Sports
Danny Welbeck could be set for new Arsenal role
Unai Emery has challenged Danny Welbeck to have the best season of his life.
Welbeck returned from his post-World Cup break on Monday and walked straight into speculation that he could be let go.
The transfer window shut in England on Thursday but there were still suggestions the 27-year-old could be offloaded by Arsenal to the continent.
Emery, however, insisted that would not be the case, with Welbeck’s versatility impressing the new Gunners boss in their first week together.
“I said to Danny when he arrived with us after the holidays, I want the best performance of his career and he should work for that,” said the Spaniard.
“Then he has the possibility to play as a left winger, right winger or striker.
“I want him to get better with his quality and his data in this year – more goals, more assists and working to help when we need quick pressing against the opposition.
“Danny is one of the players who has a multi-position possibility – right winger, left winger, striker.
“On Friday he worked with us at left-back. His performance was good,” added Emery, laughing. “I like this spirit and he can help positions across the team with the positivity of it.
“For me it’s clear: Thursday the transfer window closed and our players will stay with us.
“Only Carl Jenkinson, David Ospina and Joel Campbell will go, the rest are going to stay here.”
The challenge of producing a career-best season has been thrown down to everyone at the club, including the manager.
And as he prepared for his first Premier League game as Arsenal boss, against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, Emery said: “Firstly, that’s for me.
“I want to get better every day and in each training session and in each match, and I want to transmit to the players the same idea.”
What is very clear is that the players will have to take plenty of responsibility for themselves under Emery and that the flakiness of seasons past will not be tolerated.
While Laurent Koscielny, Petr Cech, Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Granit Xhaka are the five captains Emery has selected, a practice common in Spain, new boy Stephan Lichtsteiner is another with vast experience and someone who will also marshal the squad.
“Maybe he is the player who has won the most titles but, after all that, we start with a new way.
“We want to continue winning, remembering your titles from a big career, but this is a new way to try to win more. In football you live for your present and your future.”
The Swiss right-back, who won seven Serie A titles with Juventus, has already spoken on Emery’s behalf and told his team-mates to forget past achievements.
Emery said: “The past is good but it’s finished. On Friday morning, we were talking with the team and it was the moment for Lichtsteiner to speak.
“Maybe he is the player who has won the most titles but, after all that, we start with a new way.
“We want to continue winning, remembering your titles from a big career, but this is a new way to try to win more. In football you live for your present and your future.”
Which is just as well, perhaps, given City twice spanked Arsenal 3-0 at the Emirates in a five-day period last season, in the EFL Cup and Premier League, after beating them 3-1 at the Etihad in the top flight.
Asked if he had watched the league match in north London, Emery was marked in his response.
“A new way,” he said. But when pushed to expand, he added: “The message is the same inside and outside the training ground.
“We want to transmit one idea with personality, style and ambition. Then we want to play looking forwards to each match.
“We take the responsibility to be protagonists more than just be in possession.
“That’s a good message to tell the fans. We want to do that.”
Captain of the Super Falcons, Rasheedat Ajibade, has said the team is determined to become the best women’s football team in the world.
Ajibade spoke yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a reception hosted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in honour of the Falcons following their victory at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The Nigerian ladies clinched their 10th continental title after a hard-fought campaign, further cementing their status as Africa’s most successful women’s team.
Ajibade, in an emotional speech, said the team’s goal goes beyond continental glory.
“We’re not content to rest on our laurels. Our vision is bold. We want to become the best women’s football team in the world,” the Atletico Madrid star said.
She described herself as “a proud daughter of Nigeria” and paid tribute to the dreams of young girls across the country who look up to the team.
“This victory is not just a trophy. It is a testament to the unyielding spirit of Nigeria. It is a celebration of every young girl in our villages, towns, and cities who dares to dream,” she said.
Ajibade, who spoke on behalf of the team, coaches, and technical crew, thanked the Federal Government for its support and appealed for continued investment in women’s football.
President Tinubu, in his address, conferred national honours of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on all 24 players and the 11-member technical crew.
The President also approved the allocation of three-bedroom apartments to each team member under the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme and a cash reward of the naira equivalent of $100,000 for each player, while members of the technical team received $50,000 each.
He praised the Falcons for lifting the nation’s spirit and inspiring unity through their performance.
“You have inspired millions, especially young girls who now see proof that their dreams are valid and achievable,” Tinubu said.
“You have inspired me too. You represent the hope of today, tomorrow, and the day after. You ignited that hope. And we will continue to encourage you and the next generation.”
The President said the Falcons’ WAFCON victory was not just a sporting feat but a symbol of the courage, discipline and resilience that define Nigerians.
“Your victory represents more than a sporting accomplishment. It is a triumph of courage, determination, discipline, and consistency,” he said.
The reception was attended by top government officials, sports administrators, and stakeholders in the football community.
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated the Super Falcons on their historic 3-2 comeback victory over hosts Morocco in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday.
The Falcons, who came from two goals down to seal the win in Rabat, clinched their 10th WAFCON title—further cementing their status as the most successful team in the history of the competition. Reacting to the victory, Oseni described the performance as “a warrior’s triumph that speaks volumes about the indomitable Nigerian spirit.”
In a statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele in Ibadan, the lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency said the team’s resilience should serve as a symbol of hope and unity for the entire nation. “They refused to surrender. That comeback from two goals down defines who we are as Nigerians—strong, focused, and unstoppable when united,” he said.
The Falcons had gone behind in the 13th minute when Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak capitalised on a loose ball to fire past goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. The hosts doubled their lead through Sanaâ Mssoudy before halftime, putting Nigeria on the back foot before the break.
However, second-half goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and Jennifer Echegini turned the game on its head, securing victory for Coach Justin Madugu’s side and avenging their 2024 semi-final loss to the North Africans. Oseni also hailed Madugu’s tactical brilliance, describing him as “the architect of a new chapter in women’s football in Nigeria.”
The lawmaker who also chairs the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) joined other national figures, including President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, in celebrating the Falcons. The President had earlier taken to his verified social media accounts to praise the team’s performance, declaring, “Mission X: Complete!” while Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos, described it as a flawless display of Nigerian spirit.
Oseni urged the Falcons not to rest on their laurels but to build on the momentum ahead of their title defence and the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. “This is just the beginning. You have inspired millions of girls across the continent. Keep flying the flag and keep making Nigeria proud,” he added.
He also called on sports authorities and private stakeholders to invest more in women’s football, noting that the team’s success was proof of the untapped potential in the sector. “We have global stars in the making. Now is the time to give them the platform and support they truly deserve,” the lawmaker submitted.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons produced a thrilling comeback to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Saturday, clinching their record-extending 10th continental title.
The win was sweet revenge for Justin Madugu’s side, who were eliminated by the Atlas Lionesses in the semi-finals of the previous edition.
Despite a bright start by the Falcons, it was the Moroccans who struck first in the 13th minute. A loose ball fell kindly to tournament top scorer, Ghizlane Chebbak, who rifled her effort past Chiamaka Nnadozie to hand the hosts an early lead.
Nigeria tried to respond through Ijamilusi Folashade, but her tame effort was easily gathered by Moroccan goalkeeper, Khadija Er-Rmichi.
The hosts doubled their lead in the 28th minute when Fatima Tagnaout released Sanaâ Mssoudy, who drove into the box and fired a low, left-footed strike beyond Nnadozie to make it 2-0.
Morocco maintained their advantage into the break as both sides went into the dressing room with the scoreline firmly in the hosts’ favour.
The Super Falcons returned with renewed purpose in the second half, stepping up their intensity and putting the Moroccan defence under sustained pressure.
Nigeria nearly pulled one back when a collision between Er-Rmichi and defender Nesryne El Chad almost gifted the Falcons a goal, but the Moroccan defence cleared their lines in time.
The pressure eventually paid off in the 63rd minute when a ball hooked back into the area by Ijamilusi struck the arm of defender Nouhaila Benzina, resulting in a penalty. Esther Okoronkwo stepped up and calmly converted from the spot to halve the deficit.
Eight minutes later, Okoronkwo turned provider, sprinting down the right flank before cutting back a well-timed pass for Ijamilusi, who made no mistake from close range to level the tie at 2-2.
The Falcons completed their sensational comeback in the 88th minute when Jennifer Echegini reacted quickest to a deep free-kick, stabbing home from close range to spark wild celebrations on the Nigerian bench.
The victory sees Nigeria reinforce their dominance in African women’s football, securing their 10th WAFCON title and reasserting their status as the queens of the continent.
-
Politics3 days agoIbarapa East Assembly Hopeful, Ramon Congratulates Ajiboye, Says Emergence Good for Oyo APC
-
Politics1 week agoMakinde: My Successor Must Be Loyal to Oyo, Not Me
-
Politics3 days ago2027: Former Oyo Deputy Governor Adeyemo Emerges APC Chairman (See Full List)
-
Politics1 week agoFintiri Dumps PDP for APC, Moves with Cabinet, 14 Adamawa Lawmakers