Sports
Wenger Set To Continue At Arsenal
Tidesports source has gathered that Arsene Wenger is set to continue at Arsenal next season and will inform his backroom staff of his decision to stay at the club during the international break. Following the Gunners’ 3-1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion in the last league tie, Wenger admitted that he has already made a decision on his future.
Arsenal’s poor run has seen a section of supporters urge the board to not hand Wenger a new deal, whose current contract expires in the summer. According to the Daily Mail, the Frenchman is set to sign a new contract to extend his stay at the Emirates beyond this summer.
Wenger is also planning to overhaul the squad and will start by sanctioning the sale of his two star players, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil. The Chilean international and the World Cup winner will have one year left on their contract after the end of this term and the duo has refused to sign a new deal.
Sanchez and Ozil’s commitment on the pitch has also been questioned and Wenger believes it is in the best interest of the club to part ways with the two players. In addition to this, the future of other Arsenal stars is in doubt and the list includes the likes of Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs, Lucas Perez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Wilshere is currently on a season-long loan at AFC Bournemouth and his compatriot Oxlade-Chamberlin has been linked with a move to Arsenal’s league rivals. The duo will also have one year left on their contract in the summer.
The Gunners’ boss has identified signing replacements for Sanchez and Ozil, along with bringing in a new left-back and a goalkeeper in the next transfer window. The Emirates club have identified Kieran Tierney of Celtic and AS Monaco’s Benjamin Mendy as the potential left-back targets.
In addition to this, Celtic star Moussa Dembele and Borussia Dortmund attacker Marco Reus have been identified as the players to replace Sanchez. Despite Wenger’s plans for the upcoming summer, the Arsenal boss could make a U-turn and step down from his post if the three-time Premier League winners fail to finish in top four or fail to win the FA Cup.
The north London side have managed three wins in the last nine matches played across all competitions. Out of the three wins, two came against the lower league side in the FA Cup.
Arsenal lost four of their last five league matches and their poor run has seen them drop out of the top four and get eliminated from the Champions League following a 10-2 aggregate defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich.
The Delta State Sports Commission has come under scrutiny following the state’s disappointing performance at the just-concluded National Youth Games (NYG) in Asaba, where Lagos dethroned Delta to clinch top spot.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, visibly displeased with both the poor outing of Team Delta and the organizational lapses witnessed during the Games, summoned an emergency meeting with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) immediately after the closing ceremony.
Delta, which had dominated the NYG by finishing first in the last eight editions, only managed second place this time — a result the governor described as “totally unacceptable,” especially given the state’s significant investment in the event.
According to a reliable source privy to the meeting, Governor Oborevwori expressed deep disappointment, stressing that his administration had provided all necessary support to the Sports Commission and the LOC to ensure Delta retained its traditional top position.
In a decisive move, the governor demoted his Executive Assistant on Sports and former Director-General of the Sports Commission, Festus Owhojero, under whose leadership the Games were organized. Owhojero was reassigned from Executive Assistant (EA) to Senior Special Assistant (SSA) with immediate effect.
The governor’s action, our source revealed, reflects his zero-tolerance stance on incompetence and underperformance within his administration. Mr. Owhojero thus becomes the first high-profile casualty of the governor’s resolve to reposition sports in Delta State.
Furthermore, Oborevwori directed the Sports Commission and LOC officials to submit a detailed report on the Games, outlining what went wrong and providing recommendations for improvement. The governor emphasized the need for urgent reforms to restore Delta’s dominance, especially as the state is set to host the next edition of the Games under an existing memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The Nigeria Football Federation has distanced itself from a post-match statement that criticised some Super Eagles players following the team’s 1-1 draw with South Africa in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
The statement, issued by the NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, singled out forward Cyriel Dessers and captain William Troost-Ekong for criticism.
It accused Dessers of being sluggish and faulted Ekong for the own goal that gave Bafana Bafana the lead.
However, NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, said on Wednesday that the statement did not represent the official position of the Federation.
“I saw the release just like everyone else did. Nobody in the Federation is happy with it,” Sanusi said.
“The NFF did not authorise that statement. We have great respect for all the players. Blaming an individual for a team result is unfair.”
He added that the Federation regards the South Africa match as a collective effort and will not support attempts to scapegoat any player.
“When we win, it’s a team victory. When we lose, it’s also collective. No player should be singled out,” Sanusi said.
He described the targeted criticism of Troost-Ekong as unjustified, noting that the defender had previously been celebrated as the Most Valuable Player at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.
“It was an unfortunate own goal. His intention was to clear the ball. Anyone who knows football understands that such things happen,” he said..
Sanusi also expressed confidence in the team’s unity, revealing that efforts were ongoing to regroup and refocus ahead of the remaining qualifiers and AFCON.
“Our house is in order. We’re preparing for the rest of the qualifiers and the AFCON in Morocco,” he said.
“There’s no problem with our players or coaching crew. Our relationship remains cordial. The government and the NFF are proud of the players’ efforts.”
The Federation had initially praised Calvin Bassey for his equalising goal and lamented the team’s failure to convert second-half chances.
But Sanusi made it clear that internal disciplinary action would be taken over the unauthorised release.
“I can assure you the NFF will take action on the matter,” he said.
Nigeria currently sit third in Group C of the CAF World Cup qualifiers with 11 points from eight matches. South Africa lead the group with 17 points.
The Super Eagles must now win their remaining games against Lesotho and Benin Republic and hope other results go their way to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Tagged “Boxing Jams Music,” the year-end edition will once again blend elite professional boxing with live musical performances. Fans can look forward to thrilling bouts across weight divisions and electrifying performances by some of Nigeria’s top entertainers.
Flykite Productions’ Chief Operating Officer, Bamidele Johnson, said the forthcoming edition will build on the event’s tradition of combining sport and music in a festival-like atmosphere. He assured fans of an unforgettable Boxing Day experience, with added entertainment elements planned.
“GOtv Boxing Night 34 will once again deliver the best of both worlds of top-class boxing and live music. We are committed to giving fans a truly memorable Boxing Day experience at Tafawa Balewa Square,” he said.
Over the years, Boxing Jams Music has grown into the country’s biggest sport-entertainment spectacle, hosting title bouts sanctioned by continental and global bodies alongside live performances by top acts such as Burna Boy, Teni, Mayorkun, Zlatan and Wande Coal.
-
Politics2 days ago
2027: Bayelsa APC Adopts Tinubu As Sole Candidate … As Lokpobiri, Lyon Shun Meeting
-
Sports2 days ago
GOtv Boxing Night 34 holds Dec. in Lagos
-
Politics2 days agoAlleged Smear Campaign Against Yakubu, CSOs Demand Apology From Uzodimma
-
Sports2 days ago
WCQ: NFF Denies Post Match Statement
-
Politics2 days ago
Why INEC Can’t Punish Politicians For Early Campaigns – Yakubu
-
Politics2 days ago
2027: Jega Condemns Premature Campaigns, Blames Elected Officials
-
Politics2 days ago
Stopping Natasha’s Resumption Threatens Nigeria’s Democracy – ADC
-
Sports2 days ago
Gov. Decries Delta’s Poor Performance At 2025 NYG