Hull City manager explains why he hunted Super Eagles-eligible star

Hull City manager Sergej Jakirović has shed light on the club’s persistent two-month effort to sign midfielder Tim Iroegbunam.

Iroegbunam, who is eligible to represent Nigeria, made his debut for the newly promoted Tigers in their recent 2-2 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

The midfielder joined Hull from Everton just before the summer transfer window closed, having already featured for the Toffees against Bournemouth earlier in the season.

An injury sustained after his move to the MKM Stadium delayed his first appearance, but he finally took to the pitch as a 69th-minute substitute for Matt Crooks in the clash with Chelsea.

Following the match, Jakirović praised the former Aston Villa player’s qualities and confirmed the lengthy recruitment process.

“Tim is a very good player. We knew from day one. We chased him for two months,” Jakirović told Hull City’s media team.

“He will help the team a lot. He has experience in this league, and for me, this is very important.”

Iroegbunam first caught Hull City’s eye following an impressive 2025/26 season at Everton, during which he had 31 league appearances and provided three assists.

After introducing him off the bench on Saturday, his manager pointed to the player’s extensive Premier League experience as the driving force behind their extended pursuit.

Once subbed on, the midfielder played a crucial role on both ends of the pitch in Hull City’s offensive and defensive efforts against Chelsea.

Tim Iroegbunam grew up in England with his Wikipedia profile noting that he is of Igbo Nigerian descent.

Jamal Musiala has spoken of his relief after scoring on his return to the Bayern Munich starting lineup in a commanding 5-0 Champions League victory over Bodø/Glimt.

The German international was recently sidelined after revealing a neurological condition that caused absence seizures during the pre-season.

Musiala delivered a standout performance in his first start of the season, scoring a crucial goal that helped Bayern extend their remarkable winning streak in European openers to 23 matches.

The 23-year-old’s return follows a challenging period where he was diagnosed with a neurological issue after collapsing during pre-season games, requiring recovery and medication adjustments.

Reflecting on his comeback, a visibly pleased Musiala discussed his recovery and the joy of being back on the pitch.

“I am very happy that I scored and was back in the starting XI in the Champions League,” he said after the match, according to report.

“I am slowly finding my rhythm again. The team really supported me. The coach and my teammates were a huge help.”

Musiala’s health concerns came to light after he collapsed during pre-season friendlies against RB Leipzig and Heidenheim.

Despite the unsettling diagnosis, the club and manager Vincent Kompany have provided unwavering support.

Kompany praised the midfielder’s strength, “Everyone was happy for him—75,000 people in the stadium and the people in front of their TVs. We knew his moment would come. He scored a really important goal.”

“It’s great for Jamal,” Kompany added. “Hopefully, the focus now will only be on his performances. He knows how to deal with the other topic and will continue to get all support from us.”

Cameroon football legend Samuel Eto’o has been accused of mishandling more than $500,000 in funds linked to an international friendly between Russia and Cameroon.

According to an exclusive report by The Times, documents reviewed by the publication allegedly show that money paid by the Russian Football Union was transferred to a personal bank account belonging to Eto’o in Qatar.

The match in question took place in Moscow in October 2023, with the Russian Football Union paying a fee for the international friendly.

Leaked invoices and contracts reviewed by The Times reportedly show two separate transfers totalling $567,570, equivalent to around ₦752 million, being routed directly into Eto’o’s personal account rather than an official account belonging to the Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT).

The allegations have raised questions over how the funds were handled while Eto’o was serving as Fecafoot president.

Former Fecafoot executives who have since been sidelined from the organisation reportedly claim that the money cannot be accounted for in the federation’s financial records.

The former officials also claim that formal complaints concerning the alleged financial conduct were submitted to FIFA’s ethics committee more than a year ago.
However, they say they have received no substantial updates regarding the complaints, leaving questions over whether the matter has been investigated or resolved.

The allegations represent another challenge for Eto’o, one of Cameroon’s most celebrated footballers and a four-time African Footballer of the Year who became Fecafoot president in 2021.

Neither Eto’o nor representatives of Fecafoot have responded to requests for comment on the allegations, according to The Times.

For now, the claims remain allegations, with no finding of wrongdoing established in the information provided. The reported transfer of more than ₦700 million into Eto’o’s personal account, however, is likely to attract further scrutiny as questions continue over the federation’s finances.