The Nation Newspaper

Tag: stay

  • Mikel could still stay at Chelsea

    Mikel could still stay at Chelsea

    John Mikel Obi’s chances of staying at Chelsea received a huge boost when Chelsea Manager Jose Mourinho dropped a hint that Peter Cech might be moved on by eulogising Mark Schwarzer as a capable deputy goalkeeper and praised Thibaut Courtois as the best young goalkeeper in Europe.

    Mourinho admitted he has a tough decision to make as English Premier league  and UEFA Champions league clubs can only name 17 foreign players over the age of 21 in their official 25-man squads and Chelsea have 18 overseas stars at the moment meaning one player must be off loaded.

    Mikel, who has over 200 appearances for Chelsea since Mourinho signed him in 2006 from Lyn Oslo in Norway alongside Petr Cech and Fernanado Torres, are the three names listed as the likely departures from Stamford Bridge to help beat the EPL rule on foreign players over the age of 21.

    Two days ago Mourinho ruled out any potential sale of Fernando Torres despite bringing back Didier Drogba and signing of Diego Costa from Athletico Madrid.

    However speaking to London Evening Standard Mourinho hinted that long standing Chelsea number one goalkeeper Petr Cech might be the one to leave with Paris Saint Germain (PSG) reportedly interested in the 31-year -old.

    “Petr is ready to fight for his position but Thibaut is the best young goalkeeper in the world, no doubts about that. They will fight and for me it’s a good problem to have to make a decision.

    “We are a club that wants to be strong and wants to have a real possibility of competing for trophies and we want competition for places.”

    “But I know that Mark Schwarzer is a very good keeper, very stable and a good man, completely ready to be our second goalkeeper like he was last season and to give positive performances if we need him to play.”

    Thibaut Courtois recently returned from his three-year loan spell at Atletico Madrid where he won the La-Liga, Europa League and played in the Champions League final against Real Madrid last season and he has already indicated his willingness to challenge for the number one spot at Chelsea.

  • Igiebor’s Betis stay threatened

    Igiebor’s Betis stay threatened

    Super Eagles  midfielder Nosa  Igiebor is set to face more battles for playing time, as Sunderland midfielder Alfred N’Diaye is on the brink of signing for Real Betis.

    The Sunderland Echo says Betis and Sunderland are nearing an agreement for N’Diaye’s sale for a fee around the £1.5million mark, plus add-ons.

    That would be a hit on the £3.7m the Black Cats paid out in January 2013, but Sunderland have been keen to offload the 24-year-old this summer.

    Igiebor was on and out of the Betis side last season, following back-to-back injuries, but he forced his way back into the team towards the end of the season.

    Igiebor has been the source of transfer speculations with teams in the English Premiership reportedly interested in his services.

     

  • Eneramo to stay out on loan

    Eneramo to stay out on loan

    Nigeria striker Michael Eneramo is likely to still be loaned out by Besiktas to another Turkish Super League side Karabukspor for the new season.

    Eneramo also played last season on loan at Karabukspor and he is not in training camp with his parent team in Germany, with news in Turkey suggesting he will be allowed to discuss with Karabukspor.

    The big striker scored four goals in 16 matches for Karabukspor last season.

    Incidentally, one of his goals was the match winner against Besiktas.

  • Emenike to stay at Spartak

    Emenike to stay at Spartak

    Nigeria striker Emmanuel Emenike has revealed to MTNFootball.com on his return from injury he wishes to stay at Spartak.

    Emenike has been sidelined for several weeks by a knee injury that needed surgery in Italy amid speculations over his future with former Turkish club Fenerbache reported to be keen on having him back.

    “It’s great to return to training but I can’t wait to start playing matches and scoring goals. I must confess that I missed everything on the pitch,” he told MTNFootball.com

    “It was as if it’s now many years that I last played the game. We can’t do without injury though it hurts when it takes long. I am looking forward to a bigger return. I am tired being off football. I am getting better than expected and I hope to make it back as quickly as possible.”

    The former Karabukspor striker revealed to MTNFootball.com that he is happy at Spartak and would wish to stay put despite various interests across Europe.

    “For now, I’m staying put at Spartak Moscow. The truth is that I am not thinking about transfer for now even though there are offers, but my club have the final say on the issue and they have told me they are not interested in selling me which means I am still very much important for the team. So, I am not leaving Spartak except my club say I am not needed,” Emenike told MTNFootball.com.

    The power-playing forward said he delighted with the show of support for him while he was on the treatment table.

    “I must thank everybody who has supported my return. They mean a lot to me and they are not just fans but family irrespective of where they came from. I wish to pay them back with goals and good performances on the pitch,” he said.

  • Kanu wants Keshi to stay

    Kanu wants Keshi to stay

    Former Super Eagles Captain Nwankwo Kanu has said that coach Stephen Keshi should be left alone to fully re-build his team ahead of future international tournaments.

    Kanu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Johannesburg on Monday that Keshi had laid a solid foundation with the crop of young players that won the just-concluded Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

    He said the coach had been in football for a long time as a player and now coach and had vast experience on how to manage a team.

    “The big boss, of course he is a big boss. He makes his decision and one thing you have to know, he has been there. He captained the Nigerian team to win it, so I do not believe that anybody can still tell him what to do.

    “Everybody has to leave him alone. Whatever he did today, no ordinary coach especially, a local coach can do that. He made his team, he stands on them, he played his pattern, he stands on them, he talked to the boys as a father, he takes them to this highest level and they win the cup. What else do you expect of him.”

    Kanu said the present Super Eagles were potential that could go places. The former two-time African footballer of the (1996 and 1999) said he had been talking to the players to take advantage of their talents to do the nation proud.

    He said the Eagles had proved critics wrong by winning the nations cup, saying that his presence in the team was to give them confidence.

     

  • AFCON 2013 SHOCKER: Moses, Mikel stay till January 12

    AFCON 2013 SHOCKER: Moses, Mikel stay till January 12

    Rafa Benitez wants to keep John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses for their cup ties against Southampton and Swansea before releasing them for the Africa Cup of Nations.

    Mikel and Moses, integral players since Benitez took control at Stamford Bridge, are in the Nigeria squad which was due to report for a pre-tournament training camp in Portugal Thursday.

    The Chelsea pair have been granted permission to stay in London until after the New Year but Benitez is negotiating to keep them for as long as possible as his team become embroiled in a cluttered fixture list.

    The Blues launch their defence of the FA Cup at Southampton on January 5, four days before the first leg of the Capital One Cup semi-final at home to Swansea.

    Interim manager Benitez accepts he is unlikely to have them around by the time they play Stoke in the Barclays Premier League on January 12.

    “The tournament starts on the 19th, so they will go one or two weeks before,” he said.

    “Maybe we can manage to keep them a little bit longer. We will talk with them. They know sometimes the players do not need to go early. But at least one week before the 19th, they have to be there.”

    Nigeria’s first game of the tournament in South Africa is on Janaury 21st against Burkina Faso. The final is on February 10, four days before Chelsea are due to play in Prague in the Europa League.