Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman has been voted Atalanta’s Player of the Month for May and June. The 26-year-old edged out Gianluca Scamacca and Ederson to claim the individual accolade. Lookman showcased his talent by scoring six goals and providing three assists over the two months. The former Leicester City player was instrumental in Atalanta’s UEFA Europa League final victory over Bayer Leverkusen, netting a stunning hat-trick in the match at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Lookman concluded the season with an impressive tally of 17 goals and eight assists across all competitions.
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
Argentine playmaker Lionel Messi has responded to Kylian Mbappe’s claim that the Euros are a tougher competition than the World Cup. Ahead of Euro 2024 in Germany, Mbappe stated that the European tournament is “more complicated than a World Cup,” but Messi, his former PSG teammate, disagreed. “Well, everybody prioritizes their tournament,” Messi told ESPN Argentina, ahead of his country’s participation in this summer’s Copa America. “Obviously, the Euros are very important and have the best teams, but he’s leaving out three-time champion Argentina, five-time champion Brazil, and two-time champion Uruguay. There are a lot of world champions left off…
Former Bologna boss Thiago Motta has been appointed as the new head coach of Serie A giant Juventus, succeeding Massimiliano Allegri. Juventus Football Club has officially announced Thiago Motta as their new head coach, following the dismissal of Massimiliano Allegri. According to Pulse Sports Nigeria, the 41-year-old has signed a three-year contract with Juventus, committing to lead the club until the summer of 2027. The Serie A giants unveiled their new manager on Wednesday evening, with an official statement on their website: “Juventus Football Club is delighted to announce Thiago Motta as the new First Team head coach.” Motta’s Coaching…
Manchester United has opted not to dismiss manager Erik ten Hag and instead will engage in discussions regarding a new contract. Ten Hag’s position had been under review as part of the club’s end-of-season assessment. However, even over two weeks after United’s victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final, the Dutchman remained unaware of his fate. Before the Wembley clash, there were reports suggesting United would part ways with Ten Hag, regardless of the outcome. Nonetheless, David Ornstein of The Athletic has revealed that Ten Hag will remain at Old Trafford, and negotiations for a new contract will…
Chelsea is further ahead than Manchester United in the race to secure the signature of Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise, according to information obtained by 90min. While Olise has attracted admiration from both the previous and current regimes at Manchester United, the Red Devils have yet to formally approach Crystal Palace about their interest. This delay is due to their belief that there are more pressing positional needs, including a striker, center-back, left-back, and midfielder. On the other hand, Chelsea, who attempted to sign Olise last summer but failed to activate his complex £35 million release clause, are determined to…
Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United’s transfer target, Benjamin Sesko, has inked a new five-year contract with RB Leipzig. The 21-year-old had an impressive debut season with Leipzig, netting 18 goals in 42 appearances and attracting attention from top clubs across Europe. Despite reported interest from these clubs, Sesko opted to reject their advances and commit his future to the Bundesliga side with a fresh contract, as announced on Tuesday. Leipzig confirmed on Wednesday that Sesko has signed a new deal that will keep him at the club until 2029. In a statement to Leipzig’s official channels, Sesko expressed his happiness…
Bayern Munich is intensifying efforts to secure Alphonso Davies’ future, as Real Madrid seeks to entice him to join friend David Alaba. The Bavarian club is now nearing Davies’ reported €20 million demands to extend his contract. Davies, 23, whose current contract expires next summer, faces the possibility of being sold this summer if he doesn’t commit to a new deal. Real Madrid has been in contact with him for several months and reportedly reached an agreement with him in March. The appointment of Vincent Kompany has spurred Bayern’s renewed interest in retaining Davies, potentially prompting Real Madrid to reconsider…
Rodrygo’s ill-timed remarks in the week leading up to the Champions League final haven’t gone unnoticed at Real Madrid. The club views them as more than mere coincidence. They were displeased with his suggestion of considering a move and flattering Manchester City while the team was gearing up for the Wembley final. Since then, there’s been a buzz surrounding the Brazilian at the club, with reports indicating that he’s been assigned a price tag this summer. His untimely statements seemed aimed at making waves during a crucial period of the season. Rodrygo made it clear that if his starting role…
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has acknowledged that Joao Cancelo could rejoin Barcelona next season. Cancelo spent the past year on loan with the La Liga side after leaving City following a disagreement with Guardiola. Currently, Cancelo is set to return to the Premier League champions unless the two clubs reach a new agreement. “It has to be the best for everyone,” Guardiola said about Cancelo’s future. “The two clubs will sit down. He is our player and, if an agreement is not reached, he will have to return in the pre-season. If he wants to stay [at Barcelona], and…
Bukayo Saka is expected to recover in time for England’s Euro 2024 opener against Serbia this Sunday. The Arsenal star missed the final game of their Premier League season due to a muscular injury but made it into Gareth Southgate’s final England squad for the upcoming European Championships. Although Saka sat out England’s warm-up match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, he managed to play the last 25 minutes of their surprising 1-0 defeat to Iceland. ESPN reports that Saka is likely to be fit to start in England’s first group stage game against Serbia. Saka has been participating in limited training…
According to reports in Colombia, Chelsea has finalized a £42 million deal to acquire Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran. Chelsea has been actively seeking an additional center-forward to provide competition for Nicolas Jackson, who amassed 17 goals this season but faced criticism for his inconsistency. Duran arrived at Villa in an £18 million deal from MLS side Chicago Fire 17 months ago but has struggled to secure regular playing time. Throughout this season, Duran started just three Premier League games, with manager Unai Emery favoring Ollie Watkins as the first-choice striker alongside Leon Bailey and Moussa Diaby in attack. Chelsea…
Cristiano Ronaldo has acknowledged that his football career is nearing its end. The 39-year-old Al Nassr forward made this admission after scoring twice in Portugal’s 3-0 friendly win against the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday night. Ronaldo is now focused on maintaining his goal-scoring form for Euro 2024 this summer. He hopes to lift the trophy for the second time, having first won it in 2016. However, he is acutely aware that his opportunities to win more trophies with his country are dwindling. “I don’t have many years left in football… so, I have to enjoy it,” Ronaldo said. “I’m…
Liverpool’s iconic former striker, Fernando Torres, has taken a significant step into management by being appointed head coach of Atlético Madrid’s B team, competing in the third tier of Spanish football. The 40-year-old Spanish legend, who thrilled fans at Anfield during his glittering three-and-a-half-year spell, has patiently honed his coaching skills since retiring in 2019 after returning to Atlético. Torres has been part of the coaching staff at his boyhood club since 2021 but will now get the chance to leave his mark in the dugout with this prestigious role, as reported by the Daily Mail. This appointment marks a…
Former Belgium goalkeeper Luc Eymael has offered insights into why Eden Hazard’s time at Real Madrid was unsuccessful. Hazard joined Real Madrid from Chelsea in 2019, a year after Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure. However, he struggled to replicate his Chelsea form, experiencing a forgettable, injury-plagued spell before leaving last summer and subsequently retiring from professional football. Eymael pointed to Hazard’s motivation as a significant issue in his lack of success at Real Madrid. According to Eymael, Hazard was never as disciplined in training as Ronaldo. “Why Eden stopped his career and why he didn’t do well at Real Madrid, first of…
A recent report suggests that the Football Association (FA) is not actively developing a succession plan for England’s head coach, Gareth Southgate. Instead, they are keen for him to extend his tenure beyond his current contract. Southgate’s contract is set to expire in December 2024, and he has yet to determine his future. The upcoming European Championships will mark his fourth major tournament at the helm of the Three Lions. According to The Daily Telegraph, despite the uncertainty surrounding Southgate’s decision, the FA has no intentions of replacing him and hopes he will guide the team through the 2026 FIFA…
The Netherlands’ hopes of triumph at Euro 2024 have suffered a significant setback with star midfielder Frenkie de Jong ruled out of the tournament due to an ankle injury. De Jong only managed 20 La Liga appearances for Barcelona during the 2023/24 season before his campaign ended in April because of the injury. There was optimism about his recovery, with both De Jong and Oranje manager Ronald Koeman hopeful that the former Ajax star could participate in the tournament in Germany. Koeman had commented, “Everyone is 100% except Frenkie. He has taken the next step. He may not be fit…
In the latest twist of the Chelsea saga, Enzo Maresca has stepped into the Stamford Bridge spotlight, replacing Mauricio Pochettino in the dugout. Hailing from Spain, Maresca arrives in west London fresh from guiding Leicester City to Championship victory, showcasing his meticulous possession-oriented style, heavily influenced by Pep Guardiola. But how can Maresca rejuvenate the atmosphere in the Blues’ dressing room and propel the team back to the summit of English football after a period of decline? Here are the primary tasks facing Maresca and his strategies to alleviate the constant turmoil that has plagued Chelsea in recent seasons: 1.…
According to a report, Manchester United is now less likely to appoint Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager, as they have “cooled their interest” in him. The club is currently conducting an end-of-season review, during which Erik ten Hag’s position may undergo changes. Despite their recent FA Cup victory over rivals Manchester City, Ten Hag has yet to receive confirmation regarding his role for the upcoming season. The Times reports that if United does decide to part ways with Ten Hag, Pochettino will not be considered as his replacement. Despite being a potential candidate for the Old Trafford position after…
Al Ahli, a Saudi Arabia Pro League club, is prepared to activate Victor Osimhen’s release clause. According to reports from the Italian news source II Mattino via Calcio Napoli, although Al Ahli is ready to trigger the clause, they are still in the process of persuading the player to join their ranks. Osimhen’s release clause is rumored to be in the range of €120-£130m. Last summer, the 25-year-old turned down a transfer to another Saudi club, Al Hilal. With his departure from Napoli anticipated this summer, Osimhen has attracted attention from clubs such as Arsenal, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain.
Real Madrid and manager Carlo Ancelotti have clarified that the Champions League winners will compete in next year’s Club World Cup, despite Ancelotti previously stating the club would “refuse the invitation.” Ancelotti’s initial comment appeared in an interview with Italian newspaper Il Giornale released on Monday. However, the 65-year-old later posted on social media, clarifying that his words were “not interpreted in the way I intended.” He added, “Nothing could be further from my interest than to reject the possibility of playing in a tournament that I consider could be a great opportunity to continue fighting for big titles with…