TheNewsGuru

Tag: Striker

  • Ex-Liverpool star striker Roberto Firmino turns pastor in hometown

    Ex-Liverpool star striker Roberto Firmino turns pastor in hometown

    Former Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino has embraced a new calling, announcing his ordination as an evangelical pastor at the age of 32.

    The Brazilian footballer shared the news on his social media accounts, revealing a significant transition in his life.

    Firmino, alongside his wife, was ordained as a pastor at the church they founded three years ago.

    The dedication ceremony took place last Sunday in his hometown of Maceio.

    In a heartfelt message, Firmino expressed that becoming a pastor was not an initial goal, but a mission that emerged from his encounter with Christ.

    “Since our encounter with Christ, a longing burns in our hearts… that people may know this love that has reached us. Now we have another responsibility… To be pastors according to the heart of God and to cooperate with the Kingdom,” Firmino stated.

    He also extended his gratitude to pastors Jairo and Keila for their belief and encouragement in his spiritual journey.

    Firmino enjoyed a prolific career at Liverpool from 2015 to 2023, during which he secured seven major titles, including the 2019/20 Premier League and the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League.

    One of his standout moments was scoring the decisive goal in the 2019 Club World Cup final, securing the title for the Reds.
    Last season, Firmino played 34 games for Al-Ahli, scoring nine goals. He also represented the Brazilian national team, participating in the 2018 World Cup.

    Currently, Roberto Firmino continues his football career with the Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli, where he played 34 matches in all competitions last season, scoring nine goals and providing seven assists.

  • Everton to hand 19-year-old Okoronkwo new deal

    Everton to hand 19-year-old Okoronkwo new deal

    Premier League side Everton are set to hand striker Francis Okoronkwo a new deal.

    The Athletic says Everton are keen to secure the 19-year-old to a new deal.

    Okoronkwo is coming off contract in June and the Blues aim to tie him down to a long-term agreement.

    The forward joined Everton from Sunderland for £1m in 2021.

    Okoronkwo is yet to make his full debut for Everton, though he has been part of a first-team matchday squad.

  • Haaland best striker I’ve ever seen – Mark Hughes

    Haaland best striker I’ve ever seen – Mark Hughes

    Former Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has stated Erling Haaland is the best striker he has ever seen.

    Hughes was a formidable frontman in his own right when he played for Manchester United.

    He also played alongside the likes of Eric Cantona, Andy Cole, Gianluca Vialli, Gianfranco Zola, and Gary Lineker at various clubs.

    Hughes told The Sun: “I can’t say I’ve ever seen a phenomenon quite like Haaland. And he will surely only get better because he’s clearly driven.

    “He’s not going to get motivated by money because he’s already a very wealthy young man.

    “He just wants to make his mark on the game. For him, it’s not about how many cars he’s got in the garage or whatever.

  • Arsenal need a different striker – Gallas

    Arsenal need a different striker – Gallas

    Former Arsenal captain William Gallas has laid out his transfer plans for the club.

    The ex-Gunners and Chelsea centre-back was speaking about the Emirates Stadium team falling short in the title race this season.

    Despite leading the league for most of the season, Arsenal ultimately fell short due to Manchester City’s dominance.

    “I think Arsenal need to recruit a lot of players,” the Frenchman told Genting Casino.

    “They need a left back, a right back. Ben White is not a right back – I think we’ve seen that in the difficult games.

    “When Arsenal have played better opponents, he has struggled to have an impact in the offensive part of the game. I think that is because he is a centre-back that is being played out of position.

    “I think Arsenal need to sign an experienced center-back. I’ve said this many times: Arsenal needed to sign one experienced center-back just in case one of Gabriel or Saliba got injured, which unfortunately happened.

    “I think Arsenal need to add a different type of striker too.” Gallas added.

    He finished: “I think that Arsenal could look at adding one more midfielder, but before they do that, they should think about adding a good right back, a good left back – players that know how to defend.

    “They need a center-back. Arsenal can’t go into next season without adding an experienced center-back because if one of (William) Saliba or Gabriel (Magalhaes) gets injured, they are in trouble.”a

  • ‘I always like playing in this role’ – Nkunku warns Chelsea coach, Potter

    ‘I always like playing in this role’ – Nkunku warns Chelsea coach, Potter

    RB Leipzig attacker Christopher Nkunku has warned Chelsea boss Graham Potter he doesn’t see himself as a striker.

    Nkunku will join Chelsea this summer.

    He has previously operated as a striker, although it appears the 25-year-old sees himself as more of an attacking midfielder.

    That, of course, could provide another headache for Potter who has already had to make big selection calls.

    Speaking to Football Manager, the RB Leipzig forward said: “I think that (attacking midfield) is a position that suits me well. Close to the goal behind a striker.

    “That describes me as a player nicely so I always like playing in this role.”

  • BREAKING: Former Super Eagles striker, Musa is dead

    BREAKING: Former Super Eagles striker, Musa is dead

    Former Super Eagles striker Bello Musa Kofarmata is dead, aged 34 years.

    According to reports, Kofarmata died on Tuesday, November 1, in his birthplace of Kano after a brief illness.

    The deceased will be buried later today (Wednesday) in accordance with Islamic customs.

    Kofarmata began playing football in 2007 with Kano’s Buffalo F.C. He joined Kano Pillars in the same year. He left Kano Pillars in 2010 to join Heartland FC of Owerri, then switched to Elkanemi Warriors of Maiduguri in 2012. He then returned to Kano Pillars.

    He sealed a deal with IK Start of Norway, following a spate of trials with the team. With Kano Pillars, he won the Nigerian Premier League for 2007-08 and was with 11 goals the top goalscorer.

    In August 2008, Kofarmata was on a trial at Austria’s LASK and played one friendly game. The forward returned from Europe to Pillars at the start of the 2008 season. He joined Heartland in January 2010 for a fee of N5 million. After two and half years, he left Heartland and signed with his lifelong club, Kano Pillars.

  • BREAKING: Man City agree to sign Haaland for £51.2m

    BREAKING: Man City agree to sign Haaland for £51.2m

    Premier League club, Manchester City have reached an agreement to sign Norway striker Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund.

    According to BBC, Haaland, 21, will join in July after City activated a 60m euro (£51.2m) release clause in his contract.

    The deal ends the club’s hunt for a successor to their all-time top scorer Sergio Aguero, who joined Barcelona on a free transfer last summer.

    “We can confirm that we have reached an agreement in principle for the transfer of striker Erling Haaland,” City said.

    “The transfer remains subject to the club finalising terms with the player.”

    Haaland, who passed his City medical in Belgium on Monday, has scored 85 goals in 88 appearances for Dortmund since joining from Red Bull Salzburg in January 2020.

  • Man Utd board refused to buy striker in January – Rangnick

    Man Utd board refused to buy striker in January – Rangnick

    Manchester United caretaker manager, Ralf Rangnick has accused the club management of refusing to add another player to the strike force.

    United loaned Anthony Martial to Sevilla, Edinson Cavani was struggling with an injury and Mason Greenwood was unavailable for selection.

    TheNewsGuru reports that Rangnick has highlighted “a few” strikers who moved in the window.

    “The answer at the time was no, there is no player on the market that can really help us,” he said.

    “I still believe we should have tried in those 48 hours,” said Rangnick. “The board sees it the same way. They agreed. But they also spoke to the scouting department at the same time as me. The answer was no.”

    Rangnick points to Luis Diaz, who joined Liverpool on 30 January, Dusan Vlahovic who moved to Juventus on 29 January and Julien Alvarez who will move to Manchester City in the summer after agreeing a deal on 31 January.

    Asked if he could have signed those players, he said “I don’t know. But as I said, maybe we should have at least internally discussed it.”

    At the time, United were still in the FA Cup and the Champions League and were favourites to secure a place in the top four.

    Two years earlier, they had gone into the January market to sign Odion Ighalo on loan when then boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had his forward options restricted through injury.

    “Maybe I should have pushed even more,” said Rangnick.

    “It would have been short notice but 48 hours is 48 hours. It might have been at least worth to try and internally discuss it. It might be necessary and important. We didn’t. It was not done.”

  • Thomas Tuchel denies plans to buy new striker

    Thomas Tuchel denies plans to buy new striker

    Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel denies he wants to buy a new striker this summer.

    Chelsea have scored just 15 goals in Tuchel’s first 12 games and summer signings Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech have managed just one between them.

    Tuchel insists he is happy with his attacking options and believes they will come good.

    “In general I’m happy because we don’t only look at the output, how much they score, how much they assist,” said the Blues boss.

    “Of course this is something, some statistic to which every striker is attached and everybody needs to have the mentality to cope with the pressure that comes along with statistics. It’s like this in high-level football.

    “But I have to say at the moment everybody is working hard, nobody is lazy, nobody is taking their time outs when we’re defending. We’re defending high, we’re defending as a block.

  • I’m not in competition with any Nigerian striker – Osimhen

    I’m not in competition with any Nigerian striker – Osimhen

    Nigeria and Napoli forward Victor Osimhen says he and other Super Eagles strikers are not in competition but united in winning to make the country proud whenever on national call.

    Osimhen, during a pre-match press conference ahead of Friday’s Super Eagles/Leone Stars’ 2021 AFCON qualifier in Benin, said he and his colleagues were focused on the job at hand.

    The striker however acknowledged that the game billed for the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium might not be easy, even though he assured Nigerians of victory.

    “Obviously, the game won’t be easy, but I want to say that victory is sure for Nigeria.”

    Osimhen who said he was never desperate regarding scoring goals while on national duty said he believed so much in team work.

    “I score if opportunities come along. But I must say I am not in competition with any of my colleagues to score goals.

    “It’s all about team work. For us, it is about winning and winning for Nigeria. It does not matter who scores the goals,” he said.

    The striker however assured that he was fit and ready to do battle with their Sierra Leonean opponents.