Enyimba forward Ezekiel Bassey who is on a six months loan to Spanish giants Barcelona, has reacted to reports that he will return to Enyimba after the expiration of his loan deal.

As reported by this portal yesterday Bassey is yet to be issued a work permit two months after signing the dotted lines for the club, and his performances have also failed to reach the expected height.

We reported his possible release in the summer, but the forward has pour cold water on a possible return to Barcelona, but confirmed he is yet to receive his work permit.

” Since the 31st of January that I had my medicals, my work permit is still not ready, but I am hopeful I will have it by next weekend. I’m presently doing off-field training because I dislocated my shoulder in training on Monday”, Ezekiel said on Nigeria Football Support Platform.

” My recovery period is going to take a few week, hopefully in few days time I will be back. My plan is to recover on time and get even stronger so as to have some minutes of game time before the end of the season.

” We have six games left to play including the game this weekend, but I haven’t still gotten my work permit yet.

” Let’s hope and see what will happen then”, he rounded up his statement with a local Nigerian proverb in pidgin English ” Who no know, go know” (those who don’t know will know)’.

* Ade Emmanuel

Highly rated Nigeria youth international Chidera Ejike failed to make his debut for Norwegian side Valerenga last weekend as he is yet to be issued a work permit.

Ejike popularly referred to as Nigerian Iniesta was not listed for action when Valerenga got their league campaign underway with a 1-0 win over Viking.

The former Liverpool trainee who joined the team one month is expected to get his papers according to popular Kaduna based journalist Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman.

” He is yet to get his work permit, that was why he wasn’t listed for the game against Viking. He will most likely get it during the course of this week. To be more realistic, let’s say next week”, Mowiz told Owngoalnigeria.com.
* Daniel Martins

IFK Varnamo have unveiled their new Nigerian signing in former Nigeria U-20 trainee Adebayo Ademilua, who has joined the team on a one year deal with the option of another based on performance.

Ademilua impressed the handlers of the second division team during a two weeks trial, and subsequently signed the dotted lines but work permit issues delayed his unveiling until yesterday.

The central defender who can also play as a right full back made the provisional squad of the Nigerian U-20 team to the Africa Youth Championship but was later dropped.

A product of Nath Boys FC of Lagos, the club is famed for producing Leicester City rave of the moment Wilfred Ndidi among others scattered around Europe.

*Osas Mahawi

Leicester City continued their recovery under new manager Craig Shakespeare with their sixth win in as many matches courtesy of a 2-0 win over Sunderland.

Ahmed Musa was now where near the Leicester City matchday squad as goals from Islam Slimani and Jamie Vardy helped the Foxes climb out of the relegation zone.

His Nigerian compatriot at the club, Wilfred Ndidi had another game to remember in the middle of the pack for Leicester City, breaking up opponent’s play and turning them into attack for his team.

Although he failed to find the back of the net like he did in their weekend game against Stoke City, he did enough to earn himself a nomination for the man of the match contender, even though he was replaced eight minutes from full time.

Sunderland also welcome back out of favour Super Eagles striker Victor Anichebe back from a length injury lay off, and the striker came close to scoring with a shot which came off the Leicester City woodwork.

That miss haunted his side as minutes later Vardy struck the second goal for Leicester City to kill off any plans of a late rally by the Black Cats, who are now 8 points away from safety with 8 games left to play.

*Daniel Martins

Ezekiel Bassey won’t be offered a permanent deal by Spanish La-Liga giants Barcelona according to a Spain based journalist, who is very close to the technical staff of the team.

Bassey was signed on loan by Barcelona. A move which came as a surprise to many people as the 20 year old, although talented was never mentioned to be on the radar of the club until his transfer was announced.

He was supposed to spend time with the B team of Barcelona before making the step up to the main team in the summer, but work permit issues have denied him a chance to showcase his worth to coach Gerard Lopez of the B team.
However, Joseph Capdevila who writes for highly respected Barcelona based publication Sport revealed, Bassey has failed to impress the coaches hence just like Robert Concalves, who was signed last season in similar circumstances and later released by the club, Bassey could be on his way out as well.

” Ezekiel Bassey was signed without any coach of the B team watching him play, he is back in training with the team, much to the surprise of his teammates who have been so unimpressed by his lack of quality”, Concalves said.

” Barcelona has seen too many strange arrivals the past one year. But what seem certain is that Bassey will leave at the end of the season and that, surely, without many ever remembering he was once a player of the B team”.
*Osas Mahawi

The rise of Leicester City star Wilfred Ndidi has lead to talks about the Nigerian being a like for like replacement for departed Leicester star N’Golo Kante, who is now at Chelsea.

However former Chelsea ace and legend Celestine Babayaro believes the 20 year old has a lot in similarity with Manchester City star Yaya Toure than Kante, as there is more to him than winning back possession.

” There’s a large difference in the way he plays and that of Kante probably similarities in terms of winning duels, but aerially Ndidi is better and a little bit more assured in position and very good at trying his luck from range.

” He is a bit like Patrick Viera but not so much, but he looks every inch like Toure in his prime, leggy, strong and shoots a lot, Toure was like that while at Monaco”, Babayaro told Owngoalnigeria.com.

” Ndidi has improved a lot in the last few months. His ability on and off the ball has greatly improved in England. Most people doubted him but I never did.

* Daniel Martins