French Ligue 1
PSG TARGETS SUPER EAGLES’ EMERITUS, ODION IGHALO
Manchester United’s Nigerian loanee, Odio Ighalo may not return to China in January if the move by Ligue1 side, Paris Saint-Germain sees the light of the day.
The French side is reportedly lining up a shock move for Odion Ighalo whose last day transfer market move came as a surprise this year’s January.
Ighalo, top scorer at the last Africa Cup of Nations announced his retirement from the Super Eagles last year July. Surprisingly, his profile has soared ever since.
Since the shock move, the Super Eagles emeritus has caught the global attention during his loan spell at United from Shanghai Shenhua, scoring five times for the club.
The Nigerian signed a deal to stay at United until January but PSG are reportedly considering him as an option as they look to replace Edinson Cavani.
According to Daily Mail of UK, PSG Sporting Director Leonardo has drawn up a shortlist of possible targets and will even explore the possibility of signing Cristiano Ronaldo amid rumours Juventus are looking to get him off their wage bill.
However, French publication Foot Mercato claim that PSG have also made contact with Ighalo’s representatives about a possible transfer.
The French champions splashed out £52million to sign Mauro Icardi on a permanent basis earlier this summer but are looking for another attacking player to provide competition.
19-year-old Arnaud Kalimuendo has been integrated into the first-team squad ahead of next season but PSG want to bring in a more experienced and reliable player.
Ighalo fits that mould and would be a much cheaper option than some of PSG’s other targets.
Cavani, meanwhile, is still searching for a new club after seven-year spell at the club came to an end last month.
Newly-promoted Leeds were in the race to sign the 33-year-old Uruguayan but now face an uphill task to get a deal over the line with Bayern Munich and Benfica the current favourites to land his signature.
Paul Pogba has joined AS Monaco on a free transfer after signing a two-year contract, the Ligue 1 club said on Saturday, as the 32-year-old French midfielder looks to revive his career following a doping ban.
Pogba was handed a four-year doping ban in February 2024 after testing positive for DHEA, which boosts testosterone levels. The suspension was cut to 18 months after a successful appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Italian club Juventus announced in November that they had mutually agreed to terminate his contract, which was due to expire in June 2026.
The 2018 World Cup winner had a disappointing second spell with Juventus due to injuries after returning to the Turin-based club following his departure from Manchester United on a free transfer in 2022.
Pogba was signed by United in 2016 for a then-world record fee of 89 million pounds ($122 million) but the four-times Serie A champion won only two trophies with the Premier League club — the League Cup and Europa League in his first season.
He last played for France in 2022 but knee surgery prevented him from appearing at the World Cup in Qatar.
Monaco finished third behind Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain and Olympique de Marseille last season.
-Reuters
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After Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi signed a contract extension with French Ligue 1 side, Paris Saint-Germain, he became the World’s most-paid fullback.
The Moroccan international will earn a staggering €70 million in wages over his new five-year deal, cementing his status as football’s highest-paid defender.
He signed a contract extension with the French champions until 2029. The new deal adds three years to his previous contract, which was set to expire in 2026.
His net salary is increasing from €10 million to €14 million per season (€28 million gross).
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The 2024 Ballon d’Or nominee and Super Eagles winger, Ademola Lookman, is almost certain to leave the Serie A in the coming winter transfer window following interest from Premiership but the biggest interest is from Paris Saint Germaine.
The AFCON 2024 silver medal winner with Nigeria has been on the radar of the London side, West Ham United and three other sides from the league but all is more certain that the London club will find it difficult to compete for the signature of Atalanta star according to Football Insider.
Reports have suggested that the Irons are ready to swoop for the Nigeria international in the January transfer window.
However, sources say there will be “huge interest” from Europe in the 27-year-old ex-Everton star.
Paris Saint-Germain will be the frontrunner for the forward if he becomes available in the coming months.
Additionally, Lookman plays in the same area of the pitch as West Ham’s big-money summer signings Crysencio Summerville and Luis Guilherme.
The London-born has raised his stock with his displays for Atalanta since joining from RB Leipzig in 2022.
He finished 14th in the Ballon d’Or rankings this year after leading the Italian side to a Europa League title last term.
Lookman has already hit five goals and contributed five assists in 10 games across all competitions this term.
The forward, who is under contract until June 2026, hit 17 goals and notched 10 assists in 45 appearances last season.
West Ham are unlikely to have serious funds to spend in the January window after their lavish spending in the off-season.
Julen Lopetegui’s side started slowly and sat 13th in the Premier League after nine games.
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