Man United Scoop Dutch Sensation Depay
Manchester United have started their summer recruitment with
the £25m signing of Dutch winger Memphis Depay from PSV Eindhoven. Depay
has just enjoyed the best season of his career, winning the Dutch title with
Phillip Cocu’s side and attracting more attention from big foreign clubs for
his signature that any Dutch side could feasibly resist. Liverpool and Paris
Saint-Germain were both interested in Depay but he has decided instead to team
up with Louis van Gaal, the man who took him to last year’s World Cup in
Brazil. The signing of Depay marks the start of a crucial summer for Van Gaal,
who is keen to build on the foundations of a solid, if mixed, first season in
charge at Old Trafford. There will certainly be upgrades in other positions
before the transfer window closes – it does not even open for another three
weeks. United are confident of signing Nathaniel Clyne from Southampton, ahead
of Chelsea, and Clyne’s future is likely to be settled next week. United also
believe they can prise Mats Hummels away from Borussia Dortmund, after a
tumultuous season at the German club. For now, there is Depay, one of the most
gifted young wingers in Europe. He is quick, direct, enjoys beating players and
cutting in to unleash a powerful right foot. He has impressed ever since he
emerged at PSV and was given his debut by Cocu at the age of 18 early in 2012.
Depay performed sufficiently well at PSV that he was part of Van Gaal’s
talented young squad at last year’s World Cup. Depay revealed he almost joined
PSG, until a telephonic conversation with
van Gaal convinced him otherwise. “I was really close to a transfer to
Paris Saint-Germain, I know Manchester United were always interested but not
concrete. In the last moment, they called my manager and of course I spoke with
the trainer Louis van Gaal,” said Depay. “It was a difficult situation, let me
say that, but after I spoke with Louis van Gaal I said to myself ‘I want to go
to Manchester’. I’m really proud and I believe that I can be a big player for
Manchester and give the people there everything I have.”The Dutch star played
his final home match for already-crowned Eredivisie champions PSV on Sunday,
scoring a superb free-kick from range – something which he hopes to continue at
Old Trafford, if given the chance. “I train every day on free-kicks. The
Manchester United fans can expect something from me in that area. If I get the
chance to take free-kicks then I will shoot.”
Tottenham Hotspur striker Emmanuel
Adebayor has revealed how his family has been abusing his generosity since he
became a top footballer. The Togolese forward, who has often been
painted as a controversial figure since rising to prominence with Arsenal in
the Premier League, has taken to Facebook to explain how complicated personal
issues have affected his career. The 31-year-old has become one of the
wealthiest African footballers in Europe since moving to Manchester City and
Spurs, and the 2008 African Footballer of the Year now reveals how it has all
come at a great cost. A post from his verified Facebook account warns other
African families to learn from what has happened to him. Adebayor reveals:
“A couple years ago, I bought a house in East Lagon (Ghana) for $1.2
million. I found it normal to let my older sister, Yabo Adebayor stay in that
house. I also allowed my half brother (Daniel) to stay in the same house. A few
months later, I was on vacation and decided to go to that house. At my
surprise, I saw many cars in the driveway. In fact, my sister decided to rent
out the house without me knowing. She also kicked Daniel out of that house.
Note that the house had about 15 rooms. When I called her and asked for
explanation, she took about 30 minutes to abuse and insult me over the phone. I
called my mother to explain the situation and she did the same as my sister.
This same sister says I am ungrateful. Ask her about the car she is driving or
anything she is selling today? My brother Kola Adebayor, has now been in
Germany for 25 years. He travelled back home about 4 times, at my expense. I
fully cover the cost of his children’s education. When I was in Monaco, he came
to me and asked for money to start a business. Only God knows how much I gave
him. Where is that business today? When our brother Peter passed away, I sent
Kola a great amount of money so he could fly back home. He never showed up at
the burial. And today that same brother (Kola) is telling people that I am
involved in Peter’s death. How? He is the same brother who went and told
inaccurate stories about our family to ‘The Sun’ in order to take some money.
They also sent a letter to my club when I was in Madrid so I could get fired.
When I was in Monaco I thought it would be good to have a family of
footballers. So I made sure my brother Rotimi gets into a football academy in
France. Within a few months; out of 27 players, he stole 21 phones. I would not
say any anything about my brother Peter Adebayor because he is not here today.
May his soul rest in peace.”
Nigerian billionaire
Aliko Dangote says he is still keen on buying Premier League club Arsenal,
despite his offer being rejected five years ago. The 58-year-old, who is
the richest man in Africa, had made an offer to buy the Gunners in 2010 but was
denied, yet insists he will take over the club in future. “I still hope,
one day at the right price, that I’ll buy the team,” Dangote told
Bloomberg Business. “I might buy it, not at a ridiculous price but a price
that the owners won’t want to resist. I know my strategy.” The wealthy
business, who made his fortune in various ventures including cement
manufacturing, sugar supply and oil investments, has not revealed exactly when
he aims to make another offer. “We have $16bn-worth [€14bn] of investments in
the next few years,” he said. “Right now I want to take my own business to a
certain level. Once I finish on that trajectory, then maybe an offer will
follow.” It is reported that Dangote’s current worth of approximately €13.5 billion
is more than that of current Arsenal majority shareholders Stan Kroenke and
Uzbek Billionaire Alisher Usmanov, yet the duo are not keen on selling anytime
soon.
Chelsea star Cesc
Fabregas has heaped praise on Blues boss Jose Mourinho, saying he is a cut
above any other manager he has worked with. “He just loves winning,”
Fabregas said. “I’m not just saying other managers I have played under don’t,
but he has some edge that goes above anyone else I have ever been with. The
mentality shows every single training session, or game. I now understand why he
has won what he has won in his career.” The 28-year-old went on to describe the
Portuguese coach’s style as “a touch of magic”, lauding his man-management
capabilities. “Yes, Mourinho has a touch of magic, 100 percent,” he said.
“He knows how to manage a team, he knows how to get the best out of you, and
that’s what you want from a manager, 100 percent.”
The Spanish La Liga title race, where Barcelona currently
lead Real Madrid by four points, is set to be suspended from 16 May over issues
with the government and TV rights. A statement from the Spanish
Football Federation was released, stressing their displeasure at only receiving
4.55% of pools revenue, though the statement said that the federation are still
open for negotiation. All Spanish domestic games are set to be suspended from
16 May, which also includes the Copa del Rey final, where Barcelona are set to
face Athletic Bilbao on 30 May. In the same statement made by the federation,
they say that this act comes after three months of talks, and the government
failing to resolve the dispute – as well as it being said that more than
600,000 players and 30,000 matches will be affected by the suspension. On 17
May, Barcelona were scheduled to face Atletico Madrid away, as they looked to
secure another important three points, and Real Madrid were set to face
Espanyol away, however, with the suspension in line, those fixtures will be put
on hold. The Catalan club lead Los Blancos by two points at the top of La Liga,
with just three more games to go.
Orlando City
midfielder Ricardo Kaka says he is excited for Steven Gerrard to join him in
America, but has warned the Englishman of the league’s competitive nature. The
former AC Milan and Real Madrid star, who has scored four goals in 13
appearances since joining MLS side Orlando City this year, says he was always
fond of watching the current Liverpool captain, and looks forward to coming up
against him when he joins club opponents LA Galaxy in July. “I have good
memories of Gerrard. He was one of the players I loved to watch. I like the way
that he plays and the way that he moves on the field. I’m so happy he’s coming
to play here. It’s going to help the league a lot.” However, the 2007 Ballon d’Or
winner says the Reds stalwart must not thing he will be coming to the USA to
relax. I’m not sure I’m in a position to give him some advice for the league,
but it’s very competitive, so he will need to be ready to be competitive with
his new team,” he said. Kaka feels that being a big-name star in the MLS is a
big motivation, rather than feeling under constant pressure. It’s a great
experience to play in America in this league with this team and this project. I’m
so happy here. Being the superstar of the league is not a pressure, it’s a big
motivation.”
Rotimi Adebayor, the
brother of Tottenham Hotspur striker Emmanuel Adebayor, has begged for
forgiveness after accusations made by the Togolese international against his
family. Adebayor took to Facebook last week to reveal how his family has
been abusing his generosity during his career as a professional footballer,
while picking out younger brother Rotimi for his actions after securing his
stay in a French football academy. “So I made sure my brother Rotimi gets into
a football academy in France. Within a few months; out of 27 players, he stole
21 phones,” Adebayor wrote. The 2008 African Footballer of the Year on Sunday
posted another message from his Facebook account which is solely aimed at his
younger brother, accusing him of stealing amongst other things, a necklace and
football shirts. “In 2002, I went to play the AFCON in Mali and I had the huge
privilege to swap my shirt with Marc-Vivien Foe. May his soul rest in peace.
When I got back to Togo, I put that shirt in a secure place. My brother found a
way to steal that shirt and sold it.” Adebayor’s brother has since responded,
begging the former Arsenal and Manchester City frontman for forgiveness.
“I’m so sorry for everything that I’ve done wrong… I want to beg,
forgive me,” Rotimi Adebayor told the BBC. “I want him [Emmanuel] to try
and be with us again. To sit like a family, do things together. I pray to God
that moment is coming soon. People are laughing at us, but they will see us and
they will cry… God’s time is the best, I wish my brother good luck.”
Adebayor has promised to post another message regarding the actions of his
father, Kola Adebayor. “The part 3 is coming out soon and it will be about the
man that calls himself the father of the family, Kola Adebayor A.K.A Lion of
Judah,” he concluded.
Manchester City talisman Yaya Toure is set to leave the
English club at the end of the season. The Ivory Coast skipper has
not been at his brilliant best in the Premier League this season following a
stellar display last year, scoring eight goals and assisting just one in 26
matches as the Citizens relinquished their League title to London rivals
Chelsea. Signs of unrest and intense media speculation of possible move away
from the club have been growing in recent months, and Toure’s agent Dimitri
Seluk has now admitted his client could very well leave the Etihad this season.
“It’s 90% certain he’ll leave Manchester City this summer,” Seluk told Sky
Sports News. “Nothing has been decided – we are waiting until the end of the
season.” The 2015 Afcon winner still has two years left on his contract,
having joined in 2010 from Barcelona as he helped the English club win two
Premier League titles and the FA Cup. Former Manchester City boss Robert Mancini
has publicly announced his intention to bring the Ivorian to Inter Milan, while
Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked.
Barcelona forward
Neymar says he will be forever grateful for a recent gesture shown by
strike-partner Lionel Messi, lauding the Argentine’s generosity. In their
7-0 humbling of Cordoba last weekend, Barca were awarded a late spot-kick, yet
designated penalty-taker Messi, who was on a hat-trick and was looking to catch
up to rival Cristiano Ronaldo for the La Liga Golden Boot, allowed his
Brazilian teammate to take the kick, having been unlucky in front of goal
throughout the match. “That gesture from Messi, the penalty, I will never
forget,” Neymar said. “He could have scored a hat trick, but he let
me score. He is the best in the world, and I really appreciate it. Every day I
learn from Messi and from my teammates. I learn from gestures like this.” Neymar
also netted the Blaugrana’s third, assisted by Messi, in their 3-0 Champions
League victory over Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Liverpool’s attacking woes will continue into next season
after star striker Daniel Sturridge was ruled out until at least September. The
England international has made just seven starts in an injury-plagued Premier
League season, and went under the knife yet again last Tuesday, this time
undergoing hip surgery in America. Reds boss Brendan Rodgers confirmed that the
forward will now commence his rehabilitation programme, and will only be
expected back on the pitch in four months’ time. “We anticipate Daniel
will be back hopefully to train around about September time,” the Liverpool
coach told reporters. It’s a period of time out, but we’re hopeful the problems
and issues he’s had have been resolved with the operation. Now he can recover
and hopefully get back as quick as he possibly can. We’re anticipating it’s
going to be around September before he can actually start training and then it’s
about getting his fitness up.” After a stellar 2013/14 campaign in which
he scored 22 goals in 29 matches, last season’s runners-up have dearly missed
the 25-year-old in attack, with just three goals scored amongst fellow strikers
Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert as midfielder Raheem Sterling was moved
upfront, having scored seven league goals thus far.
Paris Saint-Germain
striker Edinson Cavani has vented his frustration over the position in which he
is deployed at the Ligue 1 giants, and hinted he could leave. The
Uruguayan, who joined from Serie A side Napoli two years ago, has always played
second-fiddle to star frontman Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and has thus played the
majority of games from the wing. The 28-year-old admits he is frustrated by
being denied a central role in attack, where he feels he would be more
effective. “When I arrived at PSG, I was forced to play on the wing,” he
told GQ. “People don’t understand how much that has influenced my performances.
I would score a lot more if I was played as a striker. I want to play as a
striker. I would without a doubt do much better in my own position.” The
forward however still has an impressive goal tally in France, netting 50 goals
in 91 appearances, yet even with two years left on his contract, Cavani is
unsure whether or not he will see out his contract at the Parc des Princes. “I
don’t know whether I will stay at PSG. I might stay, I might leave… You never
know what will happen in football,” he said. Manchester United and Italian
giants Juventus are believed to be interested in the forward.
Christian Benteke and Nigel Pearson
have been named the Premier League’s player and manager of the month
respectively for April.Aston Villa
striker Benteke was recognised for scoring five goals in four league matches in
the relevant period, helping to ease his side’s relegation fears. Benteke, who
has attracted attention from Chelsea with 11 goals in his last nine outings,
netted against Manchester United and Tottenham to go with a hat-trick at QPR’s
expense. Pearson, meanwhile, steered Leicester City to four straight victories
prior to a loss to Jose Mourinho’s Blues. The Foxes are now three points above
the drop zone having previously looked destined to go down.
Former Mamelodi
Sundowns striker Nyasha Mushekwi’s marriage is hanging in the balance. This,
allegedly because of the punani and dick selfies he exchanged with floozies and
the threesome he wanted with them, while allegedly forsaking his sick child.
The startling tidbits were revealed by the footballer’s wife Luminatisa Dumba
Chenai Mushekwi in an interview with Sunday World. She was reacting to the
allegations that the footie left her because he suspected she was unfaithful.
“People must stop blabbering their mouths on things they don’t know anything
about,” she said in anger. “If they said I cheated on my husband, I’d
like them to say with whom, where and what time. Why are they not talking about
the pictures of his dick he sent to women or those of vaginas in his phone, or
the threesome he wanted to have with those sluts? People are talking
rubbish.” Luminatisa also alleged the Zimbabwean-born player forsook his
sick flesh and blood. “He removed the child from the medical aid. The
medical bills are piling up because the child is sick with a chronic disease.
He is not playing his role as a father anymore. I have a two-year-old infant
admitted to hospital as we speak. He needs my undivided attention to nurse him
back to health,” she said. “People with no lives are busy creating
disgusting lies about me when my child and I are going through this difficult
and painful time. Where is their sense of humanity?” Luminatisa revealed
she filed for divorce at the South Gauteng High Court. “If he was eager to
leave me for cheating on him, he would have signed those papers,” she
said. “But he didn’t.” She refused to comment on whether
reconciliation was on the cards.