Sports
United ready to pay record €140m for Osimhen – Report
Manchester United are preparing a whopping €140m bid for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen before the end of the summer transfer window.
According to Il Mattino, a reputable Naples-based outlet, Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has told the Serie A giants to expect a massive offer for the Nigeria international.
Mendes has been working to secure a move for Ronaldo, who wants to play in the Champions League this season.
Il Mattino claims that Manchester United are even willing to fund a large part of Ronaldo’s wages as part of a deal which would allow them to replace the Portuguese star with Osimhen.
The Serie A side are looking to sell the Nigerian to facilitate Ronaldo’s arrival from Old Trafford, with a deal that could be worth up to €140m expected to be discussed between the two clubs in the coming days.
Having narrowly won against Southampton on Saturday, many fans believe United lack a prolific goal-hungry striker and Osimhen could be the perfect fit to end United’s goals-scoring woes.
Napoli are reportedly keen to bring Ronaldo back to Serie A, as the veteran forward looks to leave Old Trafford to secure Champions League football. He has already offered himself to several sides in Europe, including Milan and Inter.
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Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is an admirer of Ronaldo and is willing to cash €140m for Osimhen.
Osimhen was once a target of Arsenal and Tottenham, but only fellow interested party Newcastle may be willing to splash over £100m on the star.
If Osimhen’s deal goes through, Ronaldo’s bogus £360,000-a-week wages will not be a problem for Napoli as Laurentiis plans to use Italy’s tax laws to aid his pursuit.
The law provides tax cuts for Italian clubs buying foreign players from abroad – which means Napoli could save 50 per cent on Ronaldo’s wages.
Meanwhile, Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti disclosed there is “nothing concrete” at the moment between Napoli, Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo, but explained it “wouldn’t be a swap with Victor Osimhen” if it did happen.
Speaking at a press conference, Spalletti said, “If you’re asking me if I’d like to work with Ronaldo, I tell you no coach would say no to that. However, if we go into those areas, the journalists like to fill in for themselves, then as Osimhen’s agent said, there are no negotiations.
“De Laurentiis, he told me that he received no offer, so let’s remain as realistic as possible here and take into consideration only things that could happen.
Punch
Sports
Super Eagles suffer 2-0 loss to Mali in friendly match
Super Eagles suffer 2-0 loss to Mali in friendly match
Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Tuesday night suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mali in a friendly match played in Marrakech, Morocco.
Mali, ranked 19th below the Super Eagles in the FIFA’s latest standings, opened scoring through Atalanta-based striker El Bilal Toure in the first half after Nigeria’s dreadful error resulting from a short goal kick.
Toure could barely believe his luck when defender Chidozie Awaziem tried to play a long square pass under pressure near the edge of the Nigeria box and succeeded only in crossing the ball straight to the Mali striker.
He controlled well on his chest before bundling a finish past goalkeeper Stanely Nwabali.
Nigeria lost Moses Simon to injury when the Nantes star collided with Mali keeper Mamadou Samassa and had to be substituted after appearing to suffer a painful knee injury.
Kamory Doumbia made it 2-0 for Mali with three minutes to normal regulation time.
Nigeria defeated Ghana 2-1 last Friday in a positive result for interim coach Finidi George, the former Ajax and Real Betis winger, who won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations.
The defeat has left the Super Eagles with a lot of concerns before they resume World Cup qualifying in June.
This was the 12th meeting between Nigeria and Mali. Nigeria have the head-to-head advantage, with six wins and three defeats in those games.
Mali’s most recent previous win over the Super Eagles was a 4-1 friendly victory way back in 1975.
Some key stars missed the friendly match due to injury. They are Victor Osimhen, William Troost-Ekong, Victor Boniface, Ola Aina, and Zaidu Sanusi.
Midfielder Frank Onyeka has also withdrawn from the squad.
Sports
Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen
Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen
Chelsea, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are ready to offer €90 million for Napoli star striker, Victor Osimhen, according to Italian newspaper, II Mattino.
Osimhen has a release clause of around €120 million in his contract but Napoli President Aurelio de Laurentiis could accept a bid below that, according to the publication.
Napoli are prepared to part company with the Nigerian at the end of the season despite the forward signing a new contract last December.
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Chelsea, Arsenal and PSG have been persistently linked with a move for the forward.
Intermediaries are reportedly working with the striker’s agent, Roberto Calenda to sort out his future.
Osimhen, who joined Napoli from Ligue 1 club, Lille in 2022, has scored 72 goals in 125 appearances for the Partenopei.
Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG ready to pay €90m for Victor Osimhen
Sports
Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today
Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today
Former World Cup star Finidi George is determined to secure a second consecutive win as he leads the Super Eagles in their clash against Mali today. Appointed as the interim coach for the Nigerian team, George aims to maintain the winning momentum after their recent victory over Ghana.
The encounter between the two West African teams is scheduled at the Grand Stade de Marrakech in Morocco, where the Super Eagles emerged triumphant in their previous match against arch-rivals Ghana with a 2-1 scoreline.
However, George faces challenges as key players such as defender Calvin Bassey and midfielder Frank Onyeka are sidelined due to injuries, adding to the absence of other notable names like Victor Osimhen, William Ekong, and Olaoluwa Aina.
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Despite these setbacks, George remains optimistic about the team’s prospects against Mali. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a winning mentality and expresses confidence in the players’ ability to replicate their performance against Ghana and secure another victory.
Notably, George himself has a history with the Eagles of Mali, having played against them during the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations, where Nigeria emerged victorious.
In light of the absences and injuries, George may turn to players such as goalkeeper Olorunleke Ojo, defenders Kenneth Omeruo and Jamilu Collins, midfielder Alhassan Yusuf, and forwards Nathan Tella, Sadiq Umar, and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru to play prominent roles in the upcoming fixture.
Despite the challenges, Finidi George remains determined to guide the Super Eagles to another triumph as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in June.
Finidi George aims for second victory as Super Eagles face Mali today
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