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Ugandan Premier League side Police FC have secured the services of former Vipers SC custodian Derrick Ochan on a one-year deal.

The goalkeeper was among the players released by the newly crowned champions a couple of days ago. The administrative side has confirmed the arrival of the experienced shot-stopper on their social media account.

"Goalkeeper Derrick Ochan has completed his move to Uganda Police FC," the 2005 league champions confirmed on their Facebook page.

"The 24-year-old, formerly at St Mary's SS, Kitende signed a one-year contract with us this afternoon at the club offices in Kibuli.

"Despite seeing little playing time at Vipers, Ochan is viewed as one of the brilliant goalkeepers in the league."

The goalkeeper has welcomed the move to the administrative side stating he will have to do his best to be guaranteed a starting berth.

"I feel very happy and I am also happy to say that I am proud to be here," Ochan said after completing the move.

"I need to work hard, give in more to serve this club wholeheartedly, and deliver for it."

Club's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Fahad Lumu lauded the incoming shot-stopper saying he is one of the best custodians.

"He is one of the best goalkeepers and as we look towards revamping the team, the goalkeeping department is essential," the official said.

"He comes with experience, vigor, and has a winning mentality."  

Recently, the club confirmed defender Reuben Kimera has extended his contract for another two years.

Kimera’s contract had expired in June but following on and off negotiations, the two parties have now agreed on a two-year deal.

Although Kimera has been unable to get regular playtime as a first-teamer under coach Abdalla Mubiru, he can play both at left-back and at right-back.

He engaged in 15 matches last season as the cops finally managed to keep their Premier League status after on-pitch struggles. 

The fullback is the ninth player Mubiru has agreed to extend his contract as he strengthens the team for the 2020/21 season that is tentatively set to start on October 17.

Musa Matovu, Mubarak Nsubuga, Yusuf Ssozi, Dennis Rukundo, Joseph Ssentume, Edward Kiryowa, Joseph Odong, and Bashir Kabuye have also agreed to renew their contracts with the club.

Former Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brian Baloyi has asked the Soweto giants' players to shut themselves out from the outside world ahead of Thursday’s Premier Soccer League clash against their closest title challengers Mamelodi Sundowns.

The potential title decider kicks off at Orlando Stadium with just three points separating leaders Chiefs and second-placed Sundowns.

It is an evening that could see Chiefs stretching their lead if they win or Downs levelling up at the top.

Baloyi who guarded goal for both clubs during his playing days is singing from Amakhosi’s corner and has called for maximum focus.

“The [Kaizer Chiefs] players should encourage each other,” Baloyi told the Chiefs website.

“The boys are all staying in the bio-bubble, the Biological Safe Environment because of the Covid-19 epidemic. They should try to shut out the outside world. Also forget about social media, at least until the last game of the season. The players have each other. They should stay positive, be together and form a strong unit.

“It promises to be a tough match. I had hoped that, with Sundowns drawing so many games, we would have been five to six points clear. But that’s not how it is.

“However, I am sure that all the players, even those not playing, are aware of the situation we are in. We have the opportunity to win a major trophy in our 50th anniversary year. It’s something that doesn’t present itself every day.

“That’s why it’s so important that the players go into Thursday’s game with a positive mindset because they have the chance to write themselves into the club’s history books.”

Baloyi has urged the players to avoid being distracted by paying attention to criticism.

“The players should stop listening to and reading about any criticism coming their way. Chiefs have a very good team and it’s up to the senior players to talk with their teammates, especially the younger ones to let them know how special they are,” said Baloyi.

Chiefs will go into this match without suspended forward Samir Nurkovic who is their top marksman this season with 13 goals and their attack could be depleted if Leonardo Castro and Lebogang Manyama fail to recover from injuries in time for the encounter.

After Lazarous Kambole scored his first-ever Chiefs goal during Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Stellenbosch, Baloyi has asked the Zambian forward to step in for Nurkovic.

“Samir Nurkovic is suspended for the Sundowns fixture. So Kambole is now in a great position for the next game. The Zambian striker must just go into that match with an attitude to enjoy himself. The goals will follow,” Baloyi said.

England manager Gareth Southgate has said that fierce competition for places continues to deny Aston Villa star Jack Grealish a spot with the Three Lions. 

Southgate confirmed his squad on Tuesday for September’s Nations League games against Iceland and Denmark. Among the squad were Phil Foden and Mason Greenwood, who both received their first call-up to England's senior side.

Grealish, though, continues to search for his first England call, despite a season that saw him score eight Premier League goals and add six assists as he helped lead Villa to safety.

Explaining Grealish's continued omission, Southgate has said that the 24-year-old is unfortunate to play a position that has plenty of depth. 

"The difficulty for Jack is Mason Greenwood, Jadon Sancho, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford," Southgate said. "We have got incredible players in those positions, we have got competition for places. Those four have either been with us for a long time and been exceptional in their performances for us, in terms of Marcus and Raheem.

"Jadon is just breaking through and I think everybody is aware of his potential, and Mason Greenwood's goalscoring record and performances with Manchester United were outstanding.

"It is an area of the field where we have people like Callum Hudson-Odoi as well. I know at times Villa play Jack as a midfield player – that is not as I see him in the way we play.

"So with us he would be a wide player or a 10, and at the moment I think we have got players who deserve to be in just ahead of him."

Another player who missed out is Inter wing-back Ashley Young, who had been tipped for a recall after some strong performances for Antonio Conte's side. 

Southgate has said the 35-year-old is still in his thoughts and may have even earned a place had the European Championships taken place this year as originally planned.

"Ashley was a fantastic member of our squad [at the 2018 World Cup] in Russia," Southgate said. "I'm so pleased for him how he has gone on at Inter and continued to impress – when we didn't select him post-Russia it was about trying to bed in some younger players and a competition like the Nations League is a good time to do it.

"For players like Ashley Young and Jamie Vardy, if you were heading to a major tournament they are players you would have to think about taking."

The footballing world has been stunned by news that Lionel Messi has decided to leave Barcelona, with former team-mate Carles Puyol and current Blaugrana star Luis Suarez among those to respond on social media.

Sources have confirmed to Goal that the 33-year-old star has asked the club to allow him to activate a clause in his contract that will allow him to leave on a free transfer this summer.

Messi's deal is currently set to expire at the end of next season but, with Tuesday's news, it appears that he has no interest in continuing on with the club.

The Argentine has been linked with a departure for several weeks, with reports indicating that Messi has been unhappy with Barcelona's direction in recent years.

Messi's potential departure became an even bigger talking point following an 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, with head coach Quique Setien and sporting director Eric Abidal already being dismissed following the defeat.

Setien has been replaced by former Barca defender Ronald Koeman, who has stated that he fully intends on having Messi in his team. However, on Tuesday, Messi alerted the club that he sees his future elsewhere.

Reaction was swift across the footballing landscape, with former Barca star Puyol expressing his admiration for the player he once called team-mate.

Suarez only ignited more rumours by responding with clapping emojis, adding further legitimacy to the idea that Messi could actually be on his way out of Barcelona.

The Uruguyan striker himself has been the subject of transfer rumours, having recently stated that he is unsure of his own future.

Some, like Puyol, took the chance to pay tribute to Messi's iconic career at Barcelona, having risen through the ranks to become among the best to ever play.

Others, meanwhile, took aim at Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu and Barcelona's board for their part in the club's recent issues as the team descends further and further into turmoil.

Lionel Messi has demanded to leave Barcelona by activating a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave on a free transfer.

The 33-year-old has sent a fax to Barcelona communicating his intention to leave behind the club he's played at for 20 years.

Although his contract is set to expire at the end of the 2020-21 season, Messi and his legal team believe the clause will allow him to terminate his deal unilaterally.

Rumours of Messi's unhappiness have been swirling since Bayern Munich humiliated Barcelona 8-2 in the Champions League quarter-final earlier in August, ending a season that saw the club fail to win any trophies. 

Following that match, a source tells Goal they had never seen Messi so dejected and frustrated, which the Argentine immediately communicated to several club executives. 

In the aftermath of the Bayern defeat, Barcelona sacked head coach Quique Setien as well as technical manager Eric Abidal.

They subsequently hired Ronald Koeman to replace Setien, with the Dutchman expressing his desire to keep the Argentine star at Camp Nou.

Messi cut his vacation short to meet with Koeman last week, telling the Dutchman in their meeting that he no longer believed in the club's project.

Though many at Barca hoped Messi's frustration would cool with time after the Bayern defeat, his decision to leave had already been made and communicated with friends and family members.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has previously insisted that Messi will end his career at Camp Nou as his own future continues to be questioned.

Bartomeu has moved Barca's presidential elections forward to March as he looks to keep hold of a position that would become even more precarious if he is to oversee Messi's departure.

With his desire to leave confirmed, attention will turn to Messi's potential next destination, with very few clubs likely able to afford the Argentine's wages. 

Inter, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City have been mooted as possible landing spots, and a move to Major League Soccer or the Chinese Super League has also been discussed.

Messi has established himself as one of football's all-time greatest players after initially making the breakthrough with Barcelona in 2004.

He has won La Liga on 10 occasions and lifted the Champions League four times - though Barca have been shut out from European club football's biggest prize since the 2014-15 season.

On an individual level, Messi has won the Ballon d'Or a record six times, including a run of four straight between 2009 and 2012 as well as the most recent award in 2019. 

The FA has announced that Gareth Southgate has dropped Harry Maguire from the latest England squad after the Manchester United star was found guilty of charges of aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and repeated attempts of bribery on Tuesday.

Maguire's sentencing came just hours after he was initially named to England's latest squad for September’s Nations League games against Iceland and Denmark, with Southgate explaining that he had spoken to Maguire and was working on what information he was presented.

But Maguire was subsequently dropped after being handed a 21-month suspended prison sentence after an incident in Greece last week, with the defender, his brother Joe Maguire and their friend Christopher Sharman all found guilty after a trial in Syros, Greece.

Following the sentence, Maguire maintained his innocence and said he is determined to clear his name, as the defender released a statement saying that he will appeal the sentence.

Manchester United have also backed their defender as the club was critical of the prosecution service who gave Maguire’s team little time to work on a defence. 

In the wake of Tuesday's verdict, Southgate has reversed his original decision and dropped Maguire from the squad for this next round of fixtures. 

"In light of this evening’s developments, I can confirm I have withdrawn Harry Maguire from the England squad for the matches against Iceland and Denmark," Southgate said in a statement.

"As I said earlier today, I reserved the right to review the situation. Having spoken to Manchester United and the player, I have made this decision in the best interests of all parties and with consideration of the impact on our preparations for next week."

Maguire has been a regular for England since making his international breakthrough in 2017, making a total of 23 appearances for the Three Lions in 2018 and 2019.

He was a member of England's 2018 World Cup squad, as the then-Leicester defender scored against Sweden as part of the team's fourth-place run.

With Maguire's departure, Southgate will now rely on Eric Dier, Joe Gomez, Michael Keane and Tyrone Mings as centre-back options for the upcoming matches.

England are set to face off with Iceland in Reykjavik on September 5 before travelling to Copenhagen to take on Denmark three days later.

Arsenal will lose out if they end up facing Barcelona in a transfer battle for Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey, claims Nigel Winterburn.

The Ghana international has been a long-standing target for those at Emirates Stadium.

Interest in the 27-year-old was expected to be stepped up in the current window, with Mikel Arteta eager to put his own stamp on a squad inherited from Unai Emery.

Arsenal may, however, face competition from Camp Nou for Partey, with La Liga giants Barca looking to oversee a summer refresh of their own.

If the Blaugrana were to join the bidding, then Winterburn fears the Gunners will be left frustrated.

He told Bookmakers.co.uk: “I’m always a little bit worried when the likes of Barcelona are also interested in your target – even when they’re in disarray – because they’re a huge club and you don’t want to be fighting them for a player, because most clubs would lose out in that situation.

“From my point of view, I’ve always said the structure right through the centre of the team is so pivotal to how a team plays.

“You need strong players straight through the middle – centre-halves, central midfielders and your centre-forwards – they really need to be of a very high standard at this level.

“Arsenal need to look at those areas and Thomas Partey has been linked with a host of clubs, including Arsenal. If Barcelona’s interest is genuine, then I think it’s going to be very difficult for Arsenal to sign him.”

While waiting on movement into Emirates Stadium, Winterburn believes that Arteta needs to be pushing a number of players out.

The Gunners are well-stocked for centre-halves at present, with William Saliba now fully on board and a deal close for Gabriel Magalhaes, and exits are expected in that department.

Former Arsenal left-back Winterburn added, with Rob Holding, Calum Chambers, Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis seemingly all on the chopping block: “I think there’ll be more than one of them going, because Arsenal have got a host of centre-halves and it may come down to which players are going to be limited in appearances going forward.

“Age may come into it too – all of those players will be looking at the situation and wondering how often they’re going to be playing and what their chances of being first choice are.

“And if not, are they happy to sit on the bench and wait for opportunities? The one player out of the four that I think might be worth holding on to is Rob Holding.

“Up until his injury I would have said he was Arsenal’s most consistent defender, but he’s struggled to get back to full fitness and get that consistency back.

"It would be a bit of a surprise if Holding was to leave, but then you have to consider Arsenal’s financial situation. They might feel as though he’s the one they might be able to get the most money for, so in terms of the club trying to balance the books it might be a good option for them to sell.

“But with the amount of games Arsenal are going to be playing next season it makes sense to retain at least two of them.”

Robert Lewandowski is, in the eyes of Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus, unquestionably “the best footballer in the world” at present.

The prolific Polish striker has enjoyed a remarkable 2019-20 season even by his high standards.

A new personal best has been posted when it comes to goals, with the target found on 55 occasions through 47 appearances.

Those efforts have helped Bayern to another stunning treble triumph, with a first Champions League crown for the German giants in seven years added to further Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal successes.

Matthaus believes Lewandowski’s contribution has marked him out as the best player on the planet.

That standing will not be recognised with a Golden Ball in 2020, as the Ballon d’Or vote has been cancelled, but the FIFA Best prize is still up for grabs along with the respect of those around him.

Bayern great Matthaus told Sky Deutschland of Lewandowski: “Top scorer in the Bundesliga, the DFB-Pokal and the Champions League. The best footballer in the world is Lewandowski. Period. 

“When you see what this trophy means for this wonderful centre-forward, how happy he was, what he gave and sacrificed for it, you know what it means to him. 

“He has worked towards this for many years. He deserved this and the title of best footballer in the world.”

While Lewandowski has been a leading light for Bayern, he is far from being the only star turn in their ranks.

Collective effort has delivered another impressive trophy haul, with those on the field being guided in the right direction by Hansi Flick – who has impressed many since inheriting the reins from Niko Kovac midway through the 2019-20 campaign.

Matthaus added: “Bayern have won every Champions League game this season and have also played the last 30 games without defeat. That has never been done. 

“What else can I say? What praise can I come up with? What is there to say about that combination of coach, top players and good leadership in the club?

“Today, FC Bayern Munich is a perfect soccer club. And that is despite the fact that a few months ago it was thought that it would be a difficult year. 

“Will Rummenigge and Kahn get along? How about Brazzo and Oliver? Can [Herbert] Hainer replace [Uli] Hoeness? Who will follow [Franck] Ribery and [Arjen] Robben? There is no alternative and so on.

“The answers are all extremely positive. 

“Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and his successor Oliver Kahn obviously get along really well. Just like Olli and Hasan [Salihamidzic]. 

“Of course, Hainer is not a Hoeness, but he does a good job as president and represents the club wonderfully. 

“The wonderful Serge Gnabry, the winning goalscorer Kingsley Coman, the team player Ivan Perisic and soon Leroy Sane to join the wings. Poor opponents will soon have to play on one side against [Alphonso] Davies and Sane!”

Ryan Giggs says he is "used to dealing with" Gareth Bale not featuring for Real Madrid after the winger was called up to the latest Wales squad.

Bale has been included despite having asked not to be involved in Madrid's game at Manchester City earlier this month.

The forward remained in Spain when Zinedine Zidane's side visited the Etihad Stadium for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on August 7.

Zidane, whose team lost the game and were knocked out by City, claimed Bale had requested to be omitted and the 31-year-old has played just 110 minutes since February. 

The likelihood of him taking to the field for Madrid with any regularity next season appears remote – even though Bale is under contract until 2022 – while the 31-year-old's wages and hefty transfer price remain stumbling blocks for a move elsewhere.

However, he remains integral to his country's cause and will be expected to start for Wales when they play Nations League fixtures against Finland and Bulgaria next month.

"I've always said ideally you want the players playing," Wales boss Giggs told FAWTV. "You want them playing regularly so when they come into camp, they're in that match rhythm. You don't always get that and it's something I've become used to and you have to manage it right.

"Gareth played every game in the [Euro 2020] qualifiers but wasn't playing regularly for his club. I'm used to dealing with that situation."

Liverpool youngster Neco Williams has been called up to Giggs' squad for the first time, while there is also a place for Euro 2016 striker Hal Robson-Kanu for the first time in three years. The West Brom forward had previously announced his international retirement but reversed that decision earlier this year.

Wales squad: Wayne Hennessey (Crystal Palace), Danny Ward (Leicester City), Adam Davies (Stoke City); Ashley Williams (unattached), Ben Davies (Tottenham), James Lawrence (Anderlecht), Ben Cabango (Swansea City), Tom Lockyer (Charlton Athletic), Neco Williams (Liverpool), Chris Gunter (unattached); Connor Roberts (Swansea City), Ethan Ampadu (Chelsea), Will Vaulks (Cardiff City), Matthew Smith (Manchester City), Joe Morrell (Bristol City), Dylan Levitt (Manchester United), Daniel James (Manchester United), Jonny Williams (Charlton Athletic), Rabbi Matondo (Schalke), Aaron Ramsey (Juventus); Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), David Brooks (Bournemouth), Harry Wilson (Liverpool), Kieffer Moore (Cardiff City), Hal Robson-Kanu (West Brom), Tyler Roberts (Leeds United). 

Azam FC have confirmed the extension of contracts of head coach Aristica Cioaba and his assistants.

The Romanian coach has been given one more year to coach the Ice-Cream Makers who failed to win a single trophy in the last season. The side eventually surrendered second position to Yanga SC after holding onto it for the better part of the season.

They were also eliminated in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup tournament by eventual winners Simba SC.

“Azam are delighted to announce that we have extended the contracts of our coaches for one more year each,” the 2013/14 league winners announced.

“The coaches, who have seen their contracts extended, are head coach Aristica Cioaba, assistant coach Bahati Vivier, and physiotherapist Coastal Birsen.”

The news comes a day after the former FA Cup winners had extended the contract of their captain Agrey Moris for a further year.

The club announced they had already completed the signing of new players after the final arrival of Cameroonian star Alain Thierry Akono who joined the Chamazi club as a free agent since his contract with Du Mfou had ended.

Meanwhile, Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC FC) have confirmed they have signed 10 players ahead of the new season.

KMC have moved to bring quite experienced players in a bid to avoid the kind of struggle witnessed in the first round of the 2019/20 season once the next campaign starts on September 6.

The latest player to be signed by the Dar es Salaam club is Raheem Sheikh from Mbao FC on a two-year deal.

KMC signed Kenneth Masumbuko from relegated Lipuli FC who was their ninth new star. Reliants Lusajo did complete a move from the FA Cup finalists Namungo FC whereas David Brayson also switched to KMC from newly-promoted outfit Gwambina FC.

Both Lusajo and Brayson, according to the club, signed one-year deals.

Lusajo Mwaikenda and defender Israel Patrick signed a season-long deal from Azam FC and Alliance FC respectively.

Masoud Abdalla, from Azam, signed a loan deal that will see him serve KMC for just one year while Martin Kigi from Alliance was unveiled on the same day as Abdalla.

David Mwasa from Lipuli signed a longer deal of two years while Andrew 'Dante' Vincent from Yanga was KMC's first signing. The defender signed a deal that will last for two years.

The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has announced it will return to the field in September when it begins a seven-week competition. 

The fall series follows on from the Challenge Cup, which took place between June and July and featured eight of the league's nine teams in a bubble environment in Utah.

Rather than a bubble environment, the fall series will see the league's teams separated into three lots of three-team pods designed to minimize travel. Each team will play four matches. 

The full format and schedule for the fall series, which kicks off on September 5 and runs through October, are set to be released in the next week.

“Building on the success of this summer’s Challenge Cup, I am so excited to smartly and safely take this next step on the NWSL’s journey,” said NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird in a statement.

“The women of the NWSL want to compete and we’ve certainly heard from our fans all over the world looking for more action this year. I’d like to thank the NWSL Player’s Association for their constant collaboration, as well as CBS for continuing to invest in our league’s growth and this unprecedented opportunity to showcase the NWSL to a world-wide audience, week-in, week-out.”

The three pods for the fall series will see OL Reign, Portland Thorns, and Utah Royals in the west; Chicago Red Stars, Sky Blue FC and Washington Spirit in the north-east; and Houston Dash, Orlando Pride and North Carolina Courage in the south. 

The 2020 NWSL season was originally scheduled to kick off in April, but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. After weeks of planning, the league successfully held the Challenge Cup in Utah, with the Dash coming out victorious. 

Amid the uncertainty following the Challenge Cup, several of the league's players have sought moves abroad as they look to secure guaranteed matches. 

U.S. national team stars Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis have left the Spirit and Courage respectively, both signing with Women's Super League club Manchester City. Other USWNT players, like Tobin Heath and Christen Press, are also rumored to be departing. 

AmaZulu FC coach Ayanda Dlamini says Lehlohonolo Majoro has eased pressure on fellow striker Bonginkosi Ntuli in front of goal.

The KwaZulu-Natal giants have relied heavily on the exploits of Ntuli this season with the 29-year-old player having netted 12 of their 17 goals in the PSL. 

However, Ntuli is yet to score for AmaZulu since the current season resumed, but he recorded an assist as Usuthu were held to a 2-2 draw by Bloemfontein Celtic on Monday.

Ntuli set-up former Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates striker Majoro, who netted his second goal in as many league matches having also scored against Bidvest Wits on Friday. 

Dlamini was pleased to see Majoro find the back of the net against Phunya Sele Sele after the two strikers both started upfront at Lucas Moripe Stadium.

“It took away the pressure from Ntuli, you can see even the goal we scored [against Bloemfontein Celtic] there was a combination between Ntuli and Majoro," Dlamini said on Far Post.

"We managed to score the first goal. So, I think it worked very well, it is taking pressure away from Ntuli, the target."

The draw saw AmaZulu climb up to 15th place on the league standings which is the relegation play-off spot with three matches left.

Dlamini reflected on their clash with Celtic and he indicated his side will fight for maximum points in their remaining games in order avoid relegation to the National First Division (NFD).

“We move forward as we still have three more games to play, let us see what we get,” the retired striker, who has been in charge of the team since March 2020 added. 

"It's a good point to take against a team like Celtic, but to be honest we should have done better.

"We took the lead twice in the game, but we couldn't close shop and protect it. We have three games left so we need to fight for every point during those matches."

AmaZulu are set to take on fellow relegation-threatened side Black Leopards in their next league match at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday.

Former Udinese and Ghana international Mohammed Gargo believes Atletico Madrid ace Thomas Teye Partey will be making a good decision in moving to Arsenal.

The 27-year-old remains the subject of intense transfer speculation, with Gunners coach Mikel Arteta reportedly keen on bringing the player to the Emirates Stadium.

Atletico Madrid are also believed to be trying every effort to keep their man who has become a key part of Diego Simeone's set-up.

“I think he should move [to Arsenal]” Gargo told Citi FM.

“I think it’s going to make him a quicker player than he is today.

“Who would want to move from class three to class two instead of going to class four?

“Moving to Arsenal is going to give him another opportunity to take him a step forward, it is going to build him up and make him a better player for the Black Stars [Ghana national team]

“So for me, if I were to be him, I would take this offer."

Partey is believed to have a £45 million release clause in his current Atletico Madrid contract, a situation which is reportedly proving a stumbling block to suitors and a potential move away.

Ghana coach CK Akonnor, on his part, has urged the midfielder to remain at Wanda Metropolitano. His sentiments are similar to those of former Aston Villa and Coventry City attacker Nii Odartey Lamptey.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t want him to move to Arsenal because with Atletico, he will always play Champions League football. His position is guaranteed and he will always play,” Akonnor told Starr FM.

“With Arsenal, I’m not too sure. Arsenal fans will kill me [for saying he should not join the Gunners].

“I hope that, and I’m sure money issues will come in, but I hope that whatever he asks for, Atletico will be able to pay."

Last season, Partey made 35 league outings for Atletico, starting in 29 of the matches and scoring on three occasions.

He has made a combined 100 La Liga appearances for the Los Rojiblancos since debuting for the club in the top-flight in 2015-16.

Bafana Bafana hopeful Ricardo Schutte has completed his move to Spanish club CD Mirandes.

The promising striker has joined the club nicknamed the Reds on a season-long deal from Portuguese outfit Rio Ave.

Schutte struggled for game time during the 2019/20 campaign as he made only one appearance in the Primeira Liga.

Mirandes made the announcement on their official website as they beefed up their squad ahead of the 2020/21 campaign in the Spanish second tier, Segunda Liga: 

A club statement read: "Rio Ave FC and Club Deportivo Mirandes have reached an agreement for Ricardo Schutte to play next season on loan for the Rojillo team in LaLiga Smartbank."

"The Portuguese footballer comes to the Anduva team after playing his fledgling career in Portuguese football."

"Andre Ricardo Ferreira Schutte [born in Ribeira Brava, 1998], is a forward with power and intensity, with good movement between the lines thanks to his speed and a good understanding of the game."

Schutte, who was born to a Portuguese mother and a South African father, began playing football for the local team, Ribeira Brava in 2007.

Before joining Primeira Liga giants FC Porto's academy where he spent fours years and he then moved to Rio Ave in 2012.

The lanky frontman impressed during his time with Rio Ave B side (reserve team) scoring 11 goals in 26 matches during the 2017/18 season.

Schutte was then promoted to the first team in July 2018 and he made his professional debut in the Uefa Europa League.

The gifted player came on as a late substitute for Rio Ave as they drew 4-4 against Polish club Jagiellonia Bialystok in August 2018.

Schutte then made his Primeira Liga debut in the following campaign (2019/20) as his side succumbed to a 2-0 defeat to Sporting Braga in December 2019.

His agent Joao Filipe recently revealed that Schutte is keen to play for Bafana with his South African passport having been approved.

He will have to impress Bafana head coach Molefi Ntseki during his time with Mirandes in order to get his maiden national team call up. 

Veteran football administrator Sam Nyamweya has petitioned the High Court to suspend the KSh.9 million compensation awarded to renowned sports journalist Omulo Okoth in a five-year defamation suit.

Nyamweya, the former President of Football Kenya Federation (FKF), has already instructed his legal team to challenge the judgment pronounced on July 30.

Justice Lucy Njuguna, of the Civil Division at Milimani in Nairobi, has certified Nyamweya's application as urgent. 

The warring parties have been directed to get a hearing date from the registry on a priority basis.

Omulo Okoth had sued Nyamweya along with the FKF and its two former officials, Michael Esakwa and Robert Asembo. A local publication, The Weekly Citizen, was the third defendant.

In his sworn affidavit, Nyamweya said his lawyers had taken the necessary steps to challenge the judgment since Omulo Okoth may enforce the disputed court award. Further, the intended appeal was at risk of being rendered an academic exercise, he had argued in court papers.

"There exists special circumstances and unique requirements in the present case involving defamation by non-natural persons, public institutions, and public interest in light of the amount awarded," Nyamweya said in his affidavit as obtained by Goal.

The soccer supremo said the intended appeal had high chances of success but was likely to be short-circuited by a denial of temporary stay.

Nyamweya pleaded he and his co-defendants stood to suffer substantial financial loss if the execution was not stopped. They were apprehensive that Omulo Okoth will be unable to refund the money should the intended appeal succeed.

Nyamweya said they were willing to abide by any conditions imposed by the court to facilitate the exercise of their right of appeal. 

"Omulo Okoth will not suffer any prejudice" Nyamweya added.

The administrator is currently in the race for the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) top seat.

He will, however, receive stiff competition from incumbent Nick Mwendwa, former Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) Secretary-General Nicholas Musonye, former FKF Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Herbert Mwachiro, Gor Mahia CEO Omondi Aduda among others. 

The FKF Electoral Board has set September 19 and October 17 as the dates for the county and national elections respectively, but the move has been challenged in court by aspirants who insist the Board has no legal mandate to oversee the process. 

JDT has revealed on their official page that they have received an offer from Portuguese side Portimonense SC for the transfer of Safawi Rasid, possibly for the 2020/21 season of the Primeira Liga.

That could mean that Safawi might not feature in the resumption of the Malaysia Super League season as the new Primeira Liga season will begin on 20 September 2020 with Safawi likely needed to be part of the pre-season.

Portimonense actually finished in the relegation at the end of the 2019/20 season by finishing second last in the 17-team league but got a reprieve to remain in the top flight after Vitoria Setubal could not fulfill licensing requirements.

Safawi began his professional career with T-Team FC in 2015 before his sparkling display and goal-threat alerted JDT to his potential and he joined the Super League champions in 2017.

Since moving there, Safawi has grown leaps and bounds, making himself a permanent fixture and an important asset not only for his club side but also for the Malaysia national team.

In 2019, Safawi started making his mark with JDT in the AFC Champions League including scoring a magnificent left foot curler against away to Chinese side Shandong Luneng in 2019.

Should the move fully materialised, Safawi would not be the only Asian there at the club with two Japanese players in Shuichi Gonda and Koki Anzai also part of the squad.

On JDT's side, while they are happy to allow Safawi to gain more exposure by plying his trade in Portugal, it would leave a huge gap in the side still competing in the 2020 AFC Champions League.

Manchester United’s pre-season plans are yet to be finalised, with friendly fixtures being considered as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad are expected back in training next week.

The first team squad were given two weeks of holiday after they lost their Europa League clash against Sevilla in Cologne, and several them have jetted off to warmer climates ahead of preparing for the new campaign.

Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Daniel James, Marcus Rashford and Brandon Williams have all spent time in Mykonos, Greece, while Victor Lindelof returned to Sweden and Bruno Fernandes is in Portugal.

The squad are expected back at Carrington next week to prepare for the opening fixture which is expected to be against Crystal Palace on the weekend of September 19, after their first game of the season against Burnley was postponed to give Solskjaer’s squad the 30 days of rest required between campaigns.

Several players are expected to be head straight off on international duty with Maguire, Rashford, Dean Henderson and Mason Greenwood called up for England. James has been selected for Wales, but the rest of the squad will report back to the club’s training base on September 2.

The international fixtures and United’s involvement in the Europa League knockout tournament in Germany mean Solskjaer has little time to prepare his team for the new season.

Their rivals have been back in training for a while now, with Liverpool in Austria on a training camp where they have played several friendlies, but it is understood that a similar trip for United is very unlikely.

Lack of time and concerns over flying during the pandemic mean it is more likely that they will host friendlies behind closed doors at the training ground, in the same way they did before games commenced for Project Restart.

It is understood that a more formal friendly could be organised before the season opener with the potential for the game to be televised, but at this stage opponents and venues have yet to be confirmed.

Ordinarily the squad would have flown off on a pre-season tour, with India a potential destination this summer, which would have been a chance for massive commercial opportunities and huge financial gain.

However, the late end to the last season due to the pandemic means this has not been possible.

Cape Town City striker Kermit Erasmus has heaped praise on his teammates for their good form so far, saying they have been working hard since the lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Citizens have managed to bag three victories out of four Premier Soccer League (PSL) matches where they have downed big guns such as Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates.

On the other hand, the Bafana Bafana hitman has found the back of the net against Masandawana and the Buccaneers, adding that their focus is to finish the current campaign on a high note.

“The team performance has been good and we’ve been working hard during the lockdown to prepare for the resumption of the league,” Erasmus told the media.

“We have shown a lot of character in a lot of games since the league resumed, and that is why the individual performance has been outstanding.

“I have been standing out because I have been scoring in the games we have won and played in - that’s because of my teammates.

“Without them, it wouldn’t be possible for me to stand where I am now and to score the goals I have scored. Credit must go to everybody and being together you know.

“That’s what the team is about and I’m proud to call them my soldiers, they are my brothers. So, we are hoping and looking forward to the upcoming three games and we will see what happens.”

In the wake of a single defeat to Stellenbosch and three victories over Chippa United, Masandawana, and coach Josef Zinnbauer’s troops, the Mother City-based club finds itself at number seven on the log table with 36 points.

In their next three games, Dutch manager Jan Olde Riekerink will look to guide his side to wins over Golden Arrows, Highlands Park as well as SuperSport United as they target a spot in the top eight.

However, the 2017/18 MTN8 champions are set to be without veteran midfielder Mpho Makola in their next two matches as the former Bucs player was shown his marching orders against his former club on Sunday.

Looking at his contribution so far, the 30-year-old Port Elizabeth-born marksman has played 24 matches, scored 13 goals and provided two assists across all competitions.

Meanwhile, the former Matsatsantsa hitman has been linked with a move to Chloorkop and join coach Pitso Mosimane’s troops, but his future remains the subject of speculation.

Gor Mahia FC are close to completing the signing of former Vipers SC striker Tito Okello.

The attacker's contract with the Venoms expired, and the player jumped on the chance to play for the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions.

"The deal has been reached between the player's agent and the club," a source close to the club told Goal on Tuesday.

"Okello is a good player who will improve our attacking department which had problems last season. We did not have a point-man especially after the exit of [Francis] Afriyie and [Gnamien] Yikpe. 

"[Juma] Balinya struggled to fit in and we were forced to use [Nicholas] Kipkirui in the position which is not his naturally. So Okello will definitely help us fill the void in the attack."

Despite playing a vital role in helping Vipers win the Ugandan Premier League, there have been internal struggles in the team which has led to a mass exodus.

Goalkeeper Derrick Ochan has also left the Premier League champions despite the fact he had two years remaining on his contract.

Last season loanees Janjali Joseph, Dickens Okwir, Ibrahim Kiyemba, Duncan Seninde, and Farouk Musisi have also left after mutually terminating their active contracts.
Tom Masiko, Steven Mukwala, Fred Atuhwera, Baden Mujahid have left after the expiration of their contracts. 

For Gor Mahia, they have already lost Boniface Omondi to Wazito FC. The established forward has been consistent for K'Ogalo, but opted out owing to financial struggles in the team.

The Kenyan champions have been hit hard in this transfer window as they have already lost a number of top players among them defender Joash Onyango who signed for Simba of Tanzania, keeper David Mapigano who joined Azam FC, and Dickson Ambundo to Dodoma Jiji.

On top of that, the club is on the verge of losing more players among them striker Nicholas Kipkirui, captain Kenneth Muguna, defenders Philemon Otieno and Charles Momanyi and Jackson Owusu, who left to his native Ghana a week ago.

All this is happening as the club prepares for the new season where, apart from defending the Kenyan Premier League (KPL), they will also represent the country in the Caf Champions League.