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Paris Saint-Germain have completed the signing of Alessandro Florenzi from Roma, with the defender arriving on a loan deal with an option to buy. 

The 29-year-old has been contracted to Roma throughout the duration of his career, however he spent the second half of last season on loan with Valencia in the Primera Division.

Goal confirmed a deal was close on Thursday, and it has now been confirmed.

The 36-time Italy star will team up with international team-mate Marco Verratti in the French capital.

“I’m especially proud and happy to become a PSG player,” he said in a statement on the club’s official website. “It’s one of the biggest clubs in Europe today, as was confirmed with their run to the Champions League final last month.

“I’ve got the desire to give my maximum for PSG and the supporters of the club. There are enormous challenges ahead of us this season. It will be a pleasure and an honour to turnout at the sides of my new team-mates, who are among the best players in the world.”

Florenzi is a versatile player but is expected to be the solution to the club’s search for a right-back, which began when Thomas Meunier departed the club to move to Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer at the end of his contract in June. 

Thilo Kehrer took up the position during the final Champions League fixtures, while in Thursday’s Ligue 1 clash against Lens, it was left-back Layvin Kurzawa took up the mantle, with youth player Colin Dagba on the bench.

Florenzi has made 280 appearances for Roma and was the club’s captain in the 2019-20 season. His career has been hampered by serious cruciate knee ligament injuries, while he has three times finished a runner-up in Serie A behind Juventus.

He is PSG’s third major signing of the summer, with the French champions having made loan deals for Mauro Icardi and Sergio Rico permanent. 

PSG suffered a 1-0 loss against Lens in their opening Ligue 1 match of the season on Thursday and will be trying to bounce back against great rivals Marseille on Sunday, though they face being without numerous stars because of a Covid-19 outbreak in their squad.

Bloemfontein Celtic skipper Ndumiso Mabena says they have to respect Mamelodi Sundowns in their Nedbank Cup final clash on Saturday night.

The Phunya Sele Sele skipper says the fact that the Brazilians have regularly featured in the Caf Champions League means they are experienced and a strong side.

On the other hand, the former Orlando Pirates striker says they must be wary of the new Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions who managed to grab the title under Kaizer Chiefs’ nose.

“This is a big game for us. It’s the first time we play in the final and we will give our all, do our best on the day,” Mabena told the media.

“We hope to make our fans proud. Credit should go to the boys and coach for motivating us and after a long time we have a chance to play in the final.”

Despite showing respect to Sundowns, Mabena said the final is a big occasion for his men and will look to make their fans happy.

“Sundowns are the Caf Champions [2016], they have experience and are a good team,” he added.

“You could tell they have experience of managing games, having come from behind [13 points] to catch Kaizer Chiefs to win the title. It shows the experience gained in Africa.”

The former Buccaneers player finished the 2019/20 season with nine goals and he is fully aware of the task ahead of them when they face the Tshwane giants at Orlando Stadium.

Under coach John Maduka’s guidance, Celtic finished the season without a defeat in the Biologically Safe Environment (BSE) and the Malawian legend will be pinning his hopes on his skipper to unlock the opponent’s defence.

Mabena scored in the two previous meetings between the two sides but they lost 2-1 in the league at Loftus Versfeld back in February.

On the other hand, the Mpumalanga-born player was on target when they demolished Baroka FC 3-0 in the semi-final last month.

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Electoral Board has cleared five presidential aspirants for the national elections scheduled for October 17.

In a list released on Friday, September 11, the Board announced the five are now ready for the exercise after their nomination papers, presented a couple of days ago, were accepted.

"Having examined the nomination forms submitted by candidates for the Football Kenya Federation 2020 presidential elections, the following is the final list of candidates who have been cleared to vie for the presidential position...," the Board confirmed on their website.

Among those cleared are the incumbent Nick Mwendwa and his running mate Doris Petra Mao. 

Gor Mahia CEO Lordvick Omondi Aduda will also be in the ballot with is running mate Athanas Obala, same as journalist Bonface Odhiambo Osano and his running mate who is also a former Harambee Stars forward Innocent Muthini Mutiso.

Former AFC Leopards chairman Daniel Mule Anthony and his running mate Peter Chiselemi Lichungu are also in the race.

Completing the list is former FKF deputy CEO Herbert Mwachiro alongside former international defender Harold Onyango Ndege. 

The list for those vying for the National Executive Council (NEC) membership has also been released.

Gordon Davis Chege is unopposed from Central, same as Timothy Muriithi Nabea of Eastern, Western's Enos Bishop Tony Kweya, and David Kipkoril Bunei from Lower Rift Valley.

In Nairobi, Michael Ouma Majua, Tom Otieno Onyango, and Isaac Macharia Wambui will be battling out for the ticket while Nyanza will have two candidates: Joseph Oduor Andere and Western Stima chairman Laban Adero Jobita to battle for the position.

Ahmed Qadar Mohamed Dabar and Mohamed Abdi Farah are in the race from North Eastern with Upper Rift Valley fielding Bernard Korir Lagat and Nyongesa Masinde.

Former Gor Mahia treasurer Sally Bolo will be battling for the slot of Women's Representative alongside Violet Kerubo Momanyi and Margaret Anyango Omondi. 

The County elections are scheduled for September 19 while the National ones will be held on October 17.

Whether the elections will be held or not lies with the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT).

Top candidates Sam Nyamweya, Nicholas Musonye, Twaha Mbaraka, and Sammy Shollei refused to be involved stating the Electoral Board and the outgoing office have no legal mandate to oversee the process.

Yanga SC's partner GSM's investment director Hersi Said has explained the concept behind their new home and away jerseys.

Said revealed the new kits have been influenced by African culture and that they will be unveiling jerseys based on different concepts ahead of every season.

“Every year we will be launching a jersey with a concept. We will not be just launching a jersey for the sake of having it green and yellow only, no. Concepts will be our guiding principle,” Said told Azam TV.

“There is the main reason why we design our jerseys in a particular manner. We all understand that Yanga are a team for the people and for that reason, the design of the new jersey is in line with the concept of a belonging to the people.

“It is in line with African culture and specifically the Tanzanian culture. We have launched our home and away kits and later on, we are going to launch the third kit.”

Meanwhile, head coach Zlatko Krmpotic has revealed he might be forced to draft new players Mukoko Tonombe and Tuisila Kisinda against Mbeya City on Sunday.

The former AS Vita duo did not start during Yanga’s season-opening match against Tanzania Prisons which ended in a draw last weekend.

“I have not been here for a long time but during our opening match [Tuisila] Kisinda and [Mukoko] Tonombe played as they were told to in the second half,” the former Zesco United coach told Mwanaspoti.

“What they showed during the Prisons match has also been seen in our subsequent training sessions. I can simply say they are good.

“What they have shown so far can even push me to include them in the starting line-up for our next match so that we can easily fight for a good result and not like what we got in the previous tie.

“My target is to give chances to every player that shows hard work and readiness. This will be good as it will help us get points regardless of how many goals we can score at a given match.”

After the Mbeya match, Yanga will face Kagera Sugar, Mtibwa Sugar and Coastal Union in subsequent ties.

Arsenal should have cashed in on Mesut Ozil in the current transfer window as he “isn’t the future”, claims Kevin Campbell, with Matteo Guendouzi and Hector Bellerin also considered to be disposable.

The Gunners are in the process of tinkering with their recruitment plans for the current window, with funds needing to be freed up from somewhere.

Mikel Arteta has been able to bolster his ranks, with Willian and Gabriel Magalhaes brought on board, but funds are in short supply.

That means sales may have to be sanctioned, with there several options that the north London outfit could consider.

Campbell feels Ozil should have been among the first that Arsenal edged towards the exits, with the World Cup winner no longer a key man and little more than an expensive luxury given his lucrative contract and recent lack of game time.

“Mesut Ozil has been a good player for Arsenal over the years but I would have liked him to leave this summer,” former Gunners striker Campbell told Gentingbet.

“I have nothing against him, he is a top player but he isn’t the future of Arsenal.

“Him leaving would free up massive funds which will be like a new kitty for Mikel Arteta to use. He is paid a hefty sum of money which he deserves as it is part of his contract but the opportunity to get that money off your wage bill is very attractive.

“With the money, Arsenal will be able to attract other players. So, no disrespect to Ozil as a player, I just feel Arsenal need to be looking to the future, which Ozil isn’t with only 12 months left on his contract.”

Ozil was frozen out by Arteta towards the end of the 2019-20 campaign along with French midfielder Guendouzi, with the 21-year-old seeing serious questions asked of his attitude.

“The time might be right for Arsenal to cash in on Matteo Guendouzi,” said Campbell.

“I know there was a fall-out between Guendouzi and Arteta, and Guendouzi was reprimanded, and rightly so. As a young manager you need to do as your manager says. Having an opinion is good but you still have to toe the line like everyone else.

“Truth is, though, I don’t see where Guendouzi comes in to the side. You’ve got [Granit] Xhaka, who has been in excellent form, [Dani] Ceballos has come back and Arsenal are looking at recruiting [Thomas] Partey and [Houssem] Aouar. He wouldn’t play amongst those.”

Campbell also feels that Spanish full-back Bellerin should be offloaded if the right offer presents itself, with a former member of the famed La Masia academy in Barcelona seeing a return to his roots mooted.

“Arsenal will need to box clever in the transfer market and could sell Bellerin to free up funds,” added Campbell.

“Arsenal now have Cedric, a Portuguese international who knows the Premier League well and is a very good full-back. They’ve also got [Ainsley] Maitland-Niles who is also very good on both flanks.

“So, Bellerin is the type of player that it wouldn't be the end of the world to cash in on because I don’t think it necessarily weakens Arsenal. But the money has to be right.”

Neymar has declared himself to be “super happy” after testing negative for Covid-19 and returning to training at Paris Saint-Germain.

The Brazil international forward was one of several players at Parc des Princes to contract the disease.

He formed part of a party that took in a post-season trip to Ibiza.

Coronavirus outbreaks were reported on the Balearic Island, with Neymar among those left questioning why such a break was taken in.

PSG found themselves having to make regular announcements of positive tests, with Goal confirming that Angel Di Maria, Leandro Paredes, Mauro Icardi, Keylor Navas and Marquinhos were also laid low.

All of those concerned have had to take in periods of self-isolation.

Neymar has completed his, with the South American sharing the news with his millions of followers on social media.

He posted: “I went back to training, super happy #CORONAOUT”

Neymar is now free to focus on his football once more.

PSG suffered a disappointing end to their campaign in 2019-20, with domestic successes followed by continental heartbreak.

Thomas Tuchel’s side came unstuck in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich, having reached that showpiece event for the first time in the club’s history.

The intention of those in the French capital is to return to that stage as quickly as possible and Neymar will be sticking around to aid that cause in 2020-21.

Despite facing regular rounds of speculation regarding his future, with transfer talk never far away, the 28-year-old told PSG Le Mag on his plans: “I am staying at PSG next season.

“I remain and with the ambition to return to the final of the Champions League, this time to win it. I like this idea of ​​doing everything to leave my name in the history books of my club.”

Neymar is tied to a contract at PSG through to the summer of 2022 and fresh terms have been mooted for the Brazilian superstar, who completed a record-breaking €222 million (£200m/$262m) move to France in 2017.

He appears more open to signing a new deal than he has been in the past, with the appeal of heading back to La Liga at either Barcelona or Real Madrid starting to fade.

Ligue 2 side Amiens have announced the signing of Stephen Odey on a season-long loan from Belgian First Division A side Genk.

The 22-year-old centre-forward arrived at the Luminus Arena outfit in the summer of 2019 but has struggled to establish himself with the club.

 Odey only featured in 11 league games for the Blue and White in his debut campaign with Hannes Wolf’s men.

In his quest to enjoy more game time, the Nigeria international has teamed up with the Unicorns until the end of the season.

“Amiens SC and KRC Genk have reached an agreement for the Stephen Odey buyout loan,” read a statement from the club website.

“Aged 22, he is therefore joining Amiens SC for the 2020/2021 season and will wear the number 9. Welcome, Stephen.”

Odey will link up with Ghana’s Emmanuel Lomotey, Senegal duo of  Moussa Konate, Amadou Ciss, the Democratic Republic of the Congo pair of Nathan Monzango and Chadrac Akolo, Ivory Coast’s Cheick Timite, Morocco’s Driss Khalid, Cameroon’s Aurelien Chedjou and Mali’s Molla Wague.

The forward bursts into the limelight during his time with Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side MFM.

Odey was MFM’s top-scorer in the 2015–16 NPFL season and remains the all-time highest scorer for the club.

His eye-catching performances earned him a move to Swiss club FC Zürich, where he scored 12 goals in 45 league games during his two-year stay.

The striker then signed for Genk in 2019 and will now continue his development with French side Amiens.

Odey has been capped three times by the Nigeria national team, having made his debut in August 2017 against the Republic of Benin.

The centre-forward will hope to fire the Stade de la Licorne outfit back to the French top-flight at the end of the 2020-21 campaign.

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are "still active" in the transfer market but warned it might take more than "one or two windows" for him to build the squad that he wants.

Arsenal have brought in Willian, Gabriel Magalhaes and Dani Ceballos so far this summer, but have struggled to move players on - with Henrikh Mkhitaryan the only senior player to leave the club.

Arteta admits that has left his squad unbalanced ahead of the new season and that there is still plenty of work to be done before the window closes on October 6.

“We are still active in the market,” he said. “We are looking at different options, with players in and out. At the moment the squad balance is not ideal and what we want to achieve. There is still some work to do but we have to bear in mind the complication of this market and the complexity as well.

“Numbers wise, some positions are overbooked and some others, in terms of specific qualities that we need, they are still not there.

“But it’s going to be very difficult to achieve what we want in one window or two windows. It’s a process, it has to be evolving and most importantly it has to be a sustainable model that we can consistently fit in using our academy players.”

Arsenal are still hoping to sign at least one midfielder in the coming weeks, with Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey and Lyon’s Houssem Aouar two priority targets.

Lyon’s sporting director Juninho has admitted that Arsenal technical director Edu has spoken to him about Aouar and discussed the possibly of including Matteo Guendouzi in a swap.

“Houssem Aouar is really well liked by Arteta,” said Juninho. “There were some discussions for Guendouzi, who is also a good player. He was brought up during the discussion.

“But we don’t need his profile, we were very clear. If it is like that, we are not interested at all, we cut the conversation, that is where things ended.”

When pressed on his interest in Aouar, Arteta was staying tight-lipped. “I don’t want to talk about players at other clubs,” he replied.

The Spaniard also refused to be drawn on whether Guendouzi’s mindset would be impacted by being offered elsewhere this summer.

He did, however, say that the French midfielder had been training well, having been brought back into the group following his exclusion from the squad during the final weeks of last season.

“Matteo has been training like any other player in the squad,” said Arteta.

“Obviously it’s a new season, we had some really positive conversations between both parties and now he’s back with the group training. He’s been training really well.”

Alexandre Lacazette is another player who has been linked with a move away this summer, but Arteta says the France international has told him he wants to stay and fight for his place.

“He’s really happy here,” said the Spaniard. “He wants to keep improving and keep contributing to the team.

“I know how good he is, the impact he’s having. He knows about the competition we have with the front players so he needs to demand himself to be the best striker at this football club, the same as the rest.

“He was very happy to hear that and the way he’s been training and conducting himself has been excellent.”

When asked whether Lacazette had told him he wanted to stay, Arteta added: “Yes, I think he is very happy here and that’s what I got from that conversation.”

The Premier League has barely been away, but already excitement is at fever pitch ahead of the new campaign, with questions aplenty as the top flight kicks off this weekend.

Every match of the Premier League this weekend will be live on the brand new SS Premier League channel, so fans can stay in touch with every pass, every tackle, and every goal as the world's greatest league returns to our screens.

Defending champions Liverpool will begin their title defence against newly promoted Leeds United on Saturday, while two of the championship hopefuls—Arsenal and Chelsea—will also give fans a chance to glimpse what’s in store for them this weekend.

The Gunners are the first to take to the field, when they begin their campaign away at Fulham—another new face to the Premier League—at 13:30 CAT on Saturday on SS Premier League, a new SuperSport channel dedicated to the top flight action.

Arsenal have every reason for optimism heading into the new campaign; following the muddled reign of Unai Emery, they won two trophies in a month under Mikel Arteta, having clinched both the FA Cup and the Community Shield.

Those victories—against Chelsea and Liverpool respectively—were evidence of what they could achieve against tough opponents in one-off fixtures, but can they do it consistently across a season?

Defensively, the arrivals of William Saliba and Gabriel bolster an area of concern, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s decision to remain at the club (for now at least) will guarantee a consistent goal threat.

The likes of Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah have continued to improve under Arteta’s tutelage, while the Spaniard will be hoping for more from Nicolas Pepe following his underwhelming debut season in England.

There’s much more to come from the winger, who cost £72 million when he signed from LOSC Lille, but will Arteta be able to unlock that talent?

Arsenal’s first test comes in the form of Fulham, whose playoff victory over neighbours Brentford came just over a month ago.

Scott Parker has done well to galvanise the Cottagers since their drop into the second tier, and they’ll hope that a settled squad—which has retained Aleksandar Mitrovic, Tom Cairney, Anthony Knockaert and Ivan Cavaleiro—has learned their lessons from 2018-19.

Last term, they demonstrated an ability to absorb opposition pressure and hit teams on the counterattack, but can they trouble the Gunners’ backline on Saturday?

Also in action on the opening day, Liverpool host Leeds in a fascinating bout between the reigning Premier League champions and last year’s Championship winners.

The match will pit Jurgen Klopp against Marcelo Bielsa, and represents the sternest possible test for the newly promoted Yorkshiremen.

They will, however, have nothing to lose, and after returning to the top flight for the first time in 16 years, will be desperate to make a splash on their first match back.

Liverpool will be keen to rediscover the relentless winning mentality that appeared to have deserted them towards the latter end of last season, after the title had been wrapped up.

No one can fault a side who reached back-to-back Champions League finals and accrued 97 points and still finished as runners-up in 2018-19.

However, there are concerns that a thin squad may be found out if any of Klopp’s leading men sustain injuries.

This match will also be broadcast live on SS Premier League at 18:30 CAT on Saturday.

SuperSport Fixtures

Saturday 12 September – Key Matches

Fulham vs Arsenal | Kickoff at 13:30 (CAT) | SS Premier League

TTM vs Black Leopards | Kickoff at 15:00 (CAT) | SS PSL (SA) & SS Variety 4 (ROA)

Liverpool vs Leeds | Kickoff at 18:30 (CAT) | SS Premier League

Celtic vs Sundowns | Kickoff at 20:00 (CAT) | SS PSL (SA) & SS Variety 4 (ROA)

Sunday 13 September – Key Matches

West Brom vs Leicester | Kickoff at 15:00 (CAT) | SS Premier League

Spurs vs Everton | Kickoff at 17:30 (CAT) | SS Premier League

Villarreal vs Huesca | Kickoff at 18:30 (CAT) | SS LaLiga

Valencia vs Levante | Kickoff at 21:00 (CAT) | SS LaLiga

Monday 14 September

Sheffield United vs Wolves | Kickoff at 19:00 (CAT) | SS Premier League

Brighton vs Chelsea | Kickoff at 21:15 (CAT) | SS Premier League

In Premier League action this weekend, SuperSport viewers can enjoy West Bromwich Albion’s first match back in the top flight when they take on Leicester City, Everton’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur, and Sheffield United’s meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The weekend’s action concludes on Monday, when new-look Chelsea travel away to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Frank Lampard has overseen an ambitious summer as the Blues look to close the gap to the top two, with a series of bright new recruits arriving at Stamford Bridge.

The likes of Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz are all promising additions, but how long will it take for them to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League.

There are also concerns between the sticks, where Lampard is yet to truly solve his goalkeeping woes, and Brighton will hope to exploit the Londoners’ ongoing weak points when they welcome them to the Amex Stadium on Monday.

The match will also be live on SS Premier League, at 21:15 CAT on Monday.

As well as the new SS Premier League channel, La Liga also has its own new dedicated channel on SuperSport, with every match set to be broadcast live as the league kicks off this weekend.

The action begins with Villarreal’s showdown with Huesca on Sunday, as the Yellow Submarine have an early opportunity to demonstrate their continental credentials.

Samuel Chukwueze could prove to be one to watch in the Spanish top flight this term, although having had a hand in only five goals last term, doubts remain about his ability to make an impact in the final third.

If he wants to be considered among the league’s top stars, it’s a weakness in his game that he must correct.

That match will be broadcast on SS LaLiga at 18:30 CAT on Sunday, ahead of Valencia and Levante who meet in the evening’s later kickoff at 21:15 CAT.

Finally, we also have Nedbank Cup action this weekend, as Bloemfontein Celtic and Mamelodi Sundowns collide in Saturday's Nedbank Cup final at 20:00 CAT on the SS PSL channel.

Downs coach Pitso Mosimane has cast doubt over the availability of midfielder Andile Jali, goalkeeper Denis Onyango, defender Mosa Lebusa and Ricardo Nascimento for Saturday’s showdown, as they newly crowned PSL champions look to complete a domestic treble.

The Brazilians beat Black Leopards 3-0 to overhaul Kaizer Chiefs and clinch the PSL title in dramatic fashion last weekend, but they may have their work cut out against Celtic, with Hlompho Kekana reportedly suffering from fatigue and Gaston Sirino also injured.

“The treble is not there until we win the match. The worst thing is to think you have won the ‘Treble’ without playing it,” Mosimane told journalists. “You have to earn it, and history against Celtic in the cup is not good for us.

"If you look at it, you can say they need it more than us in terms of what has been happening lately, but football does not go like that.”

When it comes to fantasy football, the topic of midfielders is a contentious one thanks to which players are deemed to play that position in the official Premier League game.

A number of players who are otherwise known as forwards have been designated as midfielders in FPL and that should make things interesting in terms of scoring points this season.

As the 2020-21 Premier League season gets under way, Goal takes a look at the best fantasy football forwards, as well as a few bargain options.

Check out the top 100 funniest fantasy football team names!

Best Premier League fantasy football midfielders

The main things to consider when picking midfielders in fantasy football are goals and assists. The other thing to keep in mind is a team's likelihood of keeping clean sheets and the player's overall discipline.

Kevin De Bruyne | Man City | £11.5m

PFA Player of the Year Kevin De Bruyne was the highest scoring midfielder in fantasy football last season, having been directly involved in 36 goals for Man City.

The Belgium international enjoyed his best season in the Premier League with 13 goals and 23 assists, amassing a total of 251 points - nearly 20 ahead of the nearest high scorer.

Remarkably, De Bruyne is still cheaper than the most expensive midfielders in FPL - albeit only slightly!

Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | £12m

Mohamed Salah has endured somewhat of a downturn in fortunes since his breakout season in 2017-18, but he remains one of the best players in the division, who scores and creates goals.

There is no player more expensive than Salah in FPL and that's down to the fact that he regularly scores well over 200 points on the game.

Last season he scored 19 goals and supplied 10 assists, but he has shown he can do much more than that, having contributed to 44 goals for Liverpool two years ago.

Sadio Mane | Liverpool | £12m

Like Salah, Sadio Mane has evolved into one of the most potent attacking forces in the Premier League while at Liverpool and he has really sharpened his finishing ability in the last two campaigns.

The Senegal international scored over 200 points on FPL last season and that has seen his price shoot up, but there is nothing to suggest that it won't be an investment worth making.

Unfortunately, unless you scrimp in other areas of the team, it's unlikely you'll be able to fit both Mane and Salah in, so you'll probably have to make a choice.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | Arsenal | £12m

The alteration of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from forward to midfielder in FPL raised a few eyebrows, but it is good news for his point-scoring ability.

The Arsenal attacker has scored over 200 points as a striker in the past two seasons, having scored 22 in the last campaign and the term before, and he is also good to chip in with assists.

Raheem Sterling | Man City | £11.5m

Raheem Sterling enjoyed his best ever season in terms of goals last year as he struck 20 times for Man City in the Premier League and, like De Bruyne, he is slightly cheaper than the top three priced midfielders.

The England international is an excellent option, given his ability to score, but he is also an excellent provider too.

Bruno Fernandes | Man Utd | £10.5m

Manchester United appear to have landed a brilliant player in Bruno Fernandes and the Portugal international hit the ground running at Old Trafford.

He contributed directly to 16 goals in the Premier League last season (eight goals and eight assists), despite only playing half of the campaign.

The fact that Fernandes is a penalty taker is a plus and, with Donny van de Beek joining, he will have another willing runner in the midfield to play off.

Marcus Rashford | Man Utd | £9.5m

Marcus Rashford is a forward, but he is a midfielder in FPL and that is good news based on his previous record of goals and assists for Man United.

The England international, who is also adept at free kicks, scored 17 and laid on eight more last season in what was his best year at the club, suggesting that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may have found the player's best position.

Heung-min Son | Tottenham | £9m

Tottenham forward Heung-min Son is considerably cheaper than the likes of Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne, but he performs a similar role to them and, crucially, scores points.

The South Korea international has scored in double figures in the past four campaigns and really honed his ability to create goals last year with 13 assists - his best tally yet.

Riyad Mahrez | Man City | £8.5m

Riyad Mahrez is £3 million cheaper than his team-mates Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling, despite being a similarly strong scorer in FPL. 

The main concern is that the Algeria international isn't a guaranteed starter, but he got nearly 200 points playing for Man City last season, even though he started just 21 matches.

Kai Havertz | Chelsea | £8.5m

New Chelsea signing Kai Havertz is available at a reasonable price and the Germany international has shown his ability as an incisive attacking midfielder at Bayer Leverkusen.

Havertz is a goalscoring midfielder, but the fact that he is new to the club is something that should temper any decisions, so weigh up the risk-reward in terms of your budget.

Hakim Ziyech | Chelsea | £8m

Former Ajax star Hakim Ziyech is set to play a key role at Chelsea this season once he is fit and he could prove something of a bargain if he lives up to expectations.

The Morocco international is an out-and-out winger who likes to get the ball into the box and he also pops up with a few goals himself, including the odd spectacular.

Best Premier League fantasy football bargain midfielders

Jack Grealish | Aston Villa | £7m

One of the heroes for Aston Villa last season as they avoided relegation, Jack Grealish is still at Villa Park despite suggestions that he could make a move to Manchester United.

Now an England international, the playmaker will be eager to build on his form from last season - eight goals, seven assists and 149 FPL points! - as he looks to prove his doubters wrong.

James Rodriguez | Everton | £7.5m

Former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich star James Rodriguez is a major addition to Everton this season and seems to be priced rather lowly considering his stature.

James has scored goals at every club he has been at and, as he enters the final stages of his career, he will be desperate to show exactly why Carlo Ancelotti trusts him so much.

Allan Saint-Maximin | Newcastle | £5.5m

Newcastle United winger Allan Saint-Maximin is modestly priced in FPL and, given his capacity to score and assist goals, that means he can be a bargain addition.

The Magpies No.10 started 23 games last season, scoring three goals and laying on four for his team-mates. He will have to work hard to remain part of the team, but he has shown plenty of promise.

Matheus Pereira | West Brom | £6m

Matheus Pereira will be a key player for West Brom in their struggle to avoid relegation this season and he will relish the challenge, having starred in their promotion campaign.

He was involved in 24 of the Baggies' goals last season, which was roughly a third of their total. 

Mason Greenwood | Man Utd | £7.5m

Mason Greenwood has been identified by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the best finisher at Manchester United and he is a midfielder in FPL.

Already an England international, Greenwood has been tipped to serve as Harry Kane's deputy for the Three Lions and he demonstrated his worth last term with 10 goals in the Premier League.

Abdoulaye Doucoure | Everton | £5.5m

Abdoulaye Doucoure is a new signing at Everton but he is no stranger to the Premier League or FPL players.

The former Watford midfielder has scored over 100 points in each of the last three seasons, scoring goals and setting them up. In theory, he should have greater opportunities playing for the Toffees.

Watford winger Ismaila Sarr is the kind of player that Jurgen Klopp could take to “the next level” at Liverpool, claims Neil Mellor, with the Reds advised to consider a swoop for a close friend of Sadio Mane.

The Premier League champions already have one Senegal international forward on their books.

Interest in landing another has been mooted ever since Sarr netted a stunning brace while inflicting Liverpool’s first top-flight defeat of 2019-20.

He has since suffered relegation into the Championship, with a move away from Vicarage Road expected to be made before the current transfer window slams shut.

Mellor believes those at Anfield could do a lot worse than look to the Hornets for inspiration, with the general consensus being that Klopp needs greater depth in his attacking ranks.

“When you look at players like Sarr, you think if he was to go and maybe work under a manager like Jurgen or someone, he could take him to the next level,” Mellor told Gentingbet.

“I think he has that ability and he showed that. He's had a good season at Watford even though they've been relegated and he cost them a lot of money.

“The thing is with Sarr, he's got a big future if the right sort of manager can be around him and guide him in these important times.

“He's good mates with Mane, and we all know about players helping deals get over the line with friends.

“Sarr wouldn't start but he's a player who could certainly offer help to the front three and say, well, I can freshen it up for this game so there isn't an overuse for the front three.

“I think he’s a really exciting player, a top talent who somebody like Jugren at Liverpool could get more out of in a few years.

“But I think he will be very much in demand this window and the price would have to be right, and that could be something that could put Liverpool off. He’s young and still got so much to learn, so I think Jurgen would help him.”

Liverpool are yet to show their hand when it comes to Sarr, but they have been heavily linked with a move for Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara.

Opinion is divided on whether the Reds need another body in the engine room, but Mellor believes a classy Spain international would be a useful addition if a deal can be thrashed out.

He said of a long-running saga: “There’s no desperate need for Liverpool to bring in any players and I think Thiago has been linked for a while now - it seems to be going on a bit too long. You start to think it why is it not being done if it is going to be done?

“There's no doubt about it, he's a very talented player. I think he would certainly bring quality to Liverpool which they already have in midfield. It's just a case of if he suits the manager.

“I’d be surprised if he didn't want to come to the football club and I'd be interested to see if Liverpool do get that one over the line or not.”

Gareth Bale could “get back to his highest level” in the Premier League, says Steve McManaman, with the Real Madrid outcast once again being urged to push for a move that can reignite his career.

The Wales international has become a fading force at Santiago Bernabeu.

That is not entirely his own fault, with Zinedine Zidane having taken to dropping him down the pecking order after seeing the 31-year-old become a scapegoat for certain supporters.

Bale has, however, done little to aid his cause by opting to stay put.

He recently revealed that efforts to leave in 2019 were blocked by Real, but he has seen windows of opportunity pass him by on a regular basis.

Another is now open and McManaman feels a player that has been linked with a return to Tottenham, amid various other landing spots, should be putting himself first and forcing a transfer through.

The former Blancos star told ‘Football Talks’ with FIFA Legends: “I think Gareth Bale could play in the Premier League and get back to his highest level. I certainly hope so.

“I know he's 31 years of age. Of course he's had a number of injures but I don't think he's played a lot of football in recent years so he should be fit and strong.

“The most important thing for Gareth is to play football and if he's not going to do that at Real Madrid then I think he should try somewhere else.”

McManaman is an avid follower of both La Liga and Premier League action, having split his own playing career between England and Spain.

He is currently keeping a close eye on the recruitment market, which remains open until October 5, and believes one of his former clubs – Manchester City – will continue to spend in a bid to close the gap on Liverpool, another of those that he once represented.

“Liverpool are back from a fantastic season,” McManaman added.

“Manchester City have secured a top talent like Ferran Torres. They lost David Silva but will integrate a couple more players. 

“Chelsea have bought several stars, big names. The market isn't over yet.”

The new Premier League season will get underway on Saturday, with Liverpool opening the defence of their crown with a home date against Leeds.

AmaZulu FC general manager Lunga Sokhela says they are yet to receive offers for their star striker Bonginkosi Ntuli.

The bulky marksman is coming off his best season in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in which he hit the back of the net 13 times from 30 matches.

Ntuli, who was once on the books of PSL champions Mamelodi Sundowns, has been constantly linked with Orlando Pirates since last year.

Sokhela explained that they have no intentions of selling the 29-year-old striker after he played an integral role in helping the team survive relegation from the top-flight league this season. 

“We haven’t had official offers for Mr Bongi Ntuli. He is our player. We’ve heard rumours and talks but we don’t have anything official,” Sokhela told the media. 

“He is a critical member of our squad, especially in his position and what he brings. He is still contracted with the club. We don’t have any desire to release him."

Ntuli formed a deadly partnership with former Pirates striker Lehlohonolo Majoro in the bio-bubble as they scored three goals between them from five matches.

The 34-year-old Majoro is excepted to stay at the Durban-based side after reviving his career under coach Ayanda Dlamini.

Dlamini recently signed a three-year deal with Usuthu as a reward for guiding the KwaZulu-Natal giants to safety as they finished 13th on the league standings - a point above the relegation zone.

However, AmaZulu have decided to trim down their squad by releasing four players including Pirates loanee Thembela Sikhakhane.

"Dlamini has also trimmed down the current squad, as the club have agreed to mutually terminate the contract of the Slovakian attacker, Milos Lacny, midfielder Jabulani Ncobeni and defenders Phumlani Gumede and Thembela Sikhakhane," a club statement read.

The 27-year-old Sikhakhane has spent the last three seasons on loan at Usuthu where he made 49 appearances in the league. 

It remains to be seen whether Pirates will recall him ahead of the 2020/21 season which is expected to start next month.

He joined the Buccaneers from Lamontville Golden Arrows in 2016 and he played 10 league games for the Soweto giants before leaving to AmaZulu in 2017.

John Stones has been told there is “no point” in him sticking around at Manchester City, with Micah Richards urging the England international defender to consider moves to Arsenal or Everton.

The 26-year-old centre-half has seen a switch away from the Etihad Stadium mooted and that is because he finds himself slipping down the pecking order under Pep Guardiola.

Stones found a regular role hard to come by in 2019-20, with Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho and 19-year-old Eric Garcia being selected ahead of him in defensive berths.

City have gone on to invest £40 million ($51m) in Nathan Ake during the current transfer window, with there the promise of more additions to come – amid links to the likes of Napoli star Kalidou Koulibaly.

With that in mind, and with the likes of Arsenal and Everton reportedly being open to doing a deal, Richards feels the time has come for Stones to sever ties with City.

The former Blues defender told The Mirror: “When a manager loses faith in you it’s very hard to get that back.

“I remember pulling my hamstring against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

“I could just see in Manuel Pellegrini’s face that he’d lost faith in me in terms of ‘I can’t count on you to perform as I want you to perform without getting injured anymore’.

“And for me, when Stones is fit and he’s playing Eric Garcia, a 19-year-old boy ahead of you in one of the biggest games of the season, it looks like the writing is on the wall.

“It’s very, very hard to come back from that. When Pep’s made his mind up with Yaya Toure or Joe Hart or Leroy Sane, it doesn’t look like there’s any coming back from that.

“There’s no point in staying at City at the bench - that’s not going to do anything for him.

“I don’t think Everton is a bad move. People will say that’s going backwards but he’s loved by the fans, he’s got a great manager in Carlo Ancelotti to work under.

“Arsenal, he’s worked with Mikel Arteta at City and he likes ball players.

“John Stones will have options no matter what because of his quality and age but if 19 year olds are playing ahead of you, you have to be looking at leaving.”

Nagede Cisse scored and Henriette Akaba made a goalscoring debut for Minsk as they thrashed Bostor 10-0 in a Belarusian Women's Premier League encounter on Thursday.

The Africans made a return to the pitch after more than a week-long holiday since their disappointing 5-4 defeat on penalties to Dinamo-BSUPC in the Belarusian Women's Cup final on August 31.

The Cup final was Akaba's competitive debut for Minsk, coming on as a 57th-minute substitute to replace Anastasia Skorynina since her signing from Turkish side Atasehir Belediyespor in August.

Smarting from the botched attempt to retain the title, the Africans put up a fine display to help Vyachaslaw Hryhara's team banish the disappointing memories of their defeat to city rivals Dinamo. 

At Bostor, Anna Sas opened the scoring for Minsk after 12 minutes of the encounter before Ivorian Cisse bagged her second goal of the season four minutes later against their bottom-ranked hosts.

The rampant visitors continued their series of the onslaughts as Valeryia Belaya increased the tally in the 18th minute and Tamila Khimich added a fourth of the match 11 minutes later.

Anastasiya Kharlanova netted the fifth in the 33rd minute and Anastasiia Skorynina scored the sixth seven minutes from half-time.

After the restart, Akaba scored the seventh to break her duck in her first league appearance for Minsk in the 51st minute and Skorynina grabbed her second and the visitors' eighth on the hour mark.

In the 71st minute, Sas also hit her brace before substitute Viktoriya Tikhon wrapped up the big win 15 minutes from full-time.

Debutant Akaba, who has now scored one goal after her maiden appearance, was in action for the duration along with Cote d'Ivoire's Cisse, who scored her second goal of the season for Minsk.

Besides Akaba and Cisse, Cameroon's Alvine Niyolle was involved in the final 39 minutes for Minsk after replacing Anastasiya Kharlanova.

Despite the win, Minsk are still second on the log with 39 points from 16 matches - nine points adrift of leaders Dinamo-BSUPC.

They will hope to maintain their winning momentum against third-placed Zorka-BDU in their next league encounter on September 26.

Olivier Giroud has not received a contract offer from Juventus, and Chelsea have yet to be contacted by the Serie A giants over a transfer for the veteran striker.

Reports in Italy claimed that the 33-year-old had agreed on a two-year contract in Turin ahead of a €4.5 million (£4m/$5m) move, but it is understood that those assertions are wide of the mark.

Even despite increased competition from new signing Timo Werner, the World Cup-winning striker has continued to show his commitment to Frank Lampard's side.

"I haven't spoken to Lampard. One thing is certain: the competition [in the squad] will pull us all to the top. A great club should have different options in each position," he said in an interview with Telefoot .

"We want to be in the race for the title and I'm here. I finished the season well and I proved to the manager that he can count on me.

"Werner does not have the same profile as me, so I hope to get some playing time."

Giroud did previously, however, come close to leaving Chelsea in January when Lampard agreed to let the striker go should they find a replacement, with Inter having offered him favourable contract terms.

In the end, Giroud remained at Chelsea and changed his stance after regaining his place after the club failed to find a suitable replacement.

Furthermore, Giroud's family are understood to be settled in London, providing further reason to stay after the Blues activated a clause in his contract to extend it until June 2021.

N'Golo Kante is similarly attracting interest from Italy, with Antonio Conte's Inter having explored the possibility of signing the midfielder in this transfer window.

Chelsea haven't pushed the 29-year-old to look for a move despite their interest in West Ham's Declan Rice but Inter have looked to see if a swap deal was viable, having offered to include Marcelo Brozovic and Christian Eriksen in part-exchange.

Lampard's side turned down the approach which has since led Inter to look at other options, with Barcelona midfielder Arturo Vidal soon set to arrive in Milan.

Kante prefers to stay at Chelsea unless told otherwise, having grown settled both in the Premier League and in London.

Chelsea are now focused on their main transfer target, with Rennes goalkeeper Edouard Mendy in talks over a move to compete with Kepa Arrizabalaga for the number one spot in net.

With Mendy possibly coming in, the other focus is on player sales, although Lampard has refuted claims that Fikayo Tomori is nearing a loan to Everton.

"With Fikayo, no, I'm not aware of those conversations getting to any point where I'm going to be talking about that," Lampard said on Thursday ahead of Chelsea's first Premier League match of the new season at Brighton on Monday.

"Fikayo trained with us today and is in contention for the Brighton game, and that's where we're at."

Inter are also interested in Emerson Palmieri but have yet to present an official offer to the Blues, while AC Milan have remained in protracted talks to loan Tiemoue Bakayoko.

Michy Batshuayi was the latest player to go out on a season-long loan this week after re-signing for Crystal Palace.

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane admits he could be without a few of his most-trusted players for Saturday's Nedbank Cup final against Bloemfontein Celtic. 

Gaston Sirino, Mosa Lebusa, Denis Onyango, Ricardo Nascimento and Andile Jali are struggling with injuries and Mosimane said he will be advised by the medical team if he can use any of them. 

"We have a few niggling injures, which is normal. When you come from a battle, you come out with wounded soldiers and deep scars," Mosimane told the media.

"So we rested a few guys that are not yet back from injury. Sirino has a niggling injury, we don't know if he'll make it.

"Denis is training well, so hopefully he's okay. Mosa has not started training, probably [soon] you never know. It's just minor knocks when you come from a game, but nothing big.

"Ricardo has a wrist that's also giving him problems, that's why he's been playing with a wrist band. But I don't know, we should be okay by Saturday."

Mosimane is also sweating over the fitness of Jali, whom he said has been struggling with a hamstring injury. 

And while he has been training, the Kagiso-born mentor is aware that the intensity of the game could be too much for Jali. 

"AJ [Jali]], yes, he's been suffering from that hamstring but he has been training but the game and training session intensity isn't the same, but he's getting better, we'll hear from the doctors," added Mosimane. 

According to Mosimane, Hlompho Kekana was given some time off because of the shift he put in since the restart of the season. 

"Hlompho... we rested him because the guy has played all the minutes in the bubble," concluded Mosimane. 

The Brazilians are in with a chance to win the domestic treble having already bagged the Telkom Knockout Cup and the league titles already.

Should they beat Celtic to the Nedbank Cup title, Mosimane will re-write history by becoming the first South African coach to win three domestic trophies in one season in the PSL era. 

Ruud Krol and Muhsin Ertugral are the only coaches to achieve that feat as PSL coaches.

Krol won the treble with Orlando Pirates in the 2010/11 season while Ertugral made history with Kaizer Chiefs in the early 2000s, including lifting the Mandela Cup Winners' Cup.

Kenya and Kashiwa Reysol forward Michael Olunga has been named J1 League Most Valuable Player of the Month for August.

Olunga has had a stellar performance in Japan’s top league and is the current leading scorer in the Golden Boot race having netted 15 goals from 14 matches.

The former Thika United and Tusker striker opened the month of August with a goal against Nagoya Grampus as Kashiwa Reysol won 1-0. On August 5, the striker did not feature even though Kashiwa Reysol emerged victorious against Shonan Bellmare with a slim 1-0 win.

After missing the Shonan Bellmare win, Olunga returned to the fold on August 8 and scored a 62-minute goal which ensured Kashiwa Reysol and Yokohama F. Marinos drew 1-1.

The Kenya international was on target once again in mid-August when he scored an 88th-minute goal even though Kashiwa Reysol fell at home to Cerezo Osaka with a 3-1 scoreline.

The former Gor Mahia forward was at it again as he found the back of the net against Andres Iniesta's Vissel Kobe on August 19. His 76th-minute goal was one of the three that Kashiwa Reysol scored away from home to emerge with a 3-2 win.

On August 23, Olunga did not manage to get his name on the scoresheet as Kashiwa Reysol registered a goalless draw against Oita Trinita.

After failing to find his way past Oita Trinita, the Kenyan recorded a brace in the next match day - on August 29 - against Kashima Antlers. His goals were not enough though to help Kashiwa Reysol avoid a 3-2 home defeat by their J1 League rivals.

After 15 matches and with Olunga's immense contributions, Kashiwa Reysol are fifth on the log with 26 points and a goal difference of plus nine.

His exploits in his maiden top-flight campaign led to praises from the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa. Mwendwa believes Olunga’s form will be key in Kenya’s African Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers.

“We must hold such friendlies because we need to gauge how fit our players are. But I am happy [Michael] Olunga is scoring goals in Japan and I think, he is one of the best in the world now,”  Mwendwa said in a recent interview.

Adam Lallana admits that his departure from Liverpool left him in floods of tears, with an emotional farewell at Anfield even breaking “tough Yorkshireman” James Milner.

The England international midfielder bid farewell to the Reds at the end of the 2019-20 campaign.

He had spent six years on Merseyside, taking in 178 appearances while becoming a Champions League and Premier League title winner.

Lallana walked away as a free agent, allowing him to link up with Brighton, but he left behind many happy memories.

He broke down during an exit talk with Liverpool’s official TV station, as the realisation that a major career change was being made sunk in, and has now told the Daily Mail: “I was kind of avoiding doing that interview as I just knew my emotion was building.

“I am an emotional person and I knew this was the end of a chapter for myself, my wife and the kids. The interview was just raw emotion. In life sometimes things are just sad, aren't they? As a family we were saying goodbye to friends and leaving schools and stuff. 

“So I got upset in that interview and then on the Friday at training I said goodbye and the manager gathered everyone round. The lads had done me a framed shirt and a nice quote from Hendo [Jordan Henderson]. I was crying so much that I was just laughing in the end. 

“Then we started the warm-up and Milly [James Milner] said me crying had almost set him off. From a tough Yorkshireman, that's quite something. So it was the perfect send-off really.”

Lallana is preparing to open a new chapter at Brighton, with the former Southampton star back on the south coast, and he is ready to move on from his memorable spell at Liverpool.

The 32-year-old added: “The very next day I was meeting Graham Potter because Brighton were playing up at Burnley.

“Sunday I packed up, Monday was medical and that sadness just went. It just disappeared. Mentally, I was done with Liverpool. Not in a bad way. But the sadness was out, the emotion was out. 

“I have loved Liverpool. It was the best goodbye ever, winning the Premier League. But I don't care now. I am ready for Brighton. In a day it just turned. Suddenly I was down in Brighton having my medical with my dad and my mate, giving them a tour of the training ground, the boot room, seeing where my peg was going to be. It was great. We are all Brighton fans now — buying the kids the kits. 

“So it was amazing that transition happened so quickly. I think because I had let my emotions out in that way it enabled me to get it done with. It always helps to have a good cry, doesn't it?”

Brighton are due to start their 2020-21 Premier League campaign with a home date against Chelsea on Monday.