News in brief: Captain Mikel, Blues pre-season, Comley loan deal

John Mikel Obi
The Chelsea midfielder has been named as the new captain of Nigeria. Mikel, who has won 72 caps for his country, takes over the role from CSKA Moscow’s Ahmed Musa.

Chelsea
Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor has been confirmed as the venue for the Blues’ International Champions Cup match against Real Madrid on Saturday 30 July.

The games against Liverpool on 27 July and AC Milan on 3 August will be played at the Pasadena Rose Bowl and US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis respectively.

Massimo Luongo
The QPR midfielder scored the opening goal in Australia’s 7-0 thrashing of Tajikistan in their World Cup 2018 qualifier on Thursday.

Luongo’s right-footed shot from 25 yards came in the second minute of the match. The Aussies play Harry Redknapp’s Jordan on Tuesday.

Brandon Comley
The 20-year-old QPR midfielder has extended his loan with Carlisle until the end of the season. Comley has played six times for the League Two side since making his debut against Everton in an FA Cup fourth round tie in January.

Harrow College
Coaches from Tottenham Hotspur will oversee open trials for the college’s Education and Football Development Centre next month. Those aged between 16 and 18 hoping to join for 2016-17 should register here for the trials, at Vale Farm Sports Centre in Wembley on Monday 4 April.

QPR Ladies
Six players have left the club to join sides in WSL2. Sophie Fogarty, Jo Wilson, Zemeka Clarke and Emma Whitter have signed for London Bees, while Sophie Cheadle and Natalie Richardson have moved to Watford.

Meanwhile, Rangers’ FA Women’s Premier League fixture with Plymouth Argyle, scheduled for this Sunday, has been moved to 24 April.

Wealdstone
The National League South club say they have received “considerable interest” in the vacant chairman’s role. Howard Krais announced in January that he would step down at the end of the season after nine years at the helm.

Middlesex
The friendly with Surrey was abandoned as a draw midway through Thursday’s final day after rain at the Oval. Middlesex had declared overnight, 13 runs ahead on first innings, with both teams then due to bat for 32 overs.

Surrey made 143-2 but the match was called off before Middlesex had a chance to chase down their target of 132.

Gabriel Ibitoye
The Harlequins centre scored the opening try as England Under-18s beat Ireland Under-18s 15-12 in their opening match of the Five Nations Festival.

Rajiv Ouseph
England’s top-ranked badminton player has been drawn against world number four Kento Momota at next week’s India Open. Ouseph, from Feltham, is 18 places below Momota, who is the tournament’s second seed.