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Chelsea have not ended their interest in Victor Osimhen.
The Blues remain keen to bring the Nigeria international to Stamford Bridge this summer.
Caught Offside reports that Osimhen is a sought-after man this summer and Chelsea are still willing to take him.
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However, the reported €130 million release clause slammed on him by Napoli could pose a problem in any potential deal.
The 24-year-old is now among the most lethal strikers in world football and Chelsea are in the market for a new striker to help them return to the top of the table.
While Nicolas Jackson did not live up to fans’ expectations last season, Romelu Lukaku spent the 2023-24 campaign on loan with AS Roma and is no longer part of plans at Stamford Bridge.
Contrary to recent rumours, Caught Offside reports that Arsenal are not pushing for Osimhen.
The striker and Napoli have agreed he could leave the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium this summer.
Interestingly, Napoli are looking at Lukaku as a possible replacement for Osimhen, which could work in the west London side’s favour.
[Leadership]
Tobi Amusan failed to defend her women’s 100m hurdles title at the 2024 African Athletics Championship due to illness.
The reigning world record holder was aiming to win her third straight gold medal in the event.
Amusan came tops in the women’s 100m hurdles in 2018 in Asaba and two years ago in Mauritius.
Had she competed and won, Amusan would have joined Maria Usifo and Glory Alozie as the only athletes with three consecutive African titles in the women’s 100m hurdles.
Nigeria’s Adaobi Tabugo has already qualified for the final.
Team Nigeria won two gold medals on the first of the competition on Friday.
[DailyPost]
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is scheduled to take place from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The Confederation of African Football, CAF, took the decision at its virtual executive meeting on Friday.
The competition was originally fixed for summer in 2025 but CAF had to look for a new date with the expanded FIFA Club World Cup scheduled for the same period.
The draw for the 2025 AFCON will hold in Johannesburg, South Africa next month.
The qualifying matches will run from September to October, 2024.
Morocco has been picked as the host of the competition.
Grammy award-winning Nigerian singer, Temilade Openiyi popularly known as Tems has expressed her desire to start a women’s football team.
The ‘Essence‘ coroner shared her passion for sports during a recent episode of her YouTube podcast, expressing a keen interest in football.
According to the singer, her team will compete in regional competitions to support the Nigerian women’s football league.
She said, “I love sports. I love sports, but if I could play football, I would. I’m like a football fan.
“I want to start a female football team. I think it is something that is needed. Like, why can’t we just have something like a local tournament with the girls? I feel like it would be fun.”
Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has faulted the decision of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to disallow the Netherlands’ goal against France in the 2024 Euro Championship.
Recall that Xavi Simons’s goal was disallowed in the second half by the VAR for offside.
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However, Evra insisted that there was nothing wrong with the goal scored by the Netherlands.
“It’s a shocking decision; that should be a goal. Someone should tell me about this rule.
“The Dutch player was not blocking Maignan’s view. Maybe the person sitting in the VAR room tonight was Stevie Wonder.
“It’s a clear goal. As a Frenchman, I should be finding an excuse, but I can’t; it’s a goal,” Evra said.
Celeste Arantes, the mother of Brazilian football legend, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, popularly known as Pele, has died.
The family announced the sad development in a statement on Friday, noting that Arantes passed away at the age of 101.
“Rest in peace, grandma,” Pele’s eldest son, Edinho mourned Arantes via his social media page on Friday, attaching a photograph of him and his grandmother.
Naija News reports that the bereaved family has not made public further details regarding Arantes’ burial at the time of filing this report.
Arantes was said to be 17 years of age when she gave birth to her first child (Pele) on October 23, 1940.
Reports had it that at the time of her son’s death, Arantes had cognitive difficulties and was unaware her world-famous son had died.
Recall that Pele, who is considered by many as the greatest footballer of all time, died on 29 December 2022, at 82 years old.
Arantes, who married Pele’s father, Joao Ramos do Nascimento, at the age of 16, also had another son, Jair, who died in 2020 of cancer, the same illness that claimed Pele’s life.
“From a young age, she taught me the value of love and peace,” Pele wrote on Instagram on his mother’s 100th birthday, along with three pictures of them together at different stages in life.
Days after celebrating his mother, Pele was admitted to a hospital in Sao Paulo, where he later died of cancer.
His funeral procession included an emotional stop at his mother’s house.
Pele was the only player in history to win three World Cups (1958, 1962 and 1970).
A Nigerian boxer identified as Isaiah Olugbemi was shot dead by his neighbour, Nicholas Francis Xavier Giroux on Monday.
The unfortunate incident happened in Meadowmist Way and Stehlik Drive in Odenton, United States.
The victim who was reportedly shot multiple times, was a neighbour to the accused and an up-and-coming boxer.
Despite being rushed to Baltimore, he did not survive the incident.
Detectives obtained video surveillance footage showing Giroux, walking directly to Olugbemi with a handgun before shooting him multiple times and fleeing the scene on foot, according to court documents.
According to the Police, Giroux confessed to the shooting on June 18.
Abraham Olugbemi, the victim’s brother, was quoted as saying that Giroux was Isaiah Olugbemi’s neighbour.
He alleged Giroux threatened Isaiah Olugbemi at least two other times with a gun this year; once in January and a second time in June.
It was revealed that Giroux fired six to 14 shots at Olugbemi, paused and then fired at least three more times.
The commencement of the hearing in the case is set for July 17.
The accused is charged with first-and-second-degree murder in the Nigerian, Isaiah Olugbemi’s death.
Ligue 1 clubs, Monaco, Olympic Lyon and Olympic Marseille are jostling for the signature of Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi.
Ndidi has few days left on his contract with Leicester City.
The Foxes are desperate to extend the Nigerian’s contract following their return to the Premier League.
According to French news outfit, Foot Mercato, Ligue 1 clubs; Marseille, Lyon and Monaco have all approached Ndidi.
Aside from the French trio, Everton and Sevilla have also been credited with interest in the defensive midfielder.
Turkish clubs; Galatasaray and Fenerbahce are also reportedly interested in the player.
The 27-year-old joined Leicester City from Belgian Pro League club, KRC Genk in January 2019.
Everton have reportedly completed a £9m move for Aston Villa’s England-born Nigerian midfielder, Tim Iroegbunam.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. the 20-year-old looks set to be Everton’s first signing of the summer.
“Everton have completed deal to sign Aston Villa midfielder Tim Iroegbunam for fee around £9m, medical to follow,” Romano wrote on X.
Iroegbulam featured 15 times under Unai Emery last summer – including five times in the Europa Conference League.
Prior to that, he enjoyed a successful loan at QPR last season, making 32 appearances and scoring twice.
He also has two goals in seven games for England’s U20 side and is a highly-rated youngster that will bolster Sean Dyche’s midfield options.
Iroegbunam is a product of the West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa academies.
He spent the 2022–23 season on loan at EFL Championship side Queens Park Rangers, and also appeared for England at under-19 and under-20 levels, winning the UEFA European Under-19 Championship with the former in 2022.
Spain have qualified for the second round of the ongoing 2024 UEFA European Championship.
The Luis de la Fuente side became the second team to book the competition knockout ticket after defeating Italy 1-0 at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on Thursday.
A second-half own goal conceded by Riccardo Carlafiori was the sole difference, sending Spain top of Group B with six points.
Italy, the defending champions, cut a timid apparition of themselves throughout the game, and the scoreline was kept respectable by Gianluigi Donnarumma’s saves.
But even the goalkeeper was helpless in the 55th minute after he had gone down to save a header from Alvaro Morata, and the ball ricocheted off the shin of Carlafiori and into the net.
In the other games of the day, England were dealt a reality check and held to a 1-1 draw against Denmark.
The Three Lions had taken the lead after Harry Kane stroked the ball home from the six-yard area.
Shortly, the Danes responded with a sublime strike from Marten Hjulmand from 30 yards out. The shot flew beyond the stretched limb of Jordan Pickford into the net.
Slovenia and Serbia also played out a one-all draw earlier in the day.
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Super Eagles of Nigeria dropped again in the latest FIFA world ranking that was released on Thursday, June 20, 2024.
The ranking which was posted on FIFA’s website saw the Eagles drop from 30th to 38th in the world and fifth in Africa.
Ahead of the Eagles in Africa are Morocco (1st), Senegal (2nd), Egypt (3rd) and AFCON champions Cote d’Ivoire (4th).
The Eagles’ drop could be attributed to their poor outings on matchday 3 and 4, in Group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin Republic.
After a 1-1 draw against South Africa inside the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, the Eagles lost 2-1 to Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
While South Africa maintained 59th spot in the ranking, Gernot Rohr-led Benin Republic move to 91.
With four games played in the qualifiers, the three-time AFCON champions are in fifth place on three points.
They will be back in the World Cup qualifying campaign in March 2025 against Rwanda and Zimbabwe who are in 131st and 129th positions respectively in the latest ranking.
Meanwhile, the top three, however, remain unshakeable. Argentina (1st) retain their place at the summit, with France (2nd) and Belgium (3rd) hot on their heels.
But there is movement behind them, as Brazil (4th, up 1) and England (5th, down 1) swap places.
Meanwhile, Portugal (6th), the Netherlands (7th) and Spain (8th) consolidate their spots in the top ten, whilst Croatia (9th, up 1) overtake Italy (10th, down 1), who nonetheless hold onto a place among the leading pack.
The next FIFA world ranking will be published on 18 July, 2024
Victor Osimhen, Nigeria’s most celebrated striker, recently vented his frustrations on social media towards Super Eagles coach Finidi George.
Osimhen reacted to an online publication suggesting that Finidi questioned his commitment to playing for Nigeria and refused to beg him to join the Super Eagles Super Eagles.
This incident followed Finidi’s resignation after disappointing results against South Africa and Benin, and the Nigerian Football Federation’s (NFF) decision to hire a foreign Technical Adviser.
Finidi, who was dealing with his own professional challenges, took some time to refute the report.
By the time he did, Osimhen had already made his grievance public. The situation has since sparked a week of chaos, dividing public opinion.
Some support Osimhen for defending his reputation, while others believe he disrespected a Nigerian legend and should apologize publicly, with some even calling for his ban from the national team.
Does Osimhen have a ‘bad boy’ reputation?
Amidst this turmoil, there have been revelations that suggest that Osimhen has a history of picking up fights.
According to OwnGoalNigeria, Osimhen’s recent outburst was not his first disciplinary issue with the national team, alleging past conflicts with teammates and coaches.
As per the report, Osimhen had fights with Leon Balogun in 2019 and Francis Uzoho, suggesting a pattern of poor behaviour.
The report also quoted former teammate John Ogu, who mentioned these incidents and described Osimhen as a “combustive player” who often reacts without thinking.
This portrayal has fueled speculation and criticism, with some arguing that Osimhen is a negative influence on the team.
Fact-Check from Soccernet.ng
Soccernet.ng can confirm that while there were indeed training ground squabbles between Osimhen and Balogun, as well as Uzoho, these were typical of the intensity seen in football training sessions globally.
Such incidents are common and are usually resolved quickly, without lingering animosity.
Regarding claims of Osimhen being a negative influence, it is essential to highlight his fierce competitiveness and commitment.
Osimhen’s drive to win sometimes leads to high-intensity interactions with teammates and coaches.
Last season, he had a couple of disputes with Napoli teammates and coach Luciano Spalletti, yet they all knew all he did was for the good of the team. Osimhen’s goals would later power Napoli to their first Scudetto title in over 30 years.
France captain, Kylian Mbappe, on Wednesday, returned to light training with a bandage covering his broken nose.
Mbappe suffered the injury during their Euro 2024 opening game against Austria.
Hours before his first public appearance after the incident, the forward wrote on Instagram: “Without risks, there are no victories”.
It is understood that the Real Madrid-bound player underwent more tests on the nose injury.
Mbappé showed up for a late-afternoon practice session 30 minutes after his teammates came out.
The 25-year-old was initially seen running with the ball alone, with a trainer, and later speaking to France coach Didier Deschamps, before taking part in a shooting drill with other players.
Manchester United are considering signing Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee, who currently plays for Bologna in Italy.
The 23-year-old, whose mother is Nigerian, had an impressive debut season with Bologna, helping them secure qualification for the Champions League for the first time in their history.
Manchester United is in the market for a new forward following Anthony Martial’s departure. They face competition from the Italian club AC Milan, which is prepared to meet Zirkzee’s release clause of €40 million (£33.7m) and has reportedly agreed on personal terms with the player.
Zirkzee had to cut short his holiday in Florida recently after being called up last-minute by the Netherlands for their Euro 2024 campaign. He was on the bench for the Netherlands’ 2-1 victory over Poland in their Group D opener.
In a recent interview with Corriere Di Bologna, Zirkzee commented on his future: “At the moment, my focus is solely on Bologna. I will decide based on what is best for the club. I will only make decisions that feel right to me.”
During the previous Serie A season, Zirkzee scored 11 goals in 34 appearances for Bologna.