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Mancini Rules Out Tavez Loan Deal

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Carlos Tevez captained Manchester City to FA Cup success last season but has rarely played since then.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has ruled out the possibility of Carlos Tevez departing on loan, hours after AC Milan announced plans to discuss a possible move for the Argentina striker.

Milan want an initial loan deal with a view to a post-season transfer, but Mancini warned the Italian champions ahead of Thursday’s planned meeting that the 27-year-old will only leave the English Premier League leaders if a permanent deal can be agreed.

“I hope we can find a good solution for us and Carlos,” Mancini, who guided Milan’s archrivals Inter to three successive Serie A titles, told reporters on Tuesday. “We want Carlos to come back and play football, and the best solution for us is to sell him.

“Milan know we can’t put him on loan but if they want to buy Carlos, for us it is OK.”

Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani said a deal is unlikely to be wrapped up before the seven-time European champions leave for a mid-season training camp in Dubai on December 29.

“Thursday we have a meeting with Manchester City about Tevez, but will probably not be the decisive one to conclude the negotiations,” Galliani told Milan’s official website.

“It will be almost impossible to take him to Dubai with the rest of the team. With Manchester City we have a long way to go, at the moment.”

Mancini said City could not continue allowing to let highly-paid players go out on loan, which has happened with strikers such as Emmanuel Adebayor, Roque Santa Cruz and, until he joined Liverpool on a free transfer in August, Craig Bellamy.

“When Manchester City buy a player, they have to pay a lot of money. But when we want to sell them, they have to go on loan. It is not good for the club and it is not correct for the other players,” he said.

“Manchester City paid Carlos a lot of money three years ago. It is correct that if one club, it could be Milan, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, they pay Carlos for his value. This is correct.”

Silva strike leaves Manchester City clear at the top

Tevez was fined by City for refusing to warm up when he was an unused substitute in a European Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich in September.

The former Manchester United forward has been consistently linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium after handing in a transfer request in December 2010.

Tevez looked to be heading back to former club Corinthians, where he spent two years between 2004 and 2006, but the Brazilian club pulled out of the deal in July.

The Buenos Aires native has not played for City since September’s domestic cup victory over second division Birmingham City and has made just three league appearances for the team he captained last season.

Meanwhile, former France striker David Trezeguet is on the verge of sealing a switch to Argentine team River Plate.

River’s official website confirmed the 34-year-old has passed a medical and will officially join the Buenos Aires club on January 4.

The former Juventus and Monaco forward has been playing for Baniyas in the United Arab Emirates since leaving Spanish club Hercules in August.

Trezeguet has enjoyed a glittering career, winning the World Cup with France in 1998 before scoring the winning goal for his country in the final of Euro 2000 against Italy.

The 33-time national champions have endured a torrid time in recent seasons, culminating in their relegation from Argentina’s top flight in June.

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Amusan places third in Diamond League opener

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World record holder Tobi Amusan finished third in the women’s 100m hurdles as the 2026 Diamond League season opened in Shanghai on Saturday, Tidesports source reports.

The Nigerian, who arrived in China fresh from winning gold at the African Senior Athletics Championships in Ghana earlier on Wednesday, clocked a season’s best of 12.41s behind Olympic champion Masai Russell and Bahamian star Devynne Charlton.

Russell produced a dominant display to win the race in a meeting record and world-leading time of 12.25s, improving on her previous world lead of 12.40s.

Charlton, the reigning world indoor champion, finished second in 12.38s in one of her strongest outdoor performances to date.

Amusan, whose world record of 12.12s remains the fastest time ever run in the event, improved significantly from her previous season’s best of 12.84s set during her victorious outing at the African Championships in Accra.

The 29-year-old was competing in a stacked field that included reigning world champion Ditaji Kambundji of Switzerland, Jamaican pair Megan Simmonds and Ackera Nugent, China’s Wu Yanni and Americans Tonea Marshall and Danielle Williams.

Kambundji, who won the world title in Tokyo last year with a Swiss record 12.24s, finished fifth in 12.82s, while Jamaica’s Nugent placed sixth in 12.98s.

Marshall and Williams failed to finish the race.

Following Amusan’s victory in Accra, the three-time Diamond League final winner expressed gratitude to her supporters while insisting she remained determined to achieve more success this season.

“Beyond grateful to God, my team, supporters, and everyone who continues to believe in me through every season. Historic feeling. Still hungry for more. The mission continues,”

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Falcons To Tackle Senegal in Pre-WAFCON friendly

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Nigeria’s Super Falcons will face Senegal in a double-header international friendly during the June FIFA women’s international window as the African champions step up preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, Tidesports source reports. 

The 10-time African champions are scheduled to take on the Teranga Lionesses on June 5 and 8 at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State, in what will form a key part of their build-up to July’s continental tournament.

The fixtures were confirmed on social media platform X by Super Falcons Show, which announced the details of the encounter and venue.

“Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will take on Senegal Women’s National Team in a double-header international friendly scheduled for June 5 and 8,” the post read.

“Both matches will be played in Ikenne, Nigeria.”

The friendlies come after Nigeria’s proposed training tour of the United Kingdom, which included a planned match against Jamaica, was cancelled due to scheduling complications linked to FIFA’s official women’s international window. The timing meant clubs would not have been obliged to release players.

With that tour shelved, the Senegal fixtures now offer a timely opportunity for coach Justine Madugu and his technical team to assess squad options, test tactical systems and strengthen team cohesion ahead of the WAFCON campaign and longer-term qualification targets for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Senegal are expected to provide a competitive regional test, with their physical style and disciplined organisation likely to offer Nigeria a different tactical challenge across both matches.

The Super Falcons, who have dominated African women’s football for decades, will be aiming to use the double-header to fine-tune preparations as they pursue another continental title in Morocco next year.

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Okpekpe Road Race Unveils Partners, Appoints Dr. Bojuwoye

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The organisers of the Okpekpe International 10km Road Race have announced the appointment of Dr Adebukola Bojuwoye as the head of the medical unit for the 11th edition of the prestigious event, scheduled for Saturday, May 30, in Okpekpe, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.

Dr Bojuwoye, a seasoned medical professional with extensive experience in road running events across Nigeria, is expected to bring added value to the race through his expertise.

As medical director, his responsibilities will include overseeing emergency medical response, coordinating first aid stations along the course, ensuring athlete safety, and supervising medical volunteers and paramedics.

His role is critical in safeguarding the health of both elite and recreational runners, as well as spectators.

In addition to unveiling its new medical director, the organisers also announced five corporate partners for the 2026 edition.

The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), Petralon Energy, Razzl Drink, Dan Oil, and Carloha Motors have joined as sponsors, reflecting the race’s growing appeal across diverse sectors of the Nigerian economy.

The Okpekpe race, organised by Pamodzi Sports Marketing Company, has steadily risen in prominence since becoming the first road race in Nigeria to earn World Athletics label status in 2015.

It has since advanced to Gold Label Race status, attracting elite athletes from around the world and cementing its reputation as one of Africa’s benchmark road-running competitions.

Edo State, under the leadership of Governor Monday Okpebolo, has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the race, citing its role in promoting tourism, community pride, and international recognition for the region.

Race Director Zack Amodu noted that the new partnerships underscore the event’s stature and its impact beyond sport.

We are delighted to welcome DBN, Petralon, Razzl, and Carloha Motors as partners for the 11th edition. Their support, alongside the backing of Edo State, not only strengthens the race but also reinforces its role as a platform for promoting excellence, youth empowerment, and community development,’ Amodu said.

Beyond its sporting significance, the Okpekpe International 10km Road Race has become a catalyst for social, health, and economic benefits.

It encourages fitness and healthy lifestyles, fosters social cohesion by bringing communities together, and generates economic activity through tourism, hospitality, and local commerce.

The event also showcases Edo State’s cultural vibrancy while contributing to Nigeria’s growing reputation in global athletics.

The 11th edition is expected to draw elite athletes, local participants, and international attention, further consolidating Nigeria’s place on the global athletics calendar.

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