The Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire have threatened to pull out of the planned friendly game with Nigeria, unless they get assurances from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that Nigeria will parade her top stars.

In preparations for their World Cup 2018 qualifiers against Cameroon next year, Nigeria are locked in talks with the Ivory Coast over a friendly game planned for London.

However Ivory Coast FA has made it clear to the NFF that if they can’t guarantee the availability of the top stars of the Super Eagles then the tie won’t hold as planned.

In March Nigeria are expected to be gearing up for their AFCON 2019 qualifiers, which could mean that foreign players are exempted from the friendly tie in London.

Feelers from the NFF has it that coach Gernot Rohr has been told to brief the players about the recent development, which from all indication won’t be an issue due to the respect he commands from the players.

Former Barcelona forward Pedro Rodriquez has revealed to Spanish sports news outlet Don Balon that his teammates who are still at Barcelona have asked him questions about Chelsea wing back Victor Moses.

Moses has been linked with a move to Barcelona by the Spanish media with reports claiming the Catalan have already scouted the 25 year old five times this season.

It is widely believed that a move for him isn’t far off as they continue their search for a replacement for Dani Alves who left for Juventus following the not too convincing display of Sergi Roberto.

” I have been asked by my teammates who are still at Barcelona about Moses, it’s normal because he is linked to them in the media but he is not leaving Chelsea”, Pedro allegedly told Don Balon.

” He is in the form of his life, he won’t want to let all of his hard works over the past few years go away after few months. He is here to stay”.

Super Eagles right full back Musa Muhammed played his first game in ten months for Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir in their 1-0 win away to Yeni Amasyaspor in the Turkish Cup.

However even though his team ended up winning the game, the right full back who has been warned by the coach of Nigeria to sort out his club form or forget the national team played just nine minutes.

He was introduced as a substitute for Cenk Ahmed Alkilic in the 81st minute as they grind out a 1-0 win over 10 man Yeni Amasyaspor courtesy of Sokol Cikalleshi 71st minute goal.

His last game for the high flying Turkish side who are leading the log in the league was on the 28 of January 2016, a year and a day ago when they drew 2-2 with Amed SK in same cup competition.

The former Nigeria U-17 and 20 captain is yet to make a league appearance for the team 18 months after joining the team in a high profile transfer from FC Heart FC of Abuja.

John Obi Mikel rumoured move to Manchester United is more than a hoax according to an intermediary close to the Chelsea star.

Mikel has been frozen out at Chelsea by new manager Antonio Conte in what is his eleventh season at the club, and has been told he can leave in January.

He will be out of contract in the summer, hence is free to speak to other teams in January but despite speaking with Jose Mourinho over a potential move to Manchester United, a deal is no where near to been lodged for his services.

” This stories came out because probably some people are aware that he met and had talks with Mourinho, but remember they share close ties which dates back to when they were both at Chelsea”, a close childhood friend of Mikel turned intermediary told Owngoalnigeria.com.

” We spoke yesterday and for now, he is most likely heading to China, that looks like a sure possibility than any other move even though he spoke with Mourinho over a move during their meeting”.

Following the success of Kelechi Iheanacho at Manchester City, the Etihad based outfit could yet add another Nigerian to their squad, going by reports gathered by the editorial staff of Owngoalnigeria.com.

Scouts from English Premiership giants Manchester City were in the stands when Zorya took on Stal Kamianske in a Ukraine Premier League game, with Nigerian 18 year old forward Emmanuel Dennis Bonaventure starting for Zorya.

The 18 year old is reportedly one of the players scouts of Manchester City came to watch alongside other players, as the winners of the Manchester derby step up their transfer activity in the country where one of their latest signing Oleksandr Zinchenko comes from.

Infront of the scouts of Manchester City, Bonaventure was on for 72 minute before he was substituted for Denys Bezborodko in the game that ended 2-2. A product of Football Academy Abuja, he is nicknamed Neymar due to his similar hairstyle with that of the Barcelona Brazilian super star.

So far he has made four appearances for Zorya, in what is his first full season as a professional footballer. He also has one goal to his name and one caution picked up due to excessive celebration after scoring in the league opener on his professional debut.

Contrary to claims in some quarters in the Russian media, and some media outlets in Nigeria. The top scorer in the Nigeria Professional Football League Godwin Obaje didn’t fail the two weeks trial he had with Spartak Moscow.

The 19 year old Wikki Tourist started talks on a five year deal on Tuesday and had his medical on Wednesday with the Russian side, before talks broke down due to other issues outside football.

Obaje confided in Owngoalnigeria senior editor Daniel Martins in a chat, the day talks started and the date for the medical, and even after the medical examination.

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According to outspoken former Nigeria International Emmanuel Babayaro ex Liverpool teen prospect Jordon won’t add anything significant to the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

As exclusively reported by Owngoalnigeria.com, the Bournemouth forward has had a change of heart and he is now ready to play for Nigeria after initially declining the offer to play for the team.

However Babayaro believes, Ibe isn’t needed by the Super Eagles based on the fact that there are players who are better than him in his position at the moment.

” He (Ibe) was one of the top prospect in England at a time, but he isn’t all that right now, he is not setting the world on fire at Bournemouth. He sits on the bench more often”. Babayaro told Owngoalnigeria.com.

” A team that has Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Victor Moses and Ahmed Musa in attack don’t need a player like Ibe. They are better players. Nigeria don’t need Ibe, that is my take”.

Emmanuel Babayaro has sounded a warning to Liverpool teen sensation Ovie Ejaria, admonishing the 18 year old to shun any invitation from Nigeria and take his time before committing his international future to Nigeria.

Ejaria made the bench for Liverpool in their Friday’s 2-1 win over Chelsea in the Premier League and, rumours has it that he will be called up to the Nigeria team for the World Cup qualifiers tie against Zambia in October.

The teen forward who spent time training with the Nigeria U-17 in 2013, has been advised by Babayaro to focus on his club career for now.

” He is yet to make his first team debut, I know people will say Alex Iwobi didn’t play for Arsenal before his invitation to Nigeria but this is a different case entirely” He said to Owngoalnigeria.com.

” The boy should be left alone to develop properly, Let Nigeria allow him to grow. He shouldn’t be rushed into playing for Nigeria, let him earn it. For now for the good of his career. He should stay off the Nigeria national team”.