IN NIGERIA

Flamingos’ Head Coach, Bankole Olowookere, has invited thirty-five players to camp as the team commences the first phase of the final preparations for the 8th FIFA under-seventeen Women’s World Cup finals to be staged in the Dominican Republic later this year.

Harmony Chidi, tops the list of the invitees alongside her strike partner Peace Effiong, with team captain Taiwo Afolabi, goalkeeper Chrstiana Uzoma and defender Prisca Nwachukwu.

The 8th FIFA under-seventeen Women’s World Cup finals will be staged in the cities of Santiago de los Caballeros and Santo Domingo from 16th October to 3rd November.

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Falconets’ head coach, Christopher Danjuma says the team will train on Tuesday to mount a strong challenge for the 2024 FIFA Under-twenty Women’s World Cup trophy in Colombia.

Danjuma expressed the Falconets’ determination to succeed this time, noting their history of two Final-Match appearances, one semi-final appearance, and several quarter-final berths in the twenty-two-year-old tournament.

The Falconets’ final preparations for the 23-day championship will involve challenging matches against Australia and Mexico.

They will face Australia on 23rd August , and then take on Mexico three days later.

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Nigeria National League, NNL club Barau FC have appointed former Super Eagles assistant head coach, Salisu Yusuf as their new technical adviser.

Salisu put pen to paper on a one-year contract.

The experienced tactician is set to bring along his wealth of experience to develop the team ahead of the new NNL season.

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ENGLAND

Chelsea have agreed a fee in principle for forward Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid, with Conor Gallagher moving in the other direction as part of the deal.

The fee for the Portugal international is undisclosed, but it will allow him to return to Stamford Bridge on a six-year deal with an option for a further season.

Felix’s move, which is subject to a medical, will bring him back after a 2023 loan spell at Chelsea.

He scored four goals in twenty appearances in his previous spell in west London.

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Leicester have signed midfielder Oliver Skipp from Tottenham on a five-year deal for a fee in excess of twenty million pounds.

Skipp, who came through Spurs’ academy, made seventy-seven Premier League appearances for the club, including twenty-one last season.

Leicester said Skipp would be available to make his debut on Saturday when they travel to Fulham.

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Former England striker, Gary Lineker, has urged Arsenal to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney.

Toney is expected to leave Brentford before transfer deadline day on 30th August, having been the subject of firm interest from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli.

He was left out of Brentford’s matchday squad for their first Premier League game of the season, a controversial two-one win at home to Crystal Palace.

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Women’s Super League sides Manchester United, Liverpool and Everton have been drawn together in the group stage of the League Cup.

They will be joined in Group A by Newcastle, who were promoted to the Championship last season, while Tottenham women and Aston Villa have been drawn in Group E alongside Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic.

The first group matches will be played on 2nd and 3rd October, with that stage concluding on 11th and 12th December.

League Cup organisers have given a bye to the quarter-finals to the English teams competing in this season’s Champions League group stage.

Chelsea women are already guaranteed such a bye, and both Manchester City women and Arsenal women will get one too if they get through the Champions League qualifying rounds.

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Manchester City women have signed defender Naomi Layzell from Bristol City on a four-year deal.

Layzell was named Bristol City’s young player of the year last season as the Robins were relegated from the Women’s Super League.

The transfer fee involved has not been disclosed, but Bristol City said they had received a club record sum.

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West Ham women have signed Canada defender Shelina Zadorsky from fellow Women’s Super League side Tottenham on a one-year deal.

Zadorsky rejoined Rehanne Skinner’s Hammers after spending six months on loan there last season, making ten appearances.

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OTHER LEAGUE

Germany international Ilkay Gundogan is being allowed to explore options to leave Barcelona this summer.

Gundogan has only been at the Catalan club for one full season after opting to leave Manchester City on a free transfer.

Despite being under contract for two more years, Gundogan has been told Barcelona would not stand in his way if he finds a suitable move.

Clubs in England, Spain and Saudi Arabia are reportedly interested in Gundogan, who made fifty-one appearances across all competitions last season as Barcelona finished second in La Liga.

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Real Madrid star Luka Modric has been named in Croatia’s twenty-four-man squad for the opening matches of their Uefa Nations League campaign.

Modric, who turns thirty-nine in September, has made one hundred and seventy-eight appearances for his country, having made his debut at the age of twenty in 2006.

They are in League A of the Nations League and visit Portugal on 5th September, before hosting Poland three days later.

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Former Arsenal and Barcelona striker, Thierry Henry has resigned from his position as France Under-21s manager after leading his country to a silver medal at the 2024 Olympics.

Henry’s contract had been due to run until after next year’s European Under-21 Championship in Slovakia, but Henry has decided to step away from the role.

The France Football Federation said it obviously regrets Henry’s decision, adding that he had achieved the objectives set for him.

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OTHER SPORTS

In Boxing, American professional boxer, Mike Tyson says he is prepared for his bout with Jake Paul on 15th November after the fight’s original date had to be postponed.

The pair were due to fight on 20th July but Tyson had an ulcer flare-up that forced the match with the YouTuber to be rescheduled.

The fight, which will be held at the eighty thousand capacity AT&T stadium in Texas, is a professional fight with a string of conditions.

Tyson has not fought professionally since 2005 but said he was ready to knock Paul out.

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In Cricket, the World Cricketers’ Association has called the global game’s structure and schedule broken and unsustainable as it launches a review of its set-up.

Cricket’s global players’ union said there was no clarity on the interplay between the international and domestic game.

For its review, the association has put together a committee of ex-players and figures from sports broadcasting and governance.

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Still on Cricket, England have named Matthew Potts in their side as an extra seamer for the first Test against Sri Lanka at Emirates Old Trafford on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old comes in for his first Test in more than a year in place of injured captain Ben Stokes, who misses the three-match series with a hamstring injury.

It means England have chosen to cover for all-rounder Stokes with a fourth specialist fast bowler, rather than a batter.

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Track cyclist Matt Richardson, who won three medals for Australia at the Paris Olympics, has switched nationality and will now represent Great Britain.

The 25-year-old was born in Kent but moved to Western Australia at the age of nine, and maintained dual citizenship during his 16 years living there.

He will be part of Great Britain’s sprint squad, which is coached by seven-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Jason Kenny.

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In Golf, Brooks Koepka beat Jon Rahm in a play-off at the Greenbrier Invitational to win his fifth LIV Golf title and his second of the year.

Koepka shot a seven-under-par sixty-three in his final round to tie level with Rahm, who shot sixty-five, on 19-under at the Old White course in West Virginia.

In the play-off on the 18th, Rahm’s tee shot left him in a bunker at the back edge and his second shot got him to within twenty ft of the hole.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives…words from Jackie Robinson.