Author: Olukayode Oke

Manchester City have completed the signing of Croatia centre-back Josko Gvardiol on a five-year deal from RB Leipzig for 90m euros (£77m). He is the second most expensive defender of all time after Harry Maguire, who joined Manchester United for £80m from Leicester City in 2019. Gvardiol, 21, has impressed in his two seasons at Leipzig after joining from Dynamo Zagreb in July 2021. “I have always dreamed of one day playing in England,” he said. “To be doing so now with Manchester City – after the season they have just had – is a real honour for me.” Gvardiol,…

Japan took a step closer to a second Women’s World Cup title when they beat Norway to reach the quarter-finals. The 2011 champions made the ideal start when Norway defender Ingrid Engen turned Hinata Miyazawa’s cross into her own net. However, Norway equalised a few minutes later when Guro Reiten headed home. Risa Shimizu’s heavily defected strike restored Japan’s lead before Hinata Miyazawa raced through to score a third and seal her side’s progress. The goal cemented Japan’s place in the quarter-finals and kept Miyazawa on target for the Golden Boot – she leads the scoring charts in Australia and…

Spain reached the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup for the first time after producing an outstanding display of firepower in Auckland to send Switzerland out. La Roja were beaten 4-0 in their final group game by Japan five days earlier in Wellington but bounced back in style to score four times during a dominant first half showing in front of 43,217 – a record crowd for a football match in New Zealand. Aitana Bonmati swept the Spanish ahead before Switzerland equalised when Laia Codina, without looking up, hit a back pass past her own keeper and into the net…

Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola has revealed Arsenal are better poised to win the Community Shield ahead of the crunch on Sunday. The treble-winnning coach said this at the pre-match press conference on Friday. Guardiola believed the Gunners, who finished second last season, started the pre-season earlier than City, thus are in a better shape. As a result of City’s constant winning of trophies, the former Barcelona manager asserted that the Cityzens always kicked off the season in a difficult way. “The situation that we are in, we finished (last season) two weeks later than Arsenal and we start (this…

Bayern Munich have set Tottenham Hotspur a deadline of midnight on Friday to accept a club-record offer totalling around €120m — €100m guaranteed with approximately €20m in add-ons — for Harry Kane. Kane is in the final 12 months of his contract but Bayern are prepared to shatter their previous highest transfer — the €80m paid to Atletico Madrid for Lucas Hernandez — to land the England captain. Bayern are now awaiting an answer from Spurs and have threatened to move onto other targets if the bid is not successful. Kane has no interest in signing a new deal with…

Barcelona have made Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva their top priority for after Ousmane Dembele’s move to Paris Saint-Germain is confirmed. That’s according to Mundo Deportivo, that believes Blaugrana boss Xavi Hernandez is desperate to land City’s 28-year-old midfielder, and wants the club to make him their top priority. Silva is also keen on moving to Barcelona, and he is hoping that City boss Pep Guardiola sticks to his promise to allow Silva to leave, should the club receive the right offer. It’s now up to the Catalan club to assemble a deal to persuade City to part with the Portuguese star. City have so far…

Rising from a consultative meeting with the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) board on Thursday evening in Abuja, the Football Club Owners Association of Nigeria agreed to kickstart the 2023/24 season on August 26, as recommended by the NPL body. In a unanimous decision reached by all 20 clubs and presented to the NPFL led by its chairman, Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye, the clubs also jettisoned the much-talked-about abridged league while opting for a full season of 38 straight matches to determine the league champion and Nigeria’s representatives in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup, respectively. Speaking at the end…

Super Falcons head coach, Randy Waldrum has revealed that his side will use their athleticism to overcome England in their Round of 16 encounter. The nine-time African champions will battle England for a place in the quarter-finals at Lang Park, Brisbane on Monday. England pulverised China 6-1 in their last group game on Tuesday to underline their title credentials. Waldrum claimed the European champions used their power to overcome the Chinese in the encounter. The American further said the Super Falcons will capitalise on their speed and power to beat Sarina Wiegman’s side. “The one difference between us and China…

Fifa is investigating an official complaint that Zambia head coach Bruce Mwape sexually assaulted a player at the Women’s World Cup. Mwape is accused of rubbing his hands over the chest of one of his players during a training session in New Zealand on 29 July. “A complaint has been received,” a Fifa spokesperson said. But the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) said “it has not received any such complaint” and it is a “surprise”. The alleged incident is said to have taken place during a training session two days before their final group match against Costa Rica, which Zambia…

France international defender Axel Disasi has joined Chelsea from AS Monaco on a six-year contract for 45m Euros (£38.57m). Disasi, 25, offers defensive cover at Stamford Bridge after an knee injury sustained by Wesley Fofana. He played in all 38 of Monaco’s Ligue 1 games last season. “I am really proud to be able to be a part of this great family,” Disasi told Chelsea’s website. “I hope to achieve very big things here. To win titles. I will do everything I can to achieve those objectives. I am very ambitious.”

Arsenal midfielder, Thomas Partey has held talks over a possible transfer move to Juventus. Sky Italy reports that Partey has agreed personal terms with Juventus to join the club this summer. The Serie A giants will now lodge an offer for the Ghanaian international, but are aware they need to sell one or two players before they can buy him. However, it is unclear whether Arsenal would let Partey leave Emirates after midfield partner Granit Xhaka also departed the North London club this summer. Partey joined Arsenal from Spanish La Liga giants Atletico Madrid for £45million in the summer of…

Sergio Ramos does not let his guard down. The former Real Madrid player continues with his daily training routine waiting to find the offer that meets all his expectations. In recent days he has received different proposals, but the desire of the defender is to continue shaping his career in the United States, in MLS, which has become a perfect showcase this summer for Spanish soccer after the arrival of Leo Messi. Once his time at PSG was over, Ramos decided to take a break before making a decision that could be hasty. Saudi Arabian soccer has repeatedly knocked on his door, as well as different Brazilian…