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Gor Mahia new winger John Macharia has promised to help the team to register even more successes during his stay.

Macharia signed a two-year deal with the Kenyan Premier League 18-time champions and is among the 13 new stars who have been signed before the 2020/21 season begins.

“Let me tell everyone associated with Gor Mahia that I have come to work and I believe we are going to do a good job. We are simply going to do our best to make the team even better,” Macharia told Gor Mahia TV.

“My main aim is to play football, ensure that whatever level Gor Mahia have reached, we will not go down and I hope we will pick up from that level and even go higher. That means one has to be very aggressive in everything he is doing.

“It is a great feeling because many players would want to play for Gor Mahia since it is one of the best teams in Kenya. It is actually the best side because it is holding the championship record.

“No one can hesitate to take a chance when presented to play for Gor Mahia because every player would want to prove themselves with a team like Gor Mahia.”

The former FC Kolkheti and FC Saburto-II of Georgia star also spoke about experiences and life challenges since he launched his footballing career.

“Playing in Europe helped me get vital experience because I have learnt a lot while I was there,” said Macharia, who alongside his teammates have already started the pre-season training.

“As I come to Gor Mahia, I do not feel any pressure at all and if I get the opportunity, I will surely play football because it has been one long journey.

“The fact that I came back home does not mean the local league is of a lower standard, no, in fact, it is one of the best in Africa. I want to play if I get the time and when a good offer comes then I will take it because I know I am going far.

“Life has been good and since my school days, I think I have been advancing every other day but challenges have also been increasing, honestly. These challenges have been in my general life and in my sporting career.”

The winger joined after Tanzanian Dickson Ambundo left the KPL club for Dodoma Jiji FC and is expected to offer more creativity in the final third.

Marcus Rashford has gone for Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba has selected himself as Manchester United's top stars have revealed their Fantasy Premier League picks for the season.

FPL managers across the globe are currently readying their final squads for Gameweek 3 of the 2020-21 campaign, which kicked off on September 12.

Most players decided to resist the urge to include any United stars in GW1, due to the fact Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side were granted an extra week off following their run to the Europa League semi-finals last season.

However, a number of Red Devils were drafted in the following week as the team prepared for their opening fixture at home to Crystal Palace, with the likes of Fernandes, Anthony Martial and Rashford all popular choices.

Unfortunately for United fans, Palace ended up springing an upset at Old Trafford, running out 3-1 winners thanks to an Andros Townsend strike and a brace from Wilfried Zaha.

Fernandes, who had previously averaged an impressive eight FPL points per game for the club following his move from Sporting CP in January, only delivered two against the Eagles, as did Rashford, Martial and Pogba.

Teenage forward Mason Greenwood, meanwhile, claimed just one point after being forced to make do with a cameo role from the bench.

Martial and Rashford hit 17 goals each in the top flight last season, while Greenwood was also among United's top-performing players.

And despite their poor start to the new season, many are likely to try and fit them into their FPL teams again when Solskjaer takes his side to Brighton on Saturday.

Ahead of that clash, several members of the current Red Devils squad have offered their top picks, with Rashford coming forward first to put his faith in Fernandes.

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Asked who would be the first name on his teamsheet from United's current crop, the England international told the official Premier League website: "Bruno, he takes the pens so you know he's going to get the goals up."

Luke Shaw, Nemanja Matic and Fred also picked Fernandes, before the Portuguese outlined the merits of selecting Martial.

"I think you need to choose Anthony Martial, because I will give a lot of passes to him," said Fernandes.

Pogba, who produced a below-par display against Palace but will be back in contention for a place in Solskjaer's line-up at Amex Stadium, concluded the question and answer session by stating: "I would advise you to pick me because I am Paul Pogba."

Rwanda’s Football Federation Ferwafa is set to table the new proposal regarding the restriction of foreign players in the Premier League.

The proposal is set to be tabled in the upcoming General Assembly – expected to be held on October 17 - and have the 3-3 foreign quota rule debated ahead of the new season.

The 3-3 rule allows Rwandan clubs to have only three foreign talents in their starting XIs and another three on the substitute list. Local clubs have always protested against the rule arguing the limited number of permitted foreigners work against the growth of the Rwandan league.

According to The New Times, Ferwafa is expected to propose an increase in numbers from three to five. Ferwafa is said to have agreed to the club’s demands but will make the decision that will also have the national team’s interest catered for.

The FA is also expected to accompany the rule with another that would have the foreigners substituted with only local players during matches. It is hoped the new rule will motivate Rwandan players to work hard at their clubs given the previous rule was said to have brought about laxity.

APR and Police FC are the only clubs which have not had a single foreign player since the 2013/14 season.

Meanwhile, Abdallah Murenzi has taken over his role as the new Rayon Sports president in a handover ceremony that was conducted at the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) headquarters in Kigali.

Murenzi was appointed the president on Wednesday after Sadate Munyakazi and the entire executive board stepped aside on Tuesday. Murenzi and his new board are expected to bring stability before the club can organise elections.

“These are not easy responsibilities but I and my colleagues are committed and will do everything we can to fulfil them. I also hope we will have the support of the outgoing committee whenever we need them,” Murenzi said as was quoted by The New Times.

Thadée Twagirayezu and Hilaire Nyirihirwe will act as Murenzi’s deputies in the normalisation committee. The interim president’s father was a Rayon Sports player between 1970 and 1987 and was also president when the club won the league title seven years ago.

When Ferwafa cancelled the league due to the coronavirus pandemic, Rayon Sports were second to APR.

Simba SC coach Sven Vandenbroeck has promised fans an entertaining match when they take on Gwambina FC in a Mainland Premier League match on Saturday.

The Wekundu wa Msimbazi will be seeking to make it two straight wins against the promoted side after they beat Biashara United 4-0 in their last league match played at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium last Sunday.

With that in mind, the Belgian coach has remained confident his side will entertain fans since they will be playing at the national stadium.

“We want to entertain our fans, more than we did against Biashara United in the 4-0, we want the fans to go home happy and they must be prepared for good entertainment,” Vandenbroeck told the club’s official website.

“Against Biashara we won 4-0 and entertained the fans, and against Gwambina we also want to win and entertain fans, even more, our target is to make the fans happy.

“We must make sure we are entertaining especially when playing at home, we must win our home matches as this will help build your pursuit to win the title.”

Vandenbroeck continued: “When you are the champions you have to entertain that is the reason we are the champions and that is why we have to make sure that our fans are entertained, we will strive to entertain, it is our duty to do so and we will make sure we achieve that.”

Vandenbroeck also confirmed that all the players are fit and ready for the fixture apart from Brazilian winger Gerson Fraga, who has been ruled out for three weeks after injuring his left leg in the match against Biashara.

Speaking after the game against Biashara, Vandenbroeck revealed he was happy for his team not to concede a goal.

“My happiness from the game is that we managed to keep a clean sheet, it was a big achievement for my team,” Vandenbroeck told the club’s official website.

“The whole team played very well from the first whistle and in the entire 90 minutes, they were very impressive and winning 4-0 was also a good way to welcome our fans because it was the first match we were playing at home this season.”

On Tuesday, Simba also played a friendly against African Lyon and won 2-0 with goals from Mugalu and Charles Ilanfya.

Simba had conceded in their first two league matches – a 2-1 win against promoted Ihefu FC and a 1-1 draw against Mtibwa Sugar.

FC Goa have signed Australian defender James Donachie on a one-year loan deal from A-League side Newcastle Jets. The centre-back becomes the Gaurs’ 9th new signing ahead of the 2020/21 ISL (Indian Super League) season.

Donachie, 27, is a three-time A-League champion with 2 of his triumphs coming in the colours of Brisbane Roar in the 2011/12 and 2013/14 seasons. He later went on to win it again as a part of Melbourne Victory in the 2017/18 campaign. 

The lanky defender has the experience of plying his trade in the AFC Champions League as well. The Queensland native participated in the competition over 5 different editions which including the last three seasons – all with Melbourne. 

“I am thrilled to be coming to Goa and India. This should be a great opportunity and challenge for me. I will be playing for a club that’s not only looking to challenge for the title but will also be playing at the highest level in Asia – the AFC Champions League. I feel this move comes at the right time for me. I can’t wait to set sail to India and get on to the ground," stated Donachie after completing the move. 

Donachie is a product of the Brisbane Roar’s youth program. He played junior football in Queensland and was awarded Australia’s Youth League Player of the Year for two consecutive seasons in 2010-11 and 2011-12.

He had joined the senior Roar's side in 2012 and in the very first season he tasted silverware as his side overcame Central Coast Mariners in dramatic fashion to clinch the title.  

Donachie made his first big move in 2016 when he signed for Melbourne Victory. He was with Victory till the end of last season except for a short six-month spell with the erstwhile K-League side Jeonnam Dragons in 2018. He moved back to Melbourne on loan later in January 2019 before making his move permanent last year in August.

He has been a key figure in the Melbourne defence during all his time at the club and was awarded the club’s Players’ Player of the Season award for his performances in 2019/20.

He had signed on a three-year deal with Newcastle Jets earlier this year.

ATK Mohun Bagan FC’s Edu Garcia has been playing in Kolkata for more than a year now and has been a mainstay at the Kolkata club.

He had joined the club in December 2018 and was an integral part of the side’s title-winning campaign in the 2019-20 season. He had scored six goals, including one in the final against Chennaiyin FC to help the side from Kolkata land their third title.

The former Zaragoza man has enjoyed his stint in the City of Joy so far and has also signed a contract extension this year which will keep him in Kolkata for two more years.

“Kolkata is amazing,” the Spanish player told Goal. And I have known incredible people there. ATK has been the biggest club in ISL and you can feel it when you play for them. Now ATK Mohun Bagan is even bigger.”

The Spanish midfielder also expressed that the merger of ATK and Mohun Bagan is a positive development and stated that he believes that the amalgamation of two of the biggest clubs in India will only make the new entity stronger.

“As I told you, I think they are the two biggest clubs in India and now they are one, stronger, bigger and more supporters. I can’t wait to play and defend this jersey,” said the ATK Mohun Bagan star.

The Mariners’ arch-rivals East Bengal too are all set to compete in the top tier league this season after Shree Cement Limited came in as an investor.

Garcia revealed that he had previously watched the Kolkata derby from the stands and had experienced the fandom that is associated with a high profile game.

“I have been in the stands in a derby when they played the I-league. It’s crazy, I love football when the stadium is full and people support their team for 90 minutes. It will be one of the most exciting moments in ISL for sure,” said the Spanish footballer.

ATK Mohun Bagan have earned a direct slot in the AFC Cup, thanks to Mohun Bagan's I-League victory last season. The former Real Zaragoza player is looking forward to playing in the AFC Cup.

“It’s a big challenge for us to represent ATKMB in Asia. It’s also a big responsibility and we will give our best in every game.”

The 2020-21 season of the ISL is set to be held at a centralised venue in Goa owing to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Spanish midfielder praised the authorities and supported their decision to organise the league in a single venue keeping in mind the safety of the players.

“ISL and the authorities decided to do everything in the same city and I think it’s a good idea. You can control in a better way when everybody stays in the same place. So if we can play safely and Indian people can support their teams from home, I will be happy. The pandemic has changed everything. ISL has had to make a decision and I think they are doing it very well,” Garcia opined.

All the signs point to Dele Alli leaving Tottenham soon, claims former Spurs midfielder Jermaine Jenas.

Alli has fallen out of favour under Jose Mourinho in the season's early stages, failing to even make the bench for wins over Lokomotiv Plovdiv and Southampton before starting and playing an hour in Thursday's win at Shkendija in the Europa League.

The relationship between Alli and Mourinho has come under heavy scrutiny as the midfielder has been linked with a move away from north London.

PSG and Real Madrid have been mooted as potential destinations, while Ray Parlour believes his former side Arsenal should make a £50 million ($64m) move for the 24-year-old.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live Jenas has said that he believes Alli will leave Spurs because his relationship with Mourinho is broken beyond repair.

"I don't feel like it's one that can be reconciled, I feel like it's a parting of the ways," Jenas said.

Jenas claimed that Alli should be keen to leave in order to get back in Gareth Southgate's England plans, having been left out of the Three Lions' Nations League squad for their matches in September.

"Everything Jose does is to get a reaction," Jenas continued. "I would be concerned if I was Dele. He has always been loved by everyone and every manager.

"No doubt that his form has dipped over the last 18 months, he knows that more than anybody.

"Two weeks ago I would have said, if I was Dele Alli, I would stay and dig in. But all the signs lead to getting him out of there.

"At the end of the season there's the Euros - he would be desperate to get back in Gareth Southgate's thoughts. The only way he is going to do that is by playing football and scoring goals again.

"Right now it doesn't feel like Jose Mourinho or Spurs is the place for him. I'd be looking to move on now."

Alli and Spurs will face Newcastle on Sunday in Premier League action, having started their domestic campaign with a loss against Everton and a win at Southampton.

Frank de Boer believes he has inherited a Netherlands squad that is even better than the one that reached the World Cup final a decade ago. 

The new Oranje coach, confirmed as Ronald Koeman's successor, was on Bert van Marwijk's coaching staff at the 2010 World Cup when Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder et al made the final, only to be beaten by Spain after extra time. 

The Netherlands missed out on qualification for the previous World Cup in 2018 - having also been absent from Euro 2016 - but De Boer is bullish about the future having signed a two-year contract that will take in next year's delayed European Championship and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. 

"This selection is perhaps even more talented than that of 2010," De Boer told reporters. 

"I do see similarities with that group. Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben were in top form, we had Rafael van der Vaart and also defensively it was good with the block - Mark van Bommel [and] Nigel de Jong. Very solid, and so does the current selection. There is a lot of potential, especially in terms of width." 

The Netherlands were at a low ebb when Koeman took over in February 2018 but he led them to the Nations League final and guided them to Euro 2020 - a competition that has been postponed until next year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Koeman will not be in charge for that having left to take over at Barcelona, though former Ajax, Inter, Crystal Palace and Atlanta United coach De Boer accepts he shares similarities with his predecessor. 

"When the rumours about a possible departure of Koeman to Barcelona came, I had a brief talk with my agent about the Dutch national team, just to see how I might feel about that," De Boer added. 

"I am not Ronald Koeman 2.0, but there are of course some similarities. I do want to follow the path of his method." 

De Boer made 112 appearances for his country and won four straight Eredivisie titles with Ajax at the start of his coaching career. 

However, he has failed to emulate that success in his stops with Inter, Palace and MLS side Atlanta, so his appointment as coach of the national team has raised eyebrows. 

"It doesn't interest me whether I was the first, second or sixth choice for the Oranje, this job is very honourable and if I am asked to do this job, I like to do this job," De Boer said. 

"You always have supporters and opponents and you always hear the opponents loudest. But I think there is also a very large group of people who are very satisfied.  

"I hope that I will not betray the confidence of the KNVB [Royal Dutch Football Association] and the supporters."

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has said that out-of-favour midfielder Dele Alli should follow the example set by Tanguy Ndombele. 

Alli has seen himself fall down the Spurs pecking order in recent weeks, failing to even make the bench for wins over Lokomotiv Plovdiv and Southampton before starting and playing an hour in Thursday's win at Shkendija.

The England midfielder has been linked with a move away from north London  much like his team-mate Ndombele, who has often found himself out of Mourinho's lineup since moving from Lyon in July 2019.

Ndombele, though, could be turning a corner in his Spurs career as he has now started back-to-back matches and has prompted Mourinho to say the 23-year-old is improving.

"I’m very happy [with him]," Mourinho said of Ndombele ahead of Sunday's Premier League match against Newcastle.

"I say all the time, when a player improves it’s a player’s responsibility, it’s the player’s credit. It’s not the coach who makes the miracle. The player that does that by himself, to understand what he has to understand and go in the right direction that he has to go. Tanguy, step by step, is doing very well.

"I didn't talk to Tanguy. I just think that he felt the direction which it was going was not the right one and it’s something that players with me, they feel all of the time that I don’t give positions for free.

"The players have to fight, they have to perform, I would never give him a place in the team because he was an expensive buy or because he’s an important player. He has to do that by himself, probably with the help of his colleagues, with the help of his teammates, he went in a good direction."

Mourinho has even suggested that Alli could learn a thing or two from his team-mate.

When asked if Ndombele's reaction is what he wants to see from Alli and others who are out of favour, Mourinho said: "Yes, that’s what I want.

"I don’t want players to moan, I don’t want players to feel frustrated, I don’t want players to feel that I have something against them when I don’t pick them up.

"I want players to fight for the minutes that they want to be on the pitch and when you play for Tottenham, you have to understand that Tottenham wants to be better and better and the rewards are going to be better and better and the players cannot have a comfortable position on the pitch."

Alvaro Morata wants to end Juventus' long wait for Champions League glory after completing a "dream" return to Turin.

The Spain striker is back with Juve on an initial one-year loan deal from Atletico Madrid, with the Serie A club having an option to buy Morata for €45million or spend a further €10m to loan him for a second campaign.

Morata previously spent two years with Juventus between 2014 and 2016, scoring 27 goals in 93 appearances before returning to Real Madrid and helping them to win the 2016-17 Champions League, when they beat the Bianconeri in the final.

Achieving European success with Juventus - who last won the Champions League in 1996 - is one of Morata's main goals.

"Juve took a punt on me when I was younger and coming back was a dream of mine," he told reporters at his presentation.

"Leaving Juventus was not up to me. I was happy in Madrid, but now it's important for me to be here and I have kept in touch with everyone over the years.

"It was a great memory and now we have new challenges to face together.

"The Champions League is very important to Juventus. If we were to win it this year, I would be the happiest man in the world. We want to win it."

Morata, now 27, conceded he has been affected by those who have doubted his ability in the past, with a big-money move to Chelsea in 2017 not panning out as expected.

However, he believes he has now matured and is able to handle the pressure of playing for one of Europe's biggest clubs.

"I used to pay attention to the critics when I was younger. I know that I need to work hard and be clear about what I have to do," Morata said.

"I'm happy to be back. I've come back to Turin as a person that's grown in all senses. I'm in the right place at the right time: I know what I need to do, I have the necessary experience. Juve is the opportunity of a lifetime."

Morata played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo with Los Blancos and revealed the Portuguese is excited about being his team-mate again.

"I know Cristiano rather well, he's happy," Morata added. "We spoke quite a lot, even before I returned."

Trabzonspor have signed Leicester City flop Fousseni Diabate on a three-year deal with the option to extend for an additional year.

The move brings an end to Diabate's disappointing two-and-a-half years stint in England where he played 19 matches for Leicester City, which include 14 Premier League appearances.

The Mali international showed instant promise following his transfer from Gazelec Ajaccio to the King Power Stadium in January 2018 with a brace on his debut outing against Peterborough United in an FA Cup match.

After his maiden campaign, Diabate struggled to secure first-team football and he spent the last 18 months on loan. He spent the second half of the 2018-19 season in the Turkish Super Lig with Sivasspor before returning to France to join Ligue 1 side Amiens on loan the following campaign.

Last season, the 24-year-old scored a goal in 20 league games as Amiens suffered relegation to the Ligue 2.

The Mali winger becomes the latest African star to join Eddie Newton's team following the acquisition of DR Congo's Benik Afobe on a loan deal from Bristol City this month.

Trabzonspor have picked up just one point from two matches in the Super Lig, which came after a goalless draw against Denizlispor last Saturday.

They will be focused on grabbing their first win of the season when they host Yeni Malatyaspor at the Senol Gunes Stadium for Saturday's league encounter.

Frank Lampard has revealed that fellow club legend player Petr Cech is getting involved in goalkeeping training sessions amid a fight for the No.1 spot at Chelsea.

Upon retirement from playing football after a spell at Arsenal, Chelsea’s former goalkeeper returned to the club as a technical and performance advisor.

That role has seen Cech get involved in advising on transfers at Stamford Bridge, with the latest deal to be completed that of Senegal international Edouard Mendy in a £22m ($27m) deal from Rennes.

His arrival comes after yet another Kepa Arrizabalaga howler, as concerns continue grow over the latter's form. 

Having been pictured training with the shot-stoppers, Lampard explained how Cech is getting more involved in a three-way battle for the No.1 spot - with Willy Caballero also in the mix and possibly set to start against West Brom.

“Petr came to me and talked about it before he started training at first,” the manager said. “We were sort of suffering with the squad and numbers [being so high] and now Petr is training very regularly with the group. That can change at any time.

“It’s not something I have a problem with in any way and that communication is always really good. It’s something I like. We are a tight-knit family here at Chelsea. It’s important that we’ve promoted that a lot. 

“That was one of the things when I came back to the club. It's not like I’m going to put my boots on and take part every day, but what we’re trying to do is make sure that the group is together.

“Petr has his job but he’s also at times helping with the goalkeepers. Why would you not tap into having the best goalkeeper in the world, which he was for a long time, to pass on that knowledge?

“With Petr, he had so much to give on that side of things. His daily job here is to be a technical advisor and he has been a great help to me on that front. That’s been brilliant for me being back at the club to have that.

“Having Petr train with the goalkeepers and bring his experience is a great thing. He still has great quality as he retired pretty young. He’s training and keeping fit, which I think is healthy for him and the goalkeepers in the squad.”

The £72m ($92m) signing from Athletic Club has struggled since Lampard came in but his record price tag has put off potential suitors.

Valencia and Sevilla have already been put off by Kepa's wage demands but Lampard isn't refusing to rule out a loan move before the transfer deadline passes on 5 October.

“There’s no clarity on that one yet about what will happen and I’m not going to speak about the maybes or what might happen in the future,” he added as he was preparing to talk to both Kepa and Caballero about new signing Mendy.

“I think the most important thing now is the game this weekend, which Mendy won’t be involved in. I will have conversations with all the goalkeepers and be very open about it and we’ll see the way to move forward.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has hit back at suggestions that he might be frustrated with Manchester United’s transfer activity this summer, saying it was disrespectful to Donny van de Beek.

The midfielder is the club’s sole addition this summer with efforts to land No 1 transfer target Jadon Sancho still stalling with just over a week left until the window closes.

Solskjaer was hoping to add two or three new faces to his squad before the October 5 deadline, and with Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City all boosting their teams there is a risk United could get left behind - but the manager refuted claims that he might be annoyed by the club’s activity so far in the window.

“I think you show quite a bit of disrespect to Donny [van de Beek[ when you say he was the only one, because he is a top player and he strengthens our team and of course we have to concentrate on ourselves,” Solskjaer replied.

“Different clubs have to be allowed to do whatever they do and feel they can. We are working hard to have a competitive squad and team. If and when there are updates we will give you them.”

Van de Beek was handed his first full start in the 3-0 win against Luton on Tuesday and could be in line for his full Premier League debut against Brighton on Saturday lunchtime.

With the 23-year-old boosting the club’s midfield, Solskjaer is hoping his side can produce more goals from the middle this season, easing the burden on Anthony Martial, Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford.

“We had the front three who scored 60-odd goals, I can’t remember how many, then you had Bruno [Fernandes] who chipped in with penalties and free kicks," he said.

"We need more goals from our set plays, Harry [Maguire] is one of the best in the league of first contacts from set plays. Can we get more from that? Can we get more goals from midfield? Of course that could give us extra points.

“It needs to give us extra points, we have got players in Donny and Paul [Pogba] who can definitely chip in with more goals, Jesse [Lingard], Juan [Mata], Dan James, they can get up there with a bigger tally as well.”

Manchester City are in talks about signing Benfica centre-back Ruben Dias in a deal that could see Nicolas Otamendi move in the opposite direction.

A right-sided central defender has been Pep Guardiola's priority since City failed to replace former captain Vincent Kompany when he left the club nearly 18 months ago.

Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly was City's preferred target for much of the summer but negotiations over the Senegal international have proven difficult and any signs of a deal look over.

Goal understands that City are now ready to make a move for Portuguese international Dias, who could cost around €55 million (£50m/$64m).

Dias, 23, has been watched by club scouts for several seasons after three strong campaigns with Benfica and being part of Portugal's 2018 World Cup squad.

And the club is trying to get a deal for a new defender done before the transfer window closes on October 5.

Sevilla defender Jules Kounde and Atletico Madrid man Jose Gimenez are also on City's shortlist but Benfica captain Dias is a leading target.

Former Porto defender Otamendi could also be used as a makeweight in the deal with the Argentinian surplus to requirements at the Premier League club.

City have already signed Dutch international defender Nathan Ake earlier in the transfer window in a €44m (£40m) deal from Bournemouth.

Uncertainty also surrounds the future of young Spanish defender Eric Garcia, who is the final year of his contract and has turned down a new deal. Barcelona are preparing a bid to take the former La Masia player back to Camp Nou.

City struggled without the experience of Kompany last season and were forced to switch veteran Fernandinho back into the role from the centre of midfield.

The Brazilian started the opening day of the season back in his familiar role with John Stones partnering Ake in the heart of the defence.

Any new signing could be in consideration for City's Premier League clash with Leeds next weekend.

Guardiola is already short of options and says he has only 13 players available for Sunday's visit of Leicester City. But he is boosted by the return of Aymeric Laporte, who is available after testing positive for Covid-19.

Jurgen Klopp has described Mikel Arteta as an "exceptional football manager" as he targets his first win over Arsenal since the Spaniard launched his north London revolution. 

Liverpool manager Klopp saw his championship-winning side fall to a rare Premier League loss in July when they faced Arteta's Arsenal at Emirates Stadium. 

Arsenal then inflicted a penalty shoot-out defeat on Liverpool in the Community Shield at the end of August, leaving Klopp still searching for that elusive victory over Pep Guardiola's former assistant. 

On Monday, the teams resume their intriguing recent rivalry at Anfield, and while Klopp is confident Liverpool can extend their 100 per cent start to the season, he can see Arteta instilling a culture at Arsenal that is built for success. 

After nine months at the helm, a club that was blighted by instability before Arteta's arrival looks to have a firm footing and a sense of direction. 

"Mikel Arteta has shown in a pretty short period of time that he seems to be an exceptional football manager. The structure of the team is absolutely exceptional," Klopp said. 

"You can see the balance between defence and offence is really good. There's good organisation, freedom for the players and he uses the players in the right position. 

"Since he's been there, he's done a pretty impressive job, changed the whole mood in the club. I don't think a lot of people thought he would have won any competition, but he did that by winning the FA Cup and also the English 'Super Cup' [the Community Shield]. 

"That’s pretty impressive. So it's a tough, tough opponent.

"They defend properly, all the players are involved. They defend in a 5-4-1 which is a pretty tricky situation. I can say a lot of positive things about Arsenal because it's true, but I think we still have a chance on Monday night." 

Liverpool will be without captain Jordan Henderson for the Arsenal game after he was substituted in the win at Chelsea last Sunday because of a thigh problem. 

That could open the door for Thiago Alcantara to make his home debut from the start, following his arrival from Bayern Munich. 

Klopp was cautious on that prospect, yet the recent Champions League winner would be an obvious candidate given how well he performed after replacing Henderson at Stamford Bridge. 

"We will see," Klopp said. "We have a few days to train, so we will see how we set up. I have an idea, but why should I make a decision today? But he’s in contention, so let’s see."

The PlayStation 5 hits shelves this winter ahead of the holiday market for Christmas and, in the U.S., Thanksgiving.

It will rival the Xbox Series X and the initial run of pre-orders for the PlayStation 5 have already sold out.

FIFA 21 arrives for the console this winter and promises bigger and better graphics and more realistic gameplay than ever before.

When is FIFA 21 released for PlayStation 5?

EA Sports has confirmed that FIFA 21 will release on current-generation consoles (PlayStation 4 and Xbox One) on Friday, October 9.

However, they have not yet given an exact release date for FIFA 21 on PlayStation 5.

It is expected that FIFA 21 will arrive on the next generation of consoles before the holiday period and is likely to be launched close to the release dates for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

To ensure that gamers do not end up buying two versions of FIFA 21, it will be possible to get a free upgrade of FIFA 21 from PS4 to PS5 when the game is released on the new console.

Can I play older versions of FIFA on PlayStation 5?

The PS5 promises to offer backwards compatibility for PS4 games, meaning that you will be able to play older versions of FIFA on the new console.

PlayStation 3 and older games are not compatible with the new console, but any PS4 game purchased in the PlayStation Store can automatically be downloaded onto the PS5 through the same user account.

Similarly, if you purchase the standard PS5 rather than the Digital Edition, you can use PS4 discs in the drive and play them on the new console.

What are the launch games for PlayStation 5?

The PS5's backwards compatibility means that there will be hundreds of PS4 games available to play on launch day, but there are also many new games hitting shelves this winter.

The following games have been confirmed as launch day releases for the PlayStation 5:

When is the PlayStation 5 released?

The PS5 will be released on November 12 in USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico and South Korea.

The rest of the world, including the UK and Europe, will be able to purchase a PS5 from November 19.

The pre-order period for the PS5 began on September 17 and allowed customers worldwide to order the console ahead of its release to ensure they get their hands on it on release day.

How much does the PlayStation 5 cost?

The PS5 will cost $499.99 / £449.99 for the standard edition of the console, which contains a disc drive to allow you to play physical discs as well as disc copies of PS4 games.

The Digital Edition of the PS5 will cost $399.99 / £359.99, which only allows you to play games downloaded from the PS5 and does not have a disc drive.

The disc drive on the PS5 also allows you to play 4K UHD Blu-Ray discs.

Hertha Berlin sporting director Arne Friedrich has confirmed that his club are considering a move for Mario Gotze.

Gotze has been without a club since his contract with Borussia Dortmund ended in July and has been linked with a move to several clubs, including Sevilla and Fiorentina. 

Speaking at half-time of his side's match against Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday, Friedrich said that Hertha could make a move for the former Germany international.

"He is of course a name that we have dealt with," Friedrich told DAZN, before adding there are "many other names" on his side's list of players they are considering.

Gotze made 21 appearances in all competitions for Dortmund last season, with the 28-year-old often finding himself out of head coach Lucien Favre's plans.

Gotze originally left Borussia Dortmund to join Bayern Munich in 2013 and returned to Dortmund in 2016, where he played another four seasons. 

There has been recent talk of a shock return to Bayern, whose head coach Hansi Flick has recently admitted he had been in contact with the midfielder.

Flick, though, denied that his side were looking to move for Gotze and instead said he was merely checking in on a player he knows well from his time as a Germany national team assistant. 

"I have had frequent contact with him since my time with the national team," Flick said ahead of Bayern's Super Cup win over Sevilla. "I have high regard for Mario and know where his strengths lie. But that's not an option for us at the moment."

In an interview with Bild earlier this month, Gotze said he was open to staying in Germany and had identified October 5 as the date by which he wants to find a new club. 

"The Bundesliga is a part of Europe, and I have never said that I would want to leave the Bundesliga," Gotze said. "There are several ambitious clubs in Germany.

"There is no deadline [to find a new club], but I would like to have a team by October 5. That is, in my head, the date I want to have clarity about my future. I still feel motivated to play football — the earlier, the better." 

Zambia coach Bruce Mwape has named Zesco forward Grace Chanda in his provisional 28-woman home-based squad for this year's Cosafa Women's Cup in South Africa.

The 2020 edition of the regional competition was due to be held in August in Port Elizabeth, but the coronavirus pandemic forced a delay until October 19-31, which is still subjected to Covid-19-related changes.

Now, Mwape's Zambia – who defeated Cameroon to qualify for the first time to the Olympic Games in Tokyo - will open camp on September 27, with a team mix of youth and experienced players.

Chanda, who finished as the African Olympic Women's qualifier top scorer with eight goals, is joined in the preliminary squad by Misozi Zulu, Hazel Nali, Mary Mwakapila and Ireene Lungu.

Zesco's Thandiwe Ndhlovu, Green Buffaloes’ Maylan Mulenga, Red Arrows' Mary Manbwe and Bauleni United Sports Academy's Salome Phiri were among the U20 players included in the squad.

The camping will also help the last year's runners-up intensify their preparation for the international double-header clashes with Chile scheduled for November 28 and December 2 in Santiago.

The Copper Queens are yet to play a game since March, since they made history on the continent at the expense of Central African side Cameroon, claiming the Olympic ticket for the first time.

Mwape will aim to replicate their Olympic qualifier form in securing a Cosafa triumph for the first time after finishing as the runners-up last year following a 1-0 defeat to hosts South Africa. 

FULL SQUAD

GOALKEEPERS: Catherine Musonda (Indeni), Hazel Nali (Green Buffaloes), Ngambo Musole (Zesco), Natasha Chanda (National Assembly)
DEFENDERS: Anita Mulenga, Agness Musesa, Martha Tembo, Lushomo Mweemba, Memory Nthala (Green Buffaloes), Margaret Belemu, Fikile Khosa, Mary Mulenga (Red Arrows), Vast Phiri (Zesco), Natasha Nanyangwe (Green Eagles), Jackline Nkole (Indeni),
MIDFIELDERS: Mary Wilombe (Red Arrows), Ireene Lungu, Mary Mwakapila, Judith Zulu (Green Buffaloes) Rhodah Chileshe (Indeni), Thandiwe Ndhlovu (Zesco), Amira Njovu, Tryness Changwe (Green Eagles), Misozi Zulu (Indeni)
STRIKERS: Grace Chanda (Zesco), Maylan Mulenga (Green Buffaloes), Mary Mambwe (Red Arrows), Salome Phiri ( Bauleni )