in their match against Newcastle on Saturday, the Norwegian was asked if the prospect of the forward joining City had been "frightening."

“I don’t think there was any prospect of that,” he replied. 

Pushed on whether Ronaldo joining City was ever a possibility, he said: “I don’t think so.” 

What was the situation? 

Mendes had conversations with various clubs across the summer as his client looked to secure a move away from Juventus. 

It is understood that Harry Kane was City’s top striker target this summer. When the Tottenham man declared his intention to stay at his club, City then explored the possibility of signing Ronaldo. 

However, with talks ongoing United swooped in and Sir Alex Ferguson got in touch with his former player about returning to Old Trafford. Within a short few hours, a deal had been agreed for him to return. 

Will Ronaldo take penalties at Man Utd?

Solskjaer has plenty to work out now Ronaldo has signed again, with one of his biggest decisions over penalty duties. Bruno Fernandes is United’s go-to for spot kicks but with Ronaldo first choice for Portugal, will Fernandes have to give them up for his team-mate? 

“I knew that question was going to come and of course I’ve had a chat with the two of them,” Solskjaer said. “We’ve got two players there that I’d trust with my life to put a penalty away and that’s a great position to be in.

"They’ll know via the conversations we’ve had and the conversations we’ll have before the games how we’re going to solve this. It’s going to be my decision what’ll happen. The two of them will keep on doing what they do when they’re asked to take the penalties.” 

Pushed on whether or not they could share the duties he replied: “I’ve got Cristiano, Bruno, Marcus [Rashford], I’ve got players I trust to score every time they step up to take a penalty.

“I’ve had this conversation, of course, and they know my position on it. They know that I decide who is going to shoot the penalty if we get one.

“That’s not going to cause an issue. We’re here to win together. It’s not about my numbers or your numbers. It’s about us as a team and the decision is going to be mine.”

Further reading

Former Nigeria midfielder and coach Sunday Oliseh believes the current four-year cycle of the Fifa World Cup makes it an 'exceptional' competition for players. 

Fifa are currently studying the impact of switching the men’s World Cup and the women’s World Cup to biennial competitions after 166 national federations voted in its favour during their last congress in May. 

Oliseh who played for Nigeria at the 1994 and 1998 editions of the global showpiece, dislcosed four-year cycle makes the World Cup memorable and he also suggested why African countries want the tournament to be organised every two years.

The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick said making the World Cup a biennial event would bring about growth on the African continent and Ivory Coast legend Yaya Toure threw his weight behind it. 

"Personally as a player, it would be interesting to say 'OK, in a six-year period, I could play three World Cups'," Oliseh told BBC World Service. 

"But what actually makes the World Cup exceptional is the build-up to the event - the four-year wait and the fact that sometimes it's a once-in-a-lifetime occasion for certain players. 

"I can see why African football is happy with it because it goes with the Africa Cup of Nations which, every two years, helps us to sell ourselves. 

"We need it. We need funds coming in like the ones these major tournaments bring in - we need it from that point of view."

Oliseh added that active players and their clubs should be asked about the switch before any decision is made.

"I don't think we should be consulting mostly ex-players - we should be consulting the players now," the former Ajax midfielder said.

"The Mbappes, the Benzemas, you have to ask all those ones and they have to give their opinion. They are the actors now.

"To say 'I played three World Cups' would be great for some players, but let's not forget that the actual employer of players are the clubs. No matter what happens with the national team, they are the ones who pay the wages.

"They are the ones giving the players the financial, psychological and health capability to be at their best to participate in major tournaments for their countries.

"So now we are having this discussion, shouldn't the club owners be consulted? Shouldn't the cl ub managers be consulted?"

Zlatan Ibrahimovic says that he does not consider himself a lesser player than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, with the forward stating that he believes himself to be "the best in the world". 

The AC Milan attacker is widely considered one of the most prolific players of his generation following a journeyman career across seven countries and 22 years.

The Sweden star has struggled to complete the clean sweep of honours enjoyed by regular Ballon d'Or victors Messi and Ronaldo however - but while playing down suggestions he is among the game's all-time greats, the 39-year-old says he is not in either player's shadow.

What has been said?

"If you're talking about intrinsic qualities, I have nothing less than them," Ibrahimovic told France Football when asked about Ronaldo and Messi. "If you look at the trophies, [then] yes I didn't win the Champions League.

"But I don't know how you calculate it. I'm not obsessed with it. Because when you do good things collectively, the individual follows. The individual cannot be good if the collective is not good.

"[Do] I miss the Ballon d'Or? No, it's Ballon d'Or who misses me! Deep down, I think I'm the best in the world. I don't think it's relevant to compare players with each other.

"Everyone has played in their generation, with different teammates … [it's] difficult to compare. I think everyone has their story and should face it."

Ibrahimovic misses out on highest honours

Across a lengthy tenure that has seen him win trophies with Milan, Inter, Juventus, Barcelona, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain, to name a few, the striker has emerged as one of the game's most idiosyncratic personalities.

Yet his failure to capture the Ballon d'Or remains one of the few holes on his record, albeit with the caveat that he has played his peak years alongside perennial winners Messi and Ronaldo.

Ibrahimovic missed Euro 2020 with an injury he suffered late in the 2020-21 season with Milan, after he had come out of retirement for the national side.

The bigger picture

Ibrahimovic will still have the chance to find further silverware this term however, even as he turns 40 this year - and he will have the advantage of not starting at a new club too.

Unlike Messi and Ronaldo, who have swapped two of the Swede's former clubs in Barca and Juve for two more in PSG and United, he remains rooted to San Siro in Milan.

Stefano Pioli's side sit fourth after two games and will be out to dethrone another of Ibrahimovic's former clubs in Inter for the Serie A title this term.

Further reading

U.S. Soccer has urged the U.S. men's and women's national teams to jointly negotiate a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in an effort to pay the women's players more equitably.

The USMNT offered support to the USWNT in their ongoing lawsuit over pay discrimination this summer, and the federation has now invited the men's team to band together with the women's team to find a solution.

One of the biggest hurdles to equal pay is prize money from World Cups, which FIFA controls and is currently heavily skewed toward the men. U.S. Soccer is calling on the USWNT and USMNT to agree to evenly distribute the World Cup funds.

What was said?

In an open letter, U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone said: "We need our men’s and women’s national teams to come together and re-think how we’ve done things in the past.

"To that end, we have invited the players and both Players Associations to join U.S. Soccer in negotiating a solution together that equalizes World Cup prize money between the USMNT and USWNT.

"Finding a framework that works for everyone will require open and thoughtful conversations and sincere commitment from USMNT and USWNT players to come together.

"Until FIFA equalizes the prize money that it awards to the Men’s and Women’s World Cup participants, it is incumbent upon us to collectively find a solution."

On the USWNT's ongoing lawsuit, Parlow Cone added: "Resolving ongoing litigation with the USWNT continues to be among our top priorities. I have been frank in my view that U.S. Soccer’s preference is to resolve this matter outside of court.

"We remain committed to settling this matter and would happily agree to settle this case so that we can chart a more positive and collaborative path forward."

What was the USWNT's response?

USWNT spokesperson Molly Levinson said on Twitter: "USSF has finally acknowledged that they pay women less than men and must correct this ongoing disparity by reaching an equal pay collective bargaining agreement and resolving the ongoing lawsuit. Letters to fans are not a substitute."

What is the status of the CBAs?

Parlow Cone said U.S. Soccer has "been in regular and productive talks with the USWNT Players Association" over the team's current CBA, which expires at the end of 2021.

The USMNT, meanwhile, have been playing under the terms of their old CBA, which expired at the end of 2018 and has yet to be renegotiated.

Further reading

Former Ghana striker Prince Tagoe believes the Black Stars will need a tactical switch of formation to overcome their poor performances in front of goal in recent times.

The four-time African champions have struggled to find the back of the net in their last few games, having scored just once in the last four.

Although coach CK Akonnor has occasionally played with two strikers up top, the team has mainly used a system with a lone frontman, as was evident in their 1-0 away defeat to South Africa in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers on Monday.

“We have our style of play that suits Ghanaians, and I think if they should take the 4-4-2, it will help us,” former Hoffenheim striker Tagoe, who represented Ghana at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations and 2010 World Cup tournaments, told Luv FM.

"We need two strikers that will help us to get goals because if you are playing only one top, it’s difficult. That’s the main problem I can see with the team.

“We have to go back to our old 4-4-2 that we used to play, and that will be much better because if you put only Jordan [Ayew] at the top, he alone cannot score, so we need typical two strikers up front, and the other people can operate from the wings.”

In the absence of Crystal Palace man Jordan Ayew in Monday’s encounter with South Africa, brother and team captain Andre led the line in what was a disappointing day at the office at Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium.

“These are some of the things we need to look at because if you put Dede [Andre] as a striker, he will find it difficult because Dede is not a striker,” Tagoe added.

“If Dede is playing behind the striker, it’s perfect, but if you put him as a striker, you are killing the team because if he gets the chance, he will score, but he is not a striker to move into certain spaces as a striker will do to finish.”

Jordan has been Akonnor’s preferred striker but on occasions when the coach opted for two men up front, the 28-year-old was mostly joined by brother Andre.

Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira has confirmed Jeffrey Schlupp is out of their Premier League encounter with Tottenham Hotspur owing to an injury picked up on international duty with Ghana.

It will be their first time without the Germany-born this season, the midfielder having featured in all three 2021-22 league games thus far.

Schlupp was out on national duty with Ghana last week as they registered a 1-0 home win over Ethiopia in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

His game, however, ended in an unfortunate manner as he was substituted early in the match for a suspected hamstring injury.

In a pre-match press conference on Friday, Vieira revealed the Ghanaian was “feeling his hamstring” while with the Black Stars and “won’t be involved in the game tomorrow. Everybody else came back fit,” Palace’s official website reported.

It is unclear how long Schlupp will be on the sidelines, but should his injury persist for long, he could miss further matches against Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion this month.

That will be a big blow to the side who are still chasing their first win of the campaign. 

Last season, the 28-year-old, who has featured in Palace’s three league games so far, made 27 appearances, starting in 15 of the matches.

He was on target as the Eagles beat Sheffield United 2-0 and drew 1-1 with Tottenham.

In his sixth season at the club following a 2017 move from Leicester City, the midfielder is looking to become a big player for Palace under new manager Vieira.

The trip to Ghana marked Schlupp’s return to international duty after some time away. Ghana were billed to face South Africa away three days after the Ethiopia fixture but coronavirus-induced club restrictions meant he was going to miss the trip to Johannesburg anyway.

He was one of seven players missing from the Black Stars line-up in what ended in a 1-0 defeat to Bafana.

The former Manchester United trialist, who made his Ghana debut in 2011, is yet to feature in a major tournament for the country of his parents.

Sao Paulo say that they have released Dani Alves after the defender refused to play for the club amid a dispute over his pay packet.

The veteran Brazilian, who returned to play in his home country in 2019 following a prolific decade-and-a-half spell in Europe, has parted ways with the Serie A outfit.

It is the latest twist in a long-running saga between club and player, one intensified in the wake of the right-back's gold-medal victory with the Selecao at the Olympics last month.

What has happened?

Sao Paulo confirmed the news in a press conference on Friday, three days ahead of their first game back from the September international break.

Football director Carlos Belmonte revealed that Alves refused to return to training following duty with Brazil, in a move that ultimately forced the club's hand.

"We were told by his representatives that Daniel Alves will not come back to Sao Paulo until there is an adjustment in the financial debt that Sao Paulo has with the player," Belmonte said.

"Sao Paulo recognises that debt and last week we made a proposal to try and right it. The proposal was not accepted by the player's representatives. Negotiations will continue.

"We have taken the decision and told this to coach Hernan Crespo that Dani Alves will no longer be at his disposal to play for Sao Paulo.

"We all work for this institution. Nobody is bigger than Sao Paulo Football Club."

What is the dispute?

The 38-year-old's management have claimed that he is owed a significant sum - R$10 million (£1.37m/$1.9m) - in relation to image rights, dating back to his arrival two years ago.

Previous statements made in the run-up to Alves' Olympic gold - and a sharp critique from the player following his triumph - indicated his frustration with the club's failure to deliver.

Sao Paulo subsequently claimed that they had fully repaid the debt owed, though they did admit that payments had been made late to the player.

Alves' World Cup hopes handed blow

Having not played for Brazil since 2019, it looked like the former Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain defender's international career could be over.

But his superb form in Tokyo, as one of a handful of over-age players for Brazil, earned him plaudits and a path back into Tite's set-up this month, coming off the bench against Peru.

Without a club now however, he faces a race to find a new side - and to keep his dream alive of earning a spot in the squad for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Further reading

Samuel Eto’o said his former club Barcelona are lucky to have Memphis Depay after they lost Lionel Messi to Paris Saint-German in August.

Depay joined Ronald Koeman’s side from Lyon on a two-year contract and he has instantly established himself as one of their key players.

Following his impressive pre-season outing with the Blaugrana, Depay has contributed two goals and an assist in Barca's first three La Liga matches of the season.

His return in front of goal has helped them make an unbeaten start to the 2021-22 season with two wins and a draw, and Eto’o believes the former Manchester United forward can succeed Messi as the new leader of Barcelona's attack.

The four-time African Footballer of the Year disclosed that Depay’s previous experiences at Lyon, Old Trafford and PSV would be of advantage to Koeman’s team.

"The luck that Barça has had is that he has signed Memphis," Eto'o said per Catalunya Radio. "He has important club experience, he has shown that he can put the team on his back and I think it will be him [the new leader]."

Despite Lionel Messi’s departure to PSG, Eto’o insisted that La Liga remains the best league in the world because of the presence of the "best two clubs in the world".

Eto'o spent the majority of his career in Spain and during his stay at Barcelona, he won three top-flight crowns, two Uefa Champions League titles amongst other domestic honours.

"We have a lot of teams, including two of the best in the world and any player dreams of playing in those teams,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Cameroon legend – who started his professional career at the Santiago Bernabeu – picked two Real Madrid players and an Athletic Bilbao forward as his favourite players for the 2021-22 campaign.

“I stay with [David] Alaba, Eden Hazard and Inaki Williams.” Eto’o said when asked about his favourite players in the division.

Hazard has played in Real Madrid's first three games this term after battling an injury crisis in the last two seasons while Alaba joined Carlo Ancelotti's side on a free transfer at the end of last season from Bayern Munich.

Williams, on his part, is renowned for his movement on the flanks and he has a goal already to his name after three league outings this season.

Martin Odegaard is aiming to reverse Arsenal's fortunes, with both the Champions League and the Premier League in his sights.

The Norway international made a permanent move to north London this summer following a successful loan spell from Real Madrid last term, and has signed a four-year deal.

He has arrived amid the club's worst start to a campaign in recent memory, with the Gunners rooted to the bottom of the top flight - but the 22-year-old has outlined his bold hopes for the future in red and white.

What has been said?

“To get the club up the table, to the top of the league and to fight for European football,” Odegaard told Sky Sports, when asked about his aims with the Gunners.

“For this season, obviously we want to get back to European football and then hopefully with time, win trophies, the Champions League and hopefully win the Premier League within a couple of years.

“That’s how it should be at this club, that’s the standard.”

Arsenal face fight to end European exodus

It has been some time since the Gunners last found themselves competing at the top end of the Premier League table - and therefore, earning a place in the Champions League.

They last competed in Europe's top competition in 2016-17, when they topped Group A in the first stage before they were eliminated in brutal fashion by Bayern Munich. who notched a 10-2 aggregate round-of-16 victory.

Their wait for a Premier League trophy, meanwhile, stretches even further back, with Arsenal having last lifted the crown way back in 2004, during Arsene Wenger's famed Invincibles era.

The bigger picture

This season's lack of continental football perhaps may have been viewed as a blessing in pre-season amid an increasingly hectic club schedule - though the threat of failing to qualify once more is already looming.

Odegaard will hope to have a crucial impact on turning those fortunes around however, following his arrival from Santiago Bernabeu.

The Gunners face fellow strugglers Norwich City on Saturday in a vital game as they look to kickstart their campaign.

Further reading