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mendes

Manchester United Reportedly Make Offer for Paris Saint Germain Left-Back Nuno Mendes

Reports from France are alleging that Manchester United have made an offer for Portugual left-back Nuno Mendes. This is according to reliable football journalist Fabrice Hawkings, who is believed to know a bit more about the alleged offer. It is said that Mendes’ negotiations over a new deal with the French giants have not borne any fruit after his £34m a few years back. 🚨💣 BREAKING: Manchester United have made an offer for PSG left-back Nuno Mendes! The player wants to leave PSG. #MUFC [@FabriceHawkins] pic.twitter.com/UrMBFJW05x — mufcmpb (@mufcMPB) December 27, 2024 The player has a contract until the end of 2026, which means there are still about 18 months remaining in the deal. However, if Paris fails to lock him down to a new deal, they could end up losing him on a free in about a year, when he is eligible to speak to other clubs. Mendes was part of current United manager Ruben Amorim’s team, which won the Portuguese league at Sporting CP before being sold to PSG. It is believed that he would be open to working with Amorim again, especially in the biggest club in the world. With a few days to the January transfer window, Manchester United are expected to be active in the market as they look to strengthen their squad, especially in some key positions. Only time will tell if they will have the needed resources to activate such a move, as they are dealing with many issues surrounding their finances.  

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Trent

Liverpool Star Trent Alexander-Arnold Reportedly Agrees to Join Real Madrid

Reports from Spain indicate that Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to join European champions Real Madrid. According to TNT Sports, the English star will join the Spanish giants in the summer on a free transfer. This will go down as one of the biggest steals that Real have been able to make, just months after acquiring the services of Kylian Mbappe on a free from Paris Saint Germain. Trent Alexander-Arnold has agreed to join Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer, according to various reports in Spain 📰 pic.twitter.com/PLZ92dbWRE — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 28, 2024 Trent’s contract negotiations with Liverpool Trent has been discussing a new contract with his club, as his current one expires at the end of the current season. However, it seems that those discussions have not yielded any results, and he might be set to join fellow Englishman Jude Bellingham in Madrid. Trent is currently one of the top three Liverpool stars out of contract in the summer, with the Reds hoping to tie Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk to new deals. 🚨 Virgil Van Dijk is STAYING at Liverpool and a contract extension is IMMINENT. ✍️ @AnfieldWatch pic.twitter.com/SENp3GOGAt — Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) November 28, 2024 It seems the club has been unable to match Trent’s contract expectations, with claims he’s looking for a deal of around £350k per week. Despite being at the top of the table and the biggest contender for the title, Trent might have already seen greener pastures elsewhere and not held out for a huge payday in Merseyside. Liverpool has been trying to tie the three aforementioned stars to new deals but hasn’t been able to agree on any so far. The club hopes to keep its wage structure as low as possible.  

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Man United

Manchester United Have to Focus on Academy, Promising Talent and Not Overpriced Signings

After their 2-0 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers away from home, it was clear that Manchester United was missing not only quality but also the right mentality. Bruno Fernandes’s early second-half red card was a blatant show of losing it, as he had already been cautioned early in the first half. The players seemed to lose their minds and failed to control the game, leading to Wolves’ goal from a straight corner. Garnacho’s mistake that led to the second goal also clearly showed that the team needed players who were not only of great quality but also had the right mindset. However, United bought a significant number of players under recently sacked Erik ten Hag who had the quality, e.g. Rasmus Højlund, Antony, and Mason Mount, with incredible price tags. Despite their great qualities, they seem to lack the drive and mental strength to turn bad moments into good, which is what great players do. Rasmus has officially arrived 🔥#MUFC || #PL pic.twitter.com/0XYA4kfRo9 — Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 13, 2024 What Manchester United need going forward Looking into the future, United should not only focus on great talent but also amazing mental strength for players who can handle the United shirt. First on the list could be the young players in the academy who seem to be great prospects for the future; they include the likes of Chido Obi-Martin, Ethan Williams, Ethan Ennis, Harry Amass, Dan Gore, Jack Fletcher, Amir Ibragimov and others. This can be improved with young quality players in the Premier League and other top leagues who have shown to be great at football and also passionate about the game. Manchester Utd U18s Starting XI vs Coventry in the FAYC: Murdock; Kamason, Munro, Armer, Amass; Devaney (c), T. Fletcher; Scanlon, Fitzgerald, Biancheri; Chido-Obi. pic.twitter.com/i0HrOR0tPG — Academy Arena (@academyarenaUTD) December 18, 2024 The incomings should also be at a fair price and not highly overpriced like the Højlund and Antony deals, which are some that United must be regretting despite the potential.  

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Korir Urges Recognition of Kenya Athletics Achievements on The Global Stage

The Director of Youth Development at Athletics Kenya Barnaba Korir has called for recognition of Kenya athletes. Korir argued that Kenyans success has also been built by Athletics Kenya and uplifted the country. I think as Kenya sometimes we complain a lot, but we should know that it’s the work done by Athletics Kenya that has uplifted the country.  Korir said. Because we are used to winning, we take it for granted and forget that there is so much input from our athletes, coaches and athletics fraternity in general.  He added. Korir emphasized on the medals being one aspect of Kenya’s athletic success but the dedication and resilience of athletes, coupled with their role in elevating the nation are achievements that deserve recognition and pride. We should also appreciate that it’s not a matter of the medals only because when you look at the events, we also have an opportunity for our athletes to win prizes that help us earn foreign currency and if you sit down and calculate the figures it is amazing. We have not been looking at the financial side to understand and appreciate what our athlete and the coaches have done for this nation. He further said.

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Malkia Strikers Legend Janet Wanja Dies After Battling Cancer

Malkia Striker Janet Wanja has passed way. The former long serving national women’s team volleyball team was suffering from gallbladder cancer. The news was announced by her family who said that she died while receiving palliative care at her Nairobi home. Her brother Kevin Kimani who is a renowned footballer currently on loan at Mathare United was the one who announced the sad news on his social media platform on Thursday 26th December 2024 at night. The family of Janet Wanja would like to announce of her passing on after a brave battle with gallbladder cancer. Our sincere and deepest gratitude goes out to Kenya Pipeline Company for walking the journey with us from the beginning and tirelessly providing all she needed in terms of medical support.  Kimani stated. Special thank you, Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF), National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) and Football Kenya Federation (FKF). Further updates will be provided in due course. He added. Wanja was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago. It was after the volleyball player had returned from the Paris Olympics where she was serving as a trainer for the Malkia Strikers. Her family confirmed her illness earlier this month. Janet Wanja is an alumnus of Mukumu Girls High School. She began her international career during the Olympic games in Athens where she won five Africa Nations Championships. She also played for KCB in 2004 then moved to Kenya Pipeline where she played till 2019. Other information regarding the day of memorial, candle lighting and burial has not been mentioned yet.

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Pep

Manchester City’s Decline Clear as Arsenal Get Closer to Liverpool after Huge Win

Manchester City have now failed to win 11 games in 12, a run that has led them to drop down the table, away from the Champions League Places. Their loss against Aston Villa on Saturday, December 21, was another reason to worry about a team that looks away from their Champions title. Erling Hallad failed to score once again, and now the blame game has turned to him despite manager Pep Guardiola noting a few weeks back that he might not be good enough. Pep Guardiola while watching Aston Villa vs. Man City 😓 pic.twitter.com/nrS4aD2pTB — ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) December 21, 2024 One could sense that City weren’t up to it yesterday, and Rodgers’s second goal, a former City player, showed how far they’d fallen that no one saw them as favourites. Pep will continue to claim they need players back, and maybe the January market will give him a chance to buy a few integral players for his squad. Arsenal shining bright As for title challengers Arsenal, they did even one better to beat Palace 5-1 away from home, a team that nearly forced a comeback in their Carabao Cup fixture at the Emirates earlier in the week. ⏱️ Half-time: Crystal Palace 1-3 Arsenal Will the Gunners hold on to three points?#CRYARS — Premier League (@premierleague) December 21, 2024 Gabriel Jesus, who had scored a hatrick in that mid-week fixture, did even one better by scoring two early goals to put Arsenal in a cruising position as they easily sealed the 3 points. After a disappointing draw with Everton at home last weekend, this was a great show of strength to put Liverpool on their heels as they travel to Tottenham Hotspurs today, Sunday, December 22. Arsenal are now just 3 points behind Liverpool albeit two games in hand, and a point behind Chelsea who also play today away to Everton.    

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Usky

Oleksandr Usyk Defeats Tyson Fury in Heavyweight Title Rematch

In a highly anticipated rematch, Oleksandr Usyk successfully defended his unified heavyweight titles, defeating Tyson Fury in a thrilling encounter. The fight, which took place at a packed arena at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, culminated years of buildup between the two elite champions, each seeking to prove their dominance in the division. Usyk, the Ukrainian powerhouse, entered the ring as the WBA, WBO, and IBF heavyweight champion, while Fury, the WBC titleholder, sought to unify the division. The first fight had ended in a controversial split decision, leaving the world eager for a decisive conclusion, which they finally got in the end of December 2024. From the onset, Usyk’s skills were on full display as he consistently outboxed Fury, using his superior agility and ring IQ to avoid Fury’s power punches and land sharp counters. Usyk vs. Fury 2 was another CLASSIC! 🔥#Usyk2Fury | #RiyadhSeason | @Turki_alalshikh pic.twitter.com/kfWSLHGS4k — DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) December 22, 2024 Despite Fury’s considerable size and strength advantage, Usyk’s precision and movement were the defining factors of the bout. Usyk comes back to win the fight In the later rounds, Usyk’s stamina and discipline began to take its toll on Fury, who struggled to adjust to his opponent’s relentless pace. A few key moments, including a beautifully timed uppercut, sealed the victory for Usyk, who won by unanimous decision after 12 rounds. The Ukranian’s performance cemented his status as the premier heavyweight in the world, retaining his titles and making a compelling case for the sport’s next superstar. With this 116-112 victory in all cards, Usyk proved once again that speed and skill overcome brute force, solidifying his legacy in boxing history. USYK DEFEATS FURY BY UNANIMOUS DECISION!! #UsykFury2 #Boxingpic.twitter.com/rNfGVV40jY — Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 21, 2024 Fury complains of unfair decision During their post match interviews, Fury lamented about the loss, accusing the judges of giving Usyk an early Christmass gift. The Englishman felt he deserved to win and blamed the judges for not scoring him in the later rounds. Usyk chose to praise his staff for helping him win, appreciating them for the outstanding preparation that ultimately led to his victory.

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Ezekiel Otuoma EX-AFC Leopards Star, Dies at 31 From Prolonged Illness

Former AFC Leopards striker Ezekiel Otuoma has passed away. Otuoma was battling a prolonged illness with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). He succumbed to the illness on Friday 20th December 2024. The has left a huge gap on football fraternity and the family who are mourning. Ezekiel Otuoma was diagnosed with the disease in 2020, a condition that continued to deteriorate his health and also ended his football career since the disease led to Otuoma losing his ability to walk and speak. His wife, Rachel Otuoma has sent a condolence message to the husband on TikTok. To my husband, you left a hole in my heart that no one else can fill. The emptiness in my arms reminds me of the love we shared. Your love was a gift, and I will cherish it always. Though it was too soon, that’s really broke my heart, you left on my birthday, it will never be the same again.  She wrote. https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMkMdNLQG/ You never said I am leaving or even showed a sign, you never said goodbye. In life I love you dearly, in death I love you still in my heart. You hold a place that only you can fill. It broke my heart to lose you, but you didn’t go away, a part of me went with you. Till we meet again.  Otuoma before being diagnosed with the illness played for prominent Kenya teams such as AFC Leopards, Ulinzi starts and FC Talanta leaving a legacy for himself. Receiving tributes from football fraternity, fans and family, the date Ezekiel will be laid to rest has not yet been set. Former Muhoroni Youth FC, Ulinzi Stars FC, AFC Leopards, FC Talanta, Ushuru FC and Western Stima forward Ezekiel Otuoma has sadly passed away. Otuoma succumbed to motor neurone disease, which he had been battling for several years, leaving him confined to a wheelchair. Rest in… pic.twitter.com/7sLs1qh9I3 — Ole Teya (@TeyaKevin) December 21, 2024

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Arsenal

Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle make Carabao Cup Semi-Finals

Arsenal have qualified for the Semi-Finals of the League Cup, also known as the Carabao Cup, after their win against Crystal Palace at home. Despite a bad start that saw Palace take the lead in the early minutes, a few changes in the second half, including top player Martin Ødegaard, made the difference as his assist led to a Gabriel Jesus equaliser. Jesus was on fire on the night as he went on to score a hatrick, which secured Arsenal’s spot, that is despite a late scare from a former Gunner Eddie Nketiah, whose goal ended the game 3-2. Booking our semi-final spot 🎟️ Check out the highlights from tonight’s 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace 📺 pic.twitter.com/U2gc84DuwB — Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 19, 2024 Liverpool’s narrow win at Saints On the other hand, Liverpool were victorious against Southampton with a 1-2 score line away from home as they took the game to the Saints early in the first half. Two goals within 8 minutes from Nunez and Elliot saw the game end with a 1-2 scoreline, owing to a consolation early in the second half through Cameron Archer in what was a stunning goal. Despite the early second-half goal, the Saints couldn’t ignite a comeback as Liverpool held on to avoid going to penalties against a team that had just sacked their manager. FULL TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 1-2 LIVERPOOL LIVERPOOL THROUGH TO THE SEMI-FINALS OF THE LEAGUE CUP! #LFC pic.twitter.com/JTGuspcZJs — The Kop Council (@TheKopCouncil) December 18, 2024 Newcastle’s easy win at home to Brentford Newcastle were also winners on the night with an easy 3-1 defeat against Brentford. The Magpies started amazingly well with a goal in the first 10 minutes before Sandro Tonali doubled his tally for the day with another goal just before halftime. In the second half, Eddie Howe’s men added a third before Brentford got a consolation goal from Yoane Wissa. The three teams will wait to see who wins the Thursday night game between Tottenham Hotspurs and Manchester United to determine who they will face in the next round.  

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Sharon Chepchumba Signs Major Deal With Turkish Volleyball Club

Malkia Striker’s Sharon Chepchumba has signed a major deal in Turkey. Chepchumba signed a six-months contract with Turkish Division One Side Edremit Bld. Altinoluk volleyball club for the 2024/2025 season. The volleyball player has already linked up with her new club after three-month stint with Vietnam’s top-tier leagues side Hoa Chat Duc Giang Lao Cai. The 26-year-old eyes to get back to her form after a disappointing year where she a career threatening knee injury which she suffered late last year while playing for Greece’s PAOK. Chepchumba showcased what she can do when she powered Hoa Chat Duc Giang Lao Cai of Vietnam to a fantastic 3-2 victory with an outstanding 32-point contribution in her debut. She had rejoined KCB earlier this year making a comeback but suffered a setback which forced her to watch the 2024 Olympic Games from the Sidelines. She has always been known as one of the Malkia striker’s finest attackers. In her new role, Chepchumba will be tasked to help her new volleyball club to achieve a promotion to the top-tier league next season as stated before.

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