Author: David Great

Juventus are in talks with Manchester United over a move for 24-year-old England winger Jadon Sancho, although them being willing to meet United’s £40m valuation is expected to be difficult. (Athletic – subscription required) Sancho could move to Italy on a loan deal, with United being open to him moving without an option to buy despite a permanent sale being their preference. (i) Sancho spent the second part of last season at Borussia Dortmund were he helped the German team reach the UEFA Champions League final. (Chronicle NG) Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign 18-year-old midfielder Sekou Kone, who impressed at last year’s Under-17…

Striker Estevao Willian, the 17-year-old sensation nicknamed ‘Messinho’, was called up to the Brazil squad for the first time on Friday by coach Dorival Jr (62) for next month’s World Cup qualifiers as Neymar continues to recover from injury. Estevao, who will join Chelsea next year, will partner former Palmeiras teammate and new Real Madrid recruit Endrick. The youngsters will be alongside Vinicius Jr, who was also called up in a bid to create a potent forward line. “I have always invested heavily in young players throughout my career. He is a player who has been emerging and showing great…

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has fined Fidelity Bank 0.1% of its 2023 revenue, or $358,580, for violating data laws in opening a customer account. The fine is the biggest imposed on an entity for data breaches by the Nigeria data privacy agency, though Fidelity is challenging the decision. The NDPC told Fidelity Bank, Nigeria’s mid-tier lender, to pay the equivalent of 555,800,000 naira ($358,580.65) within fourteen days for illegally collecting personal data to open an account for a customer following an investigation which started in April 2023. Fidelity Bank in a statement on Thursday said it did not…

Heartland FC were involved in a ghastly accident, with their head coach and former Nigeria goalkeeper Christian Obi losing his life. According to sketchy reports on the club’s Facebook page, the accident occurred in Okigwe en route to Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, where the Naze Millionaires were to participate in the Ifeanyi Ekwueme TICO/SELECT preseason tournament. Some players and other officials sustained injuries and have been taken to the hospital for treatment. Aged 57, Obi, who coached the Heartland FC last season, was a Nigeria youth international goalkeeper who competed in the Men’s Football Tournament of the 1988 Summer…

A dispatch rider riding along the Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos State was killed in an accident following a multiple-vehicle collision on Friday. This is just as two other persons sustained a fractured leg injury in the accident that occurred near the Chevron end of the expressway. According to a statement on Friday by the Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofiq, the accident involved a high-capacity bus with number plate AKD 952 XZ, a KIA RIO car with number plate BDG 853 DA and a motorcycle with number plate KTU 695 QK.…

Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling, 29, has been offered to Aston Villa but Unai Emery is not sure if the England attacker fits into his plans. (Mirror) Sterling was kept in the dark about being frozen out at Chelsea and has ruled out a move to Saudi Arabia. (Mail) Two more attacking midfielders are also on Leicester boss Steve Cooper’s wish list before the window closes. (Telegraph – subscription required) Norwich City have emerged as surprise contenders to sign 22-year-old Brazilian attacking midfielder Reinier from Real Madrid. (O Globo – in Portuguese) Southampton are considering an approach for Arsenal and England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, 26. (Mail) Arsenal are on the brink of finalising a deal to allow…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has issued a strong rebuttal to allegations made by former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar regarding the acquisition of OVH, the parent company of NNPC Retail Ltd. In a press release signed by Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, NNPCL refuted claims that the acquisition was a scheme to serve the personal business interests of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The controversy arose after Atiku, through his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, accused President Tinubu and corporate cabals of “criminally hijacking” NNPCL. He further alleged that Mr. Wale Tinubu, who he claimed held a 49%…

Seaman Mariam Okoya, a sailor from Lagos, Nigeria, is serving the US Navy’s Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. Okoya graduated from the Federal Girls Government College in Sagamu, Ogun State, in 2002. Mariam Okoya says the skills and values needed to succeed in the US Navy are similar to those found in Nigeria. “I learned the importance of hard work, perseverance, focus and being God-fearing,” Okoya told the Navy Outreach. Okoya joined the Navy two years ago. Today, Okoya serves as a logistics specialist. “I joined the Navy to be part of something bigger than myself,” Mariam Okoya told the Navy Office of Community Outreach. Mariam Okoya serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the…

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has lamented the rate at which bulk electricity consumers abandon the national grid to generate their own electricity. Adelabu emphasised that grid connection as a power source is more reliable than captive power plants currently being used by bulk electricity consumers. He regretted that despite generating a record 5,155MW, it is not being taken up. The minister spoke on Thursday at the Board retreat of the Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Company in Lagos. He said, “The majority of bulk electricity users, such as industries, are off the grid due to lack of trust and…

The management of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, on Thursday, announced the death of a final year student of the Department of Foreign Languages, Esu Ema. Ema was reportedly killed by a driver, identified as Lasisi Sodiq, near the campus of the institution. A release by the Public Relations Officer of the university, Abiodun Olarewaju, said the deceased student with the matriculation number FRM/2019/041 was knocked down and killed by a Lexus car with number plate ABJ 427 LQ driven by Sodiq. Olanrewaju further explained that the student, who was said to be going to the campus to…