Looking for Soccer News?

Former Orlando Pirates coach Maahier Davids has reportedly joined Ernst Middendorp at Ethiopian football powerhouse, Saint George SC.

Middendorp was recently appointed Saint George head coach after parting ways with Premier Soccer League (PSL) giants, Kaizer Chiefs. 

The German tactician was dismissed by Amakhosi after the team lost the PSL title to Mamelodi Sundowns on the last day of the 2019/20 season.

Saint George then moved swiftly to appoint Middendorp as their new coach as they prepare for the new 2020/21 Ethiopian Premier League season.

The 61-year-old tactician has reportedly brought in Davids as his assistant at the most successful Ethiopian club having won a record 29 league titles 

Davids has been jobless since he left National First Division (NFD) outfit Cape Umoya United at the end of the recent campaign.

The well-travelled tactician had joined Umoya in November 2019 following a short stint at Pirates where he worked with his older brother, Fadlu Davids.

The duo was dismissed by Maritzburg United in December 2018 with Maahier having served as Fadlu's assistant in the first-team.

Fadlu was appointed first-team assistant coach at Pirates and Maahier joined the club's academy as a coach midway through the 2018/19 season.

However, Maahier decided to leave the Buccaneers and move to Umoya in the first round of the 2019/20 campaign.

The former Ajax Cape Town academy coach took over a struggling Umoya side and he guided the team to an 11th spot finish in the NFD with the Mother City club avoiding relegation.

Davids has now been pictured with Middendorp at Saint George on Tuesday and the latest reports are indicating that the former has joined the club as an assistant coach.

Middendorp started working with Davids at then-PSL club Free State Stars in 2015, before they moved to Maritzburg United along with Fadlu. 

Prior to joining Stars, Maahier served as the Ajax reserve team coach and worked with current PSL players Rivaldo Coetzee, Yagan Sasman, Hashim Domingo and many others at the club.

Saint George posted the following photo on their official Facebook page on Tuesday

Marcus Rashford has done more to combat child poverty in the UK than any politician has in the last 25 years, according to a councillor who believes the Manchester United forward should be awarded Freedom of the City.

Rashford has gone head-to-head with the UK Government over the issue amid the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The 22-year-old successfully lobbied the government to provide free meals for underprivileged children during the summer holidays and criticised politicians this week for voting against extending the policy through until the Easter holidays next year.

Despite the upset, Rashford found support from various businesses offering to step up and provide free meals, while it was announced this month that the England international will be honoured with an MBE because of his campaigning.

As well as nationwide acclaim, councillor John Leech believes the striker's hometown should reward his activism by awarding him the Freedom of Manchester.

“I wonder whether we ought to be looking to better reflect the diversity of the city, and whether or not there are people from other backgrounds who ought to be recognised for their contributions to the city," he told nomination committee, as quoted by Manchester Evening News.

“For example one of those people that have been mentioned in recent months has been Marcus Rashford.

“Despite being a [Manchester] City fan, I think Marcus Rashford has probably done more to highlight and raise the issue of child poverty in the last six months than any politician has managed in the last 25 years.”

Rashford's devotion to the cause has earned him a lot of praise from big names across the Premier League, including Red Devils team-mate Juan Mata, who urged him to ignore critics who tell him to stay silent and focus on football.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says he is "proud" of the attacker for his "absolutely incredible" work and Chelsea boss Frank Lampard says he "deserves credit" for speaking up about the issue.

While United have had a tumultuous start to the 2020-21 campaign, Rashford has netted four goals in eight appearances in all competitions and will be looking to improve on that record when his side face RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists Donny van de Beek will have a big part to play for Manchester United this season despite still waiting for his full Premier League debut.

The Dutchman’s move to Old Trafford has been widely criticised this week after the 22-year-old was an unused substitute in the goalless draw against Chelsea on Saturday.

Former Ajax and Netherlands striker Marco van Basten was one of many vocal critics who questioned why Van de Beek made the move to United in the summer as he still waits for his first start in the league.

But Solskjaer has disagreed with his critics and, with United facing a jam-packed fixture schedule up until Christmas, the Red Devils boss claims Van de Beek will get minutes and the midfielder is just being given time to settle into life in Manchester. 

“When players come into a new league and team it’s always going to be a time to adapt," said Solskjaer ahead of Wednesday's Champions League tie with RB Leipzig.

"When he’s played, he’s played really well, I think it says a lot about our depth of quality in the squad that we don’t have to use him every single game, we also have other players, it says everything about our ambitions that we want to push on and challenge for trophies this season.  

“Donny will play a big, big part this season, I realise the topic is Donny van de Beek at the moment.

"It’s nice for some players and commentators to have a little go, I know you’re short for time on television and you have to put your points across very quickly.

"You don’t have to start the first three games to be a very important member of the squad. I would be disappointed if some of my team-mates had said I wasn’t important at Man United because I didn’t start very many games. Donny is going to be very, very important about for us, don’t worry about that.”

Scott McTominay, who has started the last three games and looks set to start again at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, said nobody should be panicking about Van de Beek’s lack of game time and claimed the former Ajax man has already had a positive impact on his team-mates.

“The way he has come in, he’s lifted everyone else,” McTominay said. “Big, big signings like that can really lift the dressing room and I feel like we’ve seen that already with the way that Alex [Telles] played in Paris and Donny coming off the bench and showing what ability he has whenever he has been on the pitch.

“I feel like there’s no time to panic with Donny. People can be so quick to come to an assumption that he’s not playing, give him time, let him adapt and let him settle in and let him concentrate on the season.”

Kylian Mbappe's days as a Paris Saint-Germain player are numbered, according to the striker's former France team-mate Adil Rami. 

The 21-year-old has been repeatedly linked with Real Madrid, while Premier League champions Liverpool have also been touted as having an interest in his future. 

Mbappe is contracted to PSG until the end of the 2021-22 season, and if he holds off signing a new contract then the prospects of him leaving before then may increase. 

He could join fellow World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane at the Santiago Bernabeu, and Rami is convinced Mbappe is planning for a future away from the Parc des Princes. 

Speaking on RMC Sport show Top of the Foot, Rami said the lack of news about a new deal for Mbappe at PSG makes his exit an inevitability. 

"I think it's done, especially since it's not moving forward in the [contract] discussions," Rami said when quizzed on the possibility of the Frenchman signing for Madrid.

"You have the impression that it annoys him to talk about it, he does not talk about it with the club, his entourage. 

"And from the moment where it annoys him, it means he does not want to hear it. It is awkward for him. 

"His future is all mapped out and it's sad for the Parisians, even for Ligue 1. I love this player." 

Rami, who was a member of France's 2018 World Cup-winning squad alongside Mbappe, is now playing in Portugal with Boavista. 

Mbappe has shown startling form in the early years of his career, following up his 33 Ligue 1 goals in 2018-19 with 18 from 20 games in the truncated subsequent campaign. 

This season he has begun with six goals and three assists in four starts and an appearance off the bench for PSG in their domestic campaign. 

He will be back in contention for a place in Thomas Tuchel's starting XI when the reigning Ligue 1 champions take in a trip to Istanbul Basaksehir in the Champions League.

PSG will arrive at the Fatih Terim Stadium on Wednesday looking to bounce back from a 2-1 home defeat to Manchester United in their opening Group H fixture, with Mbappe confident of a strong response.

"It's not the first time that we've lost the first match of the group stage. We know how to react,” he told PSG's official website.

“The matches succeed each other quickly and we'll try to win in Istanbul in order to honour the shirt and the club."

Yakou Meite has admitted Blackburn Rovers will be tough but confident Reading are focused on continuing their impressive run of form on Tuesday night.

The Royals extended their unbeaten run to six games in their 3-0 victory over Rotherham United in Saturday’s Championship match.

The Ivory Coast international bagged a brace in the encounter to take his tally to three goals in six league games after opening his account against Barnsley in September.

Meite, who has been with Reading since 2016, was also on the scoresheet in their last meeting with the Blue and Whites, where they lost 4-3 after conceding late in the game.

The 24-year-old revealed his side will leave no stone unturned in their quest to secure their hh Championship win of the season at Ewood Park.

“It’s going to be a tough game. Last year was very tough against them, I remember. They’ve got a good team as well,” Meite told the club website.

“Every game in the Championship is tough, but especially when you go away to a team like this who is really strong and have good players.

“But we are confident in what we are doing at the moment, so we’re just going to go there and try to win, as we always do. Let’s see what happens – this is what we are focused on.

“It’s also important to have players who can play different positions and in the last game when we beat Rotherham, you saw that when things aren’t working then we can change.”

Victory over Blackburn Rovers will help Reading consolidate on their lead at the top of the Championship table. 

Meite has formed a productive partnership with Anglo-Nigerian Ovie Ejaria, who signed a permanent deal with the club this summer from Liverpool.

The forward, who scored 13 goals in 40 league appearances last season, could add to his three strikes this campaign at Ewood Park.

Meite will hope his eye-catching performances for Reading will earn him a recall to the Ivory Coast national team.

The attacker has made only two appearances for the West African side since his international debut against Liberia in March 2019. 

Lionel Messi is uncomfortable at Barcelona, according to Juan Sebastian Veron, who says the Argentine superstar is struggling amid the Blaugrana's search for an identity.

Barcelona have been unable to banish the memory of a trophyless 2019-20 campaign in the early stages of the new season, picking up just seven points from a possible 15 in La Liga.

To make matters worse, Messi has not scored a single goal from open play in his last six appearances for the club, with two successful penalties doing little to silence those who believe he is no longer fully committed to the collective cause at Camp Nou.

The 33-year-old handed in a transfer request over the summer only to later perform a U-turn on his future amid the looming threat of a legal battle, but he will be free to push for a move once again when the transfer window reopens in January.

Messi, who has a clause in his contract which allows him to leave Barca on a free transfer at the end of each season should he choose to do so, also expressed concern over Barca's ability to compete at the very highest level after an 8-2 drubbing at the hands of Bayern Munich in the Champions League last term.

The six-time Ballon d'Or winner has been linked with the likes of Inter, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City in recent months, and it has been suggested that Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid will end up being his final Clasico appearance at Camp Nou.

Veron thinks Barca are in the middle of a transitional period which is hampering Messi's ability to perform, and that Ronald Koeman has yet to figure out the best way to utilise a talismanic performer's talents in the final third of the pitch.

"I see him with a lot of discomfort playing in a team in transition," the former Argentine international told Ole. "In all of these years at Barcelona he was a key player but now they're in transition, they have a lot of spare parts and are trying to find an identity.

"It seems clear to me that, to a certain extent, the club haven't been able to provide Leo [with the right team-mates], especially in their formation and as a team.

"This, somehow, has gone against him. He's a player who has always tried to be competitive and stay at the very top."

Messi will be back in action with Barca when they take in a trip to Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday, which could see him come up against arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time since the Portugal international's departure from Madrid two years ago.

AFC Leopards have confirmed midfielder Dan Musamali has moved to Nzoia Sugar on a season-long loan deal.

The youngster, who signed for Ingwe in 2019 from St. Anthony in Kitale, will have an option of playing against the parent club during that loan period.

“Our midfielder Dan Musamali has joined Nzoia Sugar on a season-long loan,” AFC Leopards confirmed on their social media pages. “The youngster joined us in September 2019, from St. Anthony Kitale, and has an option to play against his parent club across all competitions.”

Musamali has expressed his delight at getting a move where he can secure play-time and build his career.

“It is an opportunity for me to get more playing time as well as improve myself. The team currently is full of experience for the season and my desire is to come back and earn myself a place once again," he said.

His loan move comes just a few hours after Ingwe confirmed the signing of midfielder Fabrice Mugheni from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

“We are pleased to announce the signing of Congolese holding midfielder Fabrice Mugheni from Rwanda National Football League side Rayon Sports," Leopards confirmed on their official social media outlets.

“The former Police FC and Kiyovu SC star midfielder joins us on a two-year deal.”

Mugheni is one of the players that left Rwandan giants Rayon Sports in June as the club experienced a mass exodus.

He had joined the Blues for the second time towards the end of the 2017/18 season and played a critical role as they lifted the Rwandan Premier League title in the subsequent season.

The midfielder was the fifth player to leave Rayon Sports after his teammate and goalkeeper Yves Kimenyi and Eric Irambona, who signed for rivals SC Kiyovu.

Eric Rutanga and Eric Iradukunda were the others who left the troubled giants and joined Police FC.

Mugheni had featured for Rayon Sports in 2015 and his stay through to 2017 helped the club win two titles. The first one was the Rwandan Peace Cup in 2016 before the league title in the 2016/17 season.

The 13-time league champions have been working on strengthening their team ahead of the new season. John Oyemba, Harrison Mwendwa, and Bienvenue Shaka are the players already confirmed at the Den.

Krasnodar "have to be aggressive" against Chelsea, according to their fitness coach John Phillips, who says the Russian outfit must not be "intimidated" by the Blues.

Chelsea are due to take in a trip to the Krasnodar Stadium on Wednesday night as they seek their first win in this season's Champions League group stage.

Frank Lampard's men were held to a 0-0 draw in their Group E opener against Sevilla, and were involved in another stalemate against Manchester United on Saturday which has increased pressure on the Blues boss heading into their latest European outing.

Krasnodar earned a creditable 1-1 draw in the battle of the Champions League debutants at Roazhon Park last week, proving they will be no pushovers on the continental stage by holding their own against Ligue 1 high-flyers Rennes.

Phillips, who has previously worked at Southampton and Queens Park Rangers, thinks Murad Musayev's men are capable of picking up another positive result when they play host to Chelsea, but only if they stop the Premier League giants from playing their usual game by staying mentally sharp over the course of the 90 minutes.

"Chelsea are the same as most English clubs, they're going to be aggressive, the speed of the game will be high. They're doing okay in the league, but they will want to come here and they will want to really try and dominate so it's going to be tough," Phillips told the club's official website.

"Obviously with the injuries we've got and things like that, but for me it's just we have to fight, we have to work hard, and try not to be intimidated by them in any way, so it's a lot to do with the mentality, as well as the physicality.

"[We have to be aware] of their technical ability, also the speed and power. They have a lot of players who can individually do something out of nothing. I think the key is if we work hard, if we're aggressive, we need to concentrate for 95-96 minutes.

"We can't switch off because you'll get punished by these sort of teams. So it's almost as much mental as it's physical for this game. Don't give them respect and allow them to play, we have to be aggressive and take the game to them."

Asked if he expects an open game against the Blues in midweek, Phillips responded: "I think it'll depend on how they want to come out and play. Their style of play, they change it quite a lot.

"They changed formation from the Southampton game against Manchester United, so it will depend on how they see the game.

"If they look at it and think they can come and run over us then I think it’ll be quite open, which I think probably helps us because it means that there'll be opportunities to counterattack."

Simba SC captain John Bocco has sent an apology to the club’s fans after the team suffered a second straight Mainland Premier League defeat on Monday.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi went down 1-0 to Ruvu Shooting in a match played at Uhuru Stadium and this came only three days after they had suffered another 1-0 defeat against Tanzania Prisons.

The results have seen Simba drop the pace in their chase to retain the title with rivals Young Africans (Yanga SC) overtaking them to position two, while Simba are now in fourth.

Bocco, who was making a return to the team after an injury, and also missed a crucial penalty with ten minutes left to the final whistle against Ruvu Shooting, has now apologized to the fans and promised a better performance in their next league assignment.

“On behalf of the players, I want to apologise for the two defeats we suffered against Prisons and Ruvu Shooting,” Bocco said as quoted by the club’s social media pages. “We fell against teams that we should not have but we promise it will not happen again.

“Our promise to the fans is that we will rectify mistakes from the two matches and come back better and stronger to win the coming games.”

Prior to Monday's meeting, Simba and Ruvu Shooting had met 18 times in all competitions and Wekundu wa Msimbazi had managed to win 16 games, drawing the remaining two.

Coach Sven Vandenbroeck tinkered with his squad, giving Beno Kakolanya and Francis Kahata a chance. Bernard Morrison, the returning John Bocco, and Aishi Manula were the players who started on the bench.

However, Ruvu took a deserved lead when Fully Zulu Maganga, who made no mistake from three yards, sent his team into the break with a deserving lead.

Simba were given a lifeline in the 80th minute when they were awarded a penalty after foul play by their opponents in the danger zone but Bocco, who had been introduced, took it and despite beating the goalkeeper, he could not beat the crossbar.

Following the defeat, the Msimbazi-based charges dropped to fourth on the table with 13 points after seven matches. They have managed to collect four wins, a draw, and two losses.

Azam FC, who also fell by a solitary goal to Mtibwa Sugar, lead the race with 21 points from eight games. They are followed by Young Africans SC (Yanga SC) who have not lost any games this season.

After seven matches, they have managed to get six wins and a draw to take their points tally to 19. Biashara Mara United are third with 16 points.

Former Brazil No.1 Julio Cesar has ranked Jorge Jesus above Jose Mourinho as the best coach he ever played under.

Cesar, who won 87 caps for Brazil between 2004 and 2014, spent seven years at Inter and was a key member of Mourinho's treble-winning side in 2009-10.

He ended up leaving San Siro in 2012 to take up a new challenge in English football at Queens Park Rangers, but only lasted two years at Loftus Road before moving to Portugal.

The talented former shot-stopper joined up with Jesus at Benfica for the 2014-15 season and won a Primeira Liga and Taca da Liga double in Lisbon.

Cesar was thoroughly impressed by Jesus' tactical acumen, which he feels sets him apart from any other coach he worked under.

The 41-year-old says the most successful period of his career was spent working with Mourinho, but he feels Jesus is on another level in terms of his overall knowledge of the game.

"I really like his work. He is a coach who really has something extra. But not to belittle others, obviously," Julio Cesar said on the Caioba Game Show.

"Mourinho was the culmination of my career. It was a very successful time with him at Inter. But between Mourinho and Jesus, I prefer Jesus.

"Tactically, he is absurd. He's a guy who breathes it 24 hours a day. He has a phrase: 'Everyone plays ball; now, understand the game few understand.'

"I remember when I arrived at Benfica, in the first season, I learned a lot. Thing I would never have imagined, reaching the end of my career, at the age of 34, several titles won and a nice history in football.

"In terms of management, he is a guy who knows a lot."

Mourinho left Inter to join Real Madrid in 2010, before going on to take in a second spell at Chelsea and an ill-fated stint at Manchester United.

The Portuguese is now plying his trade in north London with Tottenham, while Jesus finds himself back at Benfica after five years away from Estadio Da Luz.

The 66-year-old managed Sporting CP, Al-Hilal and Flamengo after departing Benfica in 2015, but returned to the club on a two-year contract back in August.

Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA FC) have officially terminated the contract they had with defender Kizza Mustafa.

According to a statement on the club’s official website, the decision has been necessitated to allow the player sign for Major League Soccer (MLS) side Montreal Impact, which is coached by Thierry Henry.

“KCCA FC and Montreal Impact have agreed to cancel the loan agreement for left-back Kizza Mustafa,” confirmed the statement.

"In July 2020, KCCA had agreed a deal with Montreal Impact a Canadian professional team based in Montreal, Quebec for the transfer of full-back Mustafa Kizza for two years with an option to sign a further three years at the end of the two years.

“Kizza’s move to Montreal Impact was subject to completion of a medical review. The fullback was expected to undergo a medical at Montreal, after the restoration of normalcy in air transport.

“Montreal Impact competes as a member of the Eastern Conference in Major League Soccer and the club is coached by Thierry Henry.”

The statement continued: “Kizza was to stay at KCCA until December 2020 on loan from Montreal Impact because of the current Covid-19 situation but his loan period at KCCA had an option for Montreal Impact to call him for duty upon the improvement of pandemic situation.”

KCCA CEO Anisha Shahir Muhoozi confirmed the termination of Kizza’s loan deal at the former Uganda Premier League (UPL) champions by stating: “Early October, Kizza flew out to Canada to have his medical at Montreal Impact. He passed his medical and he is currently with his new club.

“KCCA would like to wish Kizza Mustafa the best at his new home Montreal Impact.”

In an earlier interview, Kizza has praised KCCA FC for giving him a platform to develop until he was scouted by Montreal Impact.

The left-back said he arrived at KCCA as a boy and now has left as a man.

“It was a pleasure for me to play for this big club and I want to thank all the stakeholders, the coaches, and teammates for the seven years,” Kizza told KCCA’s Youtube Channel.

“I want to extend my thanks to the coaches who I have passed through their hands for the opportunity they gave me to play for the big club.

“I have to say I played for the biggest team in Uganda and it has been a pleasure and honour.

“I came here as a boy and now I am leaving as a man. As a young boy, I wanted to play for KCCA because it was a club that I supported and the dream of playing for them was achieved.

“The coaches helped me grow because they were pushing me to improve in every aspect of the game after I joined from the junior side. It was their job to push me and it was my duty to push myself.”

Kizza joined the KCCA Academy as a teenager in 2015 and played for the development side until 2016.

The left-back joined Maroons FC on loan at the beginning of the 2016-17 season and later returned to KCCA in January 2017 and has played for the senior team for a period of three and a half years.

Atalanta star Josip Ilicic became depressed after he tested positive for Covid-19, team-mate Papu Gomez has revealed.

The city of Bergamo was hit hard by the spread of coronavirus earlier this year, with an average of 40 people dying each day at the height of the pandemic.

Ilicic missed the last seven games of the 2019-20 campaign, including the Champions League quarter-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, as he was allowed to return to Slovenia.

Reports in Italy claimed the 32-year-old was not in the right frame of mind to feature for Gian Piero Gasperini's team and Gomez says he struggled after being diagnosed with Covid-19. 

“He had the coronavirus and fell into depression,” Gomez said in an interview with TyC Sports. “There comes a moment when the head explodes. Luckily he recovered and he's fine now. He is very important to us."

Gomez, 32, joined Atalanta from Ukrainian side Metalist in 2014 and was handed the captain's armband in his third season with the club.

He expects to see out the rest of his playing career with the Serie A outfit, saying: "I still have three years left on my contract, in February I will turn 33.

"I will surely stay here in Bergamo, we are very comfortable and I will have a position at the club in the future."

The forward made four appearances for Argentina in 2017 but was left out of the squad until national team boss Lionel Scaloni called him up for the World Cup qualifying games this month.

He was an unused substitute for the matches against Ecuador and Bolivia, but he was happy to be part of the team again.

"I had not returned for three years, for me it was spectacular to return because it is not easy at my age," he added. 

"Obviously I would have loved to go on for a few minutes, but what happened, happened. The game against Ecuador asked for one more player, but the coach chose another.

"I noticed [Lionel] Messi was very happy with this group in the national team. If he is happy, we will all be happy. We know what he experienced in these months at Barcelona, ​​surely he is not comfortable with how the team is playing. 

"I think Argentina has the obligation to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup. You cannot demand to be the champions now.

"I won't pretend that we are Germany, but when you can work three or four years with the same person, things turn out better. Hopefully this will happen with Scaloni."

Uganda head coach Johnathan McKinstry has named a 22-man local-based squad for the preparations of the November African Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against South Sudan.

Out of the 22 selected, about six will be considered for the game with the rest being sharpened for future assignments. 

"As previously announced in addition to the squad of 20 foreign-based players for the upcoming double-header against South Sudan in the [Afcon qualifiers], we would be looking to adding five or six Uganda Premier League players to the mix so that they can compete for places in the squad," McKinstry confirmed on Tuesday.

"In order to give the local-based players the best support, we will be running an advance camp between November 2-8. 

"In addition to that, we shall be able to have some early arrivals of foreign-based players whose leagues join this camp in Kampala. The camp will also help the local-based players to push their levels higher and hopefully get some minutes on the field against South Sudan."

The Cranes will play South Sudan on November 12 at St. Mary's Kitende with the return fixture scheduled four days later.

Local-based players:

Goalkeepers: Alionzi Nafian (URA FC), Lukwago Charles (KCCA FC), Mutakubwa Joel (Kyetume FC

Defenders: Ndahiro Derrick (Sc Villa), Galiwango Disan (Vipers SC), Willa Paul (Vipers SC), Mandela Ashraf (URA), Iguma Denis (KCCA FC), Kato Samuel ( (KCCA FC), Juuko Murushid (Express FC), Lwaliwa Halid (Vipers SC), Mbowa Patrick ( URA FC)

Midfielders: Mawejje Tony (Police FC), Kyeyune Saidi (URA FC), Kagimu Shafiq (URA FC), Watambala Kairm (Vipers SC), Owori David ( Sc Villa), Anukani Bright (KCCA FC)

Forwards: Oriti Ibrahim (Vipers Sc), Karisa Milton (Vipers SC), Mukwala Stephen (URA FC), Ahebwa Brian (KCCA FC).

Foreign-base players

Goalkeepers: Dennis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Magoola Jamal Salim (Al Hilal Omdruman, Sudan) 

Defenders: Ronald Mukiibi (Ostersunds FK, Sweden), Nico Wakiro Wadada (Azam FC, Tanzania), Timothy Denis Awany (Sport Club Ironi Ashdod, Israel), Joseph Ochaya (TP Mazembe, Democratic Republic of Congo), Alex Kakuba (CD Cova Piedade, Portugal), Elvis Bwomono (Southend United, England)

Midfielders: Michael Azira (Chicago Fire, USA), Khalid Aucho (Misr Lel Makasa, Egypt), Allan Kyambadde (El Gouna, Egypt), Allan Okello (Paradou, Algeria)

Forwards: Derrick Nsibambi (Smouha, Egypt), Emmanuel Arnold Okwi (Ittihad Alexandria, Egypt), Alexis Bbakka (UMEA, Sweden), Fahad Bayo (Ironi Ashdod, Israel), Farouk Miya (Konyaspor, Turkey), William Kizito Luwagga (Hapoel, Israel), Uche Ikpeazu (Wycombe Wanderers, England), Edirisa Lubega (Paide Linnameeskond, Estonia) 

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League side AFC Leopards have confirmed the arrival of the Democratic Republic of Congo midfielder Fabrice Mugheni.

The 13-time league champions have been working on strengthening their team ahead of the new season. John Oyemba, Harrison Mwendwa, and Bienvenue Shaka are the players already confirmed at the Den.

"We are pleased to announce the signing of Congolese holding midfielder Fabrice Mugheni from Rwanda National Football League side Rayon Sports," Leopards confirmed on their official social media outlets.

"The former Police FC and Kiyovu SC star midfielder joins us on a 2-year deal."

Mugheni is one of the players that left Rwandan giants Rayon Sports in June as the club experienced a mass exodus.

He had joined the Blues for the second time towards the end of the 2017/18 season and played a critical role as they lifted the Rwandan Premier League title in the subsequent season.

The midfielder was the fifth player to leave Rayon Sports after his teammate and goalkeeper Yves Kimenyi and Eric Irambona, who signed for rivals SC Kiyovu.

Eric Rutanga and Eric Iradukunda were the others who left the troubled giants and joined Police FC.

Mugheni had featured for Rayon Sports in 2015 and his stay through to 2017 helped the club win two titles. The first one was the Rwandan Peace Cup in 2016 before the league title in the 2016/17 season.

Estone Esiye, who has featured for Premier League sides KCB and Kakamega Homeboyz, has also emerged as another target for Ingwe.

AFC Leopards lost all but one of their foreign players in the 2019/20 season because of the financial challenges experienced at the club. Coach Casa Mbungo led the exit as Vincent Habamahoro, Soter Kayumba, Ismail Diara, and Tresor Ndikumana all ditched the club after going for months without pay.

Peter Thiong'o is another player who is expected to be unveiled by the Nairobi-based side after joining from Kakamega Homeboyz.

Vincent Oburu is the only local player to have confirmed his departure from AFC Leopards thus far.  

AFC Leopards, who are targeting this season's league title, will start their campaign on November 20 at home against Western Stima.

Scott McTominay says there is no point in Manchester United beating Paris Saint-Germain if they do not play well against RB Leipzig and has called on his team-mates to replicate their impressive display at Parc des Princes.

United marked their return to the Champions League with a 2-1 victory against PSG last week, thanks to goals from Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side built on a 4-1 victory away at Newcastle by overcoming the French champions, with an effective combination of defensive solidity and attacking fluency proving too much for last season's finalists to cope with.

The Red Devils were unable to make it three wins on the bounce after being held to a 0-0 draw by Chelsea on Saturday, but they seem to be settling into a groove after a slow start to the 2020-21 campaign which saw questions asked over their ability to compete with the elite.

McTominay has played a key role in United's mini-revival alongside Fred in the middle of the park, and has urged the rest of his team-mates to keep up their high standards when Leipzig arrive at Old Trafford in midweek.

“With a big win on Wednesday, it would be massive for everybody and the confidence that we are getting each week, and match by match, it would be really beneficial for the squad,” he told United Daily.

“There's no point going away to Paris, when it is a big game and the whole world is watching, and doing really well, and then not playing as well or doing all the right things that got you the win in Paris at home against Leipzig.”

Leipzig are sitting top of Group H on goal difference at the moment, having opened their latest European journey with a 2-0 win over Istanbul Basaksehir.

Julian Nagelsmann's men will be protecting an unbeaten record in Manchester having also reached the Bundesliga summit with four wins and a draw, and McTominay is well aware of the threat a team which made it through to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019-20 will pose the Red Devils.

“We know the intensity that they will bring,” the Scottish midfielder added. "They are a terrific team, I watched them a lot last year with a lot of the coaches in the Champions League games that they played.

“They're a very, very intense team with a good coach and good players as well, so it is not going to be an easy game at all.”

West Bromwich Albion manager Slaven Bilic has revealed his disappointment with Ahmed Hegazi’s transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad.

The 29-year-old teamed up with the Tigers on loan from the Championship club but will sign a permanent deal at the end of the 2020-21 campaign.

Hegazi has been with the Baggies since the summer of 2017 when he joined the side from Al Ahly and has made 104 appearances across all competitions.

The centre-back played a prominent role as West Brom gained promotion to the Premier League at the end of the 2019-20 season, making 14 starts.

Bilic has aired his frustration after the Baggies allowed Hegazi to leave the Hawthorns, despite an assurance from the club that the defender will remain with the side beyond this campaign. 

"He has experience. He is a top professional," Bilic told BBC Sport.

“I wanted him to stay and he wanted to stay and then something happened and then he is off although I had assurances from the club that he would stay.

"That happened yesterday. Of course, I am not pleased. I am really disappointed because we need players. There is, of course, the economic side but we are a football club."

Hegazi has already penned an emotional farewell message to West Brom and hopes to continue his progress with Al-Ittihad, which he described as "one of the biggest and most popular" clubs in the Arab region and Asia.

“To my dear Baggies, I would like to thank you deeply for all the support you have given me over the past three years, through all the ups and downs. You have been amazing to me and my family,” the Egyptian wrote on Instagram.

“And I have always endeavoured to repay this faith by giving absolutely everything on the pitch for this great club, the fans and my teammates.

“I would also like to thank my teammates, coaches, and all the staff at West Bromwich Albion for welcoming me from day one, you have become family and I will miss you all, I wish you the best of luck for the rest of the season and the future.

“Now I'm looking forward to starting a new challenge with Al Ittihad club, which is one of the biggest and most popular in the Arab region, Asia.”

Hegazi could make his debut for his new club when they take on Al Ahli in a Pro League game on October 31.

Sofapaka defender George Maelo has officially announced his retirement from football.

The 36-year-old player has decided to call it a day after 17 years of active football which saw him also play for Police FC.

Sofapaka have confirmed the decision by the player to quit on their official website by stating: "Captain George Maelo has officially retired from active football.

"Club captain Maelo has finally called it a day from football after 17 years in the game. Maelo joined the club from Police FC in July 2016 and went on to serve the club for four years.

On quitting, Maelo said: “I’m so happy and proud of what God has done to me with my talent, all the years of my career I didn’t encounter any serious injury, and when fully fit I managed to play a junk of the matches. As a leader, I did my best on and off the pitch for the betterment of the team.

“Football has built me as a person and taught me a lot about life. At Sofapaka I found a second family where unity and love prevail. The club forms and holds a huge part of me, the trust from the management and everyone in the team meant a lot. I love Sofapaka family and I wish the team the very best.”

On his part coach John Baraza lauded the defender for his leadership and commitment and wished him well in his future endeavours.

“Maelo has been so outstanding since he joined us, he came in when we were battling relegation and during our tough times as a team he did a lot in supporting the club," Baraza said.

"He’s so selfless, hardworking and so disciplined, he made work easier for us as a technical bench. He’s definitely headed for greatness in life and as a team, we wish him success.

“As a way of appreciating his good deeds, the club has appointed Maelo as head of security.”

His decision to quit comes just a day after the club confirmed Elli Asieche as the captain for the forthcoming 2020/21 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League campaign.

“Head coach John Baraza has confirmed midfielder Elli Asieche is the new club captain,” Sofapaka confirmed on their official portal on Monday.

“Asieche, who has been with the club for the past three years since his return, will captain the team beginning the 2020/21 season. He takes over from immediate former club captain George Maelo.”

The 29-year-old has promised to help the Nairobi-based team go in the right direction after he was trusted with the leadership role.

“I am happy for this new capacity and challenge, it shows a lot of trust and faith in me, from the head coach and the entire team. I look forward to leading and helping the club in the right way,” Asieche stated after his confirmation.

Baraza also appointed Willis Obayi and Michael Kibwage as first and second assistant captains, respectively.

Defender Pascal Ogweno could be on his way to Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League side Zoo FC.

The 28-year-old played for Kariobangi Sharks before ditching the Slum Boys for Gor Mahia. However, a lack of playtime at K'Ogalo led to his move to KCB FC where he once again failed to cement his position and was among the players who were released.

"Yes, we have made contact with Ogweno with intentions of signing him," Zoo FC coach Herman Iswekha told Goal on Tuesday.

"However, we will have to assess his form first and preparedness before sealing the deal. He is expected in Kericho tomorrow [Wednesday] and after meeting him we will make our conclusions."

Wilson Anekeya and Collins Neto are among the key players who have left the Kericho-based charges. Anekeya has since joined newly promoted Bidco United while Neto is still a free agent.

"They were good players who helped us last season but they are no longer with us," Iswekha continued.

"We have managed to get players who will fill their positions and ensure we get positive results in the forthcoming season.

"Preparations have been on point and we want to avoid the struggles we experienced in the abandoned season. We will be targeting a good start and consistency in the top tier."

The FKF Premier League is set to start on Friday, November 20 with 13-time champions AFC Leopards hosting Western Stima.

A day later, Mathare United will host Kakamega Homeboyz while Tusker FC will have a date with Gor Mahia. Bandari are scheduled to play Zoo Kericho while Kariobangi Sharks will be at home to play Wazito FC.

Newbies Nairobi City Stars will play Nzoia Sugar while Sofapaka meet KCB. Another promoted side Bidco United will play Posta Rangers while Ulinzi Stars will play either Kisumu All-Stars or Vihiga United.

The two teams are scheduled to meet in the promotion/relegation playoff set for late October and early November.

While Sony Sugar and Chemelil Sugar were relegated, Kisumu All-Stars finished in the 16th position in the top-flight.

Vihiga United finished third in the National Super League and per the rules, the two teams will meet with the aggregate winner playing in the top tier in the 2020/21 season.

Michael Thomas believes that Arsenal need "another creative outlet" like Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar.

Arsenal have endured an inconsistent start to the 2020-21 campaign under Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners have fallen to 11th in the Premier League standings after six fixtures, with a 1-0 home defeat to Leicester on Saturday marking their third defeat of the season.

Arteta's men are currently among the lowest scorers in the top flight with just eight goals to their name, with talismanic frontman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang currently in the middle of one of the worst goal-droughts of his career.

Arsenal strengthened their midfield ranks over the summer by signing Thomas Partey and Willian, while extending Dani Ceballos' loan from Real Madrid, but Thomas believes they are still lacking a spark in the final third of the pitch.

Lyon's Aouar was heavily linked with a move to Emirates Stadium before the October 5 transfer deadline, and the former Gunners star thinks he is exactly the kind of player his old club need to sign in order to close the gap between themselves and the elite.

“Through Arteta giving the team a more robust look, it has come at a cost to the creative side of our game,” Thomas told Caught Offside. “The players are playing very rigid.

"You need to be able to control the ball in areas that the opposing team doesn’t want to be and suffocate them. I think this will change in time but it needs to be sooner rather than later.

“Mesut Ozil obviously offers great creativity when he plays, but at what cost to the team’s efficiency?

“The team obviously needs more creativity going forward because they simply don’t have enough good efforts on goal. We are used to the frontline being played in behind, but recently everything seems to be in front of the opposition with no penetration or speed in the attacks.

"Another creative outlet is very needed whether it be Aouar or someone else.”

Thomas went on to address the continued struggles of Arsenal's record signing Nicolas Pepe, insisting his output going forward hinges on Arteta's preferred system.

He also weighed in Aubameyang being forced to take up an unnatural role out wide while looking ahead to the Gunners' trip to Manchester United at the weekend, adding: “Pepe still has a lot to give but the creativity depends on Arteta getting the balance right between defensive stability and attacking threat.

"He has the ability to make the difference and hopefully he does so this Sunday.

“The wide role is not Aubameyang’s best position in my opinion, but the team are not creating enough for him anyway.”