Liverpool loanee Taiwo Awoniyi has lost his starting spot at Dutch side NEC Nijmegen to little known Nigerian forward Arnaut Groenveld Danjuma.

Awoniyi is on a season long loan from English Premier League side Liverpool to NEC Nijmegen, but he has failed to get games for the team which was primarily the reason why he was loaned out by Liverpool.

Arnaut has been preferred by coach Peter Hyballa ahead of Awoniyi in the attack of the team in their last three league games.

Blessed with searing pace and amazing dribbling abilities, Arnaut was born in Lagos to a Dutch father and a Nigerian mother, and he is widely regarded as one of the top emerging talent in the Dutch Eredivisie.

His international future will no doubt caused a stir between Nigeria and the Netherlands, if he continue to progress at the speed with which he is moving at the moment.

* Daniel Martins

Chelsea are set to be without their Nigerian flying wingback Victor Moses for another two weeks, Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Moses limped out of their clash against Manchester United just before the international break, and the injury ruled him out of Nigeria’s friendly game against Senegal.

He was seriously missed by the team last weekend as they slumped to a 1-2 loss to Crystal Palace in the Premier League, which could dent their title challenge.

The Nigerian who is one of the key players in Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 system missed training yesterday, and will most likely be out for a further two weeks, Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Already he has been ruled out of their clash against Manchester City tomorrow, as he struggles to return from a toe and calf injury which could require minor surgery to correct.

* Michael James

The Football Association of England has initiated moves to stop the rise in the loss of youth international, who are eligible for other nations.

Owngoalnigeria.com England based writer Michael James had a chat with a member of the FA, who voiced out the FA unhappiness over the recent loss of around five talented players groomed in their youth set up to other nations.

The issue of losing Wilfred Zaha of Crystal Palace was still dominating discussions in the FA office, when news arrived that around four players educated by the youth set up in England are close to pledging allegiance to Nigeria.

The trio of Ola Aina, Chuba Akpom and Ebere Eze trained with the Super Eagles of Nigeria in London last week, and even took part in a training match among the players organised following the cancellation of the proposed friendly game against Burkina Faso.

” We have initiated moves to curb the menace of losing talented teens to other nations. No doubt we can’t stop them from playing for nations they are qualified to represent but we can control the numbers, because it’s on the rise”, he told Owngoalnigeria.com

” I’m sorry I can’t reveal the steps we have taken, and other plans we have but for now we are deeply concern about the trend, and we know a lot of our nationals are worried as well. It’s a trend we will nip in the bud”.

* Michael James

Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has earned a high rating in the first three games of the Chinese Super League than two former Premier League Stars.

The former Chelsea ace who now plays as a central defender as opposed to his former role as a midfielder scored his first goal in the league in Tianjin Teda 2-0 win over Lifan.

Aside his goals his overall performances has seen him make the team of the week twice, while his former Chelsea teamate Oscar who is at Shanghai SiPG is yet to earn a spot in the team of the week, following a not too impressive display in his first three games with no goal to his name yet.

Former Manchester City and Manchester United forward Carlos Tevez who is reportedly the highest earning player in China, where he plays for Shanghai Shenhua has also failed to live up to expectations.

Although he has found the back of the net once, his failure in other games means only one team of the week nomination has come his way after three games in the CSL.

* Daniel Martins

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry says Mesut Ozil’s lackadaisical attitude would have drawn him sticks from his teammates, if he had played in the same team with him.

Henry joined in the criticism of Ozil, who has been poor for Arsenal this season in an interview with Sky Sports insisting the 28 year old has to do more to influence games.

The Arsenal legend cited the lack of leaders in the dressing room of his former club as part of the reason, why the 28 year old World Cup winner gets away with his laid back attitude during games.

” He can clearly play and last year everyone was praising him. This year he is struggling because he doesn’t do enough on a daily basis”, Henry told Sky Sports.

” In my old team, everyone talked. Sylvain Wiltord talked. Edu the same. Even Nwankwo Kanu would have said something, though he doesn’t talk much. Jens Lehmann, he was talking all the time. We had guys at it throughout the team”.

* Prince Emmanuel

Talks of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur interest in Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has drawn a reaction from Leicester City manager Craig Shakespeare.

Ndidi has been a revelation since joining the club from Belgian side Genk in the January transfer window, and his performances have lead to talks of a move away from the club in the summer.

Arsenal and Spurs are rumoured as the two English teams who are keeping close watch on the Nigerian midfielder, but Shakespeare insist the 20 year old will be at the club for a long time.

Shakespeare made this known during his pre match conference ahead of their upcoming game against Sunderland on Wednesday.

” We can do nothing about speculations, It’s a credit to him, in terms of the way he has performed, but also the way he is. He is a very good professional, very mature heads on his shoulders.

” I have no problem with speculation, but we have our best players tied up. Of course, there can always be bids, we can always turn them down. But football is football you’ll always get bids for good players.

” It is vitally important we keep our young players. Speaking to Wilfred, he is very happy here. He knows that we have given him the opportunity and I am sure that he will be a player here for a long time”, Shakespeare said of the Nigerian who is contracted to the Foxes till the summer of 2021.

* Daniel Martins

As Nigeria gear up for their all important World Cup 2018 qualifiers against Cameroon, Owngoalnigeria.com Michael James says John Ogu will be vital in the game.

Nigeria will face Cameroon in back to back World Cup 2018 qualifiers with the leadership of group B at stake, even though Nigeria are currently four points ahead of second placed Cameroon.

Ahead of the tie which will take place in September, Nigeria played a friendly game against Senegal which ended 1-1 in London during the international break.

Speaking after the game, coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria Gernot Rohr said the game gave them an idea on how to tackle Cameroon when both teams clash later in the year.

That said, James who covered the game on behalf of Owngoalnigeria.com in London says Hapoel Be’er Sheva midfielder Ogu did enough to play a part in the game against a physical Cameroon side.
” Before his introduction for stand in captain Eddy Onazi, Idrissa Gueye was having a field day running the midfielder like a boss. But Ogu matched him physically and also in terms of usage of the ball”, James said.
” It’s not like saying Onazi didn’t do enough but let’s be honest Ogu’s size is a weapon the Eagles will need in games like that of Cameroon. He is big, strong and very good in the air. He can also hit long range efforts as well.
” He will be vital against Cameroon, if he maintains his form from now till then, he’s beastly nature will no doubt come handy against the Lions of Cameroon”.

Following his latest long range goal for Leicester City in their 2-0 win over Stoke City, Leicester City Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi says scoring long range goals is something he is use to.

Ndidi opened scoring for Leicester City against Stoke City with a long range drive from 35 yards, almost the same way he scored his first goal for the team in a Cup game against Derby County.

Signed as a replacement for N’Golo Kante who left for Chelsea after helping the Foxes to the title last season, the Nigerian has taken to his new surroundings in England like a duck to water.

The 20 year old who won goal of the year in Belgium for his long range goal against Club Brugge last season was asked in an interview on Leicester TV, if it’s now in him to score goals from distance.

” I will say yes but I’m more concern about the team winning not me scoring”, he said.

*Daniel Martins

Former Super Eagles striker Michael Eneramo has joined Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq FC on a free transfer after the expiration of his deal with Turkish side Manisaspor.

31 year old Eneramo is not entirely new to playing in Saudi Arabia as he had a short stint with Al-Shabab in 2004, where he played 8 games with a goal to his name while on loan from Esperance of Tunisia.

He has played in Italy for the last seven seasons but injuries have slowed down his productivity on the pitch, as he has failed to stay fit since recovering from a serious knee injury picked up while at Besiktas.

The burly striker penned a year deal with the Saudi outfit, where he will be hoping to recapture the form that gave him ten caps for Nigeria from 2009 to 2011, which helped Nigeria beat Tunisia who were keen on having him play for them to his services.

* Prince Michael

As the season in Portugal draws to an end, Portuguese giants FC Porto have communicated on the future of the six Nigerian players on their payroll, Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Porto presently have six Nigerians on their payroll in Chidozie Awaziem, Mikel Agu, Chidera Eze, Fidelis Irhene, Musa Yahaya and Moses John, but only Awaziem and Yahaya are close to the first team, while John is attached to the U-18s.

The duo of Eze and Irhene are out on loan to high flying second division side Portimonense who are guarantee to gain promotion to the top tier in Portugal, while Agu has been earning rare reviews at his present loan side Vitoria Setubal.

Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal. The club have decided to terminate the contract of one of the Nigerian players at the team and replaced him with another Nigerian who is currently battling to secure his visa from the Portuguese Embassy in Abuja.

Also Awaziem, Yahaya and Agu will be given the chance to impress the technical crew of the team in pre season games, while Eze will most likely remain on loan at Portimonense or move up to the B team who are in the second division.

Overall one Nigerian player will depart the club, and will be replaced by another Nigerian, while Agu and Eze will be promoted to the first team and B team respectively.

The future of Fidelis Irhene appears to lie outside the club as he is reported to be on the wishlist of teams in Turkey and Belgium, but Porto will only sanction a loan move for him in the summer or outright sale with the option of buy back after few years.

* Daniel Martins