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Victor Boniface Joins Werder Bremen on Loan

Fola Badmus2 weeks ago2 weeks ago02 mins

SV Werder Bremen have secured Victor Boniface on loan from fellow Bundesliga side Bayer 04 Leverkusen. SVW’s head of professional football Peter Niemeyer confirmed the deal on Monday evening. “We’re delighted that we’ve been able to complete this loan deal and secure Victor’s services. He has delivered brilliant performances in the Bundesliga and shown the qualities he has at his disposal. We’re certain that he can build on those while here with us,” said Peter Niemeyer. Head coach Horst Steffen also believes that the striker will strengthen the team significantly. “Victor is incredibly strong physically, is a very good finisher and has good pace. He shone as both a goalscorer and a creator during Bayer’s title-winning season. I’m certain that he can be a huge asset to our group this campaign.” The striker is looking forward to pulling on the SVW shirt. “My discussions with the club convinced me to make this move to Werder. I want my performances to contribute to us achieving our aims as a group this season. I’m looking forward to being part of my new team and to my time at Werder.” Victor Boniface joins off the back of 32 goals in 61 competitive games for Bayer Leverkusen. He previously netted 17 times in 51 matches for Union Saint-Gilloise. He played for Norwegian sideBodø/Glimt prior to his move to Belgium, scoring 23 goals in 66 games. The 24-year-old has also been capped 13 times by Nigeria.

World Cup Qualifier: Eagles’ Camp Comes Alive, as Training Begins in Uyo

Fola Badmus2 weeks ago2 weeks ago03 mins

Nigeria’s camp has come truly alive ahead of Saturday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying showdown with Rwanda, with team captain William Troost-Ekong leading by example. The Saudi Arabia-based defender arrived camp on Monday, alongside goalkeeper Amas Obasogie and defenders Bruno Onyemaechi and Felix Agu. Agu, who plays his club football with Werder Bremen in Germany, impressed at left back at the Unity Cup Tournament in London in the summer. Dependable forward Simon Moses, who scored a goal and made an assist in his new club, Paris FC’s league win at the weekend, is also in camp, as Greece-based goalkeeper Adeleye Adebayo, defenders Chidozie Awaziem and Benjamin Fredericks, and midfielders Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru. Wing-back Olaoluwa Aina, defenders Bright Osayi-Samuel and Calvin Bassey, and midfielder Alex Iwobi have also arrived. First-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, back in training after an injury scare last week, was being expected on Tuesday evening, while midfielder Christantus Uche, who moved to English side Crystal Palace from Getafe of Spain on transfer deadline-day, is being expected alongside forwards Samuel Chukwueze (now in English Premiership side, Fulham FC from AC Milan of Italy), Tolu Arokodare (now in Wolverhampton Wanderers from KRC Genk in Belgium) and Cyriel Dessers (now in Panathinaikos in Greece from Glasgow Rangers of Scotland). African Player of the Year, Ademola Lookman, Galatasaray of Turkey’s Victor Osimhen and midfielder Raphael Onyedika are also being expected. The squad of 23 will also execute Tuesday’s Matchday 8 encounter against South Africa in Bloemfontein, which will be played at the Toyota Stadium (also known as Free State Stadium) on Tuesday evening.

Fulham Seals Deal for Samuel Chukwueze

Fola Badmus2 weeks ago2 weeks ago01 mins

Fulham have confirmed the signing of winger Samuel Chukwueze from AC Milan. The Nigeria international, 26, has joined on a season-long loan with the option of a permanent move. He was on Fulham’s radar during the January transfer window and the club maintained their interest in him. Chukwueze moved to Milan from Villarreal in 2023. “I feel at home already and I can’t wait to get started,” he told Fulham’s website.

2026 W’Cup Qualifier: Rwanda’s Amavubi to Storm Nigeria on Tuesday

Fola Badmus3 weeks ago3 weeks ago02 mins

Rwanda’s delegation to Saturday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Nigeria will arrive in Lagos on Tuesday afternoon. A one-man advance party will be in Lagos on Monday, but the full delegation will make landfall in Lagos on Tuesday aboard a Rwandair Airline flight at 1.15pm, and will proceed to Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom State by 4pm of the same day. The Matchday 7 encounter has become very crucial to both teams as they are both wide away from group leaders South Africa, who have 13 points (prior to FIFA’s decision on their use of an ineligible player in the win over Lesotho in March this year). Rwanda are second in the pool with eight points, same as Benin Republic, with Nigeria in fourth on seven points. Lesotho have 6 points, with Zimbabwe propping up the table on four points. While the world still awaits FIFA’s decision, Nigeria and Rwanda will go for each other’s jugular in order to be appropriately-placed to benefit from Bafana Bafana’s error. The Crocodiles will leap to 9 points if South Africa are penalized for their infraction.

WAFU-B U17 Boys Tourney: Golden Eaglets Defeat Darazo, Draw with Gombe U17 Boys

Fola Badmus3 weeks ago3 weeks ago01 mins

Five-time world champions, Golden Eaglets have continued their preparations ahead of the forthcoming WAFU-B U17 Boys Tournament. The team played two friendly games on Friday and Saturday respectively, winning one and drawing the other. After a tough contest in the first half with Darazo Football Academy of Bauchi, Golden Eaglets showed their superiority in the second half with sublime goals to end the game 2-0 in their favour. It was a different atmosphere against the Gombe U17 team, as the game played under raining conditions ended in a stalemate. So far, the Golden Eaglets have played 11 friendly games. The team were victorious on nine occasions, drew one and lost one.

Chelsea Signs Garnacho From Man U

Fola Badmus3 weeks ago3 weeks ago04 mins

Chelsea have officially signed Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United for £40million. The fee makes Garnacho the most expensive academy graduate sale in United’s history, eclipsing the £24.5m received for David Beckham in 2003. The 21-year-old winger has agreed a seven-year contract with the Blues after passing a medical on Friday. United have inserted a 10 per cent sell-on clause in the sale agreement. Garnacho was in attendance at Stamford Bridge as Enzo Maresca’s side eased past Fulham to win 2-0 on Saturday afternoon. Now, the Argentina international will join his new team-mates as the international break falls upon us. His first opportunity to suit up in his new colours will come on September 13 when Chelsea travel to west London rivals Brentford. Upon signing, Garnacho said: ‘It’s an incredible moment for my family and I to join this great club. I can’t wait to get started. ‘I watched the Club World Cup and to join the world champions is special – we’re the best team in the world! ‘It’s amazing to be here and I’m very happy.’ Garnacho joined United’s youth set-up from Atletico Madrid in October 2020 and went on to make 144 senior appearances, scoring 26 goals and providing 22 assists. He lifted the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024, but fell out of favour under Ruben Amorim towards the end of last season. Amorim told Garnacho at the end of the campaign that he was free to find a new club. The winger did not feature in pre-season and trained separately as part of the so-called ‘bomb squad’. Garnacho also publicly expressed his frustration after being introduced only late in United’s Europa League final defeat to Tottenham in May, a moment which appeared to accelerate his exit. Chelsea beat off competition to secure his signature after weeks of haggling over the fee. The Blues initially offered £25m, but talks eventually settled at £40m plus the sell-on percentage. Garnacho is expected to compete with fellow summer signing Jamie Gittens for a place on the left wing in Enzo Maresca’s squad. He joins a raft of new arrivals at Stamford Bridge, including Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Jorrel Hato and Brazilian teenager Estevao. Garnacho is Chelsea’s 51st signing since the Todd Boehly era began in 2022.

NPFL Matchday 2 Preview: Big Tests Await Old Guards & Newcomers

Fola Badmus3 weeks ago3 weeks ago015 mins

By George Akpayen After mixed outings in the opening matchweek of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), not much separates all of the 20 clubs so far in the standings and they will go again this Saturday, Sunday and Monday in mouthwatering fixtures that pits the old guards against the newbies. Last weekend, there was a lean spell of goals in the 10 matches that opened the campaign. Only nine goals were scored which represented less than a goal per game and turned to be a good day for the defenders and goalkeepers who shut out the strikers. The fixtures for Matchday 2 looks finely balanced and a number of the matches have the trappings to produce goals aplenty considering previous head-to-head meetings. OLD FOES START MATCHWEEK AS BOTTOM-TWO When Alfa Sadiq signals for the start of this matchweek’s first fixture in Benin City, two traditional rivals, Bendel Insurance and Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), will be battling as 20th and 19th placed teams. Both sides began the season on losing note – 3SC fell 0-1 at home to Bayelsa United while Bendel Insurance lost 0-2 at El-Kanemi Warriors. Last season in this corresponding fixture, Insurance edged past 3SC 1-0 through Michael Enaruna’s late goal. Enaruna, like a number of Insurance players from last season, has moved on to newcomers, Barau FC, but this does not take away the advantage that Insurance have posted over their rivals especially when they play hosts in this fixture. Head coach of 3SC, Nurudeen Aweroro, will have to work on the psyche of his players to banish the club’s poor recent trips to the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium. In their last five trips to Benin City, 3SC have avoided defeat just once (D1 L4) since the turn of the millennium. The other times, 3SC avoided defeat in Benin City was in February 1998 and July 1999 when they played out 2-2 and 1-1 draws respectively. Bendel Insurance head coach, Greg Ikhenoba and Aweroro, will hope their teams can put points on the board and score goals as well after watching their sides fire blanks on the opening day. CHAMPIONS IN TRICKY TRIP TO ABA WITHOUT MBAOMA The champions, Remo Stars, will also be looking to claim their first win of the season after the 1-1 draw at home to Rivers United in the first game of the season. The titleholders will have to face newcomers, Kun Khalifat FC at the Enyimba Stadium in Aba, which they have adopted as home ground owing to renovation at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri without Victor Mbaoma. The striker returned to Remo Stars in the off-season transfer window and immediately got off the mark in the opening game before leaving the pitch early with a rib injury which his head coach, Daniel Ogunmodede told npfl.ng has ruled him out of the trip for Monday’s match. Ogunmodede’s explanation borders on taking precautionary measures on the striker since they have subsequent league games and CAF Champions League coming up in September. “Victor will not be available for the match (against Kun Khalifat FC),” Ogunmodede also known as Ijaball revealed to npfl.ng. “The extent of the (rib) injury has not be fully ascertained and we are still monitoring his situation which rules him out of the game entirely.” Mbaoma’s absence could pave way for Remo Stars’ Malian striker, Adama Goita, to earn his first start of the season. It is the first time both teams will meet in the topflight and the odds are in favour of the champions though Obinna Uzoho and his men will hope they can hold off another big team like they did in the opening matchday at Rangers where they got a point off a 0-0 draw. SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL IN LAGOS Talk of holding off for a point, Ikorodu City started their season with a 0-0 draw at Kwara United despite featuring nine NPFL debutants and a new head coach in Ali Kandil after the departure of Aweroro to Shooting Stars. Ikorodu City will now shape up for their first home game against El-Kanemi Warriors in this season’s first Sunday night fixture at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan in Lagos. El-Kanemi, on the other hand, started with a 2-0 win over Insurance at home. Last season, which was City’s debut campaign in the NPFL, they scored 48 goals at home, 15 more than champions Remo Stars who netted the second highest number of goals at home. So, NPFL followers will expect this game to flow with goals considering Kandil was part of City’s coaching setup under Aweroro’s management and will want to continue with the same team ethos. Both teams have met just twice in the NPFL and City are unbeaten on both occasions (W1 D1). The Oga Boys saw off El-Kanemi 2-0 in this same fixture with Ayomide Cole and Shola Adelani scoring second half goals. Both players were missing in City’s game at Kwara United but it is likely Adelani should be back in the team for El-Kanemi’s visit. Kabiru Dogo should have a full El-Kanemi squad including his opening matchweek goalscorers, Al’amin Umar and Daddy Abdulrahman, for the trip to Lagos except for suspended midfielder Zayyad Musa who got a straight red card against Bendel Insurance. This first night game could be turn out to be a test for Kandil’s side, now full of newcomers in the top division. BIG GUNS AIM TO FIND COMFORT AT HOME On the opening round of the season, the big boys found it difficult to eke out results and this time will have to do so in front of their supporters or else the pressure begins to pile up from here on. Enyimba, Kano Pillars, Plateau United and Rivers United all play on Sunday against Niger Tornadoes, Wikki Tourists, Katsina United and Cup holders, Kwara United, respectively. All four clubs will hope to make playing at home count in order to get their first wins of the season. Enyimba under Stanley Eguma will be keen to…

Villarreal Confirms Swoop for Nigerian-Born Minnesota striker

Fola Badmus3 weeks ago3 weeks ago01 mins

Villarreal coach Marcelino has confirmed they’re signing Minnesota United striker Tani Oluwaseyi. The Nigerian-born Canada international is moving to Villarreal for €8m. He has settled on personal terms over a five-year contract to 2030. The Minnesota forward arrives after scoring 10 goals in his last 24 matches. Key to the deal has been Taj Buchanan, who has talked up Villarreal to his Canada teammate Oluwaseyi. “We lost a key player like (Everton striker Thierno) Barry, and we were looking for a player with similar abilities,” said Marcelino. “They’re different players, but he can give us depth, speed, and finishing. He comes from a smaller but competitive league. Knowing Tajon will help him adapt.”