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EPL: Manchester United star ready to exit club in January transfer window

Manchester United player, Antonio Valencia is set to leave United during the transfer window in January after having a bust out with the club’s manager, Jose Mourinho, according to reports.

The United captain has not featured in a match since September after liking a social media post that called for Mourinho to be sacked.

Valencia publicly apologised immediately and then spoke to Mourinho directly, but still found himself out in the cold under his manager.

According to Daily Mail, West Ham and several Spanish clubs are ready to sign the Ecuadorian in January.

Valencia’s agents sat down with United this week to discuss his future, as the defender continues to wait for a new contract offer.

But it seems the 33-year-old has now accepted his relationship with Mourinho is beyond repair.

Despite his difficulties with Mourinho, Valencia is in line to play against Liverpool on Sunday after United were hit with a host of injury concerns.

Defenders, Diogo Dalot, Matteo Darmian and Luke Shaw are all battling injuries and Valencia is set to keep his place after playing against Valencia in the Champions League mid-week.

AFCON Qualifier: South Africa name 23 players for Eagles clash.

The Bafana Bafana Head Coach Stuart Baxter has announced a 23-man squad to face Nigeria in a crucial 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Nov. 17 at the F.N.B Stadium.

South Africa’s failure to beat Group E minnows Sychelles in their last fixture, meant that their passage to Cameroon would not be as straight forward as it may have been ahead of their meeting with the Super Eagles.

Selection headaches persist for Baxter who has had to contend with the absence of a number of key players due to injuries– the latest being England-based Kamohelo Mokotjo.
Other key players set to miss the fixture are Dean Furman, Bongani Zungu, Keagan Dolly, Sibusiso Vilakazi and Bradley Grobler, all out with long-term injuries.

“It has really been a tough task to select the team to face Nigeria without some of our regular players, but we have to soldier on.

“These injuries could not have come at the worst of times when we really need to collect all three points because we are well aware of the importance of doing this,” Baxter.
“The positive side, however, is that this gives us a chance to introduce other players into the squad, and these are players we have been monitoring, so it is not like a knee-jerk reaction.

“This helps us to ensure that when we qualify for the tournament, we have an even bigger pool of players to choose from.

“I am also confident that the players brought in will do a good job,’’ Baxter was quoted as saying on the team’s official Twitter handle.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Bafana Bafana and the Super Eagles clash at a time when the two arch-rivals have swapped positions at the top.

Nigeria leads Group E with nine points, just one ahead of South Africa which is yet to concede or lose a match in the qualifiers.

“I must admit this makes the upcoming clash all the more interesting.

“Remember we beat them 2-0 in the first leg in their backyard, so they will come here trying to avenge that, on the other hand we want to regain the top spot which we relinquished with the draw away to Seychelles.

“The good thing is that qualification is still in our hands,” added Baxter.

Stuart Baxter and his charge are expected to assemble for camp on Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018 in Johannesburg.

The next AFCON qualifier for Bafana Bafana will be away to Libya in March 2019.

Below is the full 23-man squad:

GOALKEEPERS: Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs FC, S.A), Ronwen Williams (Supersport United FC, S.A), Darren Keet (Bidvest Wits FC, S.A)

DEFENDERS: Ramahle Mphahlele (Kaizer Chiefs FC, S.A), Motjeka Madisha (Mamelodi Sundowns FC, S.A), Siyanda Xulu (Maritzburg United FC, S.A),Thulani Hlatshwayo (Bidvest Wits FC, S.A),Innocent Maela (Orlando Pirates FC, S.A), S’Fiso Hlanti (Bidvest Wits FC, S.A),Buhle Mkwanazi (Bidvest Wits FC, S.A),Thamsanqa Mkhize (Cape Town City FC, S.A)

MIDFIELDERS: Vincent PULE (Orlando Pirates FC, S.A), Lebogang Maboe (Mamelodi Sundowns FC, S.A),Hlompho Kekana  (Mamelodi Sundowns FC, S.A), Fortune Makaringa (Maritzburg United FC, S.A), Teboho Mokoena(Supersport United FC, S.A), Samuel Mabunda (Mamelodi Sundowns FC, S.A), Thembinkosi Lorch (Orlando Pirates FC, S.A), Thulani Serero (SBV Vitesse FC, Netherlands)

STRIKERS: Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns FC, S.A), Lebo Mothiba (Racing Club De Strasbourg FC, France), Dino Ndlovu (Zhejiang Greentown FC, China), Percy Tau (Royal Union Saint FC, Belgium). (NAN)

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BARCELONA UNDER FIRE

Barcelona’s first mixed-sex tour was overshadowed by controversy  on Thursday after it emerged that the men’s football team flew in business class to the United States while the women’s team was relegated to the back of the plane in economy, AFPreports.

The Spanish giants posted photos and videos of the two teams boarding the Portland-bound plane together but photos posted by the female players online showed they were flying in economy, sparking an outcry on social media after this was noticed by supporters of the women’s team.

“There was one photo of the team captains in business class before the men took their seats in business class and the women returned to their economy seats,” wrote one much discussed fan-run account which tweeted extensively about the topic, @BarcaWomen.

“If any of the women were in Business Class, then we certainly didn’t see them. If Barcelona are going to say that they are about Equality, then the actions must be there to back it up.”

But Alexia Putellas of the women’s team said the teams flew in separate sections of the plane because the female squad had been added to the tour at a late stage after the club had already chartered its flight and all the business seats had already been assigned to the men.

“The club made an effort to organise everything practically at the last minute… I wish we would always travel like this, in these conditions,” she told reporters in Portland after the team’s first training session.

Sports daily Marca reported that there were only 36 spaces at the front of the plane and each female player was booked three seats for comfort.

Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho returns to Liverpool

Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho returns to Liverpool to say farewell.

Philippe Coutinho was back at Liverpool for the first time since his move to Barcelona to bid farewell to his former teammates.
Having been given some time off by Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde, Coutinho took the opportunity to fly back to Merseyside and say a proper goodbye to his ex-club.
While some Liverpool supporters still have a sour taste in their mouth resulting from the manner of the Coutinho's departure, Adam Lallana was particularly pleased to see Brazilian once again.
"A class act this little genius," the midfielder wrote on Instagram.
More importantly, however, what on earth are going on with Lallana's jeans?
The player once fondly referred to as "Philly" by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp also posed for a friendly snap with one lucky fan -- oh, wait, that's Alberto Moreno!

How did the Alexis Sanchez-Henrikh Mkhitaryan swap deal come about?

It was one of the biggest transfer shocks in recent memory. Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez, for months linked with a move to Manchester City with his contract expiring in the summer, moved to Premier League rivals United in a swap deal with Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
City pulled out of the race as Jose Mourinho got his man, while even Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was happy, saying: "We lose a world-class player and we gain a world-class player."
How did the deal come about? ESPN FC's club correspondents share their insight into the transfer.

MANCHESTER UNITED: Mkhitaryan the key to beating City to Sanchez
Senior Manchester United sources were insisting as late as November that the prospect of doing any major business in January was slim. It was described as an "opportunistic" market, but the chance to bring Sanchez to Old Trafford was an opportunity that, in the end, they could not turn down.
Sources told ESPN FC that United were never really in the running for Sanchez in the summer, but when his £55 million move to Manchester City broke down on Aug. 31 they asked to be kept informed about the Chilean's situation. United's stance on transfers is that they are always interested in the best players in the world if they become available and for Mourinho and chief executive Ed Woodward, Sanchez fell into that category.
Even well into January, United believed Sanchez would sign for Pep Guardiola's side, though sources said they would look to take advantage of City believing they had all but tied up a deal.
Once Sanchez made it clear to Arsenal that he was determined to leave in January, combined with Wenger's insistence on having a replacement, United felt they had a chance.
Sources told ESPN FC that Wenger initially asked about the availability of Anthony Martial -- an enquiry that was swiftly knocked back by United -- yet United felt Mkhitaryan (33 days younger than Sanchez, with two years left on his contract, but out of favour at the time) was closer to Sanchez's value with only six months left on his contract. United were also aware that Wenger had tried to sign Mkhitaryan from Borussia Dortmund in 2016 before he eventually chose Old Trafford.
Sources said that once it was agreed Mkhitaryan would be part of the deal, Arsenal also wanted a further cash payment before being negotiated down by United to a straight swap.
Mkhitaryan himself, at first unsure about a move to the Emirates, did not officially agree to sign until Jan. 20, two days before the deal was announced. He had been told by United that they were confident of signing Sanchez even without his involvement and consequently he would find first-team opportunities even harder to come by. In the end, he was persuaded and United believe they got a "fair" deal -- improving their squad with Sanchez, while Mkhitaryan got a pay rise and a chance to play more often at Arsenal.
Defending Sanchez's high basic wage of around £350,000-a-week, sources said the club could pay him more as it was a free transfer. United also insist they have not broken the bank for the 29-year-old and he fits comfortably into the wage structure -- though reports suggest he beat Paul Pogba to become the top earner at the club and, indeed, the Premier League.
In essence, it was a worthwhile outlay to land one of the best players in the world and the club believe they got a fantastic deal. -- Rob Dawson.

ARSENAL: Sanchez's bad attitude and a readymade replacement made the difference

For Arsenal, getting a player in return for Sanchez was always the preferred outcome. Wenger had been adamant that the Chilean wouldn't be allowed to leave unless a replacement could be brought in, and the reported £92m deadline day deal for Thomas Lemar which collapsed in August showed how tricky (and expensive) that could be. The club knew that even if they got £30m for Sanchez -- about the best they could hope for with his contract running down -- they'd have to spend much more than that on another player of similar quality.
"We were in the position where the player had no value in three to four months, so that is of course important in our decision," Arsene Wenger said last week when asked by ESPN FC about the importance of getting a player instead of cash for Sanchez.
Sources said that in his talks with Manchester City this summer, Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis had raised the prospect of including Raheem Sterling in a possible deal. However, he was quickly told that wasn't an option and a swap was never seriously discussed with City ahead of the January window -- especially given the player's excellent recent form.
That's why United quickly jumped into pole position once Mkhitaryan was offered up as counterweight.
Arsenal had identified Bordeaux winger Malcom as their No. 1 target while a cash deal with City looked most likely, sources said. But that interest cooled as soon as United stepped in, with Mkhitaryan seen as a player in his prime who could contribute immediately, while Malcom is still a raw prospect and would cost more than they were getting for Sanchez.
Sanchez had made it very clear to the club in the summer that he wanted to leave, and he returned to the club in a foul mood after that deadline day move to City collapsed on the same day that Chile lost a crucial 2018 World Cup qualifier. Still, Wenger was holding out hope that the winger's unhappiness wouldn't show on the pitch and that his winning attitude would guarantee good performances.
Sources said that had Arsenal been in a title fight, the club would have been ready to keep hold of both Sanchez and Mesut Ozil until the summer even if it meant losing both for free. But a poor start to the season saw those hopes disappear and Sanchez's frustrations returned just as quickly.
Over the last couple of months, Sanchez's teammates had grown increasingly frustrated with him, sources said. His attitude around the training ground and poor performances during games created a rift with some players. During the 1-1 draw at Southampton, Jack Wilshere openly chastised the forward on the pitch, and it was reported by multiple outlets that several players continued their remonstrations in the dressing room after the final whistle.
While Wenger kept insisting everything was fine -- even after some players didn't celebrate with Sanchez after he scored at Crystal Palace in December -- the disharmony in the team added to the sense that the club were better off letting Sanchez go in January.

In the end they did and last week, midfielder Mohamed Elneny showed just how he felt about Sanchez's departure when he wrote on Twitter after the Carabao Cup win over Chelsea: "Now there are players fighting every minute for the logo and the fans." -- Mattias Karen.

MANCHESTER CITY: For once, money was an object; Sanchez was not a priority.

City's hierarchy including manager Guardiola, chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak, chief executive Ferran Soriano and director of football Txiki Begiristain held a meeting on the morning of Jan. 15, which is when they decided to end their pursuit of Sanchez, sources told ESPN FC.
They considered the package of transfer fee (around £35m), signing on fee, salary and agent's fee too expensive and believed it could even amount to more than the deal they had agreed with Arsenal in the final days of the summer transfer window before it collapsed.
Sanchez was never seen as a priority in the January transfer window but City decided to step up their interest when the player indicated he was desperate to leave the Emirates and was unwilling to wait until the summer.
A decision to walk away from the deal was helped by a good diagnosis on Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus, who had suffered a knee ligament injury over Christmas but is set to return in early February. And City decided to prioritise other positions with Vincent Kompany's persistent injury problems affecting his reliability, while there is also concern over the quality of Eliaquim Mangala.
With left-back Benjamin Mendy out with a cruciate knee ligament injury and Fabian Delph also suffering a setback, City instead opted to move for a left-footed central defender which is why they renewed their interest in Athletic Bilbao's Aymeric Laporte.
City were in the process of renewing contracts for senior players David Silva, Nicolas Otamendi, Fernandinho and Kevin De Bruyne, and Sanchez's wage demands would have seen him earn significantly more than those. Guardiola wanted to reward the players that had performed so well in the first half of the season and didn't want to risk disrupting the dressing room by bringing in a new player that could unbalance the squad.
De Bruyne did not seem overly disappointed after the move broke down saying: "He chose United. OK, there are a lot of good players. If they want to come, they want to come, and otherwise we will do it with our team."
The Belgium international's new five-and-a-half year contract was announced at exactly the same time as Sanchez and Mkhitaryan's swap deal, but City sources said that was purely coincidence.

Clearly, the club took the decision to focus on what it already had -- which isn't too bad by the way -- even if that meant a rival got to strengthen.

CONTE DISMISSES REPORTS OF CHELSEA PLAYER UNREST OVER TRAINING METHODS

The Premier League champions are not training as much this season due to the increased demands of playing in the Champions LeagueAntonio Conte has dismissed suggestions his Chelsea players are unhappy with his methods this season.

Chelsea head into Saturday's meeting with Watford on the back of two Premier League defeats in a row and a 3-3 Champions League draw with Roma on Wednesday.

PL TRIO TRACK FRENCH STARLET

France Under-17 international Lenny Pintor, who has been compared to Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele, has caught the eye of a trio of Premier League clubs, claims the Daily Mail .

Pintor has been in good form at the Under-17 World Cup in India, with the Brest winger’s performances piquing the interest of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City

OZIL TELLS TEAM-MATES HE'S MAN UTD BOUND

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil is so confident he'll be transferring to Manchester United, he's already begun telling his Gunners team-mates, according to The Mirror. 

After Arsene Wenger admitted last week that the Gunners could end up selling Ozil in January, the 29-year-old feels he is set to join Jose Mourinho, his former manager at Real Madrid, at Old Trafford in 2018.

Ozil's contract is set to expire at the end of the current season, so Arsenal could attempt to sell him in January to avoid losing him on a free. 

BARCA KEEN ON BILBAO DEFENDER

Barcelona have added Athletic Bilbao defender Unai Nunez to their list of centre-back targets, reports Sport .

Nunez has been in fine form in the early weeks of this season and the 20-year-old’s progress has prompted interest from Barca, who are exploring options to add a young, promising defender to their squad.

MADRID CLOSE ON BRAZILIAN TEENAGER

Real Madrid are closing in on a deal to sign Palmeiras’ teenage midfielder Alan, according to AS .

Alan has been impressing for Brazil at the Under-17 World Cup in India and has a release clause in his contract of €50 million.

However, Madrid are hoping to negotiate a lower fee to bring Alan to Spain in the summer of 2018 and pitch him into their Castilla side.

BARCELONA WATCH MARTIAL

Barcelona sporting director Robert Fernandez watched Anthony Martial during Manchester United’s Champions League victory over Benfica, reports Mundo Deportivo .

Fernandez travelled to Lisbon for the game and saw Martial produce a lively 15-minute cameo off the substitutes’ bench after the France forward replaced Marcus Rashford.

Speculation has recently claimed United would be willing to offer Martial in exchange for Barca midfielder Ivan Rakitic, while Arsenal are also reported to be admirers of the former Monaco youngster.

Why I am dumping Spain to play for Nigeria — Real Madrid star

Spain youth international defender Derik Osede Prieto has revealed that he is dumping the opportunity of playing for the Spanish senior team for his fatherland, Nigeria. Derik, who has played at all youth levels for Spain including two appearances for the Under-21 team, in an interview with BBC Sport stated that he is ready to represent Nigeria.
The 22-year-old centre-back, who is known simply as Derik, a regular for European giants Real Madrid’s B side, is eligible to play for the Super Eagles because his father is Nigerian.
And under Fifa rules he is free to switch because he has not yet played for a country’s senior national team. Despite possessing the talent to potentially make the step up to Spain’s senior side, Derik has issued what appears to be effectively a come-and-get-me plea to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). “I have lived in Spain all my life and I am not sure the people in Nigeria are aware that I have Nigerian blood,” Derik told BBC Sport. Continue reading the main story “But I crave for something special with Nigeria because it will give me a chance to properly connect with the ancestral home of my father. “My father is from Benin City [southern Nigeria] and even though I have never been there I always follow events in Nigeria. “I celebrated when the country won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013 and I was cheering the team at the last World Cup in Brazil.” “Playing for Spain was the foundation to where I am today and I can never take that for granted,” he said. “You can’t throw away your education or outgrow it, Spain gave me what I have now and my hard work got me to where I am. “But somehow I feel one half of my life has always been left untouched and I need to fix that.” Derik has rejected suggestions he could be using Nigeria as a bargaining chip in his push for a call-up from the Spanish U-23 or senior selectors. He insists: “Even if it’s difficult for some people to understand, I have made my decision [to represent Nigeria] and am going to stick to it. “My father has not influenced my decision in any way. I respect him and adore his outlook on life but it’s my personal desire to play for Nigeria. “When you look around Europe there are several Nigerian players playing at the top level and the future looks bright for the team. “With that in mind I want to be a part of that group. I do not need favours from anyone, I only need an opportunity. “I eat Nigeria’s wheat meal, listen to Nigerian music and play as Taribo West [former Nigeria central defender] on video games online. “If I get a chance with Nigeria, I believe my versatility as a player will make me stand out.” He also want to play for the senior team of Real Madrid “I would like to play in the Real Madrid first team someday, knowing if I did that maybe the chance would be there to play for Nigeria,” he explained. “But if I am not playing at the top level week in, week out, I wouldn’t expect to receive a call from anyone because that would be daydreaming. “The immediate plan now is to go out on loan elsewhere, because at this age I need stability and regular football to fulfil my dream. “Training alongside big players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Modric, Sergio Ramos and Pepe gives you a taste of what you can be as a footballer. “The hard truth is that there is no available shortcut to reaching that level and staying there. I need to work extremely hard wherever I go and play first team football regularly. “ 

Messi’s penalty kick lifts Argentina into qualifying berths

Abuja – Lionel Messi converted a penalty kick as Argentina laboured to a 1-0 win over Chile in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Thursday.

Argentina’s forward and captain Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring a goal during a Group F football match between Argentina and Iran at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil on June 21, 2014. AFP PHOTO / PEDRO UGARTE
The win put them back in the automatic qualifying spots for next year’s finals in Russia.

Messi beat Claudio Bravo from the spot in the 16th minute after Angel Di Maria had been pushed from behind in the first quarter of the match. But it was a poor, tense match on a terrible River Plate pitch. Argentina, a shadow of the team that finished World Cup runners-up in 2014, moved into third place in the 10-nation South American group on 22 points. They are eight behind leaders Brazil and one in arrears to second-placed Uruguay who had earlier lost 1-4 to Brazil. Colombia, who beat Bolivia 1-0 at home, are now in the fourth qualifying place with 21 points. They are one point ahead of Ecuador, who lost 1-2 away to Paraguay and sit in the playoff berth. “We suffered because we lost the ball but at least we won,” relieved Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza told reporters. Chile, missing suspended midfielder Arturo Vidal, were however worthy of at least a draw. They gave Argentina an early scare when they had the ball in net after a free kick from the left, only for Jose Fuenzalida to be ruled offside. Argentina took the lead when Brazilian referee Sandro Ricci ruled that Fuenzalida had pushed Di Maria as he chased a fine through ball from Javier Mascherano. Messi sent Bravo the wrong way and buried the ball in the back of the net to a roar from a wildly passionate 60,000 crowd at El Monumental. Stringing moves together was difficult for both teams on a patchy pitch and Argentina were relieved when the final whistle went after withstanding intense pressure from the Copa America holders. Chile who are now sixth in the group on goal difference. Argentina central defender Nicolas Otamendi should have scored from a Messi free kick before halftime but blasted a chance over the bar. Messi was mostly kept quiet by Chile but he had another chance to score from Marcos Rojo’s cross from the left only to see his effort go over the bar. Midway through the second half, Chile’s Alexis Sanchez hit the bar with a free kick. Goalkeeper Sergio Romero had to get down sharply to prevent a subsequent cross from reaching substitute Nicolas Castillo. On a disappointing night in front of goal for Chile, Sanchez lobbed a free kick from a similar position high over the bar. Castillo slipped through the defence to meet a cross but steered his shot wide of the near post.

Photos: Real Madrid’s new Emirates A380 double-decker plane

PICTURE

The new A380 plane was developed in partnership with aircraft giants Emirates.
The Real Madrid players turned up to Madrid’s Barajas Airport to unveil the impressive new jet just before Madrid's 2 - 1 La Liga win over Athletic Bilbao.Fly Emirates have sponsored Los Blancos since 2013, having their names on the club’s kit during their last two Champions League triumphs.
Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!The Dubai-based airline could also soon be part of a first La Liga title win in five years, as Real Madrid lead fierce rivals Barcelona by two points.
Karim Benzema and Casemiro scored the goals for Madrid who defeated Bilbao 2 - 1 on Saturday, March 18.
But Zinedine Zidane’s side face a tough Champions League quarter-final clash against Bayern Munich.

Real Madrid have gotten a new double-decker luxury aircraft with images of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo and Karim Benzema all pained on the body.