Sports
Mikel Vows to Bring Osimhen to Chelsea
Former Super Eagles captain and Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel has vowed to ensure that Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen will join Chelsea, following a failed attempt to sign the forward during the summer transfer window, according to reports from Soccernet.ng.
On his podcast, *The Obi One Podcast,* Mikel shared behind-the-scenes insights into the negotiations between Chelsea and Napoli for Osimhen, revealing that Chelsea made multiple offers for the prolific forward before the deal ultimately collapsed.
Chelsea had been heavily linked with Osimhen over the summer, reportedly making around four contract offers in an attempt to lure him to Stamford Bridge. However, the deal fell through on deadline day as Chelsea was unable to match the salary package that Osimhen currently earns at Napoli.
Mikel expressed his determination to continue pushing for Osimhen’s transfer to Chelsea, stating:
“I want to make sure, I’m not going to rest until I get him to the club. This is not because he’s my friend, a Nigerian, or like my younger brother, no. But because he is one of the best strikers in the world right now and Africa’s best player. I know what he can bring to the club, and I’m sure a lot of Chelsea fans also know that.”
Meanwhile, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has also commented on the situation, hinting at the possibility of Osimhen making a move to Chelsea during the January transfer window.
Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola has expressed his surprise at Manchester United’s decision to sell midfielder Scott McTominay. The Scotland international was transferred to Napoli during the summer transfer window for a fee of £25.7 million and has made a strong impact in Serie A, scoring two goals and providing an assist in his last three matches.
“I’m very surprised,” Zola said on Wednesday (via Metro UK). “I could not believe that Manchester United released him, to be honest. I don’t really know what the reason is, but obviously for Napoli, it’s been a great deal. I think everybody loves him so far; he’s scored goals and performed very well. He left me a little bit dazzled, to be honest, I didn’t expect that.”
Zola also noted the significance of McTominay’s success for Italian football, stating, “It is a big thing for Italian football; he is doing very well.”
Gateway United has officially terminated the contract of their head coach, Samson Omiponle, as confirmed by the club’s management. The decision to part ways with Omiponle takes immediate effect.
The Abeokuta-based club is now actively searching for a new coach ahead of the upcoming 2024-25 Nigeria National League (NNL) season. Gateway United will compete in the Southern Conference Group A for the new campaign, which is set to kick off on Saturday, November 30.
PGMOL chief Howard Webb has stated that there have been only two errors made by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the current English Premier League season. VAR has faced significant scrutiny since its introduction in 2019, but Webb asserts that the technology is showing improvement and that mistakes are being minimized after a rocky start.
During an appearance on the Stick to Football Podcast, Webb addressed the management of expectations regarding VAR, noting, “I don’t think we managed expectations well in terms of VAR. We knew it was always going to be a situation where it was going to do well on those clear situations, the ones where you think, ‘That’s clearly wrong on first view.’”
He also highlighted the role of an independent panel comprising ex-players that reviews decisions weekly. According to this panel, only two VAR errors have occurred this season, a significant reduction from the ten errors reported at the same point last year. Webb’s comments suggest a positive trend in the application of VAR in the Premier League, aiming to enhance the accuracy and reliability of officiating.
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