Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola insists that Kelechi Iheanacho won’t be going anywhere in the transfer window despite the arrival of new striker Gabriel Jesus.

The Nigeria forward was left out of the Manchester City squad for last Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur with Gabriel taking his place in the bench.

But Guardiola insists that Iheanacho is an important part of his squad as he needs all his forwards with a busy fixture schedule of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup matches in the second half of the season.

We have seven strikers, three in the middle, four or five wide — normally we play two or three,” Guardiola told a news conference ahead of City’s FA Cup tie with Crystal Palace.

“I don’t know how many others play. We play five or six offensive players and thanks to that we create a lot of chances.

“That is the case if you analyse the games against Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea and United at the beginning of the season, and especially in the first half of the season.

“In the second half we created much, much more than our opponents but we didn’t create the kind of chances for this kind of player. But of course Kelechi is part of the squad.”

“Jesus and Nolito are not-so young strikers, Gabriel, Rash [Raheem Sterling] and Kelechi, they are so, so young strikers and they will be the future. They have to adapt,” Guardiola added.

“Rash is only playing in the Champions League for the second time in his life and fighting to win the title so of course we give them time.

“Of course we evaluate how they do in the games and the training sessions. At the end I try to be fair based on what I have seen in performances. Of course I have to evaluate it based on what I see on the grass.”

Guardiola said that there will be no new signings in the transfer window although he said a member of his squad could be on his way out.

*ESPN

Elderson Echiejile will most likely leave Monaco in the coming days following the signing of highly rated Brazilian left full back Jorge by the team.

Echiejile was recalled from his loan at Belgian side Standard Liege to provide cover for the team at left back but the signing of Jorge has put his immediate future at the club in doubt.

20 year old Jorge was signed from Brazilian side Flamengo for a fee of £7.25m on a long term contract, and he is expected to play a big part for Monaco in their remaining fixtures this season.

His coming could sound the death knell on Echiejile’s romance with Monaco, with another loan deal looking like the most credible option now,before his possible sale in the summer.

The 29 year old Nigeria international has been at the club since the 17th of January 2014, when he joined them from Portuguese side Sporting Braga.

On loan Arsenal teen midfielder Kelechi Nwakali was one of the best player for his loan side MVV Maastricht in their disappointing 1-1 draw against NAC Breda.

The 18 year old came close to scoring twice with long range efforts, with one coming off the woodwork after beating the goalkepper.

He was also impressive with his passing range, tricks, flicks and dribbles but his teammates upfront failed to convert the chances that came their way.

Nwakali who has enjoyed a tremendous time on loan lasted the entire duration of the game, which they drew away two points when his teammate scored an own goal on the dot of regulation time.

The result leaves them in 4th spot on 41 points after 22 games, a position that guarantees them at least a promotion play off spot at the end of the season.

Former Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh tasted defeat for the first time since his appointment as coach of Dutch side Fortuna Sittard losing 0-2 away to Almere City FC.

Roundly praised for changing the mentality of players of the team since taking over by the Dutch press, the tactics of the former Ajax midfielder failed to save his team from defeat in yesteday’s game.

Oliseh has one win and a draw in the two games he has handled the troubled Dutch side until yesterday, where they conceded two goals in the second half to lose 0-2.

His contract with the team is a short term contract with the option of a further year if the team survived relegation to the third division.

The defeat saw them drop down to 16th on the log with 19 points from 22 games, and still within the drop zone to the third division in Holland.

English Champions Leicester City almost crashed out of the Emirate FA Cup but Wes Morgan late goal helped them draw 2-2 against a Darrent Bent inspired Derby County.

The former England striker scored at both ends, firstly netting an own goal before cancelling it out with an equaliser for the Championship side to bring scores to 1-1.

Craig Bryson scored what most thought was the tie breaker in the 40th minute to take scores to 2-1, a score Leicester struggled to level despite the introduction of Riyad Mahrez and Ahmed Musa.

Mahrez was introduced for Shinji Okazaki in the 64th minute, while Musa came on for Marc Albrighton with 16 minutes left to play.

However it was another substitute Demarai Gray who proved to be an inspired introduction setting up Wes Morgan for the leveler in the 87th minute.

Leicester City hanged on to force a replay which will take place at the King Power Stadium, where Wilfred Ndidi who was an unused substitute in today’s tie could feature.

Watford striker Odion Ighalo’s future appears to be away from Watford after head coach Walter Mazzarri confirmed the club have received several offers for him.

The arrival of forwards Mauro Zarate and M’Baye Niang this week increased doubts over Ighalo’s place in the squad and Mazzarri signalled this at today’s press conference.

Mazzarri said: “Ighalo you know better than me has always been a very important player for this team. But there are times when a player can end their time with one club and take a decision on their career.

“This is a decision that just come from the club and the player and there’s not much we can do about it.”

The Hornets boss added: “With Odion Ighalo we know there are some offers but it’s still early to say anything.

“They told me there is a very important offer but again we will evaluate in the next few days.

“I don’t like to say all the details also because I don’t know in full. I know there is more than one [offer] but it might also be from China.”

Mazzarri was asked the next step in terms of the Ighalo transfer but showed signs of frustration in his response.

The Italian said: “I don’t know. You’re asking me too much about Ighalo. The club told me you would ask about Ighalo because there have been some offers.

“For the rest you need to ask the club. I am the head coach and they are the ones taking care of the transfers.”

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have initiated talks with the parents of Ibrahima Diallo, whose is originally from Guinea-Conakry but was born in Nigeria.

16 year old Diallo caught the attention of a close friend of the Technical Director of the NFF Bitrus Bewarang, after a tournament in Jos, same state where the director is based.

” He is born in Nigeria, educated by our system and still very young. He is just 16, certainly the type of player we won’t want to lose to another country, the boy is a super talent”, he said to Owngoalnigeria.com.

However, the parents of the talented 16 year old refused to give a definite answer to the demands of the NFF to have their son commit to Nigeria now, as they asked for more time to mull over the option.

Owngoalnigeria.com gathered that Diallo was voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament, which comes with a price tag of a trial with English giants Liverpool.

Diallo currently plays for Gee-Lec Soccer Academy in Jos, and he is blessed with very good range of passes and an eye for a goal, and he is expected to go on trial with Liverpool in the summer.

Coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria Gernot Rohr has succeeded in convincing an England youth international to commit his international future to Nigeria.

Owngoalnigeria.com can reveal that Rohr recently met with the player who has represented England at various youth level, and the player agreed to play for Nigeria in the World Cup 2018 qualifiers.

Although our source refused to tell us the name of the player, he went further by saying the player has already spoken to the England FA about his decision to switch to Nigeria.

Expectedly, his decision didn’t go down well with the hierarchy of the England FA, who have now arranged talks with his parents to see how they can convince him that his future is best with England.

Owngoalnigeria.com will as usual follow the trend of event concerning the player, whose identity will be made known in the nearest future.

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Coach of Belgian side Gent is optimistic that Nigerian defender William Troost- Ekong can cope with the threat of Tottenham Hotspur star forward Harry Kane, when both sides clash in the Europa League.

Ekong played his first game for the team last weekend against Charleroi, 18 months after joining them as he has been on loan with Norwegian side FK Haugesund.

Coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck believes he has seen enough in the 23 year old to suggest he won’t be out of sort, when he comes up against Spurs forward Harry Kane.

Ekong who travelled with the team during their Europa League group games his ineligibility to play as he wasn’t registered back then, will get his baptism of fire when they take on Spurs in the knockout stage.

The 23 year old Dutch-Nigerian started his career at White Hart Lane with Spurs, and at a time was teammates with Harry Kane at youth level.

” Ekong did very well in our first game, I have never doubted him. He just needed time to play for us, he is at a stage right now where he is so confident in his abilities and play. Hopefully he will give us an edge against Spurs in the Europa League”, he said.

According to reports exclusively gathered by Owngoalnigeria.com Portuguese side Portimonense have contacted FC Porto on the possibility of signing Chidozie Awaziem on loan.

Portimonense recently lost the services of their young Ghanaian defender Lumor Agbeyenu to German side 1860 Munich, and are looking to lure the Nigerian to plug the gap created by the departure.

Awaziem will help the team who are top of the second division in Portugal realise their dream of gaining promotion at the end of the season, but a deal is far from agreed with FC Porto.

Porto wants the youngster to remain with the team until the summer, even though he isn’t guaranteed games with the first team unlike last season when he had his breakthrough.

Second division side Portimonense will be hoping that FC Porto shift grounds particularly as they have strong ties with the club when it comes to Nigerian players.

Presently Chidera Ezeh and Fidelis Irhene are on loan with the team, while Musa Yahaya passed through them before ending at FC Porto last summer.