The Nation Newspaper

Tag: arsenal

  • Chukwueze rejects Salzburg for Arsenal

    Chukwueze rejects Salzburg for Arsenal

    It can be revealed that Nigeria U-17 starlet Samuel Chukwueze has turned down what his handlers described as “peanuts” offered by Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg so as to join compatriot Kelechi Nwakali at Arsenal.

    Earlier this month, Chukwueze, who played alongside Nwakali at last year’s U17 World Cup, was in Austria along with his mother to negotiate a transfer.

    Nwakali is likely to have his work permit granted having been voted the MVP of the U-17 World Cup in Chile, but that may not be the case for attacking midfielder Chukwueze, who finished as third highest scorer with three goals.

    However, sources have now revealed that Chukwueze’s representatives were far from impressed with what Red Bull offered after Arsenal offered to splash as much as 2.9 million pounds for him.

    “Chukwueze has a better chance of developing at Red Bull, but there was no comparison between what the Austrian club tabled and what Arsenal are willing to cough out,” said a source familiar with this transaction.

    Arsenal will splash 3.1 million pounds on Eaglets skipper Nwakali.

    Both youngsters are now in London to complete their move to The Emirates.

  • Wenger confirms Arsenal’s interest in Eaglets duo

    Wenger confirms Arsenal’s interest in Eaglets duo

    Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed that the English Premier League club is in advanced discussions to sign Nigerian youngsters, Kelechi Nwakali and Samuel Chukwueze.

    The Frenchman said the club identified Nwakali “as a top player” at last year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile, supersport.com reports.

    He added that deals for the pair is still not concluded as “talks are progressing well” and hopes the club lands both players in the current transfer window barring “work permit problems or medical issues.”

    “Talks are progressing well. There are work permit issues. There are medical issues, because they have to make medicals. It’s progressing well. We identified Nwakali as the player of the tournament (at last year’s FIFA U- 17 World Cup), basically, and as a top player.

    “We will see if we can manage to get it over the line during this transfer period. (If we can), we will do it. Chukwueze is (signing) as well,” supersport.com quoted Wenger as saying at a press conference on Friday.

    Arsenal remain front-runners to land the Nigerian pair despite earlier interest from German giants Bayern Munich.

    Nwakali, 17, was named the best player at the tournament which Nigeria won.

    Chukwueze got a bronze boot for his impressive performance for Nigeria after scoring three goals and weighing in with three assists at the cadet World Cup.

     

  • Arsenal offer £6m for Nwakali, Chukwueze

    Arsenal offer £6m for Nwakali, Chukwueze

    English Premier League side, Arsenal, has offered a total of £6million for Nigerian youngsters, Kelechi Nwakali and Samuel Chukwueze.

    The youngsters, who shone at last year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile in November, are expected with their guardians and academy officials in London this month to complete the transfer to the London Gunners, africanFootball.com reports.

    “Kelechi (Nwakali) will cost £3.9million, while £2.1million is for Chukwueze,” a source told africanFootball.com.

    “This is the full package including training compensation to the players’ academy and what have you.”

    Last year, Nwakali’s agents demanded  £4million from another EPL side, Manchester City, after he underwent trials at The Etihad.

    City officials felt the player was overpriced and did not follow up on the deal.

    Kelechi’s older brother, Chidiebere is on the books of City and his own transfer three years ago cost over £3million.

  • Osimhen offered to Arsenal for N1.1bn

    Osimhen offered to Arsenal for N1.1bn

    Allnigeriasoccer.com understands that English Premier League team, Arsenal have not given up in their chase for Nigeria U- 23 international Victor Osimhen despite strong competition from Wolfsburg.

    Arsenal were one of the first teams to express an interest to secure the signature of the Golden Boot winner at the last FIFA U-17 World Cup and are being encouraged by the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick and Stellar Group.

    United Kingdom – based agency, Stellar Group have officially communicated to Ultimate Strikers, claiming that the Emirates outfit are willing to pay a four million pounds transfer fee for Victor Osimhen.

    Jonathan Barnett’s Stellar Group had wanted to manage the affairs of the Golden Eaglets sensation immediately after the tournament in Chile but were only given a mandate for Arsenal.

    Juventus, Inter Milan, Sporting Lisbon and R.S.C. Anderlecht are among clubs interested in snapping up Osimhen from his nursery team.

  • Arsenal lead for now: Who wins the Premier League?

    Arsenal lead for now: Who wins the Premier League?

    Sitting atop the Premier League pile as 2015 comes to a close, Arsenal Football Club stand a great chance to quench their thirst for a league title this season.

    The Gunners perhaps fortuitously end the year first, following Leicester City’s two dropped points at home to Manchester City on Monday.

    WHO DO YOU THINK WILL WIN THE LEAGUE TITLE THIS SEASON?
    Kindly drop your opinion as comment.

  • Ighalo will treat Swaziland like Arsenal

    Ighalo will treat Swaziland like Arsenal

    Odion Ighalo has insisted Nigeria cannot afford to take Swaziland lightly in a 2018 World Cup qualifier in Lobambo and he will therefore prepare for the game as he would against Arsenal in the English Premier League.

    The Watford striker, who has scored seven goals in the EPL, said there are no longer any minnows in world football.

    “There are no small countries in football and so I will prepare to play against Swaziland as I would against Arsenal. I will give 101 per cent whenever  I play for my country,” said the 26-year-old forward.

    Former Nigeria U-20 skipper Ighalo has scored two goals for the Super Eagles.

  • Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal chase Osimhen

    Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal chase Osimhen

    The bonafide representative of Golden Eaglets star, Victor Osimhen has provided an update on the transfer situation of the Ultimate Strikers product, who is being courted by a clutch of clubs across Europe.

    Allnigeriasoccer.com can report with certainty that a foreign – based intermediary, who is linked with English Premier League, Spanish and French teams will jet into Lagos on Tuesday,  November 10 to hold transfer talks with Ultimate Strikers and Osimhen.

    “So many clubs in Europe have contacted us for Osimhen but we don’t want to rush, we have to take our time ” Osimhen’s representative told allnigeriasoccer.com.

    “It is important for the Golden Eaglets to win the Cup and if the team succeeds, more teams will want him.

    “Yes,we have received calls from several Premier League clubs but the Premier League is not the best in the world.”

    Osimhen’s intermediary has kept the identities of the clubs a secret but this website can exclusively inform that Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea have all approached him as regards to snapping up the highly – rated starlet.

    A transfer fee of one million pounds is being bandied about by the Nigerian media, but that is far from reality as Ultimate Strikers have demanded more than two million pounds or nothing before they agree to cancel their agreement with Osimhen.

    And that makes sense, bearing in mind that the transfer fee has to be as high as possible before he can obtain a work permit in England using the new system.

    Victor Osimhen, who has scored in six straight games at the FIFA Under 17s, has been likened to Barcelona and Uruguay star Luis Suárez.

  • Iwobi break Arsenal ‘bizarre’ record

    Iwobi break Arsenal ‘bizarre’ record

    Nigeria international Alex Iwobi has earned his name in the Arsenal history book after making his Premier League debut in the Gunners 3-0 win over Swansea on Saturday.

    Iwobi, who has been tipped for a big future at Arsenal, broken a crazy record for being the first outfield player to feature for Arsenal under Arsene Wenger in the league that doesn’t have any of the letters ARSENAL in his surname.

    The U-23 player came off the bench in stoppage time to replace Mesut Özil during the 3-0 victory over the Swans at the Liberty Stadium.

    And according to Damian McBride, former advisor to Prime Minister Gordon Brown and huge football fan, Iwobi took the bizarre title in the process.

    “Alex Iwobi is the first outfield player to feature in the Premier League under Arsene Wenger with none of the letters Arsenal in his name!” McBride twieet.

    “Iwobi isn’t the only Arsenal player to feature under Wenger without the letters Arsenal in his name – goalkeeper Mart Poom takes that crown.”

    The 19-year-old forward, who was invited by coach Sunday Oliseh for the World Cup qualifier against Swaziland recently signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal.

    Iwobi finished the 2014/15 campaign with nine goals in nine matches for the under-21s and has continued his scoring form this season, netting twice in five appearances for the second string.

    A graduate of the Arsenal Academy, Alex first joined the club while still in primary school.

    Having represented England at youth level, the Lagos-born youngster is currently invited to senior international duty with Nigeria.

  • Arsenal seek redemption against rampaging Bayern

    Arsenal seek redemption against rampaging Bayern

    Arsenal will host high flying German side Bayern Munich in a match day three of the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night.

    Arsenal, who had lost its two opening fixtures in this competition, needs a positive result against the Bundesliga leaders to return to contention for a place in the knockout stages.

    Arsene Wenger men have won four of their last five games, including a 3-0 rout of Manchester United, a game in which the Gunners scored all three goals in the first 20 minutes of the game.

    Bayern on the other hand had won all its 11 games this season, scoring 37 goals in the process. The German side has scored eight goals without conceding in the opening two games of this season’s UEFA Champions League.

    Arsenal will welcome back Gabriel Paulista squad after he missed the Gunners last match against Watford with a minor injury.

    David Ospina who had started in each of Arsenal’s two previous Champions League games is out due to a shoulder injury he picked up while on international duty for Colombia.

    Arsenal will still be without forward Danny Welbeck and midfielders Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky.

    Bayern will be without Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, and are expected to be replaced by Douglas Costa and Kingsley Coman in the starting XI.

    Mehdi Benatia, Mario Götze, Sebastian Rode and Holger Badstuber are also unavailable.

    In form striker Robert Lewandowksi, who picked up a knock in the recent Bundesliga win over Werder Bremen, is fit to start. The Polish striker has scored 15 goals in his last seven appearances in all competition.

     

     

     

  • Chelsea defeat Arsenal at Stamford Bridge

    Chelsea returned to winning ways in the English Premier League by defeating nine-man Arsenal 2-0 in a feisty encounter at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

    The Blues rarely troubled the Gunners during a tame opening first half but the game was sparked into life just before the break when Gabriel saw red for allegedly kicking out at Diego Costa, Goal reports.

    Kurt Zouma broke the deadlock eight minutes after the interval with a header from a Cesc Fabregas freekick and, after Santi Cazorla picked up his second booking of the afternoon, Eden Hazard’s deflected strike put an added gloss on Chelsea’s first home win of the season.