22052019 - F U L A N I S AT I O N A G E N D A : Obasanjo seeks to divide Nigeria in his old age —FG

Ghana's all-time leading
goal-scorer Asamoah
Gyan has retired from
international football a month
before the start of the Africa
Cup of Nations.
His decision comes as he
was replaced as Ghana
captain, with Andre Ayew
likely to be given the role in
Egypt.
"If the decision of the coach
is to give captaincy of the
tournament to another player
while I am named in the team
(squad) of the tournament, I
United lower
Pogba
asking price
to £138m
Manchester United
are willing to lower
their demands for
midfielder Paul Pogba.
The France international
has been heavily linked
with an exit from Old
Trafford, and Real Madrid
are said to be the World
Cup winner's most likely
destination.
However, it has been
suggested that Real will
not pay £150m for the 26-
year-old, who has just two
years remaining on his
contract at the Premier
League giants.
According to
Tuttomercatoweb, that has
resulted in United being
prepared to entertain any
offers of £138m during the
summer transfer window.
Gyan quits Black
Stars over captaincy
wish to recuse myself from
the tournament," Gyan said in
a statement.
"I also wish to retire from
the national team
permanently."
Gyan has not featured for
the side since September 2017
after persistent injury
problems and has also battled
Firmino
returns to
Liverpool
training
Forward
Roberto
Firmino has given
Liverpool a Champions
League final boost by
returning to training.
Firmino was the first
player to arrive on the
south coast of Spain
having attended slightly
earlier than his teammates
for some individual
sessions with strength
and rehabilitation staff.
Chelsea striker Olivier
Giroud has signed a
new contract with the club.
The 32-year-old
Frenchman's new deal extends
his stay at Stamford Bridge
until the end of the 2019-20
season.
for game-time with his
Turkish club Kayserispor.
The 33-year-old netted 51
goals in 106 international
appearances, both Ghana
national team records, which
includes scoring at six
consecutive Nations Cup
finals, as well as three World
Cups between 2006 and 2014.
Belgium recall
Kompany for
Euro qualifiers
Vincent Kompany has been
recalled by Belgium for
their Euro 2020 qualifiers against
Kazakhstan and Scotland.
The 33-year-old announced
on Sunday that he is leaving
Manchester City to rejoin
Anderlecht as player-manager.
He has not played for Belgium
since November 2018 but was a
regular as City clinched a historic
domestic treble.
Belgium coach Roberto
Martinez said: "He will be
selected on his merit as a
player, not as a coach. He will
do everything to get to Euro
2020."
Giroud signs Chelsea contract
"I am very happy to sign a
new contract. I really wanted to
stay at least one more year," he
said.
"I have felt a part of the team,
the family, since the beginning
and hopefully there will be
more trophies to come."
Billionaire businessman
and Chairman of Forte
Plc, Mr. Femi Otedola, paid a
surprise visit to ailing football
legend Christian Chukwu at
his Wellington Hospital, Circus
Mkhitaryan out
of Europa
League final
against Chelsea
Arsenal have confirmed
that Henrikh
Mkhitaryan will miss next
week's UEFA Europa League
final over security issues.
Armenia captain
Mkhitaryan had been
assured by UEFA that he
would be safe during his stay
in neighbouring Azerbaijan
but Arsenal have concluded
it wouldn't be in the best
interests of the rest of the
squad to have him on the trip.
Hazard's
closest player
to get to Messi
Few players earn
comparisons to Lionel
Messi given the Barcelona star
has established himself as one
of the best ever to play the game.
But a study of more than
70,000 footballers has
determined that wantaway
Chelsea attacker Eden Hazard
is the closest player to the
supremely talented Argentine.
The Belgian, courted by Real
Madrid this summer with his
Chelsea deal edging closer to
expiry, achieved 92 per cent in
the various comparison tests
and finished ahead of Paris
Saint-Germain's
Mbappe.
Kylian
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2019 — 45
Otedola visits Chukwu in London
•Offers more assistance
•Chukwu thankful
Road, St John's Woods London,
yesterday.
Recall the business mogul
offered a lifeline to the former
captain and dolled out $50,000
to foot his medical expenses.
Yesterday, he brought cheers
and tears of joy to Chukwu
when he visited the London
hospital to know how well he
was responding to treatment.
At the hospital, Otedola was
to discover that the medics; Dr
Leye Ajaji, a renowned
Urologist who is among the
doctors treating Chukwu once
also treated his late father, Sir
Michael Otedola. Otedola also
met with Dr Katherine Piggott,
an Uncologist and Dr Evadney
Keith.
He was elated to know that
Chukwu was receiving the
best of medical services and
pleaded with them to do
everything possible to ensure
that Chukwu regains his
health. He told them that
Chukwu is an ''idol'' in Nigeria.
Mr Otedola also paid for
Chukwu's accommodation,
noting that money should not
be the problem to Chukwu's
return to good health.
Chukwu expressed
appreciation to Otedola and
prayed that God would
continue to bless him with good
health.
''Where do I begin to thank
you? What do I say that can
convey my joy and appreciation
for your love and care? It is only
God who can repay you and
replenish all you have been
doing for humanity. I am
grateful to you and to millions
of Nigerians who have shown
tremendous love for me'', the
former Super Eagles coach said
as he battled back tears.
Chukwu also thanked NFF
President, Amaju Pinnick for all
his assistance.
VISIT: From left, Femi Otedola, Chukwu, Pinnick and
Chukwu's wife at the Welliegton hospital in London