The Nation Newspaper

Tag: arsenal

  • Arsenal sign Brentford midfielder Norgaard

    Arsenal sign Brentford midfielder Norgaard

    Arsenal have signed Denmark midfielder Christian Norgaard from Brentford in a £15m deal.

    The 31-year-old has joined for an initial £10m – with a possible £5m in performance-related add-ons – on a two-year contract with the option of a third year.

    Norgaard joined Brentford from Fiorentina in 2019 and became a key player, captaining his side and making 196 appearances.

    He is Arsenal’s third signing of the summer after deals for Spaniards Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga.

    Norgaard said he got “almost emotional” because signing for Arsenal means he will live his “dream” of playing Champions League football.

    Read Also: Arsenal agree Norgaard deal

    “I’ve just turned 31 and had signed a new deal with Brentford,” he said.

    “There’s always a little chance that a miracle could happen with Brentford, but it was probably unrealistic to play Champions League with them.

    “Now I get to hear the anthem and be a part of a Champions League campaign. It’s a childhood dream and something I didn’t think would be possible. So it’s something I’m really, really happy about.”

    Norgaard helped Brentford win promotion from the Championship in 2021, before making 122 Premier League appearances.

    Midfielder Zubimendi joined Arsenal from Real Sociedad last week in a deal worth almost £60m, and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga moved from Chelsea for £5m.

    Arsenal are also in talks to sign Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres for £70m and have made a formal approach for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke.

    BBC

  • Arsenal agree Norgaard deal

    Arsenal agree Norgaard deal

    Arsenal have agreed a deal with Brentford to sign midfielder Christian Norgaard.

    Sources have indicated the Gunners have been discussing a fee worth in the region of an initial £10m, with a possible £5m in performance-related add-ons.

    The move for Norgaard comes just a week before Thomas Partey’s Arsenal contract expires.

    Ghana international Partey, 32, has been in talks over a new deal to stay at Emirates Stadium, but no agreement has been reached.

    BBC Sport understands Sevilla’s French midfielder Lucien Agoume, 23, also featured prominently on Arsenal’s list of potential targets to replace Partey.

    Crucially, however, it is understood manager Mikel Arteta identified Norgaard as the midfielder he wanted because he preferred a Premier League-ready player.

    Club-to-club discussions over the Denmark international have accelerated in the last 24 hours and a deal is now in place.

    Read Also: Arsenal, Man United fingered  in  Osimhen’s Al- Hilal snub

    The 31-year-old, who joined Brentford from Fiorentina in 2019, will now undergo a medical before completing his move.

    Norgaard wasn’t a long-term Arsenal target, but entered the club’s radar as they sought experience in midfield ahead of Partey’s potential departure.

    Norgaard became a key player for the Bees and captain under Thomas Frank, who left to become manager of Tottenham earlier in June.

    Arsenal are also set to complete the signing of Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga this week by paying his £5m release clause and are close to finalising the £51m signing of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

  • PHOTOS: Arsenal unveils 2025/26 home kit with Adidas

    PHOTOS: Arsenal unveils 2025/26 home kit with Adidas

    Arsenal Football Club has officially revealed its home kit for the 2025/26 season, designed in partnership with Adidas Football.

    Unveiled on Thursday, the new kit stays true to Arsenal’s iconic red and white colour scheme, while incorporating contemporary design elements meant to reflect the energy and unity of the club and its fans.

    The campaign is anchored by the tagline: “The pulse of our club.”

    Adidas Football shared a joint promotional message, stating: “One badge. All in.  Introducing the new Arsenal 25/26 home kit. Available now.”

    Read Also: UCL: PSG set up  Inter final  as Arsenal bow out

    The jersey features a classic red body paired with white sleeves and includes intricate detailing that nods to Arsenal’s storied legacy. Key design elements include the club crest, the Adidas logo, and the Emirates sponsor branding prominently displayed on the front.

    The new kit is now available for purchase through Arsenal Direct, club stores, and adidas.com/arsenal. It will be worn by both the men’s and women’s first teams throughout the 2025/26 campaign, including Premier League and domestic cup matches.

  • UCL: PSG set up  Inter final  as Arsenal bow out

    UCL: PSG set up  Inter final  as Arsenal bow out

    Paris Saint-Germain booked their place in the UEFA Champions League final with a 3-1 aggregate win over Arsenal, ending the Gunners’ campaign and extending their long wait for European silverware.

    Arsenal were aiming to become only the third team to reach the Champions League final after losing the first leg of a semi-final at home, and they started brightly, with Gianluigi Donnarumma forced into early saves to keep the visitors at bay.

    However, in the 24th  minute, PSG broke the deadlock as Fabián Ruiz unleashed a thunderous strike from outside the box to double the hosts’ aggregate advantage. That goal proved the difference at the break, with the home side taking a 1-0 lead into half-time.

    Achraf Hakimi doubled the hosts’ lead in the 72nd  minute with a powerful strike from distance, beating David Raya at his left-hand post.

    Read Also: NFF mourns demise of former FIFA referee Momoh

    However, just five minutes later, Bukayo Saka pulled one back for Arsenal, reigniting hopes of a comeback. But it wasn’t to be, as the Gunners fell at the final hurdle, crashing out of Europe with a 3-1 aggregate defeat to PSG.

    The Parisians will go up against Simone Inzaghi’s Inter, who qualified after beating Barcelona by a 7-6 aggregate score line, made up of a 3-3 draw in Montjuic and a 4-3 extra-time win in San Siro on Tuesday.

    It will be the first time that the two sides have ever faced each other in the Champions League.

    It will be the second time in three years that Inter have featured in the Champions League final, having also made the final in 2022-23, only to lose to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in an eventual 1-0 defeat.

    It is just the second time in PSG’s history that they have qualified for the Champions League final, having lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich behind closed doors in the 2020 final in Lisbon.

    The 2025 final will take place on May 31 at the Allianz Arena in Munich.

  • Arsenal’s title hopes dented by Brentford

    Arsenal’s title hopes dented by Brentford

    Arsenal’s wafer-thin hopes of contesting for the Premier League title were dealt another seismic blow following a 1-1 draw against Brentford at the Emirates.

    Read Also: Tinubu mourns football icon Christian Chukwu

    Four days after their stunning 3-0 win against Real Madrid in the Champions League, Mikel Arteta’s men were brought crashing back down to earth with a draw that puts them 10 points adrift of Liverpool having played a game more.

    Thomas Partey opened the scoring for Arsenal after 61 minutes but Brentford responded through Yoane Wissa 13 minutes later.

  • Odumodublvck’s ‘Declan Rice’ rose to 200% streams after Arsenal’s win

    Odumodublvck’s ‘Declan Rice’ rose to 200% streams after Arsenal’s win

    Hip-hop star Odumodublvck’s song “Declan Rice” saw a significant surge in streams after the Arsenal vs Real Madrid match, where Declan Rice scored two stunning free-kick goals, leading Arsenal to a 3-0 win.

    The song’s streams jumped by 200% following the match as fans celebrated Rice’s impressive performance.

    He said: “Yesterday Declan Rice went 200% on streams. Make una use footballer name sing o”.

    “Declan Rice” was a major turning point for Odumodublvck, released in March 2023 as part of his project “Eziokwu”.

    The song enjoyed huge commercial success, including a Rap Song of the Year win at the 16th Headies Awards.

    Interestingly, the song was also linked to Declan Rice’s transfer from West Ham to Arsenal for a club-record signing fee of £100 million.

    Read Also: Why I kept my children off social media, by Odumodublvck

    Following the transfer announcement, the song’s streams surged by 605% on Spotify UK, showcasing the strong connection between the song and the football star.

    Odumodublvck has been gaining recognition for his music, with his recent project “The Machine Is Coming”.

    He’s also been nominated for several awards, including eight categories at the 17th Headies Awards.

  • Tragedy as Police inspector slumps, dies after Arsenal defeat Real Madrid

    Tragedy as Police inspector slumps, dies after Arsenal defeat Real Madrid

    An Inspector of Police, Stephen Enang, slumped and died shortly after watching Arsenal’s emphatic 3–0 win over Spanish giants Real Madrid on Tuesday night in Calabar.

    The late Enang, a native of Ekori in Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State, was attached to the Akim Police Division along IBB Way. 

    Known among friends for his soft-spoken nature and deep passion for Arsenal, Enang was said to be in high spirits throughout the game.

    According to a close friend, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Enang had been elated during the match, celebrating each Arsenal goal with great excitement at a viewing centre on Abang-Asang Street.

    “He was in great spirits—healthy, happy, cheering every goal. Arsenal scored the first, second, and third goals, and he was overjoyed,” the witness recalled.

    Read Also: Police partner INTERPOL on regional security, data sharing 

    “But after the final whistle, when everyone started leaving, we noticed Stephen wasn’t getting up like the rest of us. That’s when we realised something was wrong.”

    He had slumped on the seat and was unresponsive. Despite being rushed to the Police Hospital in Akim, efforts to revive him were unsuccessful and he was later pronounced dead.

    “He was soft-spoken, football-loving, and an ardent Arsenal supporter. This came as a huge shock to all of us,” his friend added.

    As of the time of filing this report, attempts to reach the Cross River State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Irene Ugbo, for an official comment were unsuccessful, as calls and messages went unanswered.

  • Joeboy loses N3m bet after Arsenal defeat Real Madrid in UCL

    Joeboy loses N3m bet after Arsenal defeat Real Madrid in UCL

    Singer Joeboy has lost a N3 million bet after Arsenal defeated Real Madrid 3-0 in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final.

    Joeboy had confidently backed Real Madrid to win on X, posting a betting slip with the caption, “Cashing out on Arsenal tears tonight!”

    If Madrid had won, he would have won N10,345,000, but Declan Rice’s two free-kick goals and Mikel Merino’s third goal sealed Arsenal’s victory.

    Read Also: Joeboy: I just want to be that source of positivity

    Joeboy’s bet was a significant one, with some of his friends, like Odumodublvck and Wizard Chan, potentially receiving N2 million each if Madrid had won.

    Arsenal now looks to have booked their spot in the semi-finals when they travel to the Santiago Bernabeu for the second leg next Wednesday.

    Before that, they’ll face Brentford in the Premier League.

  • Three star Arsenal stun Madrid in UCL rout

    Three star Arsenal stun Madrid in UCL rout

    Declan Rice’s two fantastic free-kicks and a striker’s finish from Mikel Merino gave Arsenal an emphatic 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium.

    The hosts had the better of the first half as Real began slowly, with Eduardo Camavinga almost conceding a calamitous own goal when he blocked Antonio Rudiger’s clearance before Thomas Partey shot straight at Thibault Courtois.

    Real grew into the contest and threatened on the break, but Courtois was by far the busier goalkeeper and produced a stunning double save on the stroke of halftime to keep the game level.

    There was no stopping Rice’s opener, though, a fierce shot around the wall and beyond Courtois in the 58th minute for the midfielder’s first senior goal from a direct free kick.

    Read Also:UCL QF: Things to know as Inter Milan hosts Bayern Munich

    Arsenal could have been two-up shortly after, but for more heroics from Courtois, who produced a diving stop from Gabriel Martinelli followed by another from Merino in between David Alaba’s goalline block.

    Rice’s second free kick was even better than the first, curled straight into the top corner in the 70th minute, to leave the 15-time European champions looking stunned.

    Merino then coolly fired substitute Leandro Trossard’s pull-back into the bottom corner 15 minutes from time to give Arsenal a sizeable lead to take to Madrid next week.

    Real will have to try and overhaul that lead without Camavinga, who was shown a second yellow card in the closing seconds for kicking the ball away.

    The winner of the tie will face either Aston Villa or Paris St Germain in the semi-finals

  • UCL QF: Things to know as Arsenal welcomes Real Madrid

    UCL QF: Things to know as Arsenal welcomes Real Madrid

    Arsenal is set to face one of the most daunting challenges of their season as they welcome Real Madrid to the Emirates for the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals. 

    The Gunners have been in superb form under Mikel Arteta, boasting an exciting blend of youth and experience that has propelled them to the upper echelons of European football. 

    However, this clash with Madrid, a club with 15 Champions League titles and a storied history of success, presents a monumental test. 

    Arsenal fans will be hoping their team can replicate their league performances on the European stage, with key players like Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, and Gabriel Jesus expected to lead the charge against the reigning Spanish champions.

    Real Madrid, under Carlo Ancelotti, enters the quarterfinals with a wealth of experience and an impressive pedigree in the competition. 

    With the likes of Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior, Luka Modrić, and Toni Kroos leading the way, Madrid’s blend of seasoned winners and dynamic youth makes them one of the most dangerous teams in Europe. 

    Bellingham, in particular, has been a revelation since joining, adding creativity and crucial goals to the midfield. 

    Arsenal will need to be at their absolute best, both tactically and mentally, to get past the mighty Real Madrid and advance to the semifinals, in what promises to be a thrilling two-legged affair.

    Here are a few things to know about the dreaded contest:

    1. This will be just the third meeting between Arsenal and Real Madrid in European competition, following their last 16 tie in the UEFA Champions League in 2005-06. Arsenal won 1-0 in the first leg away from home, before drawing 0-0 at Highbury in the second leg (1-0 on aggregate).

    2. Since the start of the 2017-18 campaign, Real Madrid have played 22 matches against English sides in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League (W11 D5 L6). This is 10 more than any other team against sides from a specific nation in this period, after Liverpool and Manchester City’s 12 meetings each with Spanish teams.

    3. Real Madrid have beaten more different opponents than any other side in European Cup/UEFA Champions League history (111) – including seven different English sides – but Arsenal are not one of them (D1 L1). The only other English team to avoid defeat in their first three games against Real Madrid in the European Cup/Champions League are Liverpool.

    4. Real Madrid haven’t lost the first leg in any of their last eight knockout stage ties in the UEFA Champions League (W5 D3); their joint-longest run in the competition in first leg meetings, along with another eight-game run between April 2016 and February 2019.

    Read Also: Arsenal will go for it against Real Madrid, says Arteta

    5. Arsenal have led for longer than any other team in UEFA Champions League matches this season (568 minutes overall), while only Internazionale (5 minutes) have trailed for fewer minutes than the Gunners (65) in the competition this term.

    Who: Arsenal vs Real Madrid

    What: UEFA Champions League quarterfinal, leg 1

    Where: Emirates Stadium, London

    When: Tuesday at 8pm (19:00 GMT)

    Referee: Irfan Peljto

    Possible lineups:

    Arsenal possible starting XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Merino, Martinelli.

    Real Madrid possible starting XI: Courtois; Valverde, Raul Asencio, Rudiger, Fran Garcia; Rodrygo, Modric, Camavinga, Bellingham; Mbappe, Vinicius Jr

    Arsenal results in their last five matches (across all competitions):

    D-W-W-D-D (most recent result first)

    Real Madrid results in their last five matches (across all competitions):

    L-D-W-W-L (most recent result first)

    Predictions

    Away Over 0.5

    Both teams to score

    Full Time Draw