The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Chelsea

  • Galatasaray wants Mikel

    Galatasaray wants Mikel

    Turkish champions Galatasaray has opened talks with Chelsea for Nigeria midfielder Mikel Obi, MTNFootball.com reports.

    Galatasaray sporting director Bulent Tulun is currently in London talking with the top hierarchy of the London club on the acquisition of Mikel.

    The deal is being brokered by Nigeria FIFA agent Babawo Mohammed and Hasan Egilmez and if it goes through, Mikel Obi will join up with his former Chelsea team mate and friend Didier Drogba.

    A source in Turkey told MTNFootball.com that Galatasaray officials want the Nigerian to join their squad.

    “As I speak to you, Galatasaray sporting director Tulun is in London to discuss on signing Mikel Obi from Chelsea this summer, we want to sort out with his club first before we will open discussions with the player,” the source told MTNFootball.com

    One of the agents facilitating the transfer Babawo Mohammed further confirmed Galatasaray’s interest in the Chelsea star to MTNFootball.com

    “Galatasaray officials have shown interest to sign Mikel and I have been informed that they are in London talking with Chelsea about the deal,” Babawo Mohammed told MTNFootball.com

    Galatasaray will have to splash a fortune on Mikel because he has a contract with Chelsea till June 2017.

    The Turkish champions will play in UEFA Champions League next season after retaining the Turkey league ahead of city rivals Fenerbache.

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  • Mourinho confirms Chelsea return

    Mourinho confirms Chelsea return

    Jose Mourinho has confirmed he will be named Chelsea manager by the end of the week, insisting the admiration Blues fans have for him made the decision easier.
    “I’m going to London on Monday and at the end of the week I will be the manager of Chelsea,” Mourinho told Punto Pelota. “I feel the people there love me and in life you have to look for that. Life is beautiful and short and you must look for what you think is best for you.”

  • Moses ‘sad’ to miss Eagles matches

    Moses ‘sad’ to miss Eagles matches

    Chelsea winger Victor Moses has said he is devastated that injury has ruled him out of upcoming matches for Nigeria.

    MTNFootball.com reports that the Super Eagles take on Mexico in a friendly in Houston, Texas, on Friday. The team then travel to Kenya on June 5 and a week later move to Namibia for World Cup qualifiers before jetting out to Brazil for the FIFA Confederations Cup.

    Moses has pulled out of all these games and his club has announced he will only be fit again by July 6 after undergoing treatment.

    The player said on his Tweeter handle Wednesday @VictorMoses: “Devastated not to be able to represent my country this summer but have to respect medical advice on injury. I’ll be supporting though #nigeria.”

    Moses represented England at various age-group levels, but made his Eagles debut against Rwanda in a Nations Cup qualifier two years ago and went on to shine as Nigeria won a third Nations Cup in South Africa earlier this year.

    Injury-hit Spartak Moscow striker Emmanuel Emenike and Kalu Uche from Turkish club Kasimpasa have also pulled out of the Nigeria squad ahead of a hectic summer schedule.

     

  • Moses, Uche opt out of Eagles’ June schedule

    Moses, Uche opt out of Eagles’ June schedule

    Chelsea ace Victor Moses will miss next month’s World Cup qualifiers and the Confederations Cup due to injury, MTNFootball.com reports.

    Nigeria travel to Kenya and Namibia in June in continuation of the qualifying series for Brazil 2014 and will also be in Brazil next month for the Confederations Cup.

    Chelsea has informed the Nigeria Football Federation that Moses, one of the best players of the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, has withdrawn from the Super Eagles matches so as to treat a recurring injury.

    He will therefore not be fit in time for the World Cup qualifiers and the Confederations Cup in Brazil next month.

    However, the London club said he will be with the team during the pre-season tour of United States to be monitored closely by doctors, but would not participate in the tour.

    Also opting out of the squad due to injury is Turkey-based Kalu Uche.

    In a message to coach Stephen Keshi, Uche claimed to have been playing with injury for some time now in the Turkish League, and on the advice of his doctor, will be using the opportunity of the off-season to undergo treatment.

    Keshi said he was disappointed both players did not inform him earlier about this development, but maintained on Monday night: “We have the players to deliver the World Cup ticket and to make Nigerians proud in Brazil.”

     

  • Europa League: Mikel hails Chelsea triumph

    Europa League: Mikel hails Chelsea triumph

    Super Eagles midfielder, Mikel Obi,said  he is excited to win Europa League title and make history with Chelsea.

    Mikel, who was an unused substitute in Wednesday night’s final, said it was a wonderful way to end the season, while also dreaming of more titles next season.

    “I am very happy to have lifted the Europa League title, it was a wonderful way to end the season,” Mikel told MTNFootball.com

    “Though I would have loved to play in the final, what mattered the most was the victory and those who played did well.

    “This is another history here, I am savouring this moment.”

    Fernando Torres opened scoring in the 60th minute before Oscar Cardozo equalised few minutes later.

    Branislav Ivanovic’s superb header in stoppage time secured victory for “The Blues.”

     

  • Chelsea wins Europa Cup

    Chelsea wins Europa Cup

    Chelsea on Wednesday defeated Benfica 2-1 to win the 2013 Europa League Cup.

    In a dramatic finish to a thrilling final played at the Amsterdam Arena in Holland, Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic scored the decisive goal in the 93rd minute. Ivanovic’s header from a corner kick left the Benfica goalkeeper rooted to the spot.

    Fernando Torres put Chelsea in front with a cool finish in the 56th minute while Oscar Cardoso drew the Portuguese side level from the spot in the 62nd minute.

    The Paraguayan forward also forced an acrobatic save from Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, before Ivanovic’s late winner for the English men.

    Chelsea with this victory became the fourth team after Bayern Munich, Ajax Amsterdam and Juventus to lift the three European trophies – Champions League, Winners Cup and the Europa Cup.

    The Blues had lifted the now rested European Cup Winners Cup twice and last season won the European Champions League after beating Bayern Munich on penalties in the final played at the Alianz Arena in Munich.

     

  • Lampard signs one- year deal with Chelsea

    Lampard signs one- year deal with Chelsea

    Frank Lampard has agreed a one- year extension to his current contract at Chelsea which ends at the end of the season.

    The Blues’ record goalscorer had been in a stand-off with the club for the last two years but has now agreed to stay at Stamford Bridge as he prepares to re-unite with former manager Jose Mourinho next season.

    Lampard, whose existing deal expires this summer, was the subject of interest from clubs across the world and came close to joining MLS side LA Galaxy before Chelsea finally opening talks over a 12-month deal.

  • Mikel fit for Europa League final

    Mikel fit for Europa League final

     

    Mikel Obi said he has regained full fitness from hip injury ahead of Wednesday’s Europa League final.

    Last season’s UEFA Champions League winners Chelsea face Portuguese giants Benfica on Wednesday night in this season’s Europa League final at the Amsterdam Arena.

    “It is not always good feeling when one is out of action but I am good now. I returned to full training on Friday,” Mikel informed MTNFootball.com

    “I am set for Europa league final and I am looking forward to it as well as the last game of the season.”

    Mikel last featured for Chelsea in a 2-0 win over Swansea on April 28.

    Meanwhile, Victor Moses passed a late fitness test to start for Chelsea in the all-important clash with Aston Villa on Saturday, which ended 2-1 at Villa Park in favour of Chelsea courtesy of a Frank Lampard brace.

    Moses had picked up a knock in a 2-2 draw at home with London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

     

  • Chelsea vs Tottenham Mikel still in pains

    Chelsea vs Tottenham Mikel still in pains

    Nigerian out of Spurs’ tie

    Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez has revealed that the Super Eagles midfielder John Obi Mikel is still nursing pain and will play no part in today’s Premier League clash against Tottenham at the Stamford Bridge.

    Banitez confirmed Eden Hazard will be available to face to face Spurs but Ryan Bertrand has been also ruled out too.

    All three missed the 1-0 win at Old Trafford but Hazard returns to the squad against Spurs after picking up a calf injury against Basel five days ago.

    Oriol Romeu, who has not played since suffering ligament damage against Sunderland in December, could make the bench.

    “Hazard was training in a normal training session. He is fine, he is in the squad,” Benitez said.

    “Mikel is not available, he is still in some pain. Bertrand is not available with a problem with his knee, nothing serious.

    “Oriol Romeu could be available if I ask him because he is training really well. He is pushing in every training session. He is training so well we are considering playing him.

    “I think it’s important to manage the squad and important for them. It doesn’t matter if you pick one or the other, they all want to win and be a part of the important games.”

  • Omeruo joins Chelsea for pre-season

    Omeruo joins Chelsea for pre-season

     

    Super Eagles defender, Kenneth Omeruo, will join up with English Premier League side Chelsea for pre-season training ahead of next season.

    Omeruo has been on loan at Dutch club ADO Den Haag from Chelsea for the past one and half seasons.

    Top representatives of the central defender informed MTNFootball.com that the 19-year-old defender has begun processing his travel papers to train with Chelsea ahead of the new season.

    “Kenneth has begun processing his papers to allow him join Chelsea for pre-season in the summer,” one of the player’s handlers disclosed.

    “There will most likely be some changes at Chelsea and it would be after those changes that one would really know whether he will now stay at Chelsea or be loaned out again.”

    Last year, Omeruo failed to join up with ‘The Blues’ for pre-season training in the United States of America because he could not get an entry visa to the country in good time.

    Omeruo, who has made 26 appearances and scored two goals since his arrival in January 2012, featured for ADO Den Haag in central defence in Sunday’s 2-0 defeat of Feyenoord.

    “He was very excited with his performance as a central defender. This was most probably his last home match for ADO,” said the player’s representative.