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SPORTS

News on football transfers and Olympics 2024

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By Timothy Akintola

Read latest on Füllkrug, France, Conor Gallagher, Sørloth and Kanyinsola Ajayi.

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West Ham close to securing the signing of German striker, Niclas Füllkrug.

Borussia Dortmund has allowed Niclas Füllkrug to leave their pre-season training camp to engage in talks with an unnamed club, rumoured to be West Ham. The 31-year-old German striker has been linked to a potential move to the London Stadium as new manager Julen Lopetegui searches for a new forward. Füllkrug’s departure from Dortmund’s Switzerland base indicates he is nearing a transfer to England. The proposed deal would see West Ham pay an initial £21.1 million, plus an additional £3.4 million in performance-related add-ons. Füllkrug is expected to sign a three-year contract with an option for an additional year, earning around £2.5 million annually. Medical examinations are scheduled in the coming days. Last season, Füllkrug scored 16 goals and provided 10 assists in 46 appearances for Dortmund and netted twice for Germany in the European Championship.

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Big clash erupts after France’s 1-0 win over Argentina in the Olympic QF.

The Olympics quarter final clash between Argentina and France ended on such a tempered note. The players and staff clashed on the pitch at full-time after the hosts secured a tense 1-0 victory in Bordeaux to advance to the Olympic semi-finals. Jean-Philippe Mateta’s early header decided the match, setting up a semi-final clash with Egypt. In the high intensity game which also saw France’s Enzo Millot receive a red card after the final whistle, the tension followed an incident where Argentina’s players sang a derogatory chant about France’s black players after winning the Copa America last month. Home fans further fuelled the hostility by booing Argentina’s national anthem before kick off. Although this game featured primarily under-23 players, it marked the first meeting between the two nations since Argentina’s win over France in the 2022 World Cup Final. French head coach Thierry Henry apologized, stating, “We don’t take this match as revenge because the World Cup was with other teams.”

Chelsea banishes Conor Gallagher from first team training amid transfer issues.

England midfielder, Conor Gallagher was informed yesterday that he will not be allowed to train with his teammates when he returns to Cobham on Monday. Chelsea, eager to sell, accepted a £57 million offer from Aston Villa in June, but Gallagher declined the move. Having been with the club since age eight, Gallagher rejected a new three-year contract, feeling dissatisfied with the shorter offer compared to the seven and eight-year deals given to his teammates. Chelsea has now agreed to a £33 million deal with Atletico Madrid for Gallagher, who has until this weekend to decide if he wants to join the Spanish club. Chelsea is determined not to lose him for free next season. Enzo Maresca commented, “The only thing I can say is that he is in contact with the club to find a solution.” Chelsea hopes for a swift and amicable resolution.

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Atlético Madrid set to complete the signing of Alexander Sørloth.

After Alvaro Morata’s departure, Atlético Madrid has been actively searching for a new striker and is now close to finalizing their second signing of the summer. Initial negotiations for Girona’s Pichichi-winning forward Artem Dovbyk fell through last week due to a last-minute disagreement over personal terms. Consequently, Atlético shifted their focus to Alexander Sørloth, with whom they have been negotiating this week. The club is nearing an agreement with Villarreal for Sørloth, who netted 23 goals for the Yellow Submarine last season. Unlike the Dovbyk deal, personal terms with Sørloth have already been agreed upon, and Atlético will activate his €38 million release clause, making him Villarreal’s joint second-most expensive sale. According to Fabrizio Romano, Sørloth has just arrived in Madrid with his agent Morten Wivestad and is set to undergo a medical today as Atlético’s newest player.

Kanyinsola Ajayi advances into the Olympics 100 metre semi finals.

Nigerian sprinter, Kanyinsola Ajayi made headlines by winning Heat 5 of the Men’s 100m at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Saturday morning. Ajayi clocked an impressive time of 10.02 seconds (-0.3), edging out defending Olympic champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs, who finished with a time of 10.05 seconds. Ghana’s Abdul-Rasheed Saminu was close behind, securing third place with a time of 10.05 seconds. Ajayi, the newly-crowned Nigerian champion, has been having a stellar year. He recently claimed victory at the African Championships in Douala, Cameroon, in June. His performance at the Olympics has put him on everyone’s radar as a strong contender in the sprinting world.

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