European Leagues

‘Not Good Enough’ – Sevilla To Offload Kelechi Iheanacho In January

Seven-time Europa League winners, Sevilla FC, are reportedly planning to offload Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho during the January 2024-25 transfer window, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Nigerian international joined Sevilla last summer following the expiration of his contract at Leicester City, marking the end of a seven-year stint with the Foxes.

However, Iheanacho has endured a disappointing start to life in Spain, failing to score in all nine of his La Liga appearances for the one-time Spanish champions.

According to a report from Football Espana, Sevilla’s Sporting Director, Victor Orta, is actively seeking a new striker, and Iheanacho could be sold to facilitate the club’s attacking overhaul.

Iheanacho’s Struggles in Five Months
After finishing 14th in La Liga during the 2023-24 season, Sevilla brought in Iheanacho with hopes that he would contribute significantly to the team’s success.

So far, the Nigerian forward has underperformed, failing to score in the league and registering only three goals in the Copa del Rey.

This lack of output has left Sevilla struggling offensively, with the team managing just 18 goals in total this season. Neither Iheanacho nor Isaac Romero—who has scored only once—have been able to provide the goals Sevilla desperately need.
Pimienta Backs Iheanacho
Despite his struggles, Sevilla head coach Francisco Javier Garcia Pimienta offered his backing to Iheanacho ahead of a match against Real Valladolid in September.

“Everyone, whoever plays up front tomorrow, has to do well. Kelechi is a proven player. The other day he had a difficult game because he came on without warming up,” Pimienta said via the club’s official website. “Just like the rest, he has to take a step forward because he has the quality to do it at Sevilla.”

Although Iheanacho played 62 minutes in that match without a goal or assist, his Nigerian compatriot Chidera Ejuke stepped up with a late winner.

Afterward, Pimienta continued to defend Iheanacho, attributing his lack of form to a difficult adjustment period caused by his absence during preseason.
“The boy is training very well. I know it seems like an excuse, but he didn’t do the pre-season with the team,” Pimienta said on La Jugada de Canal Sur Radio, as cited by Estadio Deportivo.

“The team already had our concepts; we had been training together for almost two months. It was hard for him to adapt. He has a player in front of him, Isaac, who is clear about it, who gives us a lot of things and is doing very well.”

West Bromwich Offers Iheanacho a Lifeline
Recent reports suggest Iheanacho could be set for a return to England, with EFL Championship side West Bromwich Albion showing interest in signing the Nigerian striker.

However, West Brom would likely need to sell their current star forward—fellow Nigerian Josh Maja—to fund the move. If the transfer materialises, Iheanacho could reunite with his Super Eagles teammate, Semi Ajayi, at the Midlands club.

While moving from La Liga to England’s second division might not be ideal for Iheanacho, it could serve as an opportunity for him to rebuild his confidence and form.

Before his move to Sevilla, Iheanacho was linked with several top Turkish clubs. A loan move during the January transfer window could be a fresh start and a step in the right direction for the struggling forward.

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Premier League

Liverpool Tracking Prolific Teenage Sunderland Striker

Liverpool intend to ‘raid’ Championship high-flyers Sunderland for the signature of 18-year-old academy talent Trey Ogunsuyi, according to reports.

Clubs increasingly want players from a young age and develop them in-house, rather than go into the top of the transfer market for established stars.

As well as identifying local talent that includes poaching academy players from other clubs. To that end, the pearl of Liverpool’s academy is Trey Nyoni, a player brought in from Leicester City at the age of 16. But they certainly aren’t alone in that tactic, with Manchester United notably snapping up prolific prospect Chido Obi-Martin from Arsenal earlier this year.

The Daily Mail writes that the Reds are now monitoring versatile forward Ogunsuyi, who has scored five goals in five appearances at Premier League 2 so far this season, playing with and against players up to several years older.

And while the Belgium junior international is yet to make a senior debut for Sunderland, the youngster has been named on the bench by Regis Le Bris three times.

Sunderland is a club where young players are currently thriving. The Black Cats are aiming to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017 and are doing it with a raw but talented squad – four of their five most used players so far this season are aged 23 or younger. Of those, two are 19-year-old Jobe Bellingham and 17-year-old Chris Rigg.

Liverpool’s own crop of youngsters also have plenty of promise. Jurgen Klopp famously relied on them during last season’s triumphant Carabao Cup run, although the aforementioned Nyoni is the only teenage to have accrued any first-team minutes so far under Arne Slot.

European Leagues

League Cup History: List Of League Cup Winners, Finals, And Records

The League Cup’s 60-year history has seen some thrilling finals as well as some underdog tales, like Swansea City’s 2013 championship.

Could Southampton or Brentford be the next to capture their supporters’ imaginations with a surprising League Cup win?

Here are all the League Cup winners and finals in the history of the competition.

Who have won the most League Cups?
Liverpool have both appeared in and won the most League Cups, claiming their first in 1981 and winning their most recent to help put a bow on Jurgen Klopp’s final season in 2024.

Liverpool, 10
Manchester City, 8
Manchester United, 6
Chelsea, 5
Aston Villa, 5
Tottenham Hotspur, 4
Nottingham Forest, 4
Leicester City, 3
Arsenal, 2
Norwich City, 2
Birmingham City, 2
Wolverhampton Wanderers, 2
24 clubs tied with 1

List of League Cup finals, winners
From 1961-66, the finals were contested as two-legged ties. From 1967-1997 onward, the final was played as single-elimination with replays if matches finished drawn. Replays were eliminated from 1997 to present.

1961: Aston Villa def. Rotherham United 3-2 on aggregate (aet)
1962: Norwich City def. Rochdale 4-0 on aggregate
1963: Birmingham City def. Aston Villa 3-1 on aggregate
1964: Leicester City def. Stoke City 4-3 on aggregate
1965: Chelsea def. Leicester City 3-2 on aggregate
1966: West Bromwich Albion def West Ham United 5-3 on aggregate
1967: Queens Park Rangers def West Bromwich Albion 3-2
1968: Leeds United def Arsenal 1-0
1969: Swindon Town def. Arsenal 3-1 (aet)
1970: Manchester City def West Bromwich Albion 2-1 (aet)
1971: Tottenham Hotspur def. Aston Villa 2-0
1972: Stoke City def. Chelsea 2-1
1973: Tottenham Hotspur def Norwich City 1-0
1974: Wolverhampton Wanderers def. Manchester City 2-1
1975: Aston Villa def. Aston Villa
1976: Manchester City def Newcastle United 2-1
1977: Aston Villa def. Everton 0-0, 1-1, 3-2 (aet)
1978: Nottingham Forest def Liverpool 0-0, 1-0
1979: Nottingham Forest def Southampton 3-2
1980: Wolverhampton Wanderers def. Nottingham Forest 1-0
1981: Liverpool def. West Ham United 1-1, 2-1
1982: Liverpool def. Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 (aet)
1983: Liverpool def. Manchester United 2-1 (aet)
1984: Liverpol def. Everton 0-0, 1-0
1985: Norwich City def Sunderland 1-0
1986: Oxford United def. Queens Park Rangers 3-0
1987: Arsenal def. Liverpool 2-1
1988: Luton Town def. Arsenal 3-2
1989: Nottingham Forest def. Luton Town 3-1
1990: Nottingham Forest def. Oldham Athletic 1-0
1991: Sheffield Wednesday def. Manchester United 1-0
1992: Manchester United def. Nottingham Forest 1-0
1993: Arsenal def. Sheffield Wednesday 2-1
1994: Aston Villa def. Manchester United 3-1
1995: Liverpool def. Bolton Wanderers 2-1
1996: Aston Villa def. Leeds United 3-0
1997: Leicester City def. Middlesbrough 1-1, 1-0 (aet)
1998: Chelsea def. Middlesbrough 2-0 (aet)
1999: Tottenham Hotspur def. Leicester City 1-0
2000: Leicester City def. Tranmere Rovers 2-1
2001: Liverpool def. Birmingham City 1-1 (5-4 pens)
2002: Blackburn Rovers def. Tottenham Hotspur 2-1
2003: Liverpool def. Manchester United 2-0
2004: Middlesbrough def. Bolton Wanderers 2-1
2005: Chelsea def. Liverpool 3-2 (aet)
2006: Manchester United def. Wigan Athletic 4-0
2007: Chelsea def. Arsenal 2-1
2008: Tottenham Hotspur def. Chelsea 2-1 (aet)
2009: Manchester United def. Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 (4-1 pens)
2010: Manchester United def. Aston Villa 2-1
2011: Birmingham City def. Arsenal 2-1
2012: Liverpool def. Cardiff City 2-2 (3-2 pens)
2013: Swansea CIty def. Bradford City 5-0
2014: Manchester City def. Sunderland 3-1
2015: Chelsea def. Tottenham Hotspur 2-0
2016: Manchester City def. Liverpool 1-1 (3-1 pens)
2017: Manchester United def. Southampton 3-2
2018: Manchester City def. Arsenal 3-0
2019: Manchester City def. Chelsea 0-0 (4-3 pens)
2020: Manchester City def. Aston Villa 2-1
2021: Manchester City def. Tottenham Hotspur 1-0
2022: Liverpool def. Chelsea 0-0 (11-10 pens)
2023: Manchester United def Newcastle United 2-0
2024: Liverpool def. Chelsea 1-0

Serie A

“Nobody can stop you” – Ex-Atalanta midfielder reveals Lookman’s biggest strength

FULL LIST: Lookman, Troost-Ekong Join Messi, Ronaldo, Haaland, Vinicius On 2024 FIFA Best Player Nominees Roster

Former Atalanta midfielder Massimo Donati believes Ademola Lookman’s remarkable transformation lies in the forward’s newfound understanding of his abilities, Soccernet.ng reports.

After different underwhelming spells in England and Germany, Lookman arrived in Italy in 2022 to join Atalanta from RB Leipzig in a deal slightly less than €10 million.

The Nigerian international has been nothing short of sensational for Atalanta, helping himself to back-to-back Player of the Season awards at the club.

Atalanta are the current Europa League champions, with Lookman playing a key part in that triumph by netting a sensational hat-trick in the final match against Bayer Leverkusen.

The former Everton and Fulham star has carried his excellent form into the 2024/25 season to inspire Atalanta to the top of the Italian Serie A table.

Following Lookman’s contributions to Atalanta, the Super Eagles forward was on Monday named the new Africa Footballer of the Year.

And former Celtic Glasgow midfielder Donati has hailed Lookman’s transformation, insisting the winger’s strength is in his awareness of his abilities.

“Lookman is an incredible player,” Donati told Gazzetta as per Football-Italia.

“The biggest improvement he’s made is to gain awareness of his strengths. Once you realise that, nobody can stop you.”

Lookman is expected to be benched as the Atalanta Serie A table leaders face Cesena in the Coppa Italia Round of 16 today.