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Onduparaka FC have explained the reason behind signing 17 players ahead of the 2020/21 Premier League season.

The Caterpillars have been the busiest Ugandan side and have now explained what prompted their activities in a transfer window that is yet to be closed.

“Many players have left the club and we intend to not only build a new team but a competitive one,” Onduparaka said in a statement on their website.

“The purpose of the numerous signings is to ensure we have a well-balanced squad in the new season and also breed a new crop of Caterpillars that will compete based on team brilliance.”

The Arua club also stated why they had to let some of the players go.

“Onduparaka do not hold a player’s personal development and as a club, we would love to always keep our players,” the statement added.

“However, players have different demands and we cannot stand in the way of a player who feels his development would be better elsewhere. We wish them all the best as a family and we continue to support them whenever we can.”

Although the Ugandan government have allowed resumption of sports, Onduparaka have not held pre-season training and have said they are now engaged in other key matters.

“As the government gave a go-ahead for the commencement of sports activities within the region and following the standard operating procedures set in place, the club is hopeful that season preparations will pick up in the near future,” it continued.

“Right now the club is undergoing the licencing of players, development of the stadium and setting up camp for the players and hopefully next week we hope to start pre-season training.”

As many clubs faced financial challenges during the season and when the coronavirus pandemic hit, Onduparaka have assured fans and players they are ready to undertake financial obligations.

They also explained they are ready to get back on the pitch even without their fans.

“We shall do everything in our capacity to ensure we meet these costs,” they concluded.

“We hope to have new partners and sponsors on board by the grace of God and also intend to increase our merchandise sales in order to meet some financial obligations as the league resumes.

“It’s absurd that Covid-19 has placed us in such a position and as a club, we can’t do contrary to the rules. However, we hope to make maximum use of our media department to ensure that fans are able to get updates about the games and developments from the club.”

Fufa had set October 17 as the possible date when the new season can begin.

Ghana coach Charles Akonnor said Mohammed Salisu was dropped from his latest squad to give him room to attain top fitness at Southampton.

The 21-year-old is yet to play in the Premier League since he completed a four-year deal from Real Valladolid in August.

After releasing his 23-man team for Ghana’s international friendly game against Mali in Turkey on October 9, Akonnor defended Salisu’s omission as he wants him to establish himself in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad.

“He is not in the team because I heard his coach spoke about him in terms of fitness level,” Akonnor told the Ghaha FA website.

“They are looking at October after the national games, before he will be back. Based on that, I want to give him a chance to rest and get fit and start a game in Southampton and then we will look forward to get him on board.”

Besiktas midfielder Bernard Mensah has been invited back to the Black Stars set-up for the first time since 2015 with his last game dating back to a friendly match against Canada.

After monitoring his progress in the Turkish Super Lig, Akonnor is looking to see the Accra-born star cement a spot in the middle of the park.

“After he came to play, we didn’t see much of him but now he is proving himself good,” he said.

“He was once with a club and moved to Besiktas which tells all the story about him and I have seen him on several occasions and watched him closely.

“He is one of the guys when given the necessary chance and confidence can bring change into the way we move forward. His style of play and the way he controls the game, I personally want to control the game in terms of possession and him, Partey and the rest are there to do that job and it is a big chance for him to come, play, do well and stay and not to go and come again.”

A surprise invitation was handed to 18-year-old Kamaldeen Sulemana, who has made a statement in the Danish Superliga this year after making his professional debut for Nordsjaelland in February.

Sulemana ended the second half of the 2019-20 season with four goals in 13 matches, and he has featured in his team's first two league matches this campaign.

Akonnor is excited by the promising talent and he wants to quickly integrate him into the Black Stars and learn from the Ayew brothers.

“Good player, young and I think he needs patience and time. I think we need to start developing and looking at the next 4 or 5 years, these are the guys and once we are able to start with people like that, we will be motivating them slowly,” the 46-year-old manager added.

“We are not going to push them too much but slowly develop them into the team. He reminds me of Jeremy Doku but unfortunately, he is gone for Belgium.

“He has that kind of style and ability to play like him and I think it is necessary to bring him to have a look at him and also to be around the team to see the likes of Dede Ayew the captain, Jordan Ayew and others who will help him to be a better player in the National team.”

Gabriel Jesus has added to Manchester City's injury problems after Brazil announced on Friday that he had been withdrawn from their World Cup qualifiers next month.

The 23-year-old will miss City’s next three matches before the international break and Brazil’s games against Bolivia and Peru.

With Sergio Aguero still a few weeks away from being fit as he continues his comeback after knee surgery, Pep Guardiola is left with teenager Liam Delap as his only fit striker.

"On Wednesday, the English team contacted Brazil's doctor Rodrigo Lasmar, to tell him about an injury detected after the game against Wolverhampton, on Monday, in the Premier League," the Brazil Federation said in a statement.

Following Thursday night's Carabao Cup victory over Bournemouth, Guardiola said he had only 13 fit players for Saturday's clash with Leicester City.

Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte are back available following spells in isolation after positive Covid-19 tests but Ilkay Gundogan is still in quarantine.

Barcelona target Eric Garcia is back after having stitches in a head wound but Bernardo Silva, Joao Cancelo, Nicolas Otamendi and Oleksandr Zinchenko all have muscle injuries.

As well as Delap who scored on his debut, Guardiola is set to call up a number of Academy players for the Premier League clash with Brendan Rodgers’ unbeaten side on Sunday.

“With the situation we have right now, we need players from the academy,” the City boss said.

“We have just 13 players fit. With the problems [Liam] have up front, he will stay with us. We will use him.

"We cannot forget, like with Phil [Foden], he is only 17 years old. He has a lot of things to improve. We cannot anticipate the progress of every young player.

"We’ve had Phil, Eric, Liam and we have Cole Palmer, who will be an exceptional player. We congratulate the academy.

“I am the last step, but before there are a lot of people in the club working for this and it is a big success for them. Jason Wilcox is the academy boss who helps us have these players.

“That’s why you have the Academy. When you need players we can use it. It depends on the quality of the player. When they have desire, work ethic and the quality is good, they will have chances.”

City are still hoping to bring in a new defender before the transfer window closes on October 5.

A move for Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly has stalled and the club has held talks over Benfica’s Ruben Dias and Sevilla’s Jules Kounde as possible alternatives.

Reigning African champions Algeria have been lined up for an international friendly with three-time continental kings Nigeria.

Gernot Rohr’s men were billed to take on Cote d’Ivoire on October 9 in Austria before facing Tunisia at the same venue four days later.

However, that will not happen as the West African country, through the Federation Ivorienne de Football, wrote to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that they would be unable to send a team to the European country for the encounter due to internal problems.

In a positive twist of fate, Algeria has accepted to try Nigeria for size on the same date at the Jacques Lemans Arena.

“We have permission from our government to travel from Algeria to Austria and our country has reopened international flights,” wrote Mohamed Saad, general secretary of the Federation Algerienne de Football as per a statement from the NFF.

“We also would like to confirm that Fifa match agent Me Jairo Pachon is authorised to carry on all the required work and planning in Austria in order to stage this event.”

That encounter would be the fourth meeting between the Super Eagles and the Desert Foxes in three years.

A brace from Inter Milan wing-back Victor Moses and John Obi Mikel propelled the team to a 3-1 triumph over the North African in third round first leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup qualification at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.

Although the second leg ended 1-1 at the Stade Mohamed Hamlaoui, Constantine, Fifa awarded the game to Algeria, while the NFF was fined for fielding Abdullahi Shehu, who was meant to serve a suspended following yellow card offences against Swaziland and Zambia.

The most recent outing saw Djamel Belmadi’s men defeat Nigeria 2-1 en route to winning the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt thanks to an own goal by William Troost-Ekong and Riyad Mahrez's goal, with Odion Ighalo’s strike rendered as a mere consolation.

With the Eagles having a different crop of players, they would be hoping to avenge their painful defeat at the Cairo International Stadium.

Since defeating Lesotho 4-2 in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Maseru's Setsoto Stadium on November 17, 2019, the Super Eagles are yet to play a match in 2020 owing to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Former Orlando Pirates striker Patrick Malokase has hailed the Premier Soccer League (PSL) governing body for coming up with a new sponsor in the form of DStv, saying Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns could be tempted to lift the inaugural trophy.

Malokase says it will take time for the fans to adjust to the new name of the league title from Absa to DStv, but says the Randburg-based company has invested a lot in South African football.

“For sure, the PSL clubs will have to fight for the inaugural title, it’s going to be interesting. Kaizer Chiefs has always been the club that looks to start the trend,” Malokase told Goal.

“They have always lifted trophies under new sponsors and we have to see this time if they can do it. Each and every new trophy in the PSL or in the National Soccer League (NSL), they always lead in terms of winning trophies.

“After such a dramatic season, I think they will want to erase their disappointments and ensure they fight for this one. On the other hand, Mamelodi Sundowns cannot be ruled out when it comes to winning the first one.

“They have a good chance, a good team and players. We can say the same thing with [Orlando] Pirates, they are beefing up their squad and it’s going to be an interesting season.”

On the fact the supporters will still take time to adjust to the new name, the former Platinum Stars hitman says the changes will affect many in the game.

“For sure it’s a new start in a new era, this is the sponsor that has always been in line with our football. We just need to give credit to the new sponsor,” he added.

“It will take time for the fans to adjust but then it’s a good step in the right direction. It’s not only for the fans but for us as former players or current players,  we still have the medals branded Absa.

“Otherwise, Absa was a good partner for the PSL and we really have to appreciate their efforts to ensure they took the game to the highest level.”

Moreover, the former Bloemfontein Celtic striker has also heaped praise on PSL chairman Dr. Irvin Khoza and his executive for their efforts.

“Credit must also go the league’s executive. They managed to secure a great sponsor after they parted ways with Absa. We have a strong board there under the leadership of Khoza,” he continued.

“I think their efforts say a lot, they have done a massive job to get another one in such a short space of time. It ensures that our soccer stays on top of many leagues on the African continent and we appreciate their work.

“To have such a big sponsor deserves massive applauds.”

Zinedine Zidane insists he will not put pressure on the Real Madrid board to bring in attacking reinforcements before the transfer window closes.

Madrid have been quiet since the market re-opened and the 0-0 stalemate at Real Sociedad to kick off their La Liga title defence in underwhelming fashion suggested Zidane might have to seek solutions beyond his squad.

However, despite allowing creative talents such as Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez and Brahim Diaz to leave, the head coach told reporters ahead of Saturday's match against Real Betis that he will not be pestering Florentino Perez to get the chequebook out.

"This is the squad I have to work with, I'm not going to ask for anything more," he said.

"But I know that anything can happen between now and October 5. I think the best thing for all managers is that the transfer deadline comes and goes. I think I have the best squad and I'm thoroughly behind my players."

Perhaps Madrid's more recent attempts to spend big and bolster their attack are serving as cautionary tales.

Eden Hazard is still building up match fitness and unavailable - the stop-start nature of his underwhelming first season at the Santiago Bernabeu apparently playing on a loop few take any pleasure in watching.

"He's okay, that injury isn't a bother anymore," Zidane said of the damaged foot that required surgery last term. "But he needs to get training sessions under his belt, he needs to work for the team and go slow.

"In a short time, he'll be with the squad. What we want and what the player wants is to be part of that first-team fold and playing."

Luka Jovic was again an unused substitute in San Sebastian but Zidane maintains the former Eintracht Frankfurt favourite has a role to play, perhaps even in tandem with first-choice striker Karim Benzema.

"They can play together. But we've got a lot of games coming up and there are lots of different playing styles and formations. Every game is different," he said.

"We also have to take into account our opponents. Also, like I said, every game is different and you have to choose players accordingly.

"I've never said Karim and Jovic can't play together up front. I can see it, definitely."

Zidane added: "Last season we won two titles, so we obviously had no problem scoring and winning titles

"You go through periods where sometimes you struggle to score and put those chances away but it's something you work on to improve."

Christian Pulisic is nearing a return to action for Chelsea but Frank Lampard is wary of "overcooking" the winger and leaving him prone to injury. 

United States international Pulisic struggled with muscle issues in his first campaign at Stamford Bridge and missed two months at the start of the year with an abductor tear. 

The 22-year-old was impressive upon his return after lockdown, contributing five goals and two assists in all competitions. 

Pulisic is yet to feature this term after going off in the FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal with a hamstring injury in August, but Lampard said on Friday that a return is on the horizon. 

"No, Christian isn't ready for the squad, nor is Hakim Ziyech, but they're both training with us now, which is good news," he told the media ahead of Saturday's Premier League meeting with West Brom. 

"We hope to have them with us in proper match contention over the next week or two."

Lampard is keen to bide his time with Pulisic in particular, aiming to avoid any further injury setbacks when he eventually returns to action. 

"There's always a concern about a player's fitness when the history says there's been some injuries. Last season we did have them with Christian, I was questioned many times on him, when he did and didn't play," said Lampard. 

"Of course, when you look at a player with his recent record, you're trying to find the right balance of getting the best out of him, which we saw in big periods last year, and making sure you don't overcook him and leave him susceptible to injury, particularly with a player of his explosive pace and balance. It's a fine line. 

"We're working on that and Christian's also very open to that. He wants to play, he's so hungry to play and he's very nearly fit now, but it's certainly something we have to manage with him this season. 

"We've all seen the talent and it's something we want to get right. I'm not saying it's a fundamental, chronic issue because it's not, but we want to get as many minutes out of Christian – the really great Christian that we saw lots of last season – on the pitch."

New signings Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell made their first Chelsea appearances in the 6-0 Carabao Cup victory over Barnsley on Wednesday. 

While Lampard confirmed the pair could start at the Hawthorns, he is again wary of asking for too much too soon from players who are still working towards peak fitness. 

"I believe they are fit enough to start, but I do also have to take into consideration the fact that we play another game with a pretty tight turnaround on Tuesday, then another on Sunday, and then the international players will maybe go and play three games for their country, so I'm managing that one," he said. 

"Having come through that game the other day as they did, I think particularly Thiago did start that game and had 60 minutes in the bank, so that was good to see. 

"With Ben, I'll maybe be a little more cautious just to make sure, his injury's been a bit of a challenging one, so I'll make those calls. But they're in a good place at the moment."

New Aston Villa signing Bertrand Traore "has everything", according to his former Chelsea team-mate John Terry, who watched him score a goal on his debut for his new club in the Carabao Cup third round victory at Bristol City.

Terry, now assistant manager at Villa, watched on as the £19 million (€20m/$24m) signing from Lyon struck on his first game back in English football during the 3-0 victory at Ashton Gate.

Traore, who previously played at Stamford Bridge before moving to France, took just 14 minutes of his Villa career to get on the scoresheet and produced an impressive all-round performance before being replaced with 20 minutes to go.

Terry, who played alongside the Burkina Faso international at Chelsea between 2013 and 2017, said he had played a key role in getting Traore to move to Villa Park having already known all about his qualities.

He said after the win on Thursday night: "Bertrand's come in tonight and put in a good performance for someone who hasn't played a lot - to come in and get the goal tops it off. He was excellent.

"I wouldn't say I pushed [for the transfer], I know my role at the football club. I advise and we want bigger and better players in the building. I've had previous with him and I gave a good character reference as well.

"He was someone at Chelsea who was very hungry. He had the desire to prove himself at the top and he went away and he's got that opportunity now at Aston Villa. Personally and professionally we're delighted to have him.

"He's proven himself at Chelsea, making an immediate impact at such a young age when he came in. He has everything: the pace, strength and the willingness to go and prove himself at the very top.

"He has that quality, pace to run in behind. He can isolate people in one-on-one situations. We have that over on the other side with Jack [Grealish].

"He can produce that and that can free Jack up as well, especially when we get that switch of play through quickly during games. He's got that potential to beat players, score amazing goals and, hopefully, we'll see a bit more of that.

"I said to him in the dressing room [his goal] was a cross but I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt!"

Scott Minto thinks that Conor Gallagher is the pick of Chelsea's loanees and is backing him to follow in the footsteps of fellow youngsters Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount and make it to Frank Lampard's first team.

Gallagher will be ineligible to face his parent club Chelsea this weekend, as they travel to face West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

The 20-year-old midfielder will soon make his top-flight debut though, having already appeared in the Carabao Cup for Slaven Bilic's side.

Having seen him play at both Swansea City and Charlton on loan last season, former Blues defender Minto thinks he has made the right decision for his future to spend another season away from west London.

"With my Charlton hat on, I was disappointed that he left halfway through the season," former Addicks star Minto told Goal. "It would have been good for him, or no problem for him to experience a relegation fight in his first season. I think he would have kept Charlton up, he is that good.

"I spoke to Lee Bowyer about him and he said ‘he loves, a tackle, box-to-box and he can score a goal’. I said ‘he sounds like Bowyer’ and he laughed. I think Swansea suited him towards the end of the season in that they were winning games with that sort of pressure.

"I think he is a year off making it at Chelsea, at least. He needs to be at a low-end Premier League where he can play every week. He can follow Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount because it is a big jump from the Championship to Chelsea."

There are plenty of inspirations in Lampard's squad for Gallagher. Reece James, Fikayo Tomori and Mount were all on loan in the Championship before making the step up. Abraham is the only one who had a loan in the Premier League before re-joining his parent club, and Minto spoke of their example for the likes of Gallagher.

"I am impressed these two and others handled the massive jump," he said. "They will be more consistent next season after knowing they can do it. I have spoken to strikers before who find that first season the toughest in terms of stepping up.

"The fans shouldn’t be hard on Tammy Abraham; there’s a mental, physical and technical side to stepping up," he added about the criticism from fans of the young England striker towards the end of last season.

"The fact he started so well made people think that he would score 25 goals last season but that was never going to be the case. He just needs to focus on getting better, bit-by-bit and Frank and Jody know how to handle him.

"I can definitely see him in two or three years time being good enough to help Chelsea aim for Premier Leagues and Champions Leagues as well."

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed that Wilfred Ndidi will undergo surgery on Saturday.

The Nigeria international suffered an abductor injury as the Foxes devoured Burnley in a Premier League outing on Sunday.

He was in action from start to finish as the Clarets bowed 4-2 at the King Power Stadium but scan by club’s medical team disclosed that the midfielder's injury would require surgery.

"That (surgery) will take probably place tomorrow morning," Rodgers told media on Friday ahead of Sunday’s fixture with Manchester City.

"It’s just unfortunate, it’s come right off the bone, so he’s going to be up to 12 weeks we think. He’s a huge player for us.

"It’s something that showed his mentality against Burnley [because] he felt it. Towards the end of last season, he felt some pain there and he felt it late on in the Burnley game.

"I’m sure he’ll make a really good recovery and we’ll welcome him back when he comes back, but there’s no doubt he’s a miss.”

Although the Foxes will be missing the qualities of the ex-Genk man, the Northern Irishman has backed others to step in.

"We have players capable of stepping in. Papy [Mendy] signed a new contract in the summer and has started the season very well,” he continued.

"Hamza [Choudhury] was excellent against Arsenal, he really covered the ground and was defensively very good, so we have enough cover in that position."

Before his injury, Ndidi had been drafted to the central defence so far in the 2020-21 campaign following the unavailability of Wes Morgan, Jonny Evans and Filip Benkovic.

​However, Rodgers claims Evans’ thigh injury has been cleared in time and could be feature against Pep Guardiola’s team at the Etihad Stadium.

"He’s fine. He’s trained this last numbers of days, so he’s available,” he added.

"He’s had a good couple of weeks and I think, for most players, they’re not going to be 100 per cent.

“I’d still have Jonny Evans at 80 per cent because he’s such a quality player."

With this, the Super Eagles star could be ruled out of action between six to 12 weeks.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has called on Premier League sides to help bail out lower-division clubs that are in financial crisis.

The Premier League has been in discussions with the English Football League over an injection of cash that could reportedly be as high as £250 million ($318m).

Clubs across the UK were dealt a major blow this week when the government confirmed that restrictions on fans in stadiums could last for another six months. That has left many clubs facing even more dire financial situations as the fallout from the coronavirus crisis continues. 

Klopp believes that the biggest clubs in the UK have an obligation to help those who are struggling financially.

"In general people in a better position should help people in a less good position, 100 per cent," Klopp said on Friday. "I don't understand the structure 100% - in Germany you have Bundesliga and 2.Bundesliga, so they have to share the problems so that makes things slightly easier.

"There isn't a general answer - people in a better position should help other people but the position in this moment for all clubs is not really easy. I don't know how the government finds time to think about that, but I get it 100%. So, yes football should try to help themselves, ourselves - however we should say it - I agree 100%."

Earlier this week, Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard concurred with Klopp's sentiment, using the example of Chelsea covering the cost of Barnsley's coronavirus tests ahead of their Carabao Cup match on Wednesday.

“In football if you are talking about how Premier League clubs can help those lower down in the leagues, we have paid for the tests for Barnsley,” Lampard said. “It’s a sign of a club in the Premier League doing the right thing.

“I think it’s important that the Premier League as a collective looks at supporting the EFL, the leagues below and grassroots football, absolutely.

“That’s the base of why we’re all here. I started and [a lot] of the young players started in Sunday league football. I’ve managed in the Championship. I understand a lot of the difficulties clubs are having, so I think there certainly can be a conversation.

“I can’t go too political because I don’t know enough about the numbers, but I do think clubs in the Premier League and the Premier League themselves have a heart. They understand [the situation] and I’m sure as we move forward they will be making positive moves on that front.”

Swallows FC have announced the signing of veteran defender Wandisile Letlabika from Bloemfontein Celtic. 

The Soweto-based outfit has been busy in the transfer market as they look to assemble a solid squad that will compete in the PSL next season. 

The club took to their social media platforms to unveil Letlabika who also previously played for Mamelodi Sundowns during his career. 

More to follow... 

Raul Jimenez remains “open to everything” as he continues to spark talk of interest from the likes of Manchester United and Juventus, but the Wolves striker will not be pushing for a move away from Molineux.

The 29-year-old has established a reputation as one of the most complete frontmen in European football.

His skill set is attracting plenty of admiring glances from outside of the West Midlands, with leading sides in England, Italy and Spain said to be closely monitoring his situation.

He is tied to a long-term contract at Wolves, but big-money bids could free him from his current surroundings – with Liverpool having already prised Diogo Jota from Nuno’s clutches in a £41 million ($52m) deal.

Jimenez is shutting no doors on the transfer front, with the Mexican previously admitting that he finds the interest he is generating to be “cool”, but he is in no rush to take on a new challenge.

Speaking at an event at Mexico's London embassy to celebrate the country's independence, the talented forward told reporters: “I have three more seasons left [on my contract].

“If I stay here at Wolves, I’d be very happy. We know that anything can happen and there could be a change. I’m open to everything.

“I already had the luck to play some games [in the Champions League]. It’s something incredible and it’s in my plans to play again, but first I have to do what I have to do with Wolves.”

Jimenez has previously graced European football’s elite club competition with Benfica, with a move to England made in 2018.

His stock has soared since then, with 46 goals recorded through 102 appearances for Wolves, but he admits to not being entirely sure where he was heading when a switch to Molineux was first mooted.

Jimenez said: “I did not know [where Wolverhampton was].

“The little I knew of England was London, Newcastle. I knew very little about England and I didn’t know anything about Wolverhampton.

“It was one of the best decisions I’ve made. It was difficult because I was with the national team in Denmark and that’s where the offer came to me.

“They told me about the club, about the project. I said 'it’s not a well-known team' and I had to investigate. It was an interesting choice and to this day I do not regret having taken it.”

Jimenez is already up and running in the 2020-21 campaign, with two more Premier League goals added to his tally, and Wolves will be back in action on Sunday when taking in a trip to West Ham.

Zambian Super League side Zesco United have appointed Numba Mumamba as the new head coach.

Mumamba is taking the mantle at Zesco United to succeed George Lwandamina, who was let go earlier in the week for a poor 2019/20 season.

Under Lwandamina, the Ndola club failed to retain the league title and had a poor Caf Champions League campaign that ended in the group stage without a win.

Timu ya Ziko finished fifth on the league log and now will not participate in the upcoming continental matches after being part of the tournament in last eight seasons.

Nkana FC – the league champions - Napsa Stars, Green Eagles and Forest Rangers will fly the Zambian flag in the Caf competition.

Mumamba, 42, has signed a three-year contract with Zesco United and his hopes would be to resuscitate the confidence of the giants. The tactician has had achievements in Zambia as he won the Super League title in 2016 and followed it with an Absa Cup trophy in 2017.

“[Numba] Mumamba is one of the finest young coaches to have emerged from the Zambian game in recent years. He has managed at the top level of Zambian football and he knows the domestic game very well,” Zesco United CEO Richard Mulenga told the club’s website.

“I would like to take this opportunity to welcome him to Zesco United. His track record of success is ideal to take this club forward.”

The former Zanaco midfielder will now work with the former Buildcon FC and Young Africans (Yanga SC) assistant coach Noel Mwandila, who has been appointed as the first assistant coach.

“We are delighted to announce the appointment of [Noel] Mwandila as the first assistant coach to Mumamba. I wish to further announce that Emmanuel Siwale remains the second assistant to our new coach,” Mulenga added.

The club has already signed three players ahead of the new season in a bid to build a stronger side than the one that struggled last season.

Lazarous Phiri, Bruce Musakanya and Kelvin Kampamba have already been confirmed by the Ndola-based outfit who are yet to confirm the acquisition of former Yanga striker David Molinga.

Zesco United are already in pre-season training camp.

Arsenal are continuing to be frustrated in their attempts to sign Thomas Partey despite talks progressing with Atletico Madrid over a deal for Lucas Torreira.

The Liga outfit have set their sights on the Uruguay international, who has been told he is free to leave the Gunners following two years at the club.

Italian side Torino are also long-term admirers of the 24-year-old, but Madrid are at the front of the queue for the midfielder - who they view as a replacement for Hector Herrara - and remain deep in discussions with the Gunners over a deal.

Torreira has already agreed to join Diego Simeone’s side, who completed the signing of his compatriot Luis Suarez from Barcelona on Wednesday night.

But talks with Arsenal have so far failed to reach a successful conclusion, with cash-strapped Atletico insisting any deal has to only be a loan for the season.

Arsenal, however, want to sell Torreira permanently to bring in money to help them land Partey, their priority target for the summer, before the transfer window closes on October 5.

Partey is currently at Atletico, but sources have confirmed to Goal that the Spanish side are so far refusing to even discuss the possibility of including the Ghana international in any deal for Torreira.

Talks between the two clubs are continuing, with Arsenal hoping they can reach some sort of compromise. Atletico, for their part, remain insistent that the only way Partey will leave this summer is if his £46 million (€50m/$58m) release clause is triggered.

Torreira, meanwhile, continues to train with Mikel Arteta’s squad and sources at the north London club have praised the professional attitude he has been showing throughout the past fortnight despite the uncertainty that currently clouds his future.

Arsenal would be open to the possibility of him joining Atleti on loan for the season, but only if the deal includes an obligation to buy next summer.

Those guaranteed funds would then at least help with a potential move for Partey before the October 5 deadline, with the 27-year-old understood to be very keen on a switch to Emirates Stadium.

But despite the appeal of a move to Arsenal, sources close to the player have told Goal that he is remaining 'calm' over the situation and will continue to train in the 'most professional manner' out of respect to Atletico.

The midfielder is happy in Madrid and will not try and force his way out of the club to try and engineer a move to England.

Partey and his representatives understand Atletico’s stance and he will continue to work as normal ahead of the new La Liga season while waiting to see if Arsenal trigger his release clause.

Should that happen, then Goal has been told it is very likely the player will quickly agree to a move to England.

Simba SC have rubbished reports linking their midfielder Clatous Chama to rivals Young Africans (Yanga SC).

The Zambian international has of late been the subject of transfer speculation in the Tanzania league with his contract with Simba running down in July 2021.

Simba information officer Haji Manara has now come out to clarify that they will not lose their star player to rivals Yanga because their style of play does not fit him.

“If you want Chama to play well, he needs a team that can possess the ball and if he goes to Yanga, how will he play and they don’t have that kind of play?” Manara asked a question during an interview with Studio +255 Global Radio as quoted by Sokaletu.

“First of all they don’t have money to buy the player, his contract with us stands at 100million dollars, does Yanga have the money to break the bank and buy the player?

“I want to ask Simba fans not to get worried, those are rumours in social media, they don’t have any truth in it, we are not ready to allow Chama to leave, he is also committed to Simba and that is the case.”

In a recent interview, Simba coach Sven Vandenbroeck revealed he would love to keep Chama at the club.

“Whenever a player's contract is over, he becomes free to make his decision but if he continues to perform like this, maybe it will be hard to let him go,” Vandenbroeck is quoted by Daily News.

“For now, I cannot comment much because I do not know what is in the head of Chama and the Board Members. I can only say that if he will continue to play like this, I will be the happy coach and will want him to stay.”

Chama has been a key player for Simba and only last season he led the side to win a treble – Community Shield, a league title, and FA Cup.

He was also voted the Most Valuable Player and midfielder of the year in the 2019-20 campaign.

Simba are preparing to face promoted side Gwambina FC in their next league match at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium this weekend.

Atletico Madrid have offered Edinson Cavani a one-year contract with the option for a further 12 months, Goal can reveal.

The offer comes days after Atletico completed a deal to sign Luis Suarez from Barcelona for €6 million (£5.5m/$7m) - now they are looking to bring his Uruguay international team-mate to Wanda Metropolitano.

However, there is a major hurdle in the way of the deal - Diego Costa. Atletico must sell the Spain international striker before they can sign Cavani, as they cannot afford the wages of all three star strikers.

Cavani is a free agent, having departed Paris Saint-Germain over the summer, however he will still command a hefty wage from whichever club he eventually signs for.

Atletico have regularly been mooted as a potential destination, and contacted Cavani in 2019 but were unable to complete a deal. However, Goal have learned that there has been renewed contact in recent days between the club and the striker's representatives.

The offer on the table is a one-year contract for Cavani, with another season as an option should Atletico qualify for the Champions League in 2021-22.

They are also offering Cavani a good annual wage, although it is less than the €10m (£9m/$11.5m) he was earning at PSG as Atletico feel the pinch of both UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules, and the worldwide economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

It is money that is making Cavani's move to Atletico so complicated. They must move on Costa first, but the veteran striker's €10m wages mean they are struggling to find suitors before the October 5 deadline.

Should Costa leave, a deal for Cavani would likely be a formality. The possibility of linking up with Suarez, as he did for Uruguay for several years, is an enticing prospect.

Last season Cavani, 33, scored seven goals in 22 matches in all competitions for PSG.

Despite being a veteran of the game, Cavani has been linked with clubs in several top leagues after leaving Paris, including Barcelona, Benfica, Manchester United and Leeds United. He has even been linked with clubs back in South America but remains highly regarded in Europe and is set to stay for at least a couple more seasons.

Hamari Traore has urged Rennes not to lose concentration when they take on Saint-Etienne in Saturday’s Ligue 1 game.

The 28-year-old right-back featured prominently as the Red and Blacks secured their second consecutive win against Monaco last time out.

The Mali international believes his side can extend their winning form at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard if they can remain focused on their own performance.

“All the matches are can cause surprises. You always have to be on top to play good matches,” Traore told the club website .

“Saint-Etienne is a great team with good players. It's up to us to stay focused on ourselves as we've always done. Hopefully, we can get something there.”

Rennes are unbeaten in the 2020-21 Ligue 1 season, accruing 10 points in their opening four games after clinching a draw against Lille and victories over Montpellier, Nimes and Monaco.

Traore is delighted with Rennes' form so far, praising their tenacity as well as the unrelenting support from the fans.

“The team grows, the mentality too. We are a team that never gives up. You can score at any time. Even when there are 15 seconds left, we believe in it until the final whistle,” he continued.

“We try to do the maximum and not give up, like our supporters who continue to encourage us until the end. Their encouragement does us a lot of good.

“It's good. Now we have to keep our feet on the ground and continue to work well. The league has just started. It is the continuity that is most important and that is what is most difficult. You have to find the consistency to continue to progress.”

Traore, who joined the Red and Blacks in 2017, recently renewed his contract with the club until 2023 along with Faitout Maouassa.

“We stayed because there is a beautiful project. We are in a good team. We grow as the club grows,” he continued.

“We want to keep moving forward. We will see what happens next, but it bodes well. This is my fourth season in Rennes. I feel good. Everything is going well.”

Traore has featured 24 times for Mali national team since he made his debut for the West African country against Burkina Faso in 2015.

He will be expected to play a key role for the Eagles in their World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Live updates

Line-ups have been announced and the big question will be whether JDT will line up with three at the back in the absence of a recognised right back in their starting XI or will Aidil Zafuan or Afiq Fazail fill in there.

As for PJ City, there are no real surprised with Devan's selection and it will see Amer Saidin face his former employers for the first time since moving to PJ City prior to the start of the 2020 season.

TV Channel and Live streaming

The match will be played on 25 September 2020 at 9 p.m.

Match details

Preview

JDT are on an incredible run in this shortened 2020 Malaysia Super League season having stayed unbeaten going into this MD9 and are close to retaining yet another league title. It will all be over should JDT managed to beat PJ City and Kedah failed to achieve a similar feat in their own match against Pahang tomorrow.

After the big 6-1 win over Selangor in the last match, head coach Benjamin Mora said centre back Mauricio dos Santos Nascimenton will be tested before deciding if the big Brazilian can feature in this match, but otherwise JDT will have their full arsenal in tow for this away trip, apart from the long term injury to Hariss Harun.

PJ City were the team that ended JDT's unbeaten run in the MSL last season and that is what K. Devan's boys will have to do all over again if they hope to get something from this match against the reigning champions. But that will be no easy task for a team currently languishing in the bottom half of the table, just a point outside of the relegation zone. 

PJ City have yet to win since matches resumed, with two defeats and three draws against Terengganu FC, Selangor, Kedah, Sabah and Melaka. Goals have been hard to come by for them, averaging 0.875 goals per game and forward R. Kogileswaran sitting on top of their goalscoring charts with two goals.

Past meetings

Malaysia Super League standings after MD7

Dele Alli would be a shrewd addition for Arsenal at £50 million ($64m), says Ray Parlour, with the out-of-sorts England international told he could rediscover his spark by crossing the fierce north London divide from Tottenham Hotspur.

Jose Mourinho has dropped the 24-year-old down the pecking order at Spurs, with there “too many players” of a similar ilk at the Portuguese’s disposal, he claims.

Transfer talk has been sparked, with potential moves to Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain mooted.

The window is open until October 5, with Parlour suggesting that Mikel Arteta should join the bidding. He concedes that Tottenham are unlikely to enter into talks with a direct rival, but Arsenal could ask questions amid their ongoing efforts to bring another goal-scoring midfielder into their ranks.

Former Gunners winger Parlour told talkSPORT: “He’d be more of a fit than Jorginho, if I’m being honest. I’ve always said they are lacking goals from midfield.

“I don’t think Spurs would sell Dele Alli to Arsenal, I think there would be uproar from the Spurs fans if that happened.

“He would certainly be a good fit. I’m trying to think what he would be worth. I would say £50m has got to be the marker.”

Parlour added: “One thing about Arsenal, I think they are lacking goals from central midfield areas, so he could tick that box. He does score goals, he will probably get you 10 from midfield if he plays on a regular basis. Whether he could get more under Arteta, I don’t know.

“What he has done with the other players, certainly they are responding to Arteta. I’m sure Dele Alli would be exactly the same. I’m not saying Jose Mourinho can’t get more out of Dele Alli, maybe he is still pushing now.

“Arsenal fans would be pretty happy because you’re getting a quality player off your rivals. If he started playing week in, week out, started putting in performances like we saw when he joined Spurs, then I’m sure they would be delighted.”

Arsenal have already signed one attacking midfielder from a London rival in this transfer window, bringing in Willian on a free after his Chelsea contract expired.