Swansea City have ruled Ryan Giggs out of the running to take over as manager of the Premier League club, sources confirmed to us on Thursday. Giggs, the Manchester United legend and former assistant manager at Old Trafford, was the early favourite to succeed Bob Bradley, who was dismissed this week after only 11 games in charge. However, as earlier reported by BBC Sport, Swansea are not considering Giggs as Bradley’s successor, with the focus switched to other targets. A source close to Giggs said the 43-year-old “was unconvinced by the prospect of the job and did not pursue the…
Author: David Folami
Jurgen Klopp has dismissed reports linking Liverpool with a January move for Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as “nonsense.” Multiple British newspapers on Thursday linked the Reds with Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is reported to be growing frustrated at his lack of opportunities at the Emirates Stadium. However, speaking at a news conference on Thursday afternoon, Liverpool manager Klopp was quick to state that the Merseyside outfit are not preparing a bid for the 23-year-old. “Usually, I don’t say anything about transfer rumours, but I can make an exception — no problem. It’s nonsense,” Klopp told reporters. “If we think we have to do…
Jurgen Klopp has said he would happily pay money to watch Liverpool’s New Year’s Eve encounter with Manchester City as a spectator. Saturday’s meeting pairs together two high-flying teams, with Klopp’s Liverpool currently the Premier League’s highest scorers this season with 45 goals ahead of City and Arsenal, who have both found the back of the net 39 times so far. Klopp is predicting a tense affair where the minor “details” will decide the result, and he insists his team needs to be solid defensively in order to overcome Pep Guardiola’s side. “I would say we both should think about…
Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent says the superstar rejected an offer from a Chinese Super League club that would have paid him over €100 million ($105,581,500) per year. Jorge Mendes confirmed to Sky Sports Italia in an interview released on Thursday night that the unnamed club were willing to pay Real Madrid a transfer fee of €300 million ($316,744,500). “From China, they’ve offered €300m to Real Madrid and more than €100m per year to the player,” Mendes said. “But money is not everything; the Spanish club is his life.” The €300m transfer fee would have nearly tripled the record €105m price that…
Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes Manchester United can still win the Premier League title this season, though he “could be happier” with their current position, the striker told ESPN in an exclusive interview. Ibrahimovic won the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain in all four seasons he played in France, but it’s been a different experience in England, with United in sixth place. United are 13 points back of leaders Chelsea, but Ibrahimovic said he and his teammates can still finish the season at the top of the table if teams above them slip up. “I think so, we had our up…
Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has hailed “one of a kind” Lionel Messi, and believes the five-time Ballon d’Or winner would be just as successful were he to ever leave Spain. In an exclusive interview, Ibrahimovic talked about his former Barcelona teammate, with whom he played at the Camp Nou in the 2009-10 season. “I think Messi is one of a kind. I don’t know if we will see another player do the things that he does because he has his style and to become that player, I don’t think it’s possible,” said Ibrahimovic. “I had the luck to see…
Mauricio Pochettino takes criticism from Southampton fans angry at him for joining Tottenham Hotspur as a compliment and urged midfielder Victor Wanyama to be braced for a rough welcome when he also returns to St Mary’s on Wednesday. Southampton supporters wore orange in support of then-manager Ronald Koeman when Pochettino first returned to the club last year and the Argentine, who joined Tottenham in 2014, said he retained the utmost respect for the club despite the boos. “For me it was difficult. I remember my first game back there. They prepared the orange day to try to upset me,” Pochettino…
Nollywood actress Oge Okoye‘s son turned 10 today and she took to social media to celebrate her boy. Thus, she had loving words to share: ’10 years ago,you came into my world. You changed me completely,You made me a mother. You are my first baby…You will always be…Luv/My Big Strong Man. And from her caption, you can tell how proud she is of him.
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has made it known on Tuesday, December 26 that his party is not afraid of any mega party. Speaking with press in Benin City yesterday, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has made it known that contrary to rumors that have been airing, chieftains of the All Progressive Congress are not a party to the said Mega Party. It should be recalled that there have been insinuations that some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu…
Everton manager Ronald Koeman has warned his players against complacency ahead of their visit to basement side Hull City in the Premier League on Friday. Everton, who beat champions Leicester City 2-0 on Monday to climb to seventh in the table, take on a Hull side that has gone seven league games without a win, but Koeman said his team would be taking nothing for granted in an unpredictable competition. “That’s the most dangerous (thing) you can do in football,” the manager told a news conference on Wednesday. “The Premier League is unpredictable. Maybe expect a win and it will…
Barcelona’s Brazilian star Neymar says winning the Ballon d’Or is one of his goals but he will not lose any sleep if he never takes home football’s top individual award. “If I don’t win the Ballon d’or, its okay,” he said in an interview posted on the La Liga website on Monday when asked if he was disappointed that he was not named as one of three finalists for the prize this year. “I don’t play football to win the Ballon d’Or, I play football to be happy because I love it, because I want to play football. Unfortunately only…
Manchester United great Ryan Giggs is one of the names being considered for the managerial vacancy at Swansea City, according to British media reports on Wednesday. Swansea, second from bottom in the Premier League, are looking for a new manager after American Bob Bradley was sacked just 11 games into his tenure on Tuesday. Welshman Giggs, 43, was interviewed twice prior to Bradley’s appointment as the successor to Francesco Guidolin in October. Other men in the frame are said to include Swansea native Chris Coleman, who led Wales to the semifinals at Euro 2016, and Gary Rowett, who was recently…
The Nigerian Army on Wednesday said it had recovered Abubakar Shekau’s Qur’an and flag in Camp Zero, the Boko Haram’s Headquarters in Sambisa forest. Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, said this while giving newsmen update on “Operation Rescue Final’’ in Maiduguri. “We believe that the Holy Book and the flag were abandoned by Abubakar Shekau while he escaped. “The Book will be taken to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Burutai, for onward presentation to Mr President. “We have also made a lot of arrests. Our troops in Damboa arrested about 15 Boko Haram…
Former Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan has warned supporters of his predecessor, James Ibori to stop publicizing their visits to him. Uduaghan said further that Ibori’s supporters are causing more problems for him with their loud celebration on social media. Ibori was released from a UK prison on Wednesday, December 21, after spending four and a half years in prison for money laundering. “For those going to London to see Chief James Ibori and posting pictures and making comments, please stop it,” Uduaghan said via Facebook. “We appreciate your love for him but you can go quietly without the unnecessary…
Suspended House of Reps member, Abdulmumin Jibrin has denied that he snuck out of the United Kingdom. According to Premium Times, Herman Hembe, the Chairman of House Committee on Federal Capital Territory, earlier alleged that Jibrin left the UK because he was being investigated for corruption. According to Hembe, “I understand that the suspended Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin has fled back to Nigeria after report of his ownership of five foreign accounts in Barclays Bank and property located at No. 81, Cotswold Gardens, London, NW2, 1PE in London was published. “I wish to remind Jibrin that there is no longer hiding…
Hollywood actor John Boyega is clearly proud of his Nigerian roots. And every opportunity he gets, he shows it. Days ago, the actor showed off a picture of him wearing something Nigerian. The day before, he shared a photo of his meal; jollof rice, proudly to his 1.2 million followers all the way from Lagos. Then yesterday, the Star Wars actor took to his Instagram to show off matching ankara outfits with his Dad. The photo was captioned, ‘Stunting with my Daddy’. You may remember that before now, Boyega revealed he had no qualms dating a Nigerian chic. Clearly, he…
TV host, Emma Ugolee needs to undergo kidney surgery but can’t afford the cost. As a result, music stars, Wizkid and 2face Idibia have led the charge asking Nigerians to support the movement to raise N50m for him. 2face on his part dropped an appeal on his Instagram. “My brother, my friend Emma Ugolee needs your support. He has battled this kidney problem by himself for 5years and needs us now. I have known him for over 20years. He is a great inspiration to me and I do not want to loose him. Please show this love for my sake.…
Dear Olamide, what HAPPENED? What?! I attended OLIC2 and without a doubt, it was by far my BEST event last year. I talked, and talked about it; everyone around me that didn’t go, knew they had to this year. Imagine my excitement when I saw these pictures by TY Bello, I knew OLIC3 was definitely going to be a hit. I needed to see ‘Olamide Live In Concert’ *coughs. In my life, not even at either Canaanland or Redemption Camp had I EVER been stuck in such traffic. No clear plans on controlling humans (forget that we are peculiar here).…
Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers on Wednesday presented N470 billion budget to the State House of Assembly for services in 2017. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fiscal policy is christened as “Golden Jubilee Budget for accelerated development’’. NAN recalls that in 2016, the Rivers Government budgeted N307 billion. Wike explained that the budget was designed to herald the historic 50 years of the state in 2017. He said the budget was premised on the need to consolidate on achievements of 2016 and restore the state’s economy back to a sustained growth path and expand economic opportunities…
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday assured that as the Chairman of ECOWAS Contact Group on Guinea Bissau, he would do his best to ensure that the country did not relapse into crisis. The President gave the assurance when he received the Prime Minister of Guinea Bissau, Umaro El-Mukhtar Sissoco-Embola, at the State House, Abuja. The President expressed satisfaction with the gradual return of normalcy to the West African country. While assuring the visiting Prime Minister of Nigeria’s continued support for political stability in Guinea Bissau, Buhari urged the leaders to work hard to reach a lasting solution to the political…