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 Red Devils 'keeping tabs' on Nottingham Forest attacker ahead of summer window

 Manchester United are reportedly interested in Nottingham Forest winger Callum Hudson-Odoi.

The Red Devils are set to overhaul their squad this summer following a woeful Premier League campaign that has left them languishing in 16th position with just two matches left to play.

The final third is one area in need of strengthening, considering Man United are the league's fifth-lowest scorers with 42 goals from 36 matches.
While they are keen to recruit a new number nine, Man United are also on the lookout for players who can support the main striker in Ruben Amorim's 3-4-2-1 system.

According to Sky Sports News, Forest's Hudson-Odoi is among those who are currently on Man United's radar ahead of the summer window.

The update claims that the Red Devils are keeping a close eye on the player's contract situation at the City Ground.

Man United are seemingly set to join Napoli and Roma in the race for his signature after the Italian clubs were linked with a move last month.

Hudson-Odoi is set to enter the final 12 months of his deal after signing a three-year contract upon his arrival from Chelsea in the summer of 2022.

While there may be uncertainty surrounding his future, there are believed to be talks taking place between the player's camp and Forest over a potential new deal.

Marcus Rashford and Ruben Amorim are set for showdown talks if the England international returns to Manchester United this summer after their fall out last year

Marcus Rashford and Ruben Amorim will be set for showdown talks(Image: Getty Images)

Marcus Rashford will hold showdown talks with Ruben Amorim if he returns to Manchester United this summer.

And the meeting will aim to clear the air between the two ahead of United's pre-season tour of the United States.

Rashford is on-loan with Aston Villa, following a bust up with Amorim which saw him axed from the United squad. The loan deal runs until the end of June, which is just a few weeks before United head to America to step up their preparations for the new season.

Villa have the option to buy Rashford in a £40m deal but it remains to be seen if Villa want to make the deal permanent. If Villa reject the chance to keep Rashford, the England forward will head back to United with his future still in limbo.United are willing to sell Rashford, but if no-one comes in for him before the end of July, he will be expected to be part of the summer tour.

Amorim has refused to discuss Rashford when asked about him in recent weeks, insisting he is only focused on the players he has in his squad.

The Portuguese previously suggested Rashford could be a top player if his mentality changes, he said: "I know Rashford really well, and everybody knows the talent that he has."He's a top player, if he wants to be. So I’m not surprised. It's a good thing we see our players doing well on loan in a different context."

Bay F.C. player, Asisat Oshoala is set to take the world of online content creation by storm with her latest move, Soccernet.ng reports.

The football star, who was recently seen at the Golden State Warriors game, is preparing to play alongside her new team in the National Women’s Soccer League.

Meanwhile, in a move that is sure to excite fans and followers alike, Oshoala has launched her very own YouTube channel. The Super Falcons star took to her social media platforms yesterday to make the thrilling announcement.


“I am thrilled to announce the launch of my YouTube channel Asisat Oshoala MON. Catch up with all about me, from lifestyle to training sessions to award nights to travels…” Oshoala said in the introduction video on her channel.

This new platform promises to give viewers a unique insight into the life of a professional female footballer, offering behind-the-scenes glimpses and shared moments from both on and off the pitch.

Oshoala urges fans to join her on a thrilling adventure as they “witness the grit of trainings, the glory of awards, the essence of lifestyle, and the wanderlust of travels”.The launch of the newly debuted YouTube channel is undoubtedly an exciting development for fans who are eager to gain an up-close look into the life of the award-winning athlete.

Newcastle will visit Manchester United in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup after knocking Treble winners Manchester City out of the tournament.

The Magpies, beaten 2-0 by United in last season’s final, secured their progression after Alexander Isak’s effort at St James’ Park dumped eight-time winners Man City out of the competition.

Liverpool face a long away trip as they come up against Bournemouth in the fourth round after they fought back to beat Leicester 3-1 at Anfield.

Cody Gakpo equalised for Liverpool in the second half after Kasey McAteer had given Leicester an early lead and further goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Jota sent the nine-time winners through.

Bournemouth beat Stoke 2-0 at home after scoring twice in the space of three second-half minutes through Dominic Solanke and Joe Rothwell’s free-kick.

West Ham edged out League One side Lincoln at Sincil Bank thanks to Tomas Soucek’s solitary second-half effort and will take on Arsenal at home in the fourth round.

Reiss Nelson’s early goal on Wednesday night was enough to earn Arsenal a 1-0 win at Brentford.

Chelsea earned a home draw against Blackburn after Nicolas Jackson’s second-half strike sealed the Blues a 1-0 home win against Brighton.
Blackburn thrashed Cardiff 5-2, with Andrew Moran scoring twice in the second half.

Jake Garrett’s opener for Blackburn was cancelled out by Callum Robinson and, after the home side had regained the lead through Arnor Sigurdsson, Kion Etete levelled it up again for Cardiff before the break.

Moran struck twice in five minutes to put Blackburn in control early in the second period – either side of Sigurdsson’s penalty being saved – and Dilan Markanday added Rovers’ fifth.

Everton will play boss Sean Dyche’s former club Burnley at Goodison Park in the last 16 after winning 2-1 at Aston Villa.

James Garner’s first-half opener and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s second goal in as many matches put Everton 2-0 up early in the second half before Boubacar Kamara reduced the deficit for Villa late on.

Fulham face a tough test at Championship high-flyers Ipswich after they beat Norwich 2-1.

Goals in either half from Brazilian Carlos Vinicius and Alex Iwobi put Fulham in command before Norwich’s Borja Sainz reduced the deficit.

A lower league club is guaranteed a place in the quarter-finals after League Two side Mansfield were drawn to play League One Port Vale at Field Mill.

League One side Exeter will face Middlesbrough at home for a place in the last eight.

Afrobeats star Burna Boy has dropped the official video for his viral hit song “City Boys.” “City Boys” is one of the songs on the singer’s recently released album “I Told Them…” and it was produced by Mds, Ruuben, Santeri Kauppinen, Robert Laukkanen, Michael Abram Schultz, Keith Eric James, and Jeremy Felton. 

Watch:

Popular skitmaker and content creator Samuel Perry, better known as Broda Shaggi, recently shared snippets from a new skit featuring Nollywood actress Regina Daniels. 

In the funny video, Broda Shaggi sold his car against a piece of advice from a friend to meet with Regina in Abuja. 

Upon his arrival in Abuja, Shaggi struggled to impress Regina as he took her on a date to a luxury jewellery store, where he confidently told her to pick whatever she wanted. 

Regina ended up picking items worth $80k (N63m), as Shaggi's reaction left many laughing. The skit maker wrote in his caption: "Regina I'm sorry "my bad" ....... Na me f*ck up DIAMOND GIRL." 

Watch the video below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by S A M U E L . A . P E R R Y (@brodashaggi)

People react to Broda Shaggi's skit with Regina Daniels See some of the reactions that trailed the video below:

 larrycorn: "Ned Nwoko na Joke to you." 

 nath_mitchel: "The 80 thousand is not shocking, till she said 80 thousand dollars ." 

 idris_signature: "them tell you say regina dey deal with naira ." 

comedian_eddyranking: "Run oo." 

ajimihabib_: "Guy! Respect yourself." 

 botstudioz: "80k dos. U go pay o." 

my_joy002: " nor do wetin pass your power." 

splendor1_'s profile picture Abobby your mind go dey traplanje_on: "I've never made that mistake before , telling a woman to buy whatever she wants confidently ." 

 fortunate.og.75: "You carry ur wahala go Abuja." 

humaeemah: "Regina don enter one chance shagi na to run."

According to him, if a woman is older than her husband and loses her libido, it may lead the man to cheat with a younger woman.

He added that it is preferrable for men to marry a woman who is way younger than them, instead of their agemate or an older woman

The controversial social media commentator wrote,

“If you are a man with a healthy libido, it is risky to marry a woman who is of the same age as you. It is also risky, but less so, to marry a woman who is just a few years younger than you. However, IF you plan on a monogamous marriage, then it will be disastrous to marry a lady who is older than you. If you both agree that you can be polygamous, then it is not a problem. You say you are in love? Listen, love cannot control your libido. You, as a man will retain your libido into your eighties and possibly nineties if God spares your life. But women do not retain theirs that
long. I do not think it is fair. But gender libido imbalance is a fact of life. So, if you marry a woman who is your age mate or older than you, and she loses her libido after menopause, but you retain yours, what are you going to do? Start disturbing Unilag girls? That is why there should be a healthy age gap between husband and wife for a viable marriage.”

 

The future of Neymar has been one of the talking points of the ongoing summer transfer window.

After six years in Paris Saint-Germain, the forward is expected to leave the French capital this summer. He has had no shortage of suitors either.

But while the player has been batting for a return to Barcelona, it appears Saudi Arabia is about to make a huge breakthrough.

PSG and Al Hilal reach agreement

According to Fabrice Hawkins, Neymar is just one step away from moving to Saudi Arabia this summer. That is because PSG and Al Hilal have agreed a deal worth ‘several million dollars’.

Brazilian news outlet UOL has even come up with a figure, suggesting that Al Hilal’s previous offer to Neymar was around €80 million.

But the Saudi Arabian giants have increased their offer to €100 million, hoping to convince Neymar, who was willing to join Barcelona on a €15 million salary.

Fabrizio Romano suggests Neymar is tempted by Al Hilal’s new offer and is considering the possibility of reaching an agreement with the Saudi giants.

No Barça return for Neymar?

There is no question Neymar’s priority this summer was to return to Barcelona ahead of the new season.

However, the club’s head coach Xavi Hernandez was not too fond of the idea. In any case, the club simply did not have the funds necessary to sanction his move to Camp Nou.

That means Neymar was never a realistic option for Barcelona, who are still without an attacker after sanctioning the sale of Ousmane Dembele to PSG.

The coming few weeks could be crucial for the club, as they not only look to sign a new attacker but also a right-back.

The club have made a recent breakthrough in their bid to sign Joao Cancelo, but the arrival of the Man City right-back may impact the pursuit of Bernardo Silva.

Nigeria should exercise caution in the current standoff in Niger, writes Chekwube Nzomiwu

Nigeria is at the moment under pressure from the United States and the United Nations to intervene in the political crisis in the Republic of Niger, where some soldiers from the Presidential Guard deposed President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26. Both the US Vice President, Kamala Harris and UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, have expressed support for Nigeria’s efforts toward the restoration of constitutional order in Niger. Harris and Guterres stated their position in separate telephone conversations with the Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

As soon as the news of the coup in Niger broke, Tinubu who is the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), outrightly rejected the threat to democracy in that country. He further dispatched a strong delegation led by the youthful and agile President of Republic of Benin, Patrice Talon to talk with all the parties involved in the Niger crisis with a view to restoring constitutional order in the troubled West African country.

Prior to the military coup in Niger, Tinubu had in his inaugural speech as ECOWAS Chairman, warned that coups will no longer be tolerated in the West African sub-region. Both the European Union (EU) and African Union (AU) condemned the mutiny in Niger. The AU issued 15-day ultimatum to the mutinous soldiers to return to the barracks and restore constitutional authority in the country.

In a swift reaction, the coup plotters warned against any foreign interference in their country, saying that they decided to put an end to the regime of President Bazoum, owing to the country’s deteriorating security situation and bad governance. The new military junta closed down the country’s borders, imposed nationwide curfew and suspended all institutions of the republic. For now, the whole world is carefully watching Nigeria, hoping that she will end the debacle in Niger, one way or the other.

In the past, Nigeria lived up to expectation in other troubled West African countries, the last example being The Gambia where in collaboration with forces from sister West African nations, Nigerian forces under President Muhammadu Buhari as Commander-in-Chief, superintended over the removal of brutal dictator, Yahya Jammeh in 2017. Jammeh was replaced by Aadama Baaro, the rightful winner of the 2017 presidential election in Gambia. The country has enjoyed relative peace ever since.     

However, that Nigeria intervened successfully in Gambia is not a guarantee that things will go the same way in Niger. Gambia is a very small country of 11, 300 square kilometers, with a population of about 2.6 million people. Niger covers over 1.26 million square kilometers.  Although it has a thin population of about 22 million people, it is larger than Nigeria in size. On the other hand, Nigeria’s population is 10 times larger than that of Niger.

Nonetheless, both countries have one thing in common. They epitomise “the paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty.” Although the two next-door neighbours are blessed with abundant natural resources, they have very high poverty rate. While in Nigeria, 133 million people are multidimensionally poor according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), 10 million people in Niger, representing nearly half of the 22 million population, are poor. Besides, the Sahel Region of Africa where Niger is located has a history of all kinds of calamities including armed conflicts and droughts.

For this reason, one thinks Nigeria should exercise caution in intervening in the current standoff in Niger, regardless of international pressure. Acting on the contrary may be both suicidal and very costly, especially for the Nigerian side.     

In intervening in Niger, President Tinubu should be mindful of the fact that he is dealing with a sovereign country, just like Nigeria, the United States and every other country. Niger gained independence from France on August 3, 1960, almost two months earlier than October 1, 1960 when Nigeria gained independence from Britain. Hence, any action that Nigeria and by extension, ECOWAS or anybody else should take in Niger must respect the sovereignty of that country and should be geared toward resolving the conflict in that country in the interest of everybody.

Considering the proximity of Niger to Nigeria, the escalation of the conflict in the former could be detrimental to the latter. Unlike Gambia, which is very far-away from Nigeria, the Niger-Nigeria border is about 1,608 kilometres. Seven states in Northern Nigeria share land borders with Niger Republic. They are Borno, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara States. Most of the communities bordering Nigeria and Niger are tormented by all kinds of deadly terrorist groups. An outbreak of hostilities between both countries may be very catastrophic, especially for Nigeria.

With the Nigerian military almost overwhelmed by internal security operations, inviting external aggression will amount to Nigeria committing hara-kiri. With a total debt hovering around N46.25 trillion, according to the Debt Management Office (DMO), how and where will Nigeria get the money to fund a war at this time?

Besides, there is the possibility of a conflict between the two West African neighbours snowballing into a regional or global conflict. Unlike Nigeria which has fought only one civil war since independence (excluding peace keeping operations), Niger is a veteran of many armed conflicts. Niger was among the African countries that participated in the Gulf War between 1990 and 1991 during the Operation Desert Shield, which was an armed campaign waged by 39-country coalition against Iraq over its invasion of Kuwait. Other African members of the US- led coalition were Egypt and Morocco. The coalition drove the Iraqi Army out of Kuwait.

Niger also found itself in the theatre of some domestic conflicts, such as the Taureg Rebellion in Mali and Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria. Both conflicts spilled into Niger from the countries where they were nursed. Presently, French troops who withdrew from Mali in August 2022 after the military coup in that country, have found new home in Niger. The military juntas in Mali and Burkina Faso, two other French speaking West African countries have thrown their weight behind their counterpart in Niger.

Before gaining Independence from France in 1960, Niger was among the 11 members of the Franco-African Community. They all got Independence in the same year (1960) alongside Cameroun and Togo, two trust territories administered under the UN mandate. Niger has a revolutionary history dating back to the days of the Sawaba Movement, which had links with China in the 1960s. The movement drew large membership from Hausa speaking areas of the country. The attempt to eliminate President Hamani Diori in 1965 was linked to dissidents trained in China.  Also, Libyan leader, Col. Mammar Gaddafi (now deceased) supported opposition elements in Niger during his time.

I will at this juncture advise President Tinubu not to allow any country, no matter how highly rated, to push Nigeria into any form of confrontation with Niger. I expect him to adopt a conciliatory approach in handling the delicate situation in Niger. The war in Sudan is still raging. No part of Africa should be another battleground for the fact that US is afraid of the new military junta in Niger, favouring cooperation with Russia like its counterparts in Mali and Guiinea.

Every country has the capacity to reconcile its internal contradictions. We are battling with our own contradictions in Nigeria. Even the US has its own contradictions, giving rise to the growing spate of mass shootings in the country. Is it not an irony that the US Vice President, Kamala Harris is today beckoning on President Tinubu to defend democracy in Niger, whilst she shunned Nigeria during her first official tour of Africa in April this year? During her three-leg tour to Africa, she visited the heads of states of Ghana, Zambia and Tanzania.

Why should US use different playbooks in dealing with dictators? Back in the days of the Cold War, US supported ruthless repressive regimes in South Korea, Taiwan, Zaire and Egypt. Before the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran was an ally of US. Post-Cold War, it has not changed its incoherent policy toward dictators. Saudi Arabia is a repressive regime. Yet, it is an ally of the US. In Africa, the US still supports and partners with Equitorial Guinea, a country ruled by one of the longest serving dictators, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. In the name of American pragmatism, it varies its playbook in dealing with dictators.

In conclusion, President Tinubu should tread carefully in dealing with the situation in Niger. It is not only military coups that give rise to dictatorships. Even here in Africa, Nigeria inclusive, we have seen elected “democratic” regimes that ended up being as dictatorial as the military regimes. In recent times, we have seen civilian coups in form of democratic elections in Africa. Hence, dialogue is the way out of the crisis in Niger and not war rhetoric.

Nzomiwu, a public affairs commentator, writes from Awka, Anambra State.

 Arsenal have reportedly entered the race for Sporting Lisbon centre-back Goncalo Inacio, who is a target for Manchester United, Newcastle and Liverpool.

Mikel Arteta is looking to bolster his defensive options as he prepares for Champions League football next season.

Now, the manager could look to bring in Inacio, who is considered to be one of the best young defenders in Europe.

This is according to Portuguese outlet Correio da Manha (via Sport Witness) who claim that Arsenal are the latest Premier League club to register an interest in the 21-year-old.

Last season, Inacio made 33 league appearances for Sporting. In the process, he helped his team to 13 clean sheets, as well as scoring one goal.

A versatile player, the Portugal international also has the ability to play as a left-back. So, he could be a potential replacement for Kieran Tierney at Arsenal, who looks set to leave. 

Inacio has a €45m (£38.6m) release clause in his contract with Sporting. Therefore, the Gunners would have to match that fee in order to get a deal done.

However, as mentioned, they face stiff competition for his signature.

Indeed, as previously reported by Football365, Man Utd, Newcastle and Liverpool all have Inacio on their radar. Although, Man Utd are the least likely to make a bid of the Premier League quartet.

But, it’s worth noting that Arsenal are currently prioritising a move for another defender.

That is Ajax centre-back Jurrien Timber, who, ironically, has also been linked to Man Utd in the past.

Recent reports suggest that the Gunners have agreed terms with the Dutch club and will pay £36.2m for the in-demand defender.

So, barring any late twists, Timber will make the switch to the Emirates this summer. And now, it remains to be seen whether Arteta will look to bring in any other defenders.

Last season, Arsenal’s centre-back pairing of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba was key to their success.

However, when Saliba picked up an injury towards the end of the campaign, his absence played a big role in them missing out on the Premier League title.

 The former United captain made the revelation during a Sky Sports broadcast in 2019 leaving viewers stunned.

He told fellow pundit Jamie Carragher: “We never gave ourselves an opportunity to talk about players being world-class.

“But if I look back now, you’d have to class Giggsy [Ryan Giggs].

“I always class the world class players as lads who were doing it for nine, ten, 11 years – obviously Giggsy’s done it for a lot longer, but to me, that’s the key to being a really good player – you’ve got to be consistent.

“We see players now, they have a good month and [they’re] patting themselves on the back.

“You have to be good for years and years, and Giggsy would have been a prime example.”

Keane’s list of world-class teammates included Paul Scholes, Eric Cantona and Mark Hughes.

He also reserved a special mention for fellow countryman Denis Irwin who spent 12 years at Old Trafford between 1990 and 2002.