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Nigeria players Leon Balogun, John Ogu, former goalkeeper Carl Ikeme and Chelsea loanee Malang Sarr have joined youths in the West African country in calling for an end to police brutality.

Nigerian youths took to the streets in large numbers on Friday to protest against the activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit in the Nigeria Police Force.

Unlike other security outfits, SARS officials do not wear the usual police uniforms but they reportedly harass the public while discharging their duties across Nigeria.

After several injustices which include extortion and killings, youths are demanding a total ban of their operation, after previous efforts by the government to reform and reorganise the unit.

Earlier this year, a Remo Stars defender Tiyamiyu Kazeem was shot dead by a SARS officer after an encounter in Ogun State, South Western region of Nigeria.

Although they are not part of Gernot Rohr’s team for tonight’s international friendly game against Algeria in Austria, Balogun and Ogu have joined their voices in saying ‘enough is enough’ to the activities of the operatives.

“The reasons for the #EndSARSProtests have just come to my attention via very disturbing images & tweets. It is never good when those charged with protecting the citizens are now terrorising, extorting or even killing the same citizens. I support #EndSarsProtests #EndSars,” Balogun tweeted.

“Enough is Enough .. #EndSARS,” Ogu tweeted.

 Meanwhile, France youth international and Chelsea’s Malang Sarr who is on a season-long loan at Porto has pledged his solidarity with Nigerians and calls for an end to the police brutality.

“I feel so touched by what is going on in Nigeria now. You have my full support! We all need to come together & make sure this ends now. Peace first before anything,” Sarr wrote.

Gor Mahia have finally ended their contract with coach Steven Polack after only one season.

The British tactician, who joined K’Ogalo at the start of the 2019-20 season, has officially written to the club seeking to end his relationship with the club, which saw him win two trophies.

“We are in receipt of your resignation letter dated October 8, 2020, as Gor Mahia coach, much as we regret this happening we also respect the reasons that you have pointed out to occasion your action, as a club we will miss you amongst us greatly, especially your impeccable coaching abilities and social cohesion and the excitement you brought to the Gor Mahia fraternity as a whole,” read a statement from Gor Mahia obtained by Goal and signed by secretary Samuel Ochola.

“Your time with us was momentous and fulfilling. We take cognizance of your achievement at our club which was coloured by having our team being declared the 2019/20 Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions for the 18th time in our country.

“We wish you would stay longer!”

The statement continued: “The club executive committee, management, and our fans wish you all the best in your endevours, knowing so well that we shall forever share with you the K’Ogalo heritage and may you excel in making the beautiful game better wherever you are.”

On Wednesday, Goal reported the return of Polack, who was given 11 days to visit his family in Finland, was shrouded in controversy as the club could not confirm whether he will return to see out his remaining one-year contract.

On leaving for Finland, Polack told Goal he will come back to see off his contract and stated he never runs away from his work.

“I don’t run away from contracts,” Polack told Goal. “I always make sure that I see through my contracts and if you check my records, that is what I usually do, it is not easy for me to go and never to come back.

“I have a contract with this club and I will make sure that I come back.”

Polack joined Gor Mahia at the beginning of last season and managed to win the season opener, KPL Super Cup, and also won the league title, after Football Kenya Federation (FKF) ended the season to crown K’Ogalo.

Gor Mahia have already resumed training for the 2020-21 campaign and are training under assistant coach Patrick Odhiambo.

English football is set for a shift to pay-per-view television after the Premier League called a halt to its current broadcast arrangements.

Since the Premier League emerged from lockdown, every game has been available to view live, without additional charges being imposed by broadcasters Sky Sports and BT Sport.

However, that practice has been shelved by the Premier League and only half of all matches will initially be available for the standard subscription price of those services, with all other games costing the consumer an extra fee.

A £14.95 price tag will apply to each game, and The Times reported that profits will go to clubs once the broadcasters have covered their costs.

Early matches that will be subject to the extra charge include Newcastle United's home match against Manchester United on Saturday, October 17, and Liverpool's Anfield clash with Sheffield United seven days later.

Gary Neville, the former Manchester United captain who is now a Sky Sports pundit, condemned the move, writing on Twitter: "This is a really bad move by the Premier League to charge £14.95 for single matches that have been shown free for 6 months!"

Because all Premier League games are being played behind closed doors amid the Covid19 pandemic, watching on television is the only way for supporters to see teams in action.

In a statement setting out plans for the rest of October, the Premier League said it would continue to allow five matches per round to be broadcast, as was normal before the pandemic hit.

It added: "In addition, the five matches per round not already selected will be made available to supporters on a pay-per-view basis, accessed via BT Sport Box Office and Sky Sports Box Office platforms.

"Clubs today agreed this interim solution to enable all fans to continue to watch their teams live.

"The Premier League has worked closely with Sky Sports and BT Sport to provide this arrangement and is grateful for their support. The agreement will be regularly reviewed in consultation with clubs and in line with any decisions made by government regarding the return of spectators to stadiums."

Former Nigeria international Victor Ezeji wants to see Maduka Okoye start in goal when the Super Eagles tackle Algeria in Friday’s international friendly in Austria.

The 21-year-old is among two other goalkeepers in the squad that were called up by coach Gernot Rohr, alongside Matthew Yakubu and Dele Alampasu. The latter has been called-up for the first time ever while the former has been a frequent face in the Nigeria squad for the past five years, but has only one cap to his name.

Okoye, on his part, has been getting regular called-ups since his first invitation in a friendly with Ukraine on September 2019. He also has one cap which came in a 1-1 draw with Brazil when he replaced Francis Uzoho in the 63rd minute.

Francis Uzoho is injured, likewise Daniel Akpeyi, and there is no sight of Ikechukwu Ezenwa.

This puts Rohr in a dilemma who to start in goal once again.

Okoye’s involvement in the national team has often been scrutinised owing to the fact hardly sees game time at club level. He never made a single appearance for the Fortuna Dusseldorf senior squad in three years, nor has he done so for his new club Sparta Rotterdam.

Ezeji, however, believes that is not a hindrance, with his consistent call-ups sufficient to give him a chance to show his true colours.

“For me I will go with Okoye because he has been on and off but now there is no Uzoho, there is no Ezenwa, there is no Akpeyi,” Ezeji told Goal. “So, I think it is time for Okoye to prove that he is worth being invited to the national team.

“It really doesn’t matter [that Okoye isn’t playing at club level], he trains with the team at least. Let’s just try to see Okoye do something new that we can say yes, he deserves to be in the national team, not just inviting him. He has been a regular face in the team and I think this is the time for him to man the post and show Nigerians that he is capable of keeping it.”

A player who is likely to start is Paul Onuachu.

The Genk forward was called up as a replacement for Napoli star Victor Osimhen, who was excluded due to some Partenopei players testing positive for coronavirus.

Onuachu isn’t a regular invitee and having netted seven goals in seven games for his Belgian this season, Ezeji thinks this is also a good opportunity for the lanky forward to seize the limelight.

“This is an opportunity for Onuachu to redeem his image since Osimhen is not coming. Onuachu is a big player I respect so much and I believe he can do better for himself if he really wants to be reckoned as one of the best strikers in the national team. So, this is a golden opportunity he has to take,” the former Enyimba player said.

Another area of interest in the team is the left-back position.

Since Elderson Echiejile was phased out of the team, Paderborn’s Jamilu Collins has been the regular face, however, he has not been convincing enough.

A new face in Zaidu Sanusi, who recently moved to Portuguese giants FC Porto from Santa Clara, is a new option for Rohr to try out and Ezeji welcomes his inclusion which will create healthy competition in that spot.

“Since Echiejile left, we’ve not gotten a full replacement at left-back and it’s better we have someone that can compete with Jamilu [Collins],” the 39-year-old said.

“It’s been mostly Jamilu since Echiejile left, but I think now that we have Zaidu, it will be a very good competition between two of them. Whoever proves himself right can take the spot, but I think it’s better there is a competition than when there is none.”

Dani Ceballos wants to see Sergio Ramos marauding across Europe with Spain next year before going for gold in Tokyo.

The prospect of a European Championship and Olympic Games double has been shunted back by 12 months, and Ramos will be 35 by the time they take place, but the captain of Real Madrid and Spain has indicated an appetite for playing in both.

Ceballos would love to see him flying the flag both in his home continent and in Japan.

The European Championship will be played across a host of countries, with Spain having home advantage for their three group games which will all be played in Bilbao.

Everything is conditional on the pandemic situation allowing such tournaments to go ahead, but Ceballos, who is also hoping to double up, sees Ramos as a leader who would lift Spain on the Olympic stage.

"Sergio has earned the right to decide by the performance he gives," said Spain midfielder Ceballos. "I always want him in my team. He has been a fundamental player, he continues to be, and of course I would want to have him at the Olympic Games on my side."

The European Championship final is due to be played on July 11 in London, a mere 11 days before the Olympic men's football tournament begins in Tokyo.

Ceballos spoke of there being 15 days' difference and suggested that was "still compatible" with being able to take part in both.

Midfielder Ceballos just wants to make sure he has a chance of being involved regularly with Spain, which is why again this season he is on loan at Arsenal from Real Madrid. At Arsenal he is set for an integral role under Mikel Arteta's leadership, but there were no guarantees he would be a fixture in Zinedine Zidane's Madrid team.

"You know that to take part you have to play for your team," Ceballos said. "When a player is happy in his team that is for the best and that is why I decided to stay for one more year at Arsenal where I could develop my game as normal.

"After confinement we have seen a Dani Ceballos that we all wanted. I have improved a lot and I am very happy to continue at Arsenal."

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has revealed the details of his difficult battle with Covid-19 and encouraged others to take the threat of the virus seriously. 

Gundogan has yet to play in 2020-21 after City revealed he tested positive for Covid-19 last month.

The Germany international has said he is finally ending his quarantine phase and is back in training with his team-mates, but only after he was hit hard by the coronavirus. 

"I'm healthy again and I'm back training with the team in Manchester after my test results were finally negative and I was able to end my quarantine phase," the midfielder said in a statement.

"In the meantime, it had hit me hard. I had aching limbs at first. Then I was totally exhausted and my sense of taste was completely gone. I really didn't feel good at all and I was just lying in bed for a while. Only after several days did I gradually get better. To be honest, I can't remember the last time I was hit by an infection."

After his battle with the virus, Gundogan urged others to take its threat seriously as the global death toll from Covid-19 has now surpassed one million.

"Due to current developments around the world, I would also like to express myself publicly - not to get sympathy, but simply to draw attention to it again. This virus is simply no joke," he said.

"Because of the current figures in Germany, England and many other countries around the world, you have to take it that much more seriously. 

"After the public announcement that I had tested positive, I read a lot of comments on social networks in the direction: 'He's fine anyway! He'll chill at home for 10 days and then work out again.' All I can say to these people is: No! Unfortunately, that wasn't a pleasure. 

"As a competitive athlete, of course, I don't belong to the risk group, so I can still consider myself very lucky. Accordingly, my experience with the virus cannot be compared with the experiences of those affected who tragically lost family or friends. Nevertheless, as a person affected and in my role as a person, I would like to warn the public once again about the current situation. 

"Everyone has to stick to the rules again: keep the distance and above all wear a mask. There are millions of people at risk, so everyone must live up to their responsibilities even if you are perhaps not at greater risk yourself."

Gundogan could be in line to make his season debut on October 17, when City return from the international break with a game against Arsenal.

The Harambee Stars shocked Zambia in a 2-1 win at Nyayo National Stadium on Friday during a friendly tie.

Cliff Nyakeya's strike and an own goal by Tandi Mwape handed Francis Kimanzi’s side the victory while a late goal by Emmanuel Chabula denied the East Africans a home clean sheet.

Kenya surprisingly started as the hungrier and dominant side and almost got the opener in the ninth minute through Brian Mandela, whose effort went wide despite being in a good position to finish off with a goal.

Zambia stabilised and created a chance in the 13th minute but were unable to break the deadlock as Fashion Sakala’s first-time shot went off target. Three minutes after Sakala failed to put Chipolopolo ahead, Lubambo Musonda wasted yet another big opportunity for them.

Persistent pressure on the visitors earned Kenya an opener in the 23rd minute when Mwape turned the ball into his own net.

The teams broke for a water break to cool down after playing for almost half an hour under the hot Nairobi weather.

Kings Kangwa and Sakala again failed to score for Zambia after they squandered their 30th and 33rd-minute chances, respectively.

Kenya doubled the lead in the 39th minute when FC Masr's forward Nyakeya fired a clinical strike that Sebastian Mwange had little chance of stopping.

Nyakeya’s goal drew applause from his former Mathare United attacking partner Ronald Okoth.

“If there’s a kid I enjoyed playing with then it must be Cliff [Nyakeya],” Okoth posted on Facebook.

“Incredible to see how great he’s grown as a player and commanding his first-team place both at his current club and the national team. A true example of seizing every opportunity.”

Zambia fought hard and got a goal in the 80th minute through Chabula as the former African champions pushed harder as they raced against time to get an equaliser, and they would have pulled off a draw but a late goal was disallowed by the official.

Zambia came for the friendly seen as the stronger side having already engaged Malawi on Wednesday and picked up a 1-0 win. Their players were also thought to be much fitter having been in action in the previous months unlike the Kenyans, who before the match, had just trained for three days.

History also tipped Chipolopolo for victory as the Harambee Stars have mostly faltered whenever they met the Cosafa member.

The last time the two teams met – at Nyayo Stadium five years ago – thy drew 1-1 in an Afcon qualifier.

Zambia will travel to South Africa for more friendlies against Bafana Bafana, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns. Kenya are yet to confirm whether another encounter has been organised.

Kenya Starting XI: Ian Otieno, Baraka Badi, Brian Mandela, Joash Onyango, David Owino, Antony Akumu, Lawrence Juma, Kenneth Muguna, Eric Johanna, Cliff Nyakeya, Masoud Juma.

Subs: Timothy Odhiambo, Johnstone Omurwa, Clinton Oduor, Philemon Otieno, Francis Kahata, Haimi Abdallah, Elvis Rupia, Oscar Wamalwa, Timothy Otieno.

Zambia Starting XI: Sebastian Mwange, Lubambo Musonda, Zacharia Chilongoshi, Tandi Mwape, Kabaso Chongo, Benson Sakala, Kelvin Kapumbu, Edward Chilufya, Kings Kangwa, Evans Kangwa, Fashion Sakala.

Subs: Lameck Siame, Jackson Kakunta, Kondwani Chiboni, Godfrey Ngwenya, Luka Banda, Dominic Chanda, Leonard Mulenga, Chaniza Zulu, Collins Sikombe, Gamphani Lungu, Emmanuel Chabula, Kelvin Kampamba.

Edinson Cavani has revealed what ex-Manchester United star Ander Herrera said to help push him to agree a deadline day move to Old Trafford.

Cavani, who currently stands as PSG's all-time record scorer with 200 goals to his name, left Parc des Princes as a free agent in June having struggled with injuries throughout the 2019-20 campaign.

The 33-year-old spent the next three months working on his fitness while fielding offers from several potential suitors, including Benfica and Atletico Madrid.

It was United, however, who eventually managed to snap up the Uruguayan frontman on a free transfer, tying him down to a two-year deal worth €11 million (£10m/$13m) per season on Monday.

Herrera revealed the part he played in Cavani's move to Manchester after his former team-mate's unveiling at Old Trafford, telling Cadena Ser: "He asked me for advice. I told him this was one of those teams that you couldn't say no to."

The veteran striker has now confirmed that he trusted the PSG midfielder to give an honest opinion on the Red Devils, and was ultimately convinced to undertake a new challenge in the Premier League following the conversation with a valued colleague and friend.

“I spoke with Ander a lot, as well as other team-mates, like Angel Di Maria, who I was also with at Paris,” Cavani told United's official website. "It was genuinely getting to the last minute and I called Ander to have a chat.

“I have a lot of admiration for Ander, for the kind of person he is, and I had the feeling that his words were going to help me out, by telling me a bit about what it was like at United. So yes, it’s true that after I’d finished talking with Ander, we came to an agreement here with the club.

“I hadn’t known Ander for too long, but we formed and enjoyed a close friendship during that time at PSG, and, today, we are still very good mates.”

The Uruguay international added on what attracted him to United: “I was really keen to come here. I'm very motivated by the idea of joining this great club and so, well, here we are today.

“Yes, we did have a lot of different options, and these at a time where things aren't easy, neither in sport nor in the world in general.

"However I was very attracted by the chance to play in English football, and what’s more, for Manchester United, so that was a really big attraction for me, and a huge motivation too, because I feel that I still have a big desire to compete, to work hard and to give the best of myself.

"Let’s hope that I can be up to the task and can represent this club, and along with everyone, help take it to the top.“ 

USMNT star Weston McKennie has spoken about the first time he met Cristiano Ronaldo after joining new club Juventus, insisting that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's “warm” demeanour put him at ease after originally being star-struck upon his arrival.

McKennie made the switch to the Bianconeri from Schalke in the summer transfer window on a loan deal, with the Serie A champions having the option to make his move permanent for a fee that could rise to €25.5 million (£23m/$30m).

The 22-year-old midfield enforcer has made no secret in the past of his desire to one day ply his trade in the Premier League, but admitted that he could not turn down the offer of a club as big as the Turin giants.

Being such a storied outfit, Juve boast some of the best players in the game, and McKennie admits that the lead-up to his first encounter with Portugal's captain and all-time leading scorer was an anxious affair.

“It’s been honestly a big honour to play with Cristiano Ronaldo. I still remember the first time I met him, I was walking down the hallway and I was like, oh snap, be cool, be cool,” McKennie said in an interview with ESPN. “[But] he's a really genuine guy, straight to the point, he wants to win, he has a great mentality and we also joke around – he calls me Texas Boy.

“For a player with all the accomplishments in his career, he could be snobby and stuck up, but he’s very open and warm and brings all the players into the game no matter what age you are.”

McKennie added: “It was definitely jaw-dropping, walking into the locker room and seeing the players you play with on PES (Pro Evolution Soccer). It was like, ‘Oh my God!’ I think I can learn so much from these people and they have definitely taken me under their wing.

“This is a club that wins titles, that challenges with the best in the world and that’s what I want to do. It’s a club full of tradition, supported by many and it was very intriguing to come here.”

Liverpool and Thiago Alcantara are the “perfect match”, says Georginio Wijnaldum, with the Netherlands international happy to have another “quality” midfielder on board despite the obvious threat that poses to his own position.

Jurgen Klopp moved to snap up another ball-playing option for his engine room once an exit door was swung open at Bayern Munich.

Thiago enjoyed a memorable end to the 2019-20 campaign at the Allianz Arena, with Champions League glory completing a remarkable treble triumph that proved to be the perfect farewell gift.

He had entered the final year of his contract at Bayern and the decision was taken that a parting of ways, presenting new challenges for all concerned, was the best course of action.

Liverpool were delighted to welcome Thiago onto their books, with an early glimpse of what he is capable of offered in a Premier League bow off the bench at Chelsea, and Wijnaldum expects the former Barcelona star to thrive at Anfield.

The Dutchman told the Reds’ official website of an addition that provides him with added competition for places: “Everything impressed me.

“I saw him play for years now, I played against him when we played against Bayern, and the awareness he has on the pitch, the confidence he has on the ball and the way he manages to let the team play is unbelievable.

“He’s such a quality player that is going to make this team even better than we were before. So, I’m really happy, everyone is really happy, to have him here. He’s also happy to be here.

“I think it’s a perfect match: Liverpool and Thiago.”

Thiago was not the only player to be added to Klopp’s ranks during the summer window, with Kostas Tsimikas and Diogo Jota also snapped up.

Wijnaldum believes all of the new arrivals will make a positive impact on Merseyside, with their respective qualities bringing something different to the reigning Premier League champions.

“Brilliant, class – class players,” added Wijnaldum.

“They already showed at their previous clubs that they are really good players and we are really happy to have them here, because they make the squad better.

“With them, we have a bigger squad; I think you need that during a season.

“But the most important thing is that they are quality players and that makes the team even better than we were before. I’m really happy with the signings. They are also good personalities, good people – they totally fit into the team we have.”

Mamelodi Sundowns have confirmed the signing of Black Leopards defender Khuliso Mudau.

The hard-working full-back was one of Lidoda Duvha's most consistent players in the recent 2019/20 season. 

Mudau made 29 appearances for the Limpopo-based side across all competitions including three in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) promotional/relegation playoffs.

Masandawana have now made Mudau their 13th signing in the current transfer window as they prepare for the new 2020/21 campaign.

"Mamelodi Sundowns are happy to announce the signing of Khuliso Mudau on a five-year deal. He joins the Brazilians from Black Leopards, where he has spent three seasons," a club statement read.

"The 25-year-old played twenty-nine games in the previous season in all competitions. Mudau has more than fifty professional appearances and has turned out for JDR Stars and Magesi FC in the lower ranks."

The reigning PSL champions have now signed Mudau, Kermit Erasmus (Cape Town City), Aubrey Modiba (SuperSport United), Jody February (Cape Umoya United), Grant Magerman (Ajax Cape Town), George Maluleka (Kaizer Chiefs), Ricardo Goss, Gift Motupa and Haashim Domingo (all Bidvest Wits), Luvuyo Phewa (Real Kings), Lesedi Kapinga (Black Leopards), Peter Shalulile and Mothobi Mvala (both Highlands Park).

Mudau will compete with the likes of Thapelo Morena, Anele Ngcongca and Nyiko Mobbie in the right-back position at the Tshwane giants.

Sundowns also confirmed Mobbie's return to the club following a successful loan spell at Stellenbosch FC where he enjoyed regular game time.

"Mamelodi Sundowns also sees the return of Nyiko Mobbie, who joined Masandawana in July 2019 and was sent on loan to Stellenbosch. Mobbie signed for the Brazilians from Free State Stars after Ea Lla Koto was relegated in the 2018/19 season," another statement read. 

"The talented right-back played twenty-nine games for the Cape Winelands side and managed to grab himself a goal against Highlands Park.

"Welcome to Masandawana Khuliso and happy returns to Mobbie."

The speedy full-back was a key player for Stellies as they impressed in their debut season in the top-flight with Mobbie making 27 appearances in the competition.

The Western Cape-based side finished 10th on the league standings - three points behind eighth-placed Bloemfontein Celtic.

Mobbie also played two games in the Telkom Knockout Cup and Nedbank Cup. 

Arsenal are working on a deal to send William Saliba on loan to the Championship.

The teenage defender has yet to feature this season and has been left out of Mikel Arteta's 25-man Europa League squad that was revealed on Thursday. 

That means Saliba - who Arsenal signed for £27m ($35m) from Saint-Etienne in 2019 and spent last season back on loan at the Ligue 1 side - will be unable to play in the group stages of Europe’s second-tier competition.

And with appearances in the Premier League looking unlikely, Arsenal believe it will be better for the young centre-back’s development if he went out on loan to play regularly this season rather than just stay training with Arteta’s squad.

Advanced talks were held with Saliba’s former club Saint-Etienne on the final day of the international transfer window and an agreement between the two clubs was reached.

But the move could not be finalised in time, much to the frustration of the French side, who pointed the finger at Arsenal for the failure to complete the deal.

The collapse of that deal raised the prospect of Saliba staying in north London this season, but Arteta and the Gunners hierarchy believe it will be more beneficial for the defender to play elsewhere.

And with the transfer window still open for domestic deals with clubs in the lower leagues, Arsenal are now in the process of discussing a potential deal with several interested parties from the Championship.

“We don’t stop,” said technical director Edu, when asked if Arsenal could do some business with clubs in the Football League. “Of course we’re open. We never stop.”

Promotion hopefuls Brentford are understood to be one of the clubs who have expressed an interest in Saliba, but Arsenal will not rush into making a decision as they know the importance of picking the right destination for the teenager.

Saliba has endured a difficult year on and off the pitch. Last season’s loan spell at Saint-Etienne was supposed to be used as a transition year to get him prepared for the demands of the Premier League.

But two serious injuries limited him to just 15 appearances before the Ligue 1 campaign was cut short early due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Saliba moved to London in the summer, but then had to deal with the death of his mother. So it’s been an incredibly difficult time for the young Frenchman and Arsenal want to ensure he is protected and that they make the right decisions in terms of his continued development. 

“He had a lost year last year,” said Gunners boss Arteta, when discussing Saliba’s immediate future earlier this month. “For many reasons, that wasn’t the transition year that he needed because he had a lot of injuries, some personal issues and also with Covid-19.

“He needs that year of transition and we are trying to make the right decisions for him to give him the best transitional year to have the player we want in our future.”

Arsenal will hold further talks with interested clubs over the coming days as they look to ensure they pick the right destination for Saliba, with the domestic transfer window open until October 16.

Tanzania coach Etienne Ndayiragije has revealed striker John Bocco will not be involved when they take on Burundi in a friendly on Sunday.

According to the coach, the towering Simba SC forward and captain, reported to camp with an injury and despite efforts to have him ready for the match, he will not be fit to play.

“I have all the players available but I am sorry to say striker John [Bocco] is out of the match,” Ndayiragije told reporters on Friday. “I was hoping to use him for the match, you know how good he is for the national team but it cannot work now, I pray to God for his quick recovery.

“It is a blow to my plans, you know Bocco is one of the most important players in the team considering he also captains the champions back in Tanzania, but we will have to work around the squad without him.”

Ndarigagije has further stated they will not underrate their opponents, who landed in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday in readiness for the build-up.

“We know Burundi are a tough team, their style of football is like what Tunisia play, and I am sure they will give us the kind of competition we need as we prepare to face Tunisia in November," he added.

On his part, Taifa Stars captain Mbwana Samatta feels they have what it takes to beat Burundi at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Sunday.

The Taifa Stars captain scored two goals for Fenerbahce as the Turkish giants defeated Fatih Karagumruk 2-1 in his full Super Lig debut last Saturday, and believes the squad in camp is good enough to give the country a win against the Swallows.

“I have faith with the players’ coach Etienne Ndayiragije has called for the national team mission against Burundi, and I am very confident we as a team, will win the forthcoming game,” Samatta revealed.

“The challenge has always been the environment; you will meet with new faces, languages, different game tactics, new team, and everything is new when you join a club, but with the national team, you easily get familiar to each other.”

He is among the foreign-based players named in the Taifa Stars squad by Ndayiragije, others being Thomas Ulimwengu, who plays in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Himid Mao, who plays in Egypt, Simon Msuva and Nickson Kibabage, who are based in Morocco, and Ally Msengi in South Africa.

Tanzania will be taking part in the African Nations Championship and the Burundian tactician will be using the friendly match to gauge the fitness and preparedness of his charges.

The Taifa Stars will be playing Tunisia on November 11 away, before hosting them in Dar es Salaam two weeks later. The East African nation started the campaign in Group J with a 2-1 win over Equatorial Guinea before falling 2-1 away to Libya in their second game.

The Tanzania Mainland League has been active since June 13 which will be a boost to their players' fitness ahead of the Burundi assignment.

All the biggest signings in history have been attacking players, with Neymar's transfer to Paris Saint-Germain shocking the world by more than doubling the previous record fee.

Attacking talent in FIFA 21 is also more expensive than other areas of the field and adding wonderkid forwards may cause you to break the bank.

The best young forwards are very expensive at the start of the game with Joao Felix and Vincius Jr both capable of reaching Lionel Messi's overall rating of 93, and both costing at least £24m.

Erling Haaland's current rating of 84 overall sees him cost over £40m, but cheaper options are available if you look further afield, such as Jeremie Doku of Anderlecht or Red Bull Salzburg's Karim Adeyemi valued at less than £5m.

FIFA 21's new player growth improvements also mean that players can be retrained in new positions, meaning you can turn your fast wingers into strikers or central players or even move players from the left to the right flank or vice versa.

Here are all the best young strikers and wingers in FIFA 21 Career Mode, ordered by their potential rating in the game.

PO. = Position(s)

CR = Current Rating

PR = Potential Rating

VA. = Value

*Clubs listed are the clubs the players are assigned to in FIFA 21 Career Mode, while ages shown are the age at the start of Career Mode

Zambia head coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic has laid down his expectations for the Friday friendly match against Kenya at Nyayo Stadium.

The tie is the second for Chipolopolo in a week after they played Malawi and registered a 1-0 in Lusaka on Wednesday. For the coach, he expects the team to respond better than they did against the Flames where they struggled to convert many chances into goals.

“We need to learn how we play away and at home. We expect that today’s match is a new good step forward for Chipolopolo to bring us back to normalcy,” Micho said as was quoted by the FAZ Facebook page on Friday.

“Under such circumstances, I am looking forward to a much-improved performance in the match against Malawi. We are playing away, there are specific factors that are important like the weather in Nairobi which has higher altitude and the field itself.

“We are in a rejuvenating process, this is not a process that goes progressively in one way. We know that slip-ups will be there but our attention is to details and players’ readiness to give everything to the jersey.”

Chipolopolo are winless in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers after two attempts.

The former Orlando Pirates and SC Villa coach also insisted the foreign-based stars will have to prove readiness to offer brilliance and professionalism if they are to keep enjoying places in the national team.

“We want them to bring that touch of professionalism and seniority, and maturity in a competitive environment,” explained the tactician.

“This a big test because in order to be called for November they need to prove the point. They need to prove the point to themselves and the nation that they are capable and able to make the difference.

“If the player playing outside does not show the double aspect touching on quality and moment of brilliance on the field of play then it is unfair to close the door on the young upcoming and locally-based players.

“I am expecting them to show why they have been called.”

Micho’s warning comes just days after he suspended Simba SC’s Clatous Chama and Obrey Chirwa of Azam FC for not linking up with the team during the Fifa international break.

After the Kenya friendly, Zambia will fly to South Africa where they are expected to face Bafana Bafana, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns for more matches.

Nicklas Bendtner has been reflecting on his time at Arsenal, with the enigmatic Danish striker clashing with Emmanuel Adebayor and Thierry Henry during an eventful spell in north London.

Headlines have followed the mercurial frontman around throughout his career, with the 32-year-old delivering moments of both delight and despair.

It was at Arsenal that he first burst onto the scene, with his spiky character and ability to swing wildly between the sublime and ridiculous marking him out as something of a cult hero.

While at Emirates Stadium, a man who netted 45 goals through 171 appearances for the Gunners often clashed with colleagues and opponents.

Adebayor was among those he locked horns with, with Bendtner telling Arsenal’s ‘In Lockdown Podcast’ of an infamous tangle with the Togolese during a League Cup semi-final clash with Tottenham at White Hart Lane in January 2008: "He’s not really my cup of tea. I got on with most people in the team and made some really good friends, but me and him? Probably not so much.

"I remember him being substituted on and I think there was a key moment where I don't think the ball had been passed to him. There was a heated exchange of words where a lot was said between us, and then we squared up to each other.
 
"Then he sort of push headbutted me, so he sort of pushed me away while headbutting me on the nose. Then [William] Gallas came in, split us up and took us apart.
 
"I was very upset. I mean, we had such a poor performance, I think we lost 5-1. I was disappointed enough with myself and the team about the performance we gave, so that [incident] obviously didn't do anything to help.
 
"We tried to talk it through in the dressing room but not so much words... more something else. Then we got separated and called into the boss’ office the next day. We got fined and that was the end of it. We didn't really have any encounters at all from that moment.
 
"We never tried to patch things up. We learned to have the respect for the club and the team. That we would be on the same team, we would give everything when we were on the pitch together, but we wouldn't be friends."

Prior to taking in an on-field battle with Adebayor, Bendtner had incurred the wrath of iconic colleague Henry in training – with the Frenchman not taking too kindly to complaints aired in his direction during an exercise that was supposed to include only two touches of the ball being taken in.

Bendtner added on that episode, which did end in a hatchet being buried: "It's actually a funny story. It was quite an important moment.

"It showed me a lot about being humble and understanding, because of the background I came from it was more if someone says something you would sort it out right there and then.
 
"Thierry gave me a lesson. This is the guy who's been assisting and scoring the most goals. He's got legendary status in the Premier League and with Arsenal but the fact wasn't what happened on the pitch for me.
 
"The fact was that he managed to sit down and talk with me afterwards, that showed me a lot more to him that I could expect and knew about at the time.
 
"It definitely had a big effect on me. I mean, the fact that he could do that but then still say, 'But you'll get punished.' He would tell me what it's like to be part of a team and to be at Arsenal and what it means."

Dynamo Kiev boss Mircea Lucescu has likened Cristiano Ronaldo to all-time legend Diego Maradona and feels that new Juventus head coach Andrea Pirlo can reach the same heights as Zinedine Zidane or Pep Guardiola.

Lucescu's outfit will face the Italian heavyweights in their first group stage match of the 2020-21 Champions League, with Juve and Barcelona firm favourites to progress from Group G, which also includes Ferencvaros.

Facing off with the Serie A champions throws up the daunting prospect of having to defend against five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo and Lucescu admits that the former Real Madrid star's presence is concerning, while also showering the 35-year-old with praise.

“He is like Maradona, he leaves his imprint on teams wherever it is that he plays,” the highly-decorated Romanian coach told Tuttosport. “Facing CR7 is always worrying because he loves scoring and has a unique determination.

“We'll try to limit him as a team, but the trouble is that Juventus also have other players like [Paulo] Dybala, [Alvaro] Morata, Dejan [Kulusevski] and [Federico] Chiesa.”

Lucescu has taken charge of 14 different teams throughout his storied career, one of which was Brescia in the mid-90s, where he gave a fresh-faced Pirlo his debut as a senior player.

The pair's next meeting pits them as rivals, but the 75-year-old insists he is nothing but happy for a man he claims always knew would go on to be a head coach.

“I knew Pirlo could become a coach – the same was true of Diego Simeone, who I coached at Pisa,” he said. “I'm not surprised that Pirlo has begun his coaching career at Juventus. It's not a risky choice for him. The club chose him and will support him. I'm very happy for him.”

Asked if his former player can emulate the managerial greats, Lucescu added: “He can be like [Guardiola and Zidane]. Andrea was a champion footballer and can become a big manager.”

Lucescu's side will welcome Pirlo's Juventus to Ukraine on October 20, with Dynamo Kiev set to take in a trip to Turin on December 2.

Former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere is going to have to go “way lower” than the Premier League’s top six to find his next club, says Alan Hutton, with a “massive decision” set to be made when it comes to links with Rangers.

At 28 years of age, a man with 34 England caps to his name finds himself without a club after being released by West Ham.

Fitness issues have remained a problem for Wilshere, with only 19 appearances taken in across two seasons with the Hammers.

Injury concerns could put many off making a move for a playmaker whose ability remains without question.

It has been suggested that Rangers boss Steven Gerrard may be willing to take a gamble on his former Three Lions team-mate, with those at Ibrox mulling over a calculated risk.

Hutton believes Wilshere is going to need to lower his expectations and wage demands in order to find a new challenge, with there no guarantee that he would get regular game time in Scotland.

A compromise may be reached, though, that suits all parties, with there still the potential for a clearly talented player to rediscover his spark in the right surroundings.

Former Gers defender Hutton told Football Insider of the Wilshere debate: “I’m really on the fence, I think he’s a fantastic player and it’s such a shame that injuries have really hampered his career, I really feel for him.

“On the flip side, a move to Rangers, big club, playing in Europe, Steven Gerrard the manager – probably someone he looks up to, if I’m honest, obviously a fantastic midfielder and a great career so it’s someone he’ll probably aspire to be like.

“Again, you look at things like wages, he’d have to take a massive drop from what he was on to even think about it. If Wilshere wants to get his career going again, he’s going to have to make a massive decision.

“He’s not going to walk into a top-four, top-six side in the Premier League, you’re going to have to go lower than that, probably way lower. In my opinion, Rangers would be a great move but would he be guaranteed to play, week in, week out? I’m not so sure. 

“If he can get back to the levels that we know he can and he can stay fit then of course he will but it’s going to be a big decision he’s going to have to make.” 

Wilshere has hinted that he would be willing to open a new chapter in his career away from British shores, but any opportunity to link up with Old Firm giants Rangers would hold obvious appeal.

Manchester United head coach Casey Stoney has admitted she was surprised World Cup winner Tobin Heath even knew who she was before the winger arrived at the club this summer.

Heath landed in Manchester last month, having signed for United along with fellow United States national team star Christen Press, and was full of praise for Stoney upon her unveiling.

Asked about the comments this week, Stoney downplayed her influence on the success of her team, who finished fourth in their first season in the Women’s Super League last year.

“I'll be honest, I don't think it's about me. I think it's about the club. I think it's about my staff. I think it's about the players in the group and what they've committed to,” Stoney said.

“I was surprised that those comments were made because I don't see myself in that light. I'm just day-to-day, go about my business. I was surprised she even knew my name before we spoke!

“It's a huge positive if people are talking about you that way as a head coach, but it is not about me.

“It's about this football club, it's about how I've been supported as the head coach, how the players have been supported and how we've been driving this culture and this environment so that we can be successful.

“It's a club effort and I'm just part of that puzzle.”

Heath and Press have only arrived for this season, but they are already making a big impact both on and off the pitch.

The pair’s shirt sales surpassed that of any men’s player after arriving from the States and, from their cameo appearances so far, it’s easy to see why they are so popular.

Both made their club debuts last weekend in United’s 3-0 win over Brighton, with Heath providing an assist despite being on the pitch for just 20 minutes.

Press, meanwhile, caught her manager’s eye in another way.

“You know what I was really impressed with on Sunday?” Stoney explains.

“We went in at half-time and we had a couple of words on a couple of things we needed to adjust and as soon as I finished talking, Christen actually went over to Alessia [Russo] and started giving her little bits of advice in what she'd seen throughout the game.

“That's huge, when you've got that as a young player. Somebody who's won a World Cup coming over to you and giving you hints and tips and working with you, even when you’re competing for a position.

“I think that that shows the strength of her as a person, a character, but also how much Alessia is going to pick up over the next year.”

Russo is another summer arrival who has bolstered Stoney’s attacking options massively, with the 21-year-old England international capable of playing anywhere across the front three.

But despite United taking a point from champions Chelsea on the opening weekend, fans will have to wait to see them at their best.

A hectic schedule, a number of injuries and players needing their game-time managing, after a significant spell without playing due to the impact of Covid-19, has had a huge impact on Stoney's squad.

After a fantastic start to the WSL season, those issues were highlighted on Wednesday afternoon in a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool, who were relegated to the Women’s Championship last season.

“We are really limited, especially in terms of what we can do defensively, so that was pleasing that we came through [without injuries against Liverpool],” Stoney said, ahead of United’s trip to Tottenham on Saturday.

“There is no alternative [but to bounce back]. We have to look at ourselves collectively now and have a big reflection on what we didn’t do well, why that result happened, and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

By default, many of the settings on FIFA 21 are designed to make the game easy to pick up and play.

This is great for introducing new players to the game, but can often hold back more experienced players who have figured out the game mechanics and want to take their own game to the next level.

Most streamers and FIFA esports players have thus changed their controller settings and camera settings to give themselves greater control over how they play and use the AI to their advantage where possible.

Which controller settings and camera settings are best in FIFA 21 - which is out on October 9 - and which do pro players use, then?

FIFA 21 Controller Settings

Unless you're an absolute beginner, make sure FIFA Trainer is set to 'Hide'. This is useful when learning which buttons perform which actions, but as you gain more experience, it becomes distracting.

Timed Finishing was really effective in FIFA 18 when it was introduced, but many pro gamers turned it off in FIFA 19 and it looks like it is only mildly effective in FIFA 21, so you can turn if off again this year.

The majority of people use the shoulder button to change players rather than the right stick and if you are one of those, make sure to leave Next Player Switch Indicator set on.

Using the AI has been the best method of defending for the past few years in FIFA, especially since the introducing of Tactical Defending and that has not changed this year as EA Sports has introduced new blocking animations which have greatly reduced the amount of long-range shots making it as far as the goalkeeper.

Passing is similar, with the AI often doing a better job at cutting off passing lanes than a user-controlled player would. As a result, leave Pass Block Assistance on also.

There are three options for Auto Switching, but only one worth using: Air Balls and Loose Balls. After switching to this, make sure to turn Auto Switching Move Assistance to 'Low' so that the players will briefly continue their run after switching rather than stopping immediately.

As with some of the other defensive settings, set Jockey to 'Assisted'. This will help the defender stay within range of the opponent, but you will still have to move them with the analog stick to track their runs.

Be sure to turn off Auto Flair Pass as in the majority of cases, you will not want to perform a flair pass and if you do, you will want to have control over it.

Auto Clearances should be set to on to help clear the danger at the back. Auto Shots, on the other hand, should be switched off as you want to be able to select when you take shots rather than having the AI decide for you.

A new feature in FIFA 21 is Player Lock. Set this on and then learn how to use it effectively, as it can greatly improve your attacking play.

Contextual Agile Dribbling is also a new addition in FIFA 21 and adds slight animations to help you get the ball past opponents in tight spaces using the R1/RB button. Make sure this is also turned on.

Turn Assisted Headers on as crossing is more effective in FIFA 21 than FIFA 20 and you want to be sure you are getting your headers on target.

Right Stick Switching should always be set to 'Player Relative' as it is much more logical to switch to the next player to the one you are controlling when you flick the right stick.

For all of Ground Pass Assistance, Through Ball Assistance, Shot Assistance, Cross Assistance, Lob Pass Assistance and Save Assistance, make sure to select 'Assisted'. More experienced players can switch to 'Semi' or even 'Manual', but in the vast majority of cases, the game will make the right decision when using assisted.

Perhaps the most important thing to change from its default setting is Analog Sprint. Be sure to turn this off as your players will then sprint at maximum capacity regardless of how hard you press the shoulder button. It makes no sense to sprint at a lower speed and if you wanted to sprint in bursts, you could hold and let go of the button instead.

There is no point in changing Defending from Tactical Defending as you cannot use Legacy Defending in online game modes. 

FIFA 21 Camera Settings

By default, the Single Player Camera and Multiplayer Camera options are set to 'Broadcast'.

However, most pro players and long-time FIFA gamers change this to 'Tele Broadcast' to ensure that they can see more players on the pitch at any one time.

Many streamers and esports professionals also change the Camera Settings to Custom to tweak this even further.

Raising the Camera Height to at least 17 will tilt the pitch to make the players on the far side of the pitch easier to see when the ball is on that flank.

Last year, a popular Camera Zoom setting was 2 or 3, but this year with the new agile dribbling and ball control improvements, somewhere between 3 and 6 is probably more effective as you can see the slight movements more quickly.