Wolfsburg’s Wout Weghorst signs contract with Burnley
London, Jan 31: Burnley Football Club on Monday announced the signing of Netherlands international Wout Weghorst from VfL Wolfsburg for an undisclosed fee. The 6’6-foot centre forward has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract at Turf Moor and will link up with his new teammates for training on Monday ahead of next weekend’s Premier League match against Watford. Weghorst, capped 12 times by his country, has scored 59 goals in 118 Bundesliga appearances for Wolfsburg over the past three and a half seasons, and featured for the Netherlands at Euro 2020, finding the back of the net in a 3-2 win against Ukraine. (ANI)
Brighton defender Odel Offiah extends contract through 2024
London, Jan 31: Brighton and Hove Albion on Monday confirmed that Odel Offiah has signed a new contract that runs until June 2024 with the Premier League club. The 19-year-old defender made his professional debut in the Carabao Cup win over Cardiff City in August, before earning his first start in the FA Cup victory at West Brom in January. Offiah joined Albion from Bromley in 2017 and has progressed through the academy, featuring regularly for the under-23s this campaign. (ANI)
Real Betis’ punishment for fan violence reduced
MADRID, Jan 31: The Spanish football federation cut Real Betis’ punishment for fan violence on Monday, shutting only a section of its stadium instead of the entire venue after a player was hit by a piece of PVC thrown from the stands in a Copa del Rey match. The federation had initially closed the Benito Villamarín Stadium after the object hit Sevilla player Joan Jordán on the head and forced the suspension of the game. Jordán was taken to hospital but quickly recovered. Betis appealed the federation’s ruling and now only the section of the venue from where the object was thrown will be closed for the next two home matches. (AP)
Union Berlin’s Kruse set for Wolfsburg return
BERLIN, Jan 31: Union Berlin’s star player Max Kruse stunned the high-flying club by asking for a transfer to his former team Wolfsburg at the other end of the Bundesliga, with the forward set to rejoin Wolfsburg on the last day of the winter transfer window. The former Germany striker asked Union fans for their “understanding for my decision to accept an offer that is long-term and highly paid.” Wolfsburg said the 33-year-old Kruse will sign a deal through June 2023 after completing a medical checkup. Union said he was traveling to his new club on Monday. A reported fee of 5 million euros was agreed between the clubs. (AP)
Ronaldo, Pogba unfollow Greenwood on social media
LONDON, Jan 31: Manchester United’s biggest stars have unfollowed team-mate, Mason Greenwood, on social media after his arrest over allegations of rape and assault. As per a Daily Mail report, Man United’s David de Gea, Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba have shunned Greenwood on Instagram. Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani, Fred and Jesse Lingard are also among those not following him. “But club captain Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes are in a group of 18 squad members who have so far maintained their support for the young forward on the social media platform,” the report added. Greenwood was on Sunday arrested on suspicion rape and assault as part of an ongoing police investigation into allegations made on social media by an 18-year-old student. (IANS)
Aditi finishes solid T-13; Lydia Ko wins title at Gainbridge
BOCA RATON (US), Jan 31: Indian golfer Aditi Ashok got her 2022 season off to a solid start with a T-13 finish at the Gainbridge LPGA here. A fourth-place finisher at the Tokyo Olympics, Aditi, who shot 66 on the first day, closed the week with three birdies against a lone bogey for 2-under 70 that saw her total 4-under 284. Aditi might well have been inside the top-10 finishers but for the third round which saw her shoot 76 and drop down the leaderboard. Lydia Ko became the first player to reach 17 wins before the age of 25 since Nancy Lopez captured her 17th title in 1979. The Kiwi star got up and down out of the greenside bunker on No. 18 to seal the win at 14-under overall. (PTI)
Skeleton medallist Tregubov out of Beijing Oly with virus
Moscow, Jan 31: Skeleton silver medallist Nikita Tregubov and one of his teammates will miss the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing after contracting the coronavirus and other athletes are also in doubt, Russian officials said Monday. “Yesterday it became clear that there was no longer a chance of making it,” Tregubov wrote on Instagram. He said he felt fine. Tregubov and teammate Vladislav Semenov have been replaced on the team by other Russian sliders, Russian Bobsled Federation president Elena Anikina told state news agency Tass. (AP)