Abuja (AFP) – Nigeria have been forced to make four late changes to their final Africa Cup of Nations squad with Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and Watford winger Emmanuel Dennis missing the tournament. Defender Shehu Abdullahi and Leon Balogun are the other two players who will sit out the biennial African football showpiece being hosted […]

London (AFP) – Scottish Premiership club Celtic on Friday announced the signing of Japanese trio Yosuke Ideguchi, Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate, with manager Ange Postecoglou saying they would "excite" the fans. International midfielder Ideguchi, 25, will arrive on a long-term deal from Gamba Osaka and the versatile Hatate, 24, joins from Kawasaki Frontale Forward […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo says he suffered facial injuries when he was assaulted by a gang of burglars who "tried to hurt" his family. The Portugal international posted a picture on Instagram on Thursday evening, which showed a cut above his right eye. The 27-year-old full-back did not say where the […]

Calangute (India) (AFP) – A statue of Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has caused a stir in the southern Indian state of Goa, with locals accusing officials of insensitivity for honouring a sports star from the region's former colonial power. Protesters with black flags gathered at the site after the statue was unveiled this week in […]

Milan (AFP) – Dusan Vlahovic will attract interest from across Europe in the January transfer window after an incredible 2021 for the Serbia striker in which he has netted 33 times in Serie A. He currently leads the league's 'Capocannoniere' charts with 16 goals after scoring 21 times last season and has thrived under Vincenzo […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea looked set for a titanic three-way Premier League title tussle just over two weeks ago but it is now beginning to look like a one-horse race. The three clubs were separated by just two points before matches kicked off on December 14. Fast forward to the end […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Premier League trio Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Riyad Mahrez will be star attractions in Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations, which promises to be "exceptional" according to the top football official in the continent. The 36-match group phase kicks off on January 9 at the newly built Olembe Stadium in […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United cruised to a morale-boosting 3-1 win against Burnley on the eve of Alex Ferguson's 80th birthday on Thursday to strengthen their push for a Premier League top-four finish. Scott McTominay put United in front early and a Ben Mee own goal doubled their lead before Cristiano Ronaldo finished […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United cruised to a morale-boosting 3-1 win against Burnley on the eve of Alex Ferguson's 80th birthday on Thursday to strengthen their push for a Premier League top-four finish. Scott McTominay put United in front early and a Ben Mee own goal doubled their lead before Cristiano Ronaldo finished […]

Monaco (AFP) – French Ligue 1 side Monaco have sacked coach Niko Kovac, a source close to the club told AFP on Thursday. Former Bayern Munich boss Kovac took over the under-performing French side from Robert Moreno in July 2020 on a three-year contract with the option of a further season. Kovac, 50, was told […]

Monaco (AFP) – French Ligue 1 side Monaco have sacked coach Niko Kovac, a source close to the club told AFP on Thursday. Former Bayern Munich boss Kovac took over the under-performing French side from Robert Moreno in July 2020 on a three-year contract with the option of a further year. The Principality side finished […]

London (AFP) – Leicester City's injury problems intensified when striker Jamie Vardy was ruled out Thursday for three to four weeks with a hamstring problem. The 35-year-old former England international suffered the setback during Leicester's shock win at home to Premier League title contenders Liverpool on Tuesday. And with Patson Daka also sidelined and out […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte expects Hugo Lloris to remain at the London club. The France goalkeeper is out of contract at the end of the season and the Spurs captain will be allowed to talk to foreign clubs about a free transfer from Saturday. The 35-year-old arrived in north London from […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City's Phil Foden has insisted there is no danger of the reigning champions becoming complacent in their pursuit of another Premier League title. Wednesday's 1-0 win away to Brentford, secured by Foden's 16th-minute goal, left City eight points clear at the top of the table, with Pep Guardiola's men recording their […]

Beijing (AFP) – Footballers playing in China's national team should remove any existing tattoos and are "strictly prohibited" from getting any new ones, the country's sports administration body has said. The sport has found itself in the crosshairs of the Communist Party's purity drive in recent years, and players on the national football team routinely […]