Sports
Mikel Arteta is favourite to become Arsenal new boss
Mikel Arteta could be fast-tracked into the Arsenal hot-seat as his main rivals continue to drop out of the running.
Manchester City assistant and former Gunners captain Arteta has become the overwhelming favourite after the club finished the interview process.
The 36-year-old Spaniard fits the criteria of being the young head coach they are looking for in the wake of Arsene Wenger’s almost 22 years at the helm.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has already confirmed he will not stand in Arteta’s way if he wants to leave the champions’ backroom staff to succeed the now-departed Arsene Wenger.
Arsenal are planning for the future by building a new behind-the-scenes set-up to fit around a ‘head coach’ figure rather than a new manager, with Arteta the leading candidate for the role.
Another Gunners favourite, former midfielder Freddie Ljungberg, is expected to return to the club as Under-23s manager in the hope of creating a better link between the first team and youngsters coming through.
Current first team coaches Steve Bould and Jens Lehmann have been asked to stay while others – including Gerry Peyton, Boro Primorac and Neil Banfield – are leaving.
Mirror Football also understands physio Colin Lewin is also going as part of a reshuffle in the medical staff, and was told on Monday morning.
Lehmann is expected to remain, but Bould is believed to be weighing up his options and it is understood there is interest from relegated hometown club Stoke, the team he left to join the Gunners in 1988.
Juventus boss Max Allegri has pledged his future to the perennial Italian champions while Hoffenheim insist that their coach Julian Nagelsmann is also staying put.
Germany boss Joachim Low, who was an early candidate, has now signed a new contract to stay in charge of his world champions until 2022.
New York City boss and Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira was interviewed, but has been kept in the dark.
The fact Arteta – who is hugely respected, and is the choice of chief executive Ivan Gazidis – used to be unpopular with some players is actually seen as a good thing among the hierarchy.
They want someone to be tough, authoritative and clear in his coaching ideas. They like the fact that he is regarded as a top-class coach and is young at just 36.
Arsenal appreciate it would be seen as a gamble but Juventus boss Max Allegri has insisted he is staying, while clubless former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique appears to have priced himself out of the running.
The Gunners previously insisting they want to make an appointment before the start of the World Cup in mid-June.
However, former midfielder Arteta has long been in their sights and now could get unveiled quicker than had been anticipated.
Victor Osimhen has been named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, cementing his status as one of the world’s top players.
Osimhen surpassed competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah for the prestigious award.
The Super Eagles forward concluded a remarkable year in the imperial Moroccan city of Marakesh, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for Africa’s top individual prize, last won by legendary Kanu Nwankwo in 1999.
During the event, Osimhen expressed gratitude, acknowledging the impact of Nigerian legend Emmanuel Amuneke, who coached him at the U-17 level, and the support from fans and fellow players.
“It’s a dream come true for me. I want to thank everyone who has seen me through life’s journey, in achieving my dreams and goals. I appreciate Nigerians and Africa for their unwavering support and encouragement,” he said.
Osimhen recognised the influence of Emmanuel Adebayo, Solomon Kalu, and other African legends, expressing gratitude to his role model, Didier Drogba.
The award reflects Osimhen’s outstanding performances with Napoli, where he played a pivotal role in their Serie A title run, scoring 26 league goals and becoming the first African to win the top scorer award, breaking George Weah’s record in the Italian top-flight.”
Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine football icon, clinched the coveted 2023 Ballon d’Or, setting a new record for the 2022 World Cup champion.
In a glamorous event held in Paris, Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, received the prestigious award on Monday night. This achievement is widely seen as a well-deserved recognition for his pivotal role in guiding the Abiscelete to World Cup victory in the previous year.
Aged 36, Messi succeeded Karim Benzema as the recipient of this award, which acknowledges his exceptional performances during the last season when he inspired Argentina to triumph at the World Cup.
His remarkable displays in Qatar, where he led his nation to a historic victory, enabled him to surpass strong competition, notably from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Haaland secured the second spot in the final voting, with Mbappe finishing third and Kevin De Bruyne taking fourth place.
Messi, a former Barcelona superstar, left an indelible mark at the World Cup, scoring seven crucial goals. His exceptional performance led to him being named the tournament’s best player, especially after Argentina’s victory over France in the final.
While Messi’s World Cup heroics were undeniable, his final season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was relatively lackluster. Subsequently, he made a move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
His former PSG teammate, Mbappe, made a strong case for the Ballon d’Or with his outstanding World Cup performance, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, including a memorable hat-trick in the final for France.
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland had a remarkable season, scoring an incredible 52 goals in 53 games for Manchester City. This stellar performance played a pivotal role in helping Pep Guardiola’s team secure a historic treble in the English Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
Both Haaland and De Bruyne were nominated for the Ballon d’Or from their exceptional contributions to the success of Manchester City.
Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba’s ‘B’ sample has confirmed the presence of testosterone, a source close to the case told AFP on Friday.
The 30-year-old former Manchester United player, a World Cup winner in 2018, faces a ban of up to four years.
The original test by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado) showed the presence of testosterone metabolites.
On Friday, Pogba learned that the analysis of his B sample, carried out on the previous day, had produced the same result.
The player’s entourage declined to comment.
Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves that he was not at fault.
The ban could even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance”.
Pogba’s representatives said last month that the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.
Testosterone promotes muscle development.
Contacted by AFP, Nado was unable to confirm this information “due to a decision by the Italian privacy authority”.
Pogba has seven days to submit his defence to Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal, which will investigate his case and request a sanction, a process that could take several weeks.
In addition to the proceedings of the Italian sports justice system, a judicial investigation will be opened by the Turin public prosecutor’s office, as doping is a criminal offence in Italy.
Since the announcement of his positive test, Pogba has been unable to train with Juventus, the club to which he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.
The announcement came shortly before Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri’s press conference on the eve of the Turin derby against Torino, at which he simply said he was “sorry for Paul”.
Contacted by AFP, the club, which has also suspended payment of his estimated annual salary of 8 million euros (8.4 million dollars), did not respond.
Pogba started the season attempting to bounce back from string of injuries last season and from summer surgery.
His sample was reportedly taken at his club’s opening match of the Serie A season, a win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.
After the first sample tested positive on September 11, Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta said she was “awaiting the second sample and cannot have an opinion before the results”.
“What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule,” she added.
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