News

Arsenal Muscle Manchester United As Gunners Potentially Seal Striker Transfer

Arsenal’s hopes of a deadline day deal could depend on Mathys Tel.

The Bayern Munich forward appears to be their last option to get a deal done before the window shuts. Bayern are open to allowing the French starlet to leave but would prefer a permanent deal or a loan with an obligation to buy.

Manchester United want a pure loan and remain interested if that becomes available. It appears to be Tel or bust at this stage for Arsenal unless a late offer comes in. But Arsenal are still talking with Mikel Arteta, always reluctant to invest time and money in a player to get nothing back at the end, so would like a loan to lead to something.

Arsenal have plans in the summer and Tel could affect that but also need a boost now despite their 5-1 win over Manchester City. They have looked at other options in this window but a move for a short-term centre forward has yet to come off.

Tel, 19, has already turned down Tottenham who agreed a £50million move and he is thought to favour a loan deal unless the right long-term option comes up. Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund issued an update regarding the France under-21 international on Saturday, with Tel having been left out of their squad to face Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga.

“We’re talking a lot with him,” Freund said. “A lot’s been going on with the young lad in the past few days. He’s only 19. We decided together with him yesterday that there’s a lot on his mind, so it makes no sense for him to be involved today.

“That was discussed very openly with him. But that doesn’t mean anything. There’s a lot going on right now. Lots of clubs are interested in Mathys. He just needs to think about things today and tomorrow.”

Fellow Bayern chief Max Eberl revealed that Tel had initially planned to fight for his place under Vincent Kompany, who handed him a rare start last week in the Champions League. “Mathys decided at the time [in December] that he wanted to stay, that he wanted to assert himself. Now Mathys comes along and says that he can imagine doing something,” Eberl explained.

News

Man City condemn racist, misogynistic abuse directed at Bunny Shaw

Manchester City has expressed outrage after striker Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw was subjected to racist and misogynistic abuse following their Women’s Super League loss to Arsenal on Sunday.

The club confirmed that the offensive content has been reported to the relevant authorities, with an investigation underway. In a show of dignity and strength, Shaw, 28, chose not to share the hateful messages publicly to avoid giving the perpetrators any attention.

In a statement, Manchester City emphasized their zero-tolerance stance on discrimination:

“Discrimination of any kind, either in stadiums or online, will not be tolerated and has absolutely no place inside or outside the game.”

They reiterated their full support for Shaw, describing the treatment she received as “disgusting.”

The Jamaican international recently marked her 100th appearance for Manchester City in Sunday’s 4-3 defeat to Arsenal. Shaw boasts an impressive record of 86 goals for the club and has been named their Player of the Year for two consecutive seasons.

This incident underscores the continued fight against discrimination in football, with clubs, players, and authorities remaining united in efforts to eradicate abuse from the sport.

News

Super Eagles set for crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe

“The little things stuck with me” – Super Eagles star credits his Father for Christmas charity act

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will face the Amavubi of Rwanda on Friday, March 21, in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying encounter. The match is scheduled to take place at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali.

Following this, Nigeria will host the Warriors of Zimbabwe five days later at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.

The official announcement of these fixtures was made via the Super Eagles’ X handle on Tuesday.

Nigeria’s World Cup qualification campaign has been underwhelming so far, with three draws and one defeat from four matches. The team currently sits fifth in Group C with three points, trailing joint leaders Benin Republic, South Africa, and Rwanda by four points.

These upcoming matches will be crucial for the three-time African champions as they seek to revive their chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

A victory in Kigali and a strong performance at home in Uyo could be pivotal to their hopes.

News

Brendan Rodgers reflects on Celtic’s “not ideal” January transfer window

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has acknowledged that the January transfer window did not go as planned but refrained from assigning blame, emphasizing the need for a club review.

The Scottish Premiership leaders secured the signing of Jeffrey Schlupp from Crystal Palace and brought winger Jota back from Rennes. However, their star forward Kyogo Furuhashi departed for Rennes, leaving a significant void in the squad.

Rodgers admitted the desire for another striker:

“We wanted another striker, so we’re not hiding behind anything. The supporters will see that a top striker, a legendary one, has gone out. I understand their concerns.”

Adam Idah has stepped up, scoring three goals in two games following Kyogo’s departure, while Johnny Kenny returned from a loan spell at Shamrock Rovers. Daizen Maeda, another forward option, is suspended for the first leg of Celtic’s Champions League play-off against Bayern Munich.

Despite the challenges, Rodgers stressed a forward-looking approach:

“I’m not going to become frustrated and kill my joy of working here by thinking what could have been. We work with the players here now. That is the focus.”

When asked whether it was a mistake to let Furuhashi go without a replacement, Rodgers explained:

“If a player does not want to be here, then we do the best deal and move on. Could we have done better? Yes, but that’s football. We now focus on what we have and finish off what’s been a great season so far.”

Celtic will need to rally behind their current squad as they prepare for the Champions League play-off against Bayern Munich next week.