Arsenal agree terms to sign De Almeida from PSG

LONDON, England, September 1, 2026 – Arsenal have agreed terms to sign France defender Elisa de Almeida from Paris St-Germain. sportbet.reviews

Sources in France suggest the fee could be about £550,000 and she is expected to join before Thursday’s transfer deadline.

The versatile 28-year-old can play at centre-back – an area where Arsenal need cover at the start of the season because of injuries.

De Almeida has spent five years at PSG, making more than 100 appearances and has experience of competing in the Women’s Champions League.

She has spent her entire career in France, representing Paris FC before a spell at Montpellier, prior to joining PSG.

De Almeida has played 52 games for France and was part of Les Bleues’ squads at the 2023 Women’s World Cup and Euro 2025.

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Arsenal are seeking to win a first Women’s Super League title since 2019 and have strengthened this summer, with additions including England midfielder Georgia Stanway and Spain full-back Ona Batlle.

Renee Slegers’ side start their season at Brighton on Sunday, 6 September (12:00 BST).

Ruan Nortjé knows exactly where Saturday’s third Test at FNB Stadium could be won or lost, and it isn’t just at the coalface. CLINTON VAN DER BERG reports.

The Springbok lock has identified New Zealand’s lineout as the fight within the fight, and he’s not shy about naming the man pushing him hardest.

“Some weeks they’ve got your number, some weeks you’ve got theirs, that’s the quality you’re up against,” Nortjé said at the team hotel in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

His answer to that unpredictability is simple, unglamorous work.

“It’s about making sure that when we’re in camp we work as hard as possible, put plans in place to put them under pressure, and I’m sure they’ll have their own plans for this weekend too.”

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Adaptability, he says, will decide who blinks first.

“It’s about handling it when they put us under pressure and adapting as quickly as possible, especially in that situation in the game.”

Then there’s Fabian Holland, the towering lock who has been one of the form players of the series. Nortjé doesn’t try to talk him down.

“Fabian Holland is a world-class player, he’s shown that the last two weeks,” he said. “A lot of respect to him, it’s always a privilege to play against him.”

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The stage for all this is FNB Stadium, and Nortjé is bracing for a crowd that dwarfs last week’s.

“I think it’ll be an amazing experience. Last week was 56,000 people, this week it might be 85,000 or 90,000. We can only imagine how awesome that will be.”

Even so, he insists the scale won’t change the approach for his 23rd Test match.

“No matter where we play, we know what we have to do and what we have to stick to. It’ll just be awesome to have that many people supporting you, feeding off them, getting energy from them, and enjoying every moment.”

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Away from the lineout, Nortjé also opened up on the unglamorous side of leadership, managing referees, a skill he’s sharpened as part-time Bulls captain.

“I’m only captain at the Bulls, so I can speak to that. You’ve got to understand where the referee is at in the game and how he’s communicating,” he said.

“Certain referees have different styles, different profiles, different ways of communicating and running the game, so it’s important to understand the person you’re working with, and what the best way and the best time is to talk to him, and when not to.”

His philosophy when decisions go against him is restraint rather than reaction.

“If you feel like you’re not getting the rub of the green from the ref, for me it’s about standing back a bit, making sure you work through your own actions in the game, play as close to the laws as possible, and then leave it to him to make his decision rather than putting too much pressure on him.”

Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images

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Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has challenged emerging youngsters to build on their promising starts after Mpho Padime and Simphiwe Masilela impressed when given their opportunity.

The Buccaneers will look to secure their third consecutive victory in the Betway Premiership when they take on Kruger United at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

Pirates head into this fixture sitting in top spot in the league, level on 10 points with second placed Mamelodi Sundowns.

Abdeslam Ouaddou has challenged Orlando Pirates’ emerging youngsters to build on their promising starts after Mpho Padime and Masilela impressed when given their opportunity.

Ouaddou believes the club will continue to create pathways for young talent, but stressed that the players must remain humble, dedicated and professional if they are to establish themselves at the highest level.

“Not only him (Mpho Padime}, I think we can include Masilela in the talk. Well, done to both of them. I think Pirates is a club that is giving chances to the young. It’s not the first time, and we continue the process. They did very well, we saw they have great potential,” said Ouaddou.

“Now, they must keep on working, they must keep on being humble, listening to be coachable. It’s only the first game. A career is a minimum of 10 years. When I have an opportunity to give them game time, definitely I will give them.

“But they must still work and be very professional because in football you can go high quickly, but you can fall quickly as well.

“Well done, keep working. Be careful about your life. You have to be professional. Think football, you train, you go home, you rest. You eat good, you drink water and not something else. Don’t smoke, don’t take things that can destroy your body,” he concluded.

The post Ouaddou Challenges Padime & Masilela to Build on Promising Starts appeared first on SportsClub.

C’est désormais officiel : Ibrahim Mbaye quitte le Paris Saint-Germain pour Aston Villa. Le club anglais a annoncé ce mardi la signature de l’attaquant sénégalais de 18 ans, qui s’est engagé sur le long terme avec les pensionnaires de Villa Park. Une opération estimée à 55 millions d’euros qui marque un nouveau tournant dans la carrière du jeune ailier, annoncé pendant plusieurs semaines du côté de Liverpool.

Formé au PSG et lancé en équipe première par Luis Enrique à seulement 16 ans en août 2024, Mbaye quitte la capitale française après avoir disputé 42 rencontres, pour quatre buts et quatre passes décisives. Son passage parisien aura surtout été marqué par un palmarès exceptionnel pour son âge : deux Ligues des champions, deux titres de champion de France, une Coupe de France et deux Supercoupes de l’UEFA. International sénégalais à 15 reprises, il s’est également illustré lors de la Coupe du monde 2026 en devenant le plus jeune joueur africain à inscrire un but dans l’histoire de la compétition.

Aston Villa devance finalement Liverpool

Longtemps annoncé comme une future recrue de Liverpool, Mbaye avait même trouvé un accord sur les bases d’un contrat de cinq ans avec les Reds. Mais les négociations avec le PSG n’ont finalement pas abouti. Le club parisien réclamait initialement 70 millions d’euros, une exigence qui aurait refroidi Liverpool. Aston Villa a finalement saisi l’opportunité et obtenu le transfert pour 55 millions d’euros, notamment grâce aux bonnes relations entre les dirigeants des deux clubs. Après avoir perdu progressivement du terrain dans la hiérarchie parisienne face à une concurrence devenue particulièrement dense en attaque, le Sénégalais va donc tenter de franchir un nouveau cap en Premier League.

À Birmingham, Mbaye aura désormais l’occasion de sortir définitivement du statut de grand espoir pour s’imposer comme un véritable joueur de premier plan. Ses qualités de vitesse et de percussion, qui avaient séduit Luis Enrique lors de ses débuts, seront désormais mises au service d’Aston Villa. Après avoir grandi dans l’un des environnements les plus exigeants d’Europe, le jeune Sénégalais prend son envol en Angleterre avec une pression nouvelle : celle de justifier les 55 millions d’euros investis sur lui.

The post Mercato : Aston Villa officialise l’arrivée d’Ibrahim Mbaye pour 55 millions d’euros appeared first on AfricaFootUnited.

The Vodacom Bulls away kit for the 2026-27 season was revealed on Tuesday.

The “Tradition into Tomorrow” kit, featuring distinctive teal and navy colourways, is inspired by iconic 1990s sporting apparel which featured a striking combination of bold colours and geometric shapes.

According to kit manufacturers Puma, the design graphic on the kit transforms into flowing organic patterns that express a fluidity of movement, while the retro-futuristic design captures the team’s proud legacy, dynamism and commitment to pushing boundaries on and off the pitch.

The design carries over onto the replica training jerseys available to fans in either light blue and yellow or in navy and pink – the later look echoes the iconic pink Bulls jersey in 2012.

The post Bulls take tradition into tomorrow appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.