Having spent significantly in the summer, Manchester United now face a dilemma as they look to strengthen the squad and provide Ruben Amorim with a competitive team. Unfortunately, some of their summer signings have struggled to make an impact. Among them, Joshua Zirkzee has been the biggest disappointment, and his time at United could come to an early end, with Juventus expressing serious interest in signing him. Being booed off by his own fans has only added to Zirkzee’s struggles, making it a challenging situation for the player to recover from. It’s no secret that Juventus is eager to secure…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has criticized the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over its decision to appoint Éric Sékou Chelle, former coach of the Malian national team, as the new head coach of the Super Eagles. In a statement signed by Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, Clerk of the Senate, NANS National Headquarters, the student body described the appointment of Chelle, who lacks a distinguished track record, as inappropriate and disappointing. The NFF Executive Committee had announced Chelle’s appointment on January 7, 2025. However, NANS expressed disapproval, labeling the decision a “slap on the country” and arguing that more qualified coaches,…
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has called on his players to make better decisions following their 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday night. Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Arteta reflected on the loss, which saw goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon in either half give Newcastle a solid advantage ahead of the second leg in February. The Gunners created opportunities to score but failed to capitalize, with Kai Havertz notably missing a close-range header. Arteta said: *”The biggest difference in the game was being clinical. In every other…
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has appointed former Mali head coach Eric Chelle as the new manager of the Super Eagles, ending the long wait for a permanent head coach. The national team has been without a permanent head coach since Finidi George’s resignation in June 2024. During this period, the NFF entrusted caretaker duties to Austin Eguavoen, who successfully led the team to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). With important World Cup qualifiers approaching in March, the NFF has now turned to Chelle, who guided Mali to a quarter-final finish at AFCON 2023. In a statement…
Tottenham will carry a 1-0 advantage into next month’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Liverpool, courtesy of Lucas Bergvall’s second-half winner. There will be plenty of debate over whether the young Swede should have had the opportunity to score the decisive goal, but Spurs fully deserved their first-leg victory on Wednesday night. For the second consecutive match, Liverpool were below their best, but they are far from out of the tie, with an exciting second leg set for Anfield next month. How the Game Unfolded Arne Slot surprised some by fielding a near full-strength team on Wednesday night, given…
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has revealed a significant increase in prize money for the 2024 African Championship (CHAN). The winner of this year’s tournament, co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, will receive $3.5 million, marking a 75% rise compared to the amount awarded to Senegal two years ago in Algeria. In addition, the total prize pool for the competition has been raised to $10.4 million, reflecting a 32% increase. As of now, 17 countries have qualified for the biennial tournament. The draw for CHAN 2024 will take place at the International Convention Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, on Wednesday,…
Barcelona secured their place in the Supercopa de España final with a 2-0 victory over Athletic Club in their semi-final clash in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. After a challenging winless run in La Liga since early December, Barcelona bounced back in 2025 with a Copa del Rey win over lower-league Barbastro, followed by a commanding performance against Athletic Club. Gavi opened the scoring in the first quarter of the match, finishing off a well-worked team move by tapping in a cutback from Alejandro Balde. Though both teams had additional opportunities, it was in the early stages of the second half that…
Barcelona has secured temporary permission to re-register Dani Olmo and Pau Victor for the second half of the season after appealing to Spain’s national sports council (CSD). During the first half of the campaign, Barcelona was able to meet La Liga’s salary regulations through a temporary loophole related to Andreas Christensen’s injury absence. However, this was never a permanent solution, and the registrations for Olmo and Victor expired on December 31, 2024. Barcelona had raised €100m (£83m) by selling VIP boxes in the ongoing Camp Nou renovations, which would have allowed them to return to 1:1 spending rules for the…
Anfield witnessed a thrilling encounter on Sunday afternoon as Liverpool and a resurgent Manchester United battled to a frenetic 2-2 draw. Despite entering the contest in contrasting forms, with Liverpool flying high and United struggling for consistency, the visitors defied expectations by delivering a disciplined and energetic performance. While many anticipated a Liverpool dominance, United showed no signs of the frailty that plagued them against Newcastle, producing a strong first-half display. United nullified the raucous Anfield crowd early and settled quickly into the game. Though Liverpool had their moments—Cody Gakpo coming closest in the opening half-hour—United consistently threatened down Liverpool’s…
Arne Slot dismisses speculation that Trent Alexander-Arnold’s performance against Manchester United was influenced by growing interest from Real Madrid. The 26-year-old, whose contract with Liverpool expires at the end of the season, has yet to agree to new terms alongside teammates Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk. Reports suggest Alexander-Arnold is open to a move to Real Madrid, with the Spanish giants expressing interest in the versatile full-back. Madrid is rumored to have approached Liverpool regarding a potential January transfer, aiming to secure his services for a fee rather than risk losing him for free in the summer. On the…