Arsenal’s first preseason game of the summer was highlighted by quite a few promising debuts. Newcomer Alexandre Lacazette may have stolen the headlines with his first goal for the club in Thursday’s 2-0 win over Sydney FC in Australia, but there were plenty of other noteworthy performances from Arsene Wenger’s debutantes. Here’s a look at how they got on: Alexandre Lacazette The French striker needed just 15 minutes to show why Wenger broke the club’s transfer record to buy him from Lyon. Lacazette was brought in to score goals, and his knack for finding the net was evident right away…
Author: David Folami
Wayne Rooney’s fairytale return to Everton continued as he marked his first appearance since rejoining with a goal in Thursday’s preseason friendly in Tanzania. The 31-year-old’s arcing 30-yard right-footed strike to beat the Gor Mahia goalkeeper in his top right-hand corner had echoes of Rooney’s maiden goal for the club against Arsenal back in 2002 — five days short of his 17th birthday. Collecting the ball 40 yards out in the inside-left position he took one touch with his left foot, advanced the ball a few yards with his right before lashing home a shot. It marked the perfect way…
Manchester City have agreed a fee of £50 million with Tottenham for right-back Kyle Walker, sources have said. The move for the 27-year-old allows City to bounce back quickly from the disappointment of losing out of signing another right-back, Dani Alves, to Paris Saint-Germain. City had seemed to be in pole position to sign Alves on a free transfer from Juventus, but the Brazil international knocked them back to join PSG on Wednesday. A source said PSG doubled the salary that was on offer to Alves from the Premier League club, with City manager Pep Guardiola “furious” about the U-turn.…
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has promised to clarify his future “soon” after meeting his agent Mino Raiola in Manchester. The striker was released by Manchester United in June after suffering a knee ligament injury that could keep him out until January. After having surgery in the United States in May, the 35-year-old will stay at United’s Carrington training base to go through his rehabilitation. After meeting Raiola at Tattu in central Manchester on Wednesday, Ibrahimovic told photographers to expect an announcement. He said: “There will be a very big announcement soon, it will be huge.” Ibrahimovic has been linked with moves to…
Barcelona have reached an agreement to sign Benfica right-back Nelson Semedo, the club confirmed on Thursday. Sporting director Robert Fernandez and board member Javier Bordas were among a delegation which flew to Portugal on Thursday to finalise a transfer which sources said could reach €35 million with variables. Semedo, 23, had already reached an agreement with Barca over personal terms and will undergo a medical in the Catalan city on Friday. Having chosen not to replace Dani Alves when he left for Juventus last year, sticking with Sergi Roberto and Aleix Vidal, Barca had targeted Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin earlier this…
Romelu Lukaku is already under pressure. Just a few minutes into his first Manchester United training session at UCLA’s Drake Stadium, a pass bounced off his foot and rolled away. With the world’s media watching, it wasn’t long before a video documenting the error was all over Twitter and Facebook. But then, that’s life at United. Every move is scrutinised. Every touch is pawed over. It comes with being part of one of the biggest clubs in the world. You often hear from new signings that they don’t realise how big the club is until they get there. It’s particularly…
Manchester United will try to push through a deal for Ivan Perisic before Inter Milan head to China for their preseason tour next week, sources have said. United and the Serie A side are still apart in their valuation of the winger, whom Jose Mourinho has identified as the next summer arrival at Old Trafford. Inter are refusing to lower their €55 million asking price for the Croatian. However, United value Perisic at closer to €40 million. Inter fly to China on July 18 before moving on to Singapore on July 25. United would like to tie up a deal…
Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara has enjoined traditional rulers in the state to maintain peace and order in their domains. The governor made the call on Wednesday when traditional rulers from Kwara South Senatorial District paid him a visit at the Government House, Ilorin. Ahmed assured the traditional rulers that all differences on land disputes would be amicably resolved. “ It is very critical to maintain peace and order for development to take place,’’ the governor said. The traditional rulers were led by the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi. The governor noted that the history of land disputes had…
Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, professionally known as Olu Jacobs, is a Nigerian actor and film executive. He has starred in several British television series and international films. Olu Jacobs has been hailed by many as one of the greatest and most widely respected African actors of his generation. He studied at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and has starred in various British television shows and series in the 1970s. Known as a father figure in the Nigerian movie industry, in 1978, he played the role of President Mageeba in Michael Codron’s presentation of Tom Stoppard’s play “Night and…
Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has admitted that he could leave the club this summer but insisted he will remain “professional” during preseason preparations, despite an uncertain future at the club. Giroud’s stay at the Emirates is in doubt after Arsenal broke the club transfer record to bring in fellow French striker Alexandre Lacazette. And while Giroud has made the trip to Australia with the Gunners for the start of their preseason tour, he made it clear that he doesn’t know where he’ll be playing next season. Asked if leaving Arsenal was an option, Giroud said: “It is to be honest…
Juventus have signed Brazil winger Douglas Costa on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich. The move follows Bayern’s loan signing of Colombia playmaker James Rodriguez from Real Madrid earlier on Wednesday. A statement on Juve’s website read: “Douglas Costa is officially a player of Juventus. The club has reached with Bayern Munich an agreement for the temporary acquisition of the Brazilian wide player.” The Bianconeri will pay a loan fee of €6 million (£5.3m), with the potential for an extra €1m (£885,000) in performance-related add-ons and an option to buy him outright for a further €40m (£35.4m). “We held serious…
Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann has returned to preseason training with the La Liga club ahead of the 2017-18 campaign, with his long Manchester United transfer saga now behind him. Griezmann had looked set to leave Atletico this summer and join United in a €100 million deal, giving conflicting versions of his intentions in a string of media interviews around the end of last season, before finally agreeing a new contract to stay with the Rojiblanco outfit after the confirmation of a FIFA ban which means the club could not sign a replacement this summer. The France international, 26, joined…
Lagos state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has revealed that out of a population of 22 million, only 600,000 people pay taxes in the state. While speaking at a sensitisation workshop on 2017 Water Technology and Environmental Control Exhibition and Conference (WATEC) on Monday, July 10, 2017, the governor called on residents of the state to show more commitment to fulfilling their civic duties by paying their taxes. He said the failure of the working class to pay their taxes regularly is an hindrance to providing proper infrastructure in the state. According to him, “There is nothing like government money, it is…
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved the issuance of promissory notes for the settlement of debts owed local contractors worth N740 billion. The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, gave the hint at a briefing after the FEC meeting adding that debts to GENCOS, DISCOS and state government was N193.69billion. “The Memorandum that the Council approved was for the issuance of a promissory note programme to settle inherited debts to local contractors and state governments on the part of federal government “These obligations had accrued prior to our coming into office and are across a number of sectors.…
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday in Abuja ordered the immediate release of N1.6billion for disbursement to victims of flood in 16 states of the federation. Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity disclosed this when he briefed State House correspondents after the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), which was presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo. He said that the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, had already been directed to release the amount directly to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for onward disbursement to the victims in the affected…
‘Pana’ singer Tekno and Lola Rae are officially a couple! If Tekno’s new photo of the both of them is anything to go by, the duo are currently having a torrid romance. For months Lola Rae and the ‘Samantha’ singer have been sparking dating rumours as people have noticed they’ve been spending a lot of time together. Tekno has finally confirmed their relationship with a photo of both of them together with a love struck emoji accompanying it. We have reached out to both parties for more gist. Meanwhile, Tekno has been hinting us about a possible ‘baby’ as seen…
Here is another season for popular Nollywood actress, Rita Dominic. Rita Dominic’s full name is Rita Uchenna Nkem Dominic Waturuocha. She is a Nigerian renowned actress and producer. A member of the Royal Waturuocha family of Aboh Mbaise local government area in Imo State, Dominic attended the Federal Government College, Iot Ekpene Anambra State, Nigeria, before heading to the University of Port Harcourt, where she graduated with a BA (Honours) Degree in Theatre Arts in 1999. The Nollywood diva started performing as a child, appearing in school plays and children’s television shows in Imo State. In 1998 she starred in…
Blac Chyna has just been granted a temporary restraining order against Rob Kardashian on Monday, July 10, 2017. The court hearing comes after the former exotic dancer spoke out in an exclusive interview with ABC News, saying she felt “betrayed” by the reality television star. Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner James E. Blancarte issued the temporary restraining order pending a hearing set for August 8, 2017. In the court documents, Blac Chyna accuses Rob Kardashian of physically abusing her. According to the documents, Kardashian and Chyna split in December 2016, and on April 8, 2017, the enraged Kardashian allegedly “punched…
After two failed marriages Hollywood star Idris Elba is not walking down the aisle anymore. The 44-year-old actor said that he feels marriage isn’t his “life’s calling” in an interview with Essence. “Am I ever gonna get remarried? I don’t think so,” he said, “Yeah, I don’t think so. Marriage is an institution of sorts. And I’ve done it. It’s not for everybody.” Elba, a father-of-two, was previously married to Hanne “Kim” Norgaard from 1999 to 2003 (they share daughter Isan, 16) and Sonya Nicole Hamlin for less than a year in 2006. Meanwhile, Idris Elba stripped for Essence Magazine.…
Popular music duo, Paul and Peter Okoye of the Psquare group are remembering their late mum, Josephine Okoye. The duo took to their respective Instagram pages on July 12, 2017, to pay homage to their “beautiful Onyinye.” Writing about beautiful memories, Peter Okoye shared an old photo of his mum with the words, “It’s been 5yrs… Mum, you left us beautiful memories, your love is still our guide, although we can not see you, you are always at our side and you are The Most Beautiful Angel in Heaven. We miss you Mum #RIP.” Paul, on the other hand, wished…