Manchester United will reject any attempts to prise Paul Pogba away from Old Trafford in January, sources have said, despite growing interest from Juventus in re-signing the France midfielder. Pogba, who cost United a then-world record £89 million when returned to the club from Juventus in August 2016, has been dropped to the substitutes’ bench by manager Jose Mourinho for the club’s last two games, against Arsenal and Fulham in the Premier League. Mourinho insisted after Saturday’s 4-1 win at home to Fulham that Pogba will start Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Valencia in Spain and will “show everyone how…
Author: David Folami
Chelsea have announced they have suspended four supporters from attending games “pending further investigations” into alleged racial abuse suffered by Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling. Video circulated on social media during Saturday’s Premier League match between the clubs at Stamford Bridge that appeared to show a Chelsea fan directing a racial slur at Sterling as the England international retrieved the ball from the byline. Condemnation of the incident was swift and widespread, with both Chelsea and the Metropolitan Police quickly confirming that they were reviewing the footage in order to determine whether an incident of racist abuse had taken place.…
Maurizio Sarri’s “terrifying” postmatch reaction to the midweek defeat at Wolves inspired his players to beat Manchester City on Saturday, Antonio Rudiger has said. N’Golo Kante and David Luiz scored at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea inflicted City’s first Premier League defeat of the season. A determined performance, which saw Chelsea withstand spells of sustained pressure, was in sharp contrast to the 2-1 defeat at Molineux, after which Sarri questioned his players and accused some of having “too much confidence.” “After the Wolves game, he was terrifying,” Rudiger said. “He was going crazy. But that was OK, because we shouldn’t have…
Carlo Ancelotti has vowed that Napoli will play on the front foot against Liverpool on Tuesday night in the Group C Champions League decider. Napoli, who currently top the group, can reach the round of 16 of the competition with a draw. A loss would also see the Serie A side progress, should Paris Saint-Germain suffer defeat at Red Star Belgrade. Liverpool, on the other hand, must win 1-0 or by two goals at Anfield, although Ancelotti stressed that will not alter Napoli’s attack-minded approach. “Obviously I don’t know what Liverpool are planning tomorrow, we all know how they play,…
Manchester United’s contract talks with Ander Herrera are progressing well, sources have said, with the midfielder set to extend his stay at Old Trafford. United triggered a one-year extension to the 29-year-old’s contract last season but, with that deal set to expire on June 30, he will be able to walk away for nothing if fresh terms are not agreed. However, sources told ESPN FC that negotiations between the club and Herrera’s representatives have been positive, with both parties hopeful of reaching an agreement in the New Year. Herrera is a target for a number of Spanish clubs should he…
Cristiano Ronaldo has challenged Lionel Messi to leave Barcelona and join him in Serie A to prove his influence in another league. Ronaldo told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he left his comfort zone by joining Juventus in the summer, and has laid down the gauntlet to Messi to follow his example. “Maybe [Messi] misses me,” Ronaldo said. “I’ve played in England, Spain, Italy, Portugal and with the national team while he’s always been in Spain. Maybe he needs me more. For me, life is a challenge and I like it and I like making people happy. “I’d like it…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the senator representing Ogun East, Senator Kashamu Buruji as a desperate paid agent of anti-democratic forces working to cause confusion, trigger violence and bloodletting in the 2019 general election and derail its hard-earned democracy. In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, described “Senator Buruji is an interloper and impostor, who would soon face prosecution for printing and selling fake PDP nomination forms to members of the public, in violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act and the PDP constitution, which vest such powers only on the party’s National…
Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti on Sunday lifted the no-patronage embargo placed on Ecobank, GTBank and Zenith Bank by his predecessor, Ayo Fayose. The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that with this development, all MDA’s and certain categories of the state workers are now free to do business with them. The Fayose-led administration in May 2016 placed a “non-patronage” ban on the three banks and forbade government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as workers in its employ from transacting business with them. Governor Fayemi in quashing the embargo, also directed that all MDAs and their staff could…
In a statement in Abuja, Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice-President, said that Osinbajo would speak on the potential of the Nigerian market. He said that Osinbajo would also speak on the gains recorded by the country through its Ease of Doing Business reforms. “The President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s Ease of Doing Business reforms have helped in improving the country’s ranking in the World Bank’s Doing Business Index 2017, where Nigeria climbed up 24 places and was listed among the 10 most reformed economies globally. “Also, the World Bank noted…
Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State has described late Sen. Mukhtar Aruwa as a philanthropist who contributed immensely to the development of sports, agriculture and politics during his life time. This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Kaduna by Mr Samuel Aruwan, media aide to the governor. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Aruwa died at about 4:00 am on Sunday in Kaduna. “I received the news of Senator Mukhtar Ahmad Aruwa’s death with sadness. Our thoughts are with his family and we pray Allah to grant him Aljannah Firdausi. “He was a senator and a…
Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated former Chief of Naval Staff, retired Vice Admiral Jubril Ayinla, who turns 70 on Monday. In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Sunday, President Buhari congratulated Ayinla for his outstanding military career, with many decorations for gallantry and outstanding leadership. The president also lauded him for his contributions to the development of Nigeria, which included serving as Minister of Commerce and Tourism, and Minister of Health. The President joined family, friends and professional colleagues of the former Chief of Naval Staff in celebrating the many years…
Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has promised to run an all-inclusive government if elected, by carrying everyone along. Sanwo-Olu made the promise on Sunday at a special prayer session organised by the Nasrul-Lahil-il-Fath Society (NASFAT) at its headquarters in Alausa, Ikeja. He said that his priority would be infrastructure development. “I will carry everyone along as a governor. In the NASFAT’s prayer for me, they advised me to choose good adviser and be a listening governor. “Four years ago, my deputy wanted to be the governor and I was aspiring to be the chief of staff but now God has turned the…
Olusegun Obasanjo has faulted reports in the media saying that he does not have a preferred candidate. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the former President, at the 27th annual Owu National Convention which held in Iwo, Osun state on Saturday, December 8, 2018, urged Nigerians to vote wisely, adding that he will not campaign for any particular candidate. Speaking on the report, OBJ’s spokesman, Kehinde Akinyemi said “It is disingenuous, if not malicious, for anyone to suggest that Chief Obasanjo was being neutral when he chose not to use the Owu Convention as a platform for political…
The Lagos state Youth Organising Secretary of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Idris Aregbe has warned the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jimi Agbaje to stop insulting the ruling party’s national leader, Bola Tinubu. According to Vanguard, Aregbe also politics can be done without spreading falsehood about each other. He said this on Saturday, December 8, 2018, at a meeting with youths in Lagos state. In his response to Agbaje’s campaign slogan – Freedom For Lagos, the APC Youth Organizing Secretary said that no one is living in bondage in Lagos state. Aregbe also called on youths…
The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) have said that nothing is working under President Buhari’s government. The group also said that it has withdrawn its support for the President ahead of the upcoming 2019 presidential election. According to a statement issued to newsmen, NEF said that Buhari has failed to deliver on the conditions given to him in 2015 when they rejected former President Goodluck Jonathan. The statement reads: “Two of the conditions we gave Buhari upon his assumption of office were that he should take concrete steps to address the abject poverty and underdevelopment in the North and he has…
Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, on Saturday urged voters in Epe Divison to vote en masse for candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2019 elections. Ambode said that voting for the candidates across board would ensure the continuation of the good works of the party both in the state and the country at large. Ambode, spoke in Epe during a meeting with leaders of APC in the division, which was called at his instance. He said it was time for the people to put events before and after the APC governorship primaries in the state which…
Cardi B says she isn’t embarrassed when it comes to the way her bitter feud with Nicki Minaj played out, resulting in a scuffle at a New York Fashion Week party. “It’s unnecessary,” she admitted during a recent interview with CBS News. “But am ever embarrassed about anything I ever do? No.” She went on to explain that, in her eyes, all this shady publicity isn’t good for business because it pulls attention from her work. “It makes people not even care about your craft, they just wanna see drama,” she explained. During the chat, Cardi paid a visit to…
Lil Wayne and Kanye West party like its 2008. As we’ve spoken about in the past, Lil Wayne and Kanye West’s careers have run adjacent, and although both men experienced their “bildungs” differently, they’ve always taken heed to each other in a respectful manner. So, it comes as no surprise to see them enjoying each other’s company like they did last night at Story Nightclub in Miami. For Lil Wayne, Miami is his home base, it’s been for years. Any time you see him under strobe lights, it’s in a Miami club. But on this occasion, he and Kanye West…
Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Rita Dominic, Ego Boyo, Ini Edo and Uche Jumbo were among personalities that witnessed the 2018 edition of the Africa International Film Festival, AFRIFF, sponsored by TECNO Mobile held in Lagos recently. To make it memorable, the smartphone company gave the actress the opportunity to experience the amazing selfie quality of its TECNO Camon X Pro and 11 recently launched. The annual film festival showcases the diversity of African films into one experience, screening vast film categories including feature films, documentaries, short films, various film makers and actors around the continent to share their different film making skills.…
Cardi B has rapped about her recent separation with Migos‘ member Offset while performing in New York. The ‘Bodack Yellow’ artist confirmed the split on Instagram earlier this week, while stressing that the pair remain firm friends. “He’s always somebody that I run to talk to and we got a lot of love for each other,” she said, “but things just haven’t been working out between us for a long time and it’s nobody’s fault.” Taking to the stage at New York City’s Jingle Ball over the weekend, Cardi B performed for the first time since announcing the break-up. While…