Barcelona’s transfer decision not to sign Marcus Rashford permanently this summer was in part balanced against their desire to bring in Anthony Gordon.

Rashford impressed on a season-long loan in Catalonia in 2025/26, scoring 14 goals in all competitions, and winning the LaLiga title.

Hansi Flick had expressed an openness towards bringing Rashford back if a deal could be struck with Manchester United after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

However, the Spanish giants opted against activating a £30M purchase clause on the 28-year-old, as they looked at other targets in the market.

An £80M deal for Gordon was wrapped up before the World Cup, and Barca focused more attention on getting that agreement over the line, with sporting director Deco claiming it made more sense in the long-term.

“We are extremely grateful to Rashford.

“He contributed a lot last season, but our idea of play is much more linked to Anthony’s. His style fits with what the coach is looking for.

“In the case of Gordon, we saw that he was one of the figures we needed.

“We needed more intensity. We analysed a lot of wingers. Signing someone from the Premier League is almost impossible, but Flick was clear in what he wanted and we worked on a deal from there.”

The National Sports Commission has confirmed the payment of the naira equivalent of $100,000 to each player of Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, as part of the Presidential Reward for their victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket.

The commission also confirmed the payment of the naira equivalent of $50,000 to each of the team’s officials.

The accounts of the players and officials were credited on September 9, 2026, with the NSC saying all recipients had confirmed receipt of the funds.

D’Tigress won the FIBA Women’s Afrobasket title for a record fifth consecutive time and seventh overall in 2025.


The commission said the payment completed all components of the rewards promised to members of the team by President Bola Tinubu.

In a statement signed by its Director of Information and Public Relations, Kehinde Ajayi, on Wednesday, the NSC said the Presidential Rewards comprised three-bedroom flats in Abuja, national honours of the Order of the Niger and the cash payments.

“With the payment, the entire presidential rewards promised to each member of the team by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR comprising a 3-Bedroom flat in Abuja, national honours of OON and Naira equivalent of $USD 100,000 to players and $USD 50,000 to officials have been fully redeemed and completed,” the statement said.

The commission recalled that the players and officials received the title documents for their three-bedroom apartments in Abuja and certificates of national honours in February 2026 during the FIBA World Cup qualifiers in Lyon, France.

The NSC said the documents were duly signed by Tinubu.

It added that the cash payment followed the team’s participation in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Germany.

The commission also disclosed that the Super Falcons, who were similarly promised Presidential Rewards, had received title documents for their three-bedroom apartments in Abuja and certificates of national honours.

It said the Falcons received the documents during the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco in July and August 2026, adding that the cash component of their reward was expected to be paid before their next official engagements.

The commission said the Super Falcons were promised the same cash rewards of the naira equivalent of $100,000 for each player and $50,000 for each official.

It said the rewards were part of the Federal Government’s effort to prioritise the welfare of Nigerian athletes.

The statement said, “This unprecedented rewards to the players and athletes by the Federal Government of Nigeria is in alignment with the Renewed Hope initiative and Shared Prosperity agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR which places athletes’ welfare and appropriate rewards top on the priority list.”

The commission thanked Tinubu for his support for Nigerian sports, saying his policies had given impetus to its reform agenda and efforts to develop a sustainable sports economy.

It also appreciated the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation for their collaboration in implementing the rewards.

The NSC said the collaboration ensured that the Presidential Rewards were implemented “in record time within the due process requirements.”

Operatives of the Benue State Police Command have arrested 46 suspects in connection with the attack on the convoy of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, Peter Obi.


Commissioner of Police, Cletus Nwadiogbu, who announced this on Wednesday, said investigation is still ongoing as key leaders of the youths involved in the incident are being trailed.

He warned that the police in Benue State will not allow any act of political intolerance as the general election approaches.

The commissioner said the command would continue to take necessary steps to identify all those involved and ensure that anyone found culpable faces the law.

The development followed the blockade of Obi’s convoy on his way to Yelwata, where he was billed to meet and commiserate with victims of the June 2025 attacks.

Trouble started a few meters away from the airport when Obi’s convoy ran into a roadblock on the two-lane Makurdi-Gboko federal highway.