Barcelona sign 160-million-euro Coutinho in 3rd richest deal

FILES) This file photo taken on December 06, 2017 shows Liverpool's Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho celebrating scoring the opening goal from the penalty spot during the UEFA Champions League Group E football match between Liverpool and Spartak Moscow at Anfield in Liverpool, north-west England on December 6, 2017. When Philippe Coutinho joined Liverpool in 2013, the Brazil forward was so lightly regarded that his signing was overshadowed by the arrival of Daniel Sturridge at Anfield earlier that month. But five years later, Coutinho has become such an formidable force that his departure will be mourned by Liverpool fans around the world if Barcelona complete their bid to land the Reds star in a blockbuster transfer. Paul ELLIS / AFP/

Philippe Coutinho finally got his wish on Saturday when Barcelona agreed to sign the Brazilian star from Liverpool for 160 million euros ($192 million) in the third richest deal of all time.

The swoop for the 25-year-old attacking midfielder -- which contains a 400 million euro release clause -- will be the third biggest deal in football.

Last year, Paris Saint-Germain shelled out a world record 222 million euros to lure Brazilian star Neymar from Barcelona before the French champions then agreed to pay Monaco 120 million euros for Kylian Mbappe in a deal which will be officially activated once the striker's loan period is completed.

"It is with great reluctance that we -– as a team and club –- prepare to say farewell to a good friend, a wonderful person and a fantastic player in Philippe Coutinho," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told the club's official website.

"It is no secret that Philippe has wanted this move to happen since July, when Barcelona first made their interest known.

"Philippe was insistent with me, the owners and even his teammates this was a move he was desperate to make happen."

Rio-born Coutinho arrived at Anfield from Inter Milan for £8.5 million in January 2013 and scored 54 goals for the club in all competitions, although he won no silverware during his five-year stay.

Barcelona had tried to sign him in the summer, but his departure is a blow to Liverpool as the playmaker has just returned to top form after an injury-hit start to the season.

He scored six goals in the last seven games of 2017 to put his side firmly in the Champions League places.

Capturing Coutinho allows Barcelona to move on from the bitter experience of losing his Brazil teammate Neymar last summer.

Coutinho had stayed in Liverpool on Saturday while his teammates jetted off to Dubai for warm-weather training, fuelling speculation that he was set to leave the Premier League club.

He was then photographed giving a thumbs-up as he left London for Spain accompanied by his wife, Aine.

Coutinho is expected to watch his new team host Levante on Sunday afternoon at Camp Nou.

Video posted on the club website showed a locker bearing his name had already been reserved for their new recruit.

Coutinho's age is highly attractive to Barca, whose three main stars, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta are all in their thirties. Iniesta, at 33, has shown signs of fatigue this season.

 'What will he gain?' 
French media group beIN Sports reported late Saturday that Liverpool will immediately spend 55 million euros of their windfall on Leicester striker Riyad Mahrez.

They claimed Mahrez will have a medical at Liverpool on Sunday before penning a four-year contract.

Liverpool have also been strongly linked with Monaco forward Thomas Lemar, who Arsenal tried to sign before the season.

Coutinho played no role in Liverpool's 2-1 victory over city rivals Everton in the FA Cup on Friday.

Liverpool's winning goal was scored by Virgil Van Dijk, the Dutch defender signed last week from Southampton for £75 million ($101.7 million, 84.5 million euros).

Former Liverpool defender Phil Thompson said his old club had probably got the better deal.

"It's hard to get my head around what Philippe is going to gain because he can't play Champions League football for them, they are running away with the league, and he's got the World Cup at the end of the season," Thompson said on Sky Sports.

"Will he play regularly every week at Barcelona? I'm not too sure. Philippe could have carried on (at Liverpool). He could have been playing in the Champions League."

Meanwhile, later Saturday, Liverpool said they will offer supporters who bought shirts bearing the name of Coutinho a £50 voucher to help offset the impact of the Brazilian star's departure.

"The offer follows today’s announcement that Coutinho will join Barcelona and reflects the exceptional circumstances behind the player’s departure," said the club.

"Supporters should present their 2017-18 Coutinho replica shirt at any official club store where the voucher will be issued...the shirt will not be retained but proof of purchase will be required."

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Our players won CAF’s award without controversy, says Laloko

Former Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Kashimawo Laloko, has expressed sadness over Super Eagles players not picking any award at the Aiteo CAF Awards held in Accra, Ghana.

Mohamed Salah of Egypt stole the show, as he won the prize for the best player on the continent. He defeated Sadio Mane of Senegal and Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the second and third positions respectively.

Moses finished fourth in the CAF’s award and was conspicuously absent from the Africa best eleven team selection. The nation’s forward and former junior international, Junior Ajayi, who plays for Egypt’s Al Ahly, was among the All-star team.

Re-stating his displeasure, Laloko said CAF’s pattern of voting, is completely different from that of the FIFA, which is better.

“What is realistic would have been for the CAF technical committee members to select players that will stand for the final vote. The way CAF does its own is not the way it is done by FIFA as FIFA allows only members of the technical committee to pick according to the laid down rules.

“What they do in CAF is subjective. Moses did well in the year under review, so also Sane and Salah. Since Salah has been picked, it is their choice, and there is nothing we can do about that. It means we have to work harder to convince them next time that our player can be the best in Africa,” he said.

Laloko, who is the former coach of The Gambia, however, added that CAF’s system encourages sentiment along the Francophone, Anglophone and Arab lines.

“As we can see now, everybody seems to be holding to his or her own child. The French speaking countries now vote for their own likewise the English and the Arabs.

“When we won the award, here we are talking about players, who are reliable and regular for their countries and clubs. Our players were absolutely consistent and good. But now, we are no more there.

“When players like Rashidi Yekini, Victor Ikpeba, Emmanuel Amuneke and Kanu Nwankwo won the award, nobody contested it unlike now. We need to start pushing our players to the world; it is not enough to just discover them from the grassroots, but to also help them for the world to see them. We have to help ourselves, but now nobody wants to help anyone,” he stated.

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Muslim scholars advocate fair representation of Islam in media

Muslim scholars have urged media organisations to ensure fair reportage of issues that concern Islam and Muslims in the country.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the scholars made the call, yesterday, in Lagos at the 2nd Annual Conference of Muslims Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN), Lagos State chapter.

Veteran journalist and Islamic scholar, Alhaji Liad Tella, said reportage of Muslims and Islamic issues suffers setbacks because non-Muslims dominate the Nigerian media.

In his lecture titled: “Analysis of Reportage of Islam and Muslims in Nigeria,” Tella urged Muslims to shun incompetence and embrace professionalism, to win the respect and admiration of non-Muslims.

Prof. Lakin Akintola, another prominent Islamic scholar, in his paper titled: “Imperatives of Media Ownership by Nigerian Muslims,” accused the Nigerian media of misrepresenting Muslims on several occasions.

He urged Muslims to own media houses, while advising the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) to sanction erring journalists who deliberately disseminate falsehoods.

He said: “Sometimes Muslims are deliberately shut out from the media on issues that concern them, while at other times, we see parochial representation of Islam and the Nigerian Muslims. It is now common to hear Muslims being referred to as terrorists in the media. That is condemnable. The NUJ also needs to wield the big stick and sanction media houses that misrepresent religions or incite violence.”

Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Lai Olurode, urged Muslim journalists to be more active in projecting the true essence of Islam as a religion of peace.

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CISLAC lauds UNICEF for renovating health facility

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has commended the ongoing effort by the Kano State government, in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), to renovate the dilapidated Dausara Primary Health Care Centre in Ungogo Local Government Area of the state.

The Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, said: “We recall that in the mid-2017, CISLAC, with support from the MacArthur Foundation, supported journalists across Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Jigawa States on field investigation, to report maternal health budget allocation, release and utilisation in the respective states.

He added that the rigorous investigative process by the journalists exposed issues, including that of the ill-equipped and pitiable condition of Dausara Primary Health Care Centre.

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Group trains doctors on laparoscopic surgery

PHOTO: AFP / Brendan Smialowski

A three-day workshop on minimally invasive surgery has been organised by the Women’s Health and Action Research Centre (WHARC) for Nigerian doctors.

Dr. Uche Menakaya of Junic Specialist Imaging and Women’s Centre said patients that undergo laparoscopic surgery instead of open surgery feel less pain and spend less time at the hospital.

He stated that there is no structure in the country for doctors to acquire new skills especially on laparoscopy.

"This workshop is important because of the increasing demand for minimal invasive surgery. There are many advantages of laparoscopic surgery because patients are more likely to go home quicker. In the use of minimal access technique, patients stay less in hospital and the cost is reduced. Patients may also have less pain and return to work faster.

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Nigeria has no business funding pilgrimages, says lawyer

• Bauchi Releases N17m For Quran Recitation
A lawyer, Mr. Leonard Anyogo, has called on federal and state governments to stop using public funds to finance pilgrimages.

He said such funds should be used in developing the country rather than waste them on personal business.

Speaking, yesterday, the constitutional lawyer said: “My appeal to the Federal Government is that it should reassess this practice, because it is not in the overall interest of the country. If anybody wants to foster his spiritual life, it should be his personal business and not involve public funds.

“It is difficult to understand why government should fund pilgrimages. This makes some people feel others are given more priority than others. We need money to fix basic infrastructure.”

He said: “The earlier we stop this sort of sponsorship, the better for the country.”

Meanwhile, the Bauchi State government has released N17 million to organise the 2018 Quran recitation competition.

The chairman of the organising committee, Dr. Zubeiru Madaki, announced this yesterday, in Kirfi, Bauchi State, at the inauguration of the 32nd edition of the competition.

Madaki, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), explained that the money was meant for the purchase of cars and other items to be presented to participants as gifts at the end of the one-week event.

He said each of the participating 20 local governments would present 12 participants. He said some of the prizes to be won include four cars, four tricycles, 24 motorcycles, 14 sewing machines and 14 bicycles.

He commended the state governor, Mohammed Abubakar, for supporting the event.

The governor, represented by the Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Dr. Damuna Kawuwa, declared the competition open.

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Kwara government to jail child traffickers

Kwara State government has warned that jail terms await any person caught engaging in child trafficking in the state.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr. Asiata Saka, gave the warning, yesterday, during the 2018 New Year party organised for orphans.

“We have about 22 children in the state’s reception centres and 40 abandoned babies with the Life Empowers Anchors Hope (LEAH) Foundation belonging to Mrs. Omolewa Ahmed, Kwara Governor’s wife.

Saka, who represented Mrs. Ahmed at the party, stressed the need for children to be adequately catered for and protected.

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Firdaus Amasa awaits Reps resolution of hijab controversy before legal action

House of Representatives

The Nigerian Law School graduate denied access to the call to bar ceremony, Miss Firdaus Amasa, has said she would await the resolution of the Federal House of Representatives before taking any legal action.

Amasa was denied entrance to the venue because she insisted on wearing her hijab.

In a telephone interview, yesterday, Amasa said she would take legal action because she did not believe the resolution mechanism of the Council of Legal Education and the Body of Benchers would give her justice.

It will be recalled that during the controversy, the Nigerian Law School announced its decision to meet with the Body of Benchers to resolve the crisis.

Amasa said she had not received any communication in that regard.

Meanwhile, another Muslim law graduate, Aisha Zubair, reportedly said she was forced to remove her hijab by officials of the Council of Legal Education and the Nigerian Law School during the last call-to-bar ceremony.

In its reaction to the controversy, the Muslim Lawyers’ Association of Nigeria had reportedly described the action of the Nigerian Law School and Body of Benchers as unlawful.

A text message sent yesterday to the Secretary, Council of Legal Education, Mrs. Elizabeth Max Uba, wanting an update on the issue was not acknowledged.

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Community extols Lagos road construction project

PHOTO: Jumia travel

As the Lagos State government embarks on the construction of the Igbogbo-Bola Ahmed Tinubu-Igbe Road, Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali of Igbogboland and his people have lauded the government’s move for bringing meaningful development to their community.

This appreciation was made recently at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the oba’s palace and witnessed by religious leaders, residents, traditional rulers, chiefs and associations of market women and men.

Though the exercise was described as one of gain mixed with pain, it was concluded that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

The construction had necessitated the demolition of some structures along the route, but since those affected have been promised compensation, the meeting said it was ready to co-operate fully with the government.

“Since those affected have been assured of prompt payment, we are pledging our continued and unalloyed loyalty to the governor and the government, and shall not shirk our responsibilities to keep absolute peace in Igbogbo,” they said.

Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali commended the state government for the laudable project, which he said would bring development and sundry opportunities to the community. He urged Igbogbo indigenes to always embrace infrastructural development, which is being witnessed in such other cities as Epe, Badagry and Ikorodu.

Expressing deep sympathy for those affected by the demolition, he appealed to them to be patient and cooperate with the government.

Comrade Olusesan Mayokun Daini, Executive chairman, Igbogbo /Baiyeku local council development authority told The Guardian that the stakeholders have unanimously passed a resolution on their stand on the development, which is welcomed. He explained that the entire people of Igbogbo kingdom appreciate and are grateful to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration for approving and embarking on the construction of the super highway of over seven kilometres passing through the heart of Igbogbo kingdom to burst out at Igbe Axis of Ijede Road.

He praised the people’s forbearance and cooperation since the demolition began last December, and urged them to persevere till the end.

Mrs. Adebimpe Akinsola, Special Adviser to the Lagos State governor on housing also commended the people for their love and hospitality. She praised them for being accommodating and peaceful.

She explained that the Ambode administration is bent on providing necessary amenities and infrastructure for the benefit and development of Lagos State and its people.

At the end of the day, all stakeholders, including Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, endorsed the resolution.

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Group seeks investigation into diversion of relief materials

IDPs. PHOTO: GETTYOMAGES

Stop Genocide Action Group has called on the government to investigate alleged diversion of relief materials meant for victims of the Numan ethnic crisis in Adamawa State.

The group’s spokesman, Prof. Sali Nana, in a statement, yesterday, said investigating the diversion was necessary to alleviate the suffering of the victims.

“We wish to draw attention to the unprecedented diversion of relief aids meant for the victims of the recent ethnic conflict in Numan and its surrounding communities in Adamawa.”

The group, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) claimed that of the 1,200 bags of millet meant for Fulani victims, only 160 bags were delivered, while 200 bags of cements, 200 bundles of zinc and roofing nails disappeared.

It also cited another instance where the state government provided N150,000 for every cattle lost during one of the crises, but victims received only N17,000 per cattle.

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‘Divine wrath for New Year Eve disrupters’

Church

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kwara State chapter, has threatened to invoke God’s wrath on the hoodlums that disrupted New Year Eve services in some churches in Ilorin.

The governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, had promised prompt prosecution of the perpetrators and constituted a commission of enquiry on the incident.

CAN, however, insisted the sacrilegious act would not go unpunished.

Former secretary of the group, Dr. Olusola Ajolore, said: "The attacks were unprovoked. Why the choice of a New Year Eve for the so-called youth carnival? Who authorised it? What is the motive behind its authorisation? By the time we apply the spiritual weapons we have as a church on them, it would serve as example to others with similar notion.

"We were once youths like them, but never destructive. We feared God as youths. Any youth that defiled the house of God has incurred God's wrath. If they lacked training from homes, then spiritual approach will teach them the needed lessons."

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Antonio Conte blasts Jose Mourinho - 'You are just a little man with low profile'

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has called Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho "a little man" as the pair continued to trade insults.


On Friday, Mourinho said he would "never be suspended for match-fixing", appearing to talk about Conte.

The Italian received a four-month suspension while at Juventus in 2012-13 for failing to report match-fixing at his previous club Siena.

In 2016, Conte was cleared by a court of any wrongdoing in the matter.

"I think when there are these types of comments, comments where you try to offend the person and don't know the truth, then you are a little man," Conte told BBC Sport on Saturday after his side's 0-0 draw at Norwich City in the FA Cup third round.

In numerous interviews to the media on Saturday, Conte repeatedly called Mourinho "a little man".

He told BBC Radio 5 live: "When is the game against United? We can meet in a room. To try and explain about these comments. I don't know if he is ready to meet me in a room, just me and him.

"I'm not surprised [at the comments]. He has to know before he speaks because he is suffering from amnesia."

Antonio Conte continued to talk about former Chelsea boss Mourinho in the post-match news conference and explained further what had happened in Italy.

"It's true I was banned for four months by the sporting justice for failure to report," Conte, 48, said. "Then I asked for a retrial by court and then they declared it nonsense.

"Before you make these kind of comments you must pay great attention, because you show you are a little man.

"In the past he was a little man in many circumstances, he's a little man in the present and for sure he will be a little man in the future. I consider him a little man and I consider him a man with a very low profile."

Conte also criticised 54-year-old Mourinho, who wore a shirt with the initials 'CR' at a Manchester United news conference in February 2017, in support of another former Chelsea manager, Claudio Ranieri, who had just been sacked by Leicester City.

"I remember with Ranieri when he [Mourinho] offended him for his English," added Conte. "And then when Ranieri was sacked he put on a shirt for Ranieri. You are fake, you are fake.

"I think in this last period he's suffering a bit of amnesia. When you become older there is this type of risk. Also for me and for you.

"If you want to fight this person, you try to kill this person. And then after two years you try to help this person because maybe it's good for you, for your profile."

(BBC)

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SHOCKING: Man keeps daughter as sex slave for 22 years, fathers her eight children

A man, who fathered eight children with his own daughter after repeatedly raping her during a 22-year reign of terror, has been jailed for 12 years and eight months, Daily Mail UK, reports.



Argentinian Domingo Bulacio, 57, showed no sign of emotion as he was sentenced for multiple sex crimes after a trial at a court in the northern city of Santiago del Estero.

Relatives of the serial rapist were among the 50 witnesses who gave evidence at the hearing.

Bulacio, known by the nickname Vernacho, had been in custody since his arrest after 45 days on the run.

He fled his home in Villa Balnearia, an hour’s drive from Santiago del Estero, after his victim, named locally as Antonia, went to authorities seeking help and claiming her dad had turned her into his sex slave when she was just 11 after kicking out her mother.

DNA tests confirmed the children were his. Six of the eight children born from the sex crimes spent time living at a charity boarding school but are now said to be back with their mum at the rundown family home.

She said: “From the moment my mum left home, I became my father’s wife.

“He would hit me and used to chase me round the house with a lump of wood when he saw me chatting to a neighbour or simply wanted to abuse me.

“He threatened me constantly and I always feared for my life. He told me he would kill me if I said anything.

“I’m scared for my life and the life of my children because I’m receiving threats from my father’s relatives to withdraw my complaint against him. They’re not at all concerned about what’s happened.

“I want him to rot in jail. I want justice to be done.”

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Stoke City sack Mark Hughes

Mark Hughes has been sacked as manager of Stoke City, just hours after the club's FA Cup third-round exit at the hands of League Two Coventry City.


A run of five defeats in seven Premier League games also contributed to Hughes' departure and he leaves with the club in the relegation zone.

Hughes, 54, had been in charge of the Potters for four and a half years.

Stoke, who play Manchester United on 15 January, say they will "look to appoint a new manager as soon as possible".

A section of Stoke fans called for him to leave and held up banners throughout the 2-1 defeat at the Ricoh Arena.

After the game, the Welshman said he did not think the defeat changed the situation regarding his future and said it "might be a blessing" for the rest of the season.

Hughes, a former Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers, Fulham and QPR boss, succeeded Tony Pulis at Stoke in May 2013 and was the fourth longest-serving manager at a Premier League club.

He guided Stoke to three straight ninth-placed finishes, dropping to 13th last season.

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Conte brands Mourinho "a little man" as feud escalates

Antonio Conte / AFP PHOTO / Ian KINGTON

Antonio Conte labelled Jose Mourinho "a little man" as the Chelsea manager's feud with the Manchester United boss escalated following his team's FA Cup goalless draw against Norwich on Saturday.

Conte and Mourinho have exchanged increasingly bitter barbs over the course of this season and their rivalry has reached boiling point over the last week.

Responding to Mourinho talking about Conte in relation to a past match-fixing scandal in Italy, the former Juventus boss said: "We all know him very well. But it's always the same. This is his way. It's not a surprise for me.

"I think when you try to hurt a person, especially if you know very well the truth of what happens, the court proved my innocence, when you do this it means you are a little man.

"But this is the not the first time. He does this in the past and he continues to do this in the present and when you are in this way you will continue to be in this way."

Mourinho had triggered the latest bad blood when he was asked about his recent solemn behaviour on the touchline and responded by saying he no longer acts "like a clown" in a comment that was perceived as being aimed at Conte and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

Conte hit back by suggesting that the United manager may be suffering from "demenza senile" -- senile dementia -- because he had clearly forgotten his past wild ways on the touchline.

Mourinho didn't take that jibe well and after United's win against Derby on Friday he said: "What has never happened to me and will never happen is to be suspended for match-fixing."

The surprising reference to "match-fixing" drew a follow-up question as to whether it was directly aimed at Conte.

The Chelsea boss was acquitted of sporting fraud charges in 2016. Prosecutors had requested a six-month suspended sentence following accusations he failed to report episodes of match-fixing while in charge at Serie B side Siena in 2011.

The former Italy manager -- who has always denied any wrongdoing -- served a four-month ban in relation to the affair in 2012.

But when mention was made of the accusations against Conte, Mourinho said: "Did he? Not me."

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Barcelona agree to sign Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool

Barcelona on Saturday announced that they had reached an agreement to sign Brazilian star Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool in a deal reported to be worth up to 160 million euros ($192 million).

"Barcelona and Liverpool have reached an agreement for the transfer of Philippe Coutinho. The player will sign a contract for the rest of the season and five more years with a release clause of 400 million euros," said a Barcelona statement.

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BREAKING: Barcelona, Liverpool agree £142million deal for Philippe Coutinho

Barcelona have agreed the signing of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool for a fee that could reach £142m. Barcelona expect the Brazil international to fly out in time to be at their match with Levante on Sunday afternoon. The 25-year-old did not join his Liverpool team-mates as they flew to Dubai on Saturday and has been adamant that he did not wish to play again for the Anfield club.


Barcelona have put together a package worth a basic fee of £106m, plus a further £36m in variables, of which £26m should be easily met. After the £105m basic, an additional £17m would be payable for the first 100 games Coutinho plays for Barcelona, £4.4m per 25 games. A further £4.4m would be paid for Champions League qualification in the first two seasons with a £4.4m bonus for winning the competition. Coutinho has agreed a five-and-a-half-year deal worth £12.1m a season.

Liverpool had refused to countenance a sale in the summer, going so far as to release a statement insisting that he would not depart, and Barça’s private confidence that they would back down proved to be unfounded, even though they did not finally give up until the last day of the summer transfer window. After the window closed, the club’s sporting director, Albert Soler, publicly claimed that at the last minute Liverpool had offered to sell for £177m but that they had that refused to meet such figure as an act of financial responsibility. That statement was met with a denial from Anfield.

Barcelona had not given up on Coutinho but there was an internal debate about the extent to which they could afford to meet a fee which they believed would be in the region of £124m. Some on the board feared that not only was the fee high, having spent over £88m of the £196m they had received for Neymar on Ousame Dembélé, it might also deny opportunities to squad members such as Denis Suárez. While there was little doubt that in the medium to long term he was a priority, Coutinho would also be unable to play in the Champions League this season.

Coutinho remained determined to depart and Liverpool’s posture had changed. That shift became apparent in the public remarks from Anfield, as well as the private information Barcelona had, as they worked with the Brazilian’s camp. Liverpool team-mates had soon come to assume that he was going to leave. On Saturday night, members of the Barcelona squad believed that Coutinho will join them.

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Nigeria to speed up repatriating migrants from Libya

PIUS UTOMI EKPEI / AFP

Nigeria is to speed up repatriating its citizens from Libya which has been accused of exploiting and ill-treating migrants, its foreign minister said in Tripoli on Saturday.

Geoffrey Onyeama told a news conference Nigeria was chartering two aircraft to repatriate over the next few days 800 of its citizens who wanted to go home.

Onyeama said he had visited two migrant detention centres in Libya and met a number of his compatriots.

"The reality is that a large number of these Nigerians here have suffered greatly and have gone through an extreme traumatic experience," he told reporters.

"The main objective is to get these Nigerians back home as quickly as possible."

Onyeama admitted there had been difficulties in identifying the number of Nigerians in Libya, as many were undocumented or in detention centres not controlled by the authorities.

Nigeria had already pledged to repatriate 250 migrants a week, following a CNN report on a slave trade targeting illegal migrants from west Africa in Libya.

Nigerians make up the majority of undocumented migrants trying to make the treacherous crossing via the Mediterranean Sea to Europe.

Almost 1,300 Nigerian migrants were brought home from Libya last November -- nearly twice as many as in the previous month, the head of Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency said in December.

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Electoral officer slumps as Kachikwu delivers ward to APC in Delta election

An electoral officer, simply identified as Ufuoma mysteriously slumped and died during the local council election in Delta State.

Ufuoma who arrived the election venue at Unit 9, Ifeyinwa Primary school, Onicha Ugbo with other officials and suddenly slumped.

One of the electorates, Dibie Justin told The Guardian that the death came as a rude shock to all the voters.

Meanwhile, Minister of state for Petroleum resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu delivered his ward in his community to All Progressive Congress (APC).

APC's victory in the PDP dominated community has sent shivers to the spines of Delta government ahead of the 2019 general elections.

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CHAN Eagles to depart for Morocco Monday

CHAN Eagles’

The home-based Super Eagles will depart Nigeria on Monday for the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) holding in Morocco, team Head Coach Salisu Yusuf said on Saturday in Abuja.

The coach told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that his 23-man squad would be heading for glory as they had prepared very well for the competition.

“We are prepared for what we are going for, and we are sure we will return with glory,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the CHAN Eagles team comprises three goalkeepers, eight defenders, four midfielders and eight strikers.

Some of the players, including Ikechukwu Ezenwa, who is the team captain, Stephen Eze, and Austin Obaroakpo, also featured prominently in the 2016 edition of the competition in Rwanda.

Current Nigeria Professional Football League top scorer Anthony Okoptu, Dayo Ojo, Okechukwu Gabrielsl and Abdullahi Musa will be making their debut at the championship which is now in its fifth edition.

Nigeria is participating for the third time in the championship since its inception in 2009 in Cote d’Ivoire, with the Eagles playing their opening match on Jan. 15 against Rwanda.

Nigeria’s best outing was at South Africa in 2014, where they came third with Ejike Uzoenyi emerging as the best player.

NAN reports that the championship is designed for players who ply their trade in their various countries’ professional league.

This 2018 edition, with 16 teams participating, will kick off on Jan. 13 and end on Feb. 4.

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