Sports
Balogun Sets To Join Everton From Monaco For £40m
Everton have agreed a £40m deal for Monaco forward Folarin Balogun.
The Toffees want to strengthen their forward line before Tuesday’s transfer deadline, with Balogun, 25, and Tottenham’s Richarlison among their targets.
Brazil forward Richarlison, 29, left Everton to join Spurs in 2022.
Everton have pressed ahead with their interest in United States striker Balogun, who left boyhood club Arsenal to join French side Monaco in 2023.
Balogun has scored 31 goals in 91 matches across all competitions for the Ligue 1 team, while he has 12 goals from 31 caps for the USA.
Tottenham had agreed with Everton on Friday evening for Senegal winger Iliman Ndiaye, 26, to join the London club, with Richarlison moving the other way in a separate transfer.
However, sources are indicating Richarlison failed to agree personal terms with former club Everton, who are understood to have made a £35m offer for him.
Manchester City have subsequently agreed a deal worth up to £65m for Ndiaye.
World Cup controversy….
Balogun was at the centre of a major controversy during this summer’s World Cup, after he was dismissed for serious foul play against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the last 32 match and should have received an automatic suspension.
However, Fifa’s disciplinary committee suspended his ban for a year – a decision that prompted widespread condemnation, particularly when it emerged US President Donald Trump and White House officials had lobbied football’s world governing body about the American’s sanction., external
Balogun, who scored three goals at the World Cup, was able to start the USA’s last-16 defeat by Belgium – a decision European football’s governing body Uefa called “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable”.
Barcelona forward, Lamine Yamal, has admitted that Victor Osimhen’s disallowed goal could have made their Champions League clash with Galatasaray more difficult.
Osimhen thought he had made it 2-0 to the Turkish champions in the first half.
However, his powerful header was chalked off following a VAR review.
Barca then fought back and overpowered Galatasaray, scoring four goals to take all three points.
But Yamal has claimed that if Yellow and Red had gone two goals up, their job would have been harder than it became.
“If Galatasaray’s second goal hadn’t been disallowed, our job in Istanbul would have been very tough,” Yamal said per Le Marca Sports.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored as Al-Nassr won an AFC Champions League match which was delayed by an hour because of a missile alert.
Ronaldo scored Al-Nassr’s second goal as the Saudi Pro League champions beat Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana 3-1 on Monday.
Kick-off was delayed after Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence issued a safety warning just 15 minutes before the scheduled start time in Riyadh, the capital city which has been the target of missiles fired from Yemen-based Houthis.
Following attacks on Riyadh’s airport, explosions were heard in the capital on Monday night. The Saudi-led military coalition said a ballistic missile had been intercepted and destroyed.
Future sporting events could be affected by the regional conflict, including Formula 1 races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Once Al-Nassr were able to get under way, Ange Postecoglou’s team went ahead through Angelo in the 33rd minute and Ronaldo doubled their lead before half-time.
Uzbekistan champions Neftchi pulled a goal back, but they were reduced to 10 men after 65 minutes and an own goal 13 minutes later sealed a first Group B victory for the hosts.
Nigeria international Frank Onyeka made a good account of himself as Coventry City defeated Newcastle United 4-1 in Monday night’s Premier League fixture.
Despite seeing just 12 minutes of action, Onyeka came in and impressed as Coventry made it back-to-back win in the English topflight this season.
It was Onyeka’s fifth appearance in the Premier League this season for newly promoted Coventry.
His Nigerian teammate Taiwo Awoniyi was not in action for Frank Lampard’s side due to suspension.
Early goals at the start of each half from Jack Rudoni and Sidiki Cherif put Coventry City in course for their first brilliant Premier League win at the CBS Arena.
Although the Magpies pulled one back 20 minutes from time, super subs Ellis Simms and Stephen Mfuni scored in the 81st and 86th minutes to secure a huge three points for the Sky Blues.
The win took Coventry up to 14th place on six points while Newcastle, on eight points, are in 11th in the league table.
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