Sports

Liverpool’s Slot urges patience with ‘best striker’ Isak after record move

Published

9 months ago

September 12, 2025

Arne Slot on Friday described new signing Alexander Isak as “maybe the best striker in the world” but warned he would be eased into action gradually after a disrupted pre-season.

The Premier League champions signed the Sweden forward from Newcastle on transfer deadline day for a British-record fee of £125 million ($169 million), adding further firepower to their impressive squad.

Isak’s arrival after a protracted chase was part of an eye-catching splurge of more than £400 million in the summer transfer window, though a deadline-day move to sign Crystal Palace and England defender Marc Guehi collapsed.

“A lot of things happened on the last day (of the transfer window), which is not always the situation, because last season we hardly did anything during the whole window,” Slot said on Friday.

“But the thing that pleases me most, of course, is us getting the deal for Alex over the line.”

The Dutchman praised Sweden manager Jon Dahl Tomasson for the way he handled Isak’s workload during the international break.

The 25-year-old, who has not played any club football this season, was on the bench for Sweden’s 2-2 World Cup qualifying draw against Slovenia and was brought on as a late substitute in the 2-0 defeat against Kosovo.

“He gets one of the best, maybe the best striker in the world, and needs to play two very important games for his country, but understands that if he would play him twice for 90 minutes, then probably the player would have been injured,” Slot said.

“And that’s not always easy for a manager, that he takes care of the interest of a player, so he deserves a big compliment for that. And we will treat Alex the same as they did, so don’t expect him to be every single game 90 minutes on the pitch.

“That’s definitely not going to happen in the upcoming weeks. He missed a proper pre-season, I think he missed three or four months of team sessions, so now we have to build him up gradually, with us playing so many games, hardly any training time.”

– Isak criticism –

Slot, speaking ahead of Sunday’s match against Burnley, brushed off criticism that Isak received after he agitated to leave Newcastle, where he still had three more years to run on his contract.

“Sometimes people cheer for you, so I think after he won the League Cup (trophy last season), everyone was really happy with him,” he said.

“And in other moments you get criticised — this is part of his life, my life, our jobs. Now he’s a player for us and I’m really happy with that.”

Slot, whose team have won all three of their Premier League matches so far this season, admitted he had been keen to sign Guehi but would not be drawn about any future bid.

“I think it would be a bit ridiculous if I’m going to deny that we were close to signing him,” he said. “That’s so out in the open, that would be ridiculous.

“These things happen in football, it happened to our players maybe in the past as well, that they thought they were so close on signing somewhere else, and then in the last moment things changed.”

Slot, who is eyeing a record 21st English league title with Liverpool, said he had options in defence.

“It’s a pity, not only for us but also for the player, I think,” he said. “But he’s in a good place playing at Palace, where he won the Community Shield and the FA Cup, with a very good manager as well. So let’s see what the future brings for him and for us.”

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Sports

Somalian referee who was elected best in Africa denied entry to US for World Cup Duties

Published

10 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

World Cup referee Omar Artan has been denied entry to the United States, just three days before the tournament is set to begin. The Somali official was poised to become the first-ever referee from his country to take charge of a match at a Fifa World Cup.

Artan, 34, was named the best African referee for 2025 by the Confederation of African Football and has previously officiated at the Africa Cup of Nations. He reportedly encountered difficulties securing a visa but benefited from support from the Somali embassy in Nairobi, which enabled him to obtain a diplomatic passport.

He travelled from Kenya through Turkey to Miami, after FIFA confirmed last week that his visa situation had been “fully resolved” and that he would be available to officiate at the tournament. Denied entry to the US, he has now returned to Istanbul.

The Somali is one of eight referees from CAF selected by FIFA to officiate at the World Cup. There are also eight from the AFC, nine from Concacaf, one from the OFC, 12 from Conmebol, and 15 from Uefa. Those from Uefa countries include Poland’s Szymon Marciniak, who refereed the 2022 World Cup final, as well as England’s Anthony Taylor and Michael Oliver. In total, 170 referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees will take charge of the record 104 matches across the three host nations.

It currently remains unclear what will happen if Artan is not permitted entry in time for the tournament. The Somali FA and FIFA have been contacted for comment.

The US travel ban has already caused issues for some players expected to feature in the World Cup. Despite not qualifying for the tournament, Somalia features on the travel ban list. Switzerland striker Breel Embolo was initially barred from flying to the country due to travel issues related to a 2018 court ruling; he was convicted in 2023 of making multiple threats and handed a suspended fine. Those issues have since been resolved, and he has arrived in San Diego.

Iran have been forced to change their plans for the tournament and will now be based in Mexico. The squad will only be allowed into the US on matchdays and must leave on the same day.

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Sports

Galatasaray ask Osimhen to lure Lookman

Published

14 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Galatasaray have enlisted the help of Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen in their pursuit of fellow Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman, asking the striker to use his influence to convince his international teammate to make the move to Istanbul this summer, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

According to Turkish football outlet Fotomac, the Turkish champions are understood to be seriously interested in signing Lookman from Atlético Madrid, where the 28-year-old has been one of the club’s most impressive performers since joining from Atalanta in a deal worth €35m in the January transfer window. Lookman contributed five goals and four assists in 24 appearances for Diego Simeone’s side, helping them reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League and the final of the Copa del Rey with crucial goals against Barcelona in both competitions.

Galatasaray’s decision to approach Osimhen as an informal mediator reflects the scale of the challenge they face in pulling off the transfer.

Atlético Madrid, who have already lost Antoine Griezmann and are navigating exit talks involving Julian Álvarez and Alexander Sørloth, would be deeply reluctant to sanction another high-profile departure.

Lookman’s versatility and productivity make him precisely the type of player Simeone is unlikely to release without significant resistance.

The financial obstacle is equally daunting.

Lookman’s salary in Spain is understood to be considerably higher than what Galatasaray currently pay most of their players outside of Osimhen’s exceptional €21m-per-year arrangement, and closing that gap would require a creative financial structure.

Osimhen’s relationship with Galatasaray is no secret. The 27-year-old has spoken warmly of the club and its supporters since arriving on loan in 2024/25 before his €75m permanent move was completed last summer.

Lookman has previously been linked with Inter Milan, Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray at various points in his career. Whether Galatasaray can structure an offer compelling enough to turn Atlético Madrid’s head, with or without Osimhen’s persuasion, remains the central question of what appears a complex and difficult deal.

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Sports

Leao set to miss Eagles friendly after red card

Published

2 days ago

June 8, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Portugal winger Rafael Leão is expected to miss his country’s final World Cup build-up game against Nigeria on Wednesday after being sent off in Saturday’s friendly against Chile, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Leão was dismissed shortly before half-time for punching Chile defender Ivan Román in the face.

Despite being reduced to 10 men, Portugal secured a 2-1 victory courtesy of second-half goals from Gonçalo Guedes and Bruno Fernandes before Román halved the deficit in stoppage time.

The AC Milan forward was handed a starting berth after missing several of the club’s recent matches through suspension and selection decisions by coach Max Allegri.

As a result of his latest dismissal, Leão is expected to miss Wednesday’s friendly against Nigeria if handed the standard one-match suspension.

His suspension could however extend into their group games at the World Cup, potentially missing the games against DR Congo and Uzbekistan.

The clash against Nigeria at the at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria will be Portugal’s third tune up game before departing for the World Cup having won 2-0 against co-hosts USA and Chile as well.

For Nigeria, it will mark the end of a rebuilding window under coach Eric Chelle.

Last Wednesday, the Super Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw by Poland in Warsaw.

Before then, they had beaten Zimbabwe and Jamaica enroute to retaining the Unity Cup title in London.

The last time both countries met before the 2022 World Cup, Portugal beat Nigeria 4-0.

Like it was four years ago, the Super Eagles have missed out on another edition of the tournament, marking their first time they will be missing consecutive tournaments since their first appearance in 1994.

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