Author: Chief Editor

What’s the story? Chelsea outcast Davide Zappacosta is due to undergo a medical at AS Roma ahead of a season-long loan, thereby paving way for youngster Reece James to replace himself at Stamford Bridge. In case you didn’t know… Zappacosta, who will have one year left on his contract at the end of this campaign, arrived at the west London outfit from Torino for an initial £23 million in 2017. The 27-year-old failed to maintain a regular starting place under Maurizio Sarri, with his appearances reduced to just the Europa League last season. He made only four Premier League appearances last term…

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has revealed why the Reds could not afford to bring back Philippe Coutinho, claiming that the club has already spent the money they got for him. Further, the German lavished praise on the play-maker and added that he is a great signing for Bayern Munich. In case you didn’t know… Coutinho joined Bayern Munich from Barcelona on loan earlier yesterday, with an option to make his move permanent for €120 million next summer. The Brazilian international was initially bought as a potential successor to Andres Iniesta by Barcelona for £142 million from Liverpool, in January 2018. However, he struggled with injuries…

Eze Onyekpere The governance of Nigeria is always in the news for the wrong reasons; incidentally, most of the challenges facing the nation are avoidable. With our economic indicators virtually facing south, while our debt to revenue profile has hit 70%, the news that a British commercial court has imposed $9bn damages or fine against the Federal Government of Nigeria for violation of contract obligations calls for extremely sober reflections. It is a strong threat to our national fiscal sustainability considering that $9bn is about the actual retained revenue that accrued to the federal treasury in the 2018 fiscal…

By: Oliver C. Orji The fact that former deputy president of the Nigerian Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, was nearly lynched by an angry mob in Nunberg Germany did not come to many Nigerians as a big surprise given the present helpless frustration among Nigerian masses home and abroad. Someone even said that many such politicians would have been waylaid and dealt with by the home branch of the masses had it not been for the often AK-47-weilding security officers frequently shielding them back home. For the record, this is not the first time a Nigerian politician has been harassed outside the…

What’s the story? Arsenal manager Unai Emery has jokingly claimed that he would rather not want his team to play against Liverpool. However, the Spaniard also insisted that his side will face the European champions with a positive approach. In case you didn’t know… Liverpool and Arsenal are set to lock horns against each other in the Premier League at Anfield, on Saturday. Arsenal have struggled against the Reds in the last few seasons, with their last league win against the Merseyside-based club coming way back in April 2015. They were thrashed 5-1 by Jurgen Klopp’s troops at Anfield last time…

Jurgen Klopp says he “thanks God” for having Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino at his disposal after the fearsome front three’s fine start to Liverpool’s season. Liverpool have scored nine goals in four competitive matches this season, with the trio having already racked up a combined nine goal involvements between them. Mane has started the campaign in particularly deadly form, netting three and registering the assist for Firmino’s winner in the 2-1 victory over Southampton on Saturday. The trio have been vital in Liverpool’s re-emergence as a leading power in England and Europe over the last couple of…

By Omoshola Deji The assault of Nigeria’s former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu in Germany is unsurprising, but shocking. Unsurprising because it’s certain Nigerians would revolt against their leaders misrule someday. It is shocking because many never envisaged such could happen now, and in this manner. The popular support, but low turnout at Omoyele Sowore’s Revolution Now protest, and the fading outcry for his release is a pointer that Nigerians want a revolution, but are reluctant to revolt. Aside shocking the reluctant populace, Ekweremadu’s assault also stunned the revolution vanguards. Most never imagined any tribe could, at this…

TWO Federal Permanent Secretaries and three Directors of Finance have joined the list of those questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with the ongoing probe of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita over an alleged N3billion contract scam. Another suspect in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) who was detained after freezing the N600million in his account, has been released, The Nation learnt yesterday. The released suspect is said to be a Project Accountant in the OHCSF. Oyo-Ita herself is weighing…

“I am in love with VAR,” joked Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino after his side escaped with a 2-2 draw at Manchester City thanks to Gabriel Jesus’s late winner for the Premier League champions being ruled out on review. Yet, the scoreline masked the fact that Spurs, despite reaching the Champions League final last season and breaking the club’s transfer record for French midfielder Tanguy Ndombele, still look well off potential challengers to City’s throne as champions. Mauricio Pochettino’s men finished 27 points behind City last season, on Saturday 27 was the difference in the shot count as Tottenham mustered three…

Aaron Ramsey made his debut for Italian champions Juventus on Saturday in their final pre-season friendly, a 1-0 win over Serie C side Triestina. The Welsh international midfielder and former Arsenal star, who signed a four-year deal in February worth a reported seven million euros ($7.9 million) a season, came on for Federico Bernardeschi in the 70th minute of the game in Trieste. “This was a very proud moment for me to put on this famous jersey,” said Ramsey who hadn’t played since April due to a hamstring injury. “I am happy that I got a few minutes out there…