Author: Chief Editor

West Ham signed Jesse Lingard on loan from Manchester United until the end of the season on Friday. Lingard had fallen out of favour with United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and failed to make a single Premier League appearance for the Old Trafford outfit this season. The 28-year-old midfielder previously worked with West Ham boss David Moyes when the Scot was in charge at United. “I’m excited. It’s another new chapter in my life,” Lingard told West Ham TV. “Nothing is guaranteed but I’ve come here to work hard and help the team and bring my experience. “That’s the main…

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has vowed to get Timo Werner back on track after the Germany striker’s miserable first season in the Premier League. Werner has scored only once in his last 16 appearances for Chelsea after losing form and confidence. The close-season signing from Leipzig was expected to fire Chelsea’s attack, but he has just nine club goals this term. Werner’s flagging form was emblematic of Frank Lampard’s struggles before he was sacked and replaced by Tuchel this week. Having a fellow German in charge could be a boost for Werner and Tuchel intends to use the 24-year-old more…

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has saluted “brilliant” Bruno Fernandes’ impact in his first year at Manchester United. Saturday marks the first anniversary of the Portugal midfielder’s arrival from Sporting Lisbon. Nobody has scored more for a Premier League club than Fernandes since his debut in January 2020. He has bagged 28 goals in all competitions and provided 17 assists to transform United from underachievers into Premier League title contenders. The 26-year-old saw off Liverpool with a superb free-kick in last weekend’s FA Cup fourth round clash and will turn his attention to keeping United in the title hunt when they face…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday amended the criminal charges it filed against a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Bello Adoke (SAN), Mr. Aliyu Abubakar and five others over their alleged roles in the multi-billion dollar Malabu Oil scam. Following the amendment of the charges, the defendants were then re-arraigned before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on a 42 count charge. Those arraigned alongside Adoke and Abubakar included Mr. Rasky Gbinigie, the Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, the Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited, the Shell Nigeria Extra Deep Limited…

Two defeats in four days have turned up the heat on Serie A leaders AC Milan, while Lionel Messi and Barcelona face Athletic Bilbao for the third time this month and the best of the rest clash in Germany. AFP Sport selects some of the standout football action in Europe this weekend: Teetering Milan lean on repentant Ibrahimovic Bologna v AC Milan, Saturday 1400 GMT Losses to Juventus and Atalanta this month have slowed AC Milan’s title charge, but three winnable games await Stefano Pioli’s side before next month’s rematch with second-placed Inter Milan. Inter dumped their city rivals out…

Riqui Puig scored his first goal for Barcelona against Elche last weekend after being circled as one of the world’s most exciting talents almost a decade ago. In 2014, the Barcelona newspaper Mundo Deportivo revelled in the 14-year-old born in Catalonia, who knew Xavi Hernandez personally and might even one day play like him. “He’s a great little footballer,” the Catalan newspaper wrote. “He plays between the lines and he’s got fantastic talent. Just as fantastic as his personality.” In the same year, Martin Odegaard, only a year older than Puig, was already representing Norway and being shown around Real…

The immediate past Chief of Army Staff, retired Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, says he left the Nigerian Army better than he met. Buratai stated this in his valedictory speech during the Pulling Out Parade by the Nigerian Army on Friday in Abuja. He said that the army under his watch had achieved tremendous feat in the fight against insurgency and other security threats in the country. He added that he ensured adequate training of personnel and enhancement of war fare capabilities of the army as well as prioritisation of personnel welfare. “Today is a day of appreciation and not a stocktaking,…

Seven lawmakers in the Ogun State House of Assembly, who were loyalists of serving senator representing Ogun Central, former Governor Ibikunle Amosun, yesterday night dumped their party and returned to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). They were representing the Allied Progressives Congress (APM), which is Amosun’s pet political party, at the state assembly. Amosun had objected to the choice of now Governor Dapo Abiodun during the 2019 governorship election. The discord led Amosun into forming the APM where he fielded Adekunle Akinlade to run as governor, but Abiodun won at the poll. Abiodun, while receiving the seven APM members…

President Muhammadu Buhari has written formally to the Senate for the confirmation of the appointment of the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and service chiefs. The President in the confirmation letter dated January 27, 2021 and addressed to the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, requested for Senate confirmation of the appointment of Major General Lucky Irabor, Major General Ibrahim Attahiru, Rear Admiral Awwal Gambo and Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao as Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Air Staff respectively. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on…

Liverpool ended a five-game winless run in the Premier League to move back into the top four with a 3-1 win at Tottenham on Thursday as Spurs also lost Harry Kane to an ankle injury. The English champions had not even scored in their last four league games, but Jurgen Klopp said he recognised his side again as their front three sparked back into life after Roberto Firmino ended a 492-minute goalless drought in first-half stoppage time. Kane had soldiered on after twice receiving treatment on ankle knocks in the first-half and was eventually replaced at the break with Jose…