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Barca president charged with suspected bribery

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has been charged with suspected bribery over payments made to companies linked to the former vice president of the refereeing committee, José María Enríquez Negreira, according to Spanish news agency EFE.

The charges relate to Laporta’s first spell in charge of the Catalan club between 2003 and 2010 after a judge ruled the latter years of that tenure should not be time-barred.

Laporta, who returned to the presidency for a second time in 2021, was not initially named as a defendant when charges for alleged bribery were filed against Barça in September.

Former presidents Josep María Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, as well as Negreira and his son, Javier Enríquez Romero, were listed among the accused.

However, the judge in charge of the case ruled on Wednesday that Laporta and his board of directors — from the time the payments were made — should be added to the probe as it is a case of continued bribery.

Therefore, the investigation period can cover the 10-year period prior to the last payment made to Negreira, which was in 2018, making the final two years of Laporta’s first tenure punishable.

Barça paid Negreira’s companies more than €7m ($7.3m) between 2001 and 2018 while he was the vice president of the refereeing committee. He had previously been a referee in the Spanish top flight.

Laporta has said the payments were for “technical reports about referees” and has repeatedly denied the club has ever “bought referees or influence.”

However, prosecutors accused Rosell and Bartomeu of having an agreement with Negreira in which “he would carry out actions aimed at favouring Barca in the decision-making of the referees in the matches played by the club and thus in the results of the competitions.”

Rosell was Barca president from 2010 to 2014 before Bartomeu replaced him. After six years at the helm of the Catalan club, Bartomeu resigned in 2020, with Laporta elected as his replacement in 2021.

Barça were originally charged with alleged corruption in sport, corruption in business, false administration and the falsification of commercial documents in March.

The bribery charges were added in September after the judge said Negreira “exercised public functions” as vice president of the refereeing committee, which equates him to a civil servant.

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Ajax striker Chuba Akpom reaffirms desire to play for Nigeria’s Super Eagles

Ajax forward Chuba Akpom has reiterated his commitment to representing the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

The 29-year-old, born in London to Nigerian parents, previously played for England at youth level but switched international allegiance to Nigeria in 2019. Despite making himself available for selection, he has yet to receive an invitation to join the three-time African champions.

“I try to give 100%. I’ve been waiting since 2019. I’ve switched allegiances a long time ago, but if it happens, it happens. I’ll just keep working hard,” Akpom told Oma Sports.

Explaining his decision to represent Nigeria, the former Arsenal academy star noted that it’s not about players choosing Nigeria as a second option.

“It’s not that the players are switching over because they can’t play for England. It’s just that they’ve not had the opportunity to play for Nigeria from a young age. They play in England and they play for England from youth levels all the way up,” Akpom added.

The Ajax striker continues to hope for a chance to contribute to the success of the Super Eagles.

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Wayne Rooney open to returning to football management

England legend Wayne Rooney has expressed his desire to return to football management after leaving Plymouth Argyle by mutual consent in December.

The 39-year-old’s managerial career has seen stints at Derby County, Birmingham City, DC United, and Plymouth Argyle over just two and a half years. Despite these challenges, Rooney remains determined to get back into coaching.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Rooney said, “I would like to go back in, but it would have to be the right club. Certainly the right club.”

Reflecting on his experiences, Rooney added, “I think you always have that ego, don’t you? You always have that confidence you could go in and get the best out of a bad or difficult situation. Obviously, that wasn’t the case at Plymouth.”

For now, Rooney plans to enjoy time with his family but remains open to the right opportunity in the future.

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Napoli rejects Galatasaray’s €65m bid for Victor Osimhen

'He Can Only Leave For €75m' - Napoli Reject Official Bid For Victor Osimhen

Napoli has turned down Galatasaray’s €65 million bid for Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, according to Il Corriere dello Sport.

Osimhen, who joined the Turkish Super Lig champions on loan from Napoli last September, has an option to make his move permanent. However, Napoli is firm on their €75 million valuation and unwilling to lower the fee.

The 24-year-old forward has been in impressive form, netting 12 goals in 15 league appearances for Galatasaray this season.

Reports also suggest Osimhen rejected a move to Manchester United earlier this month, signaling his preference to stay in Turkey for the time being.