It has been rumbling on for while, whether the Italian tactician, Antonio Conte who took the Premier League by the storm will sign a contract extension at Chelsea or walk away.

Having led the London-based club to their second title in three years and winning with a team left ‘for dead’ by Jose Mourinho it is natural that Chelsea management wants him staying at Stamford Bridge for many years.

The former Juventus and Italy manager signed a three-year contract when he joined Chelsea last summer and was expected to sign for more years and an improved contract but rather he signed an improved contract on his remaining two years deal.

There were rumours that the Italian was close to walking away from the Premier League champions amidst reports he wants full custody of operations at Chelsea a demand the management not willing to agree to.


It was also reported that apart of from Tiemoue Bakayoko, the signing of Antonio Rudiger and Willy Caballero weren’t his first choices as he requested for Leonardo Bonucci or Virgil van Dijk.

Chelsea have been having difficulties securing their transfer targets because of their unwillingness to match the selling club’s valuations for their targets.

They dragged Lukaku’s deal, United stepped in and took him. They are £3m short of Real Madrid’s valuation of Danilo and City could take him. They are not ready to go into a bidding war with Milan for the signature of Morata and are on the verge of losing him.

READ THE COMPLETE STORY HERE https://www.sportlineng.com/2017/07/19/implications-antonio-contes-new-contract/

The 2016 National Super League Champions Niger Flickers and Kada Queens will start their title defences against IGP Flickers and Plateau Queens.

Niger Flickers who pipped Union Bank to the 2016 title in men’s category will start their 2017 campaign against one of the newly promoted teams IGP Flickers while Kada Queens who pipped Heartland to the women’s title in 2016 will start their campaign against the Plateau Queens.


The opening match will be between the two teams representing Nigeria Police Force (Police Machine and IGP Flickers) on Saturday by 7:30 am to avoid future bias.

Newly promoted Rivers King will match up against the talented Kada Stars as Union Bank who will be out to better their last year’s performance will start their campaign against Yobe Desert Rollers.


Newcomers Rivers Kings, IGP Flickers, Rivers Queens and IGP Babes are participating in the 2017 Super League having qualified from last year’s National League one in Portharcourt.

The 2017 National Super League will start this Saturday at the Abuja National Stadium.

See the complete fixture here https://www.sportlineng.com/2017/07/06/niger-flickers-kada-queens-start-title-defences-igp-flickers-plateau-queens-nhf-releases-2017-national-super-league-fixtures/

Nigeria Football Federation President, Amaju Pinnick says the board is solidly behind Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr despite losing 2-0 to Bafana of South Africa in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Uyo.

The defeat which was a bitter pill to swallow by the NFF and the Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, immediately necessitated the need for an emergency meeting that was held last week Tuesday, so as to delibrate on the way forward in a bid to avoid such occurence in subsequent matches.


In the meeting, it was agreed that Rohr must have to submit his Super Eagles list for vetting to the NFF technical department before releasing it to the general public.

Although, the move has been described as an interference to his job, however, the former Delta State Sports administrator, told Lagos City Herald in a telephone chat that the board is doing this to avoid a repeat of what happened against South Africa.


“It’s true that the Nigeria Football Federation and the Sports Minister have ordered the Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr to submit his list for every game to the NFF technical department for vetting. We are doing all these to ensure that the mistake we made against the Bafana of South Africa doesn’t repeat itself again subsequent games,” Pinnick told Lagos City Herald.

READ THE COMPLETE STORY HEREhttps://www.sportlineng.com/2017/06/22/pinnick-explains-rohr-must-submit-super-eagles-list-vetting/

Two first half goals from Bernard Ovoke and Frederick Obomate ensured Nigeria’s only representative at this year’s CAF competetion Rivers United ran away with a 2-1 victory over Kampala City Capital Authority in Portharcourt on Tuesday.

Rivers United came into the tie knowing fully well a defeat could signalled the end of their 2016-17 continental campaign and did well enough to earn the maximum points and keep their hopes alive.

Bernad Ovoke put Rivers United in front in the 54 seconds after tapping in Sakin’s ball from the corner kick.


Three minute after the opener, Ovoke splited the KCCA defence to set up Odumegwu who failed to convert the chance begging for a finish.

There was no denying the home team as Frederick Obomate scored from Bernard Ovoke good ball in the 15th minute.

Ovoke who was causing the visitors all kind of troubles could have recorded his brace and increased the home team’s tally to three but he missed from a close range despite being unmarked.


READ THE COMPLETE STORY HERE https://www.sportlineng.com/2017/06/20/rivers-united-2-kcca-1-ovoke-obomate-goals-keep-pride-rivers-hopes-alive/

Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Charles Udoh, insisted on Tuesday that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should apologise to the government and people of the state if reports in the media that Super Eagles next home match has been moved away from Uyo is true.

Speaking in his office on the reasons advanced for the purported moving of future Super Eagles matches away from Uyo as a result of the recent 2 – 0 loss to the Bafana Bafana of South Africa, Mr. Udoh described them as weak and baseless.

The Commissioner maintained that Eagles had the best of support from the government and people of Akwa Ibom State, and that the NFF should not have contemplated such a move, it at all it did.

READ THE COMPLETE STORY HERE https://www.sportlineng.com/2017/06/20/commissioner-wants-nff-apologise-people-akwa-ibom/

Fulham FC striker Sone Aluko has advised the Nigeria Football Federation on how to get the Nigeria-born England U-20 stars to switch allegiances to Nigeria.

Players such as Dominic Solanke, Fikayo Tomori, Sheyi Ojo, Ovie Ejaria, Josh Onomah and Ademola Lookman of Nigerian origin all filed out for England in the World Cup.

Aluko urged them to switch their international allegiance from England to Nigeria.

The players helped England Under-20 clinch the World Cup with Solanke winning the competition’s Player of the Tournament accolade.

Aluko, who also represented England at the Under-19 level before switching his allegiance to the Super Eagles, stated that the onus is on the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF.

READ THE COMPLETE STORY HERE https://www.sportlineng.com/2017/06/19/aluko-advises-nff-get-solanke-lookman-nigeria-born-england-u-20-stars/

A 98th-minute controversial penalty helped Abia Warriors beat League leaders Plateau United at the Umuahia Township Stadium in Abia in their Nigeria Professional Football League match day 25 tie on Sunday.

A late goal from the spot kick by Shedrack Asiegbu ensure the hosts secured the maximum points in front of their own crowd.

Abia Warriors came into the tie winless against Plateau United in their last three meetings in the Nigeria Football League top flight football and did well enough to break the duck.

The visitors who are sitting comfortably at the top of the log came into the tie looking to extend their five points lead at the top of the Nigeria Professional Football League log but fell short.

The home team went ahead through Shedrack Asiegbu in the 14th minute of the encounter and at half time the goal was the only difference between the two teams.

Plateau United came out firing in the second half and were rewarded with a goal of their own in the 80th minute when Hamzat Owolabi equalized for the Tin City boys with a perfect finish. He became the 18th different Plateau United player to score in the 2016-17 season.

READ THE COMPLETE STORY HERE

https://www.sportlineng.com/2017/06/18/controversial-98th-minute-penalty-helps-abia-warriors-beat-league-leaders-plateau-united-umuahia/



Here are the Matchday 25 Results

Kano Pillars 3-1 MFM
3SC 2-0 ABS
FCIU 0-0 Wikki
Tornadoes 0-0 Rangers
Akwa Utd 2-0 Katsina Utd
El-Kanemi 2-0 Remo Stars
Nasarawa Utd 1-0 Enyimba
Abia Warriors 2-1 Plateau Utd
Sunshine Stars 2-1 Gombe Utd
Lobi 1-0 Rivers Utd

Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho tops the list of Manchester City £130million players clear-out as the Citizens try to fund half of their huge summer transfer spree, claims Manchester Evening News.

The Blues are prepared to spend up to £300million this summer to rebuild Pep Guardiola ‘s squad – and have already shelled out £78million to land Bernardo Silva and Ederson .

But with Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy also in their sights, as well as a centre back – and possibly a big-name striker like Alexis Sanchez or Kylian Mbappe – the Blues are heading for the biggest spend in their history.


This summer they are gearing up for a big sale, led by Kelechi Iheanacho and Joe Hart, for whom the Blues aim to get £25million each.

The club is planning to avoid the policy of loaning out star names who are surplus to requirements and will instead try to shift them off the books.

That means that the four former first-teamers who spent last season on loan are all available for a cut price. As well as Hart, Eliaquim Mangala (£18m) Samir Nasri (£10m), and Wilfried Bony (£10m) could all be shipped out.

And they aim to make a small profit on Nolito, having already told interested Sevilla there will be no loan and the price is £15million.

And with Enes Unal already sold to Villarreal for £12.5million despite never being involved in the City first team squad, and free agents Pablo Zabaleta, Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna and Willy Caballero all off the wage bill, the Blues are off to a good start.


FOR MORE INTERESTING STORIES CHECK OUT https://www.sportlineng.com/more-news/

What is the guy with 23 goals still doing in the NPFL?

Time will tell!

Keep up the good work, it can only get better. #AmbodeCarryGoJhoor