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Sven Mislintat, who filled head of recruitment posts at Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal in the past, has revealed how he reaches the decisions that have seen him make big calls on players like Christian Pulisic and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The 47-year-old German is currently working with Bundesliga side Stuttgart as their sporting director.

He has a reputation for being one of the finest spotters of talent in European football, with his skill set having been put to good use by ambitious sides in his homeland and England.

Mislintat’s professional CV is littered with success stories. Dortmund were the first to benefit from his eye for potential, with United States international Pulisic and prolific Polish striker Robert Lewandowski among those he flagged.

Arsenal benefitted from his presence between December 2017 and February 2019. During his time at Emirates Stadium, the Gunners put deals in place for star turns such as current club captain Aubameyang and highly-rated goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

Mislintat has now lifted the lid on how he makes decisions when it comes to transfers, with several boxes having to be ticked before he advises any club to chase down targets.

Telling Goal and Spox of his methods, Mislintat said: “It's always a combination of all factors, we try to create a 360-degree view of the players. The data plays just as important a role as live scouting, systematic video analysis and personal conversations. 

“I also always try to find out how a player behaves off the pitch, and I never rely on just one opinion. 

“Instead of having a scout observe and analyse the same player live and/or on video several times, I would like to hear the opinion of several scouts. 

“This is the only way to get the multi-perspective view through different tools and observers and thus the necessary basis to be able to make my decisions.”

Mislintat is from the ‘Moneyball’ school of player assessment, with his methods digging far deeper than mere ability.

Quizzed on whether he expects the revolution regarding analytical tools to continue in the coming years, he added: “It's hard to say. I think evolution today describes it better as revolution. 

“Sufficient tools are available. So it's more about the question of whether I can really use the tools. To put it bluntly, the best tool can be of no use if you don't know how to turn the screwdriver. 

“I believe it is important to understand how and what is collected and which interpretations are permissible.”

Mislintat is also eager to point out that his final decision when it comes to a player will be based on much more that information acquired from databases.

He said: “The portfolio of players who are eligible for a commitment is created from all perspectives of the 360-degree view described above, i.e. via data analysis, video and live scouting and via our networks. A name can come into play from anywhere, but then they have to face a comprehensive and detailed analysis in the remaining areas.”

David Luiz has backed Bernd Leno amid criticism of the goalkeeper following Arsenal’s 2-1 win at Rapid Vienna, while he also praised the performance of new signing Thomas Partey.

Leno gifted the Austrian side the opener early on in the second half of the Europa League clash on Thursday night, seeing his attempted pass out from the back intercepted in the build-up to Taxiarchis Fountas' smart finish.

Mikel Arteta’s side fought back to claim the win thanks to goals from Luiz and captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but that has not stopped Leno coming in for criticism, with the 28-year-old struggling all evening with the ball at his feet.

Arteta was quick to defend his goalkeeper after the game and Luiz has now followed suit, insisting that Arsenal's style of playing out from the back will always have its dangers.

“I think Bernd is amazing,” said the defender. “It is part of our philosophy to build from the back, this is a normal thing.

“You always play to eliminate players from the beginning when you build then it is going to be much easier for the strikers.

“So, if you count how many times it went well... but just one he did wrong and this is part of our philosophy.

“He is great and he gives us the opportunity to play from the back to try to help us.”

New signing Partey made his first start for Arsenal in Vienna following his deadline-day switch from Atletico Madrid.

And the Ghana international produced a dominant display in midfield, one that saw him named man of the match.

Sitting in front of the defence, Partey consistently protected the likes of Gabriel and Luiz but also showcased his ability going forward with his excellent range of passing.

It was an impressive full debut - one that former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves labelled as one of the best he’d ever seen - and Luiz also gave a glowing assessment of his new team-mate.

“He is a great player and I'm so happy he joined us,” said the 33-year-old.

“It is a pleasure for me to see players like that, playing off the ball and trying to manage the game. I think he did very well.”

Arteta was also full of praise for Partey and insisted the midfielder is only going to get better as he continues to adjust to his new surroundings.

“He looked really solid and really comfortable,” said the Arsenal boss. “I think he held the midfield by himself in the second half when we were a little more open and started to take more chances and attacking certain spaces with some players.

“He was fantastic and there is much more to come from him.”

Mesut Ozil’s agent has slammed Arsenal over their treatment of his client, with Dr Erkut Sogut calling for an “honest explanation” from the Gunners as to why the World Cup winner has become an outcast.

Mikel Arteta omitted the German playmaker from his squads for the Europa League and Premier League.

With Ozil under contract until the summer of 2021, many have suggested that he will not be seen at Emirates Stadium again.

Sogut is ruling nothing out at this stage, with a stunning U-turn still possible, but concedes that a 32-year-old midfielder appears to have been firmly frozen out.

He is struggling to understand why that decision has been taken, saying Ozil’s commitment to the cause never wavered, and feels Arsenal supporters deserve answers from those at the top of the club.

Sogut told ESPN: “Arsenal fans deserve an honest explanation, not [Arteta] saying 'I failed Ozil.' You didn't fail Ozil: you failed to be fair, honest and transparent and treat someone with respect who has a contract and was loyal all the time.

“Every single person outside knows he hasn't treated him fairly. He didn't give him a chance to show himself this season.

“If he is still under contract, the player should have the option to stay and fight for his place. Mesut hasn't been given that. Why would you put a player on the bench twice for 90 minutes [against Brighton and Crystal Palace in June] if he wasn't fit or committed?

“Everyone says he's training well. Per Mertesacker [Arsenal defender, 2011-18 and now a coach at the club's academy] said this publicly. I spoke with at least five team-mates who say he is training great. They say Mesut is one of their best players, and they cannot understand why he is left out.

"So it can't be the training - if it is not the pitch, what are the footballing reasons? If you talk, you should tell the truth that the Arsenal fans deserve otherwise don't talk at all.”

Setting his sights on Arteta, who brought the curtain down on his playing career while  at Arsenal, Sogut added: “He started zero games in the Premier League in his last season.

“He wasn't there in the last six months at all, busy doing his coaching badges and meeting coaches for his future. Mesut plays for one English team and that's it because he feels he can only play for that team. He is a Gunner in the end.

“Mesut is not a player who is yesterday a Toffee and today a Gunner. Arteta didn't play at all in the final two years, but they still registered him because he was given a contract.

"[Former manager] Arsene Wenger put him on the field for the final two minutes of his last game just to give him a nice moment, even though he wasn't fit for months. Look at how [Arteta] was treated in his final two years, and how Mesut is getting treated in his final year.”

Sogut believes Arsenal have been looking to back Ozil into a corner, forcing him to make a decision on his future that the club would rather not take after handing him a lucrative contract back in January 2018.

“Maybe [Arsenal's] goal was to wait until the end and Mesut would say 'I want to leave',” said Sogut.

“If Mesut would have done that, the club can say he wants to go and if they can't find him a club, they have an excuse and can say 'we can't register you because you wanted to leave', but they knew for a long time that Mesut wanted to stay. He made it very clear.

"Maybe they wanted him to feel unwanted and unwelcome, but he wants to play for the badge.

“Mesut is 32 years old. He has a few more years in his career, but it is more about the way of treatment. Mesut is someone who fights for his rights. The contract was a big commitment for him.

“He could have left for another club like Alexis Sanchez [who left Arsenal to join Manchester United in 2018] did. He could have left and got a £30m signing-on fee [somewhere else] as a free agent at the peak of his career - but he stayed loyal.

“Maybe the club will change their position in January and register him. You never know what will happen.”

Richarlison and James Rodriguez's absence could offer an opportunity for 'hard-working' Alex Iwobi to demonstrate his own qualities, according to Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Richarlison will serve a three-match ban after he was a shown a straight card for a challenge on Liverpool's Thiago Alcantara during the Merseyside derby last Saturday.

James, meanwhile, is expected to miss Sunday's league match against Southampton through injury.

The update might come as a chance for Iwobi to start a league game having played substitute role in four league matches for Everton this campaign.

The Nigeria midfielder replaced Abdoulaye Doucoure in the Toffees' 2-2 draw against Liverpool last week.

With a number of players ruled out of Sunday’s encounter against the Saints, Ancelotti believes the 24-year-old can add more quality to the team’s performance.

“We have to put in other players who have the desire to play,” Ancelotti told the club website, as he expects right-back Coleman to miss “two or three weeks” with “not a big problem”.

“We are working this week on this and I think we are going to choose a good line-up for the game against Southampton.

“Alex is a player who works hard. He is fast and with his quality he can help the team be better in certain situations.

“He [potentially] has an opportunity to play but also we have Bernard and Anthony Gordon.

“We have a lot of opportunities to replace Richarlison and James. We are already moving on.”

Iwobi is yet to start a Premier League match for Everton since their 1-1 draw against Aston Villa in July 2020. He has scored a goal in six appearances across all competitions so far this season.

Thomas Partey appears capable of becoming Arsenal’s next Patrick Vieira, says Ray Parlour, but the Ghana international has been charged with the task of proving in big games that he is a “proper player”.

Early indications suggest that a man snapped up from Atletico Madrid for £45 million ($59m) slots seamlessly into that category.

An impressive performance was put in on his first start for the Gunners, with Mikel Arteta’s side battling back from a goal down to edge out Rapid Vienna 2-1 in their Europa League opener.

Partey has been showered with plaudits on the back of his eye-catching display, with comparisons already being made with Arsenal icon Vieira.

Parlour believes the 27-year-old can live up to the hype, but concedes that there will be bigger challenges to come for a midfielder that is still finding his feet in new surroundings.

The former Gunners winger told talkSPORT: “You can see he has got all the attributes to be like a Patrick Vieira. If he gets anywhere near Patrick Vieira we have had a right result as an Arsenal fan!

“They knew what they were buying there - a very strong player that we lacked in that area - but let’s not get carried away, let’s give him a chance.

“Let’s wait until we are playing the big sides like Manchester City, Liverpool and see if he can boss midfield then. If he can do it then, then we can say we have got a proper player here.”

Arsenal are considered to have been lacking a player of Partey’s ilk for some time.

Such talent was once commonplace at the heart of the Gunners’ midfield, but patience and big money has been required in order to find another enforcer that boasts the potential to follow in some illustrious footsteps.

“He’s a really good presence,” Parlour added. “I don’t think they have had that in midfield. They haven’t been mobile enough over the last few years, but he’s that man to fill in all the gaps.

“He’s six foot one, he’s got that presence, he’s got that mobility in the midfield area.

“When they started flooding people forward trying to get back into the game [against Rapid Vienna], he was the one that just sat in midfield and made everything tick.

“He’s very efficient and had a really good start to his Arsenal career. He could be a really big signing for Arsenal going forward because they have missed someone like him in that midfield area for many years.”

Partey will be hoping to retain his starting berth in Arsenal’s next outing, allowing him to make his full Premier League debut against Leicester – with a bow in the English top-flight having been made off the bench in the 1-0 defeat at Manchester City.

Lionel Messi can prove in El Clasico that he is “still committed to Barcelona”, says Rivaldo, with the Argentine being challenged to put in a “match-winning display”.

Much of the summer transfer window was dominated by speculation regarding the future of the six-time Ballon d’Or winner at Camp Nou.

On the back of a disappointing end to the 2019-20 campaign, Messi aired his desire to take on a new challenge. Barca quickly closed off the exits and the 33-year-old eventually revealed to Goal that he would be sticking around to honour the final year of his contract.

He has remained a talismanic presence for Ronald Koeman’s side since deciding to stay put, but questions over his ongoing presence in Catalunya remain.

Messi will be free to speak with any of his many suitors from January, with no fresh terms in place yet, and Rivaldo wants the South American to silence any doubters when taking to the biggest of domestic stages on Saturday.

The Blaugrana legend told Betfair: “El Clasico on Saturday is the perfect opportunity for Lionel Messi to prove he is still committed to Barcelona.

“He had a tough summer, and has not started the season brilliantly, but this is the perfect match to raise his game and prove that he's still an exceptional player. A match-winning display against Real Madrid would boost his confidence for the remainder of the season.

“The match is also a chance for Barca to pile pressure on Real Madrid. They're in poor form and have lost their last two matches - both at home. Mind you, Barca were beaten last weekend in La Liga by Getafe.

“I said at the start of the season that Madrid would have an edge over Barcelona after being crowned La Liga champions and having a quiet pre-season, but now Barcelona have the chance to respond by sending Madrid into an unexpected crisis with three consecutive losses.

“On the other hand, Real Madrid will approach El Clasico as a chance to put their bad results behind them. Once again we should see a very passionate match, even without fans in the stands.”

Another of those who could do with putting in a positive performance against the Blancos is Antoine Griezmann, with the Word Cup winner still struggling to convince at Barca.

Rivaldo believes the Frenchman is capable of becoming a key man, but accepts that he needs to start proving his worth when it matters most.

The Brazilian said: “Barcelona are back to winning ways after beating Ferencvaros in the Champions League in midweek, but they lost to Getafe at the weekend at La Liga. Francisco Trincao started in Antoine Griezmann's place and he played well, so it'll be interesting to see who Ronald Koeman selects this weekend.

“Griezmann is the more experienced player that produced solid seasons with Atletico Madrid and the French national team. He needs to step up at Barca because he's a great player, so I'm sure he is fired up for El Clasico.”

Jose Mourinho is confident that Tottenham can put a new deal in place with Heung-min Son despite the South Korean already having a contract through to 2023.

A star turn in north London last agreed to fresh terms in the summer of 2018.

His game has been taken to even greater heights since then, putting him in contention for another offer.

There has been talk of paperwork already being put in place, with Son’s signature all that is required in order to get things over the line.

Mourinho believes a positive update will be delivered on that front at some stage in the near future, with the Spurs boss looking to keep a 28-year-old forward in his current surroundings for as long as possible.

The Portuguese told reporters when quizzed on the reports of a new contract being agreed: “I would love that.

“Son has three years of contract so it's not like we're in an extreme situation of everybody being worried. 

“It's more that Son loves it here, I believe that he would like to commit his future to the club for a long time.

“Everybody at the club is totally in love with this player and this boy and is trying also to make him feel part of the furniture. 

“It's normal the club tries to go from three years to four or five or six, I don't know.

“He deserves one, and the club knows that sooner or later without any pressure they will arrive into a decision.”

Son endured a slow start to his time at Spurs, on the back of a 2015 move from Bayer Leverkusen, but has been a model of consistency since finding his feet in English football.

He has plundered 77 goals across the last four seasons and already has nine to his name through just eight appearances in the 2020-21 campaign.

“Season after season after season, Sonny is showing how good he is,” added Mourinho. 

“Of course, the better the team is, the easier it is for the players to emerge. But, Sonny, everybody knows what he does.”

Son was on target again in his latest outing for Spurs, as they opened their Europa League group stage campaign with a 3-0 win over LASK, and will be looking to deliver more end product when Mourinho’s men pay a visit to Burnley on Monday.

James Rodriguez is now in contention to make Everton’s trip to Southampton, claims Carlo Ancelotti, with fitness concerns easing around the Colombian playmaker.

The Toffees boss revealed on Thursday that his South American star was nursing a knock picked up in an eventful Merseyside derby date with Liverpool.

Ancelotti told evertontv: “Unfortunately, James had a problem during the game [against Liverpool].

“He had a mistimed tackle with Virgil van Dijk at the beginning of the game and I think he will not be available for the game against Southampton.”

That update was considered to represent quite a blow to Everton’s ambition.

Ancelotti’s side have burst out of the blocks in 2020-21, going unbeaten through their opening five Premier League fixtures.

James, fresh from being snapped up from La Liga giants Real Madrid over the summer, has quickly become an influential figure at Goodison Park.

His creativity and eye for goal have endeared him to the Everton natives, with the 29-year-old’s presence helping the Toffees to tick.

Being without him for a trip to St Mary’s Stadium would have forced Ancelotti into shuffling his pack.

It may, however, be that James comes into contention after all after making a return to training on Friday.

Ancelotti told reporters when asked for a fitness update: “He is not definitely out. Fortunately his recovery was really good and he trained today, just a partial training session.

“I hope he is going to train tomorrow and we will see if he is condition to play on Sunday. He is really better now and we are confident that maybe he can play. He was not able to train until today. I hope tomorrow is going to be better.

“Today’s was quite good, the training, but he had only partial training.”

Everton will definitely be without club captain Seamus Coleman for their trip to the south coast, but having James back would offer their pre-match preparations a timely boost.

He has slotted seamlessly into the fold on Merseyside and become a key part of Ancelotti’s plans.

James has three goals and four assists to his name through six appearances in all competitions, with the former Madrid star proving to be the perfect foil for 10-goal top scorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

John Obi Mikel said Stoke City are aiming not to concede many goals in the Championship as they eye Premier League promotion this season.

Michael O'Neill's team have only conceded a defeat so far this term, and they are 10th in the Championship table with nine points after six matches.

On Wednesday, Mikel who joined the second-tier division on a free transfer this summer, captained Stoke City in their 2-2 draw with Barnsley following injuries to Ryan Shawcross and Joe Allen.

Ahead of their next league outing against Brentford on Saturday, the former Nigeria captain wants the Potters to build on their fine defensive performance as they chase their first victory at bet365 Stadium this season.

“The aim is to not concede a lot and once we’ve done that we need to find that way to create chances and score goals,” Mikel told the club website. “We’ve tried to build a solid defence which we can build on. That’s the aim.

“We just have to keep doing what we’re doing and if we keep creating chances and playing well we’ll win games.

“We want to get that first home win. Hopefully we can do that on Saturday and kick on from there.”

Since he arrived at Stoke City in August, Mikel has played every minute of the Potters' league matches this campaign and he disclosed that he is having a great time at bet365 Stadium.

“I just keep going, get ticking over and get the team to play and help the team defensively as well,” he continued.

“We’re trying to find a way to play out. You could see in the game (against Barnsley) that we did that a few times, we did come out really well. If we keep playing like this I think we’ll be there.

“It’s been good. Everyone has been lovely and helped me to settle in; the managers, the players, the staff. It’s been great, I’m enjoying myself to be back playing the game and the aim is to help get this club where it should be, which is in the Premier League.”

Former Everton striker Kevin Campbell believes that Jordan Pickford has been unfairly singled out as part of a “witch hunt” following his challenge that led to Virgil van Dijk requiring anterior cruciate ligament surgery, with injuries labelled “part of the game”.

England's first-choice goalkeeper clattered into the Liverpool centre-back early on in the recent Merseyside derby, forcing the Netherlands international off the pitch with an injury that could see him miss the majority of the 2020-21 season.

In doing so, Pickford drew plenty of negative criticism from pundits and fans alike, with ex-Red Graeme Souness branding the tackle as an “assault”, while some supporters took to the 26-year-old's social media account to send abusive messages – a matter the police are now looking into.

And while Campbell agrees that the shot-stopper's challenge was far from clean, he believes that officials were right not to punish Pickford as there was no malice in his actions.

“I know there's been a bit of a witch hunt, going around about the retrospective ban, but it's amazing that when other incidents happen nobody calls for retrospective action,” Campbell told Gentingbet.

“Virgil van Dijk is a fantastic player – and nobody likes to see a professional injured – but I know that Jordan Pickford didn't go out to deliberately injure him. Injuries are part of the game.

“Unfortunately Van Dijk is out for a long time now, but it's just one of those things that happen in football sometimes. It wasn't a great challenge, I admit that, but I think the officials got it right.”

Everton themselves will be missing a star player when the Toffees come up against Southampton this weekend, with Richarlison having seen red late on against Liverpool for a rash challenge on Thiago.

Campbell, however, believes that his former club have the “ideal” replacement for the Brazil international in the form of an ex-Arsenal man.

“Alex Iwobi will be the ideal choice to come into the Everton squad to replace Richarlison,” he said. “However, Ancelotti might want to change it up and bring in Bernard. I do think it'll be Iwobi because he's come on and inserted himself into games and he's looked lively.

“He'll come in and Everton will keep on rolling.”

Ryan Giggs sees Alex Telles becoming Manchester United’s version of Andy Robertson, with the Red Devils finding a buccaneering left-back that is capable of emulating the efforts of a rival at Liverpool.

The reigning Premier League champions have benefited considerably from the boundless energy of their full-backs.

Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold are considered to set the standard when it comes to a modern day approach that requires defenders to do much more than merely keep opponents at bay.

Jurgen Klopp has found two options at Anfield that provide a regular stream of assists from the flanks, with a different dimension added to Liverpool’s game.

United may have landed themselves a performer cut from the same cloth, with Telles having impressed on his debut in a 2-1 Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain.

He arrived at Old Trafford boasting 26 goals and 57 assists from a productive four-year spell at Porto, with the potential there for him to deliver a similar return in Manchester.

Giggs believes the Brazilian, who operated at wing-back against PSG, can make the same impact at United as Robertson has made across three seasons at Liverpool.

The Red Devils legend told the Webby & O’Neill Podcast: “With Telles, that’s something we’ve been missing.

“You look at Trent, Robertson, the goals they provide. Now, full-backs have to have that in their armour.

“They have to be like that, if the wingers are coming in, the full-backs have to create the width and make goals.

“It looks like he might have that extra dimension as well with creating goals.”

Telles is not the only United new boy that Giggs sees making a positive contribution to the collective cause.

Donny van de Beek is being eased into the fold at Old Trafford amid fierce competition for places, but the Netherlands international has shown that he can be a useful alternative for Solskjaer when it comes to creativity and goal threat from deep.

Giggs added: “I think with Van de Beek, it’s how does he get in the team?

“When he’s come on, he’s impressed, he always looks like he’s got a goal in him. He scored for Holland during the international break.”

Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling have been praised for their work to condemn social inequalities, with the duo setting an example for other Premier League stars to follow according to ex-Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi.

Manchester United forward Rashford has been awarded an MBE after his awareness campaign led to a government U-turn on supplying free school meals to children whose families are struggling financially during the Covid-19 pandemic.  

Manchester City star Sterling, meanwhile, has been an outspoken critic of racism, with high-profile incidents of abuse and discrimination continuing to tarnish both footbal and the wider world.

The Premier League is aiming to highlight the need for more action with its 'No Room for Racism' campaign, and is encouraging fans to challenge and report racism wherever they see it.

And Ameobi, who is one of the members of the Premier League’s Black Player’s Advisory Group [BPAG] alongside the likes of Troy Deeney, Ian Wright, Joleon Lescott and Darren Moore, believes that the actions of both Rashford and Sterling will help other players stand up for what they believe is right.

"What Raheem had to deal with and speak on sets a great example for the rest of us to not settle for the status quo, but challenge what’s going on in society," Ameobi told Goal.

"Ian Wright has spoken out recently and the more people that speak out the more it helps. It hurts, and the more people who can speak out helps society understand that this is not right.

"I am blown away with the impact and it goes to show how much impact footballers and sports stars can have.

"When you look at the campaign Rashford has done and how it has affected change at a national level, this is something that is an important issue that we have to deal with.

"The fact he has been able to use his voice at such a young age to really affect change speaks to his character and what he believes in. That, for me, sets an example for the rest of us and shows us we can have an impact on these social issues.

"Marcus fights the fight for those who can’t, and that’s what we are all trying to do. I am proud of what he has done and he has rightly been recognised for that."

The Premier League's latest push to challenge racism both within football and away from the game comes in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests around the world following the death of George Floyd in Minnesota in May.

Footballers in England have held their own peaceful protests since the Premier League returned to action in June, with players continuing to take a knee ahead of every top-flight fixture during the new campaign.

And while in-stadium incidents of abuse tend to create the most headlines, the English top-flight is also aiming to target online racial abuse, with Tammy Abraham and Wilfried Zaha just some of the high-profile names to have been targeted over the past 18 months.

The Premier League is also pushing to increase opportunities for BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) coaches while providing free resources to educate children on inclusion and diversity through the 'Premier League Primary Stars' programme.

For ex-Nigeria international Ameobi, the pain of being racially abused himself has helped fuel his fight to ensure the next generation find working in football and wider society easier than he did.

"I came from a deprived area myself in Newcastle and I now go into those areas with the [Newcastle United] Foundation, you talk on these issues and it is something that I have always been passionate about," he added.

"There are things that happened to me as a player early in my career. I look back on playing for England in the Under-21s in Albania. You had to deal with those things, I remember Shaun Wright-Phillips being really affected by it.

"I think that this can’t be right and from that point, I have always wanted to talk about it, certainly within my club and community here.

The impact has to happen in the Premier League nationally and locally. The more others do the same, then it can only be good.

"The players are now feeling more comfortable to address this and raise the discussion. It is important because people realise what the footballers are dealing with online, which is racial hate. It then allows us to talk about why a 12-year-old can feel comfortable enough to abuse Wilfred Zaha in his direct messages.

"That is ignorance on this topic. We must continue, despite the setbacks we see, to educate the next generation. We are launching these initiatives with the clear aim to make these issues a priority in our education system so they are available to primary school children.

"The preconception is that if you are on a football pitch in the Premier League that everything is rosey and nothing affects you, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. When players and ex-players talk about how racism feels, it allows people to empathise with what they are going through.

"It isn’t just the players but then their whole families who suffer with it. That in itself, I believe, has a huge impact on people that are watching. These players are idolised throughout the world so what they say matters.

"It is good they have support from the Premier League and different government bodies to feel protected, report and get help on these issues."

Since the tragic murder of former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa in 2014, the Soweto side have struggled to find a reliable custodian.

They've been through numerous options including Jackson Mabokgwane, Siyabonga Mpontshane, Brighton Mhlongo and Brilliant Khuzwayo, who was cruelly forced into early retirement before he actually got to play for the Sea Robbers.

Last season the club went international in their quest for stability at the back and signed up Frenchman Doris Jelle. That failed as he played just three league games and has since been released by the club.

The other 27 league matches, as well as a few cup games, saw Wayne Sandilands standing in goal for Bucs.

But at 37, Sandilands is at the back end of his career and it's been clear that Pirates are lacking in that department, with a solid keeper being so crucial in terms of stabilising and marshalling the defenders in front of him.

To be blunt, they were almost desperate to get in someone like Ofori, and the Ghana international's agent may well have sniffed that opportunity as contract negotiations between the club and player went on for a lengthy period of time before he was officially signed this week.

Whatever Pirates are paying the 26-year-old may well be worth it though; that's based on his superb showings for Maritzburg United over the past three seasons and the fact that he is a regular in goal for continental giants Ghana.

In fact it may have been surprising to some that he hasn't moved to Europe yet.

Pirates fans will be happy he didn't go overseas. And as former Buccaneers keeper Mayoyo told the Citizen, Ofori's signing could make a big difference to the team.

“Ofori proved himself at Maritzburg United already so he is a quality signing for Orlando Pirates,” Mayoyo said.

“The goalkeeping department has been troubled for a long time now and last season Wayne Sandilands stepped up and did well for us. He brought stability to the department but now we have a new keeper.

"This could go two ways. It could motivate him to work harder because Ofori will challenge for his place in the squad he is a quality goalkeeper or we could have a situation where the new goalkeeper is trying to settle and we are back to where started.

“The addition of someone like Ofori is great because we now know we have him and Sandilands to trust in that position."

Pirates begin their league campaign with an away game at AmaZulu on Saturday night.

Martin Keown claims to see shades of Patrick Vieira in Thomas Partey, considering Arsenal’s £45 million ($59m) summer signing to be “silky smooth” like his legendary predecessor in the Gunners engine room.

The north London side have been crying out for another commanding performer at the heart of their team.

World Cup winners Vieira and Gilberto Silva once provided those qualities as Arsenal enjoyed Premier League title triumphs under Arsene Wenger.

Mikel Arteta is being charged with the task of recapturing former glories, and the Spaniard is following a familiar blueprint.

He snapped up Partey from Atletico Madrid on transfer deadline day, with Keown seeing an immediate return being offered by the Ghana international, who caught the eye on his first start.

The former Gunners defender told BT Sport after watching the 27-year-old control proceedings in the 2-1 Europa League win over Rapid Vienna: “I think you know when you see a player immediately add that touch of class, who wants to play and makes things happen. He's so silky smooth, he's oozed class and been everywhere.

“This is where he looks like Vieira for me when he's travelling with the ball and making things happen.”

While Partey is very much part of the present and future at Emirates Stadium, fellow midfielder Mesut Ozil appears to have been consigned to the past after being left out of the domestic and continental squads.

Keown said of the German playmaker: “I think it's extremely sad, he's a quality player. When someone is that talented it has to be an application thing – effort, not putting in what they want.”

Arsenal are looking to move in a direction that no longer involves Ozil, with Arteta putting his own stamp on a squad inherited from fellow countryman Unai Emery.

Part of that process has seen Emi Martinez offloaded to Aston Villa, with Keown questioning whether the right decision was made there as first-choice goalkeeper Bernd Leno made a costly error in the hard-fought win in Vienna.

The ex-Gunners centre-half said: “Having let Martinez go, who was magnificent, to see Leno making these types of mistakes, you wonder whether it was the right call.

“It was a difficult night for Leno. The team had their backs to the wall but showed very good character to get back into it.

“A couple of changes were made. I thought when they changed it actually and went to a back five, the pictures then became more familiar to the players and they found a way to win this match.”

Arsenal will be back in Premier League action on Sunday when they play host to Leicester.

Immediate former Harambee Stars head coach Francis Kimanzi is reportedly on his way back to Tusker.

Kimanzi left his position at the national side just a few days after beating Zambia in an international friendly at Nyayo Stadium on October 9.

Numerous reports have linked the former Mathare United captain and coach to the Tusker job ahead of the start of the 2020/21 Football Kenya Federation Premier League.

Currently, the Ruaraka side is under the leadership of Robert Matano, who is understood to be recuperating in hospital after falling ill a week ago.

Should Kimanzi be appointed the Brewers’ coach, it will be the second time he is replacing Matano at the club. Before the 2014 season began, he was appointed to replace the veteran coach who had overseen the 2013 season in which the club struggled and finished fifth.

Tusker then had a poor season that saw them finish 18 points below champions Gor Mahia despite being winners in the 2011 and in the 2012 season.

Kimanzi then landed the Tusker job after beating former AFC Leopards coaches Jan Koops and Zdravko Logarusic, who were the front runners at the time.

Tusker last won the title in 2016 and have failed to dislodge Gor Mahia in the subsequent four seasons as they have come close on those occasions.

Since Tusker have been participating only in one domestic competition, their main priority has always been the Premier League title.

The 11-time champions have been pulling out of the FKF Shield Cup competition and focused majorly on the league which guarantees the winner a Caf Champions League berth.

As was the case in the 2019/20 season, Tusker will face Gor Mahia in the league-opening encounter on November 20. Last season, they lost the opener by a 5-2 margin in Kisumu as K’Ogalo eventually cruised to retain the title.

Meanwhile, other reports indicate Sofapaka are targeting Gor Mahia’s winger Samuel Onyango. Batoto ba Mungu have already signed Lawrence Juma from the league champions and going by the rumours it seems they are not done yet with transfer business.

The 2009 KPL winners have already signed eight players and the former Ulinzi Stars winger is said to be the remaining top target before the transfer window shuts.

Kenyan forward Victor Ndinya is in the United States of America where he is trying out with Houston FC and the LA Galaxy reserve team.

The winger left the country on Wednesday for the US hoping to seal a deal with either of the two teams.

"I landed in the US on Wednesday after securing the two trials," Ndinya revealed to Goal on Friday.

"This is a massive opportunity for me and I hope to secure a deal with either team; it is about giving my best and showing them I have what it takes to help the teams achieve their targets."

In late 2018, the midfielder was invited for trials with LA Galaxy but was not successful. He made a return to Kenya and in January 2019, he was roped in by Wazito FC. 

He had initially played for Bandari FC, Tusker FC, and Nairobi Stima FC.

"I have been here before and I know what to expect in the trials; they are always tense and you also learn a lot," he continued.

"Even if I fail to secure my move, I am confident it all will not be in vain because I will acquire extra knowledge and skill."

Ndinya was among several players dropped by Wazito FC who were restructuring for the 2020/21 Kenyan Premier League (KPL) season.

The 2018/19 National Super League champions struggled to cope with the best teams in top-flight football, and after the league suspension, they were in the 13th position with just 20 points acquired from 23 matches.  

It is, for this reason, the technical bench decided to part ways with players they think are surplus to requirements.  

Others who were dropped alongside Ndinya are long-serving custodian Steven Njunge, midfielder Teddy Osok, forwards Pistone Mutamba and Derrick Otanga.

The foreign quartet of Paul Acquah from Ghana, DR Congo's Piscas Kirenge, Augustine Otu of Liberia, and Togolese Issifou Bourahana were not spared either.

Kevin Omondi, who has also been serving as the club's first-choice goalkeeper, has been axed as well.

Wazito, who are led by Fred Ambani and Babu Salim, are aiming at challenging for the league title this season.

Real Madrid’s decision to let Cristiano Ronaldo leave for Juventus in 2018 was “lunacy”, says former Blancos president Ramon Calderon, who thinks the Liga giants are paying the price for parting with a player that was “stupidly sold”.

After nine record-breaking years at Santiago Bernabeu, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner is still delivering the goods for Juventus on a regular basis despite now being 35 years of age.

While Ronaldo has continued to prosper on Italian soil, those he left behind in Spain have struggled to fill the sizeable void his departure created.

Big money has been invested in the likes of Eden Hazard as Real seek to find another attacking talisman, but little value has been found..

Calderon finds it difficult to work out why the Blancos were prepared to do business with a European rival and offload the greatest goalscorer in the club’s illustrious history.

“Since Cristiano was stupidly sold, it was clear that the team needed reinforcements in that position and in others but the sad reality is that the club's accounts are not only bare but are also full of bills to the tune of around 1,000 million - bills that have to be paid," Calderon told reporters at the annual Desafío Nacex paddle tennis tournament.

Zinedine Zidane left his coaching role at Real in the same summer as Ronaldo departed, after delivering a hat-trick of Champions League crowns, but was soon brought back into the dugout as the club faltered in his absence.

The Frenchman did snatch the Liga title away from Barcelona in 2019-20, but is facing more questions on the back of an inconsistent start to the current campaign that has seen surprising setbacks suffered at home and in European competition.

“What happened against Shakhtar and Cadiz left a very bad taste but we have to be optimistic because this team have been through difficult moments before and managed to come through them although obviously, the sensations aren't good,” Calderon added.

He went on to say of Zidane: “He's doing what he can with the resources available to him.

“The Shakhtar performance wasn't good, there were a lot of mistakes, I'm sure in the line-up too, but you cannot pin the blame on one person, it's an accumulation of circumstances, a chain of events which have led to this. It was lunacy to sell Cristiano when they don't have anyone to score goals.”

It has been suggested that Real could turn to another icon from their past if Zidane were to be moved on, with legendary former frontman Raul reportedly being lined up for a promotion from the Castilla ranks in Madrid, but Calderon has warned the Blancos against any rash decisions.

He said of the Raul talk: “I have a great fondness for him and admired him hugely as a player, coach and person, but giving him the job would mean sacking a coach who can make mistakes and surely has made mistakes, but who also won three Champions Leagues on the trot.”

Cape Town City have announced two new signings in Ghanaian striker Prince Opoku Agyemang and Zambian international wide player Charles Zulu.

The Citizens, who were beaten in the MTN8 quarter-finals by Orlando Pirates last weekend, have been fairly low-key in the transfer window up until now.

Before this week, their only confirmed acquisitions were Bombay Reid from Steenberg United, Sanele Gaxa (AmaZulu FC), Terrence Mashego (TS Galaxy) and Aubrey Ngoma, who returned to the club from Mamelodi Sundowns.

They have also allowed Siphelele Mthembu to join the AmaZulu revolution, while the Cape side's headline business being the sale of Kermit Erasmus to Sundowns.

Erasmus was really hitting his full stride down in the Mother City last season and his loss could be keenly felt.

Unless some of the new men can step up.

That includes Zulu, who arrives with high expectations from Zambian giants Zanaco.

“Cape Town City is delighted to announce the acquisition of Zambian international winger Charles Zulu. City and Zanaco have reached a transfer agreement, which sees Zulu sign a 4-year deal till June 2024!” The club announced on their Twitter account.

Agyemang arrives from Ghana Premier League side Medeama SC and has been handed the coveted number 9 jersey.

According to ghanasoccernet, he scored 11 goals and added three assists in 14 matches last term.

"Cape Town City is delighted to announce the acquisition of Ghanaian international striker Prince Opoku Agyemang. City and Medeama SC have reached a transfer agreement for an initial 1-year deal with the option to extend to June 2024," read another post on City's social media page.

The Cape side have also promoted forward Taahir Goedeman to the first team.

The Citizens ended last season in good form with five wins in seven outings in the bio-bubble after the lockdown to end in sixth position.

Jan Olde Riekerink’s side begin the new league campaign on Saturday evening when they host Chippa United at the Cape Town Stadium. The match is scheduled for an 18:00 kick-off.

Young African SC (Yanga SC) custodian Farouk Shikhalo has revealed the coaching style of new tactician Cedric Kaze will make the team better in no time.

The Burundian was appointed to coach Timu ya Wananchi after the exit of Serbian Zlatko Krmpotic, who was in charge of the 27-time league champions for just 37 days. 

"Kaze is a very good coach and I now understand why he has been abroad for a long time," Shikhalo told Mwanaspoti.

"There are some tactics he is bringing on board that will make Yanga play modern football ahead of all the other teams in Tanzania. 

"The team is now having defensive discipline which starts with the strikers. But it is done tactically; defensive midfielders are not solely relied on to stop the opponents from getting to the ball in the danger zones."

The Harambee Stars goalkeeper also revealed how Kaze wants his team to play.

"He likes us to possess the ball, and when the opponents get it, he wants us to press fast and regain possession," Shikhalo revealed.

"If you are keen, you will realize these are the tactics used by most teams in Europe."

Kaze led Wananchi to a 1-0 win over Polisi Tanzania in his first game in charge.

In the early exchanges, the administrative side remained disciplined and gave as much as they received, and it was their defensive play which limited Timu ya Wananchi from getting a goal at the Shamba la Bibi.

In the second half, the former champions upped their tempo, limiting their opponents from getting out of their half. 

The visitor's consistency finally overwhelmed Polisi and in the 70th minute, they managed to get the goal. Mukoko Tonombe, referred to as Ticha, was let loose in the danger zone and fully capitalized on position to win maximum points for Wananchi.

Despite a spirited fight-back by Polisi, Young Africans held on to claim their fifth consecutive win in the Tanzania Mainland League.

Azam FC lead the race for the title with 21 points from the seven games played while Wananchi are second with 16 after playing 16 matches. Defending champions Simba SC are third with 13 points coming from the six games they have played.