Aaron Ramsey strikes deal for most expensive house in Wales with Arsenal star securing £1m discount

 

 

Aaron Ramsey may finish 2017 injured for Arsenal , but the Gunners star can celebrate owning the most expensive house in Wales over the last 12 months.

Ramsey even secured a massive £1.4m discount with the final price announced at £3.1m, down from the original market value of £4.5m.

The stunning five-bedroom mansion will surely sit alongside his FA Cup triumph with the Gunners as the highlight of 2017.

An avid golfer, Ramsey has a three-hole course to practice on, a tennis court and a five-star hotel standard outdoor pool with the luxury of a hot tub and sauna.

A midweek stay is not out of the question either, as Ramsey will be able to fly in for training at Arsenal’s Colney training ground in an hour due to the property’s helicopter pad.

With Wales’ failure to qualify for the World Cup in Russia next summer, Ramsey now has the perfect hideaway to recover.

 

Anthony Joshua congratulates Prince Harry on engagement to Meghan Markle as heavyweight champion cheekily asks: ‘Need a best man?’

Prince Harry (left) posed with Anthony Joshua and the boxer shared the picture on Instagram

Anthony Joshua dropped in on Prince Harry as the royal guest edited the Radio 4 Today programme.

The heavyweight champion wished him the best of luck with his temporary role and also congratulated him on everything this year, including his engagement to Meghan Markle.

And perhaps the royal is reassessing his options for best man as Joshua jokingly threw his hat in the ring ahead of the wedding next May

The IBF, IBO and WBA king shared a picture from his visit to the studio, adding a caption which read: ‘Back to work this morning! Congrats on everything this year & no pressure on the R4 guest edit! P.S. Need a best man?’

Joshua and Prince Harry were pictured chatting alongside presenter Gary Richardson.

They also performed the trademark ‘clenched fist’ pose at the BBC offices.

The 33-year-old prince has taken the helm of the popular radio show temorarily and is guest editing from 6am to 9am.

During his interview on the show, Joshua spoke about the challenge of aligning his responsibility of being a role model with performing in the ring.

He said: ‘Winning is the easy part. Taking on the responsibility of being a champion is the hard part.

‘It’s important to be real – we do make mistakes, we aren’t perfect but we are trying,’ he added.

Joshua is preparing for what he hopes with be another stellar year in the ring after reaching new levels of stardom in 2017.

He stopped Wladimir Klitschko back in April in front of a packed out Wembley Stadium and speculation abounds the identity of his next opponent.

A fight with Tyson Fury would no doubt capture the public’s attention but AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn has said the ‘Gypsy King’s’ demands render the all-British clash ‘unmakeable’.

WBO champion Joseph Parker is a more likely opponent and Hearn is looking to finalise terms with the New Zealander over the festive period.

Another unbeaten year could see the 2012 Olympic Champion solidify his boxing royalty to mirror Prince Harry’s elevated status.

 

George Weah is elected president of Liberia as former Chelsea and Manchester City star celebrates landslide victory

Former AC Milan, Manchester City and Chelsea striker George Weah has been elected president of Liberia.

Weah – the first African to win the Ballon D’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year – won comprehensively, clinching 12 of the 15 counties in the West African country.

His opponent Joseph Boakai, who has been vice-president for the last 12 years, only had two counties vote for him.

Jubilant Weah took to Twitter to confirm the victory.

The former Chelsea man is not known for his political nous but his clout as a footballing icon garners him significant support amongst the youth of Liberia, where 60% of the population is under the age of 30.

Weah topped the first round of voting in October but didn’t secure the 50% needed to win outright. The runoff was delayed twice after allegations of voting fraud and irregularities but Weah’s popularity won out in the end.

He will take over from Nobel Peace Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who beat Weah in an election back in 2005. Weah’s lack of education was seen as the main reason for his loss.

The 51 year-old former striker was signed by Chelsea in 2000 on loan and had an immediate impact, scoring a header on his debut in a derby game against Tottenham.

He scored five goals in 14 matches for the club, starting the 2000 FA Cup final against Aston Villa as they beat the Midlanders 1-0.

He also played under Arsene Wenger at Monaco, calling him a “father figure” and attributing his considerable success to the Frenchman.

Moving to Europe in 1988 he went on to spend 14 remarkable years playing for Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan before short stints at Chelsea and Manchester City, finishing his European career in Marseille.

It was during his five years at the Rossoneri from 1995 to 2000 that he confirmed his reputation as one of the world’s most fearsome strikers, winning the Ballon d’Or in 1995 and FIFA World Player of the Year in 1996.

George Weah of AC Milan

The Liberian powerhouse was known for his work-rate, instinctive ability and athletic attributes and was seen, along with Ronaldo and Romario , as a modern breed of striker who could finish and run with the ball effectively.

A highly decorated professional, he won African Footballer of the Year three times, the Serie A twice, Ligue 1 once and a smorgasbord of domestic cups in France and Italy.

Back in October, Arsenal boss Wenger mistakenly congratulated Weah on the presidential victory.

“I would like to congratulate one of my former players, who became president of Liberia,” the Frenchman said in his pre-Watford press conference on October 12.

“It is not often that you have a former player who becomes a president of a country.

“Well done George and I would say just for him to keep his enthusiasm and his desire to learn and to win.”

 

Who is George Weah?

The wider world was ultimately proven to be premature in offering its congratulations to George Weah on becoming president of Liberia on October 10.

The AC Milan legend had indeed garnered the most votes in the first round of voting but he nonetheless failed to meet the required amount to secure election, rendering the abundance of good luck messages on social media inconsequential.

As a result, Weath now faces a run-off against the current vice-president, the Unity Party candidate Joseph Boakai, on December 26.

The world at large may recognise Weah as an inspirational figure who has made the transition from sporting to political life, but the perception of Liberia’s most famous son is not so clear-cut in his homeland.

The dethroned ex-president of Liberia is serving 50 years in a British prison for war crimes committed during the civil war in Sierra Leone.

Weah has also earned the backing of defeated presidential candidate Prince Johnson, who was aligned with Taylor during the early days of the bloody civil war, as well as being responsible for the gruesome murder of ex-president Samuel Doe.

Weah’s Congress for Democratic Change party has entered into an alliance with Taylor’s National Patriotic Party.

“They are our natural partner,” Taylor’s ex-wife and NPP senator Jewel Howard Taylor was quoted as saying in November 2016. She is now serving as Weah’s running mate in the presidential race.

“The CDC was created out of the NPP and so the alliance with the CDC is a natural alliance.”

Some members of Taylor’s party suspended their membership, while several CDC partisans left because of the link with an allegedly ruthless warlord.

“The way Mr Taylor ruled and tortured us during those days, I doubt anyone who suffered will ever forget those painful memories,” noted entertainer Kekura Kamara – aka Balawala – who was a member of the Weah PR team during the iconic forward’s playing days.

“George was a very good footballer,” Kamara said. “He showed that on the field but, as a politician, I doubt that he will make it.”

Kamara insists that the CDC leader is a reactionary and deemed him an unpredictable decision-maker.

Having worked with Weah for several years, Kamara is sure that Weah’s ideology could not now be the same as it was when he first launched his bid for the Liberian presidency back in 2005.

The 1995 World Player of the Year is seeking the country’s highest office for the second time.

On the first occasion, he was beaten to the post by the first and – still – only female Liberian president, the esteemed Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Weah went from winning the first-round vote to losing in the run-off to Johnson Sirleaf. This time around, though, he is expected to triumph over Boakai, with whom he has been engaging in a bitter war of words.

Weah ran for vice-president in 2011 and went on to easily win a seat at the senate in 2014 – beating the son of President Sirleaf, Robert, by clinching 78 per cent of the votes in Montserrado County, which holds the country’s capital, Monrovia.

His political rallies are never short of fans. One supporter, James Pewee – decorated with a Weah t-shirt, a scarf around his neck and a CDC flag in his hand – says his Judgement Day will arrive when Mr Weah is finally pronounced as President of Liberia.

“I just love Weah,” he says. “He loves this country and he has the country at heart.”

“I don’t know what the world thinks but I know Mr Weah has proven to be formidable politician in Liberia,” Musa Shannon, the vice-president of the Liberian FA and a former team-mate of Weah, told Goal.

“He contested the presidency of Liberia [in 2005] and also won the senatorial seat of the largest County – Montserrado – by a landslide. He is the standard-bearer of the most consistent opposition party. I think that would classify him a popular politician.”

Today, as well as being a member of the Liberian Parliament and senator of the country’s biggest county, Weah is also the serving Chair of the Committee on Youth and Sports, and a member of the regional ECOWAS Parliament.

He is banking on his fame and popularity to win, travelling extensively and drawing massive crowds on the campaign trail. He has talked about reconciliation after the decades of civil strife, pointing to his time as a former UN peace ambassador working on disarming child soldiers as evidence of his suitability to the role of peace-maker.

He has, however, received criticism for doing little to impact the sporting sector, given the country has not qualified for a major football competition in 15 years.

Weah’s campaign has little of the trappings of what would be expected in Liberia and he has yet to adequately explain his manifesto.

As in 2005, several of Weah’s famous Lone Star team mates have again refused to support him and some even actively campaigned against him.

Speaking at a news conference on October 10 on behalf of several former team-mates of Weah’s under the banner ‘Soccer Legends’, ex-defender Dionysius Sebwe explained that their stance was “one of conscience devoid of any prejudice; it’s a decision to support the strong foundation of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s administration.”

They also declared support for vice-president Boakai and, at the same, recognised his competence, quality and leadership ability to maintain Liberia’s democratic gains.

Mulbah Reeves, a videographer, told Goal his admiration for Weah dates back to his playing days.

“He was an excellent player, he never had disparity in his game at country and club level,” he says. “His discipline levels were excellent, one reason I think he succeeded.”

Reeves, however, does not support Weah’s bid for the presidency, arguing that football was his true vocation and he should never have moved into the political sphere.

Weah’s former team-mate Shannon thinks that, as a competitive person, Weah would have the requisite leadership skills to be his own man if elected, despite being allegedly surrounded by Taylor’s people.

“He was Liberia’s best player, he led most of us to become better players, so I think he would run his regime.

“The whole country holds Mr Weah in high regard; he is our all-time best football player, he was a leader, he always wanted to win.”

He said the mark left by Weah on the global stage, which has been reflected in Liberian national pride, can never be forgotten – no matter who is supporting his political ideology.

Another former Lone Star player who didn’t go the way of his rebellious colleagues this time, defender Terrance Dickson, said Weah was a philanthropist who empowers everyone – including some of those who may not have supported him.

“Though I didn’t benefit personally from Mr Weah during our playing days like he did for others, his goodwill towards everyone has created admiration for him everywhere he goes,” Dickson explains.

“Mr Weah is good man, he loves his country, he loves his people, he has sacrificed for the country. He is the leader Liberia needs now.”

 

Broke ex-Arsenal star Emmanuel Eboue can’t afford Sky Sports so goes in disguise to watch beloved Gunners in local pub

 

Emmanuel Eboue has revealed he goes in disguise to watch his beloved Arsenal in local pub as he can no longer afford his Sky subscription.

The ex-Gunner is skint after a bitter divorce battle with wife Aurelie stripped him of all of his assets.

He recalls the time last March that he was so desperate to watch his former club in action against Everton that he disguised himself and headed to his local pub in Enfield.

“I covered my face and I went there.” he said. “I was surrounded by Arsenal fans but they didn’t know it was me.

“I sat, I took a beer and I watched the game. But I kept my hood over my head and I hardly raised it because I knew that the Arsenal fans would recognise me.

“I would have felt embarrassed. I had never been in a pub to watch a game. It used to be in my house. Or maybe in a friend’s house.

“It was the life I had before compared to now. Normally the fans see me on the pitch. If I’d already said that I’d retired then yes, okay. I wouldn’t mind if they saw me in the pub.

“But some fans still think Eboue is still playing. Somewhere. So if they see me they maybe would be shocked.”

These says Eboue trains alone in a park near the Enfield home he is set to be forced out of.

“One day I was training in the park at night.” he said. “I saw one boy training alone. I put my cones down and I was training.

“He saw that my training was hard and he came and talked to me. But he didn’t recognise me. He asked: “Excuse me. How do you know all this?”

“I didn’t tell him that I used to be a professional player. I could not.”

Yet, remarkably, the ex-Ivory Coast star revealed he is so embarrassed at his plight that he actually avoids the area of north London around the Emirates in case he is spotted by supporters.

“I am not the kind of person that likes to hide.” he said. “But now I have to hide because my situation is very, very difficult.

“People know me. I played for Arsenal for many, many years. Before I was high on the third floor. Now I am on the ground floor. I can see that I am going down.

“People have in their heads an image of Emmanuel Eboue.” he said. “The name. I know that people respected me.

“So when they see me on the bus I have to lie to them to say: ‘No, no, no, it is not me.’ Yes, I have to lie.

“They said: ‘You look like Eboue’. But I feel ashamed. I feel embarrassed.”

Real Madrid 0-3 Barcelona: Lionel Messi settles El Clasico to bury champions’ title hopes – 5 talking points

Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi fired Barcelona past Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in a fiery Clasico, sending the Catalans 14 points clear of their arch rivals at the top of the table.

Madrid had the better of the first half, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring, but from an offside position, while Barcelona should have had a penalty for Dani Carvajal’s foul on Gerard Pique.

A lightning Barcelona break in the 54th minute saw them break the deadlock, with Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic and finally Sergi Roberto combining to set up Suarez.

Then Madrid were reduced to 10 men when Carvajal was sent off for a handball to prevent a certain goal, with Messi slamming home the penalty.

The Argentinian dribbled down the right in stoppage time and pulled back for Aleix Vidal to slide home a third to all but end Real’s title hopes and keep unbeaten Barcelona flying at the top of the table.

Here are the five key talking points…

1. Roles reversed

Barcelona starting the game 11 points clear of Real Madrid put both teams in an unusual state of mind for the game.

Madrid needed to come out guns blazing, desperate for an early goal, while Barcelona had to take on the style their opponents often employ, the counter-attack.

While in Clasicos past we’ve seen Barcelona dominate the ball and Madrid strike to try and hit them on the break, here the roles were reversed.

Madrid were on top, closing down Barcelona at every opportunity, pressing high, whereas the Catalans were content to be penned in, waiting for the right moment to surge forward.

That came in the second half and Barcelona had a lot of energy in the tank which they used to take Madrid to shreds and secure a huge victory.

Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi fired Barcelona past Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in a fiery Clasico, sending the Catalans 14 points clear of their arch rivals at the top of the table.

Madrid had the better of the first half, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring, but from an offside position, while Barcelona should have had a penalty for Dani Carvajal’s foul on Gerard Pique.

A lightning Barcelona break in the 54th minute saw them break the deadlock, with Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic and finally Sergi Roberto combining to set up Suarez.

Then Madrid were reduced to 10 men when Carvajal was sent off for a handball to prevent a certain goal, with Messi slamming home the penalty.

The Argentinian dribbled down the right in stoppage time and pulled back for Aleix Vidal to slide home a third to all but end Real’s title hopes and keep unbeaten Barcelona flying at the top of the table.

2. Paulinho’s powerful impact

We have sing the praises of the Brazilian this season already but until he proved himself in a Clasico, there was always going to be a question mark above his head.

Paulinho shone at the Santiago Bernabeu, proving the biggest thorn in Real Madrid’s side throughout.

In the first half he was Barcelona’s only attacking threat, linking superbly with Messi twice and stinging the palms of Keylor Navas.

After the break his energy was vital as Barcelona overran Madrid, and he found the net although the goal was ruled out for Dani Carvajal to be shown a red card and Barcelona given a penalty.

3. Carvajal crimes

Dani Carvajal had a day to forget. The Real Madrid right-back was lucky not to concede a penalty in the first half when he brought down Gerard Pique in the area.

Then in the second period he was nowhere to be seen as Barcelona opened the scoring, Suarez eluding the defender to finish under Navas as Barcelona broke away.

Finally, he committed a disgraceful handball to keep the ball out of his net at the end of a comical goalmouth scramble, and was shown the red card.

Lionel Messi blasted home the advantage to double Barcelona’s lead, and Madrid took off Karim Benzema to plug the gap left by Carvajal with Nacho, ending their hopes of getting anything from the game.

4. Ter Savem

There are no better goalkeepers in world football, right now, than Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

The German glovesman has been in sensational form all season, and his wonderful saves have kept the Catalans free from defeat in La Liga and the Champions League.

He was at it again in the Clasico, keeping Madrid at bay, even after Barcelona’s defence switched off in the final stages and Madrid started creating chances despite having 10 men.

With Manuel Neuer still recovering from injury, it’s impossible to claim there is a goalkeeper in better form than Ter Stegen.

Thibaut Courtois and Jan Oblak are top stoppers too, but Ter Stegen is a cut above.

5. La Liga is over

That’s how it looks, anyway, although nobody from Barcelona will admit it for fear of jinxing themselves.

Barcelona, unbeaten all season, are now 14 points ahead of Real Madrid, who are fourth.

Atletico Madrid are in second place and nine behind the leaders, having suffered a humiliating 1-0 beating by Espanyol at Cornella on Friday night.

They will also have to deal with a gruelling Europa League campaign which could upset their league form further still.

Valencia, meanwhile, could move within eight points of Barcelona if they win later Saturday, but nobody truly believes they will go on to compete for the title.

Eddie Hearn explains why Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury megafight is “un-makeable”

Eddie Hearn reckons a clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury is “un-makeable”.

Former heavyweight champion Fury has been cleared to return by the British Boxing Board of Control after accepting a two-year backdated doping ban.

And on Wednesday he took to Twitter to write: ‘@anthonyfjoshua will except [sic] 40% of our fight & will walk first & be announced first, I’m the biggest fight out there for these guys by double. U heard it here first. @EddieHearn’.

But Hearn, who promotes IFB, IBO and WBA champ Joshua, said: “He has text me that before, he does mean that.

“I’ve been talking to Fury [about promoting him] — the only way he is going to get the Joshua fight is with us.

“So I’ve been talking to Fury about a plan to lead to the Joshua fight.

“But I said to him, ‘We can’t talk about the Joshua fight now, you can’t expect to have a conversation, you haven’t even boxed for two years. You might come back and stink the place out and have small value in the fight’.

“He came back and said to me: ‘I’ll make it really easy for you. Straight and simple. I’ll give you a deal you’ll accept right away. I want 60-40, all the champion’s benefits — I want to walk second, it’s my name on the poster, I get the choice of changing rooms’.

“I went back and was like ‘Ah, yeah’, and he said, ‘No, he’s only where he is because of me…’

“Fury doesn’t want the AJ fight yet, he knows deep down he will get mauled by Anthony Joshua if they fight now.

“By the way, I rate Fury — he’s tough to beat, awkward, he’s not exciting but he’s a messer and he’s skilful.

“But you can’t compete, after coming back after that period, with AJ.

“I’ve said I’d give him a couple of fights and then the AJ fight, but he will probably sign with Frank Warren and it makes it unlikely, doesn’t it?

“We’re with one broadcaster, he’s with another, and I don’t think we could get everybody on board together.

“More worrying than that, we are so far apart that this fight is un-makeable.

“It’s not even as if we’re within five per cent, 10, 15, 20 per cent maybe.

“Fury is a voluntary challenger for all these titles but also has a lot of value in the fight, let’s make that clear.

“It’s not like we see him as 20 per cent or something like that.

“But at the moment, we shouldn’t even be considering this fight until we see if he can do something rather than just talk about it.”

Romelu Lukaku upset with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba at Manchester United

Romelu Lukaku upset with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba

Romelu Lukaku is unhappy with Zlatan Ibrahimovic after clashing with the Swede over his position at Manchester United, according to reports.

Ibrahimovic made his return from a cruciate ligament injury last month and provided an interesting talking point when he made his way on to the pitch against Newcastle United as he instructed Lukaku to move out to a wider position.

In United’s next game against Basel, the Belgium international walked towards the touchline once again as Ibrahimovic came on as a second-half substitute before being told to stay in his position by Ander Herrera.

According to the Daily Mirror, Lukaku fells ‘undermined’ by Ibrahimovic and is unhappy that Jose Mourinho and United’s coaching team has not spoken to the 36-year-old about the incident.

Lukaku has struggled for goals in recent weeks but has still scored 14 in 26 appearances for United so far this season. But the Belgian’s has not celebrated his last two goals and the Mirror claim that his relationship with Ibrahimovic is one of the key factors behind it. Lukaku, who also took Ibrahimovic’s No.9 shirt when he arrived at United in the summer, is also unhappy with Paul Pogba and Mino Raiola as the Mirror claims that both men are ‘gravitating’ towards the Swedish striker.

 

 

 

 

The reasons why Liverpool star Mohamed Salah is so popular in his native Egypt

Liverpool supporters have got used to the sight of Mohamed Salah scoring goals for the Reds, but what he is doing back home in Egypt is far more important.

The forward, who was never allowed to show his true quality during a spell at Chelsea, has taken the Premier League by storm this season, returning to the division to score 14 times going into this weekend.

He’s also scored 20 goals in all competitions for his new side, but back home he is famous for more than just that.

In an exclusive piece by the Daily Mail from Salah’s home town of Nagrig, just over 100km north of Cairo, the extent to which the 25-year-old gives back to his community was revealed.

Salah has paid for an all-weather football pitch at his former school and equipment for the community gym. He will regularly visit to present children with football awards, and even contributes towards couples from the area getting married.

In an interview with Liverpool’s official website earlier this week, Salah revealed that he’d travel for as much as nine hours, potentially using 10 different buses, to get to and from training when he was a youngster .

 

In October, the entire country came to a standstill when Salah fired in the injury-time penalty against Congo to send Egypt to their first World Cup since 1990 .

While the country celebrated him in the days that followed, it was revealed that Salah’s family had been robbed when he was playing in the match. But instead of pressing charges, the forward instead gave the thief money and tried to help him find work.

His popularity is such that he regularly wins online votes thanks to the number of Egyptians taking part.

At Liverpool this season he’s already won three of four Player of the Month awards, with the only other one given to Dejan Lovren as a gesture of goodwill after threats to his family.

He’s also been the Champions League player of the week twice, the Premier League player of the month for November and BBC African Player of the Year.

 After his first player of the month gong, Roma tweeted Liverpool to tell them to get used to him winning awards.

Having not played for either of Egypt’s big two – Al-Ahly or Zamalek, two clubs who dislike either other and each other’s players with a passion – Salah remains a uniting force for all of Egypt.

And clearly one the the people love.

Top Facts

Arsenal have won 13 of their last 14 home matches (Premier League).

Liverpool have won their last 4 away matches (Premier League).

Fiorentina have drawn their last 3 away matches (Serie A).

Gaziantepspor have lost their last 7 away matches (TFF 1. Lig).

Eupen have drawn their last 3 matches (Jupiler League).

PEC Zwolle have won their last 5 matches against ADO Den Haag in all competitions.

Atletico have won their last 4 matches (La Liga).

Siah Jamegan have lost 8 of their last 9 matches (Persian Gulf Pro League).

Naft Tehran have lost their last 5 away matches (Persian Gulf Pro League).

Alcorcon have drawn their last 3 home matches (Segunda División).

Sepidrood Rasht have lost their last 5 matches (Persian Gulf Pro League).

Liverpool have won their last 3 matches against Arsenal in all competitions.

Nacional have drawn their last 3 matches (Liga Vitalis).

PEC Zwolle have won their last 3 away matches (Eredivisie).

Lugo have won 6 of their last 7 home matches (Segunda División).

Academica have won 6 of their last 7 matches (Liga Vitalis).

Anderlecht have won their last 3 home matches against Eupen in all competitions.

Fleetwood have won 5 of their last 6 matches against Gillingham in all competitions.