Liverpool dismiss Barcelona Coutinho bid and tell Catalans

Liverpool have told Barcelona that they are wasting their time trying to sign Philippe Coutinho this summer.
The La Liga outfit have stepped up their interest in the Brazil international by tabling an opening bid of 80million Euros (£72million).
However, the ECHO understands that was instantly rejected and the Reds remain adamant that Coutinho is not for sale at any price.

Jurgen Klopp views the gifted 25-year-old attacker as key to his vision for the club and is building a team around him.
Coutinho only signed a new five-year contract back in January worth £150,000 per week and there is no release clause.
When that deal was signed Klopp hailed him as “truly world class” and the manager is convinced that Coutinho is happy and settled at Liverpool.

Speaking in Hong Kong earlier this week, Klopp said: “The main thing I think about is how we can make the next step with the players we had last season.
“The good news is that actually we didn’t lose - and we will not lose - a player we want to keep this summer. That’s the best news actually and then we’ll see who can bring into the squad.”

Coutinho, who scored 14 goals in all competitions last season, is close friends with Luis Suarez , who made the move from Liverpool to Barcelona three years ago.
However, he has always played down speculation linking him with the Camp Nou.
“Stay here and they will end up building a statue in your honour," Coutinho said back in May.

“Go somewhere else, to Barcelona, to Bayern Munich, to Real Madrid, and you will be just another player. Here you can be something more. I have a long contract with Liverpool.”

Jose Mourinho : Manchester United need to sign new players

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is desperate for reinforcements, even if it only means signing one player as the Premier League season looms large.

At the end of 2016-17, Mourinho revealed he wanted four new players, but Romelu Lukaku and Victor Lindelof are the only arrivals so far.
United have been heavily linked with Inter winger Ivan Perisic, Tottenham utility Eric Dier and Nemanja Matic, while Paris Saint-Germain full-back Serge Aurier has emerged as a possible target.

Asked about United's transfer plans following Thursday's 2-0 International Champions Cup win over Manchester City in Houston, Mourinho said: "I don't know, I don't know. I'm not in control of that, the credit of Lukaku, Lindelof to be here on time, the credit is not mine, it's Ed Woodward and I thank him for that fantastic work to bring us two very important players for us.

"But we need a bit more and when you see the other teams in the Premier League, the way they get players and good players and you see the champion to buy three fantastic experienced players, City go to the market, Liverpool and West Ham get Joe Hart, Chicharito [Javier Hernandez] and [Marko] Arnautovic, West Ham wow, they play to win the Premier League too so the teams are fantastic in the market and I'm waiting for a bit more."

Lukaku and Lindelof both impressed in the derby win against City in the United States.
Belgium striker Lukaku, who joined from Everton, made it two goals in as many matches after breaking the deadlock before Marcus Rashford doubled the lead minutes later.
Lindelof – an arrival from Portuguese champions Benfica – was also assured in defence against Sergio Aguero and others.

Mourinho continued: "When I look to the team and Lukaku, Lindelof, I would like my squad to be here, my whole squad, if you manage to get one more player – I'm not even crying for two – if we get one player as soon as possible.
"Because we can see Lindelof is in a team, Lukaku is in a team, the understanding between the players, the Paul [Pogba] pass, the way Lukaku holds the ball.

"But the preparation is fantastic."

Cillessen happy at Barcelona and denies Crystal Palace links

Jasper Cillessen has denied he is poised to move to Crystal Palace, with the goalkeeper determined to stay at Barcelona for the new LaLiga season.

Cillessen has been linked with a switch to the Premier League club to reunite with his former coach at Ajax, Frank de Boer, who has taken over at Selhurst Park.
The 28-year-old started a single LaLiga game last season as he played second fiddle to Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
But despite his lack of action, the Netherlands international says he is not looking to leave Barcelona.

"I have not spoken with Frank, I know him well but I've not talked to him," Cillessen said on Thursday. "I'm not going. I am very happy here."
Cillessen is the Netherlands number one and the goalkeeper is assured he does not need to leave Barca for regular football after having talks with international coach Dick Advocaat.

"I spoke a lot with the new Dutch manager and he said the quality has to show every day and that's what I did," Cillessen said.
"I think I did, anyway. I played the two [Netherlands] games [in the international break] and that's what I do on the training ground and in the cup games here [with Barcelona].

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"I want to play more, but that depends on the coach [Ernesto Valverde]. All players want to play more." Goal

Chicharito returns to Premier League set to prove himself with West Ham

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez is headed back to the Premier League just two years after his first European move away.

The Mexico international is heading to West Ham United from Bayer Leverkusen pending a medical and agreeing personal terms. There shouldn't be too much to sort out. Chicharito is fit and eager to return to a country where he twice won the league but never totally fit in.


Though he was a piece of Manchester United's title-winning squads, he wasn't a key piece. Sure, in the first season after his move from Mexican giant Chivas, he scored 13 goals to help United win the league, but that same season saw Dimitar Berbatov's 20 goals lead the team and the league. Two season later, it was Robin van Persie whose 26 Premier League goals dwarfed Chicharito's 10. Not long after he fell out of Manchester United's plans, Chicharito accepted an ill-advised loan to Real Madrid, where he scored a few important goals but played few important minutes, and eventually left for Leverkusen.

So it's with unfinished business that Chicharito returns to the Premier League. He's played there before, but he hasn't been 'the man' in England's top flight. This is his chance. Slaven Bilic's urgency to bring the 29-year-old to London and the club's willingness to pay a release clause reported to be £13 million ($16.8M) show just how much the Hammers want him. West Ham's 47 goals last season put the team in the bottom half, and Chicharito not only is a proven scorer but has done it in the Premier League. He should fit in well at West Ham, with Michail Antonio and Robert Snodgrass able to put in balls from the outside while the forward can combine with Manuel Lanzini behind him in the No. 10 spot. The Hammers may even seek an upgrade from Snodgrass.


Things were going well at Leverkusen, especially last season, but hit a snag toward the end of this year. After 17 goals in his debut Bundesliga campaign, the 11 he put up since disappointed, especially with the team struggling to push through when he hit a cold snap. Coach Roger Schmidt was fired in March, and Chicharito never recovered. Like many forwards, Chicharito is a player who goes through snaps when he can't miss and other times when he seems unable to even get a shot on target. Schmidt had patience with the player and also understood that there's a whole package that comes with him. Trips across the Atlantic to represent Mexico, where he is the all-time leading scorer, are a priority for the Guadalajara native.

Bilic must understand that the forward wants confidence and patience from a manager, but the Croatian coach also will be getting a player who is very motivated to score, and score often. The option of a big-money move to MLS, where Chicharito would be a commercial success, is always on the table. Likewise, Chivas would shell out a considerable sum for their beloved son.

But, while still in his 20s, Chicharito is ready to have one more go to show Manchester United and Real Madrid that they were wrong not to stay patient with him, to give him more minutes when he was in good form and ultimately to keep him at their clubs. Current Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho bemoaned Chicharito's absence last season . The Little Pea will be out to show Mou and Manchester United exactly what they let go to the Bundesliga. Will he score 20 goals, as Mourniho predicted? That will depend on the West Ham players around him and Bilic's managerial approach. But West Ham is getting a player who has proven himself on the international scene and now is waiting for a chance to show he's not only can be a Premier League winner, but a Premier League star.

I caught my wife with her pastor in our bedroom – Man laments in court

A Igando Customary Court in Lagos, on Thursday dissolved a 23-year-old marriage, after efforts to reconcile the couple failed.

The case was brought to the court by the husband, Mr Tunji Oyedele, who accused his wife of adultery, engaging in fetish activities and attempting to kill him.

The wife, Romoke, a 40-year-old trader, who denied the allegations, told the court that the man was sending her away because he now has a new wife.

The president of the court, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, said the court had no option than to separate the couple as the husband was adamant to all mediation efforts by the court and his family.
“Since the petitioner insisted on divorce after several interventions, the court has no choice than to dissolve the union in spite of the fact that the wife still claims she loves her husband.

“The court pronounces the marriage between Mr Tunji Oyedele and Mrs Romoke Oyedele dissolved today, both parties henceforth cease to be husband and wife.
“Both are free to go their separate ways without any hindrance and molestation,” Omilola ruled.
Earlier, Oyedele had accused his wife of 23 years of engaging in sexual recklessness and infidelity.

“My wife is promiscuous, whenever I travel, my wife brings men into our house; on two occasions, I caught her with her lovers in our bedroom.

“One day, I came home unannounced and caught her with one of her lovers in our bedroom.
“On another occasion, I caught her with another man who she claimed was her Pastor.
“She claimed that the said Pastor wanted to take her to a river for a special bath to avert spiritual attack,” he said.
The petitioner further alleged that his wife was fetish and always in possession of different charms.

“I see different strange objects in my bathing water, food and everywhere in the house.
“There was a day I entered her room in her absence and saw feathers tied with clothes and other diabolical objects.

“I believe that my persistent illness, which has deferred medical solution, is as a result of her fetish acts.
“I have been forced to leave my own house because I don’t want to die now,” he said.
The 52-year-old businessman, who presented the pictures of the charms as exhibit, also said that his wife got pregnant for another man after she had their first baby.

My wife abandoned our 10-month-old baby for me and got pregnant for another man. She came back after some years and I accepted her,” he said.
According to him, his wife has no respect for his family.
“My wife used to call my mother a witch and always fought with her whenever she visits; my mother has stopped coming to my house,’’ he said.
He also said his wife chased away his first wife who did not bear him any child by always mocking and calling her a barren wife.
Romoke refuted the allegations, insisting that she was not adulterous.

“The man my husband first saw in our bedroom was my classmate in primary school; the other man was my Pastor, who came for spiritual purpose,” she explained.
The 40-year-old trader said she was not fetish and did not know how the charms got into her room.
The mother of four denied abandoning their baby to get pregnant for another man, saying it was her husband that chased her out of his house.

“My husband chased me out of his house after I had our first baby and that made me to get pregnant for another man,” she told the court.
She said that she and her husband had lived in peace until January 2016, when he married a new wife.
“My husband and I never fought; but immediately he married another woman, his attitude changed.
“His new wife accused me of sending hired killers to her and my husband turned me into a punching bag,” she said.

Romoke had pleaded with the court not to grant her husband’s wish, as she was still in love with him.
NAN

Stupid talk ! Nigeria not mature for state police, says IG

Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police, has asked those agitating for state police to consider the “political maturity” of Nigeria.

Speaking at a meeting with governors in Abuja on Thursday, Idris said federal police system is the best for the country.
He appealed to the government to improve funding for the force and also appealed to the governors to support the passage of the Nigeria police trust fund bill before the national assembly.
“I sincerely believe that the federal police is still the best for the country and with improved funding the challenges of crime will be addressed,” Jimoh Moshood, police spokesman, quoted him as saying.

“Those agitating for state police should consider the level of our political maturity.”
On the bill, he said: “Let me use this opportunity to appeal to your excellencies to prevail on your representatives at the national assembly to ensure the passage of the bill.
“It is my sincere belief that once the police trust fund bill is passed into law, the necessary finances required to effectively police the nation will be available.”

He said this would also reduce the pressure on the state governments in the funding of the police.
Idris said police officers in the country were one of the least paid security organisations in the world in spite of operating under the UN ratio of 1:400.
He added that with the current ratio of 1:602 the Nigeria police was operating far below the United Nation’s ratio.
“About 10,000 police officers have been recruited recently to fill the gap but this is still a far cry,” he said.

“To meet up with the UN ratio of 1:400, the Nigeria police requires additional 155,000 police officers for the next five years.”
He said a request to recruit 31,000 policemen had been sent to President Muhammadu Buhari for approval.
Idris said the current police management was making efforts to establish structures that would bridge the communication gap between the Police and members of the public.
Idris said one of such structures included the establishment of the Nigeria Police Broadcasting Service (NPBS).

“When commissioned, it will broadcast Nationwide on TV, Radio, online and the National Emergency Communication Command Control Centre (NEC4),” he said.
Assuring Idris of support, Abdul’Aziz Yari, governor of Zamfara, said security was everybody’s business.

Governors had set up a six man-committee 
to look into the possibility of having state police
A public hearing on the Nigeria police trust fund was organised by the house of representatives committee on police affairs on July 1.
The bill seeks to provide alternative funding for the police.- News Agency

Fraud !!! NDDC revokes 600 contracts worth N200bn

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says it has revoked 600 contracts as part of efforts to restructure the commission.

Speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt on Thursday, Nsima Ekere, NDDC managing director, said the management of the commission and board took the decision to adopt a ‘4R’ initiative as a roadmap to development.
According to him, the 4R initiative is restructuring the balance sheet, reforming governance protocol, restoring core mandate and reaffirming commitment to doing what is right and proper.
Ekere said the balance sheet of the commission was bloated with contingent liabilities in excess of N1.3tn; hence the need for the reform.

“The move became imperative looking at the resources coming on monthly or yearly basis which necessitated restructuring it in a manner that will be meaningful to achieve results,” he said.
“The last management meeting approved cancellation of over 600 projects that NDDC already embarked on.
“We discovered that some of the contracts were either not properly awarded or some of them were awarded but the contractors have not yet gone to site.

“Some of the contracts were awarded as late as 2002 with some of the contractors collecting advance payments from the commission with zero work done at the sites.
“So, we terminated these contracts worth about N200bn, which is the first phase of our restructuring the commission’s balance sheet.”
Ekere said the second phase of the restructuring would affect projects that had only attained zero to five per cent completion status.

He explained that contractors in this category were those who went to site but had achieved negligible work compared to the contractual agreement.
“On restoration of the commission’s core mandate, we want to ensure that projects that we do are geared toward achieving the core mandates for establishing the commission,” he said.

“In the past, our contracts and projects were politically motivated while some were done to satisfy one person or interest which is not good enough.
“If there is a master plan or design to achieve a certain milestone within a set period; every year or month spent should be an incremental step toward achieving that target.

“So, we looked at the master plan which is supposed to be accomplished within 50 years but have already spent 10 years without much being achieved.