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Dominic Calvert-Lewin has started the 2020-21 season in stunning form for Everton, with nine goals already recorded, and his skill set has been likened to that of Cristiano Ronaldo by Toffees team-mate Richarlison.

Those at Goodison Park have always had high hopes for a frontman they snapped up from Sheffield United in 2016.

Calvert-Lewin was, however, far from being prolific until finding his shooting boots in 2019-20.

A 15-goal haul last term helped to build confidence in the 23-year-old and he has kicked on into the current campaign – leading a Premier League Golden Boot race and earning senior international recognition with England along the way.

Richarlison is not surprised by the attention Calvert-Lewin is now attracting, with his qualities marking him out as a “nightmare” to play against.

“Dominic’s development has been really impressive,” Richarlison told FIFA’s official website.

“He’s transformed into a complete striker. I remember when I got here he was nothing like the player he is today.

“It’s down to the work he’s put in. He’s in the gym every day, he’s always working on his finishing. And playing under [Carlo] Ancelotti he’ll keep getting better and better.

“He’s had a superb start to the season and without doubt deserved his England call-up. He must be a nightmare to play against and he has an incredible leap on him like Cristiano Ronaldo.”

Calvert-Lewin is far from being the only star turn at Everton to have burst out of the blocks this season, with Ancelotti’s side topping the Premier League table thanks a faultless run through four games.

Summer signing James Rodriguez has proved to be a shrewd addition to their ranks, with the Colombian playmaker another of those Richarlison admires.

The Brazilian forward said of a fellow South American: “He’s a very special talent.

“He’s the No.10 for his national team, he’s got an outstanding pedigree – Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Porto. He’d walk into any team in the Premier League.

“I watch a lot of Premier League games – what team wouldn’t want James Rodriguez? He’s made a brilliant start at Everton, and I really hope it continues so we can achieve our targets this season.”

Those sights are being set a little higher after starting so well, with Richarlison hoping that long-awaited silverware can be delivered to the blue half of Merseyside.

He said of Everton’s ambition: “We want to win a cup. The supporters here are really passionate and they have been waiting for this for too many years.

“I think now that we have Ancelotti, and with the signings he’s made, we can win a cup and fight for a Champions League place.

“Obviously it’s difficult in England because you have the [big] six, but we’re a different team from last season. We had a lot of injuries then and we’ve signed quality players in the positions we needed.

“We’ve made a really exciting start to the season and Ancelotti is keeping us focused and motivating us. I really believe we can qualify for the Champions League.”

South Africa coach Molefi Ntseki has described Mamelodi Sundowns attacker Kermit Erasmus as a “special player” in his squad while also pointing at midfielder Andile Jali as key in bringing in the qualities of “courage, confidence and leadership.”

Ntseki has resumed duty with his Bafana Bafana team preparing for Thursday’s international friendly match against Namibia as well as a clash against Zambia on Sunday.

Both matches will be played in Rustenburg at Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

After nearly a year of national team inactivity, Ntseki wants to reboot his squad ahead of next month’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) back-to-back qualifiers against Sao Tome e Principe.

The Bafana coach is relying on certain players as the spine of his team and picks new Downs signings Erasmus as one who can handle the pressure.

“Kermit Erasmus - a special player for me because of his ability to score goals. And he's somebody in the national team who can score goals for us‚” said Ntseki as per Sowetan Live.

“And during the bubble he did very well‚ scoring goals for his team. We are hoping that with him coming into the national team he will definitely deliver by scoring goals for us. It's a pressure that we are putting on him‚ but I know that he can carry that pressure.”

Erasmus is one of the senior players in Ntseki’s squad and has been with the national team for a decade now although his spell has been punctuated by episodes of being overlooked by previous coaches.

Jali is also a long-serving member of Bafana Bafana since 2010 and Ntseki is banking on the holding midfielder’s "intelligence and leadership qualities."

“Andile Jali is one of the senior players who has been out of the team for some time,” Ntseki said.

“We need his intelligence‚ we need his courage‚ we need his confidence‚ we need his leadership going forward. So we felt let's bring in Andile Jali in these friendlies and see how best we can get the best out of each other going forward."

Bafana would be back in action for the first time since November 2019 when they edged Sudan 1-0 in a 2021 Afcon qualifier.

Since taking over from Stuart Baxter last year, Ntseki has been in charge of three matches, beating Mali in a friendly game and the Sudan result.

Under Ntseki, Bafana have lost one match, a 2-0 defeat away in Ghana in their Afcon qualifier, which leaves them second in Group C.

Express FC have settled for new signing Enock Walusimbi as their new captain for the upcoming campaign.

In a statement on their official website, the club said: “The club through head coach Wasswa Bbosa has named versatile defender Enock Walusimbi as the new club captain.

“The centre back who recently joined the Red Eagles on a two-year deal has been skipper before at Bright Stars and his former side will be tasked with providing exemplary leadership skills to his teammates.”

Coach Bbosa also revealed why the technical bench had arrived at the decision to appoint the defender as the captain for the 2020-21 Ugandan Premier League (UPL) season.

“Enock [Walusimbi] has been a captain everywhere, he’s played a feat that speaks volumes about his leadership qualities. The technical team, therefore, felt the need to select him,” explained Bbosa.

“Lucio” will be deputised by goalkeeper Mathias Muwanga and youngster Desmond Kaneene as the third choice captain. The latter captained the junior team and was promoted to the senior team at the start of last season.”

In a recent interview, Bbosa explained the reasons why he decided to sign Walusimbi.

“I have always kept an eye on Enock [Walusimbi] and those that know him can agree with me that he brings a lot to us,” Bbosa told the club’s official website.

“His game intelligence and leadership qualities are next to none.”

On signing for the team, Walusimbi said: “I am grateful for the opportunity to become an Express player, this club has a lot of history so much so that I’ve always wanted to be part of it.”

The 22-year-old has also featured for regional sides Nansana and Luweero United but it’s his time at Solito Bright Stars where he stood out, marshalling the backline for three seasons as well as captaining the side.

Most notably “Lucio” guided the Buganda Province Region to the 2019 Fufa Drum, scoring one goal in the process.

His arrival was seen as a huge boost to coach Bbosa's backline, as they will try to avoid a repeat of last season where the club leaked in over 35 goals.

The other new signings at Express include goalkeepers Denis Otim and Cryspus Kusiima, right-back Richard Bbosa, midfielders Isaac Nsengiyunva, Abel Eturude, Godfrey Lwesibawa, Ibrahim Kayiwa, Mahad Kakooza, Baker Sakah, Faisal Ssekyanzi, and forwards Charles Musiige and Kiragga Mustafa.

The six-time league winners and record-equaling Uganda Cup winners are focused on claiming a seventh league title next season.

Karim Benzema now has 250 goals for Real Madrid to his name, placing him fifth on the club’s all-time scoring chart, but the Frenchman says he has always been about much more than end product.

He has delivered plenty of that across 11 memorable years at Santiago Bernabeu.

His full value has not always received the recognition it deserves, with a demanding fan base taking to jeering him on occasion.

Operating in the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo during the Portuguese superstar’s spell in Spain did little to aid Benzema’s cause, with his contribution often going unnoticed.

The 32-year-old has, however, become a key figure under Zinedine Zidane since a five-time Ballon d’Or winner departed for a new challenge at Juventus.

Benzema has found the target on 57 occasions through the last two seasons and is already up and running for 2020-21.

His latest strike has taken him to a notable personal landmark, but Benzema says individual achievements have never been the focus for him.

He told Real’s official website on the back of netting in a 2-0 victory over Levante: “I feel very happy and very proud of my goals.

“[I'm] also [proud] of the play [we produce] at this moment at the club, because for me it is an honour and I will work to continue scoring goals.

“People see football differently and there are many who only pay attention on the goals, but there are more things like the movement or the passes.

“I am a forward who can score goals too.”

Benzema has now joined a star-studded cast of goalscorers in the top five of Real’s greatest frontmen.

Carlos Santillana sits 40 above him on that chart with 290, while the legendary Alfredo Di Stefano hit 308 for the Blancos.

Long-serving former captain Raul plundered 323 efforts while in Madrid, with Ronaldo well clear at the top on 451.

Benzema will be hoping that he has many more goals left in him, with his current contract due to run until the summer of 2022.

He has admitted in the past that he would like to return to Lyon – the club that gave him his big break – before the day comes to hang up his boots, but such a switch would appear to be some way off.

Kepa Arrizabalaga admits he is not in a “dream situation” at Chelsea, with a number of costly errors seeing him lose his place in the team, but the Spanish goalkeeper claims to still feel “very good” at Stamford Bridge.

An international break is offering the 26-year-old custodian welcome respite from the negative attention he continues to attract in west London.

There were plenty of suggestions that he could be on the move before the summer transfer window slammed shut, but Monday’s deadline passed with no deal put in place.

The most expensive shot-stopper in world football claims to have no issue with that, or the fact that he has slipped back down Chelsea’s pecking order under Frank Lampard.

Costly errors have crept into Kepa’s game and he can no longer be relied upon to provide the last line of defence for his club.

Edouard Mendy has been snapped up by the Blues and slotted into a No.1 berth.

Kepa now finds himself filling back-up duty again, a situation that is going to do his claims to a starting role for his country few favours, and patience is going to have to be shown.

Kepa is prepared to keep the faith and fight his way back into contention at Chelsea, with there no plans on his part to accept his fate and wait for a move elsewhere to eventually be pushed through.

He told reporters after linking up with Spain ahead of their upcoming friendly and UEFA Nations League fixtures: “I feel good. Strong, confident. Maybe not the dream situation. We have to experience things like this.

“I am confident to turn the situation around. When I have the opportunity to play I will try to do it the best possible.

“Obviously all the players want to play. I do not consider myself beyond the day to day. In football it is difficult to look at the medium or long term. Obviously I want to play. The closest thing is the national team and I think about that.

“I feel like a footballer every day. I feel strong, very good at the national team and very good at Chelsea. It is a great club and I feel lucky.”

Spain have a friendly date with neighbours Portugal to take in on Wednesday before then turning their attention to the Nations League and meetings with Switzerland and Ukraine.

Barbra Banda was in superb form for Shanghai Shengli but they eventually lost 1-0 to Tabitha Chawinga's Jiangsu Suning in Tuesday's Chinese Women's Super League final spot decider.

The Africans have been impressive in front of goal this term, with Zambia's Banda scoring 17 goals in 11 outings on her debut campaign for Shanghai, while Chawinga managed seven in 10 games so far.

In September, Banda contributed an assist in Shanghai's 3-0 victory over Chawinga's Jiangsu in their first-ever meeting this season.

This time, Banda and Shanghai were seeking at least a draw to book their final spot after they had earlier accrued four points from a 4-3 win over Wuhan and a 2-2 draw with Beijing Phoenix.

On their part, Chawinga and holders Jiangsu were keen to avenge their initial defeat and inch closer to defending their Chinese crown after a 3-0 defeat to Wuhan before a recent 1-0 win over Beijing.

In Kunming, the champions made the brightest start to the match when Wang Xiaoxue drove the ball past her marker from the edge but fired straight into the arms of goalkeeper Ding Xuan in the 15th minute.

Three minutes later, Jiangsu came close to nick an opener when Dou Jiaxing latched on a cross from a corner but her effort went wide.

In the 27th minute, Chawinga sent in a brilliant cross from the left but Xu Yanlu's header came off the crossbar before the Malawian's strike was denied by the goalkeeper on the brink of half time.

After the restart, Shanghai looked fired up to steal the show as they almost broke the deadlock when Zhang Xin sent in another free-kick into the area but Wang Linlin failed to find the net in the 49th minute.

In the 70th minute, Shanghai were caught ball watching when Xu Yanlu provided a fine cross from the left and the onrushing Wu Chengshu accomplished a perfect finish to give the holders a shock lead.

Jiangsu almost doubled their lead when Chawinga raced into the area but instead of scoring decided to set up Yao Lingwei whose powerful strike came off the crossbar 14 minutes later.

However, Shanghai almost bounced back into the contest but her shot was stopped by the crossbar two minutes from time.

Despite the setback, Banda, who lasted the duration for Shanghai remains the topscorer with 17 goals in 12 matches, while Chawinga was in action from the start to finish in Jiangsu's win.

The result means Jiangsu are through to the final after they finished second with six points from three matches, while Banda's Shanghai ended in third with four points to qualify for the third-place fixture.

EA Sports allows people to play FIFA 21 earlier than the release date if they pre-ordered the game or have a subscription to EA Play or Origin Access.

Gamers can also download the FIFA 21 Demo for a taste of the game, but early access allows full access to the complete game, rather than just a scaled-down version, like in the demo.

What is FIFA 21 Early Access?

Gamers can play FIFA 21 early through EA Play and Origin Access on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Early Access allows you to download the complete version of FIFA 21 and play the full game before the official launch on October 9.

However, there is a limit to how much you can play, as you can only play FIFA 21 for a maximum of 10 hours during the Early Access period.

As a result, skipping replays, highlights etc. is highly recommended to ensure you get to play as many games as possible during the 10 hours.

EA Play (formerly known as EA Access) also provides early versions of the other games in the EA Sports stable and costs £3.99/$4.99 per month or £19.99/$29.99 annually.

You can purchase a subscription to EA Access or Origin Access through the online store on your console in order to play the Early Access version of FIFA 21.

When does FIFA 21 Early Access begin?

FIFA 21 Early Access began on October 1 at 6pm UK time and lasts until the game's official launch date on October 9.

You can play 10 hours of FIFA 21 at any time during the period from October 1 to October 9 and can dip in and out of the game as much as needed.

The full version of the game is available to download to EA Access and Origin Access members from October 1.

You will not need to download FIFA 21 again once it is officially released as the Early Access version is the full version of the game.

However, you will need to have purchased the game to play it beyond this point!

When does pre-order access begin?

Anyone who pre-ordered the Champions Edition or Ultimate Edition of FIFA 21 can begin playing on October 6, three days before the official release.

Unlike Early Access, there is no time limit on this pre-order access, meaning you can play as much as possible from October 6 onwards.

The pre-order versions of the game are available to download from October 1, but you can only begin playing the Champions Edition or Ultimate Edition from October 6.

The Standard Edition of FIFA 21 is not available to play before the official release date on October 9.

Robin van Persie is looking to claim his share of credit for Edinson Cavani ending up at Manchester United, with “Agent RVP” having led calls for a Uruguayan “goal machine” to be acquired.

The former Red Devils striker first stated his case for a prolific South American to be taken to Old Trafford back in February.

He told SPORTbible when asked who he would pick to lead the line for United: “Edinson Cavani. I would definitely go for Cavani; he's very fit, he's a proven goalscorer, a goal machine, he has proven it at Napoli, PSG and Uruguay.

“With him, if he starts, he will get you 25 goals a season. I've watched him play, I've played against him, he is like a proper goalscorer. He lives by scoring goals so I'd go for him.”

Van Persie was not the only ex-United star to make such a suggestion , with Louis Saha telling the Football Index Podcast after seeing Cavani hit the free agent pool: “I’ve followed him for many years and I’m gutted there doesn’t seem to be an interest there. For me, Cavani would be the best fit this summer.

“Cavani has a great eye for goal and his leadership would be a great asset. He has qualities that are very difficult to find on the transfer market.”

While interest from the Red Devils was late in arriving, with the 2020-21 campaign already underway, they did get there eventually and confirmed the capture of a new frontman on deadline day.

And Van Persie is pleased to have seen a deal pushed through, with his advice finally being heeded.

The Dutchman posted on Twitter: “Agent RVP. Glad to see you were listening @ManUtd!

“Brilliant signing and adds plenty of experience. Will improve players around him even more #Martial #Rashford #Greenwood #GoalMachine”

Cavani’s capture is not the only United deal that Van Persie predicted. He also said back in February when asked what other business the Red Devils needed: “Maybe one midfielder in a playmaker role.

“Though to be fair I watched Bruno Fernandes and he looks very good to me, very silky.

“But I would add one other one to put next to him, then with one player who stops the opponent attacking, that is what I like to see. I like to play with five attacking, creative-minded players.”

United may well have listened to that advice and acquired Van Persie’s countryman Donny van de Beek from Ajax, with the 23-year-old proving to be the only deal done before a late flurry of activity on deadline day.

Betting on sports is a popular activity around the world but it is all too easy to find yourself becoming addicted to gambling and betting impulsively, which can lead to Bet Regret.

Bet Regret is that sinking feeling you get the minute you make an impulsive bet, often when drunk, bored or chasing losses.

BeGambleAware is a charity that provides information to help people gamble safely and keep people safe from gambling harms, and they have ten top tips to help you gamble safely.

1. Don't think of gambling as a way to make money

Gambling should be seen as a form of entertainment, much like going to the cinema. The venue, whether it be a casino or a cinema, is designed to take your money in exchange for you enjoying yourself for a couple of hours. They are not there for you to take money from them.

2. Only gamble with money you can afford to lose

Only ever gamble with disposable income and never use money that needs to be saved to pay bills or rent. It is also worth allocating a portion of that disposable income for entertainment purposes, and then use a portion of that for gambling.

3. Set a money limit in advance

Allocating a part of your disposable income for gambling allows you to have a set total. It is vitally important that when that money is gone, it is time to stop, and if you happen to win then you should not push your luck with the winnings.

4. Set a time limit in advance

It is easy to get wrapped up in gambling and lose track of time, so the best away around this is simply to set an alarm and when the alarm goes off, stop gambling.

It is no secret that casinos all around the world are free of clocks and windows, making it even easier to gamble for a long time without even realising it.

5. Never chase your losses

Chasing losses is one of biggest mistakes that any gambler can make as it almost invariably results in further losses. If you are chasing losses, you should be stricter with your money limit otherwise you may experience Bet Regret.

6. Don't gamble when you're depressed or upset

Making decisions is typically more difficult when you're stressed, upset, or otherwise emotional, and gambling is an activity that requires a clear head to ensure you remain focused and sensible.

7. Balance gambling with other activities

As stated above, gambling is a form of entertainment and as with everything, a healthy balance with other activities is good to have. If gambling starts to become your only form of entertainment it can quickly take the enjoyment out of it, and that is when a problem can develop.

8. Don't take your bank card with you

If you go to a casino or sportsbook, then leave your cards at home and only take cash. This enables you to be strict with your money limits as there is then no way for you to chase any losses.

9. Take frequent breaks

Taking breaks when gambling can help you avoid Bet Regret. If you have been gambling for an extended period, it is very easy to become wrapped up in gambling and simply by tapping out of the app, you can assess whether it is worth continuing to gamble.

10. Don't drink or use drugs when gambling

Drugs and alcohol cloud judgment, and they both make it incredibly difficult to make informed decisions.

BeGambleAware also provides a host of other suggestions about how to gamble safely as well as a variety of resources to help you if you or someone you know has a gambling problem.

For further information, as well as access to support and advice, visit BeGambleAware.org .

Martin Braithwaite has officially inherited the No.9 shirt at Barcelona following Luis Suarez's departure.

Suarez completed a €6 million (£5m/$7m) move to Atletico Madrid from Barca on September 23, bringing to an end a hugely successful spell at Camp Nou.

The Uruguayan got his hands on 13 trophies during his time in Barcelona, and scored a total of 198 goals in 283 games, but ended up leaving the club in controversial fashion.

Ronald Koeman told Suarez he would not be in his plans for the 2020-21 campaign upon his appointment as the Blaugrana's new head coach in August, and he subsequently pushed to be released from his contract.

The 33-year-old initially agreed personal terms with Juventus before negotiations broke down because Barca refused to pay his full annual salary through to next summer.

The Spanish giants eventually ended up allowing Suarez to join a main Liga rival in Atletico, but six-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi was among those to voice his frustration at the club for forcing out a talismanic figure.

Barca weren't able to bring in a replacement for Suarez or indeed any kind of attacking reinforcements before Monday's transfer deadline, with a proposed deal for Lyon's Memphis Depay ultimately falling through due to a lack of funds.

Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele now make up Koeman's forward line along with Braithwaite, who secured a surprise emergency switch to Camp Nou from Leganes in February.

Despite the fact the Denmark forward has yet to feature for Barca in 2020-21, he has been passed down the jersey which Suarez quickly made his own after joining the club from Liverpool in 2014.

It had been suggested in the Spanish media that Braithwaite had asked for Messi's No.10 shirt earlier this summer, having seen the Blaugrana captain hand in a transfer request following a humiliating 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in last season's Champions League quarter-finals.

The 29-year-old angrily dismissed the reports, however, telling Danish newspaper BT last month: "What do people think themselves?

"Of course I did not go to the club and ask for Messi's number. It would be so disrespectful.

"I really feel that the people who come up with these kinds of stories lack respect for a lot of people."

Braithwaite will be in line for his first appearance of the campaign when Barca take in a trip to Getafe after the international break, while Suarez and Atletico face a tough away fixture against Celta Vigo.

Career Mode is one of the most popular game modes and also the most challenging in FIFA each year and that has not changed for FIFA 21.

This year's management mode has the option to make transfers more realistic - so you won't see Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo moving to Man City in the first window - meaning that finding hidden gems and unearthing wonderkids is even more important than in the past.

The new player growth and player development improvements in FIFA 21 Career Mode mean that you can guide and shape your youth players into superstars exactly they way you want, giving them new roles and even new positions that best suit your tactics and their strengths.

To help get you started on your Career Mode journey, Goal has compiled a list of the best young players in FIFA 21. These are the players aged 20 or under who have the highest potential rating in the game and are divided by position in the lists below.

All players are listed by their main position, but any position they can play is shown. For example, Mason Greenwood is listed as a midfielder as his primary position is RM, but he can also play as ST. The new player growth options also mean that you could easily train him to be a RW, CF or even LM in the Squad Hub

This list of best young players includes every player with a high potential rating, nt just superstars like Erling Haaland or Joao Felix, but also lesser-known players that may be available at lower prices and may even be willing to move to teams in lower leagues.

All players need the right training and lots of gametime to ensure they develop properly and reach their full potential. Substitutes and reserve players will not improve as well if they do not get minutes.

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

FIFA 21: Best Young Goalkeepers

This year's crop of goalkeepers is not as highly-regarded as previous years, mainly because AC Milan's Gianluigi Donnarumma is now 21 and a little too old for this list of the best young players.

However, the best young goalkeepers in FIFA 21 are probably much more affordable as a result, with Porto's Diogo Costa the most expensive on the list at just over £2 million. 

Genk's Maarten Vandervoordt has the highest potential of any young goalkeeper in FIFA 21 and can reach an overall rating of 87. Man City's Gavin Bazunu is on loan at Rochdale at the start of the game, but is relatively inexpensive at under £400k.

FIFA 21: Best Young Defenders

It should come as no surprise that Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt is the highest-rated young defender in FIFA 21 and also the defensive wonderkid with the highest potential. Due to rights issues, Juventus are known as Piemonte Calcio in the game, featuring a new badge as well as new kits.

Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies has the highest potential of all full-backs in the game and can reach an 89 overall score from his initial 81 rating. Davies' phenomenal speed should also be a huge asset and he is valued at over £20m at the start of the game.

Bayern's reserve side have one of the highest-potential yet affordable players in Bright Arrey-Mbi, who can play in the middle or on the left of defence and is available for less than half a million. His value is low because his initial rating is also low, but this could make him affordable and attractive for teams looking to build for the future and sides that may be able to play him immediately.

FIFA 21: Best Young Midfielders

After being in the middle of one of the biggest transfer sagas in the summer, Jadon Sancho remains at Borussia Dortmund, meaning that he is sure to be an attractive option for teams with big budgets in real life and in FIFA 21.

The English youngster is already one of the best wide players in the game with an 87 rating, but can get even better and reach the same rating as Lionel Messi - 93.

New AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali also has huge potential, but the Serie A side may not be willing to sell him so soon after signing him.

Bundesliga duo Jude Bellingham and Florian Wirtz are probably more achievable signings due to their age and values at the beginning of the game. Bellingham might not be available straight away, but could be an affordable option during the second transfer window.

FIFA 21: Best Young Forwards

Along with Sancho, Joao Felix and Vinicius Jr have the highest potential in FIFA 21. All three players can reach 93 overall, but Felix and Vinicius are valued at less than £25m at the beginning of the game.

Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland can become a 92-rated striker but his initial rating of 84 overall means he will cost at least £40m to sign in Career Mode.

Anderlecht's Jeremy Doku and Luis Henrique of Marseille start with lower ratings initially, but are both capable of becoming two of the best wingers in the game. They are priced at less than £2m initially, making them affordable options. The new player growth options also mean that you could retrain them to play through the middle rather than out wide, turning them into dangerous striking options.

Premier Soccer League (PSL) giants Orlando Pirates have snapped up former Highlands Park winger Wayde Jooste.

The 28-year-old winger has joined Bucs on a free transfer after parting ways with Highlands Park with the club having sold its PSL status to TS Galaxy.

Jooste, who can also play as a right-back, caught the eye of the Soweto giants after making 17 appearances across all competitions in the 2019/20 season and netted once in the process.

Pirates released the following statement on Tuesday afternoon:

"Orlando Pirates Football Club is pleased to announce the signing of Wayde Jooste on a three-year deal," a club statement read.

"Jooste, who has played for Bloemfontein Celtic, Golden Arrows and Highlands Park, joins the Buccaneers as a free agent."

The speedy player played an instrumental role in helping the Lions of the North eliminate Pirates from the 2019 MTN8.

His solitary strike earned Highlands Park a narrow 1-0 win over Pirates in the quarter-final clash at Orlando Stadium in August 2019.

Jooste is happy to have joined the Soweto giants and he disclosed that it is a dream come true as he grew up supporting the club. 

“I am happy to have joined Orlando Pirates, This is an opportunity I look to grab with both hands," Jooste told the club's official website. 

"I know everybody says this is a dream come true but before I started playing professionally my father and I supported Orlando Pirates.

"Whenever we played against Pirates it felt special because I felt I was getting closer to my childhood dream."

Jooste is a well-travelled player having started his professional career at Bloemfontein Celtic in the 2013/14 season. 

The Port Elizabeth-born player spent three years with Phunya Sele Sele before moving to the coast to join Lamontville Golden Arrows. 

His debut for Abafana Bes’thende was against Pirates in 2016 and he spent three years with the club and he was then snapped up by Highlands Park in July 2019.

Jooste is pleased to emulate his homeboy Daine Klate, who was on the books of Pirates between 2010 and 2015.

"Today I find myself playing for the club that I not only support but a club that even my homeboy Daine Kate also played for," Jooste concluded.

Klate, who retired from professional football last year, helped the Soweto giants clinch two PSL titles, two Nedbank Cups, two MTN8 titles and Telkom Knockout Cup.

Timo Werner and Kai Havertz are still waiting on a spark at Chelsea, but Pat Nevin believes two big-money summer signings are “ready to explode” at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues invested heavily in German forwards during the last window, with two international stars added to the ranks at Stamford Bridge.

Big things are expected of both, with Werner one of European football’s most potent frontmen and Havertz one of the continent’s hottest prospects.

Neither has shown their true colours as yet in English football, with an inevitable adjustment period being taken in.

Havertz has netted a Carabao Cup hat-trick for the Blues against Barnsley, but the going has been tougher on a Premier League stage.

Werner has also been finding that out, with the 24-year-old still waiting to open his goal account in the English top flight – with his only effort so far coming in the League Cup.

Nevin, though, is convinced that value will be found in two players already proven at the highest level, with it considered to be merely a matter of time before they burst into life.

“In reality we are still waiting for the expected explosion of goals from the newer players,” former Blues winger Nevin told the club’s official website.

“Obviously Kai Havertz (three), Ben Chilwell (one) and Timo Werner (one) are each already off the mark, but it still feels like Timo and Kai are just bubbling under ready to explode onto the scene.

“For once I think the Chelsea staff might be absolutely delighted to see many of these players leave on international duty, but why?

“I reckon the likes of Kai and Timo both need as many games as possible to get themselves not only up to their own levels of mid-season match fitness, but higher still to the level expected week in and week out in the Premier League.

“Unless they are injured on international duty, they will all come back in better condition than when they left, especially if they can get a full game or two under their belts for their own countries.”

Chelsea are still in the process of trying to add consistency to their game, as new additions are bedded in, but Nevin believes the return of injured stars and the experience being collected by fresh faces will start to benefit the Blues in the near future.

He added: “There is the hope the attacking three of [Christian] Pulisic, Werner and Havertz will get a real chance to finally play together, possibly behind either Tammy or Olivier Giroud.

“They were on the field together at the end of the Palace game but there wasn’t enough time to see how well it would really work. I have a suspicion it is something Frank will be keen to try and also give it a little time to gel over a few games.”

Chelsea swept aside London rivals Crystal Palace 4-0 in their last outing and will return to Premier League action after the international break with a visit from Southampton on October 17.

Leeds United have announced the signing of Brazilian winger Raphinha from Rennes for a reported fee of £17 million ($22m).

The 23-year-old has put pen to paper on a four-year contract with the Whites, bringing to an end his one-year spell in Ligue 1.

Marcelo Bielsa had already been able to add Rodrigo Moreno, Diego Llorente, Robin Koch, Illan Meslier and Joe Gelhardt to his ranks in the transfer window, and topped off a summer of impressive business by tying up a deal for Raphinha on deadline day.

The ex-Rennes star has been handed the No.18 jersey at Leeds, and could be in line to make his debut away at Wolves on October 19.

Raphinha arrived at Rennes for £21m ($27m) from Sporting CP in the summer of 2019, and managed to provide eight goals and seven assists in his first 36 outings for Julien Stephan's side.

His performances helped Rennes qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history, but he has now opted to take on a new challenge in the Premier League.

Raphinha expressed his delight after being officially unveiled at Elland Road on Monday, telling Leeds' official website: “I feel really satisfied and happy with the opportunity and trust the club has shown in me.

“I believe I can show my game and show the club my work and why they believed in me.

“I’m really happy to be here and I hope to, even in a small part, write my name in the club’s history.

“Together with my happiness, the happiness of the fans with my signing and the directors, I think we can all be happy together.

“It made me really happy the club were interested in my football and my work and I believe like any other player, you immediately want to come and play in the Premier League, the best league in the world.

“I’ve always wanted to play in the Premier League, I dreamed of playing in this championship where all the best players play, so it is a dream come true to be here in the Premier League.

“Before I came here I’d spoken to other players about Marcelo Bielsa and they told me he is a really demanding coach, which is something I like.

“I like working with demanding coaches who can really get the best out of me, so it is an absolute pleasure to be here and getting to work with him."

Raphinha also revealed that Leeds' performance during a 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Saturday helped him decide to join Bielsa's ranks, with it his desire to play in a system which allows him to express himself freely.

“I watched Leeds play against Liverpool and Manchester City and I was enchanted with the style of play," he added.

"It’s a team which always plays on the front foot, attacking football looking for goals and chasing the victory.

“It’s a really good team with very high quality and it had a big influence on my decision.

“I’m the type of player who looks to bring joy onto the field, I like to have fun on the pitch, the fans can expect a happy player who gives his all and battles until the very end to seek a positive result.”

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have settled for Cedric Kaze to take over as the club’s new head coach.

The Jangwani giants have picked the Burundian coach to replace Serbian Zlatko Krmpotic, who was fired last week, after only 37 days in charge of the team.

Goal can now exclusively reveal Kaze, who was also given the job before Yanga settled for Krmpotic, after he cited family issues, will be unveiled anytime this week. He is due to take charge ahead of the league resumption, which took a break for the international friendly matches.

“It was a close battle between Kaze and George [Lwandamina] but I can now confirm [Kaze] will be the next coach,” a source, privy to the discussions, and who did not want to be named, told Goal on Tuesday.

Goal understands though many coaches had shown a keen interest to handle the record Tanzanian league champions, the battle for the vacant seat was reduced to two coaches, a fight between Kaze and Lwandamina.

“[Lwandamina] was here before and won the title with us but the Yanga office felt it is good to give the job to Kaze because he can speak at least three languages, something that has always been a problem when we hire new coaches for the club.”

Krmpotic – who has equally had short stints at Zesco United, Polokwane City, APR FC, and Jwaneng Galaxy – left after leading the Tanzanian club to the top of the table with 13 points, having won four matches and drew one.

Kaze is an experienced African coach who holds a Caf A License. He started his coaching job as an assistant to Armas Niyamugambo at Prince Louis Rwagasore FC.

He was confirmed as the head coach for the 2005/06 season and his team finished second to Vital’O. He left and joined Atletico FC for the 2006/07 season and he helped the club remain among the top four sides in four seasons in charge.

Kaze was named Burundi’s coach of the season twice; in 2008/09 and in the 2011/12 seasons, although his side finished second.

He lifted the Ligue A title in the 2010/11 campaign.

Yanga are now set to have their fifth coach in under one year as they first had Mwinyi Zahera who was let go in November before Boniface Mkwasa was appointed on an interim basis.

Mkwasa - who is at Ruvu Shooting - thereafter acted as Eymael’s assistant until his contract ended in August and was not renewed.

Burundian coach Cedric Kaze is reportedly in pole position to be appointed the new head coach for Young Africans (Yanga SC).

Orlando Pirates have parted ways with no less than eight players ahead of the start of the 2020-21 PSL season. 

Xola Mlambo, Augustine Mulenga and Alfred Ndengane top the list of players who have been told to seek employment elsewhere. 

Other players include returnees Diamond Thopola, Meshack Maphangule, Thembela Sikhakhane, Brian Hlongwa and Tercious Malepe. 

The quartet spent last season on loan at various clubs such as AmaZulu, Chippa United and Highlands Park. 

Chippa United had Thopola, Maphangule and Malepe but they decided against keeping the players beyond the expiry of their loan deals - and the trio had to go back to their parent club to learn their fate. 

Sikhakhane was a regular at Usuthu over the past two seasons he was on loan with them from the Sea Robbers. 

AmaZulu's decision to not retain his services came as a shock to the majority of the club fans who felt the management could have done more to secure his services on a permanent basis after watching him put in some solid shifts on the right-hand side of the defence. 

Hlongwa's future with he Buccaneers had been hanging in the balance since his return from Highlands Park in January as he was overlooked for the remainder of last season. 

Mlambo's departure doesn't come as a surprise because of his lack of game time under Josef Zinnbauer this season. 

The midfielder fell down the pecking order soon after the arrival of the German mentor in December 2019. 

Ndengane's situation, which had gotten worse when Zinnbauer took over, was made worse by the arrival of Thulani Hlatshwayo. 

Mulenga, on the other hand, struggled to cement his place in the starting line-up and often came on as a substitute but with Pirates recently acquiring the services of Terrence Dzvukamanja, the chances of the Zambian playing regularly became very slim.  

Pirates released the following statement on Tuesday morning:

Orlando Pirates Football Club can confirm that it has met with the following players and their respective representatives and both parties have agreed to mutually terminate.

•    Alfred Ndengane
•    Diamond Thopola
•    Xola Mlambo
•    Meshack Maphangule
•    Brian Hlongwa
•    Thembela Sikhakhane
•    Augustine Mulenga
•    Tercious Malepe

The club would like to thank all the players for their service and wish them the best in their future endeavours.

Football Kenya Federation president (FKF) Nick Mwendwa has revealed the friendly match against Zambia on Friday, October 9 will be used to convince respective authorities to give the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) the green light to start.

Harambee Stars will host Chipolopolo in a Fifa international friendly, in preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier double-header against Comoros. With football in the country still suspended, the vocal administrator hopes the restrictions will be lifted after the October 9 game.

"The Kenya-Zambia game is a good opportunity for us to show the Government and the Ministry of Sports and Health that we are capable of following the Covid-19 guidelines to the letter," Mwendwa told Goal .

"If we handle the game well and as advised by relevant authorities, I am confident the Government will give us permission for the league to start. We are very optimistic about that."

Top-flight football was halted in March owing to the global pandemic and it led to the nullification of the 2019/20 season.

"For taking extra precautions we decided not to have fans for this game, we know that athletics had 2,000 fans but you know with football when the goal goes in, the celebration is mad and we don’t know how we are going to control that," Mwendwa told  Goal .

"We are going to start slow [in regards to the fans] and then we raise it because we have Comoros in November so let us have this game under tight control, let us test how ready are we for the protocol, let us improve on that, let’s keep the fans away for now."

Mwendwa continued: "However, the game will be on TV, please grab your StarTimes decoder and watch the game and then we can make a decision on whether to have fans during the Comoros game as we move forward.

"Even in the league for the new season, we have recommended to the Sports Ministry that we will start without the fans and maybe in a couple of months we can have the fans back, we don’t want to be the sport that brought Covid-19 numbers up in Kenya and I think that is reasonable for us and everyone."

German coach Bernhard Lippert has been appointed as Ghana's new technical director, the country's football association (GFA) has announced.

The 58-year-old will sign a two-year deal, replacing Francis Oti Akenteng whose tenure expired in March.

Lippert was until his Ghana appointment, the technical director of the Associations of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA), a position he held since 2008.

"Fifa coaching Instructor, Bernhard Lippert has been appointed as technical director of the Ghana Football Association for a period of two years," the GFA announced on its official website.

"The 58-year-old German trainer is a Fifa expert in instructing and training coaches.

"As technical director of the Ghana FA, he will head the technical directorate and formulate guidelines, strategies and policies for the training and the technical development of coaches of Ghana football, to provide advice to the Executive Council on coaching and technical development matters in general and the supervision of national football team coaches, to which the technical director may be assigned by the Association.

"Bernhard Lippert will be responsible for the strategy, development and technical direction of the technical directorate, the preparation and implementation of technical programmes at the grassroots, juvenile, and national teams thereby preparing football coaches and footballers for the future."

While in Azerbaijan, Lippert also coached the nation's U17, U19 and U21 teams.

In 1998-99, he managed German side Eintracht Frankfurt where he also worked as assistant coach, youth education supervisor and head coach of the U23s

He has also had short coaching spells with Bayern Munich and English club Leeds United.

"He [Lippert] shall be required to build the capacity of the of technical directorate of the association that will include but not limited to the following departments; coach education, referee education, talent identification, performance analysis, technical studies and video analysis, health and nutrition, sports psychology, strength and conditioning and sports medicine," the GFA statement continued.

"As part of his functions, the technical director will arrange courses and conferences for match officials, team officials, instructors, trainers and administrators.

"He is also expected to assess the training programme of the national teams, examine reports on players made by the Handlers (team managers, coaches and the welfare officers), analyse international matches and advise the association."

In a related development, Black Stars team psychologist Prof. Joseph Mintah has been named as Ghana's new director of coaching education on a two-year deal.

He previously also worked as head coach of Ghana Premier League fold Ebusua Dwarfs.