Author: David Great

Chelsea have completed the signing of highly-rated Dutch defender Jorrel Hato from Ajax in a transfer worth €43 million. The 19-year-old prodigy has agreed to a seven-year contract with the Premier League side, as confirmed by the club. “Jorrel Hato has officially joined Chelsea on a seven-year deal,” the club statement read. Hato, who made his senior debut for Ajax in February 2023 at just 16 years, 10 months, and 23 days old, became the fifth-youngest debutant in the club’s history. He quickly rose through the ranks to become Ajax’s youngest-ever captain and the youngest player to register over 100…

Newcastle United have submitted a £65.5m bid for Slovenia and RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, 23. (Sky Sports) Manchester United remain in talks to sign Sesko, who is yet to decide between a move to Manchester United or Newcastle. (Fabrizio Romano) Liverpool will submit a second bid for Sweden striker Alexander Isak, 25, if Newcastle secure a replacement. (Daily Mail) Arsenal considered a move for Isak before signing compatriot Viktor Gyokeres but had doubts about the Newcastle forward’s fitness record (ESPN) South Korea forward Son-Heung Min, 33, has agreed to join Major League Soccer side LAFC after deciding to leave…

West Ham United have signed former Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson as a free agent on a one-year contract, the Premier League club said on Saturday. The 33-year-old has had 111 direct goal involvements in 239 Premier League appearances, including 49 in 130 games for Newcastle, where he failed to agree a new contract. The former Bournemouth forward has played nine times for England, scoring twice. “I’m excited to be joining a massive football club like West Ham. A club that shares a similar passion to mine, hard work, dedication and also I strive for success so I’m glad to…

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the apex socio-cultural organization of the Igbo people, has strongly opposed President Bola Tinubu’s extension of the tenure of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, alleging that it denies Deputy Comptroller General BU Nwafor, from Anambra State, a fair opportunity for promotion. The group, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Ezechi Chukwu, on Saturday, described the move as “selective justice, institutional unfairness, and a blatant display of nepotism over merit.” The statement read, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has expressed deep dissatisfaction with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his tactful manoeuvre to deny…

The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Bayo Ojulari, has reportedly been coerced into signing a resignation letter under intense pressure from top federal officials. According to a report by Peoples Gazette published on Saturday, the alleged incident occurred on Friday and involved Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and Adeola Ajayi, Director-General of the State Security Service, SSS. The two were said to have summoned and pressured the NNPCL boss to relinquish his post. Sources cited by the publication claimed Ojulari was subjected to repeated interrogation over his alleged…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has strongly criticised the level of accountability displayed by public officials in Nigeria, especially at the federal and state levels. Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise on Saturday, SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, condemned the wasteful use of public funds by many governors, describing it as a reflection of poor governance. According to him, “The reality on the ground today is that most Nigerians perceive the governors as being profligate. It speaks to the level of poverty in Nigeria.” He added that the President does not need international prompting to recognise…

Atalanta have rejected a £36.5m bid from Inter Milan for Nigeria winger Ademola Lookman as they hold out for at least £43.5m for the 27-year-old. (Fabrizio Romano) Atalanta insist that they will not be selling Lookman for cheap after the forward helped them to a Europa League trophy in 2024. (Chronicle NG) Inter Milan defender Yann Bisseck, 24, has rejected a move to Crystal Palace, who had a £28m bid accepted for the German. (Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian) Tottenham, Manchester United and Newcastle are monitoring the situation of Paris St-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani, 26, after the French…

US President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed Erika McEntarfer, Commissioner of Labor Statistics, alleging she manipulated employment data for political reasons following the release of a disappointing July jobs report. The Labor Department reported that the US economy added only 73,000 jobs in July, with unemployment rising slightly from 4.1% to 4.2%. Revisions also showed that May and June figures were slashed drastically, from 144,000 to 19,000, and from 147,000 to 14,000, respectively—making it the weakest labor performance since the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump, reacting to the data, took to Truth Social, saying, “McEntarfer said there were only 73,000 Jobs added…

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has appointed David Bird, former head of Oman’s Duqm Refinery, as its new Chief Executive Officer in a strategic leadership shake-up aimed at resolving production challenges and accelerating expansion efforts. According to a report by S&P Global, Bird now leads the petroleum and petrochemicals division of the Dangote Group, effective from July 2025. He previously served as Shell’s Head of Operations at the Balau Pokom refinery before heading the Duqm refinery as CEO of OQ8. The new appointment follows ongoing efforts to scale output at the 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery, touted as the world’s largest…

The National Orientation Agency (NOA), Akwa Ibom State Directorate, has raised alarm over the widespread circulation of counterfeit N1000 notes in markets across the state. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the NOA identified coastal local government areas including Udung Uko, Mbo, Oron, Okobo, and Ibeno as the worst affected by the fraudulent activity. In a statement released on Friday in Uyo, the State Director of the agency, Mr. Mkpoutom Mkpoutom, disclosed that intelligence reports had confirmed the influx of fake N1000 notes in these regions. “There have been confirmed intelligence reports of syndicates flooding the coastal areas…