Archive September 1, 2025

Tolu Arokodare has been signed for £24 million by Wolves.

The 6′ 6″ Nigeria international has agreed to a four-year deal at Molineux.

Wolves are currently at the bottom of the Premier League after conceding three defeats.

Arokodare, who helped Jorgen Strand Larsen win the Golden Boot last year, will provide support in the attack.

Newcastle were interested in signing the Norwegian international, but Wolves rejected his bids of £50m and £55m last week.

After moving from Latvian side Valmiera in 2023, Arokodare, 24, has one goal in four games for Nigeria, scored 41 goals in 113 games for Genk.

In 2019, he moved to Valmiera from Nigeria and scored 22 goals.

Arokodare spent two years with Amiens on loan and scoring 21 goals for FC Koln before joining the Bundesliga.

With just one change to the team that defeated the United States in 2023, Europe will have their lowest-ever team in Ryder Cup history.

Rasmus Hojgaard, who qualified through the ranking system, is the only new player and takes his twin brother Nicolai’s place.

And when Bethpage Black host Luke Donald announced his six wildcard picks on Monday, he chose experience for the away game in New York from September 26 to September 28.

Donald chose the players who played in the 161 – 1112-per-game victory in Rome in 2023: Shane Lowry, Jon Rahm, Sepp Straka, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg, and Matt Fitzpatrick.

There have never been so few changes to a team since the 1979 Ryder Cup’s modified rules for European players — on average, Europe make five changes in each two-year cycle.

On Sky Sports, Donald stated, “There is a lot of continuity from Rome, which is a little unusual, but shows how good they are.”

“Although there is continuity, this is a different animal to play away with in America,” he said. We are aware of the difficulty. In an effort to get us ready for the challenge that lies ahead, I have examined many different viewpoints.

It’s about putting forth new methods. I am aware that we have conceded a significant amount of money in three of our previous four away Ryder Cups.

“I’ve made every effort possible to give my team the best chance.”

Players like Lowry, Rahm, Aberg, and Hovland looked guaranteed for selection despite there having been a lot of rumors recently as to who would get a pick.

And Donald, who won the game in Rome, accepted that he had to make some difficult decisions.

The most challenging aspect of a captain’s job, he continued, “is the last two weeks.”

“There are people who are competing for positions and those who feel like they could have done enough, but when they are called and say they aren’t on the team, that’s difficult.

After finishing his final round of the European Masters on Sunday, Matt Wallace, who placed 12th overall, was in shock knowing he would miss out.

The 35-year-old, who won three events but was overlooked for a spot in 2018 as well, promised to “never give up on the Ryder Cup.”

Marco Penge, an Englishman who placed 14th on the list, was also said to be in contention. The 27-year-old has won twice on the DP World Tour in 2025, rising from the bottom 400 a year ago to the position of world no 60, and his big-hitting game may have been suited for Bethpage Black’s length.

Following his victory in Rome, McIlroy described winning the Ryder Cup away match as “one of golf’s greatest achievements.”

The Northern Irishman was a member of the team that won the “miracle of Medinah” and the 2012 match with a narrow margin of victory in the final day’s 12 singles matches, 1412-1312).

Since the 1993 Belfry, the US has not won anything.

There are advantages to home captains’ course configuration being adapted to suit their players, while supporters can also play their part, and Bethpage Black is expected to be a hostile environment for European players.

In light of this, Donald obviously wants Ryder Cup players who have participated in other teams.

Straka and Aberg are the only picks that have never played away.

No one has won on the PGA Tour this year more than Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, and Straka has shown his mettle, he added, “has a fire in his belly” despite Donald calling him a “quiet reserved character” and claiming that he “has a fire in his belly.”

In Rome, Hovland and Aberg’s team won the game 9& 7 victory over Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka in a superbly coordinated foursome. World No. 1 Scheffler was overcome by the incident, which caused him to cry.

Hovland was described by Donald as “a lion in Rome” and as “that which he will remain in Bethpage.”

Lowry, who was chosen for automatic qualification on the final day, will be the third captain’s pick, according to Donald, while “meticulous” Rahm “sets the standards” and is “first in and last out of the team room.” He is aware of the significance and significance of the Ryder Cup’s history.

Perhaps Fitzpatrick was the player who was most likely to miss out, despite admitting to himself that he did not have the best start to the season and had only managed one point in three previous Ryder Cup starts. In five games, he has collected no points, having only played in away games twice.

However, Donald made the observation that “statistically, no-one has been as good as he has been in the last three or four months.”

Donald remarked, “He is playing fantastic golf.” “It is really impressive to see his game develop in his quest to join this team.”

Home advantage has been a big factor in recent biennial contests, and the US has won by 10 points at Whistling Straits in 2021 and six at Hazeltine in 2016.

Despite placing 11th on the list, US captain Keegan Bradley made the announcement of his six wildcard choices last week.

Joe Bugner, a former heavyweight boxer, passed away at the age of 75.

Bugner was a three-time European heavyweight champion and twice held the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles.

In 1973, he faced Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in back-to-back fights, before reversing his fight with Ali in 1975.

The British Boxing Board of Control announced that Joe Bugner, a former heavyweight champion of the United Kingdom, European and Commonwealth champion, and world championship contender, passed away at his care home in Brisbane, Australia.

The family of Joe’s is incomprehensible, the British Boxing Board of Control says.

In the 1970s, Bugner was consistently ranked among the top ten heavyweights in the world for his technical prowess, toughness, durability, and willingness to fight the best.

After the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956, he and his family fled the country and eventually settled in the United Kingdom. Jozsef Kreul Bugner was born in Szoreg, Hungary, in 1950.

Bugner first started boxing as a teenager and quickly advanced to the amateur ranks, claiming the ABA light heavyweight title at age 17.

In 1971, Bugner won both the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles, and he also won a notable victory over Cooper at Wembley as a professional.

His fierceness was further strengthened by his fights with Ali and Frazier.

Ali and Bugner had better control of the fight in their first fight, but Bugner went the distance and won praise for his resilience.

In a gruesome match later that year, he faced Joe Frazier, who was ultimately stopped in the 12th round despite his bravery. In 1975, Bugner lost to Ali once more in points.

Throughout his career, Bugner has made a number of retirements. He made several comebacks in 1976 after hanging up the gloves for the first time.

In the middle of the 1980s, he relocated to Australia, where he continued to compete in the highest levels, including a defeat for Bruno, who had stopped him in the eighth round of 1987.

Bugner resigned after nearly eight years, winning the 1995 Australian heavyweight title.

He defeated James “Bonecrusher” Smith in the WBF heavyweight championship match in 1998 at the age of 48 before bowing out of boxing permanently in 1999 after being defeated by Levi Billups.