Author: Olukayode Oke

Barcelona have yet to register Marcos Alonso, Inaki Pena and new signing Inigo Martinez for the 2023/24 La Liga campaign. Barca’s financial issues have been well documented over the last number of years, with the failure to register Lionel Messi’s contract, and subsequently being forced to sell him to Paris Saint-Germain. Since then, the club have fallen foul of La Liga’s salary cap rules on a number of occasions. In January 2023 Barcelona were blocked by the league from making any permanent signings. Two games into the new season, Barcelona have still not registered Alonso, Pena and Martinez. Ex-Chelsea man Alonso signed a new…

Qatari based side Al Arabi are set to submit an official bid to sign Marco Verratti. Negotiations to commence soon. Verratti had earlier agreed terms with Al Hilal but no deal between the club and PSG. Al Arabi now trying to approach Verratti. Monaco are preparing a new offer of more than €40m to secure the services of Folarin Balogun. But they would have to wrestle it out with frontrunners Chelsea and Fulham. Al Shabab reach verbal agreement with Everton over Demarai Gray deal. They now have the greenlight to commence personal term talks with the player. Ajax have rejected…

Barcelona will sign Joao Cancelo from Manchester City this week on a loan deal with an option to buy at the end of the season, according to marca. “Joao Cancelo is set to become a Barcelona player this week,” the paper claims. “The Catalan club and Manchester City are negotiating a season-long loan for the full-back with an option to buy for an amount that is currently being discussed. “Xavi has approved the signing of the Portuguese player and said no to Fresneda. There have been talks with the Real Valladolid player for several months, but he now knows the Blaugrana…

Al Nassr have qualified for the Asian Champions League group stage after producing a magical comeback in injury-time against Dubai based Shabab Al Ahli in Riyadh on Tuesday. They were on the verge of exiting the competition safe for three quick fire goals from Forward Anderson Talisca and former Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic Al Nassr drew first blood in the game on 11 minutes, when Taslica guided home a superb in swinger from a Brozovic corner. UAE champions Shabab Al Ahli responded seven minutes later through winger Yahya Al Ghassani slotting the ball home from a quick counter attack.…

Arsenal have set a price tag of £50m on forward Folarin Balogun, amid speculative Chelsea interest. Balogun’s current deal with the club is billed to expire in June 2025, the gunners might look to cash in on him now that his value is risen and he has been cut out of Mikel Arteta’s plan at Arsenal. The USMNT star enjoyed a magnificient debut season on loan at French club Reims last season, as he notched 21 goals in 37 appearances for Reims in Ligue 1, attracting interest from various top european clubs in the process. Chelsea are in the market sourcing for attacking…

Burnley have announced the signing of Aaron Ramsey from Aston Villa for roughly fourteen million pounds. The 20-year-old is yet to make an appearance for Aston Villa in the premier league having been sent on different loan spells to Cheltenham Town for the second half of the 2021/22 season in League One under Michael Duff. Last season, Ramsey continued his development by heading into the Championship with Dean Smith at Norwich City, and recorded six goal contributions for the Canaries before ending his spell there in January. The young midfielder then joined Middlesbrough with fellow Villa academy graduate Cameron Archer. Ramsey…

Liverpool’s midfielder Alexis Mac Allister’s red card in Saturday’s Premier League victory over Bournemouth has been overruled following a successful appeal by the club. The Argentina midfielder, 24, was sent off and initially meant to to serve a three game suspension after he clipped midfielder Ryan Christie’s foot in the 58th minute at Anfield. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp showed disdain at the call and said the decision was “harsh”. The Reds appealed and the Football Association’s Independent Regulatory Commission removed the suspension. “An independent regulatory commission has removed Alexis Mac Allister’s three-match suspension following a claim of wrongful dismissal,” the FA said.

Tobi Amusan finishes first in Heat 5 at the World Athletics Championships, clocking in at 12.48 seconds, and secures her advancement to the semi finals stage of the Women’s 100m Hurdles. Her title defence commences with an impressive start Despite a slow start, she finished ahead of Jamaican Champion Megan Tapper who came 2nd in 12.51s and Australian sprinter Michelle Jenneke in 12.71s. The 100m world hurdles champion record holder competed in Heat 5 alongside Ebony Morrison, Michelle Jenneke, Maayke Tjin-a-lim, Natalia Christofi, Nika Glojnaric, and Maayke Tjin-a-lim. Recall that Amusan was cleared last week by the Athletics Integrity Unit…

Romelu Lukaku is training with Chelsea’s U21 side amid reports he is yet to speak with new manager Mauricio Pochettino. The 30-year-old and Chelsea are running out of options regarding his future, with moves to Al-Hilal and Inter Milan falling through earlier this summer. The Blues had hoped to do a deal with Juventus, in a transfer that would have seen Dusan Vlahovic move in the opposite direction. However, those negotiations have proved difficult. Juve have previously submitted two player-plus-cash offers for Lukaku. The first would have seen Chelsea pay £42 million ($33m) and send Lukaku to Turin in exchange for…

Former Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez has been appointed as new head coach of Argentine club C.A. Independiente. The appointment was made public on the club’s official twitter handle today. Carlos Tevez retired from active playing in June 2022 at argentine cub Boca juniors aged 38. He began his coaching career from Rosario central in June 2022 before quitting by November of the same year after spending just 134 days in charge. Independiente ended twenty-fourth with 28 points on the log in the Argentine Primera Division first phase managing six wins, ten draws and eleven losses in twenty-seven games. The…

Al-Ettifaq are looking to lure Mason Greenwood to Saudi Arabia following the termination of his contract by former club Manchester United. Manchester United on Monday released a statement that Greenwood would part ways with the club after launching an internal investigation into his conduct after domestic violence charges against him were dropped in February. Al-Ettifaq who have won their first two league matches this season, are currently managed by ex Rangers and Aston Villa gaffer Steven Gerrad who spent most of his playing days with epl club Liverpool. The club is considering offering the 21-year-old England star a £10m-a-year contract.…

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is set to miss his team’s next two Premier League matches after undergoing back surgery. Guardiola, 52, had been suffering with what City said was “severe” back pain and travelled to Barcelona for an “emergency” but “minor” operation. City go to Sheffield United on Sunday and host Fulham on 2 September at Etihad Stadium. Guardiola is expected to return to duty after the international break. Assistant manager Juanma Lillo will take over first-team training and lead from the touchline during matches in Guardiola’s absence. City said the operation, carried out by Dr Mireia Illueca, was…