Sports
Lucas Torreira trains with Arsenal for the first time: Here’s five things we noticed
The Arsenal team have returned to London from Singapore and were back in training on Monday ahead of the new season, despite the jetlag.
The squad were joined by new signing Lucas Torreira, who was allowed to miss the pre-season trip to Asia to rest following his participation at the World Cup.
Here’s five things we noticed from the Gunners’ latest session.
1. Lucas Torreira introduces himself to Arsenal
The Gunners splashed out £22million on the Uruguayan this summer, following his exploits at the World Cup.
In actual fact Unai Emery had his eye on the midfielder for quite some time, but allowed Torreira to focus all his attention on this summer’s finals before swooping for him.
In training on Monday the Arsenal coaching staff got a first good look at the player, and it seems they like what they saw.
The holding midfielder should slot straight into the first team, and at just 22, will likely have a long a prosperous career in north London.
2. Matteo Guendouzi has his eyes on the prize
Guendouzi featured twice for the Gunners in their pre-season tour of Asia after joining from FC Lorient, and already looks to have settled in.
The 19-year-old is now itching to be a part of the first team going into the new season, and recently sent Emery a message of his intent.
“I hope to play a few games. It’s a great environment to work in, we’re working really well in training and we’re playing well in the matches,” he told AP. “But it’s only the start. Hopefully this will be a big adventure with Arsenal.”
Of course the hard work starts in training, but the sky is the limit for the teen.
3. Emile Smith Rowe is also making noises
Like Guendouzi, Smith Rowe stormed onto the scene in pre-season for Arsenal, introducing himself to more than just the Gunners supporters.
The youngster was compared to Kevin De Bruyne after starring in Arsenal’s victory over Boreham Wood.
He then netted in the Gunners’ defeat by Atletico Madrid, before featuring prominently once more in the win over Paris Saint-Germain.
Smith Rowe looks like a part of the furniture in north London, and again, as with Guendouzi, the sky is the limit.
4. The Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang show
A positive atmosphere in the camp is vital going into a new season.
It suggests the team is together, confident, and raring to get off to a great start – even if the first game of the new term is against Manchester City.
Compared to other Premier League clubs who have endured a slightly disjointed pre-season, Arsenal’s looks like it’s been a blast.
The young players are blending in well, along with the new signings, and everyone is picking up Emery’s unique style. The above picture of Aubameyang epitomises the mood inside the camp.
5. I don’t care if you are new!
Emery made a lot of time for his new recruit on Monday, after he met up with his team-mates for the very first time.
But after getting the introductions out of the way, it was straight down to work.
We are just weeks away from the start of the season now, and it looks as if Torreira will be a starter for the Gunners from day one.
So with that in mind, it’s time to learn the law of the land.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Team, the Super Eagles.
This development was announced by the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, in the early hours of Tuesday, following the approval of the NFF Executive Committee based on a recommendation from its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. Labbadia’s appointment takes immediate effect.
Born on 8th February 1966 in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia enjoyed a distinguished playing career, earning two caps for the German national team. His club career included stints at prominent clubs such as Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Arminia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC. Notably, he won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994.
Labbadia’s coaching career has seen him manage top-tier clubs such as Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen, among others. He holds a UEFA Pro License and is well-regarded for his tactical acumen.
With his appointment, Labbadia becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr. Höner notably guided the Super Eagles to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Labbadia’s immediate task is to prepare the Super Eagles for their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches.
Nigeria will face Benin Republic on Saturday, 7th September in Uyo, and Rwanda on Tuesday, 10th September in Kigali. The team will also play four additional qualifying matches in October and November as they aim to secure a spot in the 2025 AFCON, scheduled to be held from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The Super Eagles, placed in Group D, will face familiar foes Benin Republic, who recently defeated Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The draw for the AFCON qualifiers, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, last month, also sees Nigeria taking on Libya and Rwanda, both of whom are also part of the Super Eagles’ group for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers set to be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Labbadia’s appointment comes at a crucial time as the Super Eagles look to regain their dominance on the African continent and secure qualification for both the AFCON and the World Cup.
Finidi George has stepped into a new role as the technical manager for NPFL side, Rivers United, following his resignation as coach of the Super Eagles.
During his brief tenure with the Eagles, George’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in Uyo and a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in Abidjan cast doubts on Nigeria’s World Cup qualification, prompting calls from fans for his dismissal.
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Nevertheless, Rivers United, the 2021-22 champions, expressed optimism in a statement on Wednesday via their official handle about having the former Eagles international manage their team.
“Finidi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, having had a distinguished playing career spanning over fifteen years,” the statement read.
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Dr. Okey Kpalukwu, General Manager of Rivers United FC, welcomed George, stating, “We are delighted to have Finidi George join our team. His appointment marks a new chapter in our club’s history, and we are committed to working together to achieve success.”
Expressing his gratitude to the club, an elated George remarked, “I am honored to have this opportunity, and I thank the Sports Commissioner, the General Manager, and the supporters for their confidence in me. I am committed to working hard and making the team win.”
Inter Milan were taken over by US fund Oaktree on Wednesday after the Serie A champions’ outgoing owners Suning missed a deadline to repay a debt worth hundred of millions of euros.
In a statement, Oaktree announced they had “assumed control” of Inter after the non-repayment of a “three-year loan to Inter Milan’s holding companies that matured on 21 May 2024 with a total balance due of approximately 395 million euros ($428 million)”.
Chinese conglomerate Suning have relinquished control of Inter to Oaktree three days after the team were officially crowned Italian champions for the 20th time.
Suning borrowed 275 million euros at over 12 percent interest three years ago to pay staff and players as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the finances of clubs across Europe, putting up their controlling stake in the club as collateral.
“Oaktree is dedicated to achieving the best outcome for the long-term prosperity of Inter Milan, with an initial focus on operational and financial stability for the Club and its stakeholders,” Oaktree continued.
Inter became a powerful force at home and abroad after Suning acquired the club in 2016, with seven trophies including two Serie A titles and two European finals.
Simone Inzaghi’s team cruised to this year’s championship, winning the Scudetto with five matches remaining by beating AC Milan in a thrilling local derby.
Oaktree, which manages $192 billion in assets, said they are “committed to working closely with Inter Milan’s current management team, partners, the league and governing bodies to ensure the Club is positioned for success on and off the pitch”.
Inter ended up in the hands of Oaktree in a manner similar to the way another US fund, Elliott Management, took control of their local rivals Milan in 2018.
Elliott became Milan’s owners when Chinese businessman Li Yonghong was unable to repay a loan he had taken out when he bought the club from the late Silvio Berlusconi’s Fininvest the previous year.
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