The club has released a picture on it’s their social media handles to tease their supporters and the general public.

It will be recalled that following the unveiling of Nana Yaw Amponsah as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the club in August 2020 at the ports Hotel in Kumasi, it emerged that the club will announce a partnership with a Premier League club.

Asante Kotoko have indeed sealed a partnership agreement with Southampton, where Ghanaian defender, Mohammed Salisu plays.

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The Premier League side is one of the best clubs in the world with youth development and the CEO of the club wants his side’s youth system to improve going forward with the policies of the Premier League club.

The young football administrator has a strong connection with the Premier League club.

Mr Amponsah vowed to market the club to the world following his unveiling. 

His management has already brought in VEO, CEEK VR, Star Life Assurance, Insta, Hisense, Adonko Next level, Cedar Vite, and Errea.

The Ghana midfielder has not featured for the Gunners since picking up an injury during the 3-0 loss to Aston Villa in the Premier League on November 8.

Arsenal issued a fitness bulletin at the end of last week, saying Partey was “progressing with his rehabilitation,” but it appears progress is slow as he is not close to a first-team return.

“He had an injury very early in the game [against Aston Villa], he wanted to continue the second half,” Arteta said.

“We knew it was a significant injury. He’s done very well and he’s working very hard, he wants to be available.

“Hopefully we can get him back soon but it’s an area we need to be careful and we need to be protective with the player.

“I don’t think he will be with us in the next few games.”

The news will come as a blow to Arsenal, whose form has been poor since Partey went off injured against Villa, but Arteta will not use the player’s absence as an excuse.

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“We have many different issues but I don’t like to use that excuse,” he said. “At the end of the day, we are always really close to winning football matches and we have ended up losing them in the last few games and this is only in our hands with the players that we have. It’s what we have to do, we cannot change that. It is in our hands.”

Following the loss to Villa, they drew 0-0 with Leeds, looking toothless in the process, and were beaten at home by Wolves on Sunday.

As a controlling presence in midfield, Partey is not responsible for Arsenal’s struggles in front of goal. But his dynamic style allows others to express themselves knowing they have cover, and he will be sorely missed in the upcoming north London derby.

Tottenham sit atop the Premier League, while Arsenal are down in 14th – and facing a tough slog over the next month.

The Gunners face Rapid Vienna and Tottenham this week, followed by matches against Dundalk, Burnley, Southampton, Everton and Manchester City before Christmas.

The Premier League newcomers have marked their long-awaited return to the top flight by signing a new partnership with the rapper’s entertainment agency.

In doing so, they join the likes of global music superstars Rihanna, Alicia Keys and DJ Khaled on its roster, as well as footballers Kevin de Bruyne and Marcus Rashford.

The partnership was unveiled on Saturday in the form of a mural depicting homegrown Leeds and England midfielder Kalvin Phillips, alongside club legends Lucas Radebe and Albert Johanneson, in Leeds city centre.

Painted by street artist Akse P19 – who recently completed a mural of Rashford in Manchester – the design “proudly honours the diverse heritage of the club” as well as that of minority-owned Roc Nation, whose New York home also features.

“It’s really impressive – it’s a symbol of our club in this moment with Kalvin,” Victor Orta, Leeds’ sporting director, told BBC West Yorkshire Sport.

“It’s a real pleasure for me and the club because it is a symbol of our team and now it is eternal in a wall.”

He added: “It’s a big international brand worldwide. We want to grow in the States, we want to grow in Asia.

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“It’s a partnership that shows where Leeds United are now.

“It shows the ambition of the club to continue growing.”

Roc Nation, a leading music and sports agency, aims to “support the growth of the Leeds United brand in key markets of the USA and Asia”.

In commissioning the mural, Roc Nation’s Kelly Hogarth said it was intended to “do something special for the fans”.

“It’s such a lovely time with Kalvin getting his England national team call-up, just really championing and celebrating figures who have really paved the way for our modern-day footballers,” she said.

“This is our first consultancy partnership in the Premier League. We’d had a lot of different discussions with a lot of different clubs, and it took just an hour with Andrea [Radrizzani – Leeds’ owner] and Angus [Kinnear – Leeds’ chief executive] for us to really buy into their strategic vision for the club.

“There’s a great blueprint for success and you really need a partner who is willing to collaborate and wants to try new things.”

The Whites dominated the first half and stifled the Gunners with their intensity and counter-attacks down the flanks.

Jack Harrison and Ezgjan Alioski overwhelmed the Arsenal full-backs, while Patrick Bamford’s near post runs caused constant confusion in the box. Yet the hosts were unable to find the breakthrough their smart play deserved.

Mateusz Klich and Raphinha each saw efforts fly narrowly wide, while Bamford forced two smart saves from Bernd Leno with close-range shots.

Arsenal offered little but for a Pepe shot that bounced off the bar, and were lucky to go in goalless at half-time.

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Things got more difficult for the visitors when Pepe was sent off seven minutes after half-time after headbutting Ezgjan Alioski off the ball.

Leeds were now up against a blue wall of Gunners shirts and could not find the killer pass to unlock a stubborn Arsenal defence.

Substitute Rodrigo twice went close from distance while Luke Ayling’s first touch let him down five yards from goal.

Both sides had chances in the dying moments as Bukayo Saka forced a great save from Illan Meslier, while Patrick Bamford and Raphinha hit the post for the hosts as Arsenal’s goal continued to lead a charmed life.

Federico Fernandez’s own goal set the Blues on their way with the Argentine defender poking the ball over his own line while under pressure from Ben Chilwell.

Chelsea oozed quality but Newcastle keeper Karl Darlow produced excellent saves to deny the excellent Timo Werner as well as a close-range header by Tammy Abraham.

But Abraham made sure of the points with a smart finish following Werner’s pass after Newcastle had threatened through Isaac Hayden and Joelinton. Sean Longstaff hit the bar for the home side towards the end.

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Chelsea, that started the day fifth, are top of the table on goal difference ahead of Leicester, who are at Liverpool on Sunday.

Aston Villa, which host Brighton at 15:00 GMT, could replace Chelsea at the summit with a big win, while Tottenham, which eentertain Manchester City at 17:30, will move to the summit with a victory.

The 49-year-old has won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and three League Cups since joining in 2016.

Guardiola told City’s website: “We have achieved a great deal together, scored goals, won games and trophies, and we are all very proud of that success.

“Having that kind of support is the best thing any manager can have.”

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager’s previous deal was due to expire at the end of this season.

Guardiola’s current five-year stay is already the longest commitment he has made to a team since becoming a manager in 2008.

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If he sees out the contract, the Spaniard will overtake Joe Mercer and go second on the club’s list of longest-serving post-war managers, behind Scot Les McDowall who took charge of 592 games between 1950 and 1963.

In total, City have won 181 of the 245 matches under Guardiola, a win rate of 73.87%.

Chairman Khaldoon Mubarak said: “Pep’s contract extension is the natural next step in a journey which has evolved over many years.

“It is a product of the mutual trust and respect that exists between him and the entire club. It also goes to the stability and creativity at the heart of our football operations.

“Importantly it is a validation of the football structure and philosophy that has been built over more than a decade and to which he has contributed so much.”

The visitors took the lead midway through the first half when Bukayo Saka turned Matt Targett’s cross into his own net.

Watkins, who scored a hat-trick in a 7-2 win against champions Liverpool earlier this season, made it 2-0 with a header towards the end of the second half and scored his second soon after, slotting the ball under Bernd Leno after a quick break.

The Gunners had gone into this game looking to build on their impressive 1-0 win against Manchester United last time out, but despite dominating possession they created very little, with Alexandre Lacazette going closest when he headed over Kieran Tierney’s cross.

Instead, it was Villa who always looked the most likely to score and they could have won by an even bigger margin.

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The visitors had a goal ruled out inside the first minute when John McGinn thumped home Jack Grealish’s cross.

However, after a lengthy check by the video assistant referee, it was ruled out as Ross Barkley, who was in an offside position, was adjudged to have been in goalkeeper Leno’s way.

Egypt midfielder Trezeguet forced a good save from Leno early in the second half before the Arsenal keeper denied Grealish at the near post with a strong hand, while the Aston Villa captain also had an effort cleared off the line.

Defeat leaves an inconsistent Arsenal 11th in the table while the win maintained Villa’s 100% away record so far this season.

Jurgen Klopp responded to questions over who he would name in his front three by selecting both Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota in the same side as Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. It was a bold move and the visitors got their reward for a hugely positive start when Salah converted a penalty on 13 minutes.

City had looked second best up to the half-hour mark as they struggled to handle the visitors’ surprise formation but dragged themselves level shortly after the half-hour mark when Jesus’ brilliant turn and finish made it three goals in three appearances this season.

The hosts then spurned a glorious opportunity to go in at the break ahead when De Bruyne dragged a harshly-awarded penalty wide of target.

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The end-to-end frenzy that made the first period such a fabulous spectacle was sadly lacking in the second half with Jesus’ miss from a free header the best opportunity either side had to notch a winner.

The result means the Merseysiders lie in third place, one point behind Leicester City. Man City are five points off the Reds in 11th, having played a game less.

Liverpool will now host leaders Leicester City after the international break on November 21. City will hope to be ready for another stern test when Guardiola faces off with Jose Mourinho once again at Tottenham.

Partey, 27, made a move to the Premier League on transfer deadline day from Atletico Madrid after his £45million release clause was met.

The dynamic midfielder put another impressive performance against Manchester United in their 1:0 win at Old Trafford on Sunday.

And according to Essien, he is confident the Gunners have a star on their hands and will make an impact at the club.

“I know him, I have seen him play a couple of times and we do talk now and then,” Essien toldGoal.com.

“If he has any questions, he can always contact me for my thoughts – except when he plays Chelsea.

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“But I wish him well and I am looking forward to seeing him do very well for Arsenal. They have made a great signing by bringing my countryman to take on the Premier League.

“He is more of a typical No.6 than me. He is very good on the ball, wins duels, has good speed, reads the danger well and he is a very complete midfielder.

“When I arrived in England, Arsenal were very tough, with Gilberto Silva and a great midfield, so it was a tough team to play against.

“But I think the Arsenal I played towards the end of my career could have done with a player like Thomas Partey.

“I think it is a great move for him too, though. Arsenal is a great club. The Premier League is also brilliant, so it will help him to improve his game as well.”

Aubameyang ended a run of five games without a goal by sending David de Gea the wrong way on 69 minutes after Paul Pogba had fouled Hector Bellerin.

United tried to rally but came no closer to an equaliser than when Donny van de Beek’s cross-shot flicked off Mohamed Elneny and then into the face of goalkeeper Bernd Leno before bouncing to safety off a post.

It was not the greatest contest between two clubs who used to fight it out for the biggest prizes but are now a pale imitation of their former selves.

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While Arsenal will be delighted at the deserved victory, this was not the kind of United performance that did justice to the memory of club legend Nobby Stiles, who died on Friday.

Pogba is the most high-profile figure in the United midfield that World Cup winner Stiles used to operate in. But the Frenchman had a day to forget, giving the ball away too cheaply when his side attacked and needlessly fouling Bellerin to turn the contest Arsenal’s way.

The Gunners now have 12 points and are up to eighth and United remain in 15th on seven points.

The Red Devils had the better openings in a cagey affair but could not avoid setting a club record of a fifth winless Premier League match in a row at home.

Frank Lampard opted to switch system to three at the back for the Blues and that additional insurance contributed to a disappointing opening half of little goalmouth action.

Marcus Rashford saw the best chance of the first period well saved by Edouard Mendy, while the visitors will feel they were unfortunate not to be awarded a spot-kick when Harry Maguire appeared to man-handle Cesar Azpilicueta while defending a right-wing free-kick.

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Cavani was eventually introduced just shy of the hour and almost made an instant impact with a near-post flick that flew inches wide. However, the pattern of play remained much the same until Rashford had a stoppage-time drive well saved by Mendy.

The result sees Chelsea edge up to sixth, four points adrift of leaders Everton having played a game more. United are two points worse off than the Blues down in 15th.

Both sides will now turn their focus back to Europe in the coming days. United will look to build upon their excellent Champions League start at PSG when they entertain RB Leipzig on Wednesday. Chelsea visit FK Krasnodar.

Jurgen Klopp’s side trailed to Sander Berge’s controversial first-half penalty at Anfield.

But Roberto Firmino equalised before the break and Portugal forward Jota completed the escape act with his second goal since signing from Wolves in September.

After losing Virgil van Dijk to a serious knee injury in last weekend’s Merseyside derby draw at Everton, the Reds have proved they can survive without their influential Dutch centre-back.

A gritty 1-0 Champions League win against Ajax in midweek set the tone and Liverpool again dug deep to earn their first win in three Premier League games.

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Van Dijk, who is unlikely to feature again this season, had started 94 consecutive league matches before this weekend.

And while his stand-in Fabinho was responsible for conceding the penalty converted by Berge, Klopp must be largely satisfied with the way his team have coped with such a major injury blow.

Liverpool are level on points with leaders Everton, who have a superior goal difference and play their game in hand at Southampton on Sunday.

Partey, who joined the Gunners on transfer deadline day from Atletico Madrid, made his full debut in their Europa League 2:1 win over Rapid Vienna in Austria.

David Luiz and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored two goals in five second-half minutes after a Bernd Leno mistake had gifted Taxiarchis Fountas the opener to ensure the Gunners began Group B with a victory.

The Black Stars deputy captain’s presence in midfield broke down attacks and built play with apparently effortless ease.

And Arteta is excited by what is to come from the Ghana international.

“I think he held the midfield by himself in the second half when we were a little bit more open,” said the Arsenal boss. “He started to take more chances attacking certain spaces with some players.

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“I think he was fantastic and there is much more to come from him.”

BT Sport pundit and former Manchester United and England midfielder, Owen Hargreaves, also described Partey’s performance on the night as “one of the best debuts I have ever seen.”

“He is a key ingredient of what Arsenal have been missing for years,” former England and Chelsea winger Karen Carney, commentating on the game for BT Sport, added.

“He has a knack of breaking up play and keeping the momentum going. He is pure class. He is versatile and tactically astute, gives more balance and is technically very good.

“He is brilliant and Arsenal fans will be overjoyed to see him in this team.”

Partey and his Arsenal teammates will now focus on their Premier League game against Leicester City on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium.

The league said the individuals who had tested positive for the novel coronavirus would now self-isolate for 10 days.

“The Premier League can today confirm that between Monday 12 October and Sunday 18 October, 1 575 players and club staff were tested for Covid-19. Of these, there were eight new positive tests,” the Premier League said in a statement.

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A total of 42 people have tested positive for the virus in seven rounds of testing since the new campaign began on 12 September.

There have been more than 750 000 Covid-19 infections and over 43 000 deaths in the United Kingdom, according to a Reuters tally.

The Dutch defender was on the receiving end of a crude challenge from Everton’s goalkeeper early on in the 2-2 draw on Saturday.

However, Everton were spared the consequences of such a challenge – potentially a red card for the keeper and a penalty – as the Liverpool defender was adjudged to be marginally offside by the VAR officials at Stockley Park.

It was announced on Monday that no further action would be taken against Pickford, with retrospective action only permissible when Incidents have been missed by the referee or VAR.

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Liverpool perceived that a number of decisions went against them during the 235th meeting of the two sides – including a disallowed, late Jordan Henderson goal – and had written to the Premier League asking them to investigate the application of VAR during the match.

It was announced late on Sunday that Van Dijk had suffered an ACL injury in the challenge and would undergo surgery.

His defensive partner in the match, Joel Matip, is a doubt for the club’s upcoming Champions League trip to Ajax, with the centre-half having been sent for a scan after complaining of muscular discomfort following the clash.

Raheem Sterling’s lone goal in the first half was enough for the Citizens as the Gunners lost their first game of the season.

With eight minute to go, Partey, who joined the Gunners in a deal worth 45 million pounds was introduced to the game.

But the manager after the game reiterated that wants to give Partey time to adjust to his new surroundings.

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“Yes, we will see how quickly we can make it with him,” said Arteta after the game.

“I think we have to respect that process and that timing for him because he only trained for a day really and there’s a lot of new information and different game models for him to understand, and we have to respect that.

“But I think when he came on he looked good,” he added.

The 27-year-old signed a five year deal with the club.

Arsenal will play Rapid Wein in the Europa League on Thursday before playing Leicester City on Sunday.

Partey, 27, came off the bench on the 83rd minute as a replacement for Granit Xhaka.

Stand-in skipper Raheem Sterling scored the only goal as Manchester City return to winning ways in their Premier League clash with Arsenal.

Arsenal had chances to level but goalkeeper Ederson denied them with three excellent first-half saves and both David Luiz and Pepe were off target with free-kicks in good positions after the break.

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Guardiola is yet to drop a point against the Gunners in five encounters at Etihad Stadium since he succeeded Manuel Pellegrini as City manager in 2016.

Partey joined the English side on a five-year deal from Atletico Madrid after his release clause of £45 million was triggered by Arsenal on this summer’s transfer deadline day.

Arsenal will play Rapid Wien in the Europa League on Thursday at the Allianz Stadion.

After shipping six in an abysmal defeat to Tottenham last time out, United made the worst possible start, with Luke Shaw diverting Emil Krafth’s cross into his own net in the second minute.

But Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men made the perfect response and levelled through Harry Maguire’s header in the 23rd-minute after Bruno Fernandes had a goal chalked off by VAR just minutes earlier.

The visitors dominated proceedings, overwhelming Steve Bruce’s defence, but despite creating a number of opportunities somehow found themselves level at the break.

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David De Gea came to United’s rescue with a fantastic save on the line to deny Callum Wilson just after the restart, while at the opposite end Karl Darlow ended Fernandes’ 100 per cent record from the spot with a strong one-handed save after Marcus Rashford won the penalty.

The Newcastle goalkeeper then bravely denied Rashford at point-blank range as United’s frustration grew.

But Solskjaer’s side finally took the lead with four minutes remaining, with Fernandes finishing a clever counter-attack before Aaron Wan-Bissaka added a third with his first senior goal and Rashford put the gloss on a solid performance with a cool fourth.

The Germany striker had a goal disallowed for offside but a minute later opened his account with a lovely dummy before racing into the box, holding off four defenders and lashing it into the bottom corner.

The Saints had an attacking line-up, including a second debut for Theo Walcott 15 years after his first, but their tactics played into the Blues’ hands and they went 2-0 up when Werner controlled Jorginho’s looping pass and lobbed the ball over the keeper and headed it in.

Frank Lampard’s side continued their onslaught and should have been further ahead but the visitors scored a goal out of nothing after a mistake from Kai Havertz with Che Adams threading the ball through to Danny Ings who rounded the recalled Kepa to make it four goals in four games.

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Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men capitalised on another comical Blues blunder involving Kepa in the second half to equalise with Adams eventually smashing the ball into the roof of the net.

But the home side were back in front two minutes later when Werner squared the ball for Havertz to his first goal for the club, echoing their link-up play for Germany in the 3-3 draw with Switzerland in midweek.

Hakim Ziyech came on for his league debut in the closing stages but Chelsea’s performance levels and workrate dipped and the Saints equalised in the 92nd minute from Jannik Vestegaard’s glancing header.

Everton remained top of the table on 13 points, three ahead of Liverpool, after an incident-packed end to the 237th Merseyside derby.

The game was locked at 2-2 after Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s 10th goal of the season in all competitions had brought Everton level in the 81st minute.

But in stoppage time, Thiago Alcantara found Sadio Mane with a clever pass and the Senagalese’s low cross was turned in by Henderson, only for VAR to find the narrowest of offsides.

To add to Liverpool’s disappointment, they suffered an injury to key defender Virgil van Dijk which forced the Dutchman out of the game in the 11th minute.

Liverpool were humiliated 7-2 by Aston Villa just before the international break but they quickly set about putting things right when Mane scored in the third minute, firing home a low cross from Andy Robertson.

Liverpool suffered a blow eight minutes later when defender Van Dijk went down and had to be substituted after a reckless challenge from Everton keeper Jordan Pickford.

Everton took advantage of the Dutchman’s absence, when, from a corner, Michael Keane rose at the near post to power a header past Adrian.

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Liverpool were on top for long stretches and Mohamed Salah restored their lead in the 72nd minute, pouncing on a headed clearance from Yerry Mina and drilling a drive past Pickford for his 100th goal for the club.

But Everton, determined not to lose their unbeaten record, got back on level terms when James Rodriguez sent Lucas Digne down the left and his perfectly floated cross was headed home by the leaping Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Everton’s Brazilian forward Richarlison was sent off in the 90th minute after a wild challenge on Thiago Alcantara.

Then came the VAR drama that left Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp bemused.

“I’ve seen the disallowed goal at the end and in the picture I saw it wasn’t offside. Can someone explain that to me?,” the German said.

Maguire, 27, was sent off for England against Denmark on Wednesday as his struggles continued following his arrest in Greece during pre-season.

His side’s next game is at Newcastle United on Saturday (kick-off 8pm).

“In these situations – that I’ve been in as well – you sometimes need to be taken out of the oven,” said Ferdinand.

“[Manchester United manager] Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] has a big job on his hands and I think quite an important role to play in this.

“Whether maybe it’s time to give him a little rest, let him gather himself and build that confidence back up.

“I got brought off in one game, I think it was Middlesbrough away, the manager [Sir Alex Ferguson] spoke to me and said ‘get yourself back to basics, train well and you’ll come back in’.

“That’s what happened and I was fine. It’s just sometimes that bit of pressure being taken out that can actually help you.”

Maguire went on international duty after playing for United in a 6-1 thrashing by Tottenham at Old Trafford.

He played in England’s win over Belgium on Sunday before his dismissal in the 1-0 Nations League defeat by Denmark.

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Maguire was booked early on before being shown a second yellow after 31 minutes when he fouled Kasper Dolberg.

“When you’re going game-to-game every three or four days, it’s very hard to see through the fog,” added Ferdinand, who won six Premier League titles with United as well as the Champions League in the 2007-08 season.

“But when you’re taken out of the firing line, you get time to sit back and actually analyse yourself, your performance, your preparation, your recovery – all aspects of what goes around a football match or 90 minutes.

“It’s then about rebuilding yourself and playing simple. Effectively trying to get through a game without being seen.

“It might sound silly but that’s the way I used to look at it when I was lacking a little bit of confidence. Because at the moment you’re being seen for all the wrong reasons.”

Partey, 27, joined the Premier League side on transfer deadline day from Atletico Madrid after his 45 million pounds release clause was triggered.

And according to Mr Anyidoho, who is now Chief Executive Officer of the Atta Mills Institute, he is expected to take the Premier League by storm just like how Michael Essien impressed at Chelsea.

Partey has become Ghana’s most expensive player in history following his move to the Premier League.

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The midfielder has been handed #18 jersey at Arsenal.

Partey is currently in Turkey preparing for Black Stars upcoming friendlies against Mali and Qatar in Antalya.

He will team up with his Arsenal teammates after the international break.

The 27-year-old joined the Gunners on transfer deadline day after the English club activated his £45 million release clause.

The amount involved in the transfer sees Partey overtake Michael Essien as the most expensive Ghanaian footballer of all-time.

Essien joined Chelsea from Ligue 1 side, Lyon, in 2005 in a deal worth £24.4 million, becoming the Blues’ record signing at the time under Jose Mourinho.

The Ghanaian had been the target of transfer speculation all through the summer, having been linked with several elite clubs.

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However, it was Arsenal who won the race for his signature after activating the midfielder’s release clause.

Partey will wear the number 18 shirt at Arsenal, and will reportedly be on a £250,000 per week wage.

Here are the top five most expensive Ghanaian transfers of all-time:

1. Thomas Partey £50m (Atletico Madrid = Arsenal)

2. Michael Essien £24.4m (Lyon = Chelsea)

3. Baba Rahman £21.7m (Augsburg = Chelsea)

4. Andre Ayew £20.5m (Swansea = West Ham)

5. Asamoah Gyan £13m (Rennes = Sunderland)

Partey joined the Premier League giants from Atletico Madrid after paying his 50m euros (£45.3m) release clause.

After completing the deal, Mikel Arteta, who is the head coach and a legend of the club, said the 27-year-old is an intelligent footballer and will definitely improve his side.

“We have been watching Thomas for a while, so we’re now delighted to add such a high-quality player to our squad. He is a dynamic midfielder with great energy,” Arteta told the official club website.

“He brings a lot of experience from a top club that has competed at the highest level in La Liga and the Champions League for several years.

“We’re very impressed with his attitude and his approach to the game. He’s an intelligent footballer and we’re looking forward to him integrating into our system and contributing to the progress we’re building at the moment at the club.”

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Thomas will wear the No 18 shirt and will join up with his new team-mates next week after he returns from international duty with Ghana.

The 27-year-old Ghana midfielder made 35 league appearances and scored three goals for Diego Simeone’s side as they finish third in La Liga last season.

He played 188 times for Atletico after joining the club in 2011.

Partey won the 2017-18 Europa League and 2018 Super Cup with Atletico and signed a new deal at the Wanda Metropolitano in 2018, until the end of June 2023.

The Ghana international – who has a release clause of £45 million (€50m/$58m) – has been a priority target for the Gunners all summer.

Discussions with Atletico have taken place during the past few months, with Arsenal hoping to land the midfielder for a fee less than his release clause, but Atletico have consistently stated that the only way Partey will be leaving this summer is if that clause is activated.

Arsenal have previously indicated that the release is too high, but Goal has been told that stance has now changed and Arsenal are willing to meet the clause and have indicated such to La Liga, who hold the player’s registration.

Arsenal’s legal team are now at the club’s London Colney training ground working to get the deal done.

Speaking about possible incomings after Sunday’s 2-1 win against Sheffield United, boss Mikel Arteta reassured fans that the club would be doing all they can to add to the squad before Monday night’s deadline.

“What I can guarantee is that we are doing our maximum for that to happen, whether we are going to achieve it or not, I don’t know,” said the Spaniard, when discussing the possibility of bringing in new signings.

“I cannot discuss the players that we want but we recognise certain positions that we believe we are short in. First of all in numbers and then adding different qualities to complement each other and this is what we are trying to do.

“I always try to be really honest and clear. Believe me that the ownership, the board, myself, are doing everything we can to maximise the resources we have to improve the team and to sustain and keep the players that are in this club to make this club successful.

“I have 100% backing from them. It’s not just words, it’s reality. Whoever knows me, if it wasn’t like that I wouldn’t say it but I say it because I feel it and it’s true.”

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Partey has been one of Arsenal’s top targets this summer along with Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar, who has now confirmed he will be staying with the French club for another year.

Atletico do not want to lose their midfielder and have given him assurances that he will be handed a new contract once the financial difficulties brought on by the coronavirus pandemic begin to lessen, but as previously reported by Goal, Partey wants a move to Arsenal and has been waiting to see if a deal can be struck.

The Gunners have now made their move and are trying to finalise the transfer before tonight’s 11:pm deadline.

On Sunday, the club which prides itself on being one of the biggest global brands in sport was humiliated in a 6-1 home Premier League defeat by Tottenham Hotspur.

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, sat watching alone in the stand, would surely have considered how an Old Trafford full of spectators would have reacted to such a loss coming near the end of another frustrating transfer window.

Indeed, had he taken one route out of the stadium, he would have had a taste of the frustrations of those fans, with a small group gathered with a banner calling for his resignation and that of the American Glazer family, who own the club.

The protest would not have been a spontaneous reaction from fans, who due to Covid restrictions, were forced to watch the game on television, but almost certainly an expression of deeper, longer-established discontent.

Seven years after Alex Ferguson ended his trophy-laden 26 years in charge at the club with his 13th Premier League title, United are still struggling to get anywhere near the levels they took for granted under the Scotsman.

David Moyes and Louis van Gaal came and went without moving the club forward and Jose Mourinho, now at Spurs, masterminded Sunday’s destruction against the club who sacked him less than two years ago.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer promised a return to the “United way”, bringing through young players and committing to an attacking approach and he certainly boosted the mood of the club after the misery of the late Mourinho period.

But the reason the fans fury is vented at Woodward and not Solskjaer is not just because the Norwegian is a popular former player but because of the club’s repeated failings in the transfer market.

Solskjaer wanted to bring in compatriot Erling Haaland in January, with the striker, rated one of the most exciting young forwards in Europe, reportedly keen to join United.

Yet, somehow, United allowed Borussia Dortmund to snap him up from RB Salzburg and the dream of a young attack with Haaland flanked by Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford was unfulfilled.

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Jude Bellingham, a 17-year-old from Birmingham City, was the next major target, the kind of box-to-box midfielder United are lacking, but again he chose to move to Dortmund rather than Salford.

• DEADLINE LOOMING

This window has seen United’s well-documented pursuit of one of Dortmund’s prize possessions, English winger Jadon Sancho, but with the deadline looming on Monday, there is no sign of a deal.

United have brought in Donny van de Beek from Ajax, who Solskjaer has so far, in the league, restricted to appearances from the bench.

Media reports suggest United are close to acquiring Brazilian left-back Alex Telles from Porto and Edinson Cavani, the Uruguayan striker, but a 33-year-old free agent is hardly the kind of signing the fans were expecting.

Mourinho had long tried to persuade Woodward to bring in a top-quality central defender and Solskjaer did get Harry Maguire last summer, but he looks badly in need of a quality partner.

United aren’t the first club to struggle to get the players they want but it is an unusual position for them to be in after the years when Ferguson pulled off coup after coup in the market.

Many fans blame Woodward and those sentiments were strengthened by recent comments from former player Patrice Evra who criticised United for sending “lawyers” rather than football people to talk to potential signings.

Former captain Gary Neville, now a pundit for Sky Sports, believes the players are being impacted by the constant struggles in recruitment.

“It’s the psychological damage of Manchester United not bringing the players in that I also think is hampering the players’ thoughts,” he said on Sunday.

“They see Liverpool sign players, they see City sign players, they see Chelsea sign players. The minute Spurs go 2-1 up it’s almost as if all those negative thoughts drain every single little bit of confidence out of them.

“(That is) not right – but that’s what’s happened here. I think ultimately these players at this moment in time felt as though they wanted support,” he said.

Not for the first time, Woodward heads into a deadline day with all eyes on him and with the club back in crisis mode.

After Bruno Fernandes gave United the lead from the spot in the second-minute, the hosts crumbled and found themselves behind just five minutes later.

Tanguy Ndombele was handed a gift to level the scores after Eric Bailly, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw made a mess of their clearance, before Harry Kane released Heung-min Son whose cool finish gave Tottenham the lead in the seventh-minute.

Things went from bad to worse for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as Anthony Martial was shown a straight red for a slap on Erik Lamela, whose theatrical reaction gave referee Anthony Taylor no other choice.

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And before the interval, United conceded twice more, with Kane registering on the score-sheet after Bailly gave up possession, and Son made it four with a clever near-post finish from Serge Aurier’s cross.

Their misery continued six minutes after the restart when Aurier drilled home Tottenham’s five, with Paul Pogba to blame for not tracking his runner. But Spurs weren’t finished there, as Kane scored his brace from the penalty spot after a rash Pogba foul on Ben Davies.

The victory moves Spurs to five, as Jose Mourinho made an astonishing return to Old Trafford, while shambolic United fall to 16th.

The Merseysiders were hoping to join neighbours Everton at the summit with four wins from four heading into the international break, but were left stunned and demoralised as Dean Smith’s side tore their defence to shreds with a remarkable performance.

It all started when Adrian, in for the injured first-choice keeper Alisson, gifted a pass to Jack Grealish to set up Watkins inside four minutes.

The club record £28m signing from Brentford then added a second with a superb run and shot before Mo Salah reduced the arrears on 33 minutes.

However, Liverpool’s expected resurgence didn’t materialise as John McGinn’s deflected shot restored Villa’s two-goal cushion just two minutes later. Watkins then completed his treble on 39 minutes when the visitors’ shaky defence were caught out by a deep free kick.

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The goals continued to flow after the break, with Ross Barkley marking his debut for the Villans with a fifth on 55 minutes.

Salah pulled another back for the away side but the impressive Grealish ensured he got in on the act with a late double.

The victory means Villa move up to second, three points behind Everton with three victories from three. Liverpool are down in fifth after seeing their own 100 per cent record brutally ended.

The Reds will now have to lick their wounds during the international break prior to a crunch derby at Everton on October 17. Villa will look to maintain their brilliant start when they visit Leicester on the same day.

Chelsea had been left frustrated after the first half ended goalless, but the full-back popped up in the right area to give the hosts a scrappy lead five minutes after the restart, capitalising on a poor Mamadou Sakho clearance.

Chilwell had impressed in Chelsea’s Carabao Cup ties but had to be patient for his first league appearance following a heel injury.

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And he made up for lost time as he set up Chelsea’s second, with his cross inch-perfect for Kurt Zouma, who doubled Chelsea’s advantage some 15 minutes later with an impressive header.

With confidence growing in the team, Jorginho put the hosts out of sight from the spot after Tammy Abraham was upended by Tyrick Mitchell.

Just minutes later the Italian slotted another penalty home following Sakho’s foul on Kai Havertz, after captain Cesar Azpilicueta diffused a situation between Abraham and the goalscorer, with the former desperate to take the spot-kick.

The 20-year-old has joined the Blades on a five-year contract for a club-record deal worth £23.5m.

The package for the England Under-21 forward includes a buy-back option for three years and the Reds will get 15% of any sell-on fee.

“He has been our number one target,” said Wilder.
“At the top of the pitch we have one of the country’s hottest properties from Liverpool and for him to sign permanently here is fantastic for everyone concerned.

“He’s a natural goalscorer. He finishes from any aspect, whether it is in the air or whether it’s spectacular goals, free-kicks or off his shin – he has a lovely habit of scoring goals, which is crucial in the Premier League.”

Brewster helped England win the Under-17 World Cup in 2017 and scored 11 goals in 22 appearances while on loan at Swansea City last season.

The Blades are yet to score in three Premier League games this season.

Several English top-flight clubs – including Aston Villa, Brighton, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Newcastle United – had enquired about signing Brewster on loan.

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He won the Golden Boot with eight goals at the Under-17 World Cup, playing in an England team alongside Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden and Borussia Dortmund forward Jadon Sancho.

“There were a few teams who came in but right now Sheffield United is the best option for me,” said Brewster.

“Looking at the club, it is on the rise, finishing ninth last year and hopefully it can be better this season.

“Maybe I can add some goals – I’ll work hard and try and help the team to a higher place this year.

“I am ready to come in and show everyone what I’ve got. It is a team that creates a lot of chances, the three at the back, overlapping, they get crosses into the box and that’s my game – being in the box, finding space and one- and two-touch finishes.

“That’s what I am going to try and do, and try and score goals for Sheffield United.”

Brewster has recovered well after suffering a serious ankle injury in January 2018 which ruled him out for the rest of that season.

The forward has made four Liverpool appearances, three in 2019-20 cup competitions and once as a substitute in the penalty-shootout defeat by Arsenal in this season’s Community Shield.

“He couldn’t make it here so far but he has made big steps in his development,” said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

“Rhian was really seriously injured and first we had to make sure he was ready again for all the demands of professional football and he is, 100%.

“When you are younger, [it is important] a player like Rhian in this position up front now makes the next steps and uses the time he lost during the serious injury – so it is possible a move to another club would make sense.”

United’s previous record signing was the £22m they paid for Norwegian midfielder Sander Berge from Belgian side Genk in January.

Blades forward Lys Mousset is out injured while Oli Burke is yet to get off the mark since he arrived as part of a swap deal with Callum Robinson, who has scored twice for this new side West Brom this season.

David McGoldrick is seen as a link-up player and only scored twice in the Premier League last season.

Wilder’s side, who are 19th in the Premier League, have a tough run of upcoming fixtures. They travel to Arsenal on Sunday before a trip to champions Liverpool on 24 October and they then host Manchester City a week later.

Sancho, 20, has been a long-term transfer target for United as they look to build on finishing third in the Premier League last season and reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup.

The England international joined Dortmund from Manchester City for a reported £10 million three years ago, but has shone in the Bundesliga to become one of European football’s brightest talents.

“The offer was for an initial £73m, rising to up to £91.3m, which fell short of Dortmund’s £108m valuation,” said a Sky report.

The German giants have insisted that Sancho will remain in the Bundesliga for another season after United failed to agree a deal by Dortmund’s deadline of 10 August.

Sebastian Kehl, head of Dortmund’s player department, said after Sancho scored in a 5-0 German Cup win at Duisburg earlier this month: “Jadon Sancho will play for Dortmund this season”.

Sancho has started Dortmund’s opening three games of the campaign, but has not travelled with the squad for Wednesday’s clash with Bayern Munich in the German Super Cup due to a “respiratory infection”, the club said on Tuesday.

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Dortmund confirmed Sancho has tested negative for coronavirus.

The winger scored 20 goals and provided 20 assists in all competitions last season and Dortmund captain Marco Reus is looking forward to him staying for another season.

“We all were happy that he will be with us for one more year because he delivers assists and goals, so we get points,” Reus told Sky Germany.

“If he gets as big as (Lionel) Messi or (Cristiano) Ronaldo, we will see. He needs time, experience and it will be important how he manages the times when things don’t go so well. But he has the confidence and the quality.”

United have faced criticism from fans for not spending more in the transfer market as their Premier League rivals have strengthened.

Dutch international midfielder Donny Van de Beek, who arrived for £40 million from Ajax, is United’s only signing of the window so far.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men have also suffered a poor start to the season, losing 3-1 at home to Crystal Palace and needing a 100th-minute penalty to beat Brighton 3-2 in their opening Premier League games.

Villa boss Dean Smith said: “Capturing a player of Ross’s quality is a real coup for our club and I am certain he will thrive here and improve our team.”

The 26-year-old England international joins from Chelsea having made 52 appearances at the southwest London club since arriving at Stamford Bridge in January 2018.

Before moving to Chelsea, Barkley made 179 appearances for Everton, scoring 27 goals, after breaking through their academy as a 17-year-old.

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He is Villa’s fifth signing this window. He follows Ollie Watkins, Bertrand Traore, Emiliano Martinez and Matty Cash through the door.

Barkley could make his Villa debut against Stoke in the EFL Cup on Thursday night.

Villa have enjoyed a 100 per cent winning start to their 2020/21 Premier League season with victories over Sheffield United and Fulham.

Their next league match is at home against champions Liverpool on October 4.

The 29-year-old has made one appearance for Liverpool as a substitute after joining from Bayern Munich and missed Monday’s 3-1 win over Arsenal.

Liverpool say he is “currently self-isolating according to the necessary guidelines” and has “exhibited minor symptoms of the virus but is in good health and is getting better”.

Liverpool play Arsenal again in the Carabao Cup on Thursday and then travel to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday before the international break.

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Liverpool first-team doctor, Dr Jim Moxon, said: “It is the choice of each individual whether they reveal publicly the outcome of a Covid-19 test. We have followed all the protocols to the letter and Thiago is OK.

“He will be self-isolating now as per the guidelines and hopefully he’ll be back with us soon.”

The Premier League revealed on Monday that 10 people had tested positive for coronavirus in the latest round of testing – the highest number of positive tests in a single round since the season began.

Arsenal, who had won their opening two Premier League games, went ahead after 25 minutes when Alexandre Lacazette took advantage of Andy Robertson’s error to bundle a close-range finish past Alisson but ended well beaten.

Liverpool, who maintained their 100% start to the season and moved second behind Leicester City, responded instantly as man-of-the-match Sadio Mane pounced two minutes later after Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno could only push out Mohamed Salah’s shot.

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And Liverpool went ahead before half-time when Robertson atoned for his earlier error by getting on the end of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross to beat Leno.

Liverpool were far superior but Arsenal will rue a great chance missed by Lacazette, who shot tamely at Alisson when he was clean through with the score 2-1 and their night was complete when Jota, making his Anfield bow following his move from Wolves, shot low past Leno from the edge of the area.

A match packed full of incident was settled with the very final kick as Bruno Fernandes coolly stroked in the winning penalty, spotted and awarded via a VAR check for Neal Maupay’s handball from a corner, all after on-field official Chris Kavanagh had blown to signal the end of the match.

Just moments before, Brighton thought they had sealed a point that would have been the least they deserved when Solly March headed in a cross from Alireza Jahanbakhsh.

It was a fitting finale to a game that had seen Albion take the lead through a Maupay penalty before United clawed their way back into the ascendency thanks to a Lewis Dunk own goal and a superb solo effort from Marcus Rashford.

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As if that wasn’t enough, the home side also struck the woodwork five times (with Leandro Trossard responsible for three of them), saw one awarded penalty overruled by VAR and another potential one waved away by Kavanagh.

On top of that, the visitors had two goals ruled out for offside.

But despite still being far from their best, it is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side who emerge with a first win of the Premier League campaign, helping quieten some of the criticism that followed their surprise opening-day loss to Crystal Palace.

The new-look Blues – comfortably beaten by Liverpool last week – were in self-destruct mode in the first half as they found themselves three goals down at half-time.

The Baggies raced into the lead in the fourth minute, with Matheus Pereira pouncing after a mistake from Marcos Alonso in the middle and Callum Robinson capitalised with a ruthless finish from a tight angle, beating Willy Caballero, who started ahead of Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Thiago Silva – named Chelsea’s captain for the match – was at fault for West Brom’s second as he was caught in possession, with Robinson pouncing for his second in the 28th-minute, before Kyle Bartley was left unmarked from a free-kick to add a third just two minutes later.

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Abraham had spurned two presentable chances in the first half, while Timo Werner struck the crossbar, but 10 minutes after the restart Mason Mount gave Chelsea hope with a fine strike from 25 yards out.

Substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi further reduced the deficit with a lovely goal after a clever one-two with Kai Havertz with 20 minutes still remaining.

And then in the dying seconds Abraham was alive to tap in Kai Havertz’s effort after it was parried by Sam Johnstone, as Chelsea rescued a point against a West Brom side still searching for their first win of the season.

With Kepa Arrizabalaga struggling after difficult two years in England, with the high profile errors continuing in Sunday’s 2-0 loss to Liverpool, Blues boss, Frank Lampard, has moved to strengthen his squad yet further.

After serving a transfer ban last summer, Chelsea have spent big this summer, having sealed deals for the likes of Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Ben Chilwell, Malang Sarr, Hakim Ziyech and Thiago Silva, with Mendy being the latest addition.

“I am so excited to be joining Chelsea,” Mendy said.

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“It’s a dream for me to be a part of this exciting squad and to work with Frank Lampard and all of his coaching staff.

“I look forward to meeting my teammates and can’t wait to get started,” Mendy added.

After three years at Reims, Mendy moved on and joined Rennes ahead of the 2019/20 season. In his first campaign at Roazhon Park, the 28-year-old kept 13 clean sheets and conceded just 31 goals in 33 games before the season was ended prematurely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He helped Rennes qualify for the Champions League for the first time last season before leaving for Chelsea after just one season.

The 29-year-old is observing a 10-day self-isolation period, the Premier League club confirmed.

As a result, the Germany international will miss City’s opening league game of the season against Wolves on Monday (20:15 BST).

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“Everyone at the club wishes Ilkay a speedy recovery,” Manchester City said in a statement.

City winger Riyad Mahrez and defender Aymeric Laporte previously tested positive for Covid-19 but are now back in training.

Pep Guardiola’s side are also due to play Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup on Thursday and Leicester City in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Senegalese forward headed in a superb second-half opener before doubling his tally four minutes later when he showed great work-rate to chase down Kepa and force a shocking error out of the Blues stopper.

It all turned the champions’ way after a cagey first period of few openings exploded into life on the stroke of half time. Andreas Christensen’s caution – for tumbling Mane as he raced through – was quite rightly upgraded to a red card by VAR.

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It proved to be a major moment in the game as Liverpool, who were already dominating and restricting Chelsea to occasional counter-attacks, took firm control through Mane’s brace.

The Merseysiders brought on new signing, Thiago for his debut at the interval, but he almost gave Chelsea a lifeline when he tripped Timo Werner in the area 15 minutes from time. Jorginho stepped up but saw his perfect record from the spot come to an end thanks to Alisson’s smart save.

Next up, the two sides are in League Cup action in the week. Chelsea host Barnsley on Wednesday while Liverpool travel to Lincoln on Thursday.

The Hammers were unrecognisable from the side that succumbed to Newcastle on the opening day, producing a display packed full of endeavour and energy to stifle the Gunners for large parts.

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Arsenal took the lead against the run of play on 25 minutes when Alexandre Lacazette powerfully headed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s cross home, but it was cancelled out on the stroke of half-time by Michail Antonio.

The Hammers looked set to go on to win the game in a dominant second-half display, with Antonio crashing a header against the crossbar, but Nketiah struck with five minutes remaining to make it two wins from two for the Gunners and leave West Ham pointless.

After Townsend squeezed a seventh-minute shot into the far corner from Jeffrey Schlupp’s cross, the host struggled badly but the game slipped away from them thanks to Zaha’s controversial 74th-minute penalty.

Referee Martin Atkinson used the VAR TV monitor to decide Victor Lindelof had handled inside his own box. But, after David de Gea thought he had saved Jordan Ayew’s spot-kick, Atkinson ordered a retake because the Spain international had moved off his line. Zaha took responsibility for the second attempt and made no mistake.

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On his debut, Donny van de Beek pulled one back 10 minutes from time but Zaha struck again against his former club to secure a deserved victory for Palace.

It was their biggest ever win at Old Trafford, the first time they have beaten United away from home in successive seasons and extended Palace’s remarkable undefeated run in away games against the two Manchester clubs to five.

For United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, it was a horrible day. Too many of his players were off the pace, including Paul Pogba, who was replaced by Van de Beek midway through the second half.

Bale, who left Spurs for Real seven years ago, completed his medical in Madrid on Thursday, arriving in London by private jet on Friday to finalise the move which will see Spurs reportedly pay half of Bale’s £600,000-a-week wage.

Despite winning four Champions League titles, Bale’s time in the Spanish capital has soured, and has been getting worse for some time.

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Manchester United reportedly considered making a move for him as a back-up option to Jadon Sancho, but they did not make an offer, even though they have tried to sign him on numerous occasions since he was at Southampton 13 years ago.

The hosts were let down by carelessness in both penalty boxes, though if they maintain this level of performance, they will win many more than they lose.

Brighton dominated midfield in the first half but then, on 23 minutes, an error from Steven Alzate precipitated a rash challenge from goalkeeper Mat Ryan, who felled Timo Werner in the box; Jorghinho despatched the resultant penalty with customary ease.

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At the start of the second half, Brighton again dictated the play, and Leandro Trossard’s well-earned equaliser came at the end of a quick and clever move.

But just two minutes later, James delivered an even better strike, after which Chelsea largely controlled the game – though Lewis Dunk missed an extremely presentable chance to equalise – and added a third when Adam Webster deflected Kurt Zouma’s shot into his own net.

Leeds United signed the former striker on an initial loan deal from German side Eintracht Frankfurt in January 1995.

However, Yeboah became an instant hit at Elland Road and won the hearts of the supporters.

“At that time, Leeds was not sure I could play in English football, so they only loaned me for six months and wanted to test me before maybe they could sign me,” Yeboah told Sportsmail.

After enjoying a brilliant season at Leeds United, he signed a permanent deal with the club.

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However, the former Okwawu United player disclosed that Manchester United came knocking with a good offer to join the Red Devils which had the likes of Eric Cantona.

However, the striker turned down the offer and decided to stay at the Yorkshire club for a transfer fee of £3.4 million.

“After six months, it was fantastic and I had an offer from Manchester United.

“But I decided to stay at Leeds because of the way the fans treated me. I couldn’t have gone to any other club,” he added.

Yeboah scored a total of 32 goals for Leeds United in 66 appearances and won the club’s Player of the Year.

Maguire, 27, was given a suspended prison sentence on the Greek island of Syros after being found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and repeated attempts of bribery.

He maintains his innocence and has appealed against the decision, which nullifies the conviction.

“He is going to be our captain,” Solskjaer told MUTV.

“He’s handled it really well and, of course, I’ll be here to support him.

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“We’ll just leave Harry and his people and the process to run. For me, he is a top, an absolute top human being and has always been a positive guy with the right values. So I really hope we can see Harry performing at his best.”

Maguire will now receive a full retrial in a more senior court and told the BBC his “conscience is clear”.

He was withdrawn from the England squad last month, but manager Gareth Southgate says he will “absolutely be looking” to recall the defender in October.

United play a friendly against Aston Villa on Saturday before their Premier League campaign begins against Crystal Palace on 19 September.

Jordan helped Crystal Palace to record a 1:0 win over Southampton.

A Wilfried Zaha goal on the 13^th minute after he was assisted by Andros Townsend served as the winning goal to send Southampton back to the St. Mary’s with no point.

Jordan Ayew lasted the entire duration of the game.

In the Skybet Championship, Andre Ayew was also in action with Swansea City recording a 1:0 win in their opening game.

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Andre Ayew earned a starting role when Swansea City visited the Deepdale Grounds to take on Preston North End.

Despite a pulsating encounter in the first half, neither club could get on the scoresheet. Less than 10 minutes after recess, Swansea City had the breakthrough courtesy a strike from Morgan Gibbs-White after he was assisted by Jake Bidwell.

Palace will play Bournemouth in the EFL Cup second-round game before they travel to Old Trafford to play Manchester United.

Meanwhile, Swansea City will host Birmingham at the Liberty Stadium in their second game of the season.

The Egyptian forward netted for the fourth straight opening day of the season when he converted a harshly-awarded fourth-minute penalty.

Leeds, who were playing their first top-flight match in 16 years, levelled soon after through Jack Harrison’s superb solo goal.

Virgil van Dijk then restored the home side’s advantage with a header from a corner before the Dutch defender went from hero to villain with an error that allowed Patrick Bamford to score at the Kop end.

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Salah then thundered his second of the evening into the top corner – and the Reds’ 550th goal under Jurgen Klopp – to cap a sensational opening 33 minutes of football.

Inevitably, the second half couldn’t quite live up to the rollercoaster nature of the first, but it remained end to end and Leeds reached parity one again when Mateusz Klich burst into the box and fired a sweet shot beyond Alisson on 66 minutes.

Liverpool pressed for a winner and got it two minutes from time. Salah claimed the match ball with another clinical penalty as the Merseysiders extended their club-record unbeaten league run at Anfield to 60 matches.

Klopp’s men will now turn their focus on a visit to big-spending Chelsea on Sunday while Leeds have a midweek EFL tie with Hull prior to their first Premier League home game against Fulham on Saturday.

Alexandre Lacazette became the first player to score the very first goal of two Premier League seasons when he bundled home a scrappy opener with just fine minutes on the clock to give Arsenal the lead in the sunshine in the capital.

After the break, the fluid Gunners stepped it up a gear, with Willian finding Gabriel with the first of his two assists. The Brazilian defender climbed highest to head home on debut to make it two in the 49th minute before Willian then picked out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who brilliantly arrowed the ball into the top corner to make sure of the win before the hour mark.

While Fulham provided meek opposition on their return to the top flight, this was seriously impressive from Arsenal, who picked up on where they left off from last season and built on their Community Shield win by making the perfect start to the new campaign.

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There was no place for Mesut Ozil and Emiliano Martinez in the Arsenal squad as their futures remain up in the air, with debuts handed to Willian and Gabriel, with the latter getting away with an early lapse in concentration to allow Aboubakar Kamara in, Bernd Leno coming to the rescue.

That reprieve was made all the more sweet as Lacazette pounced on the loose ball after Granit Xhaka and Willian’s shots had been kept out to give Arsenal the lead from close range.

Fulham, offered very little is response as an attacking force, and needed to start the second half well, but Gabriel’s goal just four minutes after the interval from a Willian corner killed off the Fulham resistance.

Not to be outdone, on the end of a fine, flowing move, Aubameyang picked up Willian’s long ball, shifted the ball onto this right foot, before scoring a goal which has become his trademark, curling the ball powerfully into the top corner to put the icing on a excellent performance.

The Kumasi-based outfits have secured the rights to cover the upcoming season with all activities ranging from live radio commentary, interviews, previews, promotions and events associated with the best league in the world, the Premier League.

These two stations have earned the cliché for being the hub of Premier League football in the Ashanti region and continue to hold that platitude for the next year.

The launch took place in the studios of Nhyira 104.5FM on Nhyira Power Sports anchored by Moses Antwi Benefo on Wednesday at 11:am in Kumasi.

Nhyira FM, LUV FM and their partners, in collaboration with Talksport UK, have renewed their relationship that will enable the live broadcast of the Premier League.

Speaking at the launch on the Nhyira Power Sports, Programmes Manager, Benjamin Fiifi Ocran said LUV FM and Nhyira FM will be the home of Premier League after securing ultimate radio rights for the Ashanti region.

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“As ultimate rights holders, it makes it illegal for any other radio station, both English and Akan, to broadcast the English Premier League commentary in Ashanti. We secured the rights to bring back the ecstasy for our audience. We will have PL Roadshows and promotions that will have our listeners winning prizes as they listen to coverage with commentary and informed analysis,” he said.

Marketing manager for the Nhyira FM and LUV FM, Isaac Antwi thanked the sponsors who made it possible to secure the rights and called for more companies to sponsor the coverage.

“I welcome all companies willing to sponsor the live coverage and all other events associated with the Premier League. We spent a lot in securing the rights and we may not even cover the cost but for the sake of mutual benefit and our listeners, we want you to come on board so we combine our efforts and give great value for the resources that will be invested,” he noted.

The main season starts on September 12 with Fulham and Arsenal playing the first fixture of the new campaign at 11:30am.

NHYIRA FM and LUV FM have their coverage of the 2020/2021 Premier League sponsored by Rockcare Clinic, Amuzu Herbal Clinic and Kennedy Digital Satellite.

The two Etihad stars are not suffering and have no symptoms of the virus – but still have to self-isolate.

City confirmed the news on their club website – two weeks ahead of their opening Premier League game.

The statement read: “Both players are currently observing a period of self-isolation in accordance with the Premier League and UK Government protocol on quarantine.

“Neither is displaying symptoms of the virus.

“Everyone at the club wishes Riyad and Aymeric a speedy recovery ahead of their return to training and the new season.”

Mahrez, 29, shared a snap of himself soaking up the sunshine while on holiday last month.

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The ex-Leicester City hit the headlines this week as his estranged wife has been spotted on nights out with Anthony Joshua.

Laporte, 26, was also away on holiday at the same time as his team-mate with stunning wife Sara Botello.

They are the latest Premier League stars to contract the virus after Manchester United’s Paul Pogba.

Pogba is now at home isolating with his family after he tested positive when he reported for international duty.

The 2020-21 Premier League campaign will get under way this weekend, but City will get an extra week off after their Champions League run last season.

Top-flight clubs will be forced to play even if their squad suffers a Covid-19 outbreak.