Former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has told ADN Radio in Chile his club had wanted to sign Alexis Sanchez in 2014 but could not do so due to financial fair play (FFP). Arsenal signed Sanchez, 27, when he left Barcelona in 2014, but Hebei China Fortune boss Pellegrini said City would have been keen to sign the forward had it not been for the FFP punishment UEFA had imposed that summer. “He is one of the best in the world and he proves it every day,” Pellegrini, who left City in the summer, said of his fellow Chilean. “He…
Author: David Folami
Arsene Wenger expressed frustration with questions about Alexis Sanchez’s contract situation on Friday, saying the media lack creativity and are wasting their time by always asking him about the Chile international’s future. Sanchez and Mesut Ozil have yet to sign new contract extensions as their deals approach their final 18 months, and former Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini stoked speculation about Sanchez moving to China by saying he would be happy to see his fellow Chilean to join him at Hebei China Fortune. The Daily Mirror reported on Friday that Arsenal’s initial offer of £180,000 a week had been rejected…
Neymar has credited Lionel Messi for jump-starting his Barcelona career in 2013. The Brazil international moved from Santos to Barca in the summer of 2013, but soon found himself struggling in the Catalan capital. However, a few helpful words from the five-time Ballon d’Or winner started Neymar on a path to become the Blaugrana star that he is today. “I have a nice story about Messi,” Neymar told CNN on Thursday. “Soon after I arrived, it was not a great moment in my career and he was the one who helped me. He saw that I was sad, with my…
Only last week two suicide bombers killed 30 people in northeastern Nigeria, but the governor of Borno state, the country’s jihadist heartland, told AFP in an interview that Boko Haram has been defeated. Kashim Shettima said the war against the Islamist militants was “over” and predicted that hundreds of thousands of displaced people would have returned to their homes by May. Though the UN last month said Boko Haram was blocking aid supplies from reaching refugees, leaving thousands at risk of starvation, Shettima said the jihadists no longer posed a threat. The Islamic State group-linked militants came close to overrunning…
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) on Friday signed an agreement to exit the Joint Venture Cash Call (JVC) with some international oil companies. The agreement was signed in Abuja at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources between the Federal Government and Shell, Chevron, Agip, Total, Oando. Nigeria owes an estimated 6.8 billion dollars accumulated over 14 years but got a discount of 1.7 billion dollars, leaving a debt of 5.1 billion dollars to be repaid. The Minister had, at another forum, explained that the agreement stated that the payment from incremental oil production would not affect Nigeria’s budget production benchmark…
President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged Federal Government’s continued support to equip the military. He also urged the institution to brace up to the administration’s challenges by looking inwards to construct and improvise vital operational tools. The president made the pledge at the inauguration of three Naval ships, Nigerian Navy Ship UNITY, Nigerian Navy Ship KARADUWA and the Nigerian Navy Tugboat COMMANDER EDWIN UGWU in Lagos on Thursday. The UNITY ship was built in China, while the KARADUWA and the COMMANDER EDWIN UGWU were constructed in Nigeria. Buhari said “The Nigerian Navy has shown great foresight in nurturing the vision for…
Psquare teams up again with Akon in new music titled ‘Bedroom’. The brothers pick up from their successful ‘Bank alert’ song with this Akon collaboration. The song appeals to the ladies, bothering on kissing and making up to end a relationship drama. Enjoy.
Real Madrid forwards Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo scored as Mexican side Club America were beaten 2-0 in Thursday’s Club World Cup semifinal at the International Stadium Yokohama. Madrid had most of the possession and chances throughout the game — with Benzema and Ronaldo scoring in added time at the end of each half to ensure Madrid’s progress to Sunday’s final against Japanese side Kashima Antlers. Ronaldo coming close a number of times in the first half, including when his 20 yard volley was parried away by America goalkeeper Moises Munoz, but it was Benzema who broke the deadlock just…
The Football Association has revealed that Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho received a one-match touchline ban last month as he could have “endangered people around him” by kicking out at a water bottle. Mourinho was sent to the stands during United’s 1-1 Premier League draw with West Ham on Nov. 27 following his angry reaction to Paul Pogba’s yellow card, which included him kicking a bottle. The United boss was then banned from the touchline by the FA for his side’s 4-1 EFL Cup win over the Hammers three days later, while also receiving a £16,000 fine for his actions.…
In his postmatch news conference after Manchester United had beaten Crystal Palace 2-1 to win consecutive league games for the first time since August, Jose Mourinho didn’t step back. He was on the front foot, much like his Manchester United team had been in an impressive last 20 minutes at Selhurst Park on Wednesday, and Mourinho felt the display warranted a win. “I think we deserved it because our best period was at 1-1,” Mourinho said. “In the first half, we controlled, no problem, but just control. In the second half, after their goal, it was not control. It was…
The fifth edition of the prestigious Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) has commenced with the announcement of nominees. The nominees for the 2017 edition was announced on Wednesday, December 14, 2016, at Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos. Some of the nominees including Somkele Iyamah Idhalama, Ramsey Nouah and Okey Uzoeshi were present at this event. The announcement aired on all Africa Magic channels, and public voting opened after the announcement.
Media personality Toke Makinwa paid a visit to her childhood home where she lost her parents following a fire accident. Recall that the TV host revealed in her book, “On Becoming” that she lost her parents after a fire accident razed their house caused by a gas leak when she was eight years old. She visited the place for the first time since the incident happened today, December 15, 2016. She wrote, “2 radio interviews, and a visit to where I lived as a child in Abuja. I’ve never been back there, it holds so much emotions and I always…
TV host, Frank Edoho and wife, Sandra have welcomed their second patter of feet! The duo ushered in a baby boy in an hospital in the U.S. Details of the birth however hasn’t been disclosed yet. The couple welcomed their first child in 2014. Frank is blessed with 3 children from his previous marriage to Katherine Obiang while Sandra has a child from a previous relationship. Meanwhile, the happy media personality threw a surprise pyjamas themed baby shower for his wife aided by her friends, Mabel Makun, Timaya’s baby mama, Barbara and others. After the crash of his first marriage…
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, says Nigerian troops have penetrated deep into the Sambisa forest and are already doing well in their operations in the forest. Buratai made the disclosure on Thursday in Abuja in a remark after he decorated some of the newly-promoted senior officers with their new ranks. He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the elevation of the senior officers and for the support he had been giving to the Army. Buratai described the president’s support as “invaluable’’ and largely responsible for the successes being recorded by troops in the fight against the Boko…
Governor Ayo Fayose, on Thursday, December 15, 2016, stormed the Ado-Ekiti branch of Zenith bank and withdrew N5m cash from his bank account. This is coming after a court ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to unfreeze the Governor’s bank account. According to Leadership, Fayose stormed the bank manager’s office and presented him with a cheque and requested for his money. The Governor said ” I came to the bank after serving them with the court order and I made up my mind that I won’t leave the bank until my money is given to me. And the…
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, December 15, arrived in Lagos to commission three war ships. Buhari was received at the presidential wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. He commissioned the warships, two of which were locally built, and 27 patrol boats at the Nigerian Naval Dockyard in Victoria Island. Buhari was accompanied on the visit by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola. Fashola was the governor of Lagos till May 2015 when he handed over to Ambode.
Factional Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff has denied sponsoring Boko Haram. Sheriff said further, while receiving some PDP members in Abuja, on Wednesday, December 14, that the rumour was being spread by his enemies. “Permit me therefore to state that I have in all sincerity tried to resolve this party crisis. I have offered that both the caretaker committee and the NWC be dissolved to give way for a new Independent leadership,” he said according to The Tribune. “But the caretaker committee has refused to agree to anything except recognise them and let the caretaker…
The Nigerian Senate has held its last plenary session for the year 2016. The upper legislative chamber, on Thursday, December 15, adjourned plenary to January 10, 2017. The Senate made the announcement after rejecting President Muhammadu Buhari’s nomination of Ibrahim Magu as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The lawmakers rejected Magu due to a security report provided by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says corrupt elements opposed to the change agenda are making government activities obscure to give the wrong impression that they are not working. The minister stated this on Thursday in Abuja at the launch of the Federal Government of Nigeria Information App (FGN IAPP) that is designed to provide real time information from the government to Nigerians – home and abroad. The minister said that the corrupt elements, in particular, had chosen to fight the government with their ill-gotten wealth, by “distorting our messages and obfuscating our activities’’. Mohammed noted that government…
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 500th club goal against America in the Club World Cup on Thursday. Ronaldo, 31, had netted his 500th career goal for club and country against Malmo in September 2015. The Ballon d’Or winner got on the scoresheet in the 93rd minute against America by breaking clear and shooting past Moises Munoz. There was some confusion, though, as the goal was initially disallowed for offside before being confirmed by Paraguayan referee Enrique Caceres using FIFA’s new pitchside video technology (VAR). The Portuguese, who joined Real Madrid in 2009 for a then-world-record fee of £80…