SPORT : EPL, What Arsenal will do to players if club suffers relegation

Arsenal had made arrangements for a possible relegation from the Premier League, the UK Telegraph reports.

The Gunners are presently 15th on the table, after picking up 14 points from their opening 14 fixtures.

Mikel Arteta’s side sits four points above the relegation spots and needs to plug a seven-point gap to return to the top half of the table.

While relegation still feels a farfetched possibility, Arsenal has contingency plans in place if they do go down.

A number of players would face huge pay cuts if the club was to drop down to the Championship.

It has emerged that the club has inserted relegation clauses into players’ deals.

Several payers will be obliged to take a 25% pay cut if they go down.

Arsenal has not been relegated since the 1912/1913 season when they finished bottom of the old First Division.

SPORT : Jordi gives two conditions for Neymar to return to Barcelona

 

Barcelona presidential candidate, Jordi Farre, has given two conditions for Paris Saint-Germain forward, Neymar, to return to Camp Nou.

Jordi said Neymar is welcome to reunite with Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi but first the Brazilian international must withdraw his demands and ask for forgiveness following his acrimonious exit from the club three years ago.

Neymar spent four trophy-laden seasons in Barcelona, forming a formidable partnership alongside Messi and Luiz Suarez.

He later left Barcelona for PSG for a record €222 million in 2017 after his release clause was triggered.

“Neymar will be welcome, but the first thing he has to do is withdraw his demands and ask for forgiveness,” Jordi told RAC1.

“We’ve spoken to his people, and they’ve told us about ‘going home’.

“Who does not want the third-best player in the world on their team? There is an option of a transfer request, which would see him come for €40-45m.”

NEWS : 34-year-old stabs pregnant girlfriend to death

 

A 34-year-old man has stabbed his seven-month pregnant girlfriend to death.

The suspect stabbed the 27-year-old woman during an argument outside her mother’s house in the North West area of South Africa on Saturday, December 19.

Confirming the incident, Police spokesperson Lt-Col Amanda Funani, said the suspect has been arrested and would appear soon in the Schweizer-Reneke magistrate’s court.

“The suspect who is from Taung was visiting the victim at extension 8, Ipelegeng Location.

The suspect had allegedly accused the girlfriend of cheating when he is not around,” said Lt-Col Amanda Funani.

The victim was rushed to a local clinic by the boyfriend where she was confirmed dead.

“The suspect was arrested at the victim’s home the same day and was charged with murder,” Funani added.

The Provincial Commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena also condemning the incident said the police would do everything possible to ensure that the suspect remains in custody.

NEWS : Former Minister of Education, Jerry Agada is dead

 

Former Minister of State for Education, Professor Jerry Agada is dead.

Agada was confirmed dead on Tuesday morning.

He died at the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Makurdi, Benue State.

He was also the Chairman Benue State Civil Service Commission.

The former minister was born on 11 November 1952 at Orokam in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State.

SPORT : Carabao Cup final postponed

 

The Carabao Cup final has been moved forward by two months, the Football League (EFL) has confirmed.

The fixture will now be played on April 25, in the hope that a later date will allow fans to attend.

The final of the competition was due to be held on February 28, 2021, at Wembley Stadium.

“It is the objective of the League to stage the final with as many supporters in attendance as possible and the decision has therefore been taken to move the final to later in the year,” the EFL said in a statement.

“The number of fans permitted will be dependent on Government guidance in place at the time and it is hoped that moving the date to later in the year will give clubs and their fans the best opportunity to attend in person.”

The quarter-finals of the competition, however, kicks off on Tuesday, with Brentford hosting Newcastle United and holders Manchester City away at Arsenal.

Wednesday’s games include Stoke City at home to Tottenham Hotspur, while Everton host Manchester United at Goodison Park.

SPORT : Real Madrid give Iker Casillas new appointment

 

Real Madrid have announced that the club’s legend, Iker Casillas, has joined the Los Blancos Foundation as deputy to the CEO.

The La Liga champions made this known in a statement via its website on Tuesday.

The statement read: “Real Madrid CF announces that Iker Casillas joins the Real Madrid Foundation as deputy to the CEO.

“Iker Casillas is a Real Madrid legend, he represents the values of our club and is the best goalkeeper in our history.”

“For Real Madrid, it is a pride to receive one of its great captains back home.”

Casillas won 19 titles including 3 European Cups, 3 Club World Cups, 2 European Super Cups, 5 Leagues, 2 King’s Cups and 4 Spanish Super Cups during his 25 years at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Spaniard also won 2 Portuguese League titles, 1 Cup and 1 Super Cup during his time at FC Porto.

The 39-year-old represented the Spain international team 167 times and won 1 World Cup, 2 European Cups and 1 U-20 World Cup.

SPORT : EPL, Neville, Carragher name Premier League best XI [Full list]

 

Former Manchester United defender, Gary Neville and former Liverpool centre-back, Jamie Carragher, on Monday night, named their Premier League best XI of this year.

Neville and Carragher named six Liverpool stars and two Tottenham Hotspur players in the list.

The duo also included one player each from Manchester United, Manchester City and Wolves.

They both worked together to form a combined XI of the 2020 Premier League’s best.

In the defence, Wolves’s Conor Coady was part of the four-man defenders that includes, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Andrew Robertson, while goalkeeper Alisson is in goal.

In the midfield, Jordan Henderson joined Manchester City playmaker, Kevin De Bruyne, and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes to make the three-man midfielders.

In midfield, Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne – who Carragher hailed as the league’s ‘best player’ – joined Henderson and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes.

In the attack, Mohamed Salah joined Tottenham’s stars, Son Heung-Min and Harry Kane in the attack line.