Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively confirm that Maccabi Haifa target Emmanuel Daniel left the shores of Nigeria for South Africa this morning from the Nnamdi Azikiwe airport in Abuja.

The Nigeria U-23 shot stopper who also doubles as the third choice goalkepper of the Super Eagles was not listed for action, when Enugu Rangers drew 0-0 against Akwa United in the Nigeria Professional Football League this evening.

Owngoalnigeria.com will keep you posted with his progress. Watch this space.

Sunderland have suffered another huge injury blow after Victor Anichebe was ruled out for three months with knee ligament damage.

The big striker ruptured his medial ligament in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at The Hawthorns against his old club West Bromwich Albion. He suffered the injury in a block tackle just minutes after he entered the action as a substitute, making his comeback from the hamstring injury that had sidelined him since New Year’s Eve.

He will spend the next six weeks in a knee action for a total of 12 weeks, which would rule him out until mid-April.

Losing Anichebe is a major problem for Sunderland, whose best spell of the season – the run of four wins in seven games in November and December – came when the powerhouse forward was introduced into the starting XI as introduced into the starting XI to add some physical presence and provide a target to aim at in the final third of the pitch.

The injury has also denied the forward a chance to stage a comeback to the senior national team of Nigeria as he was supposed to be in the squad for the friendly against Senegal in March, after productive talks with new coach Gernot Rohr last year.

Celtic strike target Henry Onyekuru has been told he is too good for a move to Scottish football.

Scotland’s champions Celtic are weighing up a fresh bid for the 19-year-old Nigerian after an opening offer in excess of £1million was turned down by Belgian outfit KAS Eupen.

The Parkhead club started freeing up space for new faces by sending midfielder Ryan Christie on loan to Aberdeen for the rest of the season.

However, Eupen chief executive Christoph Henkel insists Onyekuru won’t be one of them after vowing to keep him until the summer, when he believes Germany will be a better platform for his talents than the SPFL.

‘We are only eight games from the end of the regular phase of the championship and only five points ahead of last place,’ said Henkel. ‘We aren’t sure to stay in Division One. Therefore we can’t be separated from such an attacking player as Henry Onyekuru before summer.

‘We know Celtic are interested, but Red Bull Leipzig are as well. I don’t think the Scottish league is an option for Henry.

‘Scotland is 23rd on the UEFA ranking and Belgium ninth. Our competition is therefore more rewarding. Besides, I think the qualities of Henry Onyekuru don’t correspond to Scottish football. He would be more likely to flourish in the Bundesliga.’

Nigeria youth international Musa Yahaya joined the first team of Portuguese giants FC Porto in training yesterday for the first time this year.

Yahaya who was signed from Portuguese side Portimonense in the summer is yet to play a game for either the first team of the B team, who are campaigning in the second division in Portugal.

During the first stanza of the league in Portugal, he trained severally with the first team but didn’t get to break into the match day squad for any of their engagements.

Owngoalnigeria.com gathered that his commitment with the first team denied him a spot in the B team during the first half of last season.

He was reportedly moved to the B team last month, where he is expected to get game time and develop ahead of a proper integration into the first team.

However yesterday he was summoned to join the first team in training, a sign of how high the former Tottenham Hotspur trainee is regarded at the club.

Nigeria international goalkepper Daniel Akpeyi has put pen to paper on a new deal with Premier South Africa League (PSL) side Chippa United.

The 30 year old will now remain with the club he joined in 2015 from Nigeria League side Warri Wolves till June 30th 2019, Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

A bronze medal winner with the Nigeria team to the Rio 2016 Olympics, he came to limelight in 2009 while at Heartland FC of Owerri, before moving to Warri Wolves after five years.

Akpeyi has five international caps for the senior national team of Nigeria, with the last of his national team appearance coming in the Super Eagles last competitive game, which ended 3-1 in favour of Nigeria.

He was drafted in as a late replacement for the game following the injury enforced absence of first choice Carl Ikeme, but still got the nod ahead of Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Dele Alampasu.

Former Nigeria League top scorer George Akpabio has moved to Hapoel Katamon of Israel, Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Hapoel Katamon are 10th in the Isreali second division, and the 24 year old is expected to add fire power to the attack of the team who are in the relegation play off spot.

Akpabio took the Nigeria league by storm in 2012 firing 12 goals for unfancied side Plateau United, a feat that earned him a move to Premier South Africa League side Ajax Capetown.

He ended up playing for Vasco Da Gama and Chippa United during his six years stay in South Africa before moving to Turkish side Yeni Malatyaspor last season.

In Turkey he didn’t have the best of time, battling with injuries and fitness issues before he was eventually released by the team in April last year.

English Premier League giants Liverpool have joined the likes of Fenerbache, Celtic, CSKA Moscow, RB Leipzig and Hoffeinheim in registering their interest in signing Henry Onyekuru.

Onyekuru has taken the Belgian league by storm with 10 goals to his name for newly promoted Eupen in the first stanza of the league, which has made him the beautiful bride of most European teams.

Scottish giants Celtic reportedly failed with a bid to sign him few days ago according to various reports in Belgium.

However an intermediary who sounded out Fenerbahce interest to the representative of the 19 year old forward says Liverpool have also the hunt for him.

” His agent told me about Liverpool’s interest yesterday when I tried to re- ignite Fenerbahce’s interest in his services. I don’t how long Eupen can hold on to him, he is a very good player.

” He (Onyekuru) will most likely leave Eupen before the end of this transfer window despite their hard stance. They could be forced to cash in on him”, he told Owngoalnigeria.com.

Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal that Enugu Rangers and Nigeria U-23 shot stopper Emmanuel Daniel could arrive South Africa this week to complete his transfer to Mamelodi Sundowns.

Daniel has been heavily linked with the defending champions of the CAF Champions League and the Premier South Africa League by the media in South Africa.

The Nigeria U-23 goalkepper who also doubles as the third choice goalkepper of the Nigeria senior national team is expected to have his medical this week with the club.

” Daniel will most likely travel this weekend to join Mamelodi Sundowns, talks are already at an advanced stage and barring any last minute hitch, the deal could be sealed as early as next week”, one of his representatives told Owngoalnigeria.com.

Nigeria League champions Enugu Rangers have already started planning without him for their CAF Champions League campaign with Nana Bonsu and Itodo Akor selected for their midweek tie in the Nigeria Professional Football League.

Super Eagles and Wolverhampton Wanderers shot stopper Carl Ikeme is in danger of missing out of his club FA Cup tie with Liverpool.

Ikeme was sent off in Wolves loss to Norwich City and could miss their FA Cup tie against Liverpool, if his club failed in their appeal to overturn the red card he was shown last weekend.
Already Ikeme has spoken out about the incident, where he alleged that Norwich City forward Wes Hoolahan dived in his bid to win the penalty that got him sent off.

The 29 year old is the first choice goalkepper of the Championship side, and they are hopeful of winning their appeal against his sending off which could see him play against Liverpool.

However their chances of winning the appeal is slim according to several sources as the Super Eagles number one was sent off for pushing Hoolahan after the incident which lead to the penalty.

Nigerian midfielder Rabiu Ibrahim who missed Gent’s first game of 2017 against Charleroi has revealed to Owngoalnigeria.com the reasons behind his absence.

Rabiu earned rare reviews from the coach of Gent for his performances during their winter camp in Marbella, Spain. Where he dazzled in the three friendly games they played.

Coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck went as far as saying the Nigerian will be like a new summer when the league resumes, but Rabiu wasn’t listed in the match day squad against Charleroi.

” I’m currently nursing an achilles tendon injury I suffered in training few days to our game against Charleroi, that is why I didn’t make the squad for the game”, Rabiu Ibrahim told Owngoalnigeria.com.

So far he has made only three league appearances for the team he joined in the summer from Slovakian side AS Trencin.