Calvin Bassey, the talented Ajax defender, is on the brink of completing his departure from the Dutch Eredivisie giants, as he was left out of their training tour to Germany.

The Nigerian player is now scheduled for a medical with Fulham, a prominent English Premier League side, after expressing keen interest in joining Marco Silva's team.

Fulham reportedly faces a choice between Bassey and Southampton's Mohammed Salisu to strengthen their backline. Both African players are being considered for the left-sided centre-back position, but it appears that talks with Ajax concerning Bassey's transfer are in the final stages.

Italian transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed Fulham's intentions to finalize deals for both players. Salisu's potential move is believed to be valued at over £15m, while Bassey carries a price tag of £18m.

These signings come as Fulham faces uncertainty over the future of Nigeria's defender Tosin Adarabioyo. The club hopes to capitalize on his market value before his contract expires at the end of the upcoming season.

Talks regarding a contract extension with Adarabioyo have stalled, and Tottenham Hotspur has recently expressed interest in the 25-year-old, potentially leading to a move to north London during this summer transfer window.

Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal has been given the green light to enter negotiations with Kylian Mbappe, the Paris St-Germain forward, following their astonishing world record bid of £259m.

The 24-year-old French captain, with only a year remaining on his contract, has declined to sign an extension with the French champions and was not included in their pre-season tour to Japan.

In a bid to avoid losing Mbappe on a free transfer next summer, PSG is eager to sell him now. The current record for the most expensive player in the world is Neymar's £200m move from Barcelona to PSG in 2017.

Mbappe, if the transfer goes through, will have commanded two out of the three highest transfer fees ever paid for a player. In 2017, PSG acquired him from Monaco for £166m. Several top clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham, Inter Milan, and Barcelona, have expressed interest in signing the talented forward.

Mbappe has previously stated his intention to leave PSG for free at the end of the upcoming season, with Real Madrid believed to be his preferred destination.

PSG is open to the idea of allowing Mbappe to leave on loan this summer, enabling him to play out the final year of his contract elsewhere. This move would give him the opportunity to join Real Madrid at no cost in the following year while generating a loan fee for PSG.

The club's chairman, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, has emphasized his determination to adopt a tough stance in negotiations, with suggestions that Mbappe could face exclusion from the team for a whole year if the current deadlock persists. Such an outcome would undoubtedly impact his chances of representing France at Euro 2024.

Owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Al-Hilal has been making significant moves in the transfer market this summer, having already secured the signings of Ruben Neves from Wolves and Kalidou Koulibaly from Chelsea.

In a surprising turn of events, the Women's World Cup witnessed a historic upset as the Philippines, one of the eight debutants at the tournament, shocked co-hosts New Zealand in Wellington.

The match was a golden opportunity for New Zealand to secure a spot in the knockout stages, following their unexpected victory over Norway on the opening day. However, the determined Philippines team had other plans.

The Philippines' moment of triumph came in the 24th minute when Sarina Bolden headed in Sara Eggesvik's well-placed cross, securing the country's first-ever goal in a Women's World Cup. The jubilant celebrations that followed showcased the team's immense pride and passion.

Throughout the game, New Zealand struggled to find a breakthrough against the resilient Filipino defense. The Philippines' goalkeeper, Olivia McDaniel, emerged as the hero in stoppage time, pulling off an outstanding fingertip save to deny New Zealand substitute Grace Jale's half-volley, which was destined for the bottom corner.

Despite the vocal support from the home crowd, New Zealand couldn't find an equalizer in the second half. The video assistant referee (VAR) disallowed Jacqui Hand's goal for offside, and earlier in the game, Hannah Wilkinson squandered a significant opportunity by heading a cross over the bar.

With this memorable victory, the Philippines showcased their potential on the world stage, leaving New Zealand and their fans disappointed by the missed chance to secure a place in the last 16.

Meanwhile, in Group A's other match, Norway faced Switzerland, with the latter eyeing qualification for the knockout stages with a victory.

Director General of the World Trade Organisation, WTO, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has charged the Super Falcons of Nigeria to ensure they get the best result in their second Group B game at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup against the tournament co-hosts, Australia.

The former Nigerian finance minister commended the Falcons for their hard-fought draw against Canada in their opening Group B game.

In a tweet on Sunday, Okonjo-Iweala wrote, “Hello Super Falcons! Congratulations on an incredible effort in your draw with Canada. Wishing you the best in the upcoming Australia match up!!!”

It was reported that the Super Falcons played a goalless draw with Canada on Friday, with goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozi saving a penalty to deny the North Americans all three points.

She sent her best wishes to the team as they now shift attention to the cracker against Australia on Thursday, July 27, 2023.