Sports
Manchester City to block any efforts by Arsenal to lure Patrick Vieira or Mikel Arteta to succeed Arsene Wenger
Manchester City will block any efforts by Arsenal to lure Patrick Vieira or Mikel Arteta as replacements for Arsene Wenger.
Vieira and Arteta played for the Gunners and have been mentioned in the Emirates boardroom as candidates to take the hotseat when Wenger leaves in the summer.
Vieira is in charge of New York FC – part of the Etihad empire, while Arteta is part of the coaching staff under Pep Guardiola.
City have high ambitions for both of their employees and will rebuff any attempts by the Gunners to hire them.
Vieira has been earmarked as Guardiola’s eventual replacement at the Etihad while Everton were interested in speaking to Arteta before appointing Sam Allardyce earlier in the season.
Guardiola also knocked back an enquiry from Wales about adding the former Gunners club captain to their coaching staff on a part time basis.
The pair are deemed as being crucial to the long term planning at City who are looking to create a long and successful dynasty under the ownership of Sheikh Mansour.
Departing Emirates boss Wenger favours a former Arsenal player to take over his managerial baton, one he has held for almost 22 years.
But other names are in the frame with former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique a leading candidate to step into Wenger’s shoes in the summer.
Also wanted by Chelsea, Enrique has been sounded out by Gunners representatives in the last week. Arsenal’s head of football relations, Raul Sanllehi used to work alongside Enrique as director of football at the Nou Camp.
But if they do follow Wenger’s advice and go down the former players route then City are at the ready to pull up the drawbridge.
Before moving to the Big Apple Vieira was in charge of City’s development squad and the reserves.
His three-year contract to manage in the MLS runs out at the end of this season in November and he admits: “It’s good to have your name linked with a team like Arsenal.
“I spent nine years and I love the club. But it’s the guys at Manchester City who make the decisions because I’m under contract.”
Although Guardiola feels that Vieira is ready to make the move into the Premier League as a boss his employers want it to eventually be City.
The Frenchman had talks about becoming Newcastle’s manager a couple of years ago but nothing came of them.
Vieira has formed a close relationship with the City hierarchy, in particular football administration officer Brian Marwood who has just returned to this country after a trip to their Australian club Melbourne City.
Marwood is anxious to keep hold of Vieira even with Arsenal noses hard pressed against the window.
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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