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”.
Sports
Eriksen Leaves Wolfsburg By Mutual Consent
Christian Eriksen has left Wolfsburg by mutual consent, just over three months after collapsing during Denmark’s friendly with Ukraine.
The former Manchester United midfielder’s contract with the German second-tier side had been scheduled to run until June 2027.
Eriksen, 34, had previously suffered a cardiac arrest during Denmark’s opening European Championship group match against Finland in Copenhagen in 2021.
“At the moment, it is important for me to be close to my family in Denmark. I’m pleased that we were able to find a solution together,” Eriksen said.
“My time in Wolfsburg was marked by many highs and lows. I know that the club is now in good hands as it aims to make its way back to the Bundesliga, and I am convinced that a successful future lies ahead.”
Eriksen, who has not played since June, joined Wolfsburg as a free agent a year ago after leaving Manchester United and made 34 appearances for the club.
The 151-cap international has previously played for Ajax, Tottenham, Inter Milan and Brentford.
In a statement, Wolfsburg’s managing director for sport, Dieter Hecking, said: “It was clear that the decision about his future had to be Christian’s.
“We wanted to give him that freedom in this particular situation and have now agreed to his request to terminate the contract.
“Despite his short time here, he has left a lasting impression on his team-mates, our staff and the fans.”
Sports
“Even For Free, I Won’t Accept NFF Presidency — Ben Iroha
Former Super Eagles defender Ben Iroha has categorically ruled himself out of becoming president of the Nigeria Football Federation, insisting that even if the position were offered to him without a contest, he would turn it down
Iroha’s position comes amid continuing discussions over reforms in Nigerian football and growing calls for former internationals to play more prominent roles in the administration of the game.
But the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations winner says the NFF presidency is one responsibility he does not want.
“I wouldn’t like to be. If they give it to me for free, I won’t take it. Honestly,” Iroha told PREMIUM TIMES when asked whether he would consider becoming NFF president.
The former left-back stressed that his decision should not be interpreted as an unwillingness to contribute to Nigerian football.
“I always love my country. I will serve my country and do everything I can, but if they give it to me for free, I won’t take it. There are a lot of things I cannot manage,” he explained.
Iroha brings considerable experience from both sides of the game. He represented Nigeria at the 1994 and 1998 World Cups, won the 1994 AFCON and later moved into coaching, including roles with Nigeria’s U-17 team and Nigerian clubs. He has since built a life in Dallas, Texas, where he is also involved in business.
His comments come at a significant moment for the NFF, with FIFA and CAF involved in consultations over the future structure of Nigerian football administration following the recent leadership upheaval.
Iroha believes Nigerian football needs to confront its problems, particularly after the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
But while he remains prepared to serve Nigerian football in other capacities, one job is firmly off his list: the NFF presidency.
Sports
AFCON 2027Q: 20 Players Storm Super Eagles Camp
The Super Eagles’ camp in Uyo is officially alive with 20 players landing safely ahead of their opening AFCON 2027 qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. Head coach Éric Chelle and his entire technical crew have also arrived at the team base to oversee their very first training session. While the majority of the squad is already on the ground, all eyes are on AC Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze and three other crucial pillars who are still expected to arrive.
Marquee stars including Ballon d’Or nominee Ademola Lookman, playmaker Alex Iwobi, and newly invited wonderkid George Ilenikhena are already on the ground.
Team captain Wilfred Ndidi, AC Milan winger Samuel Chukwueze, and goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Maduka Okoye are the only stars missing and are officially expected to arrive today
The three-time African champions are deep in physical preparations to host Madagascar’s Barea this Friday, September 25, 2026, before flying out to face Guinea-Bissau.
The intense anxiety surrounding the national team has finally shifted into full-blown preparation mode.
The Super Eagles camp has witnessed a massive influx of arrivals, with 20 international stars successfully checking into their hotel rooms before the team’s opening tactical sessions.
The early arrivals feature a strong mix of trusted veterans and highly anticipated new faces. Defensive rocks like Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Ola Aina, and Bright Osayi-Samuel are already settled, alongside midfield engines Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka, and Raphael Onyedika.
In-form attackers Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, and Akor Adams are also on the ground, ready to inject lethal firepower upfront.
Exciting new dual-nationality call-ups, including Charlton Athletic goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo and teenage sensation George Ilenikhena, have also checked in to begin their integration into the senior national setup.
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