Premier League
Arsenal Fans May Decide Wenger’s Fate
Embattled Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, has disclosed he will abide by fans’ views in deciding whether to continue to stay at Arsenal. Following last Tuesday ouster from the UEFA Champions League, the seventh in a row, peoples’ assembly, the Sports Village Square, launched an online poll for fans to decide the manager’s fate.
The poll is still open and will run through to 12 am on March 15. Let’s hear your voice at the Sports Village Square. Your opinion may count. Should Arsene Wenger remain as Arsenal Manager?
In the UK, Arsenal supporters have staged protests calling for Wenger, who is out of contract at the end of the season, to leave prior to Tuesday’s 5-1 home loss to Bayern Munich, with some even accusing the manager of “killing” the club. But Wenger has rejected the notion he would be tarnishing his legacy if he prolonged his stay.
“I don’t work for my image, I work for this club. How I look is not really my problem,” he said.
Theo Walcott has urged his team mates to stop fighting amongst themselves after it British media reported Alexis Sanchez had a heated verbal exchange with Laurent Koscielny last week after the Chile winger allegedly walked out of a training session.
“I think a lot has been said about that is exaggerated,” Wenger said.
“We can show how united we are. On that front, I don’t worry,” he said, adding: “A lot has been said. We have a good united and determined group. When you go through disappointing results, you have disagreements.”
Criticism of Wenger has grown more vociferous this week after Arsenal crashed out the Champions League in the last-16 for a seventh straight season with a 10-2 aggregate defeat by Bayern.
Wenger, however, defended his record in Europe’s elite club competition.
“In the last nine years only once have we been the worst performing English club in the Champions League,” the Frenchman said.
Wenger was also taken aback by media reports suggesting midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is looking to leave the club.
“I am surprised. I rate him highly … I hope he stays here,” Wenger said.
Wenger gave the strongest sign yet that he could draw the curtains on his Arsenal career when he recently said he would manage next season, but did not know if it would be “somewhere else”.
A run of three defeats in four Premier League games that has seen the club drop outside the top four has also not helped Wenger’s cause.
Arsenal have the perfect chance to put their painful Champions League exit behind them as they prepare for Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final at home to non-league Lincoln City.
Thomas Partey, who formerly played for English Premier League soccer club Arsenal, has been charged with rape and sexual assault, London’s Metropolitan Police said on Friday.
Partey, a Ghana international, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with the charges relating to three women and the offences reported to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, the statement said.
Partey’s management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He is due to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Aug. 5.
Partey, 32, was signed by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for 50 million euros ($59 million) in October 2020 and became a key member of Arsenal’s first team.
He was first arrested in July 2022, though he was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Five players including England forward Marcus Rashford and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho have informed Manchester United that they wish to explore a future away from the Premier League side, a club source said on Friday.
Brazilian midfielder Antony, Dutch defender Tyrell Malacia and England international Jadon Sancho are also looking to leave the club, the source added.
Rashford, who has made more than 400 senior appearances for United, has fallen out of favour with manager Ruben Amorim, played for Aston Villa on loan while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings.
Amorim had called Rashford’s work rate into question, saying he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.
Rashford said he was feeling fitter and better since joining Villa, where he scored two goals in 10 league appearances.
United also failed to qualify for the Champions League as they lost the Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. Garnacho, who was a late substitute in the final, voiced his displeasure on social media after the loss.
“Up until the final, I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know,” he wrote in a post . “The final will influence (my decision), but the whole season, the situation of the club.”
Sancho was on loan at Chelsea, where he made 31 league appearances last season. Antony, who joined United from Ajax Amsterdam in 2022 for a reported initial transfer fee of more than $100 million, scored five goals in 17 LaLiga appearances on loan at Real Betis.
Malacia joined Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on loan in February.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned down the opportunity to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in order to keep playing “at the highest level”, he said on Tuesday.
The Portuguese midfielder admitted that he had considered the move, which media reports said was worth four times his current salary, after being contacted by Al-Hilal’s president.
“There was that possibility, the president of Al-Hilal called me a month ago to ask me about it,” Fernandes, who is preparing to face Germany with Portugal, told reporters on Tuesday.
“It was a big offer, very ambitious. There was a waiting period for me to think about the future.”
Fernandes ultimately decided to stay at United and said he was motivated by his desire to continue playing at the top level and encouraged by his family and the club’s coach Ruben Amorim.
“I would be willing to do it if Manchester United thought so,” Fernandes added. “I spoke to the coach Ruben Amorim who really tried to talk me out of it. The club said they would not be willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
“I spoke to my wife and family, and she asked me what my personal goals were in my career.
“It would have been easy to move there but I want to keep myself at the highest level, playing in the big competitions and I feel capable of it. I am happy with my decision.”
The 30-year-old Fernandes scored 19 goals and provided 19 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions for United last season, winning the club’s Player of the Year award for the fourth time.
However, it was a season to forget for the team, as they finished 15th in the Premier League, their lowest league finish in half a century, and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
WAFCON 2024: Nigeria’s Super Falcons begin ‘La Decima’ quest with Tunisian clash
Supporters Club Mourns Peter Rufai: “Another Big Tree Has Fallen,” Says Rafiu Ladipo
WAFCON 2024: Morocco Held to Thrilling 2-2 Draw by Zambia in Opening Match
- OBITUARY3 days ago
BREAKING: Nigerian Goalkeeping Legend Peter Rufai is dead
- Nigerian Football2 days ago
Football Agent John Shittu Demands Retraction and ₦250 Million Damages from Samson Siasia Over Bribery Allegation
- FEDERATION CUP1 week ago
Kwara United Clinch Historic First Title as President Federation Cup Final Goes to Penalties for the 18th time
- FEDERATION CUP1 week ago
Rivers Angels Crowned 2025 Female Federation Cup Champions After Penalty Shootout Thriller
- OBITUARY3 days ago
Peter Rufai looked lean when I last saw him, says mourning NFF President, Gusau
- OBITUARY2 days ago
Family issues statement on Peter Rufai
- WAFCON19 hours ago
Nigeria, Tunisia Set for High-Stakes WAFCON 2024 Clash in Casablanca
- IMMEMORIAL2 days ago
Peter Rufai’s Death Adds to Long List of July Tragedies in Nigerian Football