Sports
Mikel Arteta considering Santi Cazorla as assistant after fresh talks with Arsenal
Mikel Arteta held productive talks with Arsenal on Tuesday about succeeding Arsene Wenger and floated appointing Santi Cazorla as his assistant, according to reports.
The north London club are pushing ahead with their search for a replacement for Wenger, who has ended his 22-year association with the club, and want a new manager in place before the start of the World Cup.
Although experienced coaches likes Juventus boss Max Allegri and former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique have been linked with the post, Arteta is now emerging as the favourite.
Arteta and Cazorla played alongside each other for three seasons (Picture: Getty)
Arsenal’s hierarchy are believed to be leaning towards a ‘rookie’ coach and Arteta has a growing reputation thanks to two years learning under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
And now The Independent report that Arteta’s chances of replacing Wenger have progressed after fresh talks with the club, while he is already thinking about his backroom team.
The Spaniard is considering compatriot Cazorla – who he played alongside at Arsenal – as an assistant, and the playmaker could be offered a player-coaching role.
Arteta will also weigh up including Wenger’s assistant Steve Bould in his staff, though the former centre-back is undecided about remaining at the club.
Arteta snubbed the chance to coach at Arsenal under Wenger and instead joined Guardiola (Getty)
The Gunners have already axed a number of Wenger’s old support staff, such as right-hand man Boro Primorac, and Arteta wants to bring in at least three of his own appointments.
Although Arteta is now Ivan Gazidis’ preferred choice, Arsenal’s hierarchy are still expected to meet with other candidates and want to complete a thorough search before finally settling on Wenger’s successor.
And now the Daily Mail report that Arsenal have informed the squad that Arteta is ‘90% certain’ to replace Wenger.
The Spaniard is the preferred choice of both Ivan Gazidis and Josh Kroenke, son of owner Stan, and the club are now preparing to fast-track his appointment.
Although Arsenal’s board had only set a deadline of the World Cup to find a new manager, the Daily Mail claim Arteta’s arrival could be ratified by the end of the week.
The hastiness of Arteta’s arrival owes much to the dearth of genuine competition for the role, with Enrique’s wage demands too high and Allegri inclined to stay at Juventus, with the Italian also wanting more control over transfers than Arsenal were prepared to allow.
Head of football relations Raul Sanllehi would have preferred Enrique, while Sven Mislintat’s choice of Julian Nagelsmann will not be allowed to leave Hoffenheim in the summer.
Arteta is keen to take over the reins at Arsenal and is already thinking about his backroom team, with Gunners midfielder Santi Cazorla in consideration to be given an assistant role and a player-coach contract.
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.
South Africa vs Nigeria: Why we failed to defeat Super Eagles – Percy Tau
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.
Kanu advocates for establishment of standard soccer academies
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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