Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has stated that he doesn’t view Pep Guardiola as just a manager, but as a “genius” because he is “ahead of the rest.” Maresca, who previously worked with Guardiola for two seasons at Manchester City, will face the Spaniard when Chelsea hosts Man City in the Premier League on Sunday. In his pre-match press conference, Maresca said: “I’ve worked with great managers like Carlo Ancelotti, Marcello Lippi, and Manuel Pellegrini as a player, and then with Pep for two seasons at Manchester City. “I try to learn from all of them to shape my own coaching…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
Chelsea plans to negotiate separate deals for Victor Osimhen and Romelu Lukaku. The Blues aim to sell Lukaku to Napoli while also acquiring Osimhen from the Serie A club. Although a swap deal was considered, it has not progressed. According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea will now treat the two transfers independently. Romano noted on X: “Chelsea view Romelu Lukaku and Victor Osimhen as separate transactions. No swap negotiations are underway; Chelsea is focusing on a permanent sale for Lukaku. Napoli is involved, with personal terms agreed, and talks with Chelsea are ongoing for a permanent deal.”
Joshua Zirkzee came off the bench to score the decisive goal on his debut as Manchester United secured a 1-0 victory over Fulham. Erik ten Hag deployed Bruno Fernandes in a false nine role for the Red Devils’ Premier League opener. Despite Fernandes’ efforts, including two missed opportunities, United struggled to capitalize on their dominance. Zirkzee, introduced in the second half, made an immediate impact by finishing off a well-crafted passing move with a composed finish in the box. Late in the match, Alejandro Garnacho also missed a prime chance at Old Trafford.
Samson Siasia, former Super Eagles player and coach, has officially completed a five-year ban imposed by FIFA over match-fixing allegations. Initially handed a lifetime ban, Siasia’s penalty was reduced to five years in 2019 by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which deemed a lifetime ban excessive for a first-time offender who played a passive role in the incident. The reduced ban, effective from August 16, 2019, has now concluded. While Siasia has not publicly announced his next steps, there is speculation that he may take on a coaching role with Mighty Jets Football Club in Jos. The match-fixing…
As the transfer window enters its final two weeks, rumors are swirling that a Chelsea player could be on the verge of moving to another Premier League team before the deadline. Chelsea Star Could Join Premier League Rivals as £65m Transfer Deal Faces Setback Enzo Maresca and the Chelsea management are keen to bring in new talent this summer but must also navigate Financial Fair Play regulations, which may require offloading some current squad members. According to reports, including insights from renowned transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, negotiations for Joao Felix and Conor Gallagher are making progress. Additionally, the club is…
Former Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has stated that Manchester United will not finish third in the Premier League this season. Speaking on Sky Sports after Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Fulham in their opening fixture, Carragher expressed his doubts about United’s ability to secure a top-three spot. United clinched the victory with a late goal from summer signing Joshua Zirkzee in the 88th minute. Carragher remarked, “Man Utd will not finish third, I can assure you of that. They will be in a battle with Tottenham, Villa, and Chelsea to secure a spot in the Champions League.”
Mohamed Salah continues to make Premier League history with Liverpool, adding to his legacy with each goal. The Egyptian forward further cemented his status in the Reds’ 2024/25 season opener against Ipswich, where he played a pivotal role in Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over the newly-promoted side. In the match, Salah assisted Diogo Jota’s opening goal before finding the back of the net himself, securing Liverpool’s win on their first away trip of the season. Salah’s goal set a new Premier League milestone, surpassing legends like Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney. By scoring and assisting against Ipswich, Salah has now contributed…
Lionel Messi is demanding ₦88 million in damages after his ₦19.2 billion mansion in Ibiza was vandalized, according to Pulse Sports. The incident took place on August 6 when the property was defaced with red and black graffiti by the environmental group Futuro Vegetal. Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, has since filed a formal complaint with the Civil Guard through an employee on the Balearic island, seeking €50,000 (₦88 million) in compensation. Futuro Vegetal, which describes its actions as “non-violent civil disobedience,” carried out the vandalism to draw attention to the role of the wealthy in contributing to the…
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has criticized Favour Ofili amid rumors that she may leave Team Nigeria following a disappointing performance in Paris. Tensions arose between Ofili and the AFN after her name was omitted from the list for the women’s 100m race. While the AFN claimed the omission was unintentional and that Ofili was only registered for the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relays, the athlete believes the federation shares some of the blame. In response to the situation, the AFN has stated that they have qualified athletes ready to replace Ofili should she decide to represent another country.…
Chelsea is now willing to include two academy players in a deal to sign Manchester United star Jadon Sancho. Sancho, who remains on uncertain footing at Old Trafford despite mending relations with manager Erik ten Hag, is facing an unclear future with the club. According to Fussball.news, Chelsea has entered the race to sign the England international. While Paris Saint-Germain was initially interested in Sancho, they are now likely to drop their pursuit due to the impending signing of Désiré Doué. Chelsea is reportedly offering two academy products, along with a transfer fee, to secure Sancho from Manchester United. The…
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Friday that Poland will officially bid to host the Olympic Games in either 2040 or 2044. “I dedicate this decision to the youth of today, those who are now 10, 12, or 15 years old. Poland is committed to bidding for the Olympic Games,” Tusk stated during a press conference. He added, “Given the current decisions, commitments, and preliminary statements from the International Olympic Committee, a realistic timeline for hosting would be 2040 or 2044.” This announcement comes after Poland’s conservative president, Andrzej Duda, declared last year his intention to submit a bid…
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola had a clash with Raheem Sterling during the 2021 Premier League season, according to Marti Perarnau, a close associate of Guardiola, in his new book ‘The Pep Revolution.’ Perarnau revealed that the confrontation occurred in March 2021 in Guardiola’s office, where Sterling walked out in frustration. Following the incident, Guardiola excluded Sterling from the squad for a match against Fulham. The tension between the two reportedly started after Sterling was benched during City’s 5-2 victory over Southampton, a decision that left the England international disgruntled. Perarnau also noted that Sterling’s frustrations were partly fueled by…
Manchester City could face a points deduction so severe that it might result in the Premier League champions being relegated from the top tier of English football. The club is currently dealing with 115 alleged breaches of financial rules. Earlier this week, it was confirmed that a 10-week hearing is set to begin next month. City strongly denies any wrongdoing and is preparing to face an independent inquiry. However, according to The Times, an executive from another Premier League club suggested that “the collective view is that an appropriate sanction would require a points deduction so substantial—between 70 and 80…
Marcos Alonso, who was linked with Manchester United last summer, remains eager to join the club before this summer’s transfer deadline, according to Fabrizio Romano. “Marcos Alonso would love to go to Manchester United,” Romano told GiveMeSport. “He has been offered to Manchester United in recent weeks, but nothing concrete or advanced has developed so far.” Romano added that Manchester United is likely to take its time before deciding on the player to fill the position, as the club is focusing on securing a new midfielder as the next priority in the transfer window. Alonso, who made over 200 appearances…
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has stated that the club is well aware of his needs in the transfer window. Maresca was addressing questions about the possibility of signing another forward after the club’s attempt to acquire Atlético Madrid’s Samu Omorodion fell through. Chelsea is now pursuing João Félix from the La Liga club and is also rumored to be considering a swap deal with Napoli for Victor Osimhen. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Maresca said, “The only thing I can say is they are not our players, so it’s not appropriate to discuss a Napoli or Atlético Madrid player. The…
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Kalvin Phillips has joined Ipswich Town on a season-long loan. Phillips chose the newly-promoted side over other Premier League clubs. City will continue to pay a portion of the 28-year-old’s wages while he plays for the Tractor Boys. Speaking to the media on Friday, Guardiola explained that Phillips made the move to get more playing time. “It looks like he’s going on loan to Ipswich. It’s close. I think it’s already done,” Guardiola said. “He decided to go there. He needs minutes. We felt he wouldn’t get the playing time he deserves…
Former Tottenham and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is set to become the new head coach of the USA national team. The Argentine has agreed to take on the role after being out of work since his departure from Chelsea at the end of last season. Pochettino was also a candidate for the vacant England manager position following Gareth Southgate’s exit. The USA has been searching for a new coach since Gregg Berhalter was dismissed after the team’s group stage exit from the Copa America last July. This will be Pochettino’s first role managing a national team. At the club level,…
José Mourinho is reportedly prepared to terminate a Fenerbahçe player’s contract following the team’s exit from the Champions League qualifiers. After signing a lucrative two-year deal with the Istanbul-based club, Mourinho brought in ten new players, including Allan Saint-Maximin on loan and Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri. However, the Portuguese manager faced an early setback when Fenerbahçe failed to advance in the Champions League, losing 3-2 on aggregate to Lille and dropping into the Europa League. In response to the disappointing outcome, Mourinho has allegedly decided that one player no longer fits into his plans. According to Doruk Tecimer of TRT…
John Mikel Obi has revealed that he personally paid for the U-23 Eagles’ flight to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil. Mikel, one of the three overage players selected by then-coach Samson Siasia, was also named captain and led the team to a third-place finish in the men’s football event. However, Mikel disclosed that poor planning by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) nearly derailed the team’s chances. “When I represented my country at the Olympics in Brazil, we had to fly there, but we waited at the airport from morning till night for…
Joao Mendes, the son of Ronaldinho, has signed with English Championship club Burnley on a contract extending until 2026. Mendes, 19, joined Barcelona’s academy in 2023 after a successful trial but left earlier this year when his contract ended. He began his youth career with Cruzeiro in Brazil, spending four years there before moving to Barcelona. According to The Sun, Mendes is set to join Burnley manager Scott Parker before the end of the week. The news has surprised fans, with many expressing their astonishment on social media. One fan tweeted: “Ronaldinho’s son, Joao Mendes, has signed for Burnley. I…