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Praise for Victor Osimhem sees his Stock Rise

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“Napoli-Lazio 5-0” (CC BY 2.0) by Erik Cleves Kristensen

He’s already playing in one of the biggest leagues in world football but Nigerian international striker Victor Osimhem continues to be monitored by major clubs around the globe. After an electrifying start which saw him score eight goals in his first nine games of the new season, the Napoli forward could well be the subject of a major transfer enquiry in 2022.

His current club will naturally want to fight off any interest but that impressive record could lead to a big offer that Napoli may be unable to refuse.

Victor’s Progress

After two seasons with VFL Wolfsburg in Germany, Victor Osimhen had failed to score in 16 appearances and there was little sign of what was to come. A loan spell to Charleroi in the Belgian Pro League was far more fruitful with the young Nigerian scoring no fewer than 20 goals in 36 games across the 2018/19 season.

Despite that return, Osimhen was on the move once again as he signed a permanent deal with Lille in France for 2019/20. Once again, the striker impressed, scoring 18 goals in 38 matches in all competitions. That record marked clear progress in his career but it also alerted bigger clubs in Europe. Lille were unable to hold on to their prize asset and Victor Osimhen left to join Napoli in 2020.

While in Serie A, the Nigerian has scored 18 goals in his first 39 games. Considering the number of clubs that he’s played for in a short space of time, it’s no surprise that Osimhen is being linked with yet another move.

Napoli’s Needs

For now, Victor Osimhen remains a Napoli player and he’s vital for the club’s aims during the 2020/21 season. After the first eight games of the new campaign, the Naples club enjoyed a perfect record of eight straight wins and a Serie A title is the goal for Luciano Spalletti’s side.

Following that 100% start to the season, Napoli are the new favourites for that title with sportsbooks attached to putting Gli Azzurri ahead of Juventus, AC Milan and defending champions Inter Milan.

It will be tough for Napoli to maintain their form and those betting markets are subject to change. Each of those sportsbooks have the odds listed in their live section and sbo.net will report on any updates as the Serie A season progresses.

Readers of that site can also take in news and opinion related stories while there is also the opportunity to sign up with one of those sportsbooks if they wish. Each of the recommended panel is accepting new registrations and many of them have generous welcome packages available.

A choice of funding options and the possibility of streaming live football are among the other potential benefits. It’s a useful website to have on your side but will Napoli and Victor Osimhen be lifting that trophy at the end of the 2021/22 campaign?

Potentially Interested Clubs

A number of English Premier League clubs have previously been linked with a move for Osimhen. As recently as September 2021, Chelsea were mentioned in connection with a possible bid while there are claims that Arsenal have been interested in the past.

Newcastle United could also join in to make an English trio. The club have money and should be in the market for top level strikers very soon. Outside of the EPL, other top level European clubs should also be interested in a player of Victor Osimhen’s quality if he were to become available.

What next for Osimhen?

For the time being, Victor Osimhen needs to concentrate on the job in hand with current employers Napoli. After such a brilliant start to the new season, there is a genuine chance of landing some major silverware at the end of the campaign.

When 2021/22 comes to a conclusion, the striker can consider other options but he may well be best advised to stay where he is and to enjoy a stable period in his career.

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I Joined Saudi League To Win Titles – Senegal Keeper

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Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has said that criticism that he and other players chased money by moving to Saudi Arabia is wide of the mark.
The 33-year-old left Chelsea for Al-Ahli in a £16m ($21.4m) deal in 2023, and in May the Africa Cup of Nations winner helped his Saudi club win the Asian Champions League, making him one of the few players to win both that competition and its European equivalent.
But, like many others, Mendy has been criticised for playing for money rather than prestige in the lucrative Saudi Pro League.
When asked about such criticism, Mendy told a Tidesports source, “Al-Ahli’s project came along and they made me feel I had a big role to play.
“Two years later, we won the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history. So yes, that validates my choice. And I hope the coming years will validate it even more.”
He added: “Some people will quickly jump to conclusions and say the only reason is money. From the start, I always said that when I left Chelsea, I knew I was joining another team where I could win everything , which was no longer the case at Chelsea.”
The Blues have since won the Conference League, Europe’s third-tier club competition, under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
But it comes after the regime’s trophyless first two years, a period which has frustrated some supporters after the success enjoyed under Roman Abramovich’s stewardship in the previous 19 years.
Mendy has also been celebrating what he describes as a historical win with Senegal against England at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground, but days earlier he had been in Dakar delivering a different kind of win.
He is the sponsor of Yakaar, a school in Keur Massar, which seeks to improve funding and access to digital learning tools for local children from underprivileged backgrounds.
Famously, as Mendy grew up in France, he was unemployed, aged 22, while struggling to find a club, with members of his family still living on the outskirts of Dakar.
That is why Yakaar, a word meaning “hope”, was chosen, a word Mendy has carried with him in his career.
“Hope is what kept me going. When I was without a club, it was the hope of getting that first professional contract.
“Then the hope of playing for the national team. The hope of making my family proud by doing the job I had always dreamed of.
“Indeed, hope is the best word to describe my career.”
Mendy was also asked whether the responsibility of being an African goalkeeper had weighed heavily on him.
“Of course. When I was in England, there weren’t many African goalkeepers in top clubs,” he admitted.
“Whether nationally or internationally, I had that responsibility. It’s the same for other African goalkeepers like Andre Onana [Manchester United] or Yassine Bounou (Al-Hilal).”

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Spanish Football Fires Entire Refereeing Committee

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The entire refereeing committee has been fired by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), with structural reforms soon set to follow.
According to sources, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has dismissed the entire refereeing committee in response to mounting pressure from clubs demanding structural reform. A major shake-up aimed at modernising Spanish refereeing from top to bottom has now been set in motion.
Head of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), Luis Medina Cantalejo and Head of VAR, Carlos Clos Gomez, have been removed from their positions. They are joined by several senior officials, including Antonio Rubinos Perez and three vice presidents, who are also stepping down. A new leadership model will be introduced, led by a CEO and a sporting director, aiming to overhaul how refereeing is managed covering assessments, promotions, and daily operations. While the leadership changes are sweeping, the current pool of referees in La Liga and the second tier will remain, ensuring continuity on the field during the transition.

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Ronaldo Renews Stay With Saudi Pro League

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Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a new two-year contract with Al-Nassr that means he will stay with the Saudi Pro League club until beyond his 42nd birthday.
The Portugal captain, 40, joined the Riyadh-based team in December 2022 after leaving Manchester United in acrimonious circumstances, having criticised the club and said he had no respect for manager Erik ten Hag.
Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr deal had been due to expire at the end of June and there was speculation he could leave, but that has now been quashed.
In a post on X, Ronaldo wrote: “A new chapter begins. Same passion, same dream. Let’s make history together.”
Although Al-Nassr have not added to their nine domestic titles during Ronaldo’s time at the club, they have benefited from a flood of goals from the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Ronaldo scored 35 times in 41 matches across all competitions last term and was the league’s top scorer for a second consecutive season.
He has managed 99 goals in appearances overall for Al-Nassr and is well on his way to reaching 1,000 senior goals in his career, with a current tally of 938 for club and country.
Having helped Portugal win the Uefa Nations League a little over two weeks ago, the former Manchester United, Real Madrid, Sporting and Juventus forward will almost certainly now be targeting a sixth World Cup appearance next summer.
Only a month ago, Ronaldo posted on social media to say “the chapter is over”.
That came after the Saudi Pro League wrapped up with Al-Nassr finishing third and trophyless once again.
The comment fuelled rumours that Ronaldo was ready to leave the league where he reportedly became the best-paid player in football history with an annual salary of £177m when he joined.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino raised the prospect of Ronaldo joining a team involved in the Club World Cup after Al-Nassr failed to qualify for the extended tournament which is being held in the United States.
Ronaldo said he had received offers from participating teams but had turned them down.
The decision to stay until at least 2027, which is certain to be highly lucrative, appears to rule out any future prospect of Ronaldo returning to play at the highest level in Europe.

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