Sports
Wazupnaija – Naija Entertainment blogs & Forums – Sports
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to make two changes | Expected Man United line-up (4-2-3-1) vs Granada
Manchester United are scheduled to face Granada on the road in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie on Thursday night. The Red Devils returned from the international break with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. Marcus Rashford picked up a knock during the backend of the game, and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said that he has yet to decide whether to start him. Meanwhile, it has also been confirmed that Anthony Martial is set to miss the rest of the campaign after the knee injury sustained on France duty last month. Formation: 4-2-3-1 Predicted Line-up: Dean Henderson appears to have established himself as the regular goalkeeper in the Premier League ahead of David de Gea. De Gea has not featured in the last seven games (three...
Celtic could look to appoint 63-yr-old if the move for Eddie Howe falls through
Celtic are keeping tabs on former Borussia Dortmund manager Lucien Favre as a potential alternative option if their move for Eddie Howe falls through. The former Bournemouth manager is believed to be the top target as per Football Insider. The Scottish outfit have already presented the manager with a lucrative offer and are hoping that he agrees to sign the contract. Meanwhile, 63-year-old Favre is currently out of a job after being dismissed by the German club in December. The former Dortmund manager could prove to be an excellent appointment after proving his quality in Germany, France and Switzerland. Celtic need to appoint a manager who can oversee a major rebuild of their playing squad and add a distinct playing style. Both Favre and Howe could be a good fit for the Scottish outfit. F...
West Ham might have to pay around £30m in order to sign 27-cap Int’l this summer
West Ham United are likely to attempt to sign Jesse Lingard on a permanent deal at the end of this season. The 28-year-old joined the Hammers on a loan deal during the January transfer window, and he has been a massive hit to date. The Manchester United attacker has scored six goals with three assists since moving to the London club. Lingard has also managed to force his way into the England set-up due to his recent form. According to Daily Mail, United could demand as much as £30 million for Lingard, and they are confident of sparking a bidding war for the player. Wolverhampton Wanders, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Arsenal were linked with a move for Lingard in January. The Hammers may be unwilling to invest that kind of money on Lingard, who will have just 12 months left on hi...
‘Easiest player to shift’: Spurs could offload £50k-per-week star; Everton keen to sign
Tottenham Hotspur are preparing a massive rebuilding work in the summer, with Jose Mourinho ready to offload as many as seven players. According to reports from The Mirror, Mourinho wants Daniel Levy to back him in the summer transfer window to give his side a fighting chance next season. The Portuguese boss is ready to offload players who are surplus to requirements at the club. Spurs are looking to raise funds from player sales, and re-invest in the squad wisely in the summer. One of the players who could leave the club is Harry Winks. The England international has lost his place in the national team due to a lack of regular opportunities at the club. The Mirror describes his situation as “a fall from grace”. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who joined from Southampton in the summer, is...
Liverpool have alternative plans lined up as ‘nothing has been decided yet’ on £34m target
Liverpool may well drop the idea of signing Ibrahima Konate in the summer. The Athletic reported last month that the RB Leipzig defender is heading towards Liverpool this summer. Popular football journalists David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano both have claimed that Konate is likely to join the Merseyside club, with the Reds already lining up a deal for him. RB Leipzig sporting director, Markus Krosche, claimed last month that Konate won’t be sold in the summer transfer window, but they could be powerless to prevent him from leaving if any potential suitor activates his release clause which is around £34.15 million (€40m). It has been claimed that Liverpool currently in the process of finalising a deal for him, as bolstering the defence in the summer...
Boost for Barcelona and Real Madrid as Atletico star set for spell on the sidelines
Atletico Madrid striker Luis Suarez has suffered a muscle injury in his left leg, as confirmed via the club’s official website. Suarez came to Atletico Madrid from Barcelona in last summer’s transfer window. Despite his age, the 34-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down, scoring 19 La Liga goals in 26 appearances. This has put him second in the race for the Pichichi, four behind former teammate Lionel Messi. Suarez has enjoyed a fine debut season at Atletico Madrid This form has helped Los Rojiblancos to the top of the La Liga table with just nine games remaining. They remain on course for their 11th league title, and their first since the 2013/14 season. However, Diego Simeone’s side have suffered a major loss of form, winning just four of their last ten league outings. This has seen...
‘Omg yes please’, ‘Will be class’ – Some Spurs fans react to links with striker with 181 PL goals
Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero would consider joining Tottenham Hotspur when he leaves his current club at the end of the season. The Argentine wants to remain in the Premier League after 10 years at the Etihad Stadium, and he is even ready to sacrifice Champions League football for next season in order to do so. With 181 Premier League goals in 272 games for Man City, Aguero has established himself as one of the best strikers in the English top-flight, and landing such a player will definitely boost Spurs’ chances of winning silverware and returning to Europe’s elite competition. While the 32-year-old will be signed as a free agent, his wages could prove too much for a side like Tottenham. Chairman Daniel Levy has been prudent with his side’s finances for a while, and he would have ...
Manchester United reportedly have joined the race to sign £34m Liverpool-bound target
Manchester United have reportedly joined the race to sign Ibrahima Konate in the summer transfer window. Last month, The Athletic reported that the RB Leipzig defender is heading towards Liverpool this summer, with the Reds already lining up a deal for him. David Ornstein and several other reliable journalists have claimed that Konate is likely to join the Merseyside club, with Liverpool currently in the process of finalising a deal for him, which is reported to be around £34 million. Bolstering the defence is a priority for the Reds, and while the deal isn’t done yet, the suggestion was clear – Konate would be Anfield-bound in a few months. However, there could be a twist in the tale, with the Red Devils now registering an interest in him. United and several other heavywei...
Spurs have reportedly come up with a smart transfer plan to sign £64m star
According to reports from Spanish outlet La Razon, Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Diego Carlos from Sevilla in the summer transfer window. The 28-year-old Brazilian reportedly has a £64m release clause in his contract. The report claims that Spurs have come up with a plan to sign him, where they are looking to include Davinson Sanchez as a part of the deal. Jose Mourinho appears to have become frustrated with the available centre-back options at the club. At the start of the season, Sanchez appeared to had fallen of favour with Mourinho. However, he has started in all of Tottenham’s last nine Premier League games. The Colombia international came under strong criticism for his performance during Tottenham’s 2-2 draw against Newcastle last week. It has been ...
Analysis: Liverpool’s poor pressing and TAA horror show ensured resounding thrashing by Real Madrid
As far as UEFA Champions League quarter-final ties go, they don’t get much bigger than this. Real Madrid hosted Liverpool at the Alfredo Di Stéfano in the first leg of the repeat of the 2018 Champions League final, but a number of key players were missing from both sides. Neither team had either of their two senior centre-backs available, while Eden Hazard and Dani Carvajal were also out for Los Blancos. Two depleted defences meant that we certainly had goals in store, and that was just the case as Real Madrid emerged 3-1 winners – just as they had done nearly three years ago. There was no Gareth Bale to bag a brace for Zinedine Zidane’s men, but Vinícius Júnior stepped up more than adequately with a match-winning performance. We will take a look at that and much more as we ...
Manchester United target to be offered new contract
Barcelona are preparing to offer a new contract to winger Ousmane Dembele, reports Spanish outlet Sport. Dembele came to Barcelona in the summer transfer window of 2017, arriving from Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth up to €145 million. He was brought in to replace Neymar, who had departed for Paris Saint-Germain for a world record fee that window. Dembele celebrates a goal against Sevilla His time at the Camp Nou has not been as successful as hoped. He has shown flashes of potential, but injuries and inconsistency have held him back from fulfilling his potential. Nonetheless, there is no denying his talent. With a bit of fine tuning, the Frenchman could go on to become one of the world’s most feared forwards. Spanish publication Sport are claiming that the Catalan giants are set to offer...
Inter Milan looking to sell duo to raise funds this summer
Inter Milan are reportedly ready to let midfield duo Joao Mario and Radja Nainggolan leave in the summer. Mario joined Inter Milan from Sporting Lisbon for an estimated €40 million in 2016. The transfer hasn’t worked out as hoped, with the Portuguese making just 69 appearances in all competitions for the Nerazzurri. He has also spent time on loan at West Ham United, Lokomotiv Moscow and former club Sporting. Joao Mario has struggled to make an impression at Inter He made little impression during his time in the Premier League, and the Hammers turned down the opportunity to sign him permanently for €40m. Across his other two loan spells, he has scored just two goals. Nainggolan was once one of the world’s most respected central midfielders, earning 30 caps for the Belgium national team. He ...
