SPORTS
Bundesliga champions in waiting, Bayer Leverkusen, has placed a staggering €55m transfer fee on Super Eagles forward Victor Boniface ahead of next summer transfer window.
Incidentally, an unnamed Premier League club has reportedly approached Bayer Leverkusen with an inquiry about the availability of the Super Eagles striker who missed the last Africa Cup of Nations due to injury on the eve of the tournament.
Leverkusen has declared Boniface not for sale as they wished to keep him for another season but has since placed a fee of at least €55m just in case for any initial negotiations.
Boniface only joined Leverkusen from Union-Saint Gilloise in Belgium in the summer.
In his first season, the 23-year-old has 10 goals and seven assists in 16 games but he has been out with an abductor injury since January and only returned to training this week .
Yet with Boniface already linked to Arsenal in January and manager Mikel Arteta poised to sign a high profile striker in the summer, there is a growing speculations that the Gunners could that be that mystery club.
The writing appears to be on the wall for Eddie Nketiah, who has barely featured of late except for a short cameo against FC Porto in the dying stages. Nketiah hasn’t started a game for Arsenal in 2024, and that’s even more significant when you realise Gabriel Jesus hasn’t been fit either.
And journalist Florian Plettenberg has now revealed that an ‘unknown’ English side have made an approach.
Sharing his update on X, Plettenberg said the 23-year-old has a ‘big market’ in England and one club has already made their move.
He explained: “News Victor Boniface: The 23 y/o striker has a big market in England. In addition, Bayer 04 has a concrete verbal inquiry for him from an unknown club from the Premier League.
“Boniface is not actually for sale as they would like to keep him
“If Leverkusen were to be willing to talk at all, offers of more than 55 million euros would have to be made.
“Boniface, now back in training after an adductor surgery in January.”
Of course, it remains to be seen how interested Arsenal are in Boniface, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that they are the mystery club mentioned.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the two modern-day legends of football, have been ranked in the top 10 of Daily Mail’s top 50 footballers all-time list.
Messi grabbed the number one spot, while Ronaldo is in tenth place.
The rankings highlight a significant gap between Messi and Ronaldo according to the publication.
Notably, Brazilian forward Neymar did not make the list.
The top 10 rankings also featured other iconic players such as Pele, Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, Johann Cryuff, Alfredo Di Stefano, Ronaldo Nazario, Garrincha and Zico.
Messi has won eight Ballon d’Or awards so far in his career, while Ronaldo has won five.
[DailyPost]
Transfer speculations swirling around Nigeria International striker Victor Osimhen has yet assumed another dimension after each of the trio, Arsenal, Chelsea and PSG, are reportedly ready to table a staggering €90m (about N138,974,356,080.00) for the Napoli star striker.
Several Italian outlets claim Napoli President, Aurelio De Laurentiis, could accept a bid below the striker’s release clause, said to be around £113 million ($143m) when the Nigerian ace signed a one-year extension last December.
But citing a report in Il Mattino newspaper, Football Italia has reported that Napoli are prepared to part company with Osimhen at the end of the season with Chelsea, Arsenal and PSG each ready to offer €90m for the Nigeria international.
According to the report, Osimhen is ‘fed up’ with Serie A and is looking forward to leaving the Stadio Maradona.
Intermediaries are already working with the striker’s agent, Roberto Calenda, to find a new club for the ex-Lille striker, who has scored 72 goals in 125 appearances with the Partenopei since 2020.
The 25-year-old recently signed a contract extension until June 2026 and the new deal includes a release clause of €120-130m.
However, Il Mattino claim De Laurentiis could accept an offer below the release clause, given that Osimhen has already decided to leave the club with words rife that his next destination is Chelsea.
In fact, Italian journalist Rudy Galetti was quoted as saying that Osimhen has agreed to personal terms with Chelsea, signalling a potential move to the London club in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Galetti, via his X account (formerly Twitter), disclosed that Chelsea are prepared to activate Osimhen’s release clause once the 2023/24 season ends.
”Victor Osimhen is always a main target for Chelsea to strengthen their attack,” Galetti said.
The Mali national football team completely outplayed the Super Eagles of Nigeria in an international friendly on Tuesday night, March 26.
Ahead of the international friendly, most football enthusiasts expected that it would be an easy one for the Super Eagles given their 2-1 win over Ghana barely four days ago.
Unfortunately for the Nigerian team, they couldn’t record a successive back-to-back win at the Grand Stade de Marrakech in Morocco as coach Finidi George’s 3-4-3 formation fell flat to the lowly rated Malian team.
During the game, Mali proved to be more composed and had better passing accuracy than the Eagles’ side who were loaded with Europe-based players. The attacking trio of Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Moses Simon were starved of killer passes in the eighteen-yard box.
22-year-old El Bilal Touré opened the scoring in the 18th minute as the Malian dominated most of the first half.
Moses Simon was replaced by Cyriel Dessers in the 34th minute after suffering a knock in Mali’s penalty box which the referee didn’t deem worthy of a spot-kick.
While the Super Eagles were trying to put passes together and attempt a comeback, Mali grabbed the ball and launched a counter which 21-year-old Kamory Doumbia completed to make it 2-0 in the 87th minute.
The goal sealed the victory for Mali as coach Finidi George failed to convince the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) beyond a reasonable doubt that he deserves to be named Eagles’ permanent coach.
Former African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba, has said Super Eagles interim coach Finidi George is on the right track to becoming the team’s substantive coach.
Finidi took charge of the team for a 2-1 win over Ghana in an international friendly last Friday.
This follows the exit of Jose Peseiro, who led Nigeria to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.
Ikpeba, speaking on Monday Night Football, said: “I am happy with what Finidi is doing with the Super Eagles. I am in the system and I know what he’s doing. Don’t forget that I am in the committee set up to do the right thing.
“From what I have seen from the players’ comments, it’s looking good for Finidi George.
“As I speak right now, I think it’s looking good for him. Mind you. I am not the decision-maker, I am one of the people who will advise the NFF. but it’s looking good for Finidi.”
Finidi will be in charge again on Tuesday night when the Eagles play Mali in another international friendly.
Romelu Lukaku’s time at Stamford Bridge could be coming to an end.
According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Chelsea is looking to sell the striker to a Saudi Arabian club for a reported £34 million fee.
While AS Roma was interested in the Belgium international, they were unwilling to pay the hefty £40 million price tag that Chelsea placed on him.
With interest from the Middle East, the Blues are hoping to cash in on Lukaku who appears to have no future in London.
It is not the first time that Lukaku, who is currently on loan at Roma from Chelsea, has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia club Al Hilal had reportedly made an offer for the former Manchester United star last summer, which he ultimately rejected.
Ojodu City of Lagos youngster, Hafiz Umar Ibrahim, has earned a trial at an English Premier League side, Chelsea.
Chelsea will be giving Ibrahim a chance to prove his worth in the coming weeks.
Confirming the development in a post on his X handle on Tuesday, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano wrote: “Nigerian striker Ibrahim Hafiz Umar (18) has decided for trial at Chelsea instead of joining FK Bodø/Glimt despite club-to-club deal done for €500k.
“It will be up to Chelsea now, as Hafiz will be on trial for next weeks from Ojodu City Academy.”
He will begin his two-week trial at the Cobham training facility after securing a visa.
Co-director of recruitment and talent Joe Shields believed the youngster is worth pursuing.
The likes of Manchester City have seen what he can do, as he scored against their Under-21s during a youth tournament.
The Ojodu City FC star was spectacular, after impressing at the 74th annual Viareggio Cup, a prestigious youth tournament in Italy, last month.
Standing 6’2” already, Ibrahim models his own game after Romelu Lukaku’s, which is certainly not a bad place to start.
[Leadership]
The groups for the 2024 Copa America have been confirmed.
This follows the completion of the CONCACAF Nations League on Sunday.
Canada, Jamaica and Costa Rica have now confirmed their spots at the tournament.
The competition, which runs from June 20 to July 14, will feature 10 South American countries, along with six North American guests.
Argentina are the current holders of the trophy.
Group A:
Argentina
Peru
Chile
Canada
Group B:
Mexico
Ecuador
Venezuela
Jamaica
Group C:
United States
Uruguay
Panama
Bolivia
Group D:
Brazil
Colombia
Paraguay
Costa Rica
Centre-back, Kenneth Omeruo is expected to start Nigeria’s clash with Mali on Tuesday night after missing the first friendly against Ghana due to a training ground injury.
Omeruo was an unused substitute against the Black Stars.
With the Kasimpasa player and Calvin Bassey unavailable for the game, interim head coach, Finidi George named Benjamin Tanimu in the starting line-up.
Tanimu, who plays for Tanzania outfit, Ihefu SC is expected to make way for the experienced defender against the Tanzanians.
Omeruo is the most senior international at Finidi’s disposal in Marrakech, Morocco.
Brentford midfielder, Frank Onyeka and Bassey are unavailable for the game.
The Super Eagles duo of Calvin Bassey and Frank Onyeka have left camp ahead of Tuesday’s international friendly against Mali.
Bassey missed the 2-1 win over Ghana on Friday, but Onyeka played in the game.
Both players have now flown back to their base in the UK, where they will continue their recovery as the business end of the season kicks in.
The rest of the Eagles squad have continued training for the next friendly.
All the remaining 22 players are available for selection.
Nigeria will take on Mali at the Grand Stade de Marrakech on Tuesday and interim head coach, Finidi George, is expected to shake up his starting XI.
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The Nigerian contingent to the 13th All African Games held in Ghana, finished second on the overall medals table at the end of the tournament.
Naija News reports Team Nigeria finished with a total of 47 gold, 33 silver and 40 bronze medals across 25 sports at the competition.
The Nigerian team won its highest medal haul in weightlifting, winning 32 medals—16 gold, 10 silver, and six bronze.
Athletics was Nigeria’s second most productive sport at the Games, with 22 medals won.
Nigeria got 11 medals from wrestling, 8 gold medals in a day in boxing, while arm wrestling also produced 13 medals.
Despite Nigeria’s impressive outing at the tournament, it was Egypt who finished tops on the medals table with 189 medals, comprising 101 gold, 46 silver and 42 bronze.
South Africa placed third on the medals table with 106 medals — 32 gold, 32 silver and 42 bronze medals.
Algeria finished third with 29 gold, 38 silver and 47 bronze medals, while Tunisia completed the top five.
The next edition of the African Games will be held in Cairo, Egypt, in 2027.
Ex-Chelsea Star, Geremi Njitap Files To Divorce His 12-Years Of Marriage After Finding Out He Is Not The Father Of Her Twins
AFOLABI
Former Cameroonian and Chelsea football star Geremi Njitap has initiated divorce proceedings to terminate his marriage after discovering that he had raised twins for 12 years that were not biologically his.
The 45-year-old has been married to Toukam Fotso Laure Verline for over a decade.
According to The Sun, the couple’s twins were born after the player’s wife Laure had a fling.
The UK Sun reports that court documents in Geremi’s native Cameroon show Toukam “destroyed the harmony” of their marriage “through her abject behaviour”.
They also mention her “repeated lies”, and add: “No children have been born from this union.”
Toukam had claimed the twins born in June 2008 — four years before the couple’s marriage were his, which motivated them to get married.
“But the discovery that the children were from her previous partner destroyed the couple’s harmony,” the documents add.
The former Indomitable Lion also alleges verbal mistreatment at the hands of his spouse, claiming that he has been subjected to insults and derogatory language in front of their children.
During his playing days, Geremi Njitap was known for his versatility, being able to play at right back, right midfield or defensive midfielder.
Njitap played for Real Madrid, Chelsea, Newcastle United, and Turkish club Gençlerbirliği among others before his retirement in January 2011.
Geremi earned 118 caps for Cameroon from 1996 to 2010, scoring 13 goals.
He was a member of their squad for seven Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, winning in 2000 and 2002, as well as the World Cup in 2002 and 2010 and a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics.
Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, has insisted the club does not need “big signings” this summer.
Laporta was responding to questions during an interview with MD, where he was asked about Erling Haaland rumours.
He said: “We don’t need any big signing. There will be movements but I don’t anticipate big ones, just team players.
“Our priority is to trust the team we have right now, we don’t want to sign players who could distort our harmony.”
On Frenkie De Jong’s future, Laporta added: “Frenkie de Jong is super happy here. The last thing he wants is leaving Barcelona.
“He always told me that he loves to be at Barça and we’re delighted with Frenkie too.
“I’m not worried with his future, at all.”
Nigerians got a glimpse of the post-2023 AFCON Super Eagles on Friday evening.
From when the national team threw away a one-goal lead in that final, to losing it 2-1 to hosts Ivory Coast, a lot has happened.
Most importantly, Jose Peseiro has left his role as the head coach.
The Portuguese’s short-term deal elapsed on February 29, leaving the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, to put out a notice for his replacement.
However, the only appointment that was made – belatedly – was former Nigeria international, Finidi George, being put in temporary charge of the Eagles.
Finidi was an assistant to Peseiro during the AFCON. But although he employed a similar tactical set-up as the Portuguese, there were marked differences.
“I think it was a good game for us,” Ope Adebari, a Sports Analyst, Reporter and Producer with News Central TV tells DAILY POST.
“Clearly, Finidi George is actually sound.
“It’s the same 3-4-2-1 as Peseiro used at AFCON but different implementation.
“We played from the back and playing with two proper defensive midfielders made a difference.
“Playing Alex Iwobi in his favoured position also made a difference.
“Nwabali would sometimes come out to make up a back 4 which allows Bright Osayi Samuel to invert. We then had one man extra in midfield.
“We totally dominated.
“But we also had a few moments of complacency. One of those moments led to the penalty conceded.”
Adebari, however, noted that Finidi needs to field the fringe players in the squad more against Mali on Tuesday.
According to him, “Raphael Onyedika, Alhassan Yusuf and Nathan Tella should get more time. They should play for at least an hour.”
Ever since Peseiro left the role, there have been calls from certain quarters for the NFF to recruit a domestic coach for the national team.
Finidi’s name has been mentioned along with ex-players like Daniel Amokachi, Samson Siasia, Emmanuel Amunike, Augustine Eguavoen and Sunday Oliseh.
With Finidi expected to be in charge when the Eagles take on the Malians next week, you would have thought he is auditioning for the job somewhat.
But Adebari has revealed to DAILY POST that Amunike is the preferred candidate.
“At least three people who work with NFF have already told me that Amunike has been chosen for the job.
“I think they’re just trying to iron out the salary,” he said.
In Adebari’s opinion, Amunike is not the best Nigerian coach available.
According to him, “I’d say he’d qualified for the job based on his CV and certifications.”
[DailyPost]