Category: Sport News

Anderlecht eye Portsmouth winger Abu Kamara

Anderlecht eye Portsmouth’s winger Abu Kamara

After a successful loan spell with Portsmouth, Norwich City winger Abu Kamara is a summer target for Belgian top-tier side Anderlecht, Football Sierra Leone understands.

Kamara’s impressive performance at League One champions Portsmouth has attracted interest, but Norwich plans to include him in their first-team under manager Johannes Hoff Thorup.

Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke reports that Anderlecht, managed by former Norwich youth coach Brian Riemer, are keen on signing Kamara and wants to bring him to Belgium this summer.

A source from Norwich has confirmed that they plan to include Kamara in their first-team set-up this summer while their new head coach, Thorup, assesses the squad.

Kamara was an important player in Portsmouth’s championship-winning season last year. He scored ten goals and provided eleven assists in 52 games.

This summer, he made his debut for England’s U20 team. The 20-year-old, who came through City’s academy, has one year left on his contract at Carrow Road, and Norwich has a one-year option.

Al-Merrikh unveil Nigerian keeper Olorunleke Oluwasegun Ojo

Al-Merrikh unveil Nigerian keeper Olorunleke Oluwasegun Ojo

Al-Merrikh SC has unveiled their new signing, Nigerian goalkeeper Olorunleke Oluwasegun Ojo, who previously played for Enyimba FC.

The club made the announcement on its official Facebook page, but no terms of the contract were mentioned.

Ojo began his senior career with Giwa FC in 2013 and later moved to Kano Pillars in 2014.

In 2021, he joined Enyimba and eventually became the team captain in 2023. Ojo has represented Nigeria at various levels and was part of the Nigeria U20s team that won the 2015 African U-20 Championship.

He received his first call-up to the senior Nigeria national team in 2022 and was included in the squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, making him the only player selected from the Nigeria Professional Football League.

FC Basel has extended the contract of Adriano Onyegbule, a German-Nigerian attacking midfielder, until the end of the 2026-2027 season.

Midfielder Adriano Onyegbule extends FC Basel contract

FC Basel has extended the contract of Adriano Onyegbule, a German-Nigerian attacking midfielder, until the end of the 2026-2027 season.

Onyegbule, 18, joined Basel in 2022 and made his senior debut in May 2023. He has been promoted to Basel’s first team for the upcoming season.

Onyegbule has represented Germany’s youth teams in six matches and remains eligible to play for the Flying Eagles.

The midfielder moved from RB Leipzig’s youth department to Rotblau around two years ago and, has so far, made four competitive appearances for the first team.

Most recently, the German-Nigerian dual citizen has mainly played in the U21s, where he has made 39 appearances (3 goals).

Roma sign young prospect Buba Sangaré from FC Levante

Roma sign young prospect Buba Sangaré from FC Levante

Buba Sangaré, a 16-year-old right winger, has signed a three-year contract with AS Roma after being transferred from FC Levante for 1.5 million euros.

“AS Roma is delighted to confirm the signing of Buba Sangaré from Levante on a permanent deal. Sangaré, 16, is a right-back born in Elche, Spain,The Italian giants confirmed.

With just three appearances for Levante’s first team last season, the Spanish-Malian prodigy is set to begin a new chapter in Italy with a contract extending until June 2027.

The young defender has already made appearances in La Liga and Copa del Rey with Levante, as well as representing Spain at the European Under-17 Championship.

Official: Jonathan Morsay departs AEL Limassol

Official: Jonathan Morsay departs AEL Limassol

Sierra Leonean attacker Jonathan Morsay has officially left the Cypriot sports club AEL Limassol by mutual consent.

He joined AEL Limassol FC on a free transfer on 7 July 2023. Morsay scored his first goal for the team in the first game of the Cypriot First Division on 21 August 2023 against Doxa Katokopias FC, contributing to the team’s victory.

“Special thanks to Jonathan Morsay who, despite being under contract for next year, agreed to leave our team without any financial demands and receiving only the current season’s accruals,” the club announced.

The Swedish-born player participated in 22 games for the Cypriot side and scored three goals as they finished ninth.

They finished ninth in the Cypriot First Division last season and recently replaced former Cyprus international Alexandros Garpozis as the manager.

Morsay, born to a Sierra Leonean father and a Swedish mother, was a youth international for Sweden. He is now a free agent.

He made his debut for the Sierra Leone national team in a friendly, a 3–0 loss to Togo on 24 March 2022, and has been a regular since then.

Gambian winger Yankuba Minteh joins Brighton from Newcastle

Gambian winger Yankuba Minteh joins Brighton from Newcastle

Brighton has made an exciting acquisition by signing Yankuba Minteh, a talented winger from Gambia, from Newcastle United for a whopping £30m. He has been signed on a contract until June 2029.

“Now, we will give him the time and support he needs to ensure that he settles in, Brighton noted on their website.

Yankuba made the move from Gambia to Europe in 2022, when he joined Danish side Odense BK. Brighton’s technical director, David Weir, expressed his delight in welcoming the young talent to the club.

Minteh has three goals in seven appearances for Gambia. Newcastle extended its best wishes to Yankuba for the future.

Minteh received his first call-up to the Gambia national team on November 4, 2022, and scored his first international goal in a match against Congo.

He also played in the 2023 AFCON and scored his second and third international goals in matches against Seychelles and Gabon, respectively.

Issa Kallon scores winner as Nantong Zhiyun beat Three Towns

Issa Kallon scores winner as Nantong Zhiyun beat Three Towns

Issa Kallon scored the winning goal as Nantong Zhiyun secured a 2-1 victory over Three Towns in the 17th round of the Chinese Super League at Wuhan Stadium on Saturday.

Izuchukwu Jude Anthony scored the opening goal in the 11th minute, but Kallon secured an 87th-minute winner. Although the visitors pulled one back through Pedro, it was too late for a comeback.

Nantong Zhiyun FC has had a lacklustre season, but this win might ignite their season as they move out of the relegation zone.

It was Kallon’s third season since joining the Chinese Super League club on 9 February 2024 from fellow Chinese Super League club Nantong Zhiyun.

Nantong Zhiyun were stunned by Tianjin Teda in their recent match to play out a 1-1 draw, thwarting their chances of recording their third win of the season.

In that match, they took the lead through Yongtao Lu’s goal in the 45th minute, only to squander their lead in the game’s dying minutes.

Before today, their team had not won in their last eight league matches (L5, D3). They came into this game after losing their previous two matches, with 5-2 defeats against Zhejiang Professional FC and Beijing Guoan FC.

Chelsea has confirmed that Morocco International Hakim Ziyech has completed a permanent transfer to Galatasaray.

Morocco’s Hakim Ziyech completes Galatasaray’s permanent move

Chelsea has confirmed that Morocco International Hakim Ziyech has completed a permanent transfer to Galatasaray.

Ziyech initially joined the Turkish team on loan last summer but has now left Chelsea permanently.

The winger, 31, spent last season on loan with the Turkish team after a temporary deal with an obligation to make the move permanent was agreed.

The Morocco international made 23 appearances across all competitions, scoring eight goals and assisting another four.

During his time at Stamford Bridge, he scored 14 goals and achieved success in the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.

“We appreciate Hakim’s contributions during his time at Chelsea and wish him the best in the next phase of his career,” Chelsea noted.

West Bromwich's move delights Malian midfielder Ousmane Diakité.

West Bromwich’s move delights Malian midfielder Ousmane Diakité

Malian midfielder Ousmane Diakite has happily signed a two-year contract with West Bromwich Albion. The 23-year-old is moving to The Hawthorns from the Austrian Bundesliga club, TSV Hartberg.

Diakite featured in 34 games for TSV Hartberg, scoring two goals.

“I am delighted to be joining such a massive club,” he told the club’s website. “It’s always been an ambition of mine to play in England and I just can’t wait to get started,” told the club’s website

Diakite is the first summer signing for Baggies’ head coach Carlos Corberan. Corberan added, “Ousmane is a young, talented midfielder with the potential to grow as a player in England. His ball skills will help us transition from defence to attack.”

Diakite achieved runner-up position in the 2015 world championships with the Malian U17 team and played his first match for the U20 national team in 2017.

FC Augsburg has fortified its attacking lineup with a new acquisition of Congolese international Samuel Essende.

Congolese International Samuel Essende joins FC Augsburg

FC Augsburg has fortified its attacking lineup with a new acquisition of Congolese international Samuel Essende.

The 26-year-old forward, previously with Portuguese first-division relegated team FC Vizela, has signed a contract with FCA until June 30, 2028. The specific details of the transfer remain undisclosed.

Born in Montfermeil, France, Essende received his training at the Paris Saint-Germain academy and demonstrated his prowess by scoring 15 goals in the Portuguese Primeira Liga last season.

Standing at an impressive height of 1.92 meters, the striker has previously represented French clubs SM Caen and Pau FC, as well as Belgian first-division club KAS Eupen.

Essende made his national team debut for the Democratic Republic of Congo in early June during the World Cup qualifier in Senegal.

The striker is excited to join FC Augsburg and compete in the Bundesliga. FCA’s sports director, Marinko Jurendic, praised Samuel as a skilled striker and extended a warm welcome, wishing him success at FCA.

Samuel Essende is excited to join FC Augsburg and compete in the Bundesliga. FCA’s sports director, Marinko Jurendic, praised Samuel as a skilled striker and extended a warm welcome, wishing him success at FCA.