Former Manchester United first-team coach Rene Meulensteen has compared Jeremie Frimpong to Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Alexander-Arnold has endured an injury laden first season at Real Madrid, managing just six La Liga starts for his new team under managers Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.

Liverpool’s Conor Bradley and Frimpong have stepped in for the England defender who may be regretting leaving Merseyside for a club who handed him his first start in more than two months on Saturday afternoon.

Despite replacing the 27 year old, Meulensteen has spoken to BetGoat about how Frimpong in particular could never fill Alexander-Arnold’s boots.

“I like Jeremie Frimpong because he’s a beacon of energy, but you can’t compare him with Trent because Trent was like David Beckham playing at right-back.

“His exquisite quality is his range of passing. And Frimpong is more of a dynamic player that can play as a wingback. He can go forward, he can defend, he can go forward, he can be the man, he can get around him, can put a cross in.

“He’s much more agile and quick than Trent, but completely different in what he gives the team. That’s why it’s just the same position, but you’re just putting a player there with completely different qualities.

“But he is a very top-top professional, hard-working kid. He’ll never let you down. He will always give us 100%. When Liverpool brought him in, I thought it was a good signing because of the versatility that he brings.”

Alexander-Arnold will have his sights on securing a spot in England’s World Cup squad this summer whilst Frimpong’s place in the Netherlands side is locked in if he can climb back to fitness over the next few months.

Nollywood actress Dakore Akande has shared photos from her father’s burial.

It was reported on February 6th that her younger brother, Timini, had shared photos from his low-key burial ceremony, which was attended only by family. He revealed that they said their final goodbyes as he bade his father farewell.

Now, sharing photos on her Instagram page, Dakore said she is still coming to terms with the cruel fact that she won’t see her dad for a while.

Dakore said she is, however, comforted by the fact that they will meet eventually at God’s appointed time. She added that she and her siblings wore white and blue to honour him, as they were his favourite colours.

She also revealed that she made a playlist of some of his favourite songs, which they danced to at the reception in his honour.

“When we laid Dad to rest…..
It’s been a difficult task to post these photos, os but here we are.
I’m still coming to terms with the cruel fact that I won’t see my Dad for a while.
But I’m comforted by the fact that we will all meet eventually at God’s appointed time.
We wore white and blue to honor Dad, as that was his signature, I sang the opening and his favorite hymn, we had 2 services on the same day- one in Austin, TX where he lived for many years and in Lagos, Nigeria, where he made his name and lived for many years also.
I made a playlist of some of his favorite songs which we danced to at the reception in his honor.
I’m so glad that so many people came to support our family and I thank you all my lovely dakorians, or all your prayers and heartfelt lovex”.

Earlier this year, actor, Timini, had announced the passing of his father. He said he never thought he would start the year by saying RIP to his dad, and promised to continue to make him proud.

His sister, Dakore Akande, expressed how heartbroken she is, yet glad that he was free from pain. She expressed gratitude for the memories and laughter, the legacy of excellence that he instilled in them, and his love for music and looking stylish.

Also, losing a parent earlier this year was famous comedian, Alibaba, who lost his mother. Alibaba’s wife, Mary Akpobome, had paid an emotional tribute to her, recounting her last visit, which she described as the most treasured.

Two weeks ago, BBNaija Liquorose had mourned the death of her father. Sharing a photo of her late father, she expressed how much she misses him, and affirmed her love for him.

Days before the New Year, actress Lizzy Gold had lost her father. The Asaba actress said what she feared, lamenting that this wasn’t their plan, as he was supposed to cross over into the new year.

No fewer than three United States military aircraft landed in Nigeria between Thursday and Friday.

The aircraft, it was gathered, landed at military bases in Borno and other northeastern states.

Senior officers at the Defence Headquarters disclosed that the aircraft carried ammunition sent to Nigeria by the American government.

The officers, in separate interviews with our correspondents, said the development was part of US interventions to support Nigeria in the fight against insecurity.

“Following Nigeria-US bilateral talks on security, the American government will not only deploy soldiers but also provide necessary logistics, including ammunition, to fight the insurgents,” one of the officers who spoke on condition of anonymity said.

Another high ranking officer explained that the delivery was part of operational logistics, noting that the military often requires replenishment of ammunition after operations.

“I know that recently US aircraft came to supply ammunition for our platforms, and that wasn’t the first time. So, what you are saying may be true, though I have not been officially briefed.

“We go for operations and use different calibres of ammunition, which need to be replaced.

“The US and the Nigerian government, under the coordination of the NSA, are working together to end insecurity in the country. So, we should expect more deployments of aircraft and troops,” he added.

The New York Times on Saturday reported that US military aircraft landed in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Thursday night.

By Friday evening, the paper reported that three planes could be seen at the base, with equipment being offloaded from one.

“These initial flights are the vanguard of what will be a stream of C-17 transport flights into three main locations across Nigeria,” a US Department of Defense official told the newspaper.

An X account @mobilisingniger, operated by a user who claimed to be a counter-terrorism expert, also disclosed on Friday that a US Air Force military transport aircraft C30J landed at the Kaduna International Airport after departing from Ghana.

It suggested that the Kaduna Depot might serve as a potential training hub for US personnel deployed to train the Nigerian military.

“A US Air Force military transport aircraft C30J has landed at Kaduna International Airport after departing from Ghana earlier this (Friday) evening. The movement is fuelling speculation that US personnel may utilise the Kaduna Depot as a potential training hub in collaboration with the Nigerian military. This signals a potential deepening of US–Nigeria security engagement amid ongoing regional security challenges,” the post read.

Another user, Brant Philip, who claimed to be a tracker on X, said there had been a “massive delivery of equipment” to the Maiduguri Airbase, Borno State.

“The US Air Force C-130J-30 cargo aircraft flew to northeast Nigeria today (Friday) from Accra, Ghana, following the same route as the two previous C-17A, a mass delivery of equipment seems to be ongoing,” he wrote.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Michael Onoja, had yet to respond to an inquiry on the matter as of the time of filing this report.

US deploys military officers

The United States President, Donald Trump, had in 2025 declared that he would send military forces to Nigeria if the government failed to stop what he described as genocide against Christians.

Following his threat and the declaration of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, the US carried out an airstrike on Islamic State fighters in Sokoto State on Christmas Day.

Both the US and Nigeria have since deepened engagements on enhancing security in the country.

Earlier, it was reported that 200 US officers would be deployed in Nigeria.

The New York Times reported that the first wave of personnel had arrived in the country.

It stated that the development marked the beginning of a deployment of the 200 American intelligence analysts, advisers and trainers to assist the country’s armed forces in targeted counterterrorism operations, partly aimed at protecting Nigerian Christians.

The New York Times further disclosed that several additional aircraft carrying troops and equipment were expected to land over the weekend, with the flow continuing in the coming weeks.