Football
Wolves complete signing of Barcelona star
Wolves have completed the signing of right-back Nelson Semedo from Barcelona in a deal worth around £29m. Semedo has signed a contract that will keep him at Molineux until June 2023, with an option to extend it to June 2025. Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo was in the market for another option at right-back following the sale of Republic of Ireland international Matt Doherty to Tottenham on a four-year-deal. Semedo is represented by Gestifute, the agency run by Jorge Mendes, who plays a key part in many Wolves’ deals. The 26-year-old former Benfica defender becomes Wolves’ fifth signing of the transfer window following the arrivals of Fabio Silva, Fernando Marcal, Vitor Ferreira and Ki-Jana Hoever. Hoever signed from Liverpool last week as forward Diogo Jota’s completed a move in the ...
Frank Lampard urges Premier League clubs to help save struggling EFL
Frank Lampard has urged Premier League clubs to ‘have a heart’ and help save Football League sides amid the financial implications of the coronavirus pandemic. The impact of the pandemic and continued absence of supporters is being felt right across the sport, but nowhere more so than the lower leagues who remain without a vital source of income as fixtures continue to be played behind-closed-doors. Sporting authorities have approached the government warning of the disastrous consequences potentially awaiting without financial aid, though the Telegraph are reporting that elite level football will not receive support given the riches at the highest level of the game. The government believes that the Premier League – the richest division in world football – should be responsible for providin...
West Ham coach, two players contract coronavirus
West Ham have confirmed that manager David Moyes has tested positive for coronavirus, alongside players Issa Diop and Josh Cullen. “West Ham United can confirm that David Moyes, Issa Diop and Josh Cullen have returned positive tests for COVID-19,” read an official statement. “The club’s medical team were informed of the test results as the team were at London Stadium preparing for Tuesday’s Carabao Cup third round tie against Hull City. “The manager and both players immediately left the stadium and have returned home. “All three, who are asymptomatic, will now follow Public Health England and Premier League guidelines and protocols.” It remains unclear how these three positive tests will affect the side moving forward. Get more stories like this on Twitter You Deserve to Make Money Even Wh...
Report: Southampton want Everton midfielder Tom Davies
Southampton are interested in signing Tom Davies from Premier League rivals Everton in the summer transfer window, according to talkSPORT. It has been reported that the Saints are in talks with the Toffees over the transfer of the midfielder. The report has claimed that Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl sees Davies as a replacement for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who joined Tottenham Hotspur earlier this summer. Hasenhuttl wants to sign the 22-year-old central midfielder on a season-long loan deal, according to the report. Davies has done well for Everton over the years and is progressing well, but there is intense competition for places in midfield this season. Allan has joined from Napoli, while Abdoulaye Doucoure has moved from Watford, and it is going to be extremely hard for Davies to p...
Super Eagles coach proud of latest FIFA ranking
Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr says he’s happy with the improvement the team has made since his arrival. Since Rohr arrived in 2016 as a replacement for Sunday Oliseh, he has guided the team to the 3rd place 2019 African Cup of Nations and the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The team also started their 2022 African Cup of Nations qualifiers with a bang, recording a back to back win over Squirrels of Benin and Lesotho. The three-time African champions recorded another milestone last Thursday when the latest FIFA ranking saw them moved up to 29th place on the world ranking and retained their third spot on the continent of Africa. Rohr said the team he’s happy with the ranking but insisted that there are loads of works to be done. “When I arrived we were not number three (in Africa). We were m...
Amaju Pinnick: I’m not desperate for CAF presidency
President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, says he is not desperate to occupy the office of Confederation of African Footbal (CAF) president. Applications to contest in March, 2021 elections are already open and will close on November 12. The truth is that you need to look at indexes, you have to look at your family – family is the most prized asset that I have – so for example if my family said “don’t” then I won’t,” Pinnick told BBC Sport Africa. “Then you have your larger family which is your football family – your exco, your congress – if they decide to give you the go-ahead then you go to the government. “Then from the government, you also look at some of your friends – it is not easy you have to consult your zone – you have to consult your colleagues because t...
Manchester City name new captain after Silva departure
Getty Images Fernandinho will be Manchester City’s captain for the 2020-21 season, manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed. David Silva took the armband after the departure of long-serving skipper Vincent Kompany last season before the Spain playmaker opted to call time on his decade-long stay at the Etihad Stadium. It means the responsibility will now be passed to Fernandinho, another stalwart of City’s modern era, after the 35-year-old was voted captain by his team-mates and other members of staff. “He will be good [as a leader], as he always has been since I met him,” Guardiola said of the Brazil international who joined City from Shakhtar Donetsk for £30million in 2013 and is out of contract next June. “It doesn’t matter [whether or not Fernandinho has] the armband, he is always a guy who ...
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits Manchester United are not good enough
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has responded to criticism of the club’s activity, or lack thereof, in the transfer market following the loss to Crystal Palace. The legendary Norwegian watched on helplessly as his players frustratingly fell to a 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford, much to the disgust of the fans. While many expected a difficult fixture, no one truly foresaw a comfortable win for Palace but it’s what transpired. The London club worked hard and took full advantage of the lack of minutes in United’s legs, though that’s no excuse for the performance. Naturally many supporters were calling even stronger for more signings to be made and it was something that was put forward to Solskjaer in the post-match press conference. Solskjaer’s comment is essentially the best way he ca...
Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha explains Jordan Ayew penalty swap against Manchester United
Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha has englightened the public on the incident leading to replacing Ghana striker Jordan Ayew in retaking a missed penalty during Saturday’s Premier League triumph over Manchester United. The Eagles have made it two away wins over Manchester United in a row as they registered a 3-1 triumph at Old Trafford, and taking three points for the second straight time in this term. With Palace 1-0 up, Ayew won a penalty for his side and elected himself to take the resultant kick which was saved by goalkeeper David de Gea. Palace were, however, spared by a video assistant referee (VAR) decision which ordered for a retake of the kick, judging De Gea to have moved off his line before the kick was taken. Surprisingly, Ayew did not step up for the retake, which was this...
Chelsea loan Davide Zappacosta to Genoa
Chelsea defender Davide Zappacosta joined Italian side Genoa on a season-long loan on Saturday. Italy international Zappacosta has moved back to Serie A after his loan to Roma last season was interrupted by a knee ligament injury. He recovered from surgery in time to make six appearances in the Italian top-flight before the end of the season. The 28-year-old right-back, who joined Chelsea in 2017, has been a fringe figure with the Premier League club, making 34 starts and a further 18 substitute appearances. Zappacosta, who has won 13 Italy caps, joins a Genoa side that finished 17th in Serie A last season. Get more stories like this on Twitter You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back powe...
Victor Ezeji warns against rating Victor Osimhen higher than Simy Nwankwo
Former Nigeria international Victor Ezeji believes it will be wrong to focus just on Napoli forward Victor Osimhen for the new Serie A season without paying attention to his countryman Simy Nwankwo at Crotone. Osimhen has been making headlines beyond the Campania capital following his big-money move from Lille. So much attention has been placed on the 21-year-old such that he has been tipped in some quarters to walk in the shoes of club greats like Diego Maradona, Edinson Cavani and Gonzalo Higuain. Ezeji says that the quality of the Napoli squad and Osimhen’s eagerness to impress makes him the obvious pick between the two Nigerians. “Osimhen is younger than Simy. Then you also have to consider the quality of players in Napoli and the quality of players in Crotone,” the Caf Champions Leagu...
Simy Nwankwo: Crotone ready for Serie A return
Crotone forward Simy Nwankwo says the team is battle ready for a difficult campaign in Serie A. The Pythagoreans are back in the Italian top-flight after spending one season in Serie B. Giovanni Stroppa’s men finished in second position behind Benevento last season. Simy emerged top scorer in Serie B last season with 20 goals in 37 appearances. The team was promoted to Serie A, for the 2016–17 season, the first time in the history of the club. That adventure lasted just two years following their relegation at the end of the 2018/2019 season. Crotone is already anticipating another tough spell in the top-flight. “Sunday will start another important season both for Crotone and for our life. It will be difficult and we know it, we are trying to prepare for it better. Serie A is difficult and ...
