Author: Timi-Zacchaeus Oluwaferanmi

Liverpool teenager Rio Ngumoha has signed his first professional deal with the Premier League champions, capping a remarkable 12 months in which he has emerged as one of English football’s most exciting young prospects. The 17-year-old forward, who only joined the Reds from Chelsea’s academy last year, has already made five senior appearances, scored a dramatic Premier League winner, and earned a Champions League debut. Now, he has committed his future to the Anfield club, though Liverpool have not disclosed the length of the contract. A meteoric rise Ngumoha announced himself in unforgettable style last month when he scored a…

Montenegrin club FK Arsenal Tivat have seen their suspension from European competition reduced from 10 years to seven after a successful appeal to UEFA. The original sanction, handed down in July following allegations of match-fixing, would have barred the club from continental football until 2035. The revised ruling now limits the punishment to the end of the 2031-32 season. The case stemmed from Arsenal Tivat’s involvement in the 2023-24 Europa Conference League qualifying round, where the club drew 1-1 away to Armenian side Alashkert before being dismantled 6-1 in the home leg. UEFA launched an investigation amid suspicions of irregularities…

Liverpool’s defensive ranks have taken a major hit after summer signing Giovanni Leoni suffered a suspected anterior cruciate ligament injury on his debut. The 18-year-old centre-back, recruited from Serie A side Parma for a fee of £26 million plus add-ons, limped off in the closing stages of Liverpool’s 2-1 Carabao Cup third-round victory over Southampton on Tuesday night. Leoni, who had impressed with 17 senior appearances in Italy’s top flight before his move to Merseyside, was making his first appearance under new head coach Arne Slot. But what should have been a night to remember quickly turned into a nightmare,…

Barcelona have been dealt a significant setback after confirming that midfielder Gavi will be sidelined for up to five months following knee surgery. The 21-year-old, who had only just returned to full fitness after a serious injury last season, underwent an operation to repair cartilage damage sustained in training. The Spain international had started Barcelona’s opening two matches of the 2025-26 campaign before suffering the setback in August. Initial fears were that he had suffered a recurrence of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear that ruled him out for 11 months between 2023 and 2024. While scans brought some relief…

Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa has admitted Unai Emery was right to question the attitude of his players after the head coach branded them “lazy” in the aftermath of Sunday’s disappointing 1-1 draw with Sunderland. The Spaniard was furious as his side failed to beat a Black Cats team that had been reduced to 10 men for an hour following Reinildo Mandava’s red card. Matty Cash’s opener appeared to have put Villa on course for their first league win of the campaign, only for Wilson Isidor to snatch a late equaliser. After the game, Emery did not hold back, publicly…

Tolu Arokodare has vowed to keep finding the back of the net after opening his goalscoring account for Wolverhampton Wanderers in their 2-0 Carabao Cup third-round victory over Everton at Molineux on Tuesday night. The 24-year-old Nigerian forward, who signed from Belgian side KRC Genk on transfer deadline day, scored Wolves’ second of the evening with just three minutes of normal time remaining. It was a strike that not only secured the win but also lifted the mood around Molineux as Arokodare looks to cement his place in Gary O’Neil’s squad. Coming on as a 68th-minute substitute for Jørgen Strand…

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has voiced frustration over the Premier League’s scheduling, claiming his side were unfairly disadvantaged in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage-time goal rescued a point for the Gunners, leaving City to lament what they say was an unbalanced fixture calendar. City had only 66 hours to recover from their 2-0 home victory over Napoli in the Champions League on Thursday, while Arsenal enjoyed a longer recovery period after a 2-0 win over Athletic Club in Bilbao on Tuesday. Silva believes the short turnaround left the City squad physically compromised.…

Christian Horner has formally departed Red Bull Racing, concluding a remarkable two-decade tenure as the team’s principal, following his controversial dismissal in July. While Red Bull’s official statement made no mention of financial details, sources have confirmed that Horner received a severance package worth 60 million euros (£52 million), making it one of the largest pay-offs in sports history. Horner, 51, had led Red Bull since the team’s inception in Formula 1 in 2005, guiding the squad to eight drivers’ championships and six constructors’ titles. Under his leadership, Red Bull became one of the sport’s dominant forces, challenging established automotive…

Manchester United midfielder Casemiro has thrown his support behind Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah to win this year’s Ballon d’Or award, describing the Egyptian as the most impactful and consistent player over the course of last season. Speaking in an interview with British GQ, the Brazilian midfielder admitted that the competition for football’s most prestigious individual prize is always fierce but believes Salah’s performances stand out among his peers. “It’s very difficult, but in my opinion, for me, Salah,” Casemiro said. “He is the best player with his impact on the game. He scores so much and assists so much.” Casemiro…

Arsenal’s early season optimism has been tempered by yet another injury concern, with summer signing Noni Madueke facing an anxious wait on the results of a knee scan. The winger, who joined from Chelsea for £48.5 million in July, was forced off during the Gunners’ 1-1 draw with Manchester City at the Emirates on Sunday, raising fears that Mikel Arteta’s attacking depth could once again be stretched thin. The 22-year-old pulled up midway through the first half, visibly uncomfortable, and was replaced at the interval by Bukayo Saka, who himself was only making his return from a month-long hamstring lay-off.…