Sports
Chukwueze on Fulham radar
Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze could be on his way to Premier League outfit Fulham, as the Cottagers are reported to be interested in a move for the AC Milan wideman.
The 26-year-old Nigerian international, who is currently with the Rossoneri on their pre-season training programme, is rumoured to be on his way out of the San Siro outfit, following his inconsistencies since arriving from La Liga side Villarreal in a €20m move in 2023.
He had a mixed 2024/25 campaign, where he made 26 appearances, of which just nine were starts in the Italian Serie A, which amounted to a total of 918 minutes, and he contributed just three goals and two assists.
Chukwueze recently made a cameo role for Milan as they defeated Premier League champions Liverpool 4-2 in a pre-season fixture, which went down at the Kai Tak stadium in Hong Kong, as Max Allegri’s men continued preparations for the 2025/26 football campaign. He featured for 27 minutes after coming off the bench for Portugal forward Rafael Leao in the 63rd minute, although he did not make any goal contribution for the Rossoneri.
Milan, who are currently operating under tight financial conditions, especially having missed out on UEFA Champions League football for next term, are keen to offload fringe players in a bid to afford new arrivals in what is a major squad overhaul. According to Italian media outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport via Milan Press, the duo of Ismaël Bennacer and Yacine Adli are at the top of the list of those who will be leaving Lombardy, while Fulham are keeping an eye on Chukwueze.
“At the top of the list are Ismaël Bennacer and Yacine Adli. Both are expected to leave without question, especially given their absence from the Asian tour: the former has yet to agree to a move to Saudi Arabia, while the latter is training with Milan Futuro as he waits for a solid offer (Sassuolo is especially interested). As for Samuel Chukwueze, Fulham is keeping an eye on him,” the publication wrote.
This will be the second time that Fulham will signify interest in Chukwueze, after having first made a move during the January winter transfer window. Although nothing came forth, Marco Silva’s side could be said to be determined to make it work this time around.
Chukwueze, who still has three years left on his existing deal at the San Siro, has made 14 goal contributions in 69 appearances across all competitions for the Rossoneri.
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Morocco said the manner of their switch of nationality is faulty, citing some irregularities in their claims to be Nigerians.
A petition against Nigeria has been filed by Morocco.
Morocco filed the petition before CAF as it questions the eligibility of two players who played for the women’s team of Nigeria in the final of the WAFCON, which Nigeria won 3-2 on Saturday.
It was gathered that before the game, there was a protest lodged by Morocco on the eligibility of two of the Nigerian players in Ashleigh Plumptre and Michelle Alozie.
Both players were born outside Nigeria but made the decision to play for Nigeria at senior level.
In their protest, Morocco said the manner of their switch of nationality is faulty citing some irregularities in their claims to be Nigerians.
They expressly want Nigeria to lose the title by virtue of fielding both players in the tournament.
Plumptre was granted approval by FIFA to play for Nigeria in 2021 after it was established that her paternal grandfather is a Nigerian. Alozie’s case is more straightforward as she was born in the USA to immigrant parents from Nigeria.
Nigeria are however not losing sleep over the protest with a top member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) terming it as dead on arrival.
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Nigerian striker Umar Sadiq is in discussions with Deportivo Alavés over a potential summer move, even as his former club Almería have also renewed their interest in bringing him back ahead of the new season.
According to Onda Vasca, the 27-year-old is currently in contact with Alavés as the Basque club look to bolster their attacking options following the departure of Joaquín Panichelli to Strasbourg for €16.5m.
With only Asier Villalibre and Toni Martínez available to coach Eduardo Coudet, the club’s technical director Sergio Fernández has made signing a new striker a priority.
“Sadiq is in conversations with the Vitoria-Gasteiz side,” journalist Samu Valcárcel said on La Movida Deportiva Gipuzkoa, affirming Alavés’ intent to pursue the Nigerian, despite Real Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay recently suggesting the player could still remain at the San Sebastián-based club.
Sadiq, who joined Real Sociedad in 2022 from Almería for €20m, has struggled to settle following a long injury layoff after an anterior cruciate ligament tear in September of that year.
A six-month loan spell at Valencia earlier this year helped him regain form, as he scored six goals to help the club avoid relegation.
While Alavés continue negotiations, they are also considering other targets, including Lucas Boyé, while Mariano Díaz remains in pre-season contention but is not being considered a formal signing, Onda Vasca reported.
Meanwhile, Almería have re-entered the race for Sadiq, who played a starring role in their promotion to La Liga in 2022.
According to Super Deporte, the Andalusian club see him as the ideal striker to spearhead their bid for a return to the top flight after relegation.
The club have recently banked €22m from the sale of Luis Suárez to Sporting CP and are looking to reinvest that fee in proven talent.
The report notes that “Almería longs for one of the main architects of their promotion in 2022” and now join Alavés on the list of suitors, with Valencia also monitoring developments.
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Bayern Munich, on Wednesday, completed the signing of forward, Luis Diaz, from Premier League champions, Liverpool, for a reported fee that could rise to 75 million euros ($86.5 million).
The Colombian winger, who won the Premier League, FA Cup and two League Cups during his time at Anfield, has signed a contract with the Bundesliga champions until 2029.
The fee paid for Diaz is the third-highest in Bayern’s history.
“In Luis Diaz, we have succeeded in bringing in one of the best left-wingers in the Premier League,” said Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen.
“He brings real player character from Liverpool to FC Bayern — he’s won silverware with every one of his clubs to date.”
Diaz, 28, said he was “very happy” with the move to the German club.
“It means a lot to me to be part of FC Bayern,” he said. “They’re one of the biggest clubs in the world. I want to help my new team with my way of playing football and my character.
“My goal is to win every possible title, and that’s what we’ll work for every day as a team.”
Writing on social media, Diaz said he would “treasure forever” his time at Liverpool and was “leaving proud of everything we achieved together.”
Diaz made 50 appearances and scored 17 goals and laid on eight assists in all competitions last season as Arne Slot’s team clinched the English title for the 20th time.
The Colombian, who joined from Porto in January 2022, scored 13 of those 17 goals in the Premier League, finishing as Liverpool’s second-leading goalscorer behind Mohamed Salah.
Diaz was left out of Liverpool’s 4-2 friendly defeat against AC Milan in Hong Kong on Saturday as speculation mounted over his future.
Diaz’s signing gives Bayern a quality replacement for Germany forward Jamal Musiala, who has been ruled out for a “long period” after he suffered a broken leg and dislocated ankle at the recent Club World Cup.
Having made his international debut in 2018, Diaz has scored 18 goals in 64 appearances for Colombia.
Bayern needed strengthening in the forward line after veteran Thomas Mueller left the club and Leroy Sane moved to Galatasaray.
Diaz’s transfer fee trails in club history only the 95 million euros Bayern paid for England icon Harry Kane in 2023 and the 80 million for French international Lucas Hernandez in 2019.
Diaz will train with his new teammates and coach Vincent Kompany for the first time in Munich on Wednesday.
The winger could take the field when Bayern face French side Lyon in a friendly in Munich on Saturday.
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