– Manchester United has entered the race alongside Newcastle to secure the signature of former Chelsea center-back Andreas Christensen from Barcelona. However, their primary defensive target remains Jean-Clair Todibo. (Football Insider) – Jadon Sancho is on the verge of departing Manchester United for a loan spell at his former club Borussia Dortmund. However, a permanent deal seems unlikely as the Bundesliga side may not have the financial means for such a move. (Daily Mirror) – PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is urging Kylian Mbappe to stay with the club and sign a new contract, countering interest from Real Madrid. (RMC Sport)…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
Arsenal’s recent setbacks in the Premier League have shifted the momentum of their title aspirations, enduring consecutive defeats in the English top flight. With formidable challenges posed by resurgent teams like Liverpool, a surprising Aston Villa, and a consistently strong Manchester City, Mikel Arteta’s squad faces a demanding task to surpass their runner-up status from the previous season, all while juggling commitments in the Champions League. As the Gunners navigate this stumbling phase, the customary calls for reinforcement in the January transfer window have surfaced. The latest player linked to a potential move to North London is Amadou Onana, the…
In a disappointing display, Chelsea succumbed to a 1-0 defeat against Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg on Tuesday, showcasing their wasteful side. Despite dominating possession and controlling the statistics, Mauricio Pochettino’s team failed to impress, delivering a lackluster performance devoid of creativity and inspiration. The hosts secured victory as Hayden Hackney tapped home from close range after Cole Palmer missed three clear chances in the first half. The game began with Boro showing energy and causing moments of panic. However, early injuries to Emmanuel Latte Lath and Alex Bangura disrupted the hosts’ momentum, allowing Chelsea to assert…
Tottenham Hotspur has officially announced the signing of Timo Werner from RB Leipzig on an initial loan deal until the conclusion of the current season. In pursuit of additional attacking options for the latter part of the 2023/24 campaign, Spurs swiftly finalized the acquisition of Werner after initiating talks last week. Although Manchester United had expressed interest in Werner earlier in the winter, they opted not to pursue the deal. Consequently, the German forward has now joined Tottenham, with the agreement reportedly featuring an optional purchase clause valued between £13 million and £17 million. Interestingly, Tottenham’s initial link with Werner…
OGC striker Terem Moffi is set to join the Super Eagles squad in Abidjan next Sunday. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old will be unavailable for the Super Eagles’ opening 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Group A match against Equatorial Guinea. Moffi was called up as a late replacement for Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface, who is sidelined due to injury. Nice has granted permission for Moffi to join the national team after their league game against Stade Rennes on Saturday. Consequently, the striker is expected to be ready for Nigeria’s second Group A encounter against hosts Cote d’Ivoire. In addition, Leicester City…
Barcelona striker Asisat Oshoala is on the verge of making a surprising move to Manchester United in the Women’s Super League. Despite strong links with Man United in the summer of 2021, Oshoala opted to extend her contract with Barcelona. However, according to TEAMtalk, the Red Devils are now keen to strengthen their attacking lineup by securing the former Arsenal and Liverpool striker in the upcoming January transfer window. Originally targeting Brazil international Kerolin Nicoli, who is currently sidelined due to injury, Manchester United has shifted their focus to Oshoala to bolster their offensive options. With the team trailing behind…
On Monday night, Manchester United averted an FA Cup upset by defeating League One side Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium, securing a spot in the fourth round where they will face either Newport County or Eastleigh later this month. Despite United’s profligacy in front of goal, Diogo Dalot’s 22nd-minute strike and Bruno Fernandes’ second-half penalty, earned through Liam Shaw’s tackle, sealed the victory. The win keeps Manchester United’s hopes alive for silverware in the 2023/24 season, setting up a clash with either Newport or Eastleigh in the fifth round. The game unfolded with Wigan creating the first significant chance,…
Renowned football figure Franz Beckenbauer, who made an indelible mark on German football as a player, captain, and coach, passed away at 78, as announced by the German football association on Monday. Hans-Joachim Watzke, DFB vice president, expressed, “Franz Beckenbauer was unquestionably the greatest German footballer of all time, and, above all, one of the most remarkable individuals I have ever known.” Beckenbauer, distinguished as one of the only three individuals to achieve World Cup victories both as a player and coach, breathed his last on Sunday, according to the DFB. The former captain of the German team during the…
Victor Boniface was conspicuously absent as the Nigeria Super Eagles participated in two pre-AFCON 2023 friendly matches in Abu Dhabi. Nigeria’s preparations for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations have been severely impacted with the news that Victor Boniface will miss the AFCON2023 journey. The Bayer Leverkusen star was noticeably missing as the Super Eagles played two pre-AFCON2023 friendly matches within 24 hours in Abu Dhabi. In the absence of the 23-year-old, Nigeria secured a resounding 12-0 victory against a Dubai team, Al Gharbia, before succumbing to a defeat against Guinea on Monday afternoon. Victor Boniface’s exclusion comes as a…
Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe is currently undecided about his future and could potentially make a move to the Premier League, as reported by ESPN. The 25-year-old is expected to make a decision on his club destination in the coming weeks, with Real Madrid and Liverpool emerging as the top contenders if he chooses to depart from the Ligue 1 champions. Mbappe’s contract with PSG is set to expire in June, and he has decided not to activate the one-year extension option, allowing him to enter discussions with other clubs for a potential summer transfer under the Bosman ruling. Real…
Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino has affirmed that the club does not need to offload players before making new acquisitions in the January transfer window. Despite significant spending under the BlueCo ownership group, Chelsea’s on-field success has not matched their financial investments, especially with the failure to qualify for the current season’s Champions League impacting the club’s finances. Amid Chelsea’s pursuit of a new striker, with Victor Osimhen from Napoli and Ivan Toney from Brentford being costly targets, speculation arose that the club might have to sell players to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations. Pochettino, however, dispelled such notions.…
Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku is facing a recent hip injury, ruling him out of Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Middlesbrough. Despite making four appearances since returning from knee surgery that sidelined him for the first half of his debut season at Stamford Bridge, Nkunku was deemed unfit to start the FA Cup clash with Preston on Saturday. Rumors circulated about a potential recurrence of his previous injury when the 26-year-old was ultimately left out of the squad. Pochettino sought to allay concerns ahead of the Boro game but acknowledged uncertainty about Nkunku’s return…
Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has expressed optimism about reaching an agreement for the return of Jadon Sancho on loan from Manchester United. Discussions between the two clubs focus on a loan deal for the 23-year-old winger, who has struggled to showcase his best form since his £73m transfer from Dortmund to United in 2021. While reports last week hinted at nearing a completion of the deal, negotiations have extended into the weekend. Updates suggest that there is still no consensus on a loan fee and other financial aspects. When questioned about the status during Dortmund’s training camp, Watzke confirmed…
Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro revealed that he experimented with new formations during his team’s friendly loss to Guinea on Monday. In the match held at Banis Yas Stadium, Abu Dhabi, Peseiro’s side suffered a 2-0 defeat, with Aguibou Camara and Facinet Conte scoring in each half for the Syli Stars. Peseiro attributed the team’s performance to the change in formation, stating, “We tested a new system today, 3-4-3. We did a very good first half, we were losing 1-0 then, but we deserved more.” He further commented on the missed opportunities, saying, “We lost a penalty and missed…
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has disclosed that there is hope for the availability of Christian Eriksen, Luke Shaw, and Harry Maguire in the upcoming clash against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. The Red Devils are set to face Spurs in a pivotal match for both teams in their pursuit of European qualification. Since their reverse fixture in August, where Tottenham secured a win, United has faced a series of injury setbacks, with key players spending time on the sidelines this season. Following United’s 2-0 victory away at Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup’s third round, Ten Hag acknowledged the…
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed engaging in discussions with homegrown midfielder Conor Gallagher regarding his future at Stamford Bridge amidst potential departure speculations. Last week, 90min reported that Chelsea is willing to entertain offers for Gallagher due to a club policy regarding players in the final 18 months of their contracts, drawing parallels to the situation that led to the sale of Mason Mount to Manchester United in the summer. Gallagher, who has featured in 19 of Chelsea’s 20 Premier League games this season, often captaining the side in the absence of Reece James, is admired by Pochettino, who…
Terem Moffi has been called up to replace the injured Victor Boniface in Nigeria’s squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. Boniface is ruled out of the competition due to a groin injury sustained during training. The Bayer Leverkusen player is expected to be sidelined for six weeks and will return to Germany for treatment. Moffi’s inclusion is contingent upon approval from both the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and his Ligue 1 club, OGC Nice. Despite displaying consistency and goal-scoring prowess in Ligue 1 since 2020, Moffi was initially a surprising omission from the final squad.
Barcelona faced an unexpectedly tough challenge to secure their spot in the Copa del Rey round of 16 against fourth-tier side Barbastro on Sunday evening. Barca initially took a comfortable 2-0 lead with goals from Fermin Lopez and Raphinha. However, Barbastro’s Adria de Mesa narrowed the gap to 2-1, and Isreal Garcia came close to equalizing for the home side. Late penalties, converted by Robert Lewandowski and Marc Prat, sealed a narrow 3-2 victory for Xavi Hernandez’s side, allowing them to progress to the next round with a bit of embarrassment. In the first half, Fermin Lopez opened the scoring…
The countdown to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast is underway, with 24 teams set to compete in 52 matches across six stadiums from January 13 to February 11, 2024. A notable highlight of this edition is the impressive lineup of football stars gracing the tournament. BusinessDay presents a preview of five standout players to watch in Ivory Coast. 1. Victor Osimhen Leading the Super Eagles’ attack for Nigeria is Victor Osimhen, recently crowned Africa Men’s Player of the Year. The 25-year-old Napoli striker, instrumental in securing the Serie A title last season, aims to continue…
Mikel Arteta bemoaned Arsenal’s difficulties in converting opportunities following their 2-0 loss to Liverpool in the FA Cup’s third round. Despite falling to their third successive defeat on Sunday, Arsenal had ample chances to secure a victory at the Emirates Stadium. Arteta’s team wasted opportunities amounting to 1.61 expected goals (xG), including Martin Odegaard hitting the crossbar and Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka missing from close range. Addressing the media in his post-match press conference, Arteta expressed disappointment with his team’s failure to capitalize on the numerous chances: “It was a really disappointing result with a big performance against probably…