Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah has welcomed his third child and first son, named Lail, Trabzonspor President Ertuğrul Doğan said after the Turkish club’s third-round league match against Amedspor.

Doğan said Salah and his Cameroonian teammate André Onana travelled outside Turkey following the match as their wives were due to give birth.

“After the Amed match, we travelled abroad with Onana and Salah. Onana welcomed twins, while Salah welcomed a baby boy. I congratulate their families and wives,” Doğan was quoted as telling Turkish media.

Salah’s sister, Rabab Salah, later revealed the baby’s name on Instagram, posting a photograph of a baby hat and congratulating her brother on the birth of Lail.

The child is Salah’s first son. The Egyptian star and his wife, Magi, already have two daughters, Makka and Kayan.

Doğan’s comments came after a photograph of Salah and Onana aboard a private jet circulated online, prompting questions among Trabzonspor supporters and local media about the reason for their trip.

The club president said both players had travelled for family reasons following the match.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed claims by Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso that President Bola Tinubu can be defeated in the 2027 presidential election, insisting that the ruling party remains confident of retaining power.

The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, said the APC would win the presidential, governorship and other elections in Kaduna State, rejecting claims of growing opposition to the party in the North.

Musa spoke on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, shortly after Obi and Kwankwaso told supporters in Port Harcourt that they were prepared to resist any attempt to manipulate the 2027 election.

Asked whether the APC could lose Kaduna, Musa said, “APC will win in Kaduna. That I know.”

Pressed on whether his prediction covered the governorship and presidential elections, he replied, “Definitely. Presidential, governorship, and all levels.”

Musa also rejected suggestions that northern voters were turning against the APC and defended Tinubu’s economic policies, saying the President had taken “very painful decisions” whose benefits would become clearer over time.

Earlier, Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, told supporters that voters would not allow their ballots to be subverted at polling units, insisting that attempts to manipulate the 2027 election would face resistance.

Kwankwaso, Obi’s running mate, warned against assuming that control of state governments guaranteed victory at the presidential level, citing the defeat of former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 despite being the incumbent.

The APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, also dismissed the opposition’s claims as “cheap talk” and “wishful thinking”, reminding Obi and Kwankwaso that Muhammadu Buhari won re-election as a sitting President in 2019.

“Presidential election is not won on empty rhetoric or wishful thinking. We are confident that Nigerians will re elect President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Basiru said.

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique still holds Barcola in high regard following his €125 million transfer to Liverpool.

He did not attempt to force the forward to stay after explaining that he could not meet one of the player’s key demands.

On Friday at 3:05 AM CEST, Paris will host Monaco. At his pre-match press conference, Enrique specifically addressed the winger’s departure and explained his reasons.

“He wanted a more important role in the team.”
“The transfer window is finally over,” said the Spanish coach. “The assessment I can give is that we have completed a very successful transfer operation, without doubt. The president and the sports department, particularly Luis Campos, have done an excellent job. I am very satisfied. I want to pay tribute to the players who left: Ramos, Lee, ‘Ibé’ (M’Baye), and Barcola. They were all very important in helping the team win trophies over the past two years. I wish them all the best. This was necessary because we needed to inject new vitality into the team in terms of mentality and ambition.”

He then addressed the French winger’s situation directly. Barcola currently has 28 national team appearances and 6 goals. “Barcola’s situation is somewhat different for me because he developed considerably at Paris after arriving from Lyon,” Enrique said. “His performances also helped the team improve significantly. He wanted to have a greater role in the team, but I couldn’t guarantee him that. In the end, I think this situation is good for everyone. I respect this decision and wish him all the best. We are happy to begin the new season with this squad.”

Enrique was reluctant to dwell on the departure of a player capable of getting in behind defenses and making a significant impact. He preferred to emphasize that all parties benefited from the deal while also praising the former Lyon player’s character.

“Ultimately, I think everyone is a winner,” he stressed. “He wanted to leave because he desired more playing time and a more prominent role. But I cannot guarantee any player that, because it must be earned through training and matches. He has always been important and a player very well-liked by his teammates. For everyone, this was not easy because Barcola is a great person. I only discussed positive things with him. Since he had two years remaining on his contract, he ultimately decided to leave. We accept that and wish him all the best. This is football, and it must be accepted. It is normal that some players who were very important to the team will leave in the future, but that’s life, that’s reality, and it must be accepted.”