NIGERIA
Former Nigerian defender, Waidi Akanni is optimistic that the Nigeria Premier League NPL players have what it takes to overcome Sao Tome in the final group game of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Akanni said the Sao Tome game should provide an opportunity for Peseiro to present a quality NPL players capable of holding their own against them.
He said the encounter with São Tomé will presents an ideal platform for the Super Eagles to showcase the depth of talent within Nigeria’s footballing ranks.
Nigeria has already secured their spot in the AFCON tournament next year following a thrilling three-two victory over Sierra Leone in Monrovia, Liberia during the fifth match-day.
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The Super Falcons are planning to stage a strike and boycott their opening game of the 2023 Women’s World Cup after the General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation Dr. Mohammed Sanusi told them their match bonuses for the competition had been cancelled by the federation.
The decision was taken after six senior players, captain Onome Ebi, Rasheedat Ajibade, Asisat Oshoala, Ohale Osinachi, Tochukwu Oluehi and Desire Oparanozie held a lengthy meeting on arrival at the Mercure Resorts, Gold Coast, following Sanusi’s announcement.
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Former Super Eagles winger, Tijani Babangida believes Super Falcons star, Asisat Oshoala will flourish at the fast approaching 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Babangida said Oshoala has a point to prove at the World Cup, most especially knowing fully that she was at the peak of her career.
The striker enjoyed yet another successful 2022-23 season after bagging twenty-one goals and three assists in twenty-eight games for Barça Femeni, a feat she has become accustomed to, in her five-year stint at the club in Spanish Women’s Football.
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Super Falcons fitness coach, Kyle Quigley will assess the team’s fitness and vigour over the weekend.
Quigley is excited to have sessions with the Nigerian team.
The Super Falcons are currently in Australia as they prepare for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The team are in Group B alongside hosts team Australia, Republic of Ireland and Canada.
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Deborah Abiodun says making her first appearance at the FIFA senior women’s World Cup is still like a dream.
Abiodun made the Super Falcons final squad for this year’s tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
Just last year the midfielder featured for the Falconets squad that got to the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA Under-twenty women’s World Cup.
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Super Eagles goalkeeper, Victor Sochima has welcomed a bouncing baby boy with his partner, Juliet.
The Rivers United goalie was named in the Super Eagles’ squad for the last three 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone.
The shot stopper is expected to be in goal for Rivers United in the Naija Super eight tournament in Lagos.
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Shooting Stars head coach, Gbenga Ogunbote has urged his players to show positive character ahead of the new Nigeria Premier League season.
Ogunbote said the team can not afford a repeat of their unimpressive 2022-23 Nigeria Premier League campaign.
He also stressed that the players must exhibit their best performance through the season.
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The maiden edition of the multi-million Naira Naija Super 8 football competition kicks off on Friday at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos with the opening match between Nigeria Professional Football League champions Enyimba and league runners-up Remo Stars of Ikenne.
Other clubs participating in the tournament are newly promoted duo Sporting Lagos and Katsina United, Rivers United, Lobi Stars, Akwa United and Yobe Desert Stars.
Each club at the tournament will earn three million naira per match in the group stage, semi-finalists will get an additional three million naira, while the runners-up will earn nine million naira.
The winners will go home with twenty-five million naira.
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Nigerian international, Victor Osimhen has demanded a salary of seven million euros annually to extend his current deal with Napoli.
Napoli, who have already opened talks to extend Osimhen’s contract, are keen on inserting a hefty two hundred million euros release clause in the new deal.
The Nigeria international helped the Partenopei win their first Serie A title in 33 years, and emerged the leading scorer in Italy’s topflight with 26 goals in 32 games in 2022/23.
His impressive form has seen him linked with moves to PSG, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham and Bayern Munich.
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Villarreal president, Fernando Roig has expressed doubt over AC Milan’s interest in Super Eagles star, Samuel Chukwueze.
The Rossoneri are interested in picking up the Nigerian international this summer and have reportedly prepared an offer worth around twenty-five million euros including add-ons.
Villarreal’s thirty-five million euros asking price, meaning further talks are needed to try and close out an agreement.
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The Benue State Football Association is demanding the return of the Otukpo Township Stadium to the board.
Its new executive board clamoured for the return of the ancient stadium to enable teams around the vicinity use it for their training and matches.
The ground was allegedly taken over by a government agency.
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ENGLAND
Cesar Azpilicueta’s eleven year stay at Chelsea came to an end on Thursday as the Spanish defender returned home to join Atletico Madrid.
Azpilicueta made five hundred and eight appearances for the Blues and won nine trophies, including the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, Club World Cup, FA Cup and League Cup.
The club’s co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali in a statement, said Cesar leaves an everlasting mark at Chelsea as a warrior, as a champion, and as a loyal Chelsea legend.
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England international, Mason Mount has revealed it was made clear to him several months ago that he did not have a future at Chelsea.
Mount completed a fifty-five million pounds plus add-ons move to Manchester United, putting pen to paper on a five-year deal.
Meanwhile, Mason Mount also revealed that he was ‘inspired’ by Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic 2008 free-kick in his first interview after joining Manchester United.
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Arsenal forward, Reiss Nelson has signed a new four-year deal, with the option for another year.
The academy graduate’s previous deal had expired before he committed his future to the club he joined as an eight-year-old.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said Nelson has tremendous ability.
Arsenal have also confirmed the departure of assistant manager Steve Round by mutual consent.
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Arsenal star, Gabriel Jesus has had his say on exactly when Arsenal’s title bid went up in flames, pinpointing an untimely injury to one of the club’s stars.
The Gunners had been favourites to lift the Premier League trophy for the first time in nineteen years, having held pole-position for the vast majority of the 2022-23 season.
A flurry of poor results in the run-in, and a costly humbling by rivals Manchester City saw them ultimately fall short in their pursuit of the English crown
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Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle target Moussa Diaby wants a move to England this summer.
The French winger attracted interest from across Europe with his performances for Bayer Leverkusen, where he has contributed forty-nine goals and forty-eight assists in one hundred and seventy-two appearances.
Leverkusen are set to sign winger Jonas Hoffman which may suggest they are preparing for life after Diaby.
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David de Gea has added further intrigue to the situation that surrounds his Manchester United departure by posting a juggling emoji on social media.
His contract at Old Trafford expired at the end of June after the club backed out of offering him a new deal.
It brought an abrupt end to the Spaniard’s twelve year stay in Manchester as Erik ten Hag looks toward a potential upgrade in the shape of Inter Milan’s Andre Onana.
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Liverpool legend, Jamie Carragher has continued his online war of words with Rio Ferdinand as the pair of pundits come to verbal blows over Saudi Arabia’s involvement in football.
The investment of the Saudi state into football clubs and players has been a significant talking point among talking heads in the game.
The latest updates include Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva being reportedly offered a mammoth pay offer by Al-Hilal, and Liverpool legend, Steven Gerrard being confirmed as the new manager of Al-Ettifaq.
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Brighton are reportedly looking for a fee in excess of one hundred million pounds for Moises Caicedo after seeing the fee that Arsenal and West Ham have agreed for Declan Rice.
Caicedo is a top target for Chelsea this summer and was also wanted by Arsenal before they switched their focus to Rice.
The Rice transfer saga finally came to a conclusion this week with the Gunners agreeing to pay one hundred and five million pounds with only five million pounds coming in add-ons.
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Tottenham have made Harry Kane a huge new contract offer, but the striker has no intention to sign it, at least not while the window remains open.
Kane currently makes two hundred, thousand pounds-a-week in north London and the proposed new deal would be a significant increase on that.
The England captain’s current contract expires next summer meaning he could then leave on a free if he does not sign an extension.
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Liverpool fans have taken to social media to mock reports coming out of Spain that their club has made a stunning one hundred and seventy million pounds offer to sign PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe.
Mbappe is believed to be up for sale with the forward unwilling to extend his deal which expires next summer and the French club having no intention of letting him leave on a free.
Real Madrid have long looked his most likely destination when he leaves the Parc des Princes but the Los Blancos might not be able to afford him in this window.
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West Ham first team coach Paul Nevin is set to join Patrick Vieira at Strasbourg.
The Hammers have confirmed Nevin’s departure, with the the expectation that the respected coach will join Vieira at the Ligue 1 side.
Nevin’s departure comes as a blow to head coach David Moyes, who relied heavily on his expertise.
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Leads United defender, Robin Koch has joined Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt on a season-long loan.
Koch made seventy-seven appearances in all competitions for Leeds after joining in 2020 from Freiburg.
The Germany international’s contract with Leeds will expire at the end of next season and he will become a free agent when his loan ends.
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Barnsley have appointed ex-Sheffield United defender Neill Collins as their new head coach on a two-year deal.
The Scot takes over at Oakwell after four years in charge of the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USA.
Collins replaces Michael Duff, who left to take over at Championship side Swansea City in June.
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England manager, Gareth Southgate is jetting back out to Georgia as England Under-twenty-one attempt to create history at the European Championship.
The senior manager spent the best part of a week among Lee Carsley’s squad during the group stage, taking in victories over Israel and Germany, before flying home.
England progressed beyond Portugal and then beat Israel again in Wednesday’s semi-final to set up a tantalising meeting with Spain on Saturday.
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Manchester City have signed midfielder Jill Roord on a three-year deal from VfL Wolfsburg for a club record fee in excess of three hundred thousand pounds.
Roord, spent two years in Germany and played in last season’s Champions League final defeat by Barcelona.
The 86-cap Dutch midfielder, who won Euro 2017 with the Netherlands, was at Arsenal between 2019 and 2021.
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Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka has joined Bayer Leverkusen from Arsenal on a five-year deal.
Xhaka, signed for Arsenal in 2016 and had a year remaining on his contract but was expected to leave with the Gunners pursuing a move for England international Declan Rice.
This is according to Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes in a club statement.
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OTHER SPORTS
In Tennis; World number four Casper Ruud crashed out in the second round of Wimbledon on Thursday at the hands of British wildcard Liam Broady.
Broady held his nerve when trailing two sets to one against the French Open finalist, rallying to win the Centre Court clash 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0.
Norway’s Ruud, who has been runner-up at Roland Garros in the past two years, was also the beaten finalist at the US Open last year.
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Defending Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina reached the third round with a laboured victory over an injury-hampered Alize Cornet.
Kazakh Rybakina took the opener but was battling in a tight second set before France’s Cornet fell heavily and badly injured her already-strapped right leg.
Cornet continued after receiving treatment but Rybakina came through 6-2 7-6 (7-2).
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In Boxing; Heavyweight Anthony Joshua will face fellow Briton Dillian Whyte at London’s O2 Arena on 12 August in a rematch of their 2015 bout.
Joshua, knocked out Whyte in the seventh round of their heated British title fight eight years ago, which also took place at the O2, avenging a loss to his rival in the amateurs.
Olympic gold medallist Joshua went on to become a two-time world champion.
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Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk will defend his WBO, WBA (Super) and IBF titles against Briton Daniel Dubois in Wroclaw, Poland on 26 August.
Ukrainian Usyk, will face Dubois – the WBA mandatory challenger – at the 24,000-capacity Tarczynski Arena.
Dubois, holds the WBA (Regular) belt and has won 19 fights, with 18 knockouts, and been defeated once.
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In Cricket; An electric Mark Wood took five wickets for England but the crucial third Ashes Test is in the balance after an enthralling first day at Headingley.
Wood helped England dismiss Australia for 263, despite a sensational century from Mitchell Marsh, but the hosts were reduced to 68-3 at the close, trailing by 195.
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OTHER LEAGUES
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Paris Saint-Germain have announced the signings of Marco Asensio and Milan Skriniar, who join the French club on three and five-year deals.
Asensio arrives at the French champions having enjoyed a huge amount of team success over the course of nine years at Real Madrid without ever establishing himself as a first-team regular.
Still, those years in the Spanish capital yielded a staggering three Champions Leagues, three La Liga titles and Spanish Cup win last season.
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The Rio de Janeiro government has named an anti-racism law in honour of Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior.
The ‘Vinicius Junior law’, unanimously approved by the Rio government in June, will see sporting events stopped or suspended in the event of racist conduct.
Vinicius, was racially abused several times last season.
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Paris Saint-Germain forward, Kylian Mbappe has been warned he has two weeks to decide his future as he will not be allowed to leave the team for nothing next summer.
Mbappe made it clear that he will not take up the option of a contract extension, meaning he is set to be a free agent in June 2024.
PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi claimed his star man leaving for nothing is ‘impossible’ and Mbappe is now on the clock if he is staying or going.
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Atletico Madrid have opened talks with Tottenham over a swoop for midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
The Denmark international wants the opportunity to join the La Liga side, who will be playing in the Champions League next season.
Hojbjerg is a firm target for Atletico boss Diego Simeone who has instructed his recruitment staff to explore a move for the player, who is also attracting interest from Germany.
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Borussia Dortmund have decided against re-signing Jadon Sancho and have turned their attention to securing the services of Weston McKennie instead.
Sancho who joined Manchester United from Dortmund two years ago for a fee of seventy-three million pounds had been linked with a return to the Bundesliga giants.
The winger has struggled for consistency during his time at Old Trafford, causing Dortmund to look elsewhere during the summer transfer window.
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Real Madrid have completed the signing of Turkey playmaker, Arda Guler from Fenerbahce.
Dubbed ‘the Turkish Messi’, he has penned a six-year deal at the Bernabeu where he will team up with England’s Jude Bellingham.
Guler scored four goals and supplied four assists last season, putting in a man-of-the-match display in the Turkish Cup final.
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Lazio coach, Maurizio Sarri has described Jose Mourinho as an intelligent personality that he likes.
Despite the fierce rivalry between the two clubs, Sarri insists the coaches are friendly.
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Former Germany midfielder, Bastian Schweinsteiger says Pep Guardiola shares blame for the national team’s decline.
Schweinsteiger said Germany lost its values because of the Spanish coach.
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Thibaut Courtois has been pictured relaxing on the beach and enjoying his honeymoon after being embroiled in Belgium’s captaincy drama.
Courtois and his Israeli wife Mishel Gerzig were spotted on the beach in Formentera following their wedding in Cannes last month.
The pair were seen paddling in the water before spending some quality time with their family members on the beach.
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Real Madrid has announced the signing of 18-year-old Turkish midfielder Arda Güler from Fenerbahce.
Guler won the Turkish Cup with Fenerbahce in the just ended season and was voted man of the match in the final.
He is also a full international and the youngest player ever to score for the Turkish national side he opened his account at just 18 years and 114 days old.
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TODAY’S THOUGHT
“PASSION FIRST, AND EVERYTHING ELSE WILL FALL INTO PLACE, WORDS FROM HOLLY HOLM.
“THE HARDER THE BATTLE, THE SWEETER THE VICTORY, WORDS FROM LES BROWN.
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