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What better way to enjoy the Africa Cup of Nations draw live from Yaounde than with the Goal Africa Watchalong, as the team give their feedback in real time as the six groups are revealed.

We’re going live on Facebook, on YouTube, and on site during the event in Cameroon, as the continent’s top sides learn their fate for next season’s biennial showpiece.

Fans from across the continent will be waiting to hear their team’s fate with bated breath, and you can be sure that Tuesday’s draw will throw up some blockbuster group-stage matches at the 2022 tournament.

Last time around—at the 2019 event in Egypt—supporters were treated to some tantalising First Round matches, with eventual finalists Algeria and Senegal colliding in a memorable group stage encounter.

Ghana and Cameroon were also pitted together last time around, in a repeat of the 2017 semi-final, while Group D in 2019 was a thriller, with Morocco, South Africa and Ivory Coast all thrown together in the first round.

Morocco and Ivory Coast could also meet this time around, with the Atlas Lions being named among the Pot One seeds, and the Elephants dropping into Pot Two after falling short of their own high standards in recent years.

None of the teams in Pot One will be keen to be drawn against the West African heavyweights, who can call upon the likes of Franck Kessie, Wilfried Zaha, Amad Diallo, Serge Aurier, Sebastien Haller and Eric Bailly in a truly star-studded line-up.

The other teams in Pot Two who teams will be particularly desperate to avoid are Egypt—surely keen to bounce back after a disappointing return last time around—and Ghana, who will be desperate to prove a point as they look to rebuild under Charles Akonnor.

Chances are that the eventual winners will come from Pot One, with all six of the teams in this group former winners and once again gunning for the gold.

While Senegal, Nigeria and reigning champions Algeria are among the favourites for the title, Morocco, Tunisia and hosts Cameroon look to be the softer touches in Pot One, even if the last of these three will have home advantage.

Join the Goal team on our Africa Cup of Nations draw Watchalong as we give our reactions to one of African football’s biggest nights of the year.

Wolves are pursuing a deal for Valencia star Goncalo Guedes, Goal can confirm.

The English club is set to submit an offer of between €25-30 million (£21-26m/$29-35m) for the Portuguese winger, who has emerged as an irreplaceable player for Valencia in recent years.

Valencia do not want to lose Guedes but need to find a way to balance the books, and owner Peter Lim's relationship with agent Jorge Mendes could help facilitate a move to Wolves ahead of the upcoming transfer deadline.

Guedes' time at Valencia

Mendes was responsible for bringing Guedes to Valencia back in 2017, initially on loan from PSG before a deal was finalised for €40m (£34m/$47m) the next summer, making him the most expensive signing in club history.

He's scored 23 goals in 137 appearances for Valencia, while also playing his way onto Portugal's 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020 squads.

As a Portuguese international, Guedes has long been a target for Wolves management, with the club currently having nine of the winger's compatriots currently in the first-team squad while being managed by former Benfica boss Bruno Lage.

The club has added Yerson Mosquera, Rayan Ait-Nori, Jose Sa and Bedenguz Bolla via transfers this summer while also signing Barcelona's Francisco Trincao on loan.

Further reading

Tuesday is Africa Cup of Nations draw day, as the continent’s top sides will learn their group-stage opponents for next year’s Afcon tournament in Cameroon.

The Afcon draw will be held in Yaounde at 18h GMT (19h Lagos time, 20h South Africa time, 21h Nairobi time), where representatives from the Confederation of African Football will draw the groups for the biennial showpiece.

The Afcon was originally due to be held this year—two years after the 2019 event in Egypt—but was pushed back until early 2022 in light of the corinavirus pandemic.

It will now take place in Cameroon in January and February next year, and you can follow the live event here—or join the Goal team in our Live: Africa Cup of Nations draw watchalong.

In Tuesday’s draw, the 24 qualifiers for the tournament will be drawn into six groups of four teams; the groups will be named A to F.

The first two teams in each group, and two of the best third-placed teams, will advance to the Round of 16.

Ahead of the draw, the 24 qualifiers have been placed in four pots of six teams each, with the pots numbered one to four. The pots have been decided based on the August 2021 Fifa world rankings.

Pot One contains the tournament seeds, with holders Algeria, 2019 finalists Senegal and heavyweights Nigeria among the teams who will fancy their chances of going the distance at the continental high table.

Also completing Pot One are Tunisia, hosts Cameroon and Morocco, and they’ll be watching warily when Pot Two is drawn.

Among the teams in Pot Two that the would-be giants are hoping to avoid will be Egypt, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, all of whom are previous winners who have fallen short of their typical high standards in recent years.

Caf’s official website states that the draw will be held at the Yaounde Conference Centre. It’s set to be a glitzy and memorable occasion, with some of African football’s greatest legends set to be in attendance.

Samuel Eto’o, Didier Drogba, Rabah Madjer, Asamaoh Gyan and Gaelle Enganamouit are some of the stars set to be present in Cameroon, although expect one or two surprises to show up as well!

FKF Premier League giants Gor Mahia have blamed their current financial woes on Football Kenya Federation.

According to club official Omondi Aduda, the outgoing champions are not able to pay their players because the federation under Nick Mwendwa imposed a fine on the club after they and AFC Leopards did not play the Mashemeji Derby.

What did Aduda say?

“We are suffering financially because of the federation and it is a shame a body that is supposed to help clubs and players, they are now fighting us and doing the opposite of what they are supposed to do,” Aduda told Goal on Tuesday.

“We don’t have money to pay our players because they have refused to give us grants, what they gave us was half amount and they took half of it [so as to clear the fine they imposed on us], it is really unfortunate that we have found ourselves in this situation.

“A number of players are not happy with the situation at the club and they have asked to leave if we cannot pay them, and we can only pay them if FKF gives us what belongs to us, they [FKF] are now hiding behind the fine and leaving players and clubs suffering.”

A month ago, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards were both handed a combined fine of Ksh10 million – Gor (Ksh4 million) and AFC (Ksh6 million) – for skipping the Mashemeji derby as they demanded their grants from the federation.

Apart from the club, FKF also moved to suspend Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards chairmen Ambrose Rachier and Dan Shikanda indefinitely saying they had put the game of football into disrepute.

“Why should a federation which is supposed to assist clubs financially move to fine the same clubs? Aduda asked.

“So if the federation decides to fine the clubs, where will the same clubs run to for protection?

“We cannot continue like this, and to be honest our camp is in shambles, we cannot continue to beg the federation for what belongs to us, they should honour their part and stop intimidating clubs, we know they have their own plans, [maybe to finish Gor and AFC], but it will not happen.”

Already two players – Tito Okello and Clifton Miheso – have threatened to walk out of the team if they don’t receive their accrued salary at the end of the season on August 22.

Further FKF Premier League reading 

Jadon Sancho started a match for the first time in a Manchester United shirt as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side beat Burnley in a friendly played behind closed doors at Old Trafford on Tuesday. 

Sancho came off the bench as Man Utd beat Leeds 5-1 in their opening Premier League game of the season, having only been involved in a handful of pre-season sessions beforehand, but was deemed fit enough to start the friendly on Tuesday afternoon.

United beat Burnley 3-1 in a fixture which was held to give their players a chance to gain game time ahead of what is set to be a busy season. 

Was Varane involved? 

Sancho started but fellow summer signing Raphael Varane was not involved. The Frenchman was officially unveiled on the Old Trafford pitch minutes before kick off against Leeds and joined his team-mates at training for the first time on Monday. 

Dean Henderson, who has been absent after contracting Covid-19, did not feature either after only getting the all-clear to return to training on Monday. 

The starting XI was: Tom Heaton; Diogo Dalot, Eric Bailly, Harry Maguire, Brandon Williams; Nemanja Matic, Donny van de Beek, Juan Mata, Jadon Sancho, Jesse Lingard; Anthony Martial. 

The substitutes were: Matej Kovar, Victor Lindelof, Phil Jones, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw, Fred, Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes, James Garner, Daniel James, Mason Greenwood, Hannibal Mejbri. 

It is understood Lindelof and Fred came on at half-time while the other players were introduced after 60 minutes.

Who scored in the game? 

Aaron Lennon gave Sean Dyche’s side the lead after 10 minutes but it lasted less than five minutes as Martial got a touch to take Maguire’s header past Wayne Hennessey. 

United took the lead shortly after as Martial set up Lingard for United’s second. The England international is back in training after missing the Everton friendly and Leeds game having tested positive for Covid-19. Lingard has been bright in pre-season and added to his tally with a first-time finish with 20 minutes on the clock.

Fred got United’s third after coming off the bench at half-time. 

What next for United? 

The friendly was another chance for those players who returned late to pre-season due to international commitments to get some minutes in the bag. United beat Leeds 5-1 on the opening day and next up they face Southampton away at St Mary’s. 

Further reading 

Veteran midfielder Tiyani Mabunda has confirmed his departure from Mamelodi Sundowns and hinted at returning to Chloorkop as a coach. 

Mabunda leaves Sundowns after winning five Premier Soccer League titles with them but could not be credited for a sixth one after failing to make a single appearance in last season’s league triumph.

He also helped the Brazilians to the 2016 Caf Champions League, Caf Super Cup, a Nedbank Cup and a Telkom Knockout trophy. 

As he leaves Masandawana, Mabunda gave a hint of him coming back to coach the club.

“It’s a very emotional time for me, it always will be. Even in my heart, there is a special place for this field [Chloorkop],” Mabunda told Sundowns’ media.

“Everything that I could ever think of doing or wanted to achieve was started and initiated on this field. So it’s something that will always be close to my heart. It’s no longer about me being on the field play but being a part of this wonderful family.

“I hope it’s not the last time I walk on this field, but it’s actually the last time I walk on it as a footballer. It’s been a wonderful journey and an exciting one. It’s not easy to be in this position but it was really worth it to be in this changing room.”

Mabunda was signed by Sundowns from Black Leopards in 2013 but initially struggled for game time.

That saw him being sent on loan to Free State Stars for the 2014/15 season before returning to become one of the key midfielders at Masandawana.

But the departure of ex-Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane saw him failing to feature in any match across all competitions last season. 

“My story is one the most unique stories ever to be told in this country. When I came to this club, nobody actually really knew about me. I have been through any kind of up and down that you could ever think of a player who came to Mamelodi Sundowns,” said Mabunda.

“If you think about the bad times, you look at my story, if you think about the bad times, you look at my story. It is a really special journey that I have had with the club, through thick and thin. 

"The club has always been in support of me and my career and I always had to give my all regardless of whether I am on the field of play or not. I have always been the number one supporter of the club.
  
“I feel that the time has come for me to move on to another stage of my life and another assignment that God will give me. It really is not easy to say goodbye, especially to a club that has given me so much… but every good thing does have an ending.”

It is not yet clear if he will continue playing this season although he was linked with a move to Swallows FC last season. 

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When people think of football books, they often think of big hard-backed autobiographies topping the best-sellers list. And whilst there’s nothing wrong with a good old tell-all, the authors of the following books have scouted the world in search of interesting stories. They’ve studied legendary teams, iconic players, and years worth of tactics to ensure top footballing moments are immortalised in history.

Here are 30 of the best football books to broaden your horizons, improve your knowledge, and rekindle your love of The Beautiful Game.

Side Note: If you prefer to listen to your books than read them, Audible is offering a free 30-day trial for new customers, giving you access to a free audiobook copy of most titles in this list.

Jonathan Wilson’s instant classic Inverting the Pyramid came at a perfect time for self-reflection, as a nation questioned how an England side boasting Wayne Rooney, Gary Neville, and John Terry had failed to qualify for the Euro 2008 tournament. The answer is concisely and expertly explained as Wilson takes us through a history of formations beyond 4-4-2.

Get it from Amazon for £8.19

Pete Davies’ book is a passionate account from behind the scenes at Italia ‘90 where he was granted nine months access to the team led by legend Bobby Robson. The tournament was punctuated by a nail-biting penalty shootout that would haunt England for many years to come.  

Get it from Amazon for £10.55

This autobiography, rightly described as explosive, is a journey through Zlatan’s life including his childhood immigration to Sweden, how he met his wife Helena and inside information on one of football’s greatest rivalries. The striker’s autobiography is a warm and entertaining masterclass in self-belief and a must-read for any football fan.

If first-hand tales are your thing, here are 24 of the best football autobiographies.

Get it from Amazon for £8.19 

Winning four World Cups and four gold Olympic medals, the women’s national soccer team is arguably one of America’s finest exports. Leading football journalist Caitlin Murray’s book shows how the team has broken records, brought in piles of money, and earned acres of respect for an underappreciated side of our sport.

Get it from Amazon for £9.54

Italy boasts some of the most violent football fans in the world and this investigative book delves deep into the right-wing subculture that is often compared to British hooliganism. Tobias Jones gets up close and personal with ultras from some of Italy’s biggest teams in an intense testament that won Football Book of the Year.

Get it from Amazon for £7.99

In 2005, Red Bull took a gamble and bought their small and struggling local football team in Salzburg. Not long after the club’s colours were changed, their history altered and since then they've placed either first or second in the league. Karan Tejwani’s book takes a balanced, in-depth look at how Red Bull has controversially started an empire that’s changing the very fabric of football. 

Get it from Amazon for £10.72

When all of Europe went Denmark crazy this summer, it wasn’t the first time. Denmark is a footballing nation that people take kindly to, and for some, their love affair goes back decades. A book aimed at football romantics, Danish Dynamite tells the story of Mexico 1986, which was the first World Cup Denmark ever qualified for.

Get it from Amazon for £10.99

Author Christopher Hylland spent six years in countries like Argentina and Colombia and became enchanted with not only the way of life, but the way of playing football and how the two are so intrinsically linked in that part of the world. The book reads as a multi-cultural love letter to the fanatic richness of South American football.

Get it from Amazon for £12.35 

Pat Nevin never wanted to be a professional footballer, however, it turned out his talent was too great to pass up on. An interesting character on and off the field, Pat Nevin writes articulately in a book that marries a love of football with music. Fans can read about his nights out to the Hacienda, and how he turned down a contract at Chelsea to go travel around Europe. 

Get it from Amazon for £13.99 

The Barcelona Legacy explores the idea that much of modern football came from the mind of Johan Cruyff. There are many books on this subject including an account from Cruyff’s own perspective, but Jonathan Wilson manages to gather the evidence in a crisp footballing book that captures the microcosm of Cruyffism. 

Get it from Amazon for £7.89

Paul Ferris’ autobiography has been showered with awards and praised by many for transcending genres. The Boy on the Shed takes the reader further than most, beginning with The Troubles and following the life of a man once lauded as “the new George Best” only to be faltered by injury and made to find other ways to be involved in football.

Get it from Amazon for £8.91

The yellow wall, which stands as the largest terrace in the world, is an epic sight comparable to the Kop. So how did a club like Dortmund go from almost collapsing in the early 2000s to being one of the most iconic teams in Germany, let alone Europe? Uli Hesse’s book is an ode to the unique supporters of Westphalia’s greatest asset.

Get it from Amazon for £9.99

This autobiography is exactly what you’d expect from everybody’s favourite surly pundit. Picking up from where his first autobiography left off, it’s chock-full of even more outrageous anecdotes and inflammatory stories about people he’s worked with, taking us through the end of his playing career to a no-holds-barred account of the beginning of his managerial life.

Get it from Amazon for £8.19

Part autobiography, part witticism, Kevin Day has used his experience as a broadcaster and comedian to collate a lifetime’s worth of funny stories and facts about football with contributions from famous fans like Eddie Izzard, Gabby Logan, and Romesh Ranganathan. It’s self-deprecating humour at its best. 

Get it from Amazon for £10.99

The former Olympian Marti Perarnau shadowed Guardiola for a year during and after his career-changing sabbatical in New York. The result is a look behind the curtains of the tactics obsessed Pep Guardiola which brings to light the meticulous hard work the genius manager puts in. 

Get it from Amazon for £12.15 

St Pauli’s fans are true punk rockers in attitude and music taste. This book shows us the Hamburg way of life and what it’s like to be a St Pauli fan. Their mantra is that everyone is welcome in football, they are pro-refugee, anti-fascism, anti-sexism, anti-racism, anti-homophobia, anti-capitalism, and if you don’t like it, well, that’s your problem.

Get it from Amazon for £11.95

Ronald Reng tells the heartbreaking story of his lifelong friend Robert Enke, a top German goalkeeper who took his own life in 2009. Enke played for clubs such as Barcelona and Benfica, he had a beautiful wife and children whom he loved dearly, but underneath it all, he suffered from debilitating depression. An eye-opening must-read. 

Get it from Amazon for £9.34

Writer, academic, and migrant to Turkey, John McManus tries to dispel the stereotypes of violent football fan culture in Turkey. Providing a warm and witty commentary on Turkish football, McManus’ journey takes him from top training facilities in the capital Istanbul to smaller clubs on the Syrian border.

Get it from Amazon for £8.19

Get it from Amazon for £9.58

Fans may have seen the critically acclaimed 2009 adaptation with Michael Sheen playing Brian Clough, but here is where it all originated. This book Fictionalises the happenings of Brian Clough’s stint as Leeds United manager with plenty of flashbacks to his time at Derby Country and his ongoing rivalry with adversary Don Revie.

Get it from Amazon for £6.29

This book follows Serie A team, Hellas Verona, around Italy for a season of passionate football. Visiting every home ground of the top Italian teams, Tim Parks takes the good with the bad and doesn’t allow his rose-tinted glasses to colour his account of a country he loves.

Get it from Amazon for £8.99

Simon Kuper travelled to 22 countries to write this book, including South Africa, Russia, and the USA. In doing so, he created a book that explores the symbiotic relationship between football and politics – an example being the legendary Pele visiting Nigeria during the Biafran war causing a 48-hour ceasefire so he could play.

Get it from Amazon for £7.33 

James Montague was able to gain insider access by going undercover to write about some of the most dangerous football gangs out there. The book explores how the polarising anti-establishment political wings can be found as far-left or far-right throughout the ultra movement.

Get it from Amazon for £8.99

This book examines the Dutch mentality and culture and how it’s all related to their football brilliance. It begins with the sentence: “If this is a book about Dutch football at some stage you’ll wonder why it contains pages and pages about art and architecture, cows and canals, anarchists, church painters, rabbis and airports.”

Get it from Amazon for £9.84

Fever Pitch is an intensely personal recounting of Nick Hornby’s childhood and all the highs and lows of being a football fan. As a master of storytelling, Nick Hornby perfectly captures the unique desperation of being a football fan as a child. Fever Pitch is an autobiography like no other.

Get it from Amazon for £6.99

Das Reboot tells the story of how German national football reinvented itself after failing to recreate the successes of their 1996 team. The book takes the reader on a thrilling journey around the world to discover what makes the Germans play like the Germans.

Get it from Amazon for £8.67 

Get it from Amazon for £9.40

From his time playing in a Doncaster reserves team to winning it all with Liverpool, the spunky fan-favourite tells his story in an autobiography that spans a massive 50-year career. Any football fan will certainly find something to inspire and entertain them.

Get it from Amazon for £4.00

Football in Sun and Shadow is one of the more high-brow selections for fans of poetry and lyrical writing this is a beautifully written piece of football literature, broken into little “chapterettes” which provide anecdotes from different World Cups dating back to 1930 and many more interesting facets of The Beautiful Game.

Get it from Amazon for £7.21 

Zonal Marking is a thoroughly researched, opinionated book with a diverse range of examples that never feel preachy. Michael Cox takes the reader on a journey through Europe’s greatest football clubs to extract the best parts of each team and country and see what they have contributed to continental football as a whole.

Get it from Amazon for £8.99 

Barcelona are piecing together a €200 million (£170m/$235m) cost-cutting exercise at Camp Nou, Goal has learned, with the Liga giants still hoping to part with big earners such as Philippe Coutinho, Samuel Umtiti and Miralem Pjanic.

Joan Laporta has been divulging more information on the state of the club's finances, with debts in excess of €1 billion (£849m/$1.18bn) posted at the start of the year.

Those struggles have already resulted in Lionel Messi walking away from Catalunya , with no new contract put in place with a six-time Ballon d'Or winner, and further efforts are being made to help stabilise the club.

What is the plan at Barcelona?

Barca's board of directors have drawn up plans that will help to shave €200m off an eye-watering wage packet, with football director Mateu Alemany charged with the task of getting that ball rolling.

Months of hard work behind the scenes have already been put in by Laporta and Co since they returned to the club and inherited the mess left behind by predecessor Josep Maria Bartomeu.

Central to this new process is the delicate matter of balancing the books by negotiating salary reductions.

Laporta believes that proposal can be applied to the entire workforce at Camp Nou and has said of a testing time for all concerned: "Our salaries represent 103 per cent of the club’s total income. That’s 20-25 per cent more than our competitors.

"The first thing we had to do when we arrived was to ask for a loan of €80m because otherwise, we could not pay the salaries. The previous regime was full of lies."

He went on to say, with the hope being that bonus agreements can either be delayed or annulled: "The idea is to restructure everything, with the entire squad. 

"In 19-20 they already had a reduction due to Covid-19. Now they have been asked for a second effort and the first reaction was a surprise."

Who has agreed to the pay cuts?

Messi was prepared to reduce his salary before it became clear that an agreement to keep him on Barca's books would be impossible.

Since he departed for Paris Saint-Germain, Gerard Pique has led by example in the dressing room and agreed to cut his wage packet - allowing summer signings Eric Garcia and Memphis Depay to be registered.

Laporta and Alemany hope that gesture will have a "knock-on effect", with other prominent members of the squad treading a similar path.

Pique has suggested that will be the case, with fellow 'captains' Sergio Busquets, Sergi Roberto and Jordi Alba expected to do their bit for the good of a collective cause by agreeing to delay or waive various bonuses and contract clauses.

Will sales be sanctioned?

The easiest way to free up funds and space would be to get players out of the door.

The rescue plan will still rely on costs being cut elsewhere, but offloading those on the fringes of the first-team fold will help to speed the entire process up.

Three players continue to top Barca's 'for sale' chart, with the hope being that suitors can be found for Coutinho , Umtiti and Pjanic.

That trio were all handed lucrative deals by Barca's previous leadership regime and are proving tricky to shift.

The summer window will, however, remain open until August 31 and it could be a late flurry of activity allows the Blaugrana to dump some deadweight and leave everyone feeling a little more positive about the long-term outlook.

Further reading

Juventus have reached an agreement to sign Manuel Locatelli from Sassuolo for €35 million (£30m/$41m), Goal can confirm.

Juve have been chasing Locatelli's for many months, having seen him enjoy a stellar 2020-21 campaign at Sassuolo to help the club secure an eighth-place finish in Serie A.

Arsenal have also been strongly linked with the 23-year-old, but Goal understands his preferred next destination has always been the Allianz Stadium, and the Bianconeri have now finally managed to strike a deal with Sassuolo.

What are the terms of the deal?

Juve will pay €5m to bring in Locatelli on an initial loan deal, and Sassuolo will receive the remaining €30m (£26m/$35m) when his move is made permanent in the summer of 2022.

The Italy international is set to commit his future to the Old Lady for the next five years, with an official announcement expected later on Tuesday.

Locatelli is set to fly to Turin before undertaking a medical at Juve's training ground, bringing to an end his three year stay at Sassuolo.

More to follow

TS Galaxy coach Owen Da Gama is happy to start the new PSL campaign against Kaizer Chiefs on Sunday.

Amakhosi are aiming at a positive outcome after getting eliminated from the MTN8 Cup last weekend, and while the Galaxy tactician is expecting a difficult encounter, he went on to express confidence that anything can happen in that particular encounter.

Why is Da Gama happy to start with Chiefs?

"We expect a very tough game; Chiefs got a new coach [Stuart Baxter]. He has changed the team and he has brought in some very good signings that they made," the tactician said as quoted by Sowetan.

"But at the end of the day, it is 11 against 11. Anything can happen. I’m very happy starting with a big club. I have always said it and I have always been lucky, even with Highlands Park [and] before that with other teams.

"[I'm happy] to start with Chiefs, Orlando Pirates or Mamelodi Sundowns because when you start early in the season with big teams, it helps you to gauge where you are and they pull you to their level."

What is the tactician expecting this season?

This will be the second campaign for the club in the PSL and the tactician acknowledged that his opponents are more experienced at this level.

The 59-year-old also believes it will be tougher for his charges this season since teams know how they play now, having established themselves in the top flight.

"This is TS Galaxy's second season, so yes, I think it is brilliant that we play against a big team because it helps us to go to a high level," Da Gama continued.

"They beat us 1-0 in the last game of last season and we played very well on the day. But this is a different team and ours is also different, so we hope we can put it together and start on good footing.

"The second season is much harder than the first. In the first season, you are a closed book and in the second one people start seeing who you are and what you are about, and where the strength lies... but we are confident that we will work hard.

"The most important thing is to build a solid foundation so that this team can be sustainable to stay in the league."

Sunday's match kicks off at 15:00 at Mbombela Stadium.

The PSL has confirmed Bloemfontein Celtic will be renamed Royal AM ahead of the new 2021-22 season.

PSL chairman Irvin Khoza confirmed on Tuesday they had officially approved the sale of the club in accordance with article 14 of the National Soccer League handbook.

What did Khoza say?

“There is a matter of transactions. It is a matter that has its own history, it almost took the executive three days of deliberation,” Khoza explained to reporters as quoted by idiskitimes.

“The main point is the transition must be seamless because there are a lot of stakeholders affected by this transition.

“There is a very important issue that we discussed, the future financial stability [of the club]. The future financial stability is a matter that faces us every day in football.

“We want to protect the history of a club, but the issue of sustainability is a problem. Regardless of our discomfort when we deal with transitions sometimes, we must make sure we are doing the right thing.

What PSL considered before the decision

“We must consider two things, the issue of the insolvency of the club, the risk of insolvency. If somebody says ‘I cannot afford.’ What do you do?”

Khoza continued: “As a league, we have an obligation that the league must start with 16 teams, we’ve got commitments with sponsors, tv, etc. We don’t have too many in our football with deep pockets.

“That’s why it almost took us three days to discuss this matter.

“It is very important that the players and other employees must be protected. In a case of insolvency, people lose jobs.”

When was Bloemfontein Celtic formed?

Celtic, who enjoys a large fan base in the Free State, was founded by Norman Mathobisa and Victor Mahatane in 1969 and they administered the club until the early 1980s when financial challenges forced them to sell the club to Petrus "Whitehead" Molemela.

In November 2001, after the relegation of Phunya Sele Sele, Molemela sold his shares in the club to Demetri "Jimmy" Augousti, a former Celtic player.

After only three years out of the top-flight, the club regained its PSL status with an impressive season in 2003-04 when they were crowned First Division champion and they also managed to win the 2005 SAA Supa 8 and the 2007 Telkom Charity Cup.

Further PSL reading 

Liverpool could be a possible landing spot for Erling Haaland in the summer of 2022, claims Borussia Dortmund legend Michael Rummenigge, with the Norwegian striker expected to favour a switch to England over one to Spain.

Speculation regarding the future intentions of a prolific 21-year-old continues to rage, with remarkable exploits in Germany bringing the hottest of prospects to the attention of leading sides across Europe.

Barcelona and Real Madrid are forever in the market for such talent, but are both experiencing financial difficulties at present, while Premier League heavyweights such as Manchester rivals United and City are also looking for long-term options in a No.9 role.

What has been said?

Rummenigge expects Haaland to be on the move after taking in one more season at Dortmund, with a man that spent five years with BVB in his playing days telling Sport1 of a superstar performer in the present: "We’ll have to wait and see where he goes after this season.

"Real and Barca have financial problems so I could imagine him moving to England. His father used to play there too. I could well imagine Liverpool for Haaland."

Why is Haaland in such high demand?

Haaland only burst onto the scene with Red Bull Salzburg in 2019-20, with his efforts in that season's Champions League suggesting that he was destined for bigger and better things.

Since then, a man being tipped to reach the very top of a global game has hit 62 goals through just 61 appearances for Dortmund.

Few can claim to be as productive, particularly at the highest level, and Rummenigge admits that Haaland has become a generational talent.

He added: "Haaland is an exceptional phenomenon. Players like that only come along every 30 or 40 years.

"I don’t know what his career plans are, but for Dortmund it’s great that he’s still wearing the black and yellow jersey this season.

"He is an absolute goal machine, his opponents fly away to the right and left when he starts running. I’ve never seen anything like him at that age.

"The only drawback with a player of his size is his headers. He doesn’t score enough goals with his head. Otherwise, Haaland is a perfect player."

Further reading

Gor Mahia striker Tito Okello has openly claimed he will not stay at the club next season if they don’t pay him his accrued salary.

The towering South Sudanese forward has confirmed he is owed a lot of money by the outgoing FKF Premier League champions and that he will not see through his contract at the club “if they don’t pay me.”

What did Okello say?

“I’m fed up with the situation I’m in. The club owes me a lot of money and if they don’t pay me, I’m going to Uganda after our last game and won't come back again. They should just give my release letter when the season is done,’’ Okello said as quoted by Nation Sports.

“It is a huge amount of money and I know they can’t pay it all. I’m frustrated in a foreign land. I'm waiting for the league to end so that I can go back home and look for another option.”

The former Vipers SC striker, who has managed nine goals this campaign, is among the players who have openly come out to state they are leaving the former champions.

More players set to leave Gor Mahia

Two days ago, Gor Mahia forward Clifton Miheso turned down an offer to extend his contract with the club and is pushing for a move to Tusker FC.

Miheso had given an ultimatum that he would only pen a new deal with the local giants if his outstanding arrears in salaries and allowances are settled.

A source close to the player told Goal: "He had tabled his demands and Gor Mahia seem reluctant to meet them and that is why he is in initial talks with Tusker.

"Miheso is putting his interests first and that is why he is willing to sign for a club that will do all that is possible to meet the demands."

Gor Mahia have already made one signing so far this transfer window – 31-year-old goalkeeper Adama Keita - who joined from CI Kamsar of Guinea on a two-year contract.

Further FKF Premier League reading 

Paris Saint-Germain have released a clip of Kylian Mbappe assisting Lionel Messi in training to give fans a mouth-watering glimpse of what's to come this season.

Barcelona announced that they could not re-sign Messi at the start of August amid an ongoing financial crisis at Camp Nou, with PSG subsequently swooping in and securing his services on a free transfer.

The Argentine officially signed a two-year deal at Parc des Princes last week, and has already started training with his new team-mates, including Mbappe, who has been strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid in recent months.

Mbappe assists Messi

PSG are hopeful that Mbappe will ignore Real's advances in favour of extending his stay in Paris beyond 2022 following Messi's arrival, and the pair have seemingly already struck up a good relationship on the training pitch.

The French giants have posted a video on their social media channels showing Mbappe setting up his new team-mate to score in a practice drill.

The 22-year-old can be seen performing a step over to get past a defender before playing in Messi, who takes the ball in his stride before finishing calmly past the goalkeeper.

When will Messi make his PSG debut?

Messi has only just started building his fitness back up after returning from his summer holidays, having helped Argentina lift the Copa America in Brazil earlier this summer.

The 34-year-old missed PSG's 4-2 win over Strasbourg at the weekend as a result, but was unveiled to the Parc des Princes crowd before the game and could be in line to feature when they take in a trip to Brest for their next Ligue 1 outing on August 20.

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino has said of when Messi is likely to take his bow: "The idea is to see how he feels so he can make his debut.

"Everyone has seen it, the last few days Leo has had an amazing reception. He is a special boy and we are a staff that listens to the players and we are going to talk to him to find out what he needs and when he will be ready."

Further reading

Harry Kane has returned to full training at Tottenham, Goal can confirm, with the England international taking in his first group session under new Spurs manager Nuno.

The 28-year-old striker continues to find himself at the centre of intense speculation this summer, with endless questions being asked of his future.

Manchester City remain keen on a proven Premier League goalscorer, but he remains tied to the north London club for now.

Why has Kane only just joined the Spurs group?

Kane only linked up with the rest of Nuno's squad on Tuesday as he has been serving a period of self-isolation.

Having jetted away on holiday following England's Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy, the Three Lions captain was forced to quarantine upon his return.

That situation caused confusion for some, with questions initially asked of his absence.

He has, however, been staying at Spurs' training ground hotel, The Lodge, while working on an individual programme.

Kane was put through his paces again on Monday, as the rest of the Tottenham squad enjoyed a day off, and was absored fully into the fold a day later.

Could Kane play for Spurs again?

While City continue to be heavily linked with Kane, no potentially record-setting transfer has been agreed as yet - with a £100 million ($138m)-plus approach being speculated on.

That is keeping one of the finest forwards in world football in the thoughts of Nuno as he pieces together plans at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Portuguese told reporters after seeing his side - without Kane at their disposal - open the 2021-22 campaign with a 1-0 win over defending champions City: "The decision [to leave out Kane] was made on Saturday, the day we prepared for the match. We have to make decisions, it’s our job.

"Harry is [training] with us, he worked on Sunday morning and he’s getting ready to help the team. We don’t expect [something to happen before the transfer deadline but] we have to be ready to act if necessary because until the 31st anything can happen in football."

Kane has been included in Spurs' squad for their Europa Conference League play-off clash with Pacos de Ferreira on Thursday.

He could figure in that fixture and still be eligible to represent any new employer in the group stage of the Champions League.

Further reading

PSL chairman Irvin Khoza has remained non-committal about whether fans will be allowed to attend matches when the Premier Soccer League campaign gets underway on Friday.

Like many countries in Africa and across Europe, South Africa suspended fans from attending league matches after the first outbreak of coronavirus pandemic in March 2020.

However, with most European countries allowing fans back to the stadium, Khoza has maintained a cautious approach to the matter with the new top-flight campaign set to kick off on Friday.

What did Khoza say?

“Talking about people coming back to the stadium is a question of the government,” Khoza told the media as quoted by idiskitimes. “We saw in the EPL, at Euro, but I’m told all of them are vaccinated.

“Even in the situation that we are having now, in the definition of the regulations spectators are not allowed.

“If a person has no proper function in the stadium, it is a risk. A lot of access is being created, as to who can go and who can’t go. Be patient on that one, if the government will allow us to give access without falling foul.”

Khoza has further maintained they will strive to relax some of the restrictions they already have in place in a bid to have fans attend matches.

“Everyone is looking at football. All eyes are always on us, so we must be very careful,” Khoza continued.

“We will try our best, in the submission to relax some of the restrictions we have.”

Defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns will kick off the season with a home game against AmaZulu at Loftus Versfeld on Friday.

On Saturday, Sekhukhune United will take on Chippa United, Orlando Pirates will come up against Stellenbosch, Golden Arrows face Maritzburg United, Maroka Swallows come up against Marumo Gallants and Cape Town City invite SuperSport United.

Further PSL reading 

Andries Jonker, who worked as assistant manager to Louis van Gaal at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, has admitted that doubts were raised regarding Andres Iniesta's suitability to life as a senior star at Camp Nou.

Back in 2002, a Dutch coaching team returned to Catalunya for a second spell in charge of La Liga giants.

They inherited a squad that was starting to see promising La Masia academy graduates break through, with future World Cup winner Iniesta among those to step up into the first-team fold after showcasing undoubted potential.

What has been said?

Iniesta made his senior debut in October 2002, in a Champions League clash with Club Brugge, and would go on to take in 674 appearances for Barca across a trophy-laden 16-year period.

He did, however, have to win over Van Gaal and Co initially, with Jonker telling Goal and SPOX: "I remember exactly when I saw Andres for the first time during pre-season. 

"He was very small and thin, pale, had long hair and walked into the dressing room with a plastic bag. 

"At first I asked myself what this little boy was doing there. Then all the stars stood up and applauded him. I asked what was going on and they said that he had won the European Under-19s with Spain and was voted the best player of the tournament. Now he should train with the first team. 

"I looked at him again and thought it would never work. I said that to Louis too. He was also sceptical, but wanted to give him a chance because everyone thought he was a huge talent.

"After five minutes of passing sessions, Louis and I looked at each other and said: 'He can do this'."

Who else caught Van Gaal's eye?

After one season at Barca and four productive seasons with AZ in the Eredivisie, Van Gaal was acquired by Bayern Munich in 2009.

In Bavaria he inherited another hot prospect in the form of David Alaba, with a versatile Austrian making his first-team bow in the spring of 2010.

"We took him to the winter training camp in Qatar on the recommendation of [former Bayern assistant] Hermann Gerland," Jonker said of a man that brought a 13-year association with Bayern to a close when joining Real Madrid in July.

"In the first training game he hammered the ball from 30 metres into the top corner. Everyone looked at him for a few seconds, then he was accepted. 

"A few weeks later he made his debut in a Champions League game against Fiorentina."

On the similarities between Iniesta and Alaba, Jonker added: "Both were focused, never injured, never sick, never stressed, always ready, always professional and ambitious. 

"Alaba came to me so often and asked: 'Andries, can I do something else? Can we do something else so that I can get even better?'"

Alaba won 27 trophies with Bayern, including 10 Bundesliga titles and two Champions League crowns, while Iniesta - who is still turning out for Japanese side Vissel Kobe at 37 years of age - collected 30 trophies with Barca.

Further reading