Nigerian footballer declared missing in South Carolina

It was reported by Rock Hill Herald that a 16-year-old unnamed boy from a Nigerian soccer team has been missing since Sunday in Rock Hill, S.C. It was told that the team was scheduled to play the Rock Hill Discoveries Soccer Club 96 Green and then return to Nigeria..

Sam Okpodu, who is executive director for the South Carolina Youth Soccer Association, told the Rock Hill Herald, “We want to believe that he will return before the team leaves. We’re putting our hopes on that right now. He’s a young fellow. I don’t think he knows anybody here.”

An unknown Facebook friend might be helping the teenager-the coach told police . Presntly he has been entered into the National Crime Information Center as a runaway. Rock Hill is the last stop in South Carolina for the Nigerians, who previously played in Charleston, Columbia and Greenville.

Super Eagle Calls back Brown Ideye and Osaze Odemwingie

Strikers Osaze Odemwingie and Brown Ideye will be recalled by Nigeria as they gun for a win in next month’s AFCON qualifier in Liberia.
MTNFootball.com has again scooped that Osaze and Ideye, who were both not considered for Nigeria qualifiers in June, will on Thursday be named among the Europe-based stars for the 2013 Nations Cup clash on September 8 in Monrovia.
A top team official said: “Keshi wants more fire power and so the recall of both Osaze and Brown (Ideye).”
Osaze got off to a flying start with a penalty goal for his English club West Bromwich Albion against Liverpool at the weekend, while Ideye has been in fine form in front of goal for his Ukrainian club Dynamo Kiev both in the UEFA Champions League and the league.
Other foreign-based pros for the Liberia clash are Mikel Obi, Elderson Echiejile, Vincent Enyeama, Victor Moses, Ahmed Musa, Austin Ejide, Ike Uche, Obiora Nwankwo, Efe Ambrose and skipper Joseph Yobo.
MTNFootball.com has already revealed that Chelsea midfielder Mikel is staging a return to the national team even though coach Stephen Keshi still has reservations about how the player will cope on the artificial pitch in Liberia.
Yobo, who was sidelined by injury for the team’s June qualifiers, will return to lead the team to battle after he has sorted out his club future by joining Turkish giants Fenerbahce on a permanent deal from EPL side Everton.
“With his transfer issues sorted out now, Joseph Yobo is expected to return. And being that the team is playing away, the thinking of the coach is to bring in players that would add bite to the team up front,” stated a top Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) official.
The foreign pros will in the week leading to the match join up with players from the Nigeria Premier League, who resumed training on Monday in Abuja.

Cazorla tells Wenger to replace Van Persie & Song

The newly-signed Spaniard has called for boss Arsene Wenger to enter the transfer market in order to add further quality following two high-profile departures
Arsenal attacker Santi Cazorla has urged manager Arsene Wenger to re-enter the transfer market to find replacements for the departed Alex Song and Robin van Persie.
Van Persie has ended his eight-year stay at Arsenal, joining Manchester United for a fee believed to be in the region of £24 million whilst Song is closing in on a £15m move to Barcelona.

And the Spain international, who made his debut for the Gunners on Saturday as they were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Sunderland, has called for Wenger to splash the cash before the transfer window closes.

He told reporters: "It’s clear that he [Van Persie] is a great player, a spectacular player, and obviously we would all have preferred it if he had stayed.

"Song has gone as well and there are still 10 days left in the market. Obviously it’s important to replace players like that because they were so important for the team."
However, Wenger has defended the club's role in developing players and insisted that the sale of several stars had not contributed to the Gunners' failure to win a trophy since 2005.

“We make the players here. All that have left were made here or made a name here or came here very young. [Cesc] Fabregas, [Gael] Clichy, [Emmanuel] Adebayor, [Thierry] Henry, [Samir] Nasri, all of them," the Frenchman said.

"Song came at 17. I believe part of our club is to influence people’s lives in a positive way. You would prefer to influence it in a positive way for yourself but it does not always happen.

"That is what we face today. I don’t think it is linked at all with winning something or not.” 

Ferguson not sure over Van Persie opener Tonight

The PFA Player of the Year is expected to make his Red Devils debut against Everton at Goodison Park on Monday but is not a certainty to make the starting line-up Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has expressed uncertainty over whether recent acquisition Robin van Persie will be fit enough to start in his side's Premier League opener against Everton on Monday night.
The Dutch international, who scored 30 Premier League goals last term, arrived at Old Trafford from Arsenal for a fee of £24 million but has missed out on pre-season with his new club.

With the 29-year-old having had little opportunity to train with his new team-mates, the Scot admits he may not hand an immediate debut to the forward.

"He hasn't played much,” Ferguson told reporters.

“We are going to assess him the next couple of days and chat with him, see how he feels himself.

“Adrenalin will help, if I choose to start him, but I think it's important he had a training session on Friday morning.

“Hopefully the weekend will give me a good idea on whether he should start or I should put him on the bench."

Ferguson also went on to hail the club's forward options following Van Persie's arrival, with the likes of Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez also competing for a striking berth.

"We've got a great combination of strikers now,” he added.

“It will be difficult for me but it's better to have another great player rather than worrying if you've got the right player." 

Alex Song closes in on Barca move

 

Arsenal midfielder Alex Song is closing in on a move to Spanish giants Barcelona and the deal could be completed this weekend.

The 24-year-old was not included in Saturday's opening Premier League match against Sunderland.
Boss Arsene Wenger has lined up Real Madrid's 23-year-old Turkish midfielder Nuri Sahin on loan as a replacement.
When asked about the possibility of more signings, and the departure of Song, Wenger said: "Both can happen."

Alex Song

• Born: 9 September 1987 in Douala, Cameroon.
• Clubs: Bastia (2004-2006), Arsenal (2005-2006, loan), Arsenal (2006-present), Charlton (2007, loan)
• International caps: 30

The two clubs will hold further negotiations at the weekend.

Song, who has two years left to run on his contract, is one of Wenger's longest-serving players, having joined Arsenal as a 17-year-old from French side Bastia in 2005.
He initially joined on a one-year loan deal, with a £2.75m fee agreed to make the move permanent.
Song has gone on to make more than 200 appearances for Arsenal, including 34 in the Premier League last season.
With Abou Diaby and Jack Wilshere both close to a return to full match fitness, Wenger is happy with the options available to him in midfield.
"Midfield is an area where we have much more freedom to make decisions," he said.
Sahin joined Real Madrid from Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund last summer but struggled to make an impact, and head coach Jose Mourinho has said he is free to find a new club.
Arsenal have targeted the Turkey international on a season-long loan deal, while Liverpool have also been linked with the playmaker.
Wenger has brought in strikers Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski this summer but Robin van Persie, who scored 30 goals in the Premier League for Arsenal last season, has joined Manchester United.
The Arsenal boss accepts the sale of Van Persie could be a gamble, but is confident his side has the quality to compete at the top of the table.
"We have lost world-class players before and we have always survived," he said.
"We wanted to keep Robin van Persie. The reality is when the player doesn't want to stay, you have two ways - you either force him to stay, or you accept the reality and let him go. I've chosen the second solution.
"I know it's a massive challenge and a massive gamble I took, but I feel that we have the quality to deal with the problem we have."

Wenger Keen on keeping Van Persie

Despite the Dutchman's refusal to go on tour with the Gunners, the club's French boss is still hopeful "one of the best strikers in the world" will remain at the Emirates

 Arsene Wenger has repeated his determination to ensure his wantaway captain Robin van Persie remains an Arsenal player.

 The Dutchman, last season’s Premier League top goalscorer, released a statement earlier this summer in which he indicated he was unwilling to sign an extension to his contract that is due to expire next summer.

Manchester City, Manchester United and Juventus are all monitoring the 29-year-old’s position but Wenger, who is expected to confirm a lack of fitness as the reason for his captain’s failure to take part in the club’s pre-season tour of Asia, believes he will succeed in ensuring Van Persie remains in north London.

“For me, Van Persie is one of the best strikers in the world, if not the best, and my desire is to keep him at the Club.” he told Arsenal’s official website.

“As for the rest I will do what is in the best interests of Arsenal Football Club. That, at the moment, is where we are. There is not a lot more to say than that.”

The uncertainty that surrounds Van Persie’s future is threatening to undermine Arsenal’s build-up to the new campaign, as was the case last year when the transfer sagas of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas cast a cloud over the club, and Wenger is aware of the need to avoid a repeat scenario.

Wenger added: “Robin was an exceptional leader last year. But we know how much we had to fight to come third because we missed out the start of the season. After seven games we had lost four and we have learned that for us it is vital for us to focus on the start of the season rather than on any transfers.

“If the transfers happen, they happen. As long as you are at the club you give your best for the club and that is the only pride you can have as a football player and as a manager.

“As long as you are somewhere you give your best every day for that club. If it changes, it changes. I am convinced that Robin is like that, he is completely focused every day on his job. He loves football, he loves the game and as long as he is here he will do that.”

Messi better than Neymar

Barcelona defender Dani Alves has taken the time to praise Brazil international Neymar, but added that the Santos star is not yet at Lionel Messi’s level.
Neymar is widely regarded as one of the most exciting youngsters in the game, but his compatriot believes that the Barcelona star is still in a class of his own at this point.
“Neymar is a true phenomenon. However, for now, any player who is compared to Messi comes out badly,” Dani Alves stated to reporters.
“He has a bright future ahead of him, but Messi is the undisputed best at the moment. His stats are simply amazing.”
Messi has won three consecutive Ballon d’Or awards and is one of the favourites to capture the prestigious accolade once again this year.