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Atalanta rejects Liverpool interest in Lookman
Atalanta are unwilling to sell any of their stars in the January transfer window, including Ademola Lookman, who is wanted by Liverpool. Premier League giants Liverpool have eyed Atalanta striker Lookman, but La Dea will not sell any of their stars in the winter transfer window. Tuttosport newspaper claimed that Atalanta have already ‘said no’ to a Liverpool request for the 27-year-old striker. The Nigeria international was named the Best African Player of 2024 and has contributed to impressive results from the Nerazzurri. Lookman has already scored 11 goals and provided five assists in 19 appearances across all competitions this term. Last season, he helped Atalanta win their first European trophy by scoring a hat-trick in the Europa League Final against Bayer Leverkusen. Atalanta have won ten consecutive matches in Serie A and are the current table leader. Lookman was in talks to join PSG last summer but eventually remained in Bergamo, where his contract expires in 2026. Liverpool’s domestic rivals Manchester City have targeted another Atalanta star, Ederson, but La Dea will keep hold of the Brazilian until the end of the season.
8th CHAN: Rabiu Ali, Alimi, 16 others to tackle Ghana
Stand-in Head Coach Daniel Ogunmodede has picked ageless warhorse Rabiu Ali, wing-back Sadiq Ishmael, centre-back Stephen Manyo, midfielders Musa Zayyad and Jide Fatokun, and forwards Anas Yusuf and Sikiru Alimi in an 18-man roster for Sunday’s 8th African Nations Championship qualifying match against Ghana’s Black Galaxies in Accra. The gaffer also picked goalkeeper Henry Ozoemena, defender Victor Collins and forward Abubakar Adamu for the must-win two-leg fixture, with the Galaxies being the reason why Nigeria failed to qualify for the championship on two different occasions in the past, namely 2009 and 2023. The Super Eagles B, with Ogunmodede and Coaches Fidelis Ilechukwu and Olatunji Baruwa in charge, had staggered training sessions over three weeks from the month of October, before a final training camp commenced at the Remo Stars Sports Institute, Ikenne-Remo three weeks ago. Sunday’s first leg fixture is scheduled for the Accra Sports Stadium, with kick-off set for 4pm Ghana time (5pm in Nigeria), and some kilometres away, both countries’ U17 girls will be battling for the inaugural WAFU B U17 Cup at the Ghana Centre of Excellence in Prampram. Over the past 10 months, Nigeria have dominated Ghana at international level, starting with the Super Eagles’ 2-1 defeat of the Black Stars in a friendly match in Marrakech, Morocco – a first win at senior level for Nigeria against the West African rivals in 18 years. In the summer, Nigeria’s U17 boys edged the Black Satellites 3-2 in the third-place match of the WAFU B U17 Championship staged by Ghana, and in October, the Flying Eagles defeated the Black Satellites 3-1 to successfully retain their WAFU B U20 Championship title in Lome, Togo. Togolese referee Aklesso Gnama will be in charge of Sunday’s encounter at the Accra Sports Stadium, with compatriots Jonathan Ahonto Koffi, Wassiou Tchamolla Ourotou and Kossi Fabrice Senyo in the roles of assistant 1, assistant 2 and fourth official respectively. Liberian Ivan Gartor Brown will serve as commissioner while Hugues Alain Adjovi from Benin Republic will be the referee assessor. The second leg will hold at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Saturday, 28th December, with the winner on aggregate to pick a ticket to the 8th African Nations Championship taking place in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, 1st – 28th February, 2025. 18 SUPER EAGLES B FOR WAR AGAINST GHANA’S BLACK GALAXIES Goalkeepers: Henry Ozoemena (Enyimba FC); Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars) Defenders: Ismail Sadiq (Remo Stars); Waliu Ojetoye (Ikorodu City); Imo Obot (Enyimba FC); Junior Nduka (Remo Stars); Victor Collins (Nasarawa United); Ifeanyi Onyebuchi (Rangers International); Steven Manyo (Rivers United) Midfielders: Jide Fatokun (Remo Stars); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Saviour Isaac (Rangers International); Musa Zayyad (El-Kanemi Warriors) Forwards: Anas Yusuf (Nasarawa United); Adamu Abubakar (Plateau United) Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars); Emmanuel Ogbole (Kwara United); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes)
Pogba’s brother handed 3-year jail term for extortion
Six men, including the brother of France international Paul Pogba, were sentenced to prison terms of between three and eight years on Thursday after being convicted of extortion attempts targeting the footballer, French media reported. In 2022, Paul Pogba said he was the object of extortion attempts and threats from an organised gang, with his brother Mathias placed under formal investigation. Paul Pogba, 31, told the Paris prosecution office that he had been the target of extortion by childhood friends in March 2022 and had paid €100,000 ($104,000) to that group. Mathias received a three-year prison sentence, two of which are suspended, after he was found guilty of organised extortion and attempted extortion. He was also fined €20,000. The others include Roushdane K (eight years) Boubacar C (four years, two suspended), Machikour K (four years, three suspended), Mamadou M (five years, 12 months suspended) and Adama C (five years). Reuters has contacted Paul Pogba’s representatives for comment. The 2018 World Cup winner is without a club following the mutual termination of his contract with Juventus. He can return to competitive football in March after his ban for taking a prohibited substance was reduced from four years to 18 months.
Police arrest Ooni’s ex-queen, others as death toll hits 35
The Oyo State Police Command has disclosed the arrest of the ex-queen of the Ooni of Ife, Naomi Silekunola; the Principal of Islamic High School, Ibadan, Fasasi Abdulahi; and six others in connection to the death of some children during a stampede at a funfair in Ibadan, the state capital, on Wednesday. The ex-queen was named as the main sponsor of the event. More so, the number of children who have died from the stampede has risen to 35 while six others are critically injured, according to a statement issued on Thursday by the State Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso. The event which was held at the Islamic High School, Basorun, Ibadan, was made available to 5,000 children but the number that turned up was reportedly over 7, 500, according to investigations by PUNCH Metro. Details later…
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