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“I had talks with Emery, Arsenal decided to sign Pepe” Zaha reveals

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Crystal Palace and Ivory Coast forward, Wilfried Zaha, has revealed he had conversations with former Arsenal coach Unai Emery over a potential switch to the Emirates before the Gunners chiefs signed Nicolas Pepe.

Zaha is always the news as regards a transfer out of Crystal Palace to a top side and Arsenal are the most linked with the former United youngster.

The Anglo Ivorian winger had successful talks with Emery but despite the positive conversation the chiefs opted for another Ivorian International.

The Gunners signed Nicolas Pepe for club record fee of £72m from french side Lille.

Zaha explained how the failed transfer occured on Jamie Carragher’s ‘The Greatest Game’ podcast (via Metro).

He said: “I had a conversation with the manager, actually.

“He was just like, ‘we don’t need to go through much’. He’s seen me play, he knows I can change games at any time and stuff like that. It was like, ‘yeah, we’d love to have you’. And I was just like, ‘I’d love to come’.

“The conversation was rather straightforward because I’ve played against him when he’s managed Arsenal. He’s seen what I can do, he’s seen my work rate, what I can add to the team.

“Obviously, it was up to the club who they chose. And obviously they chose Pepe over me.”

The 28 year-old believes he was overlooked because he was a known face in the Premier League.

Yeah, 100 per cent,” he said when asked if players from foreign leagues are preferred.

“You’re seeing a player come from Brazil or another league, they’re always going to attract more attention. But I just think if there’s a player who plays in the Premier League who you see week in, week out, and you know what he does… I feel like it’s a no-brainer.

‘The other leagues, I feel like they are totally different, in the Prem there are no easy games whatsoever. Every team is going to give you a run for your money. There’s no game where you’re going to go, ‘yeah, we’re going to win 5-0’. That’s my thought.

“I totally understand what you mean. I feel like when players come from abroad, I don’t know, they just have that edge with clubs, it’s just like [they say], ‘yeah, I may want him a bit more because he’s from there’.”

Everton had a bid for Zaha rejected in the summer of 2019 and he has consistently been linked with a move away.

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“Double for Imole” – Asisat Oshoala pays tribute to Mohbad after scoring twice against Granada

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“Double for Imole” – Asisat Oshoala pays tribute to Mohbad after scoring twice against Granada

In a recent Instagram post, Nigerian football player Asisat Oshoala, a striker for FC Barcelona and the country’s women’s national team, paid respect to the late musician Mohbad.

Read also: “Winner” – Davido hugs, sings for BBNaija Season 8 All Stars winner, video wows many

This occurs a few weeks following the September 12, 2023, passing of Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, a Nigerian singer.

The singer’s cause of death has not yet been formally identified or made public by the relevant authorities, but fans are still celebrating Mohbad’s passing.

In honor of Mohbad, Asisat Oshoala, who recently scored twice against Granada in a football match, took to her Instagram page to write, “Double for Imole. keep resting young king #LightBoy.”

Update: Click HERE to join our WhatsApp group and get news and entertainment notifications directly on your WhatsApp!

fadapetercomedy: “Tnx mami u said it n u did it. Imole lives.”

theladytoyah: “Loju won Imole di Legend forever in our hearts. Thank you Asisat for showing love to everyone.”

yahootailor18: “Do your best and leave the rest my sister. God bless you for doing this one to pay him last respect.”

swankytee224a: “The only footballer that showed Imole love thank you agba baller.”

cristy_davis___0: “Keep resting bro we gonna get you justice you the deserve @iammohbad.”

akanbiwale: “We love both of you, Az you no go die afi ti o ba di arugbo Bijahi Rosullulai, lmole wey die may he continue to rip Bijahi Rosullulai.”

osascoad: “LoL Another Africa player of the year 2023 winner already.”

supliabeatz: “Love you. Anytime i listen to his song i wish he stayed longer to know how great he had become.”

shukran_olaoluwa: “Congratulations world best!! Agba baller for a reason.”

See screenshot of her post below:

“Double for Imole” – Asisat Oshoala pays tribute to Mohbad after scoring twice against Granada


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Lionel Messi wins his eighth Ballon d’Or title

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Lionel Messi wins his eighth Ballon d’Or title

Argentine seven-times Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi is chosen as the winner of this year’s title edition, following his accomplishment at the 2022 World Cup.

Read also: “I go beat you for here – Portable fights promoter in Italy for taking cash sprayed on him

The World Cup is the only star missing from the lineal-GOAT’s breast that has been raising eyebrows for a long time. There are those who think he should not have won this year’s award, though, and one of them was Jason Cundy.

Cundy was not unaware of why the player could turn up as the favourite, and mentioned it in his statement.

‘I have said it many time.’ Jason Cundy had predicted. ‘I think if Haaland doesn’t win it [the Ballon d’Or], it’s a disgrace. I think it’s a disgrace, Messi will win it because he won the World Cup.’

Despite all the glory and noise associated with the Ballon d’Or award, Lionel Messi once said he had no big view of it but rather preferred awards gotten at group level. By ‘group level’, he meant his club and country.

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‘The Ballon d’Or is very important due to the recognition at the individual level, but I never gave it importance,’ announced Messi.

‘The most important thing for me was always the awards at the group level. I was lucky to have achieved everything in my career and after the World Cup, I’m thinking about that award much less, my biggest award was that and I’m disguising my moment. If it arrives, good, and if not, nothing happens. I was lucky to achieve all my goals in my career and now I have new goals with this club.’

Lionel Messi’s form at Inter Miami has been the subject of bad news for weeks now, including his inability to help his struggling club remain in the MLS playoffs. After the injury he sustained while working for his country in the World Cup qualifiers, he has only been able to carry himself instead of his club.

His so-called rival Cristiano Ronaldo has been at his best since, though he is older than Lionel Messi by two years. Some are convinced that the time has come for the GOAT to retire and tend his recurrent muscle problem, but Argentina’s first team’s coach, Scaloni, would not hear of it. In reaction to the question of whether Argentina’s best should be retired, the seemingly-angered coach replied:

‘Let’s keep in mind that he is still here. What a way to think about ‘when he is gone.’ The truth is that he is still active, let’s leave him alone, are we already retiring him? We commit hara-kiri, we are all crazy.’

The man believes that the veteran horse is alright.

Leo is fine,’ argued Scaloni. ‘He has been adding minutes of training. We will make the decision. It’s a matter of minutes, of how much he can play. If he’s well, you know what I think, he will play.

‘We always try to play those that are at 100 per cent or close to 100 per cent. It is very difficult for everyone to be at their best in these games so there may be a variation with respect to the game against Paraguay.’

It seems very clear that Cristiano Ronaldo fell behind in becoming the most decorated footballer of his era.


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Paul Pogba guilty of doping, and could be banned for 4 years

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Paul Pogba guilty of doping

In the past, alarming reports stated that the possibility test revealed that Paul Pogba’s urine had traces of the synthetic enhancer testosterone.

Read also: Davido’s second daughter Hailey reacts as she see a snail for the first time (video)

A definitive judgment on the matter was postponed until the results of a second sample, which later revealed that he had in fact doped.

Rafaela Pimienta, Paul Pogba’s representative, said after the initial results were announced, “We are waiting for the counter-analysis, and until then, we can’t say anything.” Paul Pogba never sought to break the rules, that much is evident.

Paul Pogba’s claimed wildness, his recent injuries, and the fact that the chemical identified in his system could only have arrived there via drug peddlers all contributed to the situation’s notoriety.

The incident might result in the arrest of those involved in the distribution of testosterone, which was not a component of any drug marketed legally over the counter in Italy.

According to sources, it is simple to purchase the chemical in Italy via the dark web, but it is dangerous to be found in possession of it or its products.

They continued by mentioning that Juventus’ top brass might attempt to shield the player, which they noted would be a waste of time.

Since the world is watching these high-profile cases, it would be difficult to spare the guilty of the majority of the punishment involved.

If someone is found guilty, like Paul Pogba, the National Anti-Doping Tribunal in Italy will decide what should happen to them after that.

Whatever they decide, Juventus’ outstanding star Pogba is expected to miss additional games due to ongoing injury issues that have caused him to miss a lot of games.

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The footballer has not stated whether the synthetic enhancer served as a clutch to support his hurting body on the field.

Many people do not endorse Paul Pogba due to his rising occurrence of injury-related disqualifications.

Juventus might be content to terminate the player’s contract at this time and leave his future in the anti-doping tribunal’s hands.


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