Looking for Soccer News?

Goal can confirm that Real Madrid are open to selling Martin Odegaard for €40 million (£34m/$47m) this summer, with Arsenal poised to accelerate transfer talks after Joe Willock's permanent move to Newcastle is confirmed.

Odegaard initially signed for Real from Norwegian outfit Stromsgodset as a 16-year-old back in 2015, but has since been restricted to just 11 first-team appearances for the club amid a flurry of loan spells.

The playmaker's latest temporary move away from Santiago Bernabeu saw him join Arsenal on a six-month deal in January, and he made a big impact at Emirates Stadium, but his long-term future remains very much up in the air ahead of the 2021-22 campaign.

What's the situation?

Odegaard returned to Madrid for the start of pre-season in July, and still has two years remaining on his contract with the Spanish giants, but has not been given any assurances about a regular role in Carlo Ancelotti's set-up.

Goal understands that the Blancos head coach will leave the 22-year-old out of his team's La Liga opener against Alaves on Saturday, with the club now set to welcome any formal bids for the Norway international.

Arsenal are still very interested in signing Odegaard on a permanent basis, and will likely have the funds to meet Real's asking price once Willock is sold to Newcastle.

When will Willock to Newcastle be done?

Willock is expected to sign a six-year deal with Newcastle on Friday, with Arsenal set to receive around £25 million ($34m) for the midfielder.

Arsenal loaned Willock to St James' Park for the second half of the 2020-21 season, and he hit eight goals in 14 games to help the Magpies avoid relegation, but Mikel Arteta has decided that he will not be in his future plans at Emirates Stadium.

Odegaard's record at Arsenal

Odegaard quickly became a key figure in Arteta's line up upon his arrival at the Emirates, and finished his loan spell at the club with 20 appearances to his name.

The Norway international also recorded two goals and two assists, but was powerless to prevent the Gunners from finishing outside of the European qualification places for the first time in 25 years.

Further reading

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looks set to sit out Arsenal’s Premier League opener at Brentford.

The Gunners skipper has been absent from training for the past two days and is not expected to be involved when Mikel Arteta’s side get their 2021-22 campaign underway on Friday night.

Aubameyang featured in all six of Arsenal's pre-season games, but failed to score a single goal for the Gunners.

What’s the latest?

The exact reason for Aubameyang’s potential absence is unclear, although it is believed the forward has been ill this week.

Aubameyang has not been involved in training in the build up to the season opener, which gets underway at 8pm at Brentford Community Stadium.

The 31-year-old struggled to find his best form last season, scoring just 15 goals in 39 appearances.

Who could play in his absence?

The most likely replacement for Aubameyang against Brentford would be Bukayo Saka.

Saka was given his first minutes of pre-season last weekend when he came off the bench during the second half of Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at Spurs.

Providing he is viewed as match fit, the 19-year-old would likely replace Aubameyang on the left side of the front three at Brentford, with Alexandre Lacazette operating as the central striker and Nicolas Pepe playing on the right.

What has Arteta said?

In the build-up to Friday night, Arteta spoke about Aubameyang’s struggles last season and admitted he was unsure whether his captan would return to his goalscoring best during the coming campaign.

“Last season and everything that happened individually, collectively and around the club, it was difficult to measure whether it was a trend or a one off,” the Arsenal boss said when quizzed on Aubameyang.

“Our job is to help the players get the best that they have and we know with him we are stronger because he scores goals and that’s one of the most important things in this game.”

Further reading 

The 2020/21 Premier League season, for all the uncertainty that preceded and dogged it, ended on the most familiar of outcomes.

No one could have envisaged, seeing how they started the campaign, that Manchester City would not only lift the title, but do so with several weeks to spare. It all made for a bit of an anti-climax; a proper title race is surely top of the wishlist for viewers and supporters ahead of the commencement of the new season.

From an African perspective, there were a handful of interesting subplots.

On Merseyside, the Liverpool juggernaut came to a juddering halt and began to sputter, with their blockbuster front three, featuring Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, badly out of sorts.

The Reds saw all of their momentum in the title race drain away in a run of only four wins in 15 matches between Boxing Day and the March international window.

Leicester City’s title challenge gave way to a top four ambition which then gave way to ultimate disappointment at the death.

However, there was a silver lining in the form and efficiency of Kelechi Iheanacho in attack; the Nigeria international was relentless, and carried the Foxes’ hopes for much of the latter half of the season, especially as the rest of the team’s attacking talent struggled for fitness.

In London, Fulham’s band of African talent fought manfully – but futilely – to save them from the drop, and the towering Edouard Mendy stepped in to spectacular effect at Chelsea, in the process becoming the first African goalkeeper in the top-flight since Richard Kingson a decade prior.

With football finally beginning to open itself back up again, and most clubs afforded a full preseason to bed in new signings, there are even more storylines to get invested in this time around.

Patson Daka headlines a list of new additions set to take the Premier League by storm.

Signed from RB Salzburg, the Zambia international is the centre-piece of Leicester’s Jamie Vardy succession plan, and has struck up something of a friendship with prospective striker partner Iheanacho.

While the Englishman remains the undeniable standard-bearer, and the introduction of Daka is intended as a slow burn, the 22-year-old has already provided glimpses of his menace, and is probably ahead of schedule already.

Long-time friend Enock Mwepu and Nigeria international Frank Onyeka have rocked up at Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford respectively – their all-action stylings and excellent technical ability make them intriguing fits for Graham Potter and Thomas Frank, both of whom favour an expansive brand of football, as well as for the Premier League.

Said Benrahma and Nicolas Pepe are by no means new, but it does seem like they are both finally ready to fire after periods of adaptation.

Both were signed at considerable expense for their respective sides, but struggled for consistency and minutes at various points last term. This time around, with the Ivorian ending 2020/21 on a high and the former Brentford man ripping it up in preseason, they will be expected to justify their sizeable transfer valuations.

Many, however, come into the season still with a lot to prove.

Mendy, despite having banished the world’s most expensive goalkeeper to the bench and achieved so much already at Chelsea, probably needs to put together a full season of consistent excellence to confirm his world-class status. It will be interesting to see how he deals with the first truly high-profile mistake in English football.

Naby Keita’s time at Liverpool has been an unequivocal disappointment, beset with injuries and characterized by poor form even when fit. He has managed to come through the season unscathed, and there is a spot for him in the Reds’ midfield where Georginio Wijnaldum used to be, but the feeling is that this is very much the last chance saloon for the former RB Leipzig dynamo.

Alex Iwobi has similarly failed to justify a huge outlay on Merseyside, and will hope that the appointment of Rafa Benitez affords him some consistency, both in terms of position and playing time, to begin to repay the faith of the Everton decision-makers.

For Thomas Partey, the hang-up has been purely fitness-based.

The Arsenal man has, when fit, showed the range and wherewithal to dominate the middle of the park against any opponent, but has spent more time on the fitness table than on the pitch to this point. The fact that he goes into the new season injured is hardly a good portent in that regard, but the Gunners will hope his luck turns – their ambitions, such as they are, could well hinge on that alone.

The theme of injuries on the eve of the season is furthered by Hakim Ziyech.

The Moroccan struggled for impact in his debut season in England, but took advantage of reduced numbers in preseason (due to the Euros) and was looking his sharpest until he injured his arm in the Super Cup against Villarreal on Wednesday. With Chelsea’s embarrassment of attacking riches, the timing was inopportune, and this latest setback may well hinder the former Ajax man from showing the breadth of his creative genius in the Premier League.

Watford’s West African quartet of Oghenekaro Etebo, William Troost-Ekong, Emmanuel Dennis and Ismaila Sarr all have to prove they belong at this level, having excelled previously on smaller stages to varying degrees.

Some, though, are already part of the furniture.

Willy Boly and Roman Saiss are under new management at Wolverhampton Wanderers, but will offer calm heads at the back amidst all the change. The same applies over at Selhurst Park, where Cheikhou Kouyate will provide much needed mentorship for new boy Marc Guehi, Jeffrey Schlupp will once more chug energetically down the left and Jordan Ayew will compete to lead the line for Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace project.

Arthur Masuaku has European football to look forward to with West Ham United; increased demands will test the Congolese wing-back’s infamously brittle knees. Mohamed Elneny may not get the plaudits he deserves, but he provides quiet assurance and steady 7/10 performances at the back of midfield for Arsenal.

For those at the very top of their games however, the kudos keep on coming. It remains something of a mystery that Wilfred Ndidi has not moved to a bigger club, but that perhaps is a marker of Leicester’s growth. Another season of league-busting tackling and duel numbers beckons, no doubt. He will very likely be followed in this regard by Yves Bissouma, the rangy Brighton anchor who also has been linked to a host of clubs this summer, but who looks set to stay with the Seagulls.

Wilfred Zaha has, for the longest time, carried Crystal Palace’s attacking ambitions almost singlehandedly.

This time, he will have help: Ebere Eze and Michael Olise will share the creative burden over the course of the season at least, freeing up more space for Zaha to work his magic in the final third.

The prospect of those three playing off each other (when all are fit) is an exciting one, and may be enough by itself to keep Vieira in work come the end of the season.

Having finally earned Pep Guardiola’s trust last season, Riyad Mahrez looks set to push on this term. The Algerian was a virtual ever-present in the Citizens’ Champions League run, and started more than half of their league matches. The arrival of Jack Grealish no doubt adds a layer of complication, but with Phil Foden out injured and Bernardo Silva out of favour, that right-wing spot is Mahrez’s to lose.

Even in an uncharacteristically underwhelming season for Liverpool, Mohamed Salah still finished just one goal shy of the Golden Boot. There has been no end of speculation linking to him to a move away, but with Spain’s big two largely insolvent, the 29-year-old can focus on what he does best: befuddling opposing goalkeepers. If Jurgen Klopp’s side are to once more approach the summit, it will be on the back of yet another huge season from their Egyptian talisman.

Having seized his opportunity to impress last season, the aim for Iheanacho in 2021/22 is consolidation.

While it is likely that, with Harvey Barnes and James Maddison back fit, Brendan Rodgers will revert to using a back four and a lone centre-forward, the Nigerian is in such a state of grace that he almost guarantees impact at this point. With Vardy in his dotage and Daka still acclimating, there will be plenty of opportunities for “Seniorman” to make his mark still.

In Sadio Mane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, there are two stars on the road to recovery.

Both had campaigns way off their own lofty standards last time out, hitting their lowest Premier League goals totals for three seasons. While it is difficult to envisage similar underperformance this year with the quality they possess, they are both entering critical points in their careers age-wise, and face the prospect of being dropped in favour of younger, fresher options – Diogo Jota in the case of Mane, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli in Aubameyang’s.

Can they stave off the competition and return to their previous heights? Who will be Africa’s brightest star in the Premier League this term? Will the theme be redemption, consolidation or surprise? With the new season a blank canvas, anything and everything is possible for the continent’s representatives.

Virgil van Dijk has signed a new contract which will keep him at Liverpool until 2025.

The Dutchman becomes the latest Reds star to commit his future to the club, having agreed terms on a four-year deal which will make him one of Liverpool's top earners.

Van Dijk, who had less than two years left on his previous deal, follows in the footsteps of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson Becker and Fabinho, all of whom signed long-term extensions earlier in the summer. Goal understands that a new contract for Mohamed Salah is Liverpool's next priority, with Anfield sources confident the Egyptian will agree a lucrative renewal of his own.

What has been said?

Van Dijk told the Liverpool club website: "It is something to be very proud of, that I am very proud of, that my wife and my kids are very proud of and obviously my agency. All the hard work we’ve put in so far continues and I am looking forward to what the future brings together with Liverpool. I’m delighted, very happy and proud.”

“Since day one when I joined the club, I felt so much appreciation from the fans and from my teammates and the staff, that I could be a very important member of this football club.

“It has been going well; unfortunately last season for me personally has been a season to forget, to learn from and take with me, but I have enjoyed my time here and will keep enjoying it in the next couple of years altogether with all of you.”

Van Dijk at Liverpool

The Dutch defender joined the Reds from Southampton in January 2018 for a club-record fee of £75 million ($104m), and has proved to be a worthy investment as he has helped Jurgen Klopp's side to Premier League and Champions League titles.

The Netherlands captain has made 130 appearances for the club, scoring 13 goals. Individually, he won PFA Players’ Player of the Year, UEFA Men’s Player of the Year and UEFA Defender of the Season in 2018-19, and he finished second in the 2019 Ballon d’Or.

Van Dijk's influence was also demonstrated by his absence for much of 2020-21 after a serious knee injury suffered in October, with Liverpool failing to defend their league title without the talismanic centre-back.

The 30-year-old also missed Euro 2020 because of that injury, but could be fit to return for Liverpool's Premier League season opener against Norwich on Saturday having featured in pre-season friendlies.

Further Reading

Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter has claimed he is not worried by the fact several clubs are reportedly chasing the services of striker Samir Nurkovic.

The Amakhosi striker is among the players who have reportedly attracted interest from various clubs, among them Egyptian giants Al Ahly, but according to Baxter, the interest shows they have good players.

What did Baxter say?

“It’s a question you get asked when you’ve got good players,” Baxter told Thabiso Mosia on SAFMSportOn as quoted by idiskitimes.

“If Samir was a poor player, no one would ask me that question.

“I think Khama [Billiat] was attracting interest from Pitso [Mosimane] and people are asking that question, is he going, is he staying. All of that is part and parcel of managing the bigger clubs and managing the stars and the egos that go with it.

“I’ve got no problem with that, if one of our players becomes famous for his performances in Kaizer Chiefs, I’ll deal with that because it means they are doing well.

“If somebody comes in, I’m sure other coaches are saying ‘maybe I can have their goal scorer’. Samir rattles in 10 goals plus. I’m sure he’ll attract attention.”

Will Nurkovic stay at Chiefs?

Baxter has further maintained Nurkovic is still a Chiefs player unless anything changes in the future.

“When it comes to that bridge, I’ll cross it, but at the moment I’m comfortable. I’m comfortable knowing that Samir is our player at the moment,” Baxter continued.

In a previous interview, Nurkovic’s agent Dajan Simac disclosed that the North African giants were interested in his client and that Amakhosi are also open to selling him.

“Pitso is interested but it’s not realistic [that Nurkovic can join Ahly] at the moment. There are many other clubs who’re interested but at the moment we’ve nothing on the table [in terms of official offers],’’ Simac said.

“I think in the next two weeks something is going to happen. I have also talked with Bobby [Motaung] - Chiefs football manager] and he’s not a greedy guy.

"He said to me ‘listen, I’d be happy if Samir stays but when we have an offer that satisfies us, then we’re going to listen’.

"We’re all patient.’’

He, however, admitted the Serbian striker will not push for the transfer by stating: “Samir is really comfortable… he likes to continue playing for Chiefs. He’s not pushing me. I am his agent, so he could say ‘hey listen I want to move’, but no, he’s not doing that.

“I spoke to him, telling him that let’s wait. I have made him aware that he must focus on his job at Chiefs and he’s willing to do that. If the move happens, it happens and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”

Further PSL reading

Jamie Carragher has called on Liverpool to sign another striker before the summer transfer window closes, with the Reds legend "worried about Roberto Firmino ever getting back to what he was".

A star-studded squad at Anfield has relied heavily on a trio of attacking talents delivering inspiration in the final third over recent years, with end product drying up a little last season as backwards steps were taken as a collective.

Mohamed Salah maintained his remarkable standards, with the Egyptian hitting another 31 goals across all competitions, but Sadio Mane managed only 16 while Brazil international Firmino contributed just nine.

What has been said?

Jurgen Klopp still has plenty of firepower at his disposal, but Carragher has told The Overlap's Fan Debate when asked if the Reds have done enough business: "To challenge – yes.

"But the thing for Liverpool is challenging isn't enough, once you've won the league title for the first time a challenge is not enough.

"I think Liverpool's squad can challenge, with what they have right now. I think the big thing with Liverpool players, certain players attacking wise, say Sadio Mane last year or Roberto Firmino.

"More Mane, how much did the fans not being there affect them? I think Mane feeds off the crowd."

Carragher added: "I must say I'm worried about Firmino ever getting back to what he was. I still want a striker to come into Liverpool.

"I know Firmino is not a striker, they don't play with one, but Liverpool don't have a centre forward on their books.

"Divock Origi plays from the left wing, so they don't have anyone - so that's where I'd like to see Liverpool invest.

"If they did, I think they'd be there or thereabouts. I don't think Liverpool will win the league with what they have, I'd like to see one more come in."

Will Liverpool make more signings?

It has been a quiet window for Liverpool this summer, with French centre-half Ibrahima Konate the only fresh face to have been welcomed to Merseyside.

Domestic and European rivals have been busy bolstering their respective ranks, with some big-money deals being pushed through.

The likes of Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United have all invested in marquee signings, while Paris Saint-Germain have made Lionel Messi the latest addition to their Ligue 1 dream team.

Klopp has hinted that there may be more movement to come at Liverpool, but the clock is ticking.

The Reds will get their 2021-22 campaign up and running against newly-promoted Norwich on Saturday, with the next recruitment deadline set to pass on August 31.

Further reading

Manchester United were "wrong" to let Romelu Lukaku go in 2019 according to Ashley Young, who has backed his ex-team-mate to thrive at Chelsea after re-signing for the west London outfit.

United spent £75 million ($104m) to sign Lukaku from Everton in 2017, only to sell him to Inter after just two full seasons at Old Trafford.

The Belgium international struggled for consistency during his time with the Red Devils, but scored 64 goals in 85 appearances for the Nerazzurri while helping them win their first Serie A crown in 11 years with Young present in San Siro to witness his return to form.

What's been said?

Young, who left Old Trafford to join Inter in January last year before signing for Aston Villa on a free transfer earlier this summer, believes United were too rash in deciding to offload Lukaku, who he is confident will deliver the goods for Chelsea as they aim to fight for the Premier League title in 2021-22.

“I’m so happy for him,” the former Red Devils full-back told The Guardian. “It was the wrong decision for United to let him go. To join him at Inter and see how well he did there was fantastic.

"I don’t know whether he thinks he has a point to prove [in the Premier League] but I don’t see it like that: his record speaks for itself. He scored a lot of goals at United and everywhere else.

"I hope he does really well at Chelsea – just as long as he doesn’t turn up against Villa!”

Lukaku's record at United

Lukaku scored 28 goals across all competitions in his first year at United, but they ultimately finished the 2017-18 campaign without silverware.

The Red Devils' trophyless drought continued the following season too, and the forward fell down the squad pecking order following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's appointment as manager, adding just 15 more goals to his tally before being shipped off to Inter.

Young on his time at Inter

Young went onto express how much he enjoyed his 18-month stint at San Siro, having initially sought a transfer after being told by Solskjaer that he would no longer be a first-team regular in Manchester.

“I never thought the opportunity would come to play abroad but when it did I spoke to Ole [Gunnar Solskjær] and he said I wouldn’t have many chances at United so I went and spoke to [Antonio Conte], who had wanted me when he was at Chelsea," he said.

"Once he said I could play week in, week out rather than be a bit-part player, it was always a go. It definitely worked out. Milan is an unbelievable city to play in and live. I wanted to try to learn the culture and the language and play as much as possible and that’s what I was able to do. Winning the league was the perfect way to top everything off.

'I’m just delighted that on the last day of the season we were able to celebrate with the fans outside the stadium. Now I’m delighted to be back in England at a club I know really well.”

Further reading

Former Gor Mahia forwards Meddie Kagere and Jacques Tuyisenge have been included in Rwanda's 39-man squad that will prepare for World Cup qualifiers against Mali and Kenya.

Head coach Vincent Mashami named the provisional squad to prepare for two Group E qualifiers against the West African nation between September 1 and 3.

Amavubi will visit Mali before facing the Harambee Stars between September 5-7.

"We know now that the players that we have invited are ready physically for international football and we will have a very tough training schedule, especially in the first couple of days, and they will be ready for our opening game," Mashami said after naming the squad at the Ferwafa headquarters in Kigali.

"We have the quality, physical preparations and now we need to get the players mentally ready for this very difficult match."

Emery Mvuyekure - who helped Kenya's Tusker secure a Caf Champions League slot - is among the goalkeepers summoned to a squad that is dominated by local-based stars.

Full Squad:

Goalkeepers: Emery Mvuyekure (Tusker FC, Kenya), Eric Ndayishimiye (), Clément Twizere Buhake (Strommen IF, Norway), Fiacre Ntwari (AS Kigali, Rwanda) and Olivier Kwizera

Defenders: Abdul Rwatubyaye (Shkupi FK, Macedonia), Salim Nirisarike (Urartu FC, Armenia), Thierry Manzi (FC Dila Gori, Georgia), Fitina Omborenga (APR FC, Rwanda), Emmanuel Imanishimwe (FAR Rabat, Egypt), Emery Bayisenge (AS Kigali, Rwanda), Denis Rukundo (AS Kigali, Rwanda), Eric Rutanga (Police FC), Bryan Clovis Ngwabije (SC Lyon, France), Clement Niyigenda (Rayon Sports, Rwanda), Ange Mutsinzi, Christina Ishimwe (AS Kigali, Rwanda), Hassan Karera (APR FC, Rwanda) and Faustin Usengimana (Police FC, Rwanda)

Midfielders: Olivier Niyonzima, Kevin Muhire, Isaac Nsengiyumva (Express, Uganda), Djihad Bizimana (KMSK Deinze, Belgium), Djabel Manishimwe (APR FC, Rwanda), Martin Fabrice Twizeyimana (Police FC, Rwanda), Yannick Mukunzi (Sandvikens IF, Sweden), Rafael York (AFC Eskilstuna, Sweden), Eric Nsabimana (Police FC, Rwanda) and Haruna Niyonzima(AS Kigali, Rwanda)

Strikers: Muhadjiri Hakizimana (Police FC, Rwanda), Savio Dominique Nshuti (Police FC, Rwanda), Meddie Kagere (Simba SC, Tanzania), Jacques Tuyisenge (APR FC, Rwanda), Jean Bertrand Iradukunda (Gasogi United), Lague Byiringiro (APR FC, Rwanda), Alain Kwitonda (APR FC, Rwanda), Yves Mugunga (APR FC, Rwanda), Onesme Twizerimana (Musanze FC) and Innocent Nshuti (APR FC).

David Luiz remains a free agent after leaving Arsenal, with the Brazilian defender admitting to snubbing interest from Ligue 1 because "Lionel Messi is a nightmare" and it is "better not to play against him".

A six-time Ballon d'Or winner has made his way to France this summer, with an all-time great linking up with Paris Saint-Germain after seeing an iconic spell at Barcelona brought to a close.

Luiz has previously spent time at Parc des Princes, but he is in no rush to face them in 2021-22 and will continue to wait on enticing offers before committing to the next chapter in his career.

What has been said?

Quizzed by the Daily Mail on his decision not to head back to Ligue 1, Luiz has said: "Messi is a nightmare, it is better not to play against him!"

Why did Luiz leave Arsenal?

An experienced 34-year-old centre-half finds himself without a club as new seasons open up around the world.

He had spent the last two years with Arsenal, taking in 73 appearances, but it was revealed in May that he would not be signing a new contract.

Luiz claims that decision was partly driven by his own ambition, with the enigmatic South American suggesting that plans in north London do not match his own.

He added: "Both of us decided to split.

"I came for two years and the aim was to win something, which I did (the FA Cup and Community Shield).

"Now, I think the club has a different project for the long term. They have different ideas. My idea is to win, win, win as soon as possible."

Who will win in 2021-22?

While Luiz looks to find another trophy-chasing employer, he is keeping a close eye on events at former clubs.

He previously tasted Premier League and Champions League glory while with Chelsea and has seen the Blues invest heavily this summer on £98 million ($135m) frontman Romelu Lukaku.

Luiz was at Stamford Bridge when the burly Belgian striker was first signed back in 2011 and believes he will prove to be a shrewd addition the second time around.

He said of a proven performer: "Romelu deserves this move.

"I remember the day he missed the deciding penalty against Bayern Munich in the Super Cup (in 2013) and he was so sad, just a young boy. 

"But he is not a kid now, he is a real man. I think he will prove to be amazing for Chelsea."

Further reading

Whether you're a long-term accumulator backer or a complete novice when it comes to choosing a multiple bet, finding a string of winners is not an easy challenge.

Do you go for a bigger stake at shorter odds in an attempt to land a winner? Or do you go for a small stake at a juicy price in an effort to bag that big pay day?

So, if you're a long-suffering 'acca' disciple or fancy dabbling at this type of bet for the first time, Goal brings you everything you need to know, with a few key tips on how to win.

What is a football accumulator?

Accumulator bets, or ‘accas,’ are one of the most popular bets in football. You can place an accumulator by combining bets from multiple games into one bet in order to create bigger odds and potentially a bigger payout.

A bet with two selections is called a double and three is a treble, while an accumulator is a bet that consists of four selections or more.

How do football accumulators work?

The odds from each individual selection are multiplied together, allowing the player to bet on every outcome happening in a single bet. The more selections you have, the bigger the odds will be. 

While this increases the potential payout, it also increases the risk. All of your selections need to be successful in order for your bet to win, meaning just one result could stand between you and your winnings.

For instance, a bet at Evens (2.00) is said to have a 50 per cent chance of landing. However, when you combine four of those bets together into an accumulator you bring the odds up to 16/1 (17.00) and therefore the percentage chance of winning down to around just six per cent.

As an example, say you wanted to bet on all of last season’s top-four sides in the Premier League to win.

Manchester City are priced at 3/5 (1.60) to win away at Tottenham, Manchester United are priced at 8/15 (1.53) to beat Leeds, Liverpool are 2/7 (1.29) to overcome Norwich, and Chelsea are at just 1/4 (1.25) at home to Crystal Palace. 

None of those odds are very generous. However, when you combine all four selections into one accumulator you get odds of just under 3/1 (4.00) , meaning a bet of £10 would return almost £40 (including your stake.) This is the appeal of the accumulator.

Tips for doing a football accumulator

While it is tempting to bundle dozens of games together in order to create a potentially huge payout (most bookmakers allow up to 20 selections per accumulator,) you should bear in mind that those sorts of bets are almost like entering the lottery. 

Although placing an acca on multiple games can certainly make a weekend of football more exciting for the punter, each selection you add to an accumulator reduces your chances of winning. 

It is therefore best to not get too greedy - perhaps choose a small stake for the longer shots and do not count on every result coming in. Football matches are unpredictable and a lot can happen over 90 minutes, which is partly why fans enjoy the game.

Of course, it is certainly possible to have your fair share of success with accumulators too. That just involves doing your research and choosing your games wisely.  

Putting together a five-fold of in-form teams to beat struggling opposition can still provide a decent payout. It is also worth considering combining selections such as ‘Both teams to score’ or 'Under/Over 2.5 goals' in matches where the result is difficult to predict. 

You can also choose to ‘Cash Out’ at any time while your accumulator is still in play, allowing you the option of taking a reduced payout if, for example, seven of your eight selections have been successful and you’re worried about the final game.

How to win big with a football accumulator

As with any form of betting, the key to success is strategy. While there are examples of people winning eye-watering amounts of money on huge long shots, you are more likely to succeed by putting together a considered collection of targeted bets.

Try padding out a couple of good value picks with what look like some more solid selections, such as top teams beating lesser opposition at home. Although the odds won’t be as generous, your chances of success will be enhanced.

Don’t just throw games together on a whim from the weekend’s fixture list. It is important to assess each selection as carefully as if you were placing a single bet on that result. Look at the form of both teams, their head-to-head records, as well as injury and suspension news. 

Once you have done your research and are fairly confident in your selections, you should then choose your stake. It is better to stake £10 on one well-researched 6/1 (7.00) accumulator than to place £1 bets on 10 accumulators at 60/1 (61.0) that you have chosen at random. 

Bookies love punters taking long shots on accumulators for a reason. They might be fun, but they do not provide reliable returns. 

Ronald Koeman is looking for Barcelona to "close the book" on Lionel Messi with Ansu Fati and Phillipe Coutinho being set the challenge of filling iconic boots at Camp Nou.

After 17 memorable years of remarkable performances from Messi, the Blaugrana are bracing themselves to open a campaign without him at their disposal.

Financial issues in Catalunya prevented fresh terms from being put in place with Messi, allowing him to depart as a free agent and link up with Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain.

What has been said?

Filling a Messi-shaped void will be an impossible task for Koeman, but the Dutch coach is eager to escape a shadow that will continue to loom large over his squad.

He told ESPN: "We have to understand that there is always an end for a player. You have to close the book because now we have to focus on this new season. We have new players in and we have to move forward, and we have time for that. 

"We have young players in the squad this season, and it's also for the future, we are working on the future of this club, and it's really important to have our focus on this and not focus on what happened in the last few days."

On seeing the six-time Ballon d'Or winner depart, Koeman said: "I knew there was a difficult situation between the club and Leo Messi and the league to have the possibilities to keep Messi in the club.

"It takes a long time, but I was also surprised by the day and the moment that I heard that he was finished playing for Barcelona. I knew the financial situation of the club made it more difficult.

"I think it was difficult because we are not just talking about any player, we are talking about Leo Messi, the best player in the world through a lot of seasons and we were all disappointed that he will not play for us this season. 

"OK, you have to change fast because you don't stay in the disappointment with the new season starting. You have to understand it was for a few days a difficult situation. Messi meant so much for this club."

Who will step up in Messi's absence?

Barcelona are going to need someone, potentially a group of players, to step up and help counter the absence of the South American superstar.

Koeman added: "Of course we will have more difficulties to score goals. Messi scored 30 goals last season. So other players need to bring more and take the next step and it's more about the team now than individual players.

"It's not always one player, you have to do it together. Hopefully, we get players back from injury like Ansu Fati and Coutinho and then we still have a strong squad. We will work harder, we will do more to achieve what people expect from us.

"We are still in the transition. We have to understand that the start of this season is difficult. We still have Covid, for all the clubs, but still we have players with injuries so we cannot put all the players for playing because we are still missing good players. 

"We did a good pre-season, we have young players in, but if we get all the players back from injury the squad is still a strong one."

Barca are set to open their 2021-22 Liga campaign at home to Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Further reading

AmaZulu coach Benni McCarthy has come out to reveal the reason the club moved to release veteran Siphiwe Tshabalala ahead of the new season.

The 37-year-old midfielder, who joined the Usuthu at the start of last season and managed to make just two PSL appearances, is now a free agent after he was among the five players released by the club four days ago.

McCarthy has confirmed the Kaizer Chiefs "icon" was released to pave the way for young players in his squad to shine.

What did McCarthy say?

“That’s football, life happened,” McCarthy told reporters as quoted by idiskitimes. “I’ve got a group of young, talented players that won’t come through if we keep holding on to the senior players. 

“Shabba has been a fantastic player to have, he has given the knowledge that he had, passed it on to the team and he might feel that he could still give more than that. And I definitely think so.

“But for me, the way the game has evolved the way how fast the game is. These young boys they run for fun and it’s about speed and the way we play.”

McCarthy continued: “I play a very high pressing game. I like my front men to work really hard. And if you don’t have that hard work ethic, then you’ll find yourself struggling to get into the team.

“And I think at times, the pace of the game was just ahead of us because Shabba is from my generation. He’s given us unbelievable qualities, he’s a brilliant football player, super nice guy. Very good for the young players around him is always helpful. And he’s been phenomenal.

“If you hold on to the senior players, the young players just not going to get a shout. They’re not going to get the opportunity. And if they close to the level of the senior players, then you have to throw them in.”

Why it was not an easy decision?

McCarthy has further admitted it was tough for him to make the decision to release Tshabalala from the club.

“It was time you make a decision. It’s a tough decision. You lose an icon of the game. But you gonna gain another superstar, another icon in a few years’ time, while they are 19 give them the opportunity,” the former Bafana Bafana striker continued.

“And that’s what I’m about, I’m not afraid to make those decisions. Some people like it, some people don’t. 

“It was a legend and that but time comes for everyone. So it felt that it was the right decision, to have young players break through from the MDC ranks, getting their way into the first team.

"So you have to make those kinds of decisions. And that’s what happened to Shabba.”

Apart from Tshabalala, other players released are Siyabonga Mbatha, Sphelele Magubane, Talent Chawapihwa, and Samuel Darpoh.

Further PSL reading

Romelu Lukaku "is in the same bracket as Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo" according to Joe Cole, who says Chelsea are "real contenders" for the Premier League title after signing the £98 million ($135m) striker.

Chelsea have spent big money to bring Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge from Inter, seven years after selling him to Everton for just £28m ($39m).

The Belgium international went on to Manchester United before moving to San Siro where he became a Serie A winner while solidifying his reputation as one of the top forwards in Europe, and Cole thinks his presence will help the Blues reach new heights in 2021-22.

What's been said?

The former Chelsea winger says Lukaku is capable of emulating Juventus superstar Ronaldo and Bayern Munich talisman Lewandowski if he continues on his current trajectory.

“He has got all the attributes you want from a striker," Cole told The Sun. "Sometimes you play with strikers who have great movement but cannot hold the ball up, or they are not clean with the ball so you can’t bounce it off them.

"Lukaku is the whole package. He is in the same bracket as Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo. I am not putting him quite up there with those two at the moment, but he can become that kind of player if he keeps improving the way he has. Any midfielder would love playing with him.”

Pressed on the Blues' chances of winning their first Premier League title since 2016-17, the 39-year-old pundit added: “I think it puts them right on the level with Manchester City, especially if they don’t do anything more. I look at the Chelsea squad now and don’t see any weaknesses.

“If you look at last season and look at it very crudely, even though they won the Champions League, the top scorer finished with seven goals. So it’s evident they needed a goalscorer and Lukaku’s a goalscorer.

“Not only that, but he is the complete focal point of an attack. Chelsea have an abundance of players who can play in and around him. They are now real contenders.”

Lukaku's numbers at Inter

Lukaku quickly nailed down a role as Inter's first-choice No.9 upon his arrival at San Siro from United in 2019, and went on to appear in a grand total of 95 games across all competitions for the Italian giants.

The 28-year-old found the net on 64 occasions, including 24 in Serie A last season as the Nerazzurri clinched their first Scudetto in 11 years, and also provided 16 assists for his team-mates.

Cole on Abraham

Lukaku's return to west London has prompted Chelsea to accept a bid from Roma for Tammy Abraham, who initially fell down the squad pecking order following Thomas Tuchel's appointment as head coach in January.

Cole sees no reason why Abraham can't go away and prove himself before retracing his steps in the future just like Lukaku, with it his belief that the 23-year-old still has plenty of potential to unlock.

“Tammy is a fantastic footballer and character and this could be a  positive thing for him," he said. "He might be unhappy but if Chelsea are Tammy’s goal this must show him he could come back one day. Like Lukaku, he is young enough to come again.

“Chelsea have decided they wanted a change but what Tammy has got to do now is come back and haunt the club in the same way Kevin De Bruyne and Mo Salah did. He has to go away, develop himself and show he is a fantastic talent.”

Further reading

Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez believes Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur will be among the teams challenging for the Premier League title.

The Algeria attacker played a vital role to steer the Citizens to the title last season but is expecting even a tougher campaign this time around.

The former Leicester City star has further insisted the Man City squad were all recruited because manager Pep Guardiola believes they have the right mentality.

"A normal human being always becomes complacent when you start winning things," Mahrez said as quoted by ManchesterEveningNews.

"That is human nature. We are here because the club chose us - they think we have the right mentality. The manager pushes us every day, every season. He never takes it easy.

"Every season they say it's going to be tighter and tighter and this season it will be, to be fair. This season will be tough, Chelsea are very good - Liverpool, [Manchester] United, Arsenal, Tottenham, Leicester too. We are ready."

Mahrez was also part of the team that fell to Chelsea by a solitary goal in the Champions League final. He believes they deserved to win the trophy and went on to explain how the defeat impacted the team.

"We will take more confidence into Europe. We showed how good we are [last season] but that is no guarantee this year," Mahrez continued.

"We deserved to win it. With the team we have and the football we were playing, we didn't deserve to lose. I don't think anyone spoke afterward. Everyone was very sad. It was difficult to speak about anything."

The Manchester-based charges started their season with a Community Shield loss to Leicester City last weekend, when former player Kelechi Iheanacho's late penalty sealed the win for the Foxes.

They will be kicking off their Premier League title defence on Sunday when they travel to North London to play Spurs.

Guardiola's charges lost 2-0 the last time they played against the North Londoners in a league assignment.

Brentford striker Ivan Toney is Didier Drogba-esque and possesses "world-class" potential that will make him a better Premier League frontman than Patrick Bamford, Callum Wilson and Ollie Watkins, says Hermann Hreidarsson.

The Bees are back in the big time for the first time since 1946-47, with an historic campaign set to be opened in style at home to London rivals Arsenal on Friday.

Toney, who hit 33 goals last season to help inspire a play-off final-winning promotion push, will be the star attraction for Thomas Frank's side and is being backed to make the same impact in the top tier as he did in the second.

What has been said?

Quizzed by Goal on whether Toney can be considered a better all-round forward than Leeds star Bamford, Newcastle No 9 Wilson and Aston Villa's England international Watkins, Hreidarsson - who has teamed up with UK cryptocurrency exchange CoinJar at the launch of their partnership with Brentford - said: "Yes, for sure. In my opinion, 100 per cent he has a little bit more. 

"He has everything. He will only improve when you play against higher quality defenders. He will get you goals in this league as well. He will score goals at any level. I think he is a world-class striker."

Who can Toney be likened to?

The 25-year-old, who boasts a useful habit of scoring from the penalty spot, possesses the physical strength and technical ability to suggest that he should settle quickly back among English football's elite - having previously made two Premier League appearances for Newcastle.

His qualities are comparable to Chelsea legend Drogba, with Hreidarsson - who faced the Ivorian in his playing days - claiming Toney is cut from similar cloth.

"He is. He can dribble as well, he's a bit more mobile, a bit more jinky," the former Iceland international said. "He is powerful, he can jump, he is tall and he is strong and he can run. He has got a lot about him. 

"Just the experience of playing at the top level, he will have to rise with it and I think that is what's going to happen because he has shown that he has developed in the past few years. That is what will turn him into a world-class striker."

Can Brentford keep Toney?

The biggest challenge for Brentford is keeping Toney out of the clutches of a rival, with his stock rising to the point that Chelsea - who have spent big on Romelu Lukaku - were credited with interest when their striker search started this summer.

David Raya is another to have generated exit talk amid links to Arsenal, while Sergi Canos, Bryan Mbeumo, Christian Norgaard and Josh Dasilva have been catching the eye.

Brentford have no need to sell though, as they have done in the past with Watkins, Neal Maupay and Said Benrahma, and Hreidarsson expects that stance to be maintained.

He added: "It happened that top players want to play at the top level. Now, they are in the Promised Land and players don't need to move clubs to play in that league, so they are with Brentford. 

"That's the best way for these players because they have shown that they adapted to a system that they now know what's going on and can reflect what they are capable of. 

"They are in a better place and the money will rise higher. After one season there will be players that maybe it is hard to turn down offers, but right now they certainly don't need to sell anyone."

How will Brentford fare in 2021-22?

Frank will need Toney and Co to be firing on all cylinders this season, as they look to avoid making an immediate return to the Championship, but Hreidarsson expects the Bees to win plenty of admirers regardless of where they finish in the table.

A man who suffered Premier League relegation on five occasions in his playing career said of the ambition in west London: "It's more about the team and the style of play. The belief they have built in what they are doing, it has happened over a few years and the consistency they have shown. 

"What they have in their armoury is that they are a big and powerful team, they are energetic, they have got pace and a system that will disrupt a lot of teams. They will be brave. I'm not worried about Brentford at all, I think they will take the league by storm and surprise a few people - and they will be fun!"

Hermann Hreidarsson previewed the 2021 Premier League season with CoinJar, Brentford FC's new Official Cryptocurrency Partner - the ultimate platform to buy, sell and spend Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. Sign up in an instant and access digital currency wherever you go.

Further reading

Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier has explained why the Football Kenya Federation Premier League side has been losing key players as free agents.

Kenneth Muguna is the latest player to have left the club as a free agent, and the chair has now shed more light on why they have been facing such problems over the years.

"It is all based on the financial constraints that we go through," Rachier told Goal.

"When I took over the club, we completely had a begging bowl and that is how we got that morass. The football industry has a market and anytime there is a window, there is player mobility and they can go anywhere, particularly when they are free agents.

"As soon as you have recruited a player who is a quality one, for example, Jacques Tuyisenge, what happens is when you have a player contracted, some people will do what I will call player tapping.

"They will knock at the player's door and tell them that 'when your contract ends, I will take you and pay Ksh400, 000 salary' when Gor Mahia are paying Ksh200,000. 

"This is also a question of demand and supply as well as market forces. It is not about our carelessness or recklessness. When the players have walked midway through their contracts, we have been paid in those instances.
 

"We got money from Godfrey Walusimbi, Tuyisenge and Ephraim Guikan and it was good money. 

"Most of our competitors know when the expiry period of our players' contracts is near and, in those cases, the players go free. Because we can not compete due to market forces, we always have nothing that we can do."

The long-serving chair admitted financial constraints have often forced them to sign players who are not complete development-wise: "This has to do with our income and budget," Rachier continued.

"In order to get quality players, you have to pay a competitive sign-on fee and sometimes when the window opens, we take what we can afford and try to mould and build them."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has suggested that Jadon Sancho is struggling to put himself in contention for a starting berth in Manchester United's 2021-22 Premier League season opener against Leeds.

The Red Devils are due to play host to old adversaries on Saturday and will be looking to hit the ground running in a campaign that is seeing lofty ambition laid out.

Sancho is expected to figure prominently for a trophy-chasing side on the back of his £73 million ($101m) move from Borussia Dortmund , but the England international is short on training time and may have to be eased into the fold.

What has been said?

Solskjaer has told TV2 when offering a fitness update on Sancho: "He has had a holiday after the European Championships and then he has been a little sick, unfortunately. 

"He has had one-and-a-half training sessions with us, so he has not trained much.

"It may take some time before he gets into top shape, but throughout the season he will be very important to us.

"He is a player I am sure will give us many happy moments in the years to come."

Can Man Utd get off to a winning start?

The Red Devils ended 2020-21 as runners-up in the Premier League and Europa League, with a barren run on the silverware front now set to hit the five-year mark.

A slow start stunted their progress last season, with early struggles at Old Trafford initially holding them back as away form provided welcome respite.

Solskjaer is aware of the need to buck that trend this time around, starting against a lively Leeds outfit.

The Norwegian added: "We lost three or four of the first home games last season, I do not remember exactly. We will not do that this year.

"You have to start well, gain momentum. Last year we were second, the year before we finished third, so there is progression. You have to be on top form from the first to the last match.

"We were stable from the start of November to May, when we lost one match. If we manage to recreate it, we can help fight for things in March, April, May."

Further reading