WeeklySA_AdminEKSTEIN FOR AMAZULU
Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Hendrick Ekstein is edging closer to securing a return to the PSL with a move to AmaZulu.
Ekstein is a free agent after arriving back in the country from Azerbaijan, where he spent two seasons. The 30-year-old started training with Usuthu this week with a view to securing a permanent deal.
The midfielder joins striker Justin Shonga and defender Philani Zulu who are also currently hoping to secure deals with Benni McCarthy’s outfit. According to a source close to the club, Ekstein is likely to be added to the squad to bolster their midfield.
BUCS LEPASA STILL INJURED
Orlando Pirates’ technical team has confirmed that Zakhele Lepasa won’t be returning to the field of play before the start of the new season. “Lepasa is far from [returning] for us. We’re speaking about months, not days or weeks, months. He needs the time, he had a really difficult injury,” said the German tactician Josef Zinnbauer.
The deadly Lepasa will miss the Pirates against the Dube Birds for their MTN8 quarter-final clash at Orlando Stadium on Saturday. Kick-off is at 18:00.
CHELSEA LURES LUKAKU
Romelu Lukaku has reportedly arrived in London to complete a £97.5m ($A183m) transfer to Chelsea from Inter Milan that will make him the most expensive player in football history. Sky Sports reported Lukaku underwent the first part of his medical in Milan after Chelsea agreed in principle a club-record deal to re-sign the striker, and he’ll complete the rest in the UK before finalising a five-year deal said to be worth £200,000 ($A376,000) a week.
The transfer will take Lukaku past Neymar the most expensive player in history in terms of combined career transfer fees, standing at a staggering £308.5m ($A580m); £30m more than the Brazilian in second on £271.7m ($A511).
HUNT CHILLS AT CHIPPA
The Chilli Boys tactician appears to have already settled down in Port Elizabeth. Chippa United coach Gavin Hunt appears to have moved on from a frustrating stint at Kaizer Chiefs, but argues “football has no style of play” after remarks suggesting he might not establish a defined game identity at his new club.
Hunt spent nine largely disappointing months at Chiefs and left the club while facing the threat of Premier Soccer League relegation but in the semi-finals of the Caf Champions League. He is now at a club with a reputation of frequently changing coaches but has so far enjoyed life in Port Elizabeth.
CONDOM PADDLING CANOEIST BURSTS TO VICTORY
Jessica Fox, the Australian canoeist has a condom to thank for her double medal success in Tokyo.
The 27-year-old claimed bronze in the K1 event last Tuesday and then two days later was crowned the first Olympic champion in the women’s C1. And it turns out she was paddling with an extra layer of protection after a video emerged from last week showing her and her team carrying out crucial pre-competition repairs to the end of her kayak, using a rather different method.
In the video, a member of her staff is seen adding a carbon-fibre patch to the nose of her kayak, which is flipped upside down on two chairs, and then the condom is stretched gradually over the top to secure the patch in place. “Very stretchy. Much strong. It gives the carbon a smooth finish,” Fox, the now four-time Olympic medallist, then wrote with a laughing emoji. As well as a win for Franklin, Olympic organisers will no doubt be glad that one of the Games-issued condoms is getting put to use outside of the athlete’s village as they had intended, albeit not for the reason they were hoping.
At the last Games in Rio, 450,000 condoms were distributed through vending machines featuring the message: “Celebrate with a Condom.” This time there will be only 150,000, all handed out when athletes leave for home immediately after competing.
