Looking for Soccer News?

Arsenal are poised to sign midfielder Albert Lokonga from Anderlecht, having recently agreed a deal with Benfica for left-back Nuno Tavares.

The 21-year-old Belgian is set to undergo a medical before completing his move to Emirates Stadium, after Arsenal agreed a deal in principle worth up to £18 million ($25m).

Goal brings you everything you need to know about Arsenal’s soon-to-be new signing.

Who is Albert Lokonga?

Lokonga was born in Brussels, the capital city of Belgium, on October 22, 1999.

He joined the Anderlecht youth system in 2014, before signing his first professional contract with the club in November 2017, making his senior debut on December 22 that year in a 1-0 league win over Eupen.

He became a first-team regular in the 2019-20 season, making 26 appearances in all competitions for Anderlecht before the Belgian First League season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In 2020-21, Lokonga made a career-high 37 senior appearances and scored three goals, including his first senior strike, which came in a 1-1 draw against Eupen - again - on September 27.

Anderlecht finished fourth in the table to qualify for next season's Europa Conference League - meaning they play continental football next season, something Arsenal will not.

How much will Albert Lokonga cost Arsenal?

Arsenal have agreed an initial fee believed to be around £15m ($21m) for Lokonga.

That is a fee that will increase, however, due to several add-ons that will be included in the final deal. In all, Arsenal are expected to pay close to £18m for the young midfielder, should those add-ons and bonuses be met.

Why do Arsenal want to sign Albert Lokonga?

Goal's Arsenal correspondent Charles Watts: "Arsenal view Lokonga as a player with immense potential and he fits the profile of the type of player the club are looking to recruit this summer.

"At just 21 and having only been playing in Belgium, he is not expected to come in and be an instant replacement for Roma-bound Granit Xhaka, but he will still get a lot of game time as he adjusts to the demands of the Premier League.

"With Matteo Guendouzi having joined Marseille, Dani Ceballos having returned to Madrid and Lucas Torreira expected to leave, Arsenal are well aware of the need to bolster their midfield ranks this summer.

"Lokonga will do exactly that and will look to put pressure on Thomas Partey and whoever is brought in to replace Xhaka in the heart of midfield as the season progresses."

Which position does Albert Lokonga play?

Lokonga primarily plays as a central midfielder, on the right side of a 4-3-3. He has also been deployed as the central, more defensive player of the middle three.

In Mikel Arteta's preferred 4-2-3-1, he would most likely play in the two, but would also fit into the 3-4-2-1 and 4-3-3 formations that Arsenal used at times in 2020-21.

What national team does Albert Lokonga play for?

Lokonga has declared for Belgium, although he was eligible to play for DR Congo - his brother, former Spurs youth player Paul-Jose M'Poku, has played 14 times for the African nation.

The younger brother has played seven times for Belgium's Under-21s and was called up for the senior squad for their friendly against Greece in June. However, he has yet to make his debut for Roberto Martinez's side and missed out on the squad for Euro 2020.

What is Albert Lokonga's FIFA 21 rating and potential?

Lokonga's overall rating in FIFA 21 is 73, with a potential of 82. He has got a three-star skill moves rating. He prefers to shoot with his right foot and his work rate is medium.

His best stat is ball control, which is 81, while he has 78 in short passing, stamina, agility and composure.

Cristiano Ronaldo became the joint-top men's international goalscorer of all time at Euro 2020 as he hit the back of the net five times for Portugal.

Though crowned a European champion at Euro 2016, major tournaments have not necessarily been happy hunting grounds for Ronaldo.

The defending champions were dumped out at the first knockout hurdle against Belgium, but the Juventus striker could still earn another individual award for his collection.

Goal takes a look at the Euro 2020 golden boot tie breakers and whether Ronaldo can still win. 

Can Ronaldo win Euro 2020 golden boot?

Ronaldo is on course to win the Euro 2020 golden boot award, provided none of the contenders from Italy or England score enough goals in the final.

Despite Portugal's elimination in the last 16 at the hands of Belgium, Ronaldo still tops the scoring chart with five goals in 360 minutes (four matches).

The Juventus star is tied on five with Czech Republic striker Patrik Schick, but leads by virtue of the fact that he has more assists.

Of the remaining contenders who can still catch Ronaldo, England captain Harry Kane is the closest with four goals.

If Kane is to overtake Ronaldo in the chart, he needs to either score two goals in the final or score one goal and provide two assists.

Raheem Sterling has three goals heading into the final, so the Manchester City player needs to score a hat-trick against Italy or else get two goals and an assist.

A number of Italy players sit on two goals each ahead of the final, including Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne, so it will require a monumental effort for them to surpass Ronaldo's tally of five goals.

What are the Euro 2020 golden boot tie-break rules?

The general rule for winning the Euro 2020 golden boot is that the player who scores the most goals wins.

If two or more players are tied on the same number of goals, the player with the highest number of assists will be deemed the winner.

In the event that two or more players have scored the same number of goals and have the same number of assists, the player who has played the lowest amount of minutes will win.

Since Ronaldo played in only four games - 360 minutes - at Euro 2020, he has an advantage over the likes of Kane and Sterling, who will have played over 600 minutes by the end of the final.

Watford have completed the signing of Oghenekaro Etebo on a season-long loan from Stoke City.

The 25-year-old is the latest Nigerian to join Xisco Munoz's side ahead of the 2021-22 season after Emmanuel Dennis switched from Club Brugge on a permanent deal.

Etebo's move to Vicarage Road is his third loan move away from Stoke City having spent the last one and a half seasons in La Liga with Getafe and Turkish Super Lig with Galatasaray.

The Nigeria international has been at Stoke since 2018 and he played 45 matches in the Championship with two goals to his name.

"Watford FC is pleased to confirm the signing of Peter Etebo on a season-long loan from Stoke City, with an option to buy," read a statement on the club's website. 

"The box-to-box midfielder, 25, is capped 38 times by Nigeria's senior team, having previously turned out 19 times for the Super Eagles' Under-23s. 

"Since joining the Potters in June 2018, Etebo has also spent time on loan at Getafe and Galatasaray, appearing in the Europa League for the latter." 

The 2015 Africa U23 Cup of Nations winner started his professional football career in the Nigerian top-flight with Warri Wolves where he spent two years before moving to Portuguese club Feirense in 2016. 

The 25-year-old is a key figure in Gernot Rohr's Super Eagles and he was part of the team that won bronze at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. 

Watford secured an immediate return to the Premier League last season after they finish second in the second division, behind Norwich City. 

Also on Friday, the Hornets signed 19-year-old Nigerian descent Dapo Mebude on a two-year deal with the option for a two-year extension. 

Mebude was born in London to Nigerian parents but he is a Scotland youth international having played for their U16, U17, U18 and U19 teams. 

The two new signings join Nigeria centre-back William Troost-Ekong, Isaac Success, Senegal's Ismaila Sarr and Morocco's Adam Masina as the latest African stars at Watford.

The Hornets will begin their 2021-22 Premier League campaign with a home match against Aston Villa on August 14.

Mamelodi Sundowns have confirmed the signing of four new players Pavol Safranko, Divine Lunga, Neo Maema and Grant Kekana.

The quartet has joined the Tshwane giants as the club prepares for the new 2021/22 season which will see the team attempts to defend their PSL title.

The Tshwane giants disclosed that the four players have signed five-year deals.

"Slovakian National Team striker Pavol Safranko joins Masandawana from Romanian Liga I outfit Sepsi OSK SF. Safranko scored nine goals and registered six assists in 33 league outings for Sepsi to help them qualify for the 2021/22 Uefa Europa Conference League," a club statement read on the club's official website.

Safranko will compete with the likes of Mauricio Affonso, Gift Motupa, Peter Shalulile and Kermit Erasmus in Sundowns' striking department.

Lunga has been constantly linked with Sundowns since January this year and he has now completed his transfer to Masandawana from Lamontville Golden Arrows.

"Masandawana completed the signing of Zimbabwean International left-back Divine Lunga from Golden Arrows. The 26-year-old defender, who made twenty-six league appearances last season, joins The Brazilians on a long-term contract. Lunga is a regular for the Warriors National team, he was recently included in the Zimbabwean preliminary squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers," a statement continued. 

While Maema has been snapped up by Masandawana from Bloemfontein Celtic following his breakout season which saw him play an important role in helping the team avoid relegation from the PSL.

"Attacking midfielder Neo Maema joins the Brazilians from Bloemfontein Celtic after his contract ended with Siwelele. Maema was a consistent performer for Siwelele and made 17 appearances in the domestic league netting three goals in the previous season," the club's said on the site.

Furthermore, Sundowns have reinforced their defence with the signing of Kekana from their Tshwane rivals, SuperSport United and he can operate as a right-back and central defender.

"Downs have also secured the services of Grant Kekana from SuperSport United FC. The versatile 28-year-old defender played 19 matches last season for Matsatsantsa and will be joining up with his former teammate Aubrey Modiba upon his arrival at Chloorkop. Kekana will be serving the Yellow Nation," another statement read. 

Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe will once again serve as the cover athlete for the latest iteration of EA Sports' FIFA series.

Mbappe will be on the cover of FIFA 22 when the game is released later this year, having previously been on the cover of FIFA 21.

His selection makes him the first player to repeat as a cover athlete since Cristiano Ronaldo, who fronted both FIFA 18 and 19.

History of cover athletes

Mbappe made his cover debut in FIFA 21, succeeding the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Eden Hazard on the cover of EA's annual game.

Prior to that, Marco Reus' FIFA 17 selection came in between periods of Messi and Ronaldo dominance, with Messi serving as cover athlete of FIFA 13-16, sharing the honours on FIFA 15 with Hazard.

Wayne Rooney has also had a sustained period of dominance when it comes to the FIFA cover, sharing the honours every year from FIFA 06-12 on the worldwide editions.

Mbappe's season

Mbappe's return to the cover comes after a fairly difficult season for the young French star, at least when it comes to team successes.

His PSG fell just short in the Ligue 1 title race, where they were topped by Lille's shocking run to the top of the table.

Individually, though, Mbappe shined, scoring 27 goals in 31 games in Ligue 1 while finding the back of the net 42 times in all competitions.

France, meanwhile, also fell short of expectations at the Euros this summer, with Mbappe failing to score before Les Bleus were knocked out at the hands of Switzerland.

It was Mbappe that missed the crucial penalty in the shootout, dooming the 2018 World Cup winners to elimination. 

Further reading

Manchester City legend Shaun Goater would like to see Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappe give "10 years" to the Premier League champions, but concedes a deal for Tottenham striker Harry Kane is the "most likely option".

Pep Guardiola is in the market for another goalscorer, with Sergio Aguero having left Etihad Stadium as a free agent to link up with Liga giants Barcelona.

Another No 9 is required, with big-money moves being mooted despite admissions from City that deals worth £100 million-plus ($138m) will be difficult.

What has been said?

Ex-City frontman Goater - speaking in association with FreeSuperTips - told Goal: "If Kane was to come, he would be a quality signing, but when I look at it I think the other two could give us more years.

"Haaland and Mbappe would give you 10 years at the club, but if City are looking out for an out and out forward then all those would be the three on the list.

"It'll be down to whether the cost is right, a few years ago it was rumoured that Kane would end up at City, so I still think there's more of a chance of that happening. I think Kane will be the most likely option compared to Mbappe or Haaland."

Would Kane be the missing piece?

It is understood City have an offer for Kane in the pipeline. His record for Tottenham and England suggests that he would slot seamlessly into the fold under Guardiola and could be the man to help the Citizens end their long wait for Champions League glory.

Goater added: "Yes, a finisher like Kane and the quality around him in a City team, these guys would be able to gel.

"Harry Kane can also drop deep and provide for the wide players and even when he drifts out wide himself, he has a quality cross on him. He would fit in like a perfect piece, we're talking about world class players, so there's no doubt that he would just fit in seamlessly.

"It would be really exciting to have Harry Kane after the Euros and it wouldn't be bad to bring Jack Grealish in as well."

Further reading

Harvey Elliott has signed a new five-year contract at Liverpool, with the teenager eager to see more competitive outings for the Reds.

The highly-rated attacking midfielder was snapped up from Fulham in 2019 and has so far made nine first-team appearances under Jurgen Klopp.

A loan spell at Championship Blackburn last season allowed him to get more regular game time, with seven goals and 11 assists recorded across 41 outings, and the 18-year-old is delighted to have proved that he should be part of the long-term thinking at Anfield.

What has been said?

On the special feeling of representing Liverpool, Elliott told the club's official website: "It’s always going to be there throughout the years I’m here. Hopefully it’s going to be a long time.

"There’s always going to be those butterflies whenever you put on the shirt, whenever you go out to train and play, whenever you’re involved in the club there’s always that feeling.

"Especially for me, being a Red, as well as my family – it’s nice to make them proud and make myself proud. But the hard work carries on.

"It’s always a nice feeling when you sign a new contract – especially for your boyhood club. It’s all done and dusted now so I’ve just got to focus on pre-season, get my work in and make sure I’m ready for the season."

The bigger picture

Elliott is already an England U17 international, and in 2019 became the youngest ever Premier League debutant when playing for Fulham at Wolves.

And on the back of a productive spell at Ewood Park that also saw him nominated for the EFL Young Player of the Season award, he is ready to kick on with the 2019-20 Premier League champions. 

He was named in Klopp's 34-man squad which will begin pre-season training at a camp in Austria next week, and should get opportunities to impress before the new campaign gets underway for the Reds on August 14.

He added: "I think that’s got to be everyone’s aim: to get in the team. To get in and around it at least.

"It’s not going to come easily; there’s a great bunch of boys here and great talent. But it’s down to me to work hard. I believe in myself that I can do it. I just want to be around the team, support everyone and be there if needed.

"Ever since I first walked through the door they [the coaching staff] have showed [faith]. They show it with every single player; they always have faith in you.

"They’re always giving you 100 per cent on the training pitch and off the training pitch, always wanting you to be the best possible person and player. I feel like there’s a lot of faith in me. But it’s just down to me to go and show it and prove them right."

Further reading

Liverpool legend John Barnes believes the money invested in Ibrahima Konate this summer makes him the leading contender to partner Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the Reds' back four.

Jurgen Klopp is hoping to remain at full strength in that department throughout 2021-22 after seeing his options decimated by injury last season.

The ranks at Anfield have been bolstered by the £36 million ($50m) arrival of French star Konate from RB Leipzig , with the 22-year-old looking to edge above England international Joe Gomez in the pecking order.

What has been said?

Reds icon Barnes - speaking in association with BonusCodeBets - told Goal : "It will be interesting to see who starts in central defence for Liverpool alongside Virgil van Dijk next season. In the long term Joe Gomez will be fine, but he’s young and he’s had his injury problems. 

"Having splashed out so much money on a centre-back in Ibrahima Konate, they’ll probably start with him alongside Van Dijk - presuming Van Dijk is fit for the start of the season - but it’s always good to have competition for places."

Will others move on?

Having seen their squad pushed to breaking point in 2020-21, Liverpool ended the campaign with Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams forging a promising partnership.

Both could however be on the move in the current transfer window. Goal has learned that Phillips is a target for Burnley and Brighton , while a loan switch has been mooted for 20-year-old academy graduate Williams.

Quizzed on whether he sees that pair sticking around, Barnes said: "Phillips and Williams have big decisions ahead of them. 

"Is it time for them to go off and make a name for themselves in the first team at other clubs? Because if they stay at Liverpool, they’re not going to be playing in the first team, though they will be important parts of the squad.  

"It’s up to them as individuals to decide what’s best for their careers. Do they stay and try to stake a claim, be a part of the squad and play now and again?  

"At 24 years old, Phillips probably wouldn't want to do that, but modern players are quite happy to be at a big club and be part of a squad, whereas probably in the old days you’d want to move on because you're not playing regularly."

Liverpool are due to open the new season away at Norwich on August 14.

Further reading

Brandon Peterson, Sifiso Hlanti, Phathutshedzo Nange, Njabulo Ngcobo, Sibusiso Mabiliso and Kgaogelo Sekgota have all joined Amakhosi

MORE TO FOLLOW...

Serge Aurier should be sold by Tottenham Hotspur instead of seeing through his remaining contract, according to the majority of Goal readers.

The 28-year-old Ivory Coast international’s future at the North London club has been shrouded in uncertainty with reports indicating the player may leave this summer with Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Spanish sides among the clubs interested in his services.

With Nuno Espirito Santo taking charge at Spurs after replacing Jose Mourinho, Goal asked their readers on whether the former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager should keep the right-back, whose deal expires in 2022, and most of them feel he should be allowed to leave.

According to a poll conducted on the Goal Africa Twitter handle, 67.6 percent of the voters supported the sell of the player while 32.4 percent are of the opinion he should stay to see through his contract.

In a recent interview, Aurier admitted that he was set to depart the club this summer.

“Everyone is aware that if I wanted to extend my deal at Tottenham, I would’ve done so already. I’m not going to do it in six months,” Aurier said.

“I’ve reached the end of a cycle and it’s time to look elsewhere. The two parties, Tottenham’s board and my agents, have agreed upon the conditions. We’ll see after that.

“I’ve never hidden by desire to return to PSG one day. It’s the club of my heart, the one that I support and I feel free to speak about it.

“But I don’t want people to think that I’m stuck on them and I’m not closing the door on anyone. But if the club were to make an offer this summer, it’s sure that PSG would be my first choice.”

 Aurier signed for Tottenham from PSG in 2017 and he came in to fill the void left by Kyle Walker, who had been signed by Manchester City.

While he is yet to win any title with Spurs apart from reaching the final of the League Cup last season, at PSG, whom he signed for from Toulouse, he managed two French titles and two French cups.

Should he seal a return to PSG, he will re-unite with his former boss at Spurs Mauricio Pochettino.

Barcelona have agreed a deal with Rapid Vienna that will see teenage forward Yusuf Demir link up with their B side on an initial season-long loan that includes a €10m purchase (£9m/$12m) option.

The highly-rated youngster moves to Catalunya in an arrangement that will cost the Blaugrana €500,000 up front.

The Liga giants are hoping to unlock further potential in the 18-year-old, who has tended to operate on the wing in his short career to date, and see him move through their system.

What has been said?

Barca have, in a statement on their official website, said: "Yusuf Demir is an 18-year-old Austrian who has been in the Rapid senior team for two seasons, playing 31 games and scoring six goals.

"He has also debuted for the senior national team.

"Demir is a top quality left-footer who can play all across the attack, mainly on the wing or in the middle. He may be young but he already has experience of playing at the highest level and knows how to score goals.

"Yusuf already knows what it's like to wear blaugrana colours because those are the colours of the Rapid second strip. He is the second Austrian to play for the club after the great Hans Krankl."

Who is Demir?

Istanbul-born Demir made his debut for Rapid in December 2019.

In September 2000, he became the youngest Austrian to score a goal in the Champions League when he netted in a qualifying clash with Gent at the age of 17 years, three months and 13 days old.

Having represented Austria at youth level, a senior bow was made in March 2021 when figuring in a World Cup qualifier with the Faroe Islands.

Further reading

Arsenal have agreed a deal in principle worth up to £18 million ($25m) with Anderlecht for the transfer of Albert Lokonga.

The Gunners have been locked in talks with the Belgium club for weeks over the 21-year-old and have seen previous bids rejected.

But an agreement has now been reached, with the midfielder set to be given the green light to undergo his medical.

How much will Arsenal pay?

Arsenal have agreed an initial fee believed to be around £15m ($21m) for Lokonga.

That is a fee that will increase, however, due to several add-ons that will be included in the final deal.

In all, Arsenal are expected to pay close to £18m for the young midfielder, should those add-ons and bonuses be met.

What happens now?

Lokonga will soon undergo his medical ahead of his move to Arsenal.

It is understood that the medical will take place in Belgium to help get the transfer finalised in as quick a time as possible.

He will then travel to London, where he will have to go through a period of isolation due to Covid regulations.

Reports in Belgium have suggested that Lokonga could fly direct to Scotland to play a part in Arsenal’s five-day training camp which gets under way on Monday, but Goal has been told that is not the case.

Arsenal are hopeful, however, that the deal could be finalised ahead of the club’s week-long stay in America for the Florida Cup.

What’s happening with Tavares?

Portuguese left-back Nuno Tavares has been in London since Friday ahead of his £8m transfer from Benfica.

He had his medical in Portugal before travelling to England and Arsenal are hopeful of being able to confirm his move soon.

Tavares has been in isolation since arriving last week, but Arsenal are hoping he will be able to play a part in next week’s training camp in Scotland.

Further reading 

Ugandan international Uche Ikpeazu has revealed his main ambition at new club Middlesbrough is to help them gain promotion to the Premier League.

The 26-year-old sealed a transfer move to the Riverside outfit ahead of the start of pre-season seven days ago after agreeing to terms to leave Wycombe Wanderers and sign a three-year contract.

Ikpeazu has thanked Boro manager Neil Warnock for having faith in him and promised to bang in goals that can help them earn promotion to the top-flight.

“I had known about the interest for a while. I played against Middlesbrough a couple of times during the 2020-21 season and I did very well and ever since then, the manager [Neil Warnock] was interested in me,” Ikpeazu said as quoted by Completesports.com.

“And fortunately for me, he brought me over to Middlesbrough which is such a massive club, so I am just excited.

“My expectations for me, the magnitude of the club, they should be playing in the Premier League. So, obviously, that is my ambition to try and score goals, make assists, just put up lovely performances to help Boro at least get into the play-offs for promotion and then, we will take it from there.

“I am just taking every game as it comes but I am very ambitious and of course, I know that I will be playing under a very experienced manager who can help us achieve some great things as well.”

On working under Warnock, Ikpeazu said, “I am very excited, like I said before, to work with a manager who has been in the game for such a long time and obviously, it’s an honour for me as well that he wanted to bring me to the club.

“It just shows the kind of belief he has in me as a player, so I am excited and hopefully, we can achieve some great things together. What did he do to convince me to join Boro?

“There wasn’t much convincing to join when I knew that they were interested in signing me, I just wanted to jump at the opportunity, and like I said before, ever since I got released from Watford, I set myself a target.

“That very target was that by the age of 25, I would be playing in the Championship, I had always wanted to get back to that club of that stature, so there was no convincing when I knew that he was interested in me.”

On the memories he has for his former club Wycombe, Ikpeazu, who is yet to play for the Uganda national team, The Cranes explained, “The fond memories that I have of Wycombe, they are so many, I think that particularly the way it started, obviously, I missed more or less the first half of the season and I couldn’t start a game until the end of December 2020.

“I think the fond memories are just bouncing back from all those injuries, illness and all these things and scoring my first goal in the Championship against Middlesbrough funnily enough, I think that was an emotional day for me.”

Last season, Boro finished the Championship in position 10 after managing 64 points from 46 matches.

Ronald Koeman admits to being "concerned" by Lionel Messi's contract situation, with the Argentine superstar still a free agent at present as Barcelona cannot afford to put a new deal in place.

Salary cap issues are posing plenty of problems at Camp Nou, with costs needing to be cut before summer signings and those waiting on fresh terms can officially put pen to paper.

Barca have known for some time that they faced a sizeable headache with six-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi, with no extension put in place with him on the back of a push for the exits in 2020.

What has been said?

There is confidence in Catalunya that a deal will be done, but Barca boss Koeman concedes that uncertainty is doing nobody any favours.

The Dutchman told reporters at a golf event: "When everything is not right, you have to be concerned, I have confidence in the president [Joan Laporta] to solve this issue.

"It is important for the club and for the league that the best player in the world remains. Everyone has to make an effort here.

"Laporta told me to be calm, that they are working on the issue and we are confident that he will be there for a few more years."

Koeman added on the need for clarity: "It is important to know which players you are going to have.

"We know there is a limit, we are in the pre-season and work is being done, but we already know that it’s like this until the end and we are used to it."

The bigger picture

Barcelona have convinced Sergio Aguero, Emerson Royal, Eric Garcia and Memphis Depay to make moves to Camp Nou this summer.

They are, however, having to wait on being registered due to the financial difficulties being endured by the Liga giants.

Efforts are being made to offload those on the fringes of a star-studded squad, with the likes of Junior Firpo and Jean-Clair Todibo already departed.

Samuel Umtiti and Miralem Pjanic are among those that Barca are eager to move on, while offers will be listened to for Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho.

Further reading

Kenya international Ian Otieno has claimed Zesco United managed to win the Zambian Super League title despite many people not giving them a chance to do it.

Timu ya Ziko lifted the league title again after they lost to Nkana FC in the 2019-20 season when they also failed to grab one of the Caf slots that was reserved for Zambia.

The former AFC Leopards goalkeeper revealed what propelled them in a season they started slowly before picking up momentum and eventually being declared champions.

"The key factor was us believing that we could do it. When we started the league, everyone had their own doubts about this team," Otieno told the club's portal.

"Some people said we were not playing well. Sometimes in football, you can play bad and win and play very well and lose a match. What kept us going was the unity in the team and the belief that we could win the title.

"Like I said when we lost the Absa Cup final, the league title is sweeter because it is recognised everywhere. It is special for me and for the rest of the team. I am very happy because when I joined Zesco United, there was only one objective and the objective was to win the league title. When you are a player, that’s what you dream of. 

"Unfortunately, we lost the title and lost out on a place in Caf in very difficult circumstances." 

The star was named the most consistent player for Zesco United despite suffering a number of injuries in a season in which he was preferably the first choice goalkeeper when fit.

"It was a very good season for me despite getting injured at the latter stage of the season. I think the coach and the team are best positioned to rate my performances. I did very well because we have a very competitive goalkeeping department," he added.

"The coming of Toaster [Nsabata] has been very good for me because he has brought massive competition, making me work harder. I am happy for him too because he has won a league title in his debut season."

Otieno feels they are in the right shape to compete well on the continental podium. 

"We need to keep working very hard because the task ahead is even bigger. It is important to have everyone on board as we start the new campaign," he concluded.

"Right now, I can say that the squad has very good depth. We have upcoming players who are working very hard for the team. We have qualified for Caf and as such, we need to work very hard and prepare adequately."

"The coach has played and managed in this competition and I believe he knows what to do with the team. I believe the team will be better than we are now."

Otieno was signed by the Ndola club after impressing with Super League side Red Arrows.

"Now you're telling me as we're speaking here that Gavin Hunt signed [for Chippa United], it's actually a joke," Williams told News24.

"If Hunt had signed, I would probably like to expose him and say I wouldn't have thought that he'd take the job because that tells me how high his quality is. Is he desperate, first of all? And I need to say it like that. It's not about friends or what, because coaches like [Jose] Mourinho don't just go to any club, and that is just an example that I am making."

The retired striker believes Hunt has achieved quite a lot and the Chippa United move is a downgrade for him: "He mustn't forget, he won the league four times, so he is a highly recognised coach in this country. I am not saying he is going down," added Williams.

"I wouldn't have thought in his situation that he could be desperate now. After he got sacked at Kaizer Chiefs, I told him what I thought he should do.

"I told him he must stop. He made enough money. Chiefs paid him out the money that they owed him. I told him he must take a trip overseas, go and look at some of these coaches, go to England, go to Scotland and ask them if you can watch their training sessions and learn.

"And then when you come back, you would by now forget about how Chiefs sort of treated you, and you would have learned a lot abroad about football."

Since Chilli Boys joined the Premier Soccer League club in 2012, they have had 19 coaches and Willaims feels Hunt could be sacked almost immediately by the club's owner, Siviwe Mpengesi.

"We all know the history of Chippa United because the chairman believes that he must win that league every year. He has got some bad players, but he also has some good players," concluded Willaims.

"However, he can't compete with the likes of Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs, even Moroka Swallows and SuperSport United; they have got quality players."

Arsenal will be the next club to feature on Amazon's All or Nothing series, with cameras to be allowed behind the scenes at Emirates Stadium during the 2021-22 campaign.

The popular television programme features in-depth looks at the inner workings of top-flight football clubs, including access to the changing rooms pre- and post-match, as well as speaking to senior club figures, players and managers.

Manchester City and Tottenham have been covered in previous series, and now the Gunners will be the focus of upcoming episodes as they try to climb back up from Premier League mid-table mediocrity.

What is All or Nothing?

Amazon's All or Nothing is a fly-on-the-wall style documentary series about the inner workings of various top-level football clubs.

Previous teams to have been featured include Arsenal's north London rivals Tottenham, Premier League champions Manchester City, and European giants Juventus and Bayern Munich.

The series concept started in 2015 with coverage of NFL teams in the United States, but expanded into European football as Amazon increased its coverage, including rights to show live Premier League matches on Amazon Prime.

What has been said?

“We are looking forward to giving our fans around the world a unique insight into how we work day to day. We have one of the biggest global followings in the game and one consistent thing we hear from fans is their desire to see more about what happens behind closed doors at the club,” said Mark Gonnella, Arsenal media and communications director.

“All or Nothing will give our fans and sport lovers an opportunity to learn more about what makes Arsenal such a special club, our trophy-laden history and our ambitions for future success.”

Dan Grabiner, head of UK originals at Amazon Studios, said: “Arsenal is a historic club going through a fascinating period, and we can’t wait to take viewers behind the scenes on the journey of this crucial season.

“All or Nothing is about intimate access to the passion and commitment behind elite sport, and in Arsenal we have the perfect subject for the next chapter. We are looking forward to Prime members around the world experiencing another Premier League season with a new club, through All or Nothing’s signature quality storytelling and access.”

The series will be available on Prime Video in 2022.

What will fans see?

Amazon confirmed the programme will have access to all areas at Emirates Stadium and Arsenal's training ground, and will follow the squad away from the pitch as well in order to examine how they cope in their daily lives.

Next season promises to be an unusual one for Arsenal, as 2021-22 is the first in 25 years when they will not play in European competition, having finished eighth in the Premier League last campaign.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be charged with leading the club back towards the top of the English game - and now he will do it with the cameras always watching.

Further Reading