Leonardo Bonucci’s agent is in England to discuss a move to Manchester City, but Juventus don’t want to sell and it could take a bid in excess of £50 million to complete the deal, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. A new defender is high on Pep Guardiola’s list of priorities this summer and the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager labelled Bonucci “one of my favourite ever players” following a Champions League tie against Juventus in February. The Sun adds that despite interest from Chelsea, Italy international Bonucci won’t be having a reunion with Antonio Conte at Stamford Bridge…
Author: David Folami
Wales midfielder Joe Ledley has said Cristiano Ronaldo’s match-winning performance in the Euro 2016 semifinal was frustrating because the Portugal captain is “never in the game” and “didn’t really do anything” other than score. Wales reached the last four in France but their tournament came to an end with a 2-0 defeat to Portugal as Ronaldo broke the deadlock with a powerful header in the 50th minute before Nani slid in to divert his shot past Wayne Hennessey three minutes later. Ledley said Ronaldo otherwise had little influence on the match, particularly in comparison to his Real Madrid teammate Gareth…
Liverpool have confirmed that Jurgen Klopp has signed a new long-term contract at Anfield. Former Borussia Dortmund head coach Klopp has signed a six-year deal, taking him to 2022, a club source has said. Klopp’s senior assistants — Zeljko Buvac and Peter Krawietz — have also signed extensions. Klopp only took charge at Liverpool in October, but we were told on Wednesday that the club’s owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), had approached the 49-year-old about extending his stay on Merseyside. Klopp told Liverpool’s official website: “It’s hard to express in words how honoured myself, Zeljko and Peter feel by the…
Paul Pogba could spearhead Manchester United’s Premier League title challenge if the playmaker can be lured back to Old Trafford, the club’s former midfielder Paul Ince has said. Pogba, who left United in 2012 under Alex Ferguson, has been at the centre of a 100 million pound ($129.34 million) bid from the FA Cup winners, according to British media. Spanish giants Real Madrid are one of the favourites to land the French playmaker, the reports added. Pogba was in sparkling form last season as he helped Juventus win a domestic double, and Ince said that the 23-year-old could light up…
“We played well up front and we were unlucky to concede a penalty with the handball just a minute before the break.” Referee Nicola Rizzoli awarded the penalty for a Bastian Schweinsteiger handball in first-half injury time, although German players surrounded the match official in protest. Loew said he had to “calm the players down” in the dressing room at halftime after the penalty decision. “It doesn’t do you any good to be negative in that situation,” he said. “I don’t want to say anything about referees’ decisions. “If you see the way Schweinsteiger w went in, he didn’t have…
Germany coach Joachim Loew refused to commit himself to stay beyond the next World Cup campaign as he picked through the wreckage of the country’s Euro 2016 exit. Antoine Griezmann scored twice in Marseille on Thursday to guide France to a 2-0 win and a place in Sunday’s European Championship final against Portugal. The world champions crashed out, but Loew said Germany had been the better team on the night. “We were the better team, we invested a lot (in the match),” said Loew. Asked about whether he intended to stay on after the 2018 World Cup in Russia, he…
France may have ousted rivals Germany for the first time in 58 years but it will mean nothing if they lose Sunday’s Euro 2016 final against a Portugal team that have had more recovery time, said Didier Deschamps. Two goals by Antoine Griezmann and a strong defensive unity saw the host nation home against a German side that were dominant yet unable to break through in the final third of the pitch. It sets up an intriguing meeting on Sunday with Portugal who have lost their last 10 games against France going back to 1978. “We have three days before…
England’s Mark Clattenburg will be the referee for Sunday’s European Championship final between France and Portugal at the Stade de France, governing body Uefa said on Friday. The 41-year-old also officiated in the Champions League final, won by Real Madrid over city rivals Atletico in May. He becomes the second man to take charge of both major European occasions in the same year after Pedro Proenca of Portugal in 2012, Uefa said in a statement. Clattenburg was also the referee for the FA Cup final won by Manchester United over Crystal Palace in May, after which Palace manager Alan Pardew…
A renowned preacher and the General Superintendent of Deeper Life Christian Church, Pastor William Kumuyi, has declared that the wealth hidden in the land of Ebonyi State would henceforth flow out for the economic well-being of the people. Kumuyi, who was in Abakaliki for a one-day Bible Study/ prayer programme organised by the church, on Monday described Ebonyi as a state bestowed with abundant natural resources. He admonished the people of the state to refrain from sin in order to overcome their economic challenges as it is only through this way that the blessings of God will be made manifest…
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC) for deceiving Nigerians with a promise to bring change to the country. APGA also dismissed the APC’s threat to take control of Anambra State in 2017, Daily Post reports. “We want to draw the attention of the Federal Government in whose name, the APC Anambra State is threatening to cause a revolution in Anambra, boasting that when the time comes we shall all leave Anambra. This is treasonable felony,” APGA Anambra Secretary, Sir Tony Ifeanya said. “The APC scribe has told everybody ahead of time that they…
Edo Deputy Governor, Dr Pius Odubu, on Saturday, June 11, said Gov. Adams Oshiomhole had rated him as the best candidate for the September 10 gubernatorial election in the state. Odubu, an aspirant to the governorship position on the All Progressives Congress (APC), made the claim at a reception organised for him by his team of supporters in Benin. He said that he had understudied the governor since their assumption of office more than seven years ago, and that the governor had groomed him for the number one seat. “I have been in school; I have been in Oshiomhole’s school…
Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has described the winner of the APC governorship primary election, Godwin Obaseki as sound at home with governance. He said the governorship candidate is “ready to hit the ground running.” Oshiomhole also described the primaries , which was held on Saturday, June 18, in Benin city, as the best organised by the party. He noted that the process was transparent, while the delegates were well behaved and called for unity among party members. He said that all the aspirants belong to one family and need to work together to ensure victory at the polls. In…
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has described the current crisis in the camp of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as God’s handiwork. Speaking to some Muslim faithful on Wednesday, July 6, the Governor said the “hand of God” brought confusion into the party that grounded the country in its 16-year rule. “Today, you can see confusion inside the party that brought Nigeria to its knees. Can you not see the hand of God? They said they would rule for 60 years. Now 16 years later, they are out,” Oshiomhole said. He alleged that PDP leaders stole the funds earmarked…
People’s Democratic Party’s governorship aspirant in Abia State, Dr. Uche Ogah, has said that his demand to be sworn in as the state Governor following a court order, is not out of desperation. He said he was validly victorious in court and not “a hurriedly executed legal ambush for the acquisition of political power as being insinuated by some persons.” “My case is strongly anchored on facts, and the refusal of Ikpeazu to respond to the core issues and his resort to propaganda speaks volumes,” Ogah said at briefing in Lagos on Wednesday, July 6, through his lawyer, Mr Monday…
The Ahmed Makarfi led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotum Idris to arrest Ali Modu Sheriff. The party also called on the police boss to prosecute Sheriff for contempt of court. The Makarfi faction dismissed Justice Okon Abang’s ruling of Thursday, June 30, 2016, saying it was attempt to confuse the public. A statement signed by the faction’s spokesman, Dayo Adeyeye said: “The former national chairman of our great party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has become an authority in the country with flagrant disobedience of the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act…
Sen. Eta Enang, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), has said that the claim by some Nigerians of lopsided federal appointments in the country was untrue. Enang made the remark on Wednesday in Abuja at a reception organised by Akwa-Cross Association in the Public Service. He said that President Muhammadu Buhari followed strictly the principles of Federal Character in all federal appointments. He said: “He (Buhari) has given us the Chief of Naval Staff, a very high ranking officer in the Federal Security Council. “He has given us the minister of Budget and then,…
President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the government and people of Zamfara and Sokoto States on the passing away of one of their illustrious sons, Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi. This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, July 6, by the president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina. Buhari described the departed politician, administrator and technocrat, as an “expert whose contributions to the development of the security architecture of Nigeria remains indelible, adding that others carried on where he left off.’’ The President recalled that the former Federal Commissioner of Internal Affairs and boss of…
Governor, Ayodele Fayose, of Ekiti State, says President Muhammadu Buhari is using a “corrupt” Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to fight corruption. As contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, July 6, by his spokesman, Lere Olayinka, the Governor said the said the President must start his anti-corruption from his inner circle – the All Progressives Congress (APC). “The EFCC leaders’ opinions remain their opinions and if they are so sure of whatever information they have, they should go to court and stop subjecting Nigerians to media trial and that no amount of media trial from the same elements that…
Sen. Eta Enang, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), has said that the claim by some Nigerians of lopsided federal appointments in the country was untrue. Enang made the remark on Wednesday, July 6, in Abuja at a reception organised by Akwa-Cross Association in the Public Service. He said that President Muhammadu Buhari followed strictly the principles of Federal Character in all federal appointments. He said: “He (Buhari) has given us the Chief of Naval Staff, a very high ranking officer in the Federal Security Council. “He has given us the minister of Budget…
New details are beginning to emerge on the creative process behind Kanye West‘s controversial ‘Famous’ video, with the rapper having spent almost a million dollars on the clip. The lifelike wax figures of celebrities such as Rihanna, Chris Brown, Bill Cosby, Donald Trump, Taylor Swift, Ray J, Kim Kardashian and ‘Ye himself gulped more than $750,000 and took six months to be created, a source revealed to Life and Times. ‘Kanye paid over $750,000 for the wax figures,’ the source said. ‘It took over six months to make them and Kanye was involved in all stages of development of the…