Football
Victor Osimhen ready to join Napoli
Nigeria forward Victor Osimhen is ready to join Serie A club Napoli. The 21-year-old visited Napoli’s training facilities, plus head coach Gennaro Gatusso and president Aurelio De Laurentiis two weeks ago. Osimhen was however not too keen on linking up with the Partenopei due to racism issue in Italy. The former VFL Wolfsburg striker spoke with Senegal forward Kalidou Koulibaly who reassured him there is no racism issue in Italy. According to multiple reports, Napoli director Cristiano Guintoli met Lille president Gerard Lopez and Osimhen’s intermediaries for more face-to-face negotiations on Monday. He hopes to sweep aside the remaining doubts and convince Osimhen that this is the best step in his career. The cost of the transfer will be in the region of €50m plus Adam Ounas, which will b...
Peter Etebo named in Stoke City’s retained list for 2020/21 season
Super Eagles midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo has been included in Stoke City’s retained list for the 2020/21 season. Etebo joined LaLiga club Getafe on a six-month loan deal in January after falling down the pecking order under new manager Michael O’Neill. The combative midfielder featured in 11 league games for Stoke City before the switch. Getafe hold an option to sign the 24-year-old on a permanent transfer at the end of the season. Etebo has impressed during his stint at Getafe, scoring once in 10 league outings. The former Warri Wolves star has however missed the Azulones’ last three games due to injury. Etebo joined Stoke City from Portugal Primera Liga club CD Fierense in 2018. Get more stories like this on Twitter You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So...
Lionel Messi future is here, in football and after football – Barca chief
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu is adamant Lionel Messi will not be leaving. Messi is now inside the final year of his current deal and can sign a pre-contract with a rival from January 1. But Bartomeu insists Messi and the club are in negotiations about a new agreement. He told TV3: “With Messi, we are talking, we have talked and we will talk. “He is the best player in the history of football, he still has years ahead of him and he is in great shape. “I have no doubt that he will continue at Barça, his future is here, in football and after football.” 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 power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make m...
Sadio Mane: I’d be very happy if Liverpool signed Kalidou Koulibaly
Sadio Mane would love to see Senegal teamamte Kalidou Koulibaly join him at Liverpool. Mane believes the 29-year-old Napoli defender would be a huge hit for the newly-crowned Premier League champions. The duo were clubmates at Metz in 2011-12, and have played together many times for Senegal’s Teranga Lions. Mane, 28, said: “Kalidou Koulibaly is an excellent defender, and one of the world’s best in his position. “I would be very happy to play alongside him at club level, as I have known him for years.” The winger continued: “We first got to know one another at Metz before meeting up once more in the Senegal national team. “No club could refuse the chance to have Koulibaly in their squad. “In any event, it would be a pleasure for me to play for Liverpool together with him. “He would be more ...
Victor Osimhen re-evaluates Napoli offer, to decide over the next 48 hours
Victor Osimhen will make a decision over the next 48 hours, but a new intermediary has helped smooth things over with Napoli. The Lille forward has repeatedly asked for more time, as he feels undue pressure from his agent and entourage to accept the Partenopei proposal. Sources stated last week that he was ready to reject the move, not so much because of Napoli, but as an act of defiance against those close to him who were trying to orchestrate the transfer. Now Radio Punto Nuovo – and sources – suggest the situation is changing, as Osimhen is being given the time and space to make his choice autonomously. “Napoli is still a possibility,” sources said. This is largely thanks to the introduction of a new intermediary in the negotiations, who is making Osimhen feel more at ease with the deci...
AC Milan join Napoli in race for Victor Osimhen
Italian giants AC Milan have joined Napoli in the race for Nigeria and Lille striker, Victor Osimhen. In a surprise development, Football Italia reported Milan had entered the race to sign Lille striker, although Napoli still remain strong contenders. Osimhen visited the Napoli facilities, meeting with coach Gennaro Gattuso and President Aurelio De Laurentiis last week. He wanted time to consider all the options, including waiting for an offer from the Premier League, but that does not appear to be materialising. Instead, Football Italia sources in Nigeria now suggest Milan are in the picture too, preparing their own proposal for Lille and the 21-year-old forward. The asking price is expected to be at least €50m, so the Rossoneri would try to include some players to lower the cost of the o...
Zinedine Zidane reveals Real Madrid’s plan against Granada
Los Blancos manager Zinedine Zidane has revealed his team’s plan against Granada in their next La Liga match on Monday night at the Los Carmenes. Zidane’s men will be up against a Granada side that is chasing a slot to play in the Europa League next season and the manager insisted that the fixture is the only thing on his mind. “Here we are in the final week, with three matches,” he said. “Surely it’s the most difficult week because it’s the end of the season. Almost everyone is playing for something. But, we aren’t thinking about the three matches right now. We’re putting all of our energy into tomorrow’s game. We’re not thinking about the maths of when we could win the league, as we’re just thinking about tomorrow’s match.” Marcelo is expected to miss the rest of the season and the Brazi...
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer signals u-turn in transfer priorities
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has hinted that the club’s transfer priorities for this summer have changed toward the defence. It has been believed for some time that the first priority is a right winger, with Jadon Sancho the top target. There has also been much talk of United signing another attacking midfielder, potentially Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish, and a striker has also been sought, with the Reds narrowly missing out on capturing Norwegian star Erling Haaland in January. But when asked about planning for the future at the Southampton pre-match press conference, the boss suggested that the situation is under review. ‘There’s so many small decisions and of course transfers sometimes are out of our hands as well,’ he said. ‘If the team is going well, [you ask yourself]...
Philippe Coutinho will decide on his future after the Champions League
Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho who is currently on loan at Bayern Münich could play against Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the Champions League if Barcelona manages to knockout Napoli, and if Bayern defeats Chelsea. Currently, Coutinho wants to just focus on the Champions League. If the forecasts come true, Barça and Bayern will face each other on the 14th. Until the Champions League finishes, the 28-year-old will not decide on his future. The only thing that is certain as it stands is that the Brazilian prioritizes a Premier League return. However, all the clubs that have shown interest in Coutinho (Chelsea, United, Newcastle, Tottenham, and Arsenal) are aware of Barça’s financial needs, so they will not rush a move until the last moment to sign him for a low fee. Barcelona ex...
Chelsea midfielder facing four months out after knee surgery
Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour is facing up to four months after undergoing knee surgery, head coach Frank Lampard has confirmed. Gilmour limped off during Tuesday’s 3-2 win over Crystal Palace following an innocuous collision with Luka Milivojević. The injury comes as a huge blow to the 19-year-old who was just beginning to establish himself, but Lampard is opting to stay positive. “Billy had an operation on his knee, unfortunately, so he’ll be out for somewhere between three and four months,” he told reporters. “I’m obviously very disappointed, we all are and Billy is himself. I spoke with him on Thursday and just offered him some support, really. “He’s a tough boy. It hit him hard – particularly as a young player who’s just made his breakthrough – but it’s part of football and I tried...
NFF adopts points per game, new league season to start September/October
Following resolutions passed at an online meeting of the NFF Football Committee, which had in attendance the Chairpersons of all the National Leagues and the President of the Nigeria Referees Association, the Executive Committee of the NFF has, after a holistic consideration of all the issues affecting the leagues (including the status of the leagues before the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic), the impact of the pandemic-induced disruptions, the health, safety and movement restrictive measures in the country, the potential protocols for football resumption, the costs, the financial status of the leagues and clubs, CAF calendar and resolutions of the various leagues as conveyed to the NFF, approved the following: 1. NPFL – The league ends at current Matchday 25 and the Points Per Game (PPG)...
Chelsea fans love what Southampton’s Michael Obafemi did to Manchester United
Chelsea fans have taken to social media and thanked Southampton striker, Michael Obafemi. The Saints forward – who netted at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season – made his mark against Manchester United on Monday night as he scored an injury-time equalizer at Old Trafford. As a result, the Red Devils missed a great chance to leapfrog the Blues as well as Leicester City in the Premier League table. Furthermore, the race for the final two Champions League spots has taken yet another twist. On Saturday, Frank Lampard’s side slumped to a very disappointing 3-0 loss away at Sheffield United, thus handing the Foxes the initiative ahead of their clash with relegation-threatened Bournemouth the following day. However, Brendan Rodgers’ side capitulated in the second half at the Vitality Stadium a...