Former Premier League star, Clinton Morrison has insisted that William Saliba is just as important to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal as Declan Rice.

Morrison said that Rice has been outstanding for Arteta’s side but Saliba’s availability will be a decisive factor in their Premier League title race this term.

According to the former Republic of Ireland international, Saliba and Gabriel’s partnership is rock solid but Arsenal could struggle if the French defender suffers an injury setback.

“We spoke about Declan Rice, he has been outstanding. But another player who has been outstanding and they have to keep fit is Saliba,” Morrison said on Soccer Special on Sky Sports.

“Unbelievable. The partnership between him and Gabriel is brilliant.

“That is a protection (from Rice). But if they were to pick an injury to Saliba, then it is a struggle. You are then looking at who could come in.”

[DailyPost]

The Super Eagles of Nigeria ended the outgoing 2023 as the most financially valuable national team in Africa.

According to the most recent Transfermarket financial rankings of national teams for 2023, the Super Eagles are the 12th most valuable national team globally.

Super Eagles’ squad financial valuation has now hit €465.90 million, which is a €14.3 million increase from their worth in November,r which was €451.60 million.

The players’ recent outstanding season for their respective clubs, alongside the addition of Nathan Tella, a midfielder for Bayer Leverkusen, contributed to a notable increase in the squad’s financial valuation.

Tella, who made his debut for Nigeria against Zimbabwe in November, is reportedly valued at €23 million.

Victor Osimhen (€120 million) is the most expensive player in Nigeria, valued at more than a quarter of the squad, with a transfer value that eclipses any other player in Africa.

Boniface, a sensation from Leverkusen, is the Eagles’ second most expensive player at €40 million.

Meanwhile, Morocco’s squad worth increased dramatically, from €326.05 million to €350.80 million, solidifying their ranking as the continent’s second most valuable and 13th most valuable team in the world.

With a value of €340.58 million, Ivory Coast is ranked third in Africa and 15th overall, down €25.5 million from €315.08 million. With a squad worth €266 million, Senegal holds fourth place on the continent; Ghana, with a value of €285 million, moved up to fifth place.

On the world stage, Brazil moved up to second place with a squad worth €1.09 billion, while England remained the most valuable team in the world with a market value of €1.15 billion, down from their previous €1.37 billion.

Spain (€837 million), Portugal (€922 million), and France (€1.05 billion) round out the top five national teams in the world according to transfermarkt.com.

RASMUS Hojlund scored his first English Premier League goal in his 15th appearance tonight as Manchester United came from behind to beat Aston Villa 3-2 at Old Trafford in a thrilling Boxing Day clash.

The Norway striker netted the winner and celebrated wildly as United recovered from 2-0 down to claim their first win in four games, after Alejandro Garnacho’s brace had pulled United level.

In United’s first game since Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s 25 per cent purchase of the club, Erik ten Hag’s side produced their best performance of the season to prevent Aston Villa from going level on points with leaders Liverpool.

John McGinn and Leander Dendoncker gave the visitors a deserved 2-0 lead at half-time, taking advantage of United’s loose marking at set-pieces in the 21st and 26th minutes.

United created some chances in the first half that they could not convert but they rallied after the break and mounted a stirring comeback

Garnacho thought he had reduced the deficit three minutes into the second half, but his goal was disallowed by VAR for a marginal offside decision.

The 19-year-old Argentine was undaunted and he led the fightback, scoring from close range after breakaways in the 59th and 71st minutes to pull United level.

Villa then almost regained their lead, with the impressive Johnny Evans clearing John McGinn’s goal-bound effort off the line.

Hojlund then had the final say eight minutes from regulation time, reacting quickest to a loose ball in the Villa area and thrashing the ball home after Bruno Fernandes’ corner had struck McGinn and bounced free.

The victory, United’s first since their 2-1 win over Chelsea on December 6, which was also the last time they scored, took them up to sixth in the table.

[NaijaTimes]

The highly anticipated boxing clash between Portable and Charles Okocha. The bout, extensively promoted in the preceding weeks, unfolded on December 26.

In a riveting contest, Portable emerged victorious in the fourth round, demonstrating his prowess with a strategic flurry of punches. Several of these strikes proved decisive, culminating in a notable knockout. Remarkably, Charles Okocha displayed resilience by regaining his footing after absorbing the forceful blows, showcasing tenacity in the face of adversity.

Ultimately, Portable's skill and determination prevailed as the referee announced the final result, declaring Portable the triumphant boxer. With the resounding victory, Portable clinched the coveted belt, solidifying his position as the deserving champion in this hard-fought and compelling encounter.

Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta will refuse to sanction a move away for Eddie Nketiah, amid interest from two Premier League clubs.

Nketiah, who has played 23 times in all competitions this season, will not be sold or loaned out in the January transfer window.

The UK Sun reports that Arteta regards the Englishman as a key part of his squad.

Nketiah has drawn interest from Brentford and Crystal Palace in recent times, while Arsenal have been linked with a move for Brentford’s Ivan Toney.

But even if Toney ends up joining Arsenal, they will not allow their 24-year-old player to leave as they would need a strong bench if they want to go all out for the Premier League title in the second half of the season.

[DailyPost]

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe has agreed a deal to buy a 25 percent stake in Manchester United for a reported £1.25 billion ($1.6 billion) and will take control of the Premier League club’s football operations.

Ratcliffe, the chairman of petrochemicals giant INEOS, will also provide substantial funds for future investment in the club’s Old Trafford stadium.

A club statement said Ratcliffe “will acquire 25 percent of Manchester United’s Class B shares and up to 25 percent of Manchester United’s Class A shares and provide an additional $300 million intended to enable future investment into Old Trafford”.

“As part of the transaction, INEOS has accepted a request by the board to be delegated responsibility for the management of the club’s football operations,” it added.

Ratcliffe said he wanted to see the struggling 20-time English champions back on top of European football and committed himself for the long term.

“As a local boy and a lifelong supporter of the club, I am very pleased that we have been able to agree a deal with the Manchester United board that delegates us management responsibility of the football operations of the club,” he said.

“Whilst the commercial success of the club has ensured there have always been available funds to win trophies at the highest level, this potential has not been fully unlocked in recent times.

“We will bring the global knowledge, expertise and talent from the wider INEOS Sport group to help drive further improvement at the club.”

The agreement ends more than 12 months of speculation over the ownership situation and heralds a new era at a club that has fallen well behind cross-town rivals Manchester City.

Unpopular owners the Glazers, who bought the club for £790 million in 2005, announced in November 2022 that they were considering “strategic alternatives” to help United grow, sparking a protracted process.

Ratcliffe and Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani made rival offers in the region of £5 billion for a complete takeover, but that fell short of the Glazers’ valuation.

Sheikh Jassim withdrew from the process, while Ratcliffe continued to pursue a minority shareholding.

Commercial experience

Executive co-chairmen and directors Avram Glazer and Joel Glazer said Ratcliffe and INEOS “bring a wealth of commercial experience as well as significant financial commitment into the club.

They added: “Through INEOS Sport, Manchester United will have access to seasoned high-performance professionals, experienced in creating and leading elite teams from both inside and outside the game.”

Ratcliffe’s group have extensive involvement in sport, owning French Ligue 1 club Nice and Swiss side Lausanne-Sport, as well as the INEOS Grenadiers cycling team.

United have not been crowned Premier League champions since Alex Ferguson’s final season in charge, in 2013.

They languish eighth in the Premier League, 12 points behind leaders Arsenal, and have been knocked out of the League Cup and the Champions League.

Manager Erik Ten Hag’s position is also likely to come under close scrutiny after the Dutch coach failed to build on ending United’s six-year trophy drought by winning the League Cup last season.

Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) said fans would be left with “mixed feelings”, with the Glazers still in overall charge at Old Trafford.

“During 18 years of debt, decay and mismanagement, Manchester United fans have loudly and consistently called for change at our club,” MUST said in a statement.

“When the so-called strategic review was announced nearly a year ago, it finally appeared that the sale of the club was on the horizon, potentially bringing the new investment and new direction MUFC so clearly needs.

“Against that backdrop, fans have very mixed feelings today. We welcome the investment from a boyhood red, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS company, but many will wish his ownership stake was greater.”

In a heated Italian Serie A showdown on Saturday night, Napoli suffered a 2-0 defeat against Roma, marred by Victor Osimhen’s red card expulsion.

The 24-year-old Nigerian forward, who earlier in the day had inked a contract extension with Napoli, was sent off after committing two reckless fouls within a mere 12 minutes.

Osimhen’s dismissal left Napoli two men down on the field, compounding their woes as they trailed by a goal.

The match was riddled with discord, as Osimhen’s strike partner, Matteo Politano, had already been sent off earlier in the tense encounter, leading to a total of 11 yellow cards. Both clubs’ coaches were also booked for their protestations.

Roma’s manager, Jose Mourinho, engaged in a confrontation with Osimhen during the first half, accusing him of simulation in an attempt to win a penalty. Surprisingly, the altercation concluded with Mourinho planting a kiss on the cheek of the former Lille striker.

Osimhen’s first yellow card came in the 75th minute, and the second arrived in the 87th minute, culminating in his vehement disagreement with the referee’s decision to send him off.

This incident marks Osimhen’s second red card during his tenure with the club.

Romelu Lukaku, Roma’s striker, hammered home the final blow deep into added time after Lorenzo Pellegrini had earlier put Roma in the lead in the 76th minute.

With this loss, Napoli slid to seventh place on the Serie A table, amassing 27 points from 17 matches. Roma capitalized on the victory, leapfrogging above Napoli in the standings.

One of the usual suspects will win next month’s African Cup of Nations billed to start in Cote d’Ivoire on January 13, 2024. This is the verdict of a panel picked to dissect the chances of the participating countries at a trophy viewing event organised by VISA, one of the sponsors of the biennial championship.

Visa recently welcomed its partners and lovers of African football in Nigeria to an exclusive viewing of the AFCON trophy, which arrived in Lagos on December 14.

The four-man panel comprising Charles Ogundiya of New Telegraph newspaper, Onyinye Ogu of Galaxy TV, Peter Edema of Daily Independent and Africa’s first female pidgin commentator, Tracy Chapele also known as Suo of Wazobia FM, were convinced that one of Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Nigeria and Cameroun will win the title currently held by Senegal.

The panelists looked at the pedigree of the teams and the quality of stars they have in arriving at their choice, although they did not rule out any of the outsiders from causing an upset as was the case when Zambia won the title in 2012.

Chapele who picked Morocco and Senegal as the frontrunners, said, “Morocco showed at the last World Cup that they are a team to reckon with. I believe this is their best opportunity to win the Nations Cup after many years.

“Senegal as the defending champions still have some the best African players and they have been together for long. So, they can retain the title all things being equal.”

To Edema, who picked the Super Eagles for the crown they last won in 2013, “it is very early to pick any of the top teams for the title. Any of the top-rated teams could succumb to a referee’s bad call in a game or a players/administrators’ crisis can make nonsense of a top team, just as injury to top stars and many other extraneous things can change a team’s fortune.

“However, I am picking the Super Eagles because I am a Nigerian, who knows that the Super Eagles have the ability to surprise people when they have been written off.

“I recall that in 2013, Emmanuel Eboue of Cote d’Ivoire wrote off Nigeria because the quarterfinals. He said that a country that has Mikel Obi as its biggest star stood no chance against the Elephants. And that singular statement was what Coach Stephen Keshi used to boost his team psychologically to defeat Cote d’Ivoire.”

Apart from experts’ analysis of the chances of participating teams, Visa’s clients and partners, customers and football enthusiasts were at the event hosted by internet sensation, Bukunmi Adeaga-Ilori, popularly known as kie kie, and Radio Celebrity OAP, Tega Onojaife of Smooth FM, treated to an amazing musical performance by Mavin’s top-rated artiste, Crayon and an opportunity for guests to experience the trophy live.

As part of the activities for the tour, the trophy had earlier made its first stop at the Lagos State Government House, where it was presented to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu by Vice President, and Head of Visa West Africa, Andrew Uaboi.

[Guardian]

Anthony Joshua put in a terrific performance to beat Otto Wallin inside the distance. But Deontay Wilder’s shock points loss to Joseph Parker on the same bill scuppered plans for the long-awaited heavyweight showdown.

Nigerian-Briton Joshua boxed magnificently in Saudi Arabia, dominating Wallin before the Swede’s corner pulled him out of the fight at the end of the fifth.

Earlier in the night, American Wilder appeared a shadow of himself in Riyadh, and was hurt badly in the eighth as New Zealander Parker was awarded a unanimous decision.

“I heard that Deontay lost. So what? He’ll be back. Deontay, everything that he said about me, I could rip him apart right now, but I’m going to take the higher ground,” Joshua said.

“You can come back. If he wanted to, he can come back. I’m sure everyone still wants to see that fight.”

Parker, also a former world champion, was awarded a unanimous decision with the judges’ scoring it 118-111, 118-110 and 120-108.

Saudi organisers had already pencilled in the Joshua-Wilder bout for next year. While no contract had been signed, the pair were expected to enter the ring post-fight and announce a deal to fight at some point in early 2024.

Wilder admitted all the talk of a fight at least five years in the making had been “a distraction”, although Joshua more than did his part. After the fight, promoter Eddie Hearn said Joshua is most likely going to face Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic for a vacant IBF world title, bidding to become a three-time world champion.

But as the dust settles in Riyadh, many boxing fans will be cursing their luck, as Joshua v Wilder slips away once again.

Wilder dazed
Wilder a shadow of himself as Parker proves his worth Wilder entered the ring wearing a crown, but it has been almost four years since he reigned over the heavyweight division. The 38-year-old was introduced with his newly acclaimed nickname ‘Dr Sleep’.

After some cagey opening rounds he may have put the crowd to sleep rather than his opponent. The inactive Wilder had boxed just three minutes in the past two years, signs of ring rust were expected. But losing rounds is nothing new to Wilder.

Numerous times before he has looked out of his depth, only to unleash that ferocious right hand. Parker, 31, grew in confidence and traded with Wilder in the fourth, whipping a left hook into the body and hurting Wilder with an exchange on the inside.

Was the ghost of the Tyson Fury trilogy, when Wilder drew one and lost two, haunting him? His timing and judgement of distance was off. Parker came forward with bursts. In between rounds Parker’s trainer, Andy Lee, told his fighter to go after Wilder, that a knockout would come.

“This is your moment,” Lee said.

Wilder enjoyed his best moment in the sixth, landing a right but without the ferocity which has stopped 42 opponents in 43 wins.

Former WBO champion Parker was the busier, more accurate boxer, comfortably winning most rounds. Wilder had no answer for what was to come in the eighth. Parker landed the most thunderous overhand right.

Wilder, backed into the ropes, was in trouble as Parker continued the attack. Saved by the bell, Wilder poked his tongue out as he stumbled back to his corner.

All the while Joshua was getting his hands wrapped and going through warm-ups in the dressing room, unaware of what was unfolding in the ring.

Wilder was telegraphing his right hands as Parker continued to land more cleanly as the fight entered the championship rounds. New Zealand’s Parker was on a run of three straight wins and two knockouts.

He was demonstrating just why many pundits tipped him for the win. For all Parker’s dominance, there was still a puncher’s chance for Wilder. He threw the kitchen sink in the 12th, but missed by an absolute mile.

Wilder refused to rule out retirement, but with just one win in four years his next move is uncertain. With Joshua moments from making his ring entrance, his promoter Eddie Hearn told TNT: “It was the most one-sided heavyweight fight I’ve ever seen. It’s ruined our plans. We’ve got to go let Anthony Joshua know Wilder lost to Parker.”

Composed & confident AJ does the business
The Saudis, promoters and boxing followers had jumped the gun.

There was still an air of disbelief as Sweden’s Wallin – in what is probably a boxing first – walked to the ring to ABBA’s ‘The Winner Takes it all’.

UFC star Conor McGregor and footballer Cristiano Ronaldo watched on as Joshua made his ring walk. On a dramatic night for heavyweight boxing, there was a noticeably low-key atmosphere in the Kingdom Arena, with plenty of empty seats in the 6,000 capacity venue.

Joshua, unlike Wilder, began strongly. The 34-year-old delivered a gut-wrenching body shot in the first and made southpaw Wallin’s legs buckle in the second with straight rights down the barrel.

The 2012 Olympic gold medallist has transitioned from an explosive power-punching finisher to a smarter, less reckless, boxer.

Joshua was enjoying his work in a measured, composed and dominant performance. He connected with a brilliant left hook in the fifth.

It was one clean punch too many, with Wallin’s team deciding it was best the 33-year-old stayed put on his stool.

The Watford fighter called the win “just another fight” and although he did not rule out a bout with Wilder in the future, he now seems ready to set his sights on challenging for a world title.

With Oleksandr Usyk v Tyson Fury on 17 February in Saudi Arabia, a potential rematch between that pair could see the IBF title become vacant. A belt Joshua and Hrgovic could contest.

“We’ve got bigger ambitions,” Joshua said of his three wins this year.

“As I said to Louis Theroux, we don’t celebrate when we win these fights, we celebrate when we win titles.” BBC

Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen has officially signed his new contract with Napoli to June 2026.

Napoli president, Aurelio De Laurentiis made the announcement himself by posting images of Osimhen signing the paperwork with only one word: ‘Done!’

According to Sky Sport Italia, Osimhen's salary will increase to €10m per season after tax.

There will also be a release clause, believed to be set at €120-130m, valid only for clubs outside of Italy during the summer.

On Friday, Romano noted that “the agreement between Napoli and Victor Osimhen on a new deal is 100% done and confirmed.

Oshimen joined Napoli from Lille in €75m deal in September 2020.

He helped the club win the Scudetto, becoming the first-ever African Capocannoniere of Serie A and African Player of the Year.