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IGHALO IS CLEARED FOR CORONAVIRUS; TO PLAY CLUB BRUGGE MATCH, DESPITE MISSING TRAINING

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Nigeria’s Odion Ighalo will be able to travel with Manchester United for their Europa League tie in Bruges next week despite having to miss the club’s training camp in Marbella over the coronavirus alert.

Daily Mail of UK reports that Ighalo, a deadline day signing from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua, was left in Manchester when the United squad flew to Spain on Saturday amid fears he would not be allowed back into the UK if border controls are tightened this week. 

The  Nigeria striker is among the travellers to the UK from China being monitored for 14 days, although he did not have to go into quarantine because he arrived from Shanghai not Wuhan where the coronavirus originated. 

That two-week period runs out on February 16 and United have confirmed that Ighalo will be free to travel to Belgium to face Bruges a week on Thursday after being added to their Europa League squad. 

The 30-year-old, who has moved to Old Trafford on loan until the end of the season, is expected to make his debut against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge three days earlier. 

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Ighalo’s absence from this week’s warm-weather training camp in Marbella is still a setback for manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who was hoping the former Watford striker could get to know his new teammates and integrate into the squad. 

The player will instead work on an individual programme with personal performance coach Wayne Richardson, training alongside the Great Britain taekwondo squad in Manchester. 

Explaining the decision to leave Ighalo behind, Solskjaer said: ‘Odion will stay in Manchester because he came from China in the last 14 days.

‘The virus there means we are not sure if he would be allowed back into England if he leaves the country again. So he is staying and working with a personal coach on an individual programme. His family then can settle in England as well, so that’s a plus.

‘Of course, he might have liked to have come with the players and got to know them but we don’t want to take the risk.’  

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Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford have also stayed in Manchester as they recover from injury, along with third-choice goalkeeper Lee Grant who could be out for up to three months following surgery.

Scott McTominay and Axel Tuanzebe, who have both been out of action since December, trained apart from the rest of the squad at the Marbella Football Centre on Sunday but could join in with the group later this week.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Ahead of Nigeria-Libya match: Some kidnapped journalists regain freedom

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An unspecified number of Nigerian journalists travelling to Uyo for Friday’s Nigeria versus Libya’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match have been rescued.

This is contained in a press release by the Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria (SWAN) on Thursday. The association commended the Nigerian security forces for their efforts in the rescue operation.
From the press release, it was gathered that the media men were abducted within the  Anambra and Imo states axis.

”SWAN therefore commends the security operatives, particularly the Nigerian Army and Police for their prompt action which ensured that up to six of the held Sports Journalists regained their freedom with efforts to get the remaining person freed”, reads the SWAN statement.

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Klopp becomes Red Bull global soccer chief in first job after Liverpool

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Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - May 19, 2024 Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp reacts as he gives a speech after his last match as Liverpool manager REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo

German coach Juergen Klopp has been appointed head of global soccer for Red Bull, owners of several clubs including RB Leipzig and New York Red Bulls, the company said on Wednesday, in his first job since leaving Liverpool earlier this year.

Klopp, who ended his successful nine-year stint with Liverpool at the end of last season, will be starting on January 1, 2025.

“After almost 25 years on the sideline, I could not be more excited to get involved in a project like this,” Klopp, who also coached Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund, said in a statement.

“The role may have changed but my passion for football and the people who make the game what it is has not.”

The 57-year-old joined Liverpool in October 2015 and won the Champions League, their first English League title since 1990, the Club World Cup, FA Cup, League Cup and Super Cup, as well as the Community Shield during his time in charge.

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Klopp, who also led Dortmund to two Bundesliga titles, a German Cup and a Champions League final in 2013, had announced in January he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.

Klopp will not be involved in the day-to-day operations of the Red Bull-owned clubs in Germany, United States, Brazil and Austria, the company said.

“He will provide strategic vision, supporting individual sporting directors in advancing the Red Bull philosophy,” Red Bull said.

Klopp will also support the organisation’s global scouting operation, and contribute to the training and development of coaches.

“I see my role primarily as a mentor for the coaches and management of the Red Bull clubs but ultimately I am one part of an organisation that is unique, innovative and forward looking. As I said, this could not excite me more,” Klopp said.

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Some German media reported his Red Bull contract included an exit clause for the post of Germany national team coach.

Klopp has long been linked to that job, especially after his successful stint at Liverpool and with Germany struggling to make an impact on the international stage in the past decade.

-Reuters

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Cape Verdean, Delgado Rocha, to take charge of Libya, Nigeria battle in Benina

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Referee Delgado Santos Rocha Lenine of Cape Verde

The Confederation of African Football has appointed Delgado Santos Rocha Lenine, from Cape Verde, as referee for Tuesday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between the Super Eagles and the Mediterranean Knights of Libya at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium in Benina, close to Benghazi.

He will be assisted by compatriots Djêry Gomes Lopes (assistant referee 1) and Jorge Santos Fonseca Aritson (assistant referee 2), with Hamidou Diero from Burkina Faso as fourth official.

Amir Abdi Hassan from Somalia will be in the role of commissioner, with Malian Dramane Dante as referee assessor and Rachid Medjiba from Algeria as security officer.

Tuesday’s encounter, which is at the back-end of a double header between both nations, will kick off at 9pm Libya time (8pm Nigeria time).  

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