Chelsea have today confirmed that midfielder Jon Obi Mikel has signed a new five-year contract at the club, joining French winger Florent Malouda, who yesterday inked a new three-year deal at the club, in committing himself to the Blues.
The powerful 22-year-old was delighted to have extended his time at the club, telling the Blues' official website, "It was easy to commit to because I am happy here and when the opportunity came it was good to sign after speaking to the club.
"My future with the new manager will be bright, and I think we have a good working relationship already,' he added.
"All the managers I have played for here have their own type of systems they want us to play, and whoever comes in will want to change little bits and pieces.
"There is not much to change but they all bring in different views, and the new manager wants us to play in a certain formation which we need to get used to before the season starts."
Obi Mikel featured for Chelsea in their friendly against Inter in the Rose Bowl last night, and is enjoying getting back to full sharpness under the management of Carlo Ancelotti, who has altered the Chelsea tactics, lining the side up in a 4-4-2 formation, with a diamond-shaped midfield.
"It has been hard work getting back to fitness but we all want to be sharp for the start of the season, training is hard work but we have to do it," the Nigerian international added.
"The new formation doesn't make too much difference to me in defensive midfield,' he explained, 'but perhaps it is a little harder as I have to cover more ground for the team, but I feel I am up to the task and I am sure I can do it."
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Flying Eagles soar over Black Satellites
Gbolahan Salami converted an 86th-minute penalty to help Samson Siasia's Flying Eagles edge Ghana 1-0 in their opening game of the Four-Nation Under-20 tournament in Egypt.
The victory was tinged with some trepidation after midfielder Mohammed Shagari was taken away in an ambulance following a collision in the first half.
Ever-buzzing striker Daniel Chima Uchechi was the architect of the penalty when he had his foot grabbed by the Ghanaian goalkeeper on his way to goal. Salami stepped up to convert the spot-kick and earn Siasia's wards their first competitive victory.
As is always the case in games between the two west African rivals, there were no quarters asked, none expected, and certainly none given.
But it was the Nigerians who looked sharper and created the better opportunities in the opening period.
Other teams in the tournament are hosts Egypt and Kenya, who replaced Togo.
The tournament winners will get $50 000 in prize-money, second place will get $35 000 and the third-place finisher will get $25 000.
The victory was tinged with some trepidation after midfielder Mohammed Shagari was taken away in an ambulance following a collision in the first half.
Ever-buzzing striker Daniel Chima Uchechi was the architect of the penalty when he had his foot grabbed by the Ghanaian goalkeeper on his way to goal. Salami stepped up to convert the spot-kick and earn Siasia's wards their first competitive victory.
As is always the case in games between the two west African rivals, there were no quarters asked, none expected, and certainly none given.
But it was the Nigerians who looked sharper and created the better opportunities in the opening period.
Other teams in the tournament are hosts Egypt and Kenya, who replaced Togo.
The tournament winners will get $50 000 in prize-money, second place will get $35 000 and the third-place finisher will get $25 000.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Image rights scuppers Nsofor deal
Obinna Nsofor’s move to Napoli has fallen through after both sides failed to agree on the player’s image rights.
Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis insists the club should benefit from player-related royalties, but that view was not shared by the players’ camp. The club chief executive says the transaction is now over.
“The discussions for Obinna are closed,” he told Il Corriere Dello Sport. “Image rights are fundamental for us and I see football as a business as I am a businessman. Therefore I retain that the image rights should be ours. Players who accept this are fine, those who don't, well there are always other players.”
De Laurentiis is also expected to meet with Argentina star Ezequiel Lavezzi to sort out a similar disagreement.
“I will meet with him and we will see if he has ideas which are different to ours,” he said.
Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis insists the club should benefit from player-related royalties, but that view was not shared by the players’ camp. The club chief executive says the transaction is now over.
“The discussions for Obinna are closed,” he told Il Corriere Dello Sport. “Image rights are fundamental for us and I see football as a business as I am a businessman. Therefore I retain that the image rights should be ours. Players who accept this are fine, those who don't, well there are always other players.”
De Laurentiis is also expected to meet with Argentina star Ezequiel Lavezzi to sort out a similar disagreement.
“I will meet with him and we will see if he has ideas which are different to ours,” he said.
Enyeama escapes kidnapping
Vincent Enyeama came close to being abducted for ransom while on holiday in Nigeria.
Enyeama returned to Israel on July 14 to join up with his Hapoel Tel Aviv teammates for pre-season, and kidnappers broke into his house in Uyo a day later.
The would-be abductors asked for the goalkeeper, but met only his cousin and a friend at the house. The friend, whose name was given as Dan, was taken away, but released two days later at Ikono.
Enyeama was left thankful for his and his family's safety, he said, “I was led by God to send my family to Lagos to stay with my sister for the last week of the holiday, and I left Uyo a day before they came, but they took my cousin Tony’s friend. They released him on July 17 when they found out that he had nothing to do with us."
Fellow goalkeeper Austin Ejide also reportedly narrowly escaped being abducted this summer, as football players appear to have become targets for the kidnap trade in Nigeria's Niger Delta.
The first high-profile kidnap case involving a football star happened last summer when Nornu, brother of Everton and Nigeria star Joseph Yobo, was kidnapped.
Enyeama returned to Israel on July 14 to join up with his Hapoel Tel Aviv teammates for pre-season, and kidnappers broke into his house in Uyo a day later.
The would-be abductors asked for the goalkeeper, but met only his cousin and a friend at the house. The friend, whose name was given as Dan, was taken away, but released two days later at Ikono.
Enyeama was left thankful for his and his family's safety, he said, “I was led by God to send my family to Lagos to stay with my sister for the last week of the holiday, and I left Uyo a day before they came, but they took my cousin Tony’s friend. They released him on July 17 when they found out that he had nothing to do with us."
Fellow goalkeeper Austin Ejide also reportedly narrowly escaped being abducted this summer, as football players appear to have become targets for the kidnap trade in Nigeria's Niger Delta.
The first high-profile kidnap case involving a football star happened last summer when Nornu, brother of Everton and Nigeria star Joseph Yobo, was kidnapped.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Rabiu Ibrahim Joins Nigeria's U20s In Egypt Tournament
Portugal-based Rabiu Ibrahim is expected to team up with Nigeria's Under-20 side, the Flying Eagles, in time for an invitational tournament in Egypt after he failed to make the team's training camp in Qatar due to visa problems.
"Rabiu will team up with the Under-20 squad on Friday in Egypt," disclosed the player's agent, Bertram Ekenwa.
"He had some complications with his passport, which expired this month and as a result he could not make the trip to Doha."
Nigeria have been invited by 2009 FIFA World Youth Championship hosts Egypt for a four-nation tournament as part of the build-up for the championship slated for September.
The Flying Eagles are drawn in a first round group that includes Spain, Venezuela and Tahiti.
"Rabiu will team up with the Under-20 squad on Friday in Egypt," disclosed the player's agent, Bertram Ekenwa.
"He had some complications with his passport, which expired this month and as a result he could not make the trip to Doha."
Nigeria have been invited by 2009 FIFA World Youth Championship hosts Egypt for a four-nation tournament as part of the build-up for the championship slated for September.
The Flying Eagles are drawn in a first round group that includes Spain, Venezuela and Tahiti.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Seyi Olofinjana Close To Completing Monaco Switch From Stoke City
Monaco have endured a somewhat frustrating transfer campaign, failing to secure the services of a number of strikers. However, they are making progress with their midfield corps and are on the verge of signing Seyi Olofinjana from Premier League side Stoke City, according to L’Equipe.
The Parisian-based publication notes that the two clubs are “about to reach an agreement” with regard to the player, who is 29-years-old.and has played in England in each of the last five campaigns, four of which he spent with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
An experienced Nigerian international, Olofinjana has a contract with the Potters that expires in 2012, having only joined the club from Wolves last summer.
Should he complete the switch to the principality club, he will join Djimi Traore at the Stade Louis II, the former Liverpool and Portsmouth player having completed his move to the Guy Lacombe-coached outfit in the opening weeks of the window. Monaco’s only other new recruit to date this summer is Zenit St. Petersburg centre-back Sebastien Puygrenier, who has made the switch on loan.
Meanwhile, Lacombe continues to chase offensive reinforcements after a move for Steve Savidan fell through due to the striker possessing a heart condition that forced him to quit the game.
The Parisian-based publication notes that the two clubs are “about to reach an agreement” with regard to the player, who is 29-years-old.and has played in England in each of the last five campaigns, four of which he spent with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
An experienced Nigerian international, Olofinjana has a contract with the Potters that expires in 2012, having only joined the club from Wolves last summer.
Should he complete the switch to the principality club, he will join Djimi Traore at the Stade Louis II, the former Liverpool and Portsmouth player having completed his move to the Guy Lacombe-coached outfit in the opening weeks of the window. Monaco’s only other new recruit to date this summer is Zenit St. Petersburg centre-back Sebastien Puygrenier, who has made the switch on loan.
Meanwhile, Lacombe continues to chase offensive reinforcements after a move for Steve Savidan fell through due to the striker possessing a heart condition that forced him to quit the game.
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