Watford FC has announced the signing of Christian Kabasele on a 5-year deal. The 25-year-old, who is in the Belgium squad at Euro 2016, arrives from Genk. It is also thought the club are close to announcing the signing of Nigerian striker Isaac Success for a fee thought to be in the region of £12.5m from Granada. If that happens Success will team up with his compatriot Odion Ighalo.
Crystal Palace have completed the signing of Andros Townsend for £13m on a five year deal. Townsend said he is looking forward to his new “bright” future at Selhurst Park, after joining the club from Newcastle United. “I’m extremely delighted,” he told the club website. “I had chats with the manager [Alan Pardew] and chairman before I signed and I’m pleased to a part of Crystal Palace’s future. By the sounds of things it’s going to be a bright one and I can’t wait to get started.” Chairman Steve Parish added: “It’s fantastic that we’ve managed to get a player of Andros’ quality into the club.”
The Spain international winger has signed a four-year deal after joining from Celta Vigo. City met the £13.8m release clause in Nolito’s contract to make him the club’s third summer signing. The 29-year-old started all four of Spain’s matches at Euro 2016 before the reigning champions were knocked out in the last 16 by Italy. Barcelona were also thought to be interested in the winger, who made his La Liga debut for the Catalan in 2010 under new City boss Pep Guardiola. The winger then moved to Benfica in 2011, before joining Celta two years later.
The Romanian public prosecutor has charged emergency doctor Elena Duta with the manslaughter of former Cameroon midfielder Patrick Ekeng. Ekeng, 26, collapsed during a league match for Dinamo Bucharest in May and died of heart failure. The prosecutor said Duta, the emergency medical specialist in the ambulance which took Ekeng to hospital, made no attempt to resuscitate the player. Hospital staff were unable to resuscitate him on his arrival. An autopsy showed the player was suffering from multiple serious heart problems, but the Bucharest prosecutor said: “Even if among Patrick Ekeng’s causes of death were the cardiac problems he suffered from, by her unjustified inaction Elena Duta removed any chance of survival. “She did not evaluate the footballer’s state of health and made no attempt at resuscitation.” The prosecutor’s office quoted forensic scientists as saying 95% of people with similar heart problems survive cardiac arrest if defibrillation is administered within 60 seconds. “The chances of survival drop by 5.5% with every minute,” prosecutors said. Ekeng fell to the floor in the 70th minute of a televised Romanian league match between Dinamo and Viitorul. He was pronounced dead in hospital two hours later.
AFP are reporting that Zenit St Petersburg forward Hulk has completed his record £41.5m move to Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Chinese Super League side Shanghai SIPG.
Lionel Messi has been urged to reconsider his international retirement by Argentina legend Diego Maradona and the country’s president. The forward, 29, quit after missing in a penalty shootout as Argentina were beaten by Chile in the Copa America – a fourth major final loss in nine years. “Those saying he should quit don’t want us to see what a disaster Argentinean football has become,” Maradona told La Nacion newspaper. “Messi must go on.” Maradona, who captained Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup and managed the team at the 2010 World Cup, added: “Messi has to stay because he will reach the 2018 World Cup in Russia in conditions to become world champion. “The lads have to be supported more to help him take the team forward.” Messi said after Sunday’s defeat that for him, the national team was “over” and that “it hurts not to be a champion”.
Liverpool have signed Senegal forward Sadio Mane from Southampton for £34m. Mane, 24, joins on a five-year deal and is the Reds’ third summer signing after German goalkeeper Loris Karius and Cameroon defender Joel Matip. The fee could rise to £36m, which would make him the Anfield club’s most expensive signing, beating the £35m paid for striker Andy Carroll in 2011. Mane scored 21 goals in 67 Premier League appearances for Saints after joining for £10m from Salzburg in 2014. “Today is a big day and I am very happy to sign for one of the biggest clubs in Europe,” he told the club’s official website. “It’s a club that has won a lot of trophies and has a big history.” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp revealed he had been tracking Mane “since his impressive performances in the Olympics in 2012”. “Since I came here I have spoken to the staff a lot about him and have always felt he could be a very good signing for us,” the 49-year-old German added. Mane becomes the most expensive African player in history, with his transfer topping the £28m Manchester City paid Swansea City for Wilfried Bony in January 2015. He is the fifth player to make the switch from St Mary’s to Anfield since the summer of 2014 – following Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert – now at West Brom – Dejan Lovren and Nathaniel Clyne.
AC Milan have named former Sampdoria boss Vincenzo Montella as their new head coach on a two-year contract. The 42-year-old will take over from Cristian Brocchi, who was acting as caretaker boss following Sinisa Mihajlovic’s sacking in April. Milan finished seventh in Serie A last season and lost to Juventus in the Italian Cup final. The San Siro club said it was looking forward to “the brilliant system of play of the new Rossoneri coach”. Former Italy striker Montella has also managed Catania and Fiorentina, following a playing career spent mainly with Roma and Sampdoria.
Leicester defender Christian Fuchs, the Austria captain at Euro 2016, has announced his retirement from international football. Fuchs, 30, made his debut in 2006 and earned 78 caps for his country, but the Austrians failed to progress beyond the group phase in France.
This was sent in by a reader who witnessed the happenings:
Please hide my ID and post. This is happened a few minutes ago at Trans Amadi area of Port Harcourt precisely in front of Halliburton and Schlumberger companies. Both companies (and many others around) did interlocking floors at the front of their offices where staff and visitors park their vehicles. This morning, some agents of Rivers State government with up to 15 vehicles written Park Control on them stormed Schlumeberger first and started towing cars of workers who were inside their offices in commando style. They later came up to the Halliburton end where they were promptly resisted by Halliburton staff with the company’s Mopol team which led to the commotion you can see from the pictures. They said Halliburton has to pay N41 million before they can use their front space for parking.
Thursday 30th June, 2016:
Poland vs Portugal 8pm
Friday 1st July, 2016:
Wales vs Belgium 8pm
Saturday 2nd July, 2016:
Germany vs Italy 8pm
Sunday 3rd July, 2016:
France vs Iceland 8pm
*Time = Nigerian (GMT + 1)
Saturday 25th June, 2016:
Switzerland 1 – 1 Poland (Poland won 5 – 4 on PSO)
Wales 1 – 0 Northern Ireland
Croatia 0 – 1 Portugal (AET)
Sunday 26th June, 2016:
France 2 – 1 Ireland
Germany 3 – 0 Slovakia
Hungary 0 – 4 Belgium
Monday 27th June, 2016:
Italy 2 – 0 Spain
England 1 -2 Iceland
Roy Hodgson has resigned as England manager after his side suffered a shock 2-1 defeat by Iceland to crash out of Euro 2016 at the last-16 stage. The 68-year-old had been in charge for four years after replacing Italian Fabio Capello but has won just three of 11 games in major tournament finals. Iceland – with a population of just 330,000 – were among the lowest-ranked teams in France at 34 in the world. “I’m sorry it will have to end this way but these things happen,” Hodgson said. “Now is the time for someone else to oversee the progress of a hungry and extremely talented group of players. “They have done fantastically and done everything asked of them. I hope you will still be able to see an England team in a final of a major tournament soon.” Hodgson, who won 33 of his 56 games as England boss, would have been out of contract at the end of the tournament. The former Liverpool and West Brom boss was due to discuss a possible contract renewal but Football Association chairman Greg Dyke said he would only stay on if England “do well” in France.
Ligue 1 winners Paris Saint-Germain have parted company with boss Laurent Blanc after three seasons. Blanc won 11 trophies in his three seasons in charge of Paris Saint-Germain. However, his failure to get the club past the quarter-final stage of the Champions League has seen the French club part ways with the World Cup winner. PSG said in a statement that Blanc’s departure was handled in “a serene atmosphere”.
Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international duty after missing in a penalty shootout as Argentina lost a fourth major final in nine years. “It’s not meant for me. For me the national team is over. I’ve done all I can, it hurts not to be a champion,” the 29-year-old said after defeat by Chile at the Copa America. With Barcelona, Messi has won eight La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues. But his only major international honour is 2008 Olympic gold. Argentina were beaten 1-0 in the 2014 World Cup final by Germany before two Copa America final defeats by Chile on penalties. Messi was also on the losing side against Brazil in the 2007 Copa America final. “It’s been four finals, I tried. It was the thing I wanted the most, but I couldn’t get it, so I think it’s over,” he added. “I think this is best for everyone. First of all for me, and then for everyone. I think there’s a lot of people who want this, who obviously are not satisfied, as we are not satisfied reaching a final and not winning it. “It’s very hard, but the decision is taken. Now I will not try more and there will be no going back.”
A grenade explosion has killed at least two people during Madagascar’s national day celebrations in the capital Antananarivo, officials say. About 80 people were wounded in the blast at a stadium, general Anthony Rakotoarison told AFP news agency. President Hery Rajaonarimampianina said it was a “terrorist act”, and blamed it on “political divergences”. The situation remains fragile in the country, with supporters and opponents of the president at loggerheads. The blast happened during a free concert at the Mahamasina stadium. A military parade had been held there earlier. It was not immediately clear who or what was behind the explosion.
Enugu, the ancient coal city of Nigeria, would on 30th July, 2016 play host to a huge novelty football game. This game would see the Ex Udoji United players come up against Ex Nigeria Internationals and this is in hour of the dead Ex Udoji Players like Charles “Charlie Parker” Nduka, Kalu Umah and Herbert “Alibosa” Anijekwu. The match is billed for Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu, a great cathedral of football in Nigeria and would feature Ex Udoji players like Ikem “Potential Ayaya” Udeh (the convener), Coach John Obuh, Chukwu Ndukwe and Adolphus “Careca” Ofodile. It would also feature Ex Nigeria Internationals like Emma “JJ” Okocha, Precious Monye Onyeabor and Austin “JayJay” Okocha. There would be raffle draws with a car for the taking. This is a commendable project as the proceeds would be used to aid the widows and families of the fallen Udoji FC heroes and as such, Naija Sports Crib is lending her voice to it.
Nigeria have named Kelechi Iheanacho alongside John Obi Mikel, Alex Iwobi and Odion Ighalo in their provisional 35-man squad for this summer’s Olympic Games, despite opposition from Manchester City. The Premier League club are yet to decide whether to release the teenage forward for the tournament, and it is reported he has agreed to stay with City in an effort to impress new manager Pep Guardiola during preseason. The Olympics takes place from Aug. 4 to 20, meaning Iheanacho would miss a substantial amount of City’s preseason schedule and even the start of the Premier League season should Nigeria reach the latter stages. But Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia is holding out hope, and has listed him in his provisional squad.
Three of the five African teams at the 2014 World Cup have been drawn in the same group to qualify for the 2018 edition. Only one of Algeria, Cameroon and Nigeria will play at the next tournament in Russia after the Confederation of African Football made the draw for five qualifying groups on Friday. The three traditional powers were grouped with Zambia. Just the group winners in all of five four-team pools will advance to the 32-team tournament in Russia.
Group A: Tunisia, Libya, DR Congo, Guinea
Group B: Zambia, Cameroon, Algeria, Nigeria
Group C: Gabon, Mali, Ivory Coast, Morocco
Group D: Senegal, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde
Group E: Ghana, Egypt, Congo, Uganda
Saturday 25th June, 2016:
Switzerland vs Poland 2pm
Wales vs Northern Ireland 5pm
Croatia vs Portugal 8pm
Sunday 26th June, 2016:
France vs Ireland 2pm
Germany vs Slovakia 5pm
Hungary vs Belgium 8pm
Monday 27th June, 2016:
Italy vs Spain 5pm
England vs Iceland 8pm
*Time = Nigerian time (GMT+1)
Naija Sports Crib 