Career
Gary Lineker expects Manchester clubs or PSG to win Harry Kane race
Gary Lineker believes that both Manchester clubs and Paris Saint-Germain are the favourites to land Harry Kane in the summer, although he expects Daniel Levy to fight hard to keep Tottenham’s star man. Kane recorded 22 goals and 14 assists in the Premier League last season to secure both the golden boot and the playmaker award, despite Spurs finishing in seventh place in the table. As reported by Goal on May 17, the Spurs forward, who will captain England at the upcoming European Championship in the summer, wants to leave the north Londoners and Lineker can understand his desire for trophies. “I think that it would be worrying [to see him dominate the league if he joins Manchester City],” Lineker told Goal. “I would love to see him at Barcelona but they are going for [Sergio] Aguero and ar...
Robin van Persie wants Chelsea boss to give Hakim Ziyech ‘much bigger role’
Former Arsenal forward Robin van Persie has urged Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel to give “a much bigger role” to Hakim Ziyech. The 28-year-old has made 39 appearances for the Blues across all competitions since teaming up with the side last summer. The winger has played in a number of roles under Tuchel and Van Persie has expressed his displeasure with this, since the Morocco international does not have a definite role at the club. “It is actually a shame that the creativity of players like Ziyech, Pulisic and Kovacic – who I think is a brilliant player – is not being expressed,” Van Persie told De Telegraaf. “Kovacic is their engine and playmaker. Ziyech also has those qualities higher up the pitch, but he should have a much bigger role in the team. “He is now constantly searching [for a p...
Lazio confirm Simone Inzaghi’s exit
Lazio released a terse statement confirming Simone Inzaghi ‘changed his mind’ and is heading to Inter. Inzaghi’s contract with the Aquile is due to expire on June 30 and last night he had seemingly agreed to extend it until June 2024. However, Inter came back with a new proposal to practically double the wages on offer and lead the Serie A Champions. It was reported President Claudio Lotito tried and failed to change his mind, even telling Il Messaggero this afternoon that they would announce the new contract later. Lazio finally accepted they had lost Inzaghi and released a terse statement in which they never even said his name. “We respect the change of mind of a coach and, before that, of a player who for many years tied his name to the Lazio family and the many Biancocelesti successes....
Ex-Super Eagles midfielder Seyi Olofinjana appointed GC Zurich technical director
Switzerland side Grasshopper Club Zurich have appointed former Super Eagles midfielder Seyi Olofinjana as the new technical director. The 40-year-old was most recently a loan manager at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Olofinjana will take over the position of Technical Director at the Grasshopper Club Zurich with immediate effect and will be responsible for sports. He is taking over the position of interim sports director from Jimmy Berisha, who is stepping back into his role as Managing Director. ”Olofinjana was active in his career as a player for Stoke City, Hull City and the Wolverhampton Wanderers, among others. After his active career, he worked for the Wolverhampton Wanderers in various positions. Most recently, he worked as a loan manager,” reads a statement on the club website. “Olofinja...
Robert Lewandowski left buzzing after historic goal number 41
An elated Robert Lewandowski could not believe his luck after he scored his 41st league goal the season in the final minute of the final game of 2020-21 season on Saturday to break a 49-year-old record held by fellow Bayern Munich great Gerd Mueller. Lewandowski rounded Augsburg keeper Rafal Gikiewicz in the 90th minute to score league goal number 41, one more than Mueller, in their 5-2 victory. “I really have no words to describe this,” Lewandowski said. “When you try over 90 minutes to score a goal and it is just not happening and then with the last kick of the game you score, then it feels absolutely amazing.” “I am very happy. This is certainly a highlight in my career.” Lewandowski, who is already second on the all-time scorers list in the Bundesliga, with 277 goals, behind only Muell...
Nigeria’s chief of army staff dies in plane crash
General Ibrahim Attahiru, the Chief of Army Staff, has died in a plane crash. Details of the incident are still sketchy but a military source told newsmen that it happened in Kaduna on Friday. In a statement, the Nigerian Air Force confirmed that there was an accident involving one of its aircraft in Kaduna but did not go into details. “An air crash involving a @NigAirForce aircraft occurred this evening near the Kaduna International Airport. The immediate cause of the crash is still being ascertained. More details to follow soon,” read the statement signed by Edward Gabkwet, the force’s Director of Public Relations and Information. A source said there were eight persons on board the aircraft. Attahiru was appointed Chief of Army Staff on January 26, 2021. Born on 10th August 1966 in Doka,...
Harry Kane tells Tottenham he wants to leave this summer
Harry Kane has reiterated his stance that he wants to leave Tottenham this summer. The 27-year-old has grown frustrated over the club’s inability to compete at the highest level, having seen his side fall out of contention to secure Champions League football for next season. Spurs have long been reluctant to entertain bids for their talisman but the England captain is hoping that they will soften their stance after his long service to the club. Daniel Levy will demand a huge fee for Kane – who prefers a move within the Premier League – as he is on a long-term deal until 2024. Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea are potentially viable destinations, although it is still unclear as to whether a move will materialise. All three of the aforementioned Premier League giants have signif...
Bernd Leno: I don’t want to leave Arsenal
Bernd Leno has insisted that he does not want to leave Arsenal while outlining his ambition to help the club reach the Champions League again. Leno completed a £23 million ($33m) move to Emirates Stadium from Bayer Leverkusen in 2018, venturing outside of Germany for the first time in his professional career in the process. The 29-year-old has since nailed down the number one spot in Arsenal’s team; however, it has been suggested that he is one of several first-team stars likely to depart in the summer transfer window. Mikel Arteta is being tipped to reshape his squad after a turbulent 2020-21 campaign, but Leno has dismissed the ongoing speculation surrounding his future while revealing he intends to see out the final two years of his contract. “I don’t want to flee here, I feel good and ...
Jorge Mendes rubbishes Cristiano Ronaldo’s Sporting Lisbon return links
Former Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will not be returning to Sporting Lisbon this summer. The Portuguese international has been linked with a fairy tale return to his boyhood club ahead of the 2021/22 season after enduring a mixed campaign with Serie A giants Juventus. Ronaldo’s mother Dolores Aveiro also fuelled speculation over him going back to Lisbon by claiming she would ‘talk to her son about a return’. However, despite speculation over the 36-year old’s next move, as he enters the final year over his contract in Turin, his agent Jorge Mendes has confirmed there will be no move this summer. “Cristiano is proud of the title won by Sporting (this season), as he has publicly demonstrated,” Mendes told an interview with Portuguese outlet Record. “But at the moment his career p...
Plateau governor mourns ex-CDS Dogonyaro
Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau, has expressed sadness over the death of the former Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Joshua Dogonyaro, at the age of 80. Lalong in a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr. Makut Macham, described his death as a great loss to the nation. He described Dogonyaro as a patriotic and loyal military officer, who served Nigeria with courage, dignity and selflessness, in several commands in his military career, saying he accomplished his assignments with tremendous success. He lauded his outstanding leadership skills in International peace keeping as Field Commander in Liberia, for the Economic Community of West Africa States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), saying Nigeria’s contribution during his tenure remained a reference point in the Nigerian A...
Cristiano Ronaldo’s mother ready to convince him to join Sporting Lisbon
Cristiano Ronaldo’s mother said she will talk to the Portugal international and ‘try to convince’ him to return to Sporting CP. The Leoes have qualified for the Champions League by winning the Primeira Liga for the first time in 19 years and Dolores Aveiro, Cristiano’s mother, said she will do everything she can to make the superstar return to the club. Ronaldo started his professional career with the Verde e Brancos, before he moved to Manchester United in August 2003. He then moved to Real Madrid in the summer of 2009 and was picked up by the Bianconeri after nine years in the Spanish capital. His future at the Allianz Stadium is uncertain, as Juventus are struggling to finish among the teams in the Champions League and Ronaldo has been linked with a move away from the club. The hypothes...
Christian Pulisic dismisses Chelsea exit rumours
Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic has dismissed rumours he could quit Stamford Bridge this summer. The United States international has found himself in and out of the side under Thomas Tuchel and admitted he was “very frustrated” not to start against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final second leg earlier this month, giving rise to speculation he could seek a move this summer. However, Pulisic says he isn’t going anywhere and is “up for the challenge” of proving himself in west London. When asked whether he saw his long-term future at Chelsea, Pulisic told ESPN: “Yeah, I’m obviously happy here. It has been an incredible two years. “People have always doubted and said: ‘Oh, he’s not playing, does he want to go here, does he want to go there?’ I’m always up for a challenge, I love c...