Manager Jurgen Klopp has told Mario Balotelli that with so much competition for places up front at Liverpool he should look for another club. Balotelli has returned for pre-season training following an unsuccessful loan spell at AC Milan but is well down the pecking order at Liverpool, who also have Daniel Sturridge, Christian Benteke, Divock Origi and Danny Ings on the books. “I have spoken to him about this,” the manager told reporters. “He’s not at the stage of his career where he should be battling with four or five other players for one or two positions… so it’s clear…
Author: David Folami
Chelsea will pay £29 million to sign midfielder N’Golo Kante from Leicester City amid serious competition from a Chinese club, according to reports in France. After a breakout 2015-16 with the unlikely Premier League champions, Kante, who had reportedly been offered a new £100,000-a-week deal to stay at Leicester, has been in the sights of some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Real Madrid. However it wasn’t Los Blancos who forced the Stamford Bridge club to exceed the Frenchman’s £22m buyout clause with the Foxes. It was Chinese contenders Shanghai SIPG, who made waves last week by signing Brazilian star Hulk…
Germany may not take all of their stars to the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia, general manager Oliver Bierhoff has told Sport Bild. World Cup winners Germany will be one of the eight contenders at next summer’s tournament, which will take place in Russia from June 17 through to July 2. However, Germany may not take their strongest squad for the competition, which serves as a warm-up for the 2018 World Cup. “The Confed Cup just doesn’t have the sporting significance of a World Cup or a European Championship,” Bierhoff said. “So it is possible that we will not travel…
Luke Shaw has returned to Manchester United training 10 months on from suffering a broken leg. Shaw sustained the injury against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League last September and has been sidelined ever since. However, the England international had been working on his fitness individually, before returning to team training at the Aon Training Complex on Wednesday. The training session was Jose Mourinho’s first since being appointed as manager of United and Shaw will be hoping to force his way back into the team under the Portuguese. The left-back could make his long-awaited return for the Red Devils when…
Leonardo Bonucci expects Antonio Conte to bring his uncompromising style of management with him to Chelsea, but believes the former Italy coach will have an immediate impact at Stamford Bridge. Conte took his first training session at Cobham on Wednesday, with Chelsea players reportedly anticipating the toughest preseason regime of their careers as the new manager attempts to turn the Blues into the fittest and most prepared team in the Premier League. Bonucci admits that Conte is very demanding, but expects his former boss at Juventus and Italy to win the respect of his players and prove to be a…
Antoine Griezmann’s agent has revealed that the France forward considered offers from Paris Saint-Germain and other clubs before deciding to stay at Atletico Madrid for at least another season. Griezmann, 25, signed a new contract with Atletico last month after helping them reach the Champions League final for the second time in three years. The former Real Sociedad player will have won even more admirers after being named player of the tournament at Euro 2016 and winning the Golden Boot with six goals for beaten finalists France. Sources said last month that Manchester United were also monitoring the player. Speaking…
Real Madrid have been overtaken by the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys as the world’s most valuable sports team, according to Forbes magazine. The La Liga giants had been on top of the rankings for the past three years, and the Cowboys’ jump marks the first time since 2011 a football club has not occupied the top spot. Real remain the most valuable football club, however, with a calculated value of $3.65 billion (€3.29 billion), topping a list of eight clubs to make the rankings. La Liga rivals Barcelona were spot behind Real on the list with a value $3.55 billion (€3.20…
The Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu has urged legal practitioners to cooperate with the commission in its bid to rid Nigeria of corruption. A statement signed by EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Mr Wilson Uwujare, said that Magu made the call on Tuesday at a workshop organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), in collaboration with the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACC) in Abuja. The EFCC chairman said that the commission would be unable to stamp out corruption in the country without the support of all stakeholders. “We consider everybody a stakeholder…
The fight against corruption in Nigeria may soon take a new dimension. This is sequel to the decision by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to beam its investigative searchlight on its officials and legal practitioners. The EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu, stated this during a workshop organised by the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in collaboration with the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACC) in Abuja on Tuesday, July 12, 2016. Magu maintained that lawyers have a greater stake in the war against corruption hence the decision to focus on those who helped corrupt officials to escape justice. “Whether you…
The national chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has congratulated Mr. Godwin Obaseki, the party’s candidate in the September 10 governorship election for Edo State, three weeks after he emerged winner of the primary election. Odigie-Oyegun was said to have been against the candidacy of Obaseki as the party’s flagbearer, which had caused disagreements between him and the state executive. Obaseki, however, was the favourite of Edo APC and the outgoing governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. It was gathered that the Chairman eventually accepted Obaseki because of the ultimate goal of ensuring the party retains the governorship seat in the…
The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointments portray him as a “North-centric President”. The group made the comment via a statement released by its Chairman, Olawale Oshun. The statement reads: In our view, the problem has more to do with President Buhari’s conduct – utterances and perceived lopsided appointments – which appears to portray him as a North-centric President instead of a pan-Nigeria President. Both the President and the ACF need to take lessons on managing an all-inclusive, pan-Nigerian government. We wonder on what consensus or authority the so-termed non-negotiable unity of Nigeria stands. Is…
The attorney general of the federation, Abubakar Malami arrived the premises of the National Assembly this evening to hold talks with Senate President Bukola Saraki. Although reasons for the unscheduled meeting was not disclosed, a source at the National Assembly confirmed to Pulse that the move was in connection with “rumours that the upper chambers may impeach President Muhammadu Buhari and the AGF’s refusal to appear before the senate committee over the forgery case against Saraki, his deputy and two others.” Earlier today, Tuesday, July 12, 2016, Senator Dino Melaye had threatened to beat up and impregnate Senator Oluremi Tinubu.…
Prominent economist, Pat Utomi has said that Nigeria’s current economic crisis was caused by years of foolish choices made by the nation’s leaders. Professor Utomi made the statement on Monday during a programme at the United States Consulate in Lagos. “What has happened in Nigeria in the last four years has prevented the economy from growing due to foolish choices. Look at the excuse we are giving about the drop in oil price,” Utomi said according to Punch. “Do you know what oil prices were when former President Olusegun Obasanjo came to power? We have learnt to spend recklessly without…
The Niger Delta Indigenous Movement for Radical Change (NDIMRC) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of removing Dr Ibe Kachikwu from the position of Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) due to pressure from the north. The group made the comment via a statement released by its President, Nelly Emma, Secretary, John Sailor and Public Relations Officer (PRO), Stanley Mukoro. The statement reads: The whole world is our witness that we raised the alarm in April this year that Dr. Maikanti Baru was desperate to be the GMD of NNPC and was mounting pressure on the President…
Gov. Rochas Okorocha has urged journalists to be more constructive in their criticisms of government activities while reporting events. He made the call at an interactive session with journalists on Tuesday at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Imo Council Press Centre in Owerri. He also urged journalists to concentrate more on issues and defend them instead of personalities, noting, however, that journalists were supposed to check the excesses of those in government. The governor said all his actions were to make Imo a brand new state through enhanced infrastructure development. Okorocha then announced his resolve to move the main…
Controversial Nigerian Senator, Dino Melaye has threatened to beat and impregnate Senator Oluremi Tinubu, a colleague and wife of the APC National leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. According to a report by Sahara Reporters, the senator representing Kogi west constituency at the national assembly had made the threats after a rowdy session at the Senate on Tuesday, July 12, 2016. It was further reported that Melaye had issued the threat to Mrs Tinubu after the Senator representing Lagos Central had said the Senate should not be reduced to a stage where Senators could just issue childish threats following plans by…
The Niger Government has described as unfortunate the strike embarked by the civil servants, saying that the action is inimical to the development of the state. Gov. Sani Bello said this at the state executive council meeting in Minna on Tuesday. Bello said that the salary ratio was reached after wide consultations with all stakeholders in the state. According to him, the action by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is rigid because the state government has decided to pay workers 90 per cent salary in July as against the 70 per cent paid in June. Bello said that he met…
Yesterday, July 11, 2016 Nigerian singer, Iyanya was called out by a promoter, Don Demoe for unpaid dues. Iyanya who had just ended his tour of the United States of America took to Instagram, yesterday thanking fans for their unwavering support. “Thank you to everyone who came out..US tour done,” he wrote. Immediately promoter and business consultant, Don Demoe called out the “Oreo” hitmaker for not paying his hotel bills. According to him, Iyanya refused to pay his hotel bills at the Hilton and has been living off promoters. He revealed the crooner hasn’t paid his bills since July 4…
Beyoncé and husband Jay Z are this year’s highest-paid celebrity couple, according to Forbes. With $107.5 million in earnings between them last year they top the Celebrity 100 list. ‘Formation’ singer, Queen B made a total of $54 million earning her No. 34 on the list while Jay Z ranked No. 36 with a $53.5 million. The list comprises of the world’s top-earning superstars, which will be released soon. According to Forbes the power couple got a major boost from Beyoncé’s sixth No. 1 album, “Lemonade”, which debuted exclusively on Jay Z’s Tidal streaming service. She was able to beat…
Banky W is tired of fans telling him to go get married. The crooner has finally lost his cool and doesn’t want to hear any more of it. After months of marriage shaming the R&B crooner has had it! This time, he writes an open letter to single men and women in the society. According to him ‘he can’t even post good morning on social media, without someone saying “yes but it will be a better morning when you marry’. He took to Instagram on July 10, 2016 writing, “My fellow Bachelors & Bachelorette For too long we have been…