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Orlando Pirates have responded to reports linking them with Mamelodi Sundowns senior coach Steve Komphela.

The Soweto giants have been credited with an interest in Komphela with Pirates' current head coach Josef Zinnbauer's future with the club reportedly uncertain after the team failed to clinch Caf Champions League qualification in the recent 2020/21 season.

Bucs finished third in the PSL and have been inconsistent in the competition. Fans have called for Zinnbauer's dismissal and there have been reports indicating that the four-time PSL champions are seriously considering parting ways with the German tactician. 

The Daily Sun reported how Pirates administrative officer Floyd Mbele has refuted the Komphela speculation and he insisted that Zinnbauer remains the club's head coach. 

“We have a coach. I don’t know where those rumours come from," Mbele told the same publication. 

"We have never brought another coach while another one is there and say he must take over.”

The two coaches (Komphela and Ncikazi) have a good relationship having worked together at KwaZulu-Natal clubs Arrows and Maritzburg United with Ncikazi serving as Komphela's assistant.

Ncikazi took over as Arrows' new head coach when Komphela left the club for Sundowns in October last year and the 52-year-old mentor steered Abafana Bes'thende to their highest finish in the PSL as they finished fourth in the league.

The former AmaZulu FC defender's achievement at Arrows has since earned him a big move to Pirates as the Soweto giants beefed up their technical team ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

Komphela won his first major trophy as coach at Sundowns, who clinched the 2020/21 PSL title, but he was working under the club's co-head coaches Manqoba Mngqithi and Rhulani Mokwena

The 53-year-old tactician failed to win a trophy during his three-year stint with Kaizer Chiefs as the club's head coach despite leading the Soweto giants to the MTN8 and Telkom Knockout finals in 2015.

He coached the South Africa U20 and U23 national teams, before serving as Bafana Bafana's interim coach in 2012.

Former Gor Mahia and Sofapaka striker Ronald Okoth has faulted current and former Kenyan footballers for their lack of unity, while also trying to rally support.

Okoth stated the soccer stars in the country are so divided that it is hard to come together and offer a helping hand to any one of them in case of an issue that requires pulling of resources. The former KCB striker, who recently retired from active football, made the comment as ex-AFC Leopards striker Ezekiel Otuoma's family asked for financial help after he developed Motor Neurone Disease.

"It is about time our current and former local and international players stand united and support one another," Okoth wrote on his Facebook page.

"When there’s a need, especially for my generation - I never like talking about this topic because I know how fruitless it can be reaching out to my fellow players - to come through just to support or endorse a project I’m doing.
 
"But, once again, that's understandable, but given how dire some situations are, particularly in terms of health and well-being, both physically and mentally, there's no better time to band together in support of one another, regardless of level or class, than now.
 
"With the passage of time, one of our own, Otuoma, is in desperate need of our assistance; I can't even imagine what he is going through; the least we can do as current and former players are to offer him our financial, physical, and spiritual support."
 
"I hope this post will reach out to every player locally and internationally. Brothers, let us come together. The act of supporting or recognising people just because of their class has to end. One of our own has a problem and he needs us now more than ever."

Otuoma, who needs a speech therapist and physiotherapist's help - is under medication that costs approximately Ksh50,000 a month, Goal understands. The medicines, which cost Ksh854 every day, need to be taken for three months.

The forward, who also played for Premier League side Western Stima, left AFC Leopards in 2018 alongside Collins Okoth, Gabriel Andika, Joseph Kuria, Eric Bekoe and Henry Uche.

Ligue 2 side Caen have loaned striker Kevin Mbala to Championnat National side, FC Bastia-Borgo.

The former France U17 star of Congolese background was handed his first professional contract by the Vikings on Thursday afternoon, nonetheless, he has been loaned to the Third Division outfit.

There, the 20-year-old is expected to garner ‘maximum experience’ under manager Albert Cartier at Stade Paul-Antoniotti until the end of the 2021-22 season.

“[He] arrived at the training centre four years ago from US Creteil. Kevin Mbala signed this Thursday his first professional contract until 2022 with Stade Malherbe Caen,” a statement from the club read.

“The 20-year-old striker, who made his professional debut last season, has made four appearances in Ligue Two, including two starts just a few months ago.

“French international in the youth team, Kevin Mbala is the second player trained at the club to sign his first professional contract this summer after Sullivan Pean.

“In order to gain the maximum experience and playing time next season, the Villeneuve-Saint-Georges native will join FC Bastia-Borgo for a one-season loan in National 1.”

Thanks to impressive showings for Caen B team, he was promoted to the club’s senior team – making his bow in the 1-1 draw with USL Dunkerque on April 20, 2021.

After that, he went ahead to make three more appearances for Stephane Moulin’s men who narrowly missed the division demotion thanks to a 17th place finish in the French second-tier.

"Kevin is a leader, he showed at the end of the season that we could count on him. This loan to Bastia-Borgo is excellent news for him, it will allow him to grow and progress even more,” according to former Caen star Yohan Eudeline.

On the international scene, he has represented France at the U17 level with his only appearance coming in the 4-0 international friendly defeat to Iran on September 28, 2017.

Even at that, he is eligible to represent DR Congo at senior level.

The full-back takes over the mantle from Robinson Kamura who has recently been relegated from the first team to the bench. Since Patrick Aussems was appointed head coach, Kamura has been benched in most cases as Kipyegon leads the team in both domestic and Premier League assignments.

"AFC Leopards SC head coach [Patrick] Aussems on Thursday announced that [Isaac] Kipyegon has been appointed the club captain with immediate effect," AFC Leopards announced. "Aussems also announced that Kipyegon will be deputised by [Elvis] Rupia and Benjamin [Ochan].

"The trio will lead the team as Ingwe intensifies its title hunt in the remaining Premier League matches and the FKF Cup. Aussems and the technical bench wish the new player leadership team all the best in their new roles."

Kipyegon has been an important player for the league heavyweights and his penalty ensured they saw off Tusker in the Shield Cup quarter-final game to advance to the semis. In the semis against Equity FC, Kipyegon, the club's first-choice spot-kick taker, scored before AFC Leopards won 6-5 on post-match penalties. 

Kipyegon, who was signed from Zoo FC, is expected to lead the club in their chase for the Premier League title, something his predecessors have failed to achieve since the club last lifted the trophy 22 years ago. AFC Leopards are going to tackle Gor Mahia in the Shield Cup final, hoping to become champions again after doing so in 2018.

It is not clear whether AFC Leopards are planning to do away with Kamura - who was signed from Mathare United - before the next season begins. No player has been linked with Ingwe so far but they are expected to do vigorous business when the transfer window is opened. Since they are still in the title race and are in contention for the Shield Cup, there is a possibility Ingwe will be part of the Caf participants next season, therefore, there is a need to bolster the squad.

After Gor Mahia replaced Kenneth Muguna with Harun Shakava, who had returned from Zambian Super League side Nkana FC, AFC Leopards become the second club to make leadership changes within the squad.

Manchester United have confirmed that U.S. women's national team stars Christen Press and Tobin Heath have departed the club.

The duo signed one-year deals with the Red Devils last summer and will now leave after the 2020-21 season concluded last month.

Both players made a positive impact during their time at the club, though Heath's season was cut short due to an injury she suffered in January.

What was said?

"Manchester United can confirm the departures of Christen Press and Tobin Heath," read a club statement.

"The World Cup-winning U.S. duo signed one-year deals in the summer of 2020, and helped the club achieve a fourth-placed finish in the 2020-21 Women's Super League.

"Press played 17 games, scoring four goals, while Heath leaves having made 11 appearances. She also hit the net on four occasions.

"Everyone at the club would like to thank them and wish them the best of luck."

What's next for Press and Heath?

Both players were named to the USWNT Olympic roster on Wednesday, though Heath has still yet to play since January.

The USWNT will aim to win gold in Japan when the tournament kicks off next month, with the final set for August 6.

Following the Olympics, Press and Heath appear set to return to the NWSL, where both of their rights are currently held by Racing Louisville. 

It is currently unclear if the pair will report to Louisville after the Olympics or seek out opportunities elsewhere.

Further reading

Kaizer Chiefs defender Yagan Sasman has put to rest concerns he could miss Saturday’s Caf Champions League semi-final second leg showdown against Wydad Casablanca due to injury.

The left-back was a surprise starter in the away leg last week after a Premier Soccer League season in which he struggled for game time and only earned three league appearances.

It was his fourth Champions League game this season when Chiefs edged Wydad 1-0 at Stade Mohamed V Stadium last Saturday. 

His playing time was, however, cut short with a hamstring strain before he was replaced by Philani Zulu in the 61st minute. 

But Sasman has recovered and is ready to face the Moroccans whom he says “know what to expect”. 

“I hadn’t played in a while but I gave a good 60 minutes. I pulled out with a hamstring but nothing major, I’ll be ready for the next match,” Sasman told Chiefs media. 

“I’m feeling good, fresh and fantastic while ready for the match. Preparations are going on very well, we are all prepared and we know what to expect from Wydad and we will go out with confidence.” 

Chiefs go into Saturday’s match needing to protect their slim advantage as they are close to reaching the Champions League final for the first time ever in their history. 

Sasman speaks highly of their away victory and says the mood is high in their camp ahead of the crunch tie. 

“It was a lovely experience for us, we got an away goal and we are one step into the final,” said Sasman. 

“We have one more game to go and a good result will be perfect for us again. It was a hard-fought battle but we won with one goal.  

“The mood is really good and all the players are working hard together and preparing well for the match.” 

Apart from Sasman being declared fit, Chiefs welcome back Lebogang Manayama who did not make the trip to Morocco last week, while Ramahlwe Mphahlele was spotted participating in full training this week. 

Khama Billiat and Dumisani Zuma remain out injured.

South Africa national u23 coach David Notoane has revealed that they are delaying getting into camp after four players tested positive for the coronavirus.

After returning from Egypt last week where they lost 3-0 to the hosts in an international friendly match, Notoane’s side was expected to regroup on Wednesday ahead of another training camp in Saudi Arabia.

But they are yet to converge after four unnamed players contracted Covid-19 ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games which runs from July 21 to August 6. 

“It’s really sad and difficult after all the hard work we have had in terms of our trip to Saudi Arabia which was scheduled for this weekend. From Saudi we would have traveled straight to Tokyo,” Notoane told Marawa Sport Worldwide on Metro FM and Radio 2000. 

“That’s the reality, this third wave is really something, especially that we are in Gauteng and directly facing it. It’s showing its face into our preparations. At this stage, we have four players [who have tested positive for Covid-19] and results are still trickling in so you can never really be sure at this stage. 

“It is difficult and we are looking forward to come in because we are behind the programme which we had set out to implement.”  

Notoane stated they expect to start training by Friday. 

“We naturally had options in terms of should this one not be here, then we look into this one,” said Notoane. 

“In our last discussion with management we were trying to see if we can move camp out of Gauteng and see if we can move to another province, perhaps Mpumalanga or Limpopo where the third wave is not showing its face yet. But it’s really a challenging situation. So we are waiting for the outcome of what management decides.  

“This thing of sharing rooms creates this kind of problem. We had the same experience in Egypt where on matchday one of the players who was sharing, tested positive while the other one tested negative and it raised concerns around the issue of players sharing.” 

South Africa will begin camp without Kaizer Chiefs players who are busy with Caf Champions League duties.

Midfielders Happy Mashiane, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and defender Reeve Frosler were invited for the final camp while Njabulo Blom and Siyabonga Ngezana were dropped. 

Arsenal have sent Konstantinos Mavropanos back out on loan to Stuttgart for the duration of the 2021-22 campaign.

Mavropanos has made a swift return to Mercedes-Benz Arena after impressing in his first loan spell with the German club last term.

The 23-year-old will join up with his Stuttgart team-mates again ahead of pre-season as they bid to improve on their ninth-place Bundesliga finish in 2020-21.

What's been said?

"Dinos Mavropanos has re-signed for Stuttgart on loan for the 2021-22 season," a statement on Arsenal's website reads. "We wish Dinos all the best with Stuttgart again next season. 

"The loan deal is subject to the completion of regulatory processes."

Mavropanos, meanwhile, expressed his delight after heading back to Stuttgart and said he can't wait to play in front of full stadiums again with coronavirus restrictions in Germany set to ease in time for the new campaign.

“It was a great wish of mine to continue my career at VfB. This has come true. Many thanks to the VfB family for the trust they have placed in me," he told the club's official media channel.

"Special thanks go to Sven Mislintat and Pellegrino Matarazzo, both fantastic people who support me on my way with great professionalism. 

"I want to use my full potential to best meet our team's goals. For the future, I hope that we all stay healthy and that our fans can support each other in the stadium again. 

"That is something that I miss a lot and I can hardly wait to experience the special atmosphere in the Mercedes-Benz Arena again."

Stuttgart's reaction

Stuttgart sporting director, Mislintat, who occupied the same role at Arsenal between 2017 and 2019, added on Mavropanos's return: "We have always emphasized that we would like to tie Dinos to VfB for a longer period if the opportunity presents itself. 

"Dinos had expressed the clear wish early on to stay with VfB and we were now able to find a sensible solution with Arsenal. Dinos is well on the way to becoming an absolute top central defender and we are very happy to have him at VfB."

Mavropanos' records at Arsenal & Stuttgart

Arsenal signed Mavropanos from Greek outfit PAS Giannina in 2018, but he has since struggled to break into the first team at Emirates Stadium, making just eight senior appearances.

Mikel Arteta ultimately decided Stuttgart was the best place for the centre-half to continue his development, and he featured in 21 games across all competitions in his first year in Germany.

Mavropanos looks set to make the move to Mercedes-Benz Arena permanent next summer, with Stuttgart reportedly under obligation to buy him outright for £3 million, unless they are relegated from the Bundesliga.

Further reading

New York Red Bulls midfielder Caden Clark has officially signed with RB Leipzig but will remain on loan in MLS for the rest of the season.

Clark, who spoke to Goal in April about his path towards Europe, has long been expected to trade New York for Leipzig, with that path seen as one of the reasons behind his decision to sign with the MLS club.

But the 18-year-old midfielder, who originally joined the club at age 16, will have the chance to finish off an MLS season that he has started in fine form.

What was said?

“I am extremely grateful for the opportunities that the New York Red Bulls have given me,” said Clark. “Being able to not only develop but play significant minutes at USL and MLS here has truly helped me grow professionally. I will continue to do what I can to help this team win its first MLS Cup.”

Added the Red Bulls' head of sport Kevin Thelwell: “Everyone at the club is very excited for Caden to take the next step in his professional journey. From the time Caden joined us, I think we all recognized that if he continued to work hard and take advantage of his opportunities, Caden had the potential to move to Europe.

"We’re delighted to have played a role and helped him make the jump to a top-five league like the Bundesliga.”

Who is Clark?

The talented teenage midfielder has emerged as a star at MLS after making his debut for the Red Bulls towards the tail end of last season.

After breaking through with the club's reserves in the USL, Clark made the leap to the senior team last October, with the Red Bulls required to pay a fee to Minnesota United for his MLS rights.

He went on to score in his first game, becoming the fifth-youngest player in MLS history to find the net on his debut, before adding a second goal in the very next game and yet another in the Red Bulls' playoff loss to the Columbus Crew.

Clark has continued on this season with four goals and two assists in eight starts as he now looks ahead to a Bundesliga move in the winter, where he will join up with fellow Americans in midfielder Tyler Adams and manager Jesse Marsch.

Further reading

Fans will be allowed to return to stadiums for the start of the 2021-22 La Liga season, Spanish health minister Carolina Darias has confirmed.

Supporters were unable to attend La Liga matches for the majority of last season due to social distancing restrictions designed to contain the spread of coronavirus.

However, stadium doors were opened to 5,000 people for the final two rounds of matches, and it has now been revealed that higher capacity crowds will return for the upcoming campaign.

What's been said?

The health minister confirmed that the Government of Spain has agreed to suppress the article that prohibited public access to professional football and basketball sporting events across the country. 

"We abolished article 15.2 of the regulation of the new normal that has to do with the influx of public from the ACB Professional Football and Basketball League," Darias said at a public appearance on Thursday.

"We delete this article and can return let's say to normality in terms of fans being allowed into stadiums. It will have to be, as it was before, the regional authorities who determine the capacity.

"I am sure that it will be a very positive reception from the whole world of sport and the country."

Will La Liga stadiums be full next term?

It is unlikely that Spanish top-flight venues will reach their maximum capacities next season, but La Liga president Javier Tebas did recently state that he expects them to be at least 70 per cent full when the competition kicks off in August.

Spain played in front of 12,000 fans in their Euro 2020 group stage matches at La Cartuja stadium in Seville, which was in line with the 30 per cent crowd limit that has been in place since the final weeks of the last La Liga campaign.

Who won La Liga in 2020-21?

Atletico Madrid coped best in the absence of fans in 2020-21 as they clinched their first La Liga crown in seven years, pipping arch-rivals Real Madrid to the finishing post on the final day.

Barcelona ended up in third place while Sevilla earned the final Champions League spot, but seventh-placed Villarreal also gained entry to the competition by winning the Europa League.

Further reading 

Lorenzo Insigne, who played under Gennaro Gattuso at Napoli, says "a bit of mess" at Tottenham was responsible for his former boss snubbing a move to England.

Spurs remain in the market for a long-term successor to Jose Mourinho, who they sacked in April, and had been hoping to appoint the fiery Italian tactician.

However, Gattuso is among those to have walked away from talks with the Premier League outfit, who are also having to contend with exit speculation this summer surrounding Harry Kane.

What has been said?

Italy international Insigne has told reporters while on Euro 2020 duty when quizzed on why his close friend Gattuso remains out of work after meeting with Spurs: "We’ve texted each other, he told me there was a bit of mess, but now I am focused on the Euros, while he’s on holiday so I am not going to ask him such questions."

Insigne's future

While his former manager waits on the next move in his career, Insigne is seeing a switch of his own speculated.

The forward is said to be registering on Barcelona's radar as he prepares to enter the final 12 months of his contract in Naples.

The 30-year-old said: "I have no regrets, I’ve fulfilled my dreams to play for Napoli and be the captain of the team. I am more than happy. Now I am focused on the Euros and then I’ll talk to the club."

Any other business?

Chasing down continental glory with his country is the top priority for Insigne at present, with Italy making impressive progress through the group stage of Euro 2020 to book a last-16 date with Austria.

Manuel Locatelli and Ciro Immobile have been starring for the Azzurri, with Chelsea midfielder Jorginho another to be earning plenty of plaudits.

Insigne says former Napoli colleague Jorginho should be in contention for the Ballon d'Or. He said: "We have quality players. You talked about Jorginho and it’s correct.

"He had spent some fantastic years at Chelsea and I am proud to have him in our team.

"I’m not the one deciding if he deserves the Ballon d’Or, but I hope he’ll be shortlisted, he deserves so, he is a great player. I call him the professor and we are all happy to play with him."

Further reading

Indian Super League (ISL) outfit ATK Mohun Bagan rope in Finland national team midfielder Joni Kauko on a two-year deal.

Kauko was recently seen with the Finland team at the Euro 2020 where the midfielder appeared as a substitute against Denmark, Russia and Belgium in the group stages of the Euro 2020

The Kolkata club, on Thursday, announced the arrival of the midfielder on their social media pages which read, "ATK Mohun Bagan is delighted to announce the signing of current Finnish midfielder Joni Kauko who joins the #Mariners on a two-year deal!"

Kauko also made his association with the club official on his social media platform:

Who is Joni Kauko?

The 30-year-old midfielder began his professional career at Finnish top division club Inter Turku before moving to German second division side FSV Frankfurt. He later moved to the Denmark Superliga where he played for Randers FC and Esbjerg.

Esbjerg were relegated from the Superliga at the end of the 2019-20 season and Kauko plied his trade in the Danish second division last season where he made 26 appearances.

With Inter Turku and later Esbjerg in 2019, the Finnish player has played four editions of the Europa League and has eight European appearances in his kitty.

A central midfielder, Kauko made his international debut for Finland in 2012 against Trinidad and Tobago in an international friendly match. He has so far played 37 international matches for Finland.

How has ATK Mohun Bagan performed in the transfer market so far?

It has been a busy transfer market for ATK Mohun Bagan this summer. After roping in Liston Colaco from Hyderabad FC for a record transfer fee, Ashutosh Mehta from NorthEast United FC, Bidyananda Singh and Amrinder Singh from Mumbai City and Phalguni Singh from TRAU FC have joined the club.

They have parted ways with Spanish midfielder Javier Hernandez and three Indian players, Jayesh Rane, Komal Thatal and Regin Michael.

The Mariners are set to begin their AFC Cup campaign, where they are placed in Group D, on June 30th where they are set to face the winners of the playoff match between ISL rivals Bengaluru FC and Maldives' Eagles FC.

Jordan Henderson has given the details of an intimate concert by singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran at England's training base at St Geroge's Park.

Gareth Southgate's squad were given their only day off after England's 1-0 win over Czech Republic, which saw them top the group to earn a clash with Germany in the last 16.

Sheeran, who is involved in football through the sponsorship of his boyhood club Ipswich Town, performed at a socially distanced barbeque on Wednesday night.

What Henderson said about the concert?

"I have to say he was a top, top man," Henderson said. "He was a fantastic guy. Straight away he was very warm and as a performer, everyone knows how good he is.

"It was great to have him outside playing a few songs and speaking to him. It was a really good night. To have him around for a few hours was nice."

What else do the players get up to in their spare time?

They have access to a golf course at the JCB Golf and Country Club in Uttoxeter, which is close to the Midlands training facility.

On the actual St George's Park grounds are basketball hoops, table tennis, darts boards, gaming stations and a pitch-and-putt area to play mini-golf.

Furthermore, the group have taken up playing the card game Uno together, while the players' bedrooms have been personally designed to give them a homely feel.

What about Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell?

They have been training alone after their interactions with Billy Gilmour, who caught Covid, around the time of England's 0-0 draw with Scotland.

Public Health England have advised that the duo self-isolates for 10 days and trains alone away from the group despite their negative tests.

The Football Association (FA) are trying to find a solution to allow the Chelsea pair to be available to face Germany, with Southgate unlikely to pick them if they miss the final sessions ahead of the match. As one of the leaders with the Three Lions, Henderson has been keeping tabs on the duo.

"I haven’t seen them but spoken to them over texts," he added. "It’s obviously going to be difficult for them this week, a bit boring. But I’m sure the medical team are trying to do things where they can still train within the restrictions.

"We’re not allowed to see them, which is tough. But hopefully, as the week goes on they can come back into team training at some point because they’re two big players for us."

Further reading

Arsenal are edging closer to the signing of Ben White from Brighton.

The clubs have been in regular dialogue since the Gunners had an initial offer of around £40 million ($56m) rejected for the 23-year-old defender.

And while a deal has still yet to be struck, Goal can confirm that negotiations are progressing well and both sides are now close to reaching an agreement.

How much will Arsenal pay?

Brighton are demanding around £50m ($70m) for White, who is currently away with England at Euro 2020.

Having had a first offer of £40m rejected by the Seagulls, Arsenal have indicated that they would be willing to submit an improved bid for the centre-back that they feel would meet Brighton’s demands.

But what has yet to be agreed is the structure of the deal that would see White move to Emirates Stadium ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

Talks are now continuing over the exact make-up of the transfer, with Arsenal looking to pay an initial fee that is lower than Brighton’s £50m asking price, but with some significant potential add-ons included.

And while sources at Arsenal are keen to point out there is still work to be done, there is now growing optimism that an agreement will be reached.

Seaman’s view

Speaking to Goal about the prospect of Arsenal signing White, Gunners legend David Seaman has given his backing to the potential signing.

“He’s got everything [needed] to go and take hold of it and give it his best shot.

“He’s got the physique, he’s got the temperament. At Leeds it’s a high-press, high-tempo game, so his fitness is also not in doubt.

“The only question mark you can put on him is can he play in the big games? But we’ll just have to wait and see, because he’s not played in them yet.

“Hopefully he will go on and play for England and when he does that, hopefully he will carry on [with his development].

“Would he be a good signing for Arsenal? Of course he would because he’s a good player.”

Further reading

Orlando Pirates captain Happy Jele is yet to extend his contract with the Soweto giants with six days left on the current deal. 

The experienced defender is coming off his 15th season with the Buccaneers which saw him lead the team to the 2020 MTN8 title - ending the club's six-year trophy drought in the process.

Jele's one-year deal which he signed last year is set to expire at the end of June 30 and he has already made it clear that he would like to extend his stay at the Houghton-based giants.

However, Pirates' management seems relaxed about the 34-year-old's contract situation having allowed him to enter the final month of his deal.

Jele's agent, Jazzman Mahlakgane has revealed that they are in contractual negotiations with the Buccaneers. 

"We are talking to the club. I will have an update after a week or two," Mahlakgane told Goal.

Nicknamed Magents, Jele struggled with injuries in the recent 2020/21 campaign, but he managed to feature in 22 matches across all competitions including 15 in the PSL.

Despite his age, Buccaneers played much better with Magents on the pitch as he brought some needed experience, leadership, and defensive solidity to the team.

Jele, who has achieved legendary status at Bucs, surpassed Williams Okpara’s record for the most starts in a Pirates jersey (376) during his team’s 0-0 draw against Tshakuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) on June 5.

Having joined the Soweto giants from lower division side Walter Stars in July 2006, the Middleburg-born player is the longest-serving player in the current Pirates squad. 

The former Bafana Bafana international is also the only surviving member of the history-making double treble-winning Bucs side which dominated South African football between 2010 and 2012.

Magents, who started his career as a right-back before being converted into a central defender, helped the Buccaneers reach the 2013 Caf Champions League and 2015 Caf Confederation Cup finals.

Furthermore, Jele was part of the Pirates side which won the 2014 Nedbank Cup after defeating Bidvest Wits 3-1 in an enthralling final at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

He has won eight major trophies with Bucs including two PSL titles. 

UEFA has confirmed the away goals rule will be abolished from European competitions, with the change being put into place in time for the 2021-22 season.

The away goals rule has been used for over half a century but will no longer be used to decide knockout matches in UEFA club competitions, including the Champions League and Europa League.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin explained the rule now "runs counter to its original purpose" and stated his belief that it dissuades teams from playing attacking football.

Why has the rule been scrapped?

The away goals rule has been in place since the 1965-66 season, when it was used in the Cup Winners' Cup.

Many have been advocating for its removal from UEFA club competitions, with former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone having been against it.

Their argument was that the rule was restrictive to those playing at home, especially in the first leg of knockout ties, and that scoring goals away from home almost counted for double.

An official UEFA statement confirming the news that the away goals rule would no longer be used actively highlights the fact there has been a reduction in home wins, and goals, in UEFA club competitions.

The statement read: "Statistics from the mid-1970s until now show a clear trend of continuous reduction in the gap between the number of home/away wins (from 61%/19% to 47%/30%) and the average number of goals per match scored at home/away (from 2.02/0.95 to 1.58/1.15) in men’s competitions."

UEFA president Ceferin, meanwhile, expressed his opinion that attacking football has been discouraged due to the away goals rule. 

He said: "The impact of the rule now runs counter to its original purpose as, in fact,  it now dissuades home teams - especially in first legs - from attacking, because they fear conceding a goal that would give their opponents a crucial advantage.

"There is also criticism of the unfairness, especially in extra time, of obliging the home team to score twice when the away team has scored. It is fair to say that home advantage is nowadays no longer as significant as it once was.

"Taking into consideration the consistency across Europe in terms of styles of play, and many different factors which have led to a decline in home advantage, the UEFA Executive Committee has taken the correct decision in adopting the view that it is no longer appropriate for an away goal to carry more weight than one scored at home."

What will happen now if the scores are level?

UEFA has announced that, as is common in many elite level football competitions across the world, if the scores are still level over a two-legged knockout tie there will be two 15-minute periods of extra time.

Should the teams score the same number of goals, or if no further goals are scored, during extra time, a penalty shootout will take place to determine which team will go through to the next round.

The away goals rule has led to some memorable moments in knockout ties, particularly in the Champions League, over the years.

Tottenham's 3-2 win over Ajax in Amsterdam saw them advance to the final of the competition in 2018-19 via away goals, having also beaten Manchester City by the same method in the quarter-final.

When will the rule change come into effect?

The scrapping of the away goals rule will come into play immediately and be in place for the start of the 2021-22 campaign.

Qualification for the 2021-22 Champions League has already begun, with two preliminary round first-leg matches having already taken place.

Kosovan club Prishtina face Andorran side Inter Escaldes in the second leg of their preliminary tie, and seemingly the away goals rule will now not be applied to that return leg, due to take place on June 25, with Prishtina currently 2-0 ahead on aggregate.

A UEFA statement read: "Following the recommendation of the UEFA Club Competitions Committee and the UEFA Women’s Football Committee, the UEFA Executive Committee has today approved a proposal to remove the so-called away goals rule from all UEFA club competitions (men, women and youth) as of the qualifying phases of the 2021-22 competitions."

What competitions will be affected?

UEFA has stated that all UEFA club competitions, including men's, women's and youth tournaments, will adopt the rule change.

That means the Champions League, Europa League, Women's Champions League, UEFA Youth League, UEFA Super Cup and the newly-formed Europa Conference League will all be affected.

It is unclear at this stage if the rule change will be applied to international competitions.

For example, World Cup qualification ties have used the away goals rule, while it has also been applied in the AFC Champions League, the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana.

Further reading

Kaizer Chiefs communications manager Vina Maphosa has confirmed that Stuart Baxter will remain in the stands when the Soweto giants face Wydad Casablanca on Saturday.

The Glamour Boys are set to play host to the Moroccan outfit in this season's Caf Champions League semi-final first-leg match at the iconic FNB Stadium. 

Chiefs assistant coaches Arthur Zwane and Dillon Sheppard masterminded a 1-0 win over Wydad in the first-leg encounter which took place in Casablanca last weekend.

Baxter, who replaced Gavin Hunt as the Chiefs new head coach earlier this month, watched from the stands at Stade Mohamed V as he was still awaiting his South African work permit.

Maphosa stated that Zwane and Sheppard will continue to take charge of the team on the field as Amakhosi look to reach the Champions League final for the first time.

“There is no change‚” Maphosa told Sowetan as he confirmed that Baxter’s work permit has still not been granted.

“They [Zwane and Sheppard] have their method – I’m sure that is known by them only.

“But the fact is that whatever and however they are dealing with it‚ it got us a lead from the first leg and hopefully the same will happen in the second leg."

Baxter remains the last coach to win a major trophy with Chiefs when he steered the Soweto giants to the PSL title in the 2014/15 season.

Maphosa indicated that Zwane, who is also the club's reserve team head coach, will be in charge of the team on matchday. 

“So, we are happy. We are happy with how Arthur is leading the whole thing on the pitch and gelling well with the players," he added.

“It’s working. His instructions look like they are reaching the players.”

Samir Nurkovic scored the only of the match against Wydad as Chiefs secured their first-ever win in North Africa in the Champions League.

The winner on aggregate between Chiefs and Wydad on will take on either Egyptian football powerhouse Al Ahly or Tunisian champions Esperance de Tunis in the final.

Al Ahly, who are under the guidance of former Mamelodi Sundowns head coach, will carry a 1-0 lead into the second-leg clash against Esperance in Cairo on Saturday.

Euro 2020 is into the knockout stages and it has lived up to its promise as an exceptional tournament.

There were no automatic qualifying berths for this tournament due to a variety of different countries set to host matches, meaning every side had to get there in the usual ways of winning the group or a play-off.

So, who are the contenders for the crown? Goal takes a look at the odds.

Who are the favourites to win Euro 2020?

World champions France are 4/1 with bet365 to win Euro 2020. A win would mark the second time they have held both the World Cup and the European Championship simultaneously, having also done so in 2000.

Les Bleus have won the European Championship twice in their history and were runners-up in 2016, and a successful tournament here would move them level with Germany and Spain on three championships.

Didier Deschamps' men topped the so-called 'Group of Death' with victory over Germany and then draws against Hungary and Portugal, and will play Switzerland in the last-16.

Italy are available at  6/1 to bounce back from their own failure to reach the last World Cup by claiming their second European Championship title.

The Azzurri have defied critics at Euro 2020 so far by winning all three of their group games to nil and are heavy favourites to reach the quarter-finals ahead of their last-16 clash with Austria.

England are 13/2  with bet365  to win the European Championship for the first time ever after finishing fourth at the World Cup in 2018.

Gareth Southgate guided the Three Lions to their joint-best finish and will now have his sights set on winning Euro 2020, with three clean sheets and seven points in Group D putting them in good stead for the knockout stages.

The final is being held at Wembley, which would certainly be a storybook ending to the tournament for a side that have previously never reached the showpiece.

bet365 offer 7/1 on Germany casting aside the ignominy of a group stage exit at the World Cup by winning Euro 2020.

Despite going into that tournament as champions, Joachim Low’s men lost twice and also came bottom of their Nations League group after failing to win any of their four games, although finishing second in Group F at Euro 2020 will have rekindled hope.

Who are the Euro 2020 underdogs?

Spain are available at  15/2 to become the most successful team at the European Championship by winning their fourth title.

As well as winning it in 1964, La Roja won the competition in 2008 and 2012, becoming the first side to retain the title in the process, and made up for a poor start to Euro 2020 start by thrashing Slovakia 5-0 in their final group game to set up a last-16 affair with Croatia.

Belgium are at 8/1 to win Euro 2020 and claim their first major trophy in history, having previously lost the final in 1980 and finished third at the 2018 World Cup.

The Red Devils are certainly one of the most talented squads in the world, boasting the likes of Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, and their golden generation faces a huge test against Portugal in the knockout stages.

Netherlands failed to qualify for the last two major tournaments but are  9/1  to win Euro 2020 after seemingly turning around their fortunes.

The Oranje reached this competition by taking 19 points from a possible 24 and were offered little resistance in Group C, scoring eight times and conceding only twice to enter the last-16 as group winners.

Holders and Nations League champions Portugal are  8/1  to repeat their success of 2016, which would see them become the second side to win consecutive championships after Spain achieved the feat in 2012.

Cristiano Ronaldo has unsusprisingly been the linchpin of their attack, netting five times in the group stage to set up a last-16 match against Belgium.

Who are the Euro 2020 outsiders?

bet365 price Denmark at  18/1 , with Sweden  quoted at 50/1   and  Croatia  available at 66/1 .

The trio of Czech Republic, Wales and Ukraine can all each be found at 80/1 , whilst it is 100/1  that Switzerland go all the way and 150/1 about Austria stunning the world to win Euro 2020.

Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.

Toni Kroos admits to being stunned by Sergio Ramos' departure from Real Madrid, with the German midfielder claiming it was "inconceivable" to think the World Cup winner would not end his career at Santiago Bernabeu.

The 35-year-old centre-half will not be hanging up his boots in the Spanish capital, with no extension agreed to his expiring contract.

He is now preparing for a new challenge after 16 seasons with the Blancos, and Kroos admits life with the talismanic captain is going to take some getting used to.

What has been said?

Kroos told his Einfach mal Luppen podcast: "I do not know Real Madrid without Ramos. It was inconceivable that he was not going to finish his career at Madrid. I expected him to stay.

"He is not only a first-rate player, but also the best captain I have ever seen because he always fought for the team on and off the field.

"If you ask 100 rival forwards which defender they least liked playing against, Ramos' name will be mentioned quite often. It was good to have him on our team."

What does the future hold?

Ramos, who made 659 appearances for Real, is being linked with teams around the world.

He will not be calling time on a distinguished career just yet, but Kroos is convinced that Ramos' path will one day lead him back to familiar surroundings.

He added: "I am sure we will see him at Real Madrid again, whatever his role. It would also be negligent not to have someone like that at the club and keep him. He can still contribute a lot in the future."

Ramos has won the World Cup and two European Championships with Spain, while landing five Liga titles and four Champions League crowns with Real.

Further reading

The launch of the next FIFA game - FIFA 22 - is on the horizon and eager gamers certainly have the popular EA Sports title on their wishlist.

The coronavirus pandemic delayed the launch of last year's edition, but as of yet, there are no delays expected for the release of the next version of the football game.

Goal takes a look at things such as the next FIFA release date, how much it costs to buy, the consoles it is playable on, player ratings and more. 

Contents

When is FIFA 22 released?

FIFA 22 is expected to be released in September or October 2021, with every FIFA edition since FIFA Football 2003 released either in the last week of September or the first week of October.

For most of the past few years, FIFA has been released in late September, but this was pushed back to early October for FIFA 21 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

There are no major delays expected this year, so FIFA 22 could return to its usual spot on the release calendar and launch on consoles on Monday, September 20 or September 27.

It is expect that FIFA 22's new features and release date will be confirmed at EA Play Live on July 22.

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What is the price of FIFA 22?

Last year, the standard edition of FIFA 21 cost £59.99 in the UK and $59.99 in the US. It is expected that prices should remain around the same for FIFA 22.

As well as the standard edition, EA Sports usually releases special versions of the game which have additional content such as extra packs, kits, items and players for FIFA Ultimate Team and Volta.

The special versions are more expensive than the standard edition and are available in both physical copy and download version.

FIFA 21 Champions Edition cost £79.99 in the UK and $79.99 in the US.

FIFA 21 Ultimate Edition was priced at £89.99 and $99.99 on the Xbox and Playstation official stores.

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Which consoles will FIFA 22 be out on?

FIFA 22 is expected to be released on next gen consoles PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, as well as Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

EA Sports had a Dual Entitlement offer for FIFA 21 which allowed users to upgrade their PS4 copy to PS5 or Xbox One copy to Xbox Series X/S at no additional cost. This offer may return for FIFA 22 as many gamers may buy the game before getting a new console as a present during the 2021 holiday period.

The Nintendo Switch version of FIFA in recent years has been a squad update rather than a new game and it is possible that this 'Legacy Edition' version may be the case again for FIFA 22.

Google Stadia, which was launched in 2019, did not have FIFA 20, but FIFA 21 was available to play on the new platform. This should continue for FIFA 22.

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When can I pre-order FIFA 22?

Once the release date for FIFA 22 is announced, eager gamers should be able to pre-order the new game.

Pre-ordering usually has additional benefits, such as lower prices as well as extra game content, like free players and loan players in Ultimate Team, as well as additional FUT packs and Volta content.

The Champions Edition and Ultimate Edition will likely be available for pre-order on all consoles.

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What new features will FIFA 22 have?

Next Gen 

The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of FIFA 21 offered responsive haptic feedback, faster load times, an improved lighting system to make the game look more realistic, spatialised audio for a more immersive stadium experience and off-ball humanisation where players look and feel more like their real-life counterparts.

These changes should return for FIFA 22, with other game improvements set to be announced at EA Play Live on July 22.

Career Mode improvements

Career Mode is one of the main parts of the game which gamers want to see updated.

FIFA 21 added the 'Quick Sim' option where you could jump in and out of matches, while the Active Training System made player development much more dynamic.

Improved AI and transfer options also made the game more lifelike, but there are still demands for further improvements in FIFA 22.

Gameplay

Each year, EA Sports adds new gameplay improvements on top of the graphic changes.

Agile Dribbling, Positioning Personality and Creative Runs were added last year, on top of previous improvements in defending, passing and dribbling.

These will probably be built on for FIFA 22 with other gameplay changes added.

New Icons

There were over 100 icons in the last edition of FIFA and more should be added to FIFA 22.

A good indicator of which icons that will be added is the list of legendary players from FIFA Online.

The following players have recently been added to FIFA Online 4 and therefore could be added to FIFA 22:

Ultimate Team

The last few months of FIFA 21 Ultimate Team saw the addition of preview packs which allowed gamers to see the contents of packs before buying them on the store.

This is thought to take away the gambling aspect of Ultimate Team and make Store purchases more like downloadable in-game purchases than a game of chance, and thus avoid gambling legislation in certain countries.

As a result, there is a good chance these preview packs will be kept as a gameplay element in FIFA 22 Ultimate Team.

Volta

FIFA's street football mode Volta has had continual updates such as players, clothing and items during the year and these will continue in FIFA 22.

New players, stadiums, locations and merchandise will be added for FIFA 22 as well as a new story mode.

Will VAR be in FIFA 21?

The introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) is the biggest change to football in the modern era, with contentious decisions and moments now up for review.

Despite first being rolled out in 2017, VAR was not feature of FIFA 21, and this is likely to continue with FIFA 22.

Official leagues & clubs

Since FIFA 20 Juventus are known as Piemonte Calcio, and EA Sports has lost more licenses to Pro Evolution Soccer in recent years.

PES recently acquired the license to Serie A side Atalanta, meaning EA Sports will not be able to use their proper name for the next three years, starting with FIFA 22.

Napoli and Roma have also signed exclusive deals with PES, which will surely disappoint fans of these Italian clubs.

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Who is on the cover of FIFA 22?

Kylian Mbappe was the global cover star of FIFA 21 and could return again for FIFA 22.

The France and Paris Saint-Germain forward said it was "a dream come true" to feature on the cover of the game.

In previous years, Eden Hazard, Virgil van Dijk, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Kevin De Bruyne and Paulo Dybala have also appeared on the game cover.

Konami's deal with Juventus means Ronaldo will not return to the cover of FIFA for the foreseeable future.

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Who are the FIFA 22 top rated players?

Lionel Messi is likely to be the highest-rated player in FIFA 22 again as he is currently the only 93-rated player in the live database.

Two players currently have a 92 rating: Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski.

Jan Oblak, Kevin De Bruyne and Neymar are all rated 91 overall, while Kylian Mbappe has the highest potential of any player in the game at the moment with a current rating of 90 and a potential rating of 95.

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