News

Celtic’s new Swedish forward with echoes of Larsson

Images courtesy of Getty

Celtic fans will naturally recall the legend Henrik Larsson, and is he, in the future when talks about signing another Swedish international forward arise.

He spent seven trophy-filled seasons with the Glasgow club before making an impressive comeback for Barcelona and Manchester United in his twilight years. He was bought for a pittance from Feyenoord for a pittance in 1997.

After moving from Nordsjaelland for a reported less than £2 million, Benjamin Nygren will have a dream job similar to that at Celtic Park.

The 23-year-old has been playing in the Danish Superliga for three and a half years, but he recently stated in a recent Swedish television interview that he thinks it’s time to switch to a bigger club, in front of a packed stadium, and to compete in the Champions League.

Before making his competitive debut as a 16-year-old in 2018, Nygren made his debut through IFK Goteborg’s youth ranks.

Despite being reportedly interested in Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, and Manchester City, that was shortly after he agreed to professional terms with his neighborhood club.

When he moved to Genk in Belgium’s top flight for a reported $4.2 million, a record-breaking sale by IFK, he was only 17 years old.

By that point, Nygren had only made 15 appearances, but the Swedish national had already scored six goals in his second season with the first team, which finished seventh in Sweden’s top division, scoring four more in 12 of those appearances.

He would only score once in his seven games for Genk, but his loan to the Netherlands came in the wake of his European travels.

Heerenveen finished 12th overall in the Eredivisie and advanced to a national cup semi-final with the help of Nygren scoring seven times in 32 appearances.

His second season on loan was less successful, with 19 net appearances. He left Nordsjaelland in January 2022, cutting the length of his Genk contract by two years.

His modest beginnings helped his new club avoid relegation, along with current Rangers midfielder Mohamed Diomande.

However, Nygren’s career was back on track after Nordsjaelland was tipped for the top of the table by the end of the regular season but was subsequently overtaken by Copenhagen after scoring six goals in 31 games in his first full season in the Superliga.

Although they would finish third behind Fenerbahce and Ludogorets Razgrad, finishing third at least gave rise to Conference League group stage football the following year.

The Swede scored a double in a 7-1 victory over the Bulgarians, and added a hat-trick in a 6-1 victory over the Turks, which undoubtedly helped draw Nygren’s attention.

With Nordsjaelland now minus Ibrox-bound Diomande, finishing fourth overall and a combined 12 goals from 31 games, Nygren would surpass that goal by finding the net 16 times in 32 games, despite his team being only fifth this year.

comparisons to Cerny and Kuhn

Benjamin Nygren in action for Sweden against Northern IrelandImages courtesy of Getty

Nygren becomes Brendan Rodgers’ first true new face of the summer with Scotland defender Kieran Tierney returning from Celtic Park on a free transfer from Arsenal and Ross Doohan returning as Aberdeen back-up goalkeeper.

It should come as no surprise that Celtic paid for a player with Nygren’s qualities for their first outgoing fee since the start of the transfer window.

Daizen Maeda, a fellow Japan international, had occasionally been pushed up front from his usual wide left role as Kyogo Furuhashi was sold to Rennes near the end of the January window.

Even though Maeda outshined specialist Adam Idah, it left Celtic without options on the wings, especially with Jota’s injury, who had just returned from Rennes in January.

Another wide man with a goal threat was desperately needed, with the Portuguese being ruled out until the end of the year and right winger Maeda and the Portuguese being reported to be drawing interest from clubs all over Europe.

Nygren shouldn’t be seen as a radical right-winger.

Nygren frequently drifts infield with his preferred left foot to shoot for goal while impressing on loan from Wolfsburg last season, similar to Vaclav Cerny’s style.

In fact, Mats Gren, the IFK sporting director, claimed in a recent interview that he is the best at number 10.

For instance, his first two goals against Fenerbahce came from kicking the ball in the penalty box.

In addition, he has since added a curled finish against Hungary and his third against the Turks and his first for Sweden, both of which earned him his second cap in a 5-1 defeat of Northern Ireland in March.

No wonder Brendan Rodgers has described Nygren as an “exciting” player who will make people laugh.

The Swede leads in goals on goals, goals per game, and aerial duels won, despite the fact that the German has more dribbles and creates more chances for others.

related subjects

  • Scottish Premiership
  • Celtic
  • Scottish Football
  • Football

‘I deserve it’ – GB qualifier wants prize money change

Images courtesy of Getty

After being unable to claim all the prize money he will receive from the Wimbledon main draw, British qualifier Oliver Tarvet has called for a change in the rules for colleges.

After winning his third and final qualifying match on Thursday, Tarvet, 21, made it to the first round, where players will receive $66, 000.

The Englishman has improved his game through the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) system while attending the University of San Diego.

Players are limited in what they can claim from professional tournaments in accordance with NCAA rules.

Players are permitted $10, 000 (£7, 290) in annual profit, according to Tarvet, who explained this on Friday, as well as any costs incurred during the events.

“But in my opinion, I’ve put in a lot of effort to obtain this.” The money I have is not something I don’t feel is undeserved.

I don’t want to get involved, but I think a change in the NCAA’s rules would be nice. Not really, but that’s where I belong.

“But I did well this week,” he continued. I believe I merit this sum of money.

Reese Brantmeier, an American college player, filed a class action against the NCAA earlier this year due to the restrictions.

Black players still “face barriers” in the tennis game.

Jay Clarke of Britain believes that there is still a “barrier” stopping young black tennis players from advancing in the country.

The LTA released its “equity, diversity and inclusion plan” last month, stating that it won’t be satisfied until the diversity of all players in tennis reflects that diversity of the nation’s diverse communities.

Heather Watson, Paul Jubb, and George Loffhagen are just a few of the top 200 players with black or mixed heritage in the UK, along with Clarke, 26.

In the first round of Wimbledon, Clarke, who plays Dan Evans, said, “It’s nice to see more black players breaking through.”

“I believe there is still a barrier, and black players won’t be able to play the sport,” she said.

The LTA did a good job of restoring park courts and providing opportunities for visitors.

The most crucial thing is witnessing talented performers on the big stages. It is crucial to represent you.

The All England Club’s Arthur Ashe victory this summer marked the 50th anniversary of his victory at Wimbledon. Ashe became the first black player to win a Grand Slam men’s singles title.

After hearing the story of the American player, Ashe, who won three major titles, has become one of Clarke’s biggest inspirations.

For my dad, it was amazing for him to see and that was passed on to me, Clarke continued.

related subjects

  • Tennis

One Dead, Five Injured As Heavy-Duty Truck Rams Into Taraba Market

Five people have confirmed their deaths in Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State, as well as at least one person who was killed when a heavy-duty car slammed into the Mile Six market.

According to eyewitnesses at the event, the driver of the vehicle made no attempt to stop the incident from occurring.

At least two vehicles were reportedly severely impacted by the incident’s impact.

Read more about the motorcycle accident in Lagos.

Officials from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) were seen condoning the area and diverting traffic to stop repeat incidents.

Stones were pelted into one of the heavy-duty vehicles as it attempted to leave the scene.

Heavy-duty vehicles in the area have recently had their share of the same incident, with the first one being a diesel-laden tanker that fell and spilled its contents.

DR Congo, Rwanda sign peace deal in ‘turning point’ after years of conflict

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda have signed a peace deal in Washington, DC, to end years of fighting between the neighbouring countries.

Meeting in the White House in the United States on Friday, foreign ministers from the two African countries signed an agreement brokered by the US and Qatar.

The deal would see Kinshasa and Kigali launching a regional economic integration framework within 90 days and forming a joint security coordination mechanism within 30 days. Under its terms, thousands of Rwandan soldiers are to withdraw from the DRC within three months.

It raises hopes for an end to fighting that has escalated with the advance of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in the DRC’s mineral-rich provinces of North and South Kivu this year. The conflict has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more since January.

The escalation is just the latest in a decades-old cycle of tensions and violence, rooted in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

“This moment has been long in coming. It will not erase the pain, but it can begin to restore what conflict has robbed many women, men and children of safety, dignity and a sense of future,” said Congolese Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner.

“So now our work truly begins,” she added at the signing, saying the agreement would have to be followed by “disengagement, justice, and the return of displaced families, and the return of refugees, both to the DRC and Rwanda”.

“Those who have suffered the most are watching. They are expecting this agreement to be respected, and we cannot fail them,” she said.

M23 and FDLR

Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said that the agreement heralded a “turning point”.

While Rwanda denies accusations it is backing M23, Kigali has demanded an end to another armed group in the DRC – the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) – which was established by Hutus linked to the killings of Tutsis in the 1994 Rwanda genocide.

During the signing, he insisted on “an irreversible and verifiable end” to the DRC’s “support” for the FDLR. The agreement calls for the “neutralisation” of the FDLR.

Reporting from Goma, the capital of the DRC’s North Kivu province, Al Jazeera’s Alain Uaykani said the deal was a “big step”, but there was “confusion” on the ground over the absence of any mention of when the M23 rebels would withdraw.

“Rwanda [is] always saying that they are not the ones who should ask M23 to leave, because this is a Congolese problem,” he said, adding that the rebels were appointing governors and controlling airports in the DRC’s provinces of North and South Kivu, whose capital cities they seized in January and February.

Kinshasa, the United Nations and Western powers say Rwanda is supporting M23 by sending troops and arms.

The deal does not explicitly address the gains of the M23 but calls for Rwanda to end “defensive measures” it has taken. Rwanda has sent at least a few thousand soldiers over the border in support of M23, according to UN experts, analysts and diplomats.

Critical minerals

The DRC-Rwanda deal will also help the US government and American companies gain access to critical minerals like tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper and lithium needed for much of the world’s technology at a time when the US and China are actively competing for influence in Africa.

On Friday, US President Trump said, “We’re getting, for the United States, a lot of the mineral rights from the Congo as part of it. They’re so honoured to be here. They never thought they’d be coming.”

The DRC sits on vast untapped reserves of mineral wealth, estimated to be worth around $24 trillion. It has said it is losing around $1bn worth of minerals in illegal trading facilitated by the war.

The agreement was mediated through Massad Boulos, a Lebanese-American businessman and father-in-law of Trump’s daughter Tiffany, who was appointed by the president as a senior advisor on Africa.

“This is an important moment after 30 years of war,” said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who hosted the two foreign ministers at the Department of State in Washington for the signing of the agreement.

“It’s about allowing people to live. It’s about allowing people to now have dreams and hopes for a better life, for prosperity, for economic opportunity, for a family reunification, for all the things that make life worth living.

“Those things become impossible when there’s war and when there’s conflict,” he added.

Co-operate With Us To Eradicate Financial Crimes In South East, Olukoyede Tells Youths

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has called on youths in the South East to assist the agency in ridding the region of all forms of corruption and financial crimes.

Olukoyede, who made the call in Enugu State at the 2025 Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) Conference, said that without the youth, the future was not assured.

“We are resilient&nbsp, and always insist that the right thing is done against all odds. Please, cooperate with us. We are not your enemies, we are your friends. We are here to protect you and to serve you”, he said.

While speaking on the theme, “The Police and The Youth, Bridging The Gap”, he explained that the Commission aimed to sanitise the South-East region and enable the youths to achieve their future endeavours.

READ ALSO: &nbsp, Alleged N33.8bn Fraud: EFCC Witness Says Ex-Minister Mamman Made Voluntary Confessions

“The EFCC is here to enable the youths and help them re-align with their future endeavours because, without them, our tomorrow is not assured, Olukoyede, who was represented by the agency’s Acting Enugu Zonal Director, Aisha Abubakar, said on Thursday.

” We need the youths to hand over to, but they must have integrity, be knowledgeable, and willing to impact the community. We are determined to turn the fortunes of the Southeast completely around, in relation to the fight against economic and financial crimes, “he added.

He urged the youths to support the EFCC, especially in the area of intelligence sharing.

According to him, the agency was not just about service delivery and dignity.

He, thereafter, enjoined the youth to take advantage of the Eagle Eye App by downloading it and reporting fraudulent activities around them.

Earlier, Martins Ugwu, who is the PCRC Coordinator, Enugu State Youth Committee, said that the essence of the conference was to bring together, village and community youth leaders, leaders from notable youth organizations in the southeast, and security agencies to address concerns and find solutions to issues affecting the relationship between the youth and law enforcement agencies.

Ugwu”, We aim to empower our youths to see law enforcement agencies as partners in progress, guardians of their lives and properties as we aim to create a society where every youth feels safe, heard and valued, not oppressed and suppressed. “

In January 2025, no fewer than 37 suspected internet fraudsters, popularly known as ‘ Yahoo Boys, ‘ were arrested by the EFCC in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

The suspects were apprehended by agency operatives during a sting operation at the Commissioners ‘ Quarters on Dr. J. O. Ukwutinife Close in Ifite, Awka.

The anti-graft agency said all the suspects were male, saying their arrest followed intelligence linking them to fraudulent internet activities.
Items recovered from them include six exotic cars, laptops, and mobile phones.

The making of the £60K bargain who became an Everton legend

Getty Images/Inpho

“Sixty grand, sixty grand Seamus Coleman, playing the Everton way.”

It’s a song that has echoed through the terraces at Goodison Park for 16 years.

After 428 matches in blue, Seamus Coleman’s famous £60,000 transfer fee from Sligo Rovers works out at about £140 a game.

It’s one of the biggest bargains in Premier League history, but it wasn’t always a straightforward success story.

The chant will move with Everton to the club’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium after the right-back signed a fresh one-year deal to stay with the club for a 17th season.

School and football – that was life

Killybegs is a small fishing town in County Donegal nestled along the picturesque, rural Irish coastline – dubbed Wild Atlantic Way – with a population of about 1,250 people.

It’s also where a young Seamus Coleman developed his skills on the streets of his estate.

Brian Dorrian, who would help shape Coleman’s football journey, says it is a place where “everyone knows everybody”.

“Early life for a lot of the young lads, including Seamus, would have been school and football. They played everywhere.”

Killybegs was dominated by two sports – football, or soccer as it’s often known in the north west, and Gaelic football, which is Ireland’s traditional national sport.

Coleman, like the majority of youngsters, played both. There were transferable skills, with youngsters learning the sports in robust fashion, with matches taking place between various estates in the town.

“You didn’t get beat in those, it was like going to war with your neighbours,” Dorrian added.

Seamus Coleman poses with fansGetty Images

Coleman started playing football for St Catherine’s, just around the corner from home, and Dorrian, who was the club’s first-team manager, remembers he was “small, tenacious and had a big heart”.

His size counted against him, and led to him being left out of county and school squads. But his determination was something else.

“At an early age, he had potential but he hadn’t any more than any of the rest of them,” Dorrian added.

“But he had that bit about him. Not the technical side so much, but the mentality and that was bred from where he is from.

Was it fate?

Seamus Coleman and Brian DorrianBrian Dorrian

To make it in any professional sport, a slice of luck – in addition to work ethic and natural ability – is often required.

Coleman was no different, and there were three key cards that fell his way.

By pure chance, in early 2006 Sligo Rovers manager Sean Connor was dating a Killybegs native and, after a discussion over a beer, a friendly was arranged with St Catherine’s.

Coleman was up against experienced and prolific forwards Paul McTiernan and Sean Flannery, but neither got a sniff against the raw but energetic youngster.

Connor had seen enough. He called Dorrian, Coleman, his father and the St Catherine’s chairman into the referee’s changing room and a deal was agreed to bring the young defender to the club for their top-flight return.

Coleman had also been called into Donegal’s minor team, a massive honour for any underage Gaelic footballer with hopes of making it big.

He had a decision to make – Dorrian said “everyone was wanting a piece of him” and he was “under a lot of pressure” to select Gaelic football – which is an amateur sport.

Pro Evo and a second chance

When Coleman joined the full-time ranks in Sligo he was housed with fellow defenders Gavin Peers and Keith Foy.

Peers recalls his first impressions of Coleman were “quiet and shy” off the pitch, but “raw, determined and competitive” on it.

“The three of us were all around the same age and got on really well,” said Peers, who added he “done most of the cooking”.

“Seamus went home quite a lot, his girlfriend, now wife, was in Donegal and he was a homebird – he still goes back home in his time off now.”

Football, on the pitch or on screen, was never far from his thoughts, however.

“But when he was here the evenings were all about Pro Evolution,” said Peers.

“We were all competitive in that house, it got a bit tense in the games, but he wasn’t very good at it.

Seamus Coleman playing for Sligo RoversInpho

After settling in at Sligo, Coleman’s fortunes were about to change when Connor left to join Bohemians before the end of the season, and Rob McDonald was introduced in his place.

“Rob just didn’t take to him,” Dorrian said. “He told him he was surplus to requirements.”

Then came the second stroke of luck. McDonald left his role in pre-season and former Wigan and Burnley midfielder Paul Cook was brought in as his replacement.

It was a match made in heaven.

“Paul seen he had that drive and determination and related to that,” said Dorrian, who had joined the youth set-up at the Showgrounds.

“I heard Paul say it at the time, he could see him charging up and down the pitch, tackling, and if a player around him wasn’t on it, he was talking to them and trying to bring them with him.

The jambon that changed everything

It was a day of training and Coleman and Dorrian were making the trip from Killybegs to Sligo.

As they would often do, they stopped on the way for a break on the 95km journey.

Coleman ordered his usual bottle of water and a ham and cheese jambon. It was like any other day – until the phone rang.

It was Sligo’s chairman. A bid had been accepted by Everton.

“When the phone rang you thought it was a bit of a joke,” recalled Dorrian.

“I think he was just sitting there smiling – is this true? Is this going to happen?

“It was very surreal for me. I’m driving a car, sitting beside a young fella who was going to be going across to play for Everton.

“By the time we got down to the club everyone knew and was shaking his hand. It was a brilliant time for everyone.”

Coleman had been on trial at Celtic, and Birmingham City had shown interest, but it was Everton who made the first move with the now famous £60,000 fee.

Of course, it has turned into much more than that with various clauses but it is still a drop in the ocean compared to many modern transfers.

But how it came about was another case of being in the right place at the right time.

One of Cook’s signings was midfielder Sean Doherty, whose dad just happened to be head scout for David Moyes and Everton.

“Everything just seemed to fall the right way for him,” added Dorrian.

Baptism of fire

Seamus Coleman and Fernando TorresGetty Images

Coleman moved to Everton in January 2009 and made his debut nine months later against Benfica in the Europa League, taking on the likes of Angel di Maria, Javier Saviola and Oscar Cardozo.

It was a baptism of fire in a 5-0 defeat, but the player Everton fans would come to love was on show again a few days later.

The teenager was introduced as a sub for his Premier League debut against Tottenham as Everton rescued a 2-2 draw.

After notching up his first assist, Coleman was named man of the match.

“I was sitting there thinking, ‘three years ago that young lad was playing for me’, and now I was watching him changing the game on ‘Super Sunday’ on the TV,” said Dorrian.

“Back then, if you were to tell me where he is now – I would have said no, and that’s with no disrespect to him. He’d tell you that himself, but it’s brilliant for him and a great story.”

Peers remains friends with Coleman and says he is still the same humble person from Donegal, just like when they met all those years ago.

“I like to have a bit of banter with him now and call him ‘Big Time’ and say ‘you’ve changed’.

A future in the dugout?

Leighton Baines and Seamus ColemanGetty Images

Jump forward 400-odd appearances, Coleman is now in the dying embers of his career but his place as an Everton legend is secure.

It wasn’t always smooth sailing, and a leg break while playing for the Republic of Ireland, who he had captained at Euro 2016 the previous year, threatened his career.

But, like when he had been written off many times before, he bounced back again.

He was made Everton captain in 2019 and even though injuries have limited his appearances in recent years, including another serious lay-off in 2023, his impact remains as strong as ever.

Such is his standing at the club, Coleman, along with Leighton Baines, was called on to the sidelines in the club’s hour of need when Sean Dyche left the club before their FA Cup tie with Peterborough United in January.

Dorrian believes Coleman will “probably” end up as a coach but feels his future lies in management.

“You can even see when he’s not playing with Everton or the Republic of Ireland, he galvanises everyone around him.

“That mentality comes from within, his family and where he’s from.”

Coleman’s story is one of resilience, and making the most of the opportunities that fall your way.

“When you’re 17 or 18 and playing in a first team in Killybegs, nobody would see you as a captain of Everton or Ireland,” said Peers, who added he wouldn’t be surprised if he went back to playing Gaelic football when he retires.

Related topics

  • Republic of Ireland Men’s Football Team
  • Northern Ireland Sport
  • Premier League
  • Everton
  • Football