Sports
Partey’s Buzz Boosts Arsenal Ahead Man City Game
Mikel Arteta has spoken glowingly about the buzz new signing Thomas Partey has created, as the Ghana international arrived on transfer deadline day from Atletico Madrid for $58.8 million.
“Today (Wednesday), he will have his first training session. He will need to go quickly. He wants to play. We will see [on Saturday]. You see players adapting really quickly and others taking a long time,” Arteta said. “I’ve seen the buzz around the place. The fans are really happy, I’ve seen some really positive reactions. The same with the team and staff. We have rated him for a long time.”
On Kieran Tierney, Arteta revealed that the Scotsman could be available to play but more clarification is needed over the rules after he was forced to miss Scotland’s game due to possible exposure to COVID-19.
Tierney’s Scotland teammate Stuart Armstrong tested positive for COVID-19 and although Tierney tested negative, the health authorities in Scotland required him to self-isolate as the Arsenal left back, plus Celtic’s Ryan Christie and two members of the medical staff, were said to be in close contact with Armstrong.
“This is getting very complicated when we send players abroad and lose control. Some authorities have different regulations to the ones in the Premier League,” Arteta said. “We are still having some discussions and hopefully we will have more news.”
This game against Manchester City is a great chance for Arteta to show just how much progress he is making with Arsenal. They beat Man City 2-1 in the FA Cup semifinal over the summer on their way to winning the competition.
With Partey arriving to shore up central midfield, plus Gabriel looking solid at center back and Willian adding experience to their attack, the summer additions that Arteta has made look the part. Signing Bukayo Saka andPierre-Emerick Aubameyang to new contracts and extending Dani Ceballos’ loan deal helped too.
Remo Stars were relegated on Sunday after a 1-1 draw against Bendel Insurance F.C. in Benin City.
The Sky Blue Stars initially looked on course for survival when experienced striker Victor Mbaoma gave them the lead on the stroke of half-time, but the situation changed dramatically deep into stoppage time when Chijioke Akuneto equalised for Bendel Insurance to secure a 1-1 draw.
The delayed fixture between Kun Khalifat F.C. and Wikki Tourists F.C. later confirmed Remo’s fate, with the newcomers winning 3-1 to preserve their top-flight status and condemn Remo Stars to life in the second division.
In the wake of a season that saw them garner just 47 points from 38 games, only one year after winning the league title, the Sky Blue Stars described the outcome as heartbreaking.
“We understand the disappointment and frustration this season has brought. We did not deliver the performances or consistency required to maintain our place in the division. We take full responsibility for that failure.’’
“To our fans who filled the stands, supported the team online and stood by us even during our darkest moments, thank you. Your loyalty means everything, and we recognise that we owe you much more than what this season produced.
“Our focus now turns towards rebuilding with purpose and determination. Important decisions will be made, and every effort will be directed towards returning this club to where it belongs.”
They became the first defending NPFL champions to suffer relegation since Bayelsa United in the 2009/10 season.
They also became only the fourth reigning league champions to drop into the second tier during a title defence campaign after Stationery Stores in 1993 and Shooting Stars in 1999.
Ethiopian star Lemi Teshome and Kenyan runner Fridah Ndinda are among the top international elite athletes expected to arrive in Lagos on Wednesday en route to Auchi for the 11th edition of the World Athletics Gold Label Okpekpe International 10km Road Race, scheduled for Saturday in Okpekpe, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.
Teshome, who is just 19 years old, is currently ranked among the fastest men over the 10km distance this year following the blistering 27:17 he ran last month in Lille, France.
He will be aiming to end Kenya’s dominance in the men’s race since 2022, when his compatriot Yasin Haji last won the event.
In the women’s category, Ndinda will be seeking to succeed her compatriot Gladys Kwamboka, who claimed victory in 2024.
Other elite athletes expected in Lagos include Kenyans Victor Kimosop, Julius Kibowen Kipkwony and Mazon Kipngetich, who has already broken the 28-minute barrier this year.
Uganda’s Enoch Chebet, Tanzania’s Jumanne Ngoya and Benjamin Ratsim, as well as Eritrea’s Felicien Muhitira, who clocked 2:06:54 in the marathon in 2024, are also among the international competitors expected for the race.
For the women, Kenya’s Sharon Chepkemoi and Ethiopia’s Wubrist Aschal are among the elite athletes expected to compete.
On the Nigerian front, men’s defending champion James Musa will be seeking to retain the title he won in 2024 but will face stiff competition from 2023 winner Ismael Sadjo.
In the women’s category, Patience Daylop Mwavwang is aiming for a hat-trick of victories after winning in 2023 and 2024. She will, however, have to contend with multiple champion Deborah Pam Badung, who is seeking a return to the top of the podium for the first time since 2019.
The Okpekpe International 10km Road Race remains a trailblazer in West Africa, being the first road race in the region to be granted World Athletics Label status and the first in Nigeria to have its course measured by a World Athletics-certified course measurer.
Kenya’s Daniel Simiu Ebenyo holds the men’s course record at 28:28, while Kazakhstan’s Caroline Chepkoech Kipkirui holds the women’s record at 32:38.
Rangers clinched the 2025/26 NPFL crown with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ikorodu City in Lagos on Sunday, completing another successful campaign that underlined their dominance in Nigerian football history.
Chioke said the moment was deeply emotional, describing Rangers’ latest triumph as evidence of the progress made since Afrinvest’s partnership with the club began in 2023.
“Excited is an understatement. I am elated. It has been an incredible journey, and coming out of the stadium this evening to see our team carry the cup for the second time in three years has been nothing less than fascinating and amazing,” Chioke told our correspondent.
He added that Afrinvest remained committed to its relationship with the club and would continue to support its long-term growth.
“We are very proud of what the boys have achieved, and we are super excited that this partnership will continue and take them to even greater heights,” Chioke said.
Beyond club success, he urged the NPFL to adopt stronger standards of administration and fairness across the league to attract more corporate sponsors.
Chioke noted that while Nigerian football had improved in recent years, significant gaps remained in organisation, infrastructure and matchday experience.
“Over the course of watching the game religiously and following Nigerian football closely for the past three seasons, from when we started the partnership in 2023 to the end of this 2025/26 season, I can see that Nigerian football has improved, but there is still a whole lot more that we can do,” he said.
He highlighted stadium access, team management and prize money distribution as areas needing urgent reform, while stressing the importance of fairness and equity in the domestic game.
“There is much more we can do in team management, organising football stadiums and making it easier for fans to come in and enjoy the games,” he said.
“There is also much more we can do in developing the teams. Even the way prize money is shared can be improved. But, most importantly, there has to be equity and fairness in football.”
Chioke also referenced officiating standards in the title-deciding match, suggesting that consistency and balance were crucial to building trust in the league.
“You could see in the final game that our boys played their hearts out, but you could also see that the referee was not totally balanced. We need to bring our standards closer to international football,” he said.
“It is that ability to bring transparency and discipline that will allow more corporate sponsorship to come into Nigerian football.”
He further called on major Nigerian companies to increase investment in football, noting that Afrinvest is relatively small compared to large corporations capable of supporting multiple clubs across the NPFL.
“We have over 20 teams in the NPFL going into next season. The Dangotes of this world, the banks, the cement companies and many others should really be sponsoring football in Nigeria,” he said.
He urged the NPFL to prioritise transparency and discipline to strengthen the league’s commercial appeal.
“I will be excited for Afrinvest to be given the opportunity to partner with the league at that level and hopefully elevate the game even further within Nigeria,” he said.
Rangers CEO Amobi Ezeaku also praised Afrinvest’s role in the club’s success, describing the company as central to its strategic transformation.
“You cannot speak about Rangers and what we have achieved without acknowledging Afrinvest’s impact,” Ezeaku told Tidesports.
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