A mild disagreement has broken out between Super Eagles defender cum midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and the Sporting Director of Genk Dimitri de Conde’ over a potential january move to English Champions Leicester City.

Ndidi who has been linked with Watford, Newcastle United and German side Hamburg, is reportedly a subject of a bid of over £15 million from Leicester City, but the 19 year old shelved the talks, insisting he is focused on doing well for Genk and not about a move to Leicester City in January.

“Any serious offer will have to be made to my club which will duly inform me. As I speak to you now, I read the stories in the media just like any other person, but there has not been any concrete offer made to Genk. So I don’t want to worry myself thinking about something that may eventually not materialise”, Ndidi said.

However Sporting Director Conde’ said the club can’t hold on to the Super Eagles forward as he is high in demand, just like his midfield compatriot Leon Bailey.
“The chances that both Leon Bailey as Wilfred Ndidi will still play in Genk after January is getting smaller. “I must be ready with an alternative,” said technical director, Dimitri de Condé.

“The demand for Bailey and Ndidi is huge,” said sporting boss Dimitri de Condé. “Let’s go to fight to keep them here until the end of this season, but that is no easy task.

“we cannot deny the fact that the boys also feel ready to move up a step higher and it will be very difficult to keep them in Genk.

“The two lads are absolute top talents in the category of players under 20 years and an amount between 20 and 25 million is not too much for them. They’ve been excellent for us this season and If we reach an agreement with interested clubs in January then it is my job to be ready with an alternative” Conde concluded

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has slammed suspension on four referees over their poor performance after the latest round of World Cup 2018 qualifiers played a fortnight ago.

However for the prayers of fans of the Algerian national team to CAF to suspend Gambian referee Bakary Papa Gassama for allowing John Obi Mikel’s goal against them stand, despite scoring from what looked like an offside position was turned down.

Gassama wasn’t listed among the suspended officials despite an online petition by fans of the Algerian national team demanding his suspension for some few games, particulary games involving Algeria.

CAF released the list of the referees suspended for poor performance with officials from Eritrea, Kenya, Ghana and Rwanda sanctioned.

Also the games that lead to the suspension of the officials were listed as the game between South Africa and Senegal in Pretoria, and Libya against Tunisia had all three referees who officiated in the tie suspended.

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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have made contact with former USA junior international Jalil Anibaba, over a potential switch from the country of his birth and play for Nigeria at international level.

Owngoalnigeria.com gathered that a directive from coach Gernot Rohr to the Technical Committee of the NFF, instructing them to search for credible options for the right and left back role of the team forced the approach.

Rohr has used four right full back in three games as coach of the Super Eagles and the Franco-German coach is also unhappy that Elderson Echiejile still remains his only credible option at left back.

28 year old Anibaba plays for Houston Dynamo in the Major League Soccer (MLS), and represented the junior teams of America in 2007, but he is yet to play for them at full international level.

” We have identified a Nigerian right full back Jalil Anibaba, who plays in the MLS. He fits the bill of what the coach instructed us to get for him. Contacts have been established with his relatives, but serious talks will be initiated once the coach gives his go ahead”, a member of the Technical Committee told Owngoalnigeria.com.

President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick has reacted to reports about Nigeria’s plan to lure England youth international duo Tammy Abraham of Chelsea and Ovie Ejaria of Liverpool. The NFF supremo also took time out to speak on the chances of Russian born Nigerian Brian Idowu playing for the Super Eagles.

The duo of Abraham and Ejaria have represented England at youth level but Nigeria is keen on luring them to play for the senior national team, owing to their fine form for their respective sides, with Ejaria now firmly established as a first team player at Liverpool while Abraham has taken the Championship by storm where he is on loan to Bristol City from Chelsea.

” We are working on a lot of possibilities in that direction but our focus right now is to qualify for the World Cup 2018 in Russia. Tammy Abraham is not an immediate priority as we have loads of options upfront but he is one we are in contact with for the future” He said.

” Ejaria case is for the Technical Adviser Mr. Gernot Rohr to decide, If he says he wants him, then we will expedite actions regarding his switch of allegiance to the Super Eagles”.

He was however specific on Brian Idowu, who as reported by Owngoalnigeria.com has been called up to the team by Rohr, who wants competition for his full backs and view the 24 year old Amkar Perm defender as a positive addition.

” We are in touch with Brian Idowu already. His case is less complex and has the approval of the Technical Adviser.”

Former West Brom, Sunderland, Everton, Wigan Athletic and Hull City left back cum winger Kevin Kilbane has revealed why Victor Moses is thriving at Chelsea, as a wingback in coach Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 system.

Moses is one of the first name on the team sheet of the table topping team of coach Conte, playing a big role in their current run of six wins in six achieved without conceding a goal.

Kilbane who played as a left wing back during his days as a player, wrote about why the Nigerian is thriving in Chelsea’s formation under Conte in his column for the BBC.

“It helps Moses that he has got a really stable set-up behind him thanks to N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic.

“Moses knows at least one of them will drop in too, so Chelsea’s three-man defence is rarely left without cover even if he does not get back.

“So he can really bomb forward as much as he likes, especially in games like Sunday where his side were on top for long spells.

“Boro defended very deep, Chelsea saw a lot of the ball and he could push high up the pitch.

“The home side did not really deal very well with Chelsea’s shape and their full-back Fabio was being dragged inside by Pedro.

“Kante was also getting forward on the left and Gaston Ramirez did not know how to deal with him and Moses, meaning Moses got a lot of room.”

Former Arsenal captain and ex Manchester United forward Robin Van Persie has spoken out about his respect for Nigeria legend Austin Okocha.

Recognised as one of the finest dribbler during his playing days, Robin Van Persie has now joined the Okocha’s admirer’s list after meeting the former PSG fans favourite.

Van Persie posted a picture of himself and Okocha, when the former Super Eagles captain visited his former team Fenerbahce were the Dutch man currently plays.

The caption of the picture posted on the official instagram page of the left footed striking sensation reads.

” #WhatAGreatPlayer #Skills #Respect Jay Jay Okocha” with fire icons next to his captions.

Okocha, the uncle of Arsenal rising star Alex Iwobi played against the Dutchman during his time in England, where he captained Bolton Wanderers while Van Persie was at Arsenal back then.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman who advices Nigeria U-20 defender Lukman Zakari says news about his rumoured move to Gimnastic Tarragona of Spain are mere rumours lacking substance.

Mowiz who confirmed to Owngoalnigeria.com over a month ago that the 17 year old move to Sfaxien has fallen through due to insincerity on the path of the Tunisian side, categorically denied any links with Esperance or Club Africain of Tunisia as well.

” Zakari is not going to Sfaxien, that isn’t news anymore but what is news is that he is not interested in any Tunisian side as well, not even Esperance or Club Africain”, Mowiz told Owngoalnigeria.com.

” The reported interest from Gimanstic is a hoax, the joke of the century if you ask me. They are a second division team who are battling to stay in the division. They are in no way interested in Zakari, the last offer we got from Spain was from Celta Vigo.

” I will also want to clear the air about Mahmoud Ouaddeni, he is not Zakari’s agent. Ouaddeni acted as the go between for the Sfaxien deal, nothing more. So he can’t be speaking on Zakari’s behalf”.

Owngoalnigeria.com sought to know if reports about a move to Arouca of Portugal is true. Mowiz was coy on the speculation, insisting that the highly rated defender has lot of offers to consider.

” Arouca?, We wait and see. There are other interest as well, for now he could travel out soon, but we are taking our time because we have offers from all round Europe and we are studying to see which is best for him”.

19 year old Nigerian centre back Tahir Maigini put up a man of the match display for the Primavera side of Spezia, captaining them to a 1-1 draw against Hellas Verona.

The defensive midfielder turned central defender was given the highest rating among Spezia players by Primavera respected news outlet Mondoprimavera.

Tahir, who is very close to Bologna and Nigeria U-23 forward Sadiq Umar was at a point in his career at Croatian side Rijeka, but injuries limited his growth in Croatia.

He trained with Samson Siasia Olympic team and played in their qualifiers after impressing the handlers during a friendly game against Football Academy Abuja. He was however dropped from the squad for the Olympics proper.

One among the two Nigerians on parade for Spezia, his Nigerian compatriot Suleiman Abdullahi scored the only goal for Spezia. The duo are highly rated by the Serie B side and they could follow in the footsteps of Sadiq and Nura Abdullahi in moving to a big team from Spezia.

Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal that Israeli top division side Bnei Yehuda are currently running the rule on Nigeria U-20 forward Kehinde Ayinde.

Pictures of the forward with respected Israeli scout David Ouziel picked up by Owngoalnigeria.com upon his arrival in Israel, confirmed our story and it makes him the fifth player on the verge of completing a move to Israel courtesy of Ouziel.

He underwent a medical yesterday and had his first training session with Bnei Yehuda, who are under the new management of Mr Abramov. Who is looking towards revitalizing the team with talented young players.

The potential capture of Kehinde is viewed by many in Nigeria as a coup judging by the fact that he is one of the most sought after teen in Nigeria, and alongside his U-20 friend Henry Tobechukwu Ibe they could be the new starts of the Isreali league in few years time.

The highly rated forward will spend two to three weeks with the team before a decision will be made on his potential signing, although reports has it that he will most likely play on loan till the end of the season.

Kehinde was the only forward outside the all conquering Nigeria U-17 team of 2015 to break into the U-20 team that failed to qualify for next year Africa Youth Championship.

During test games for the Flying Eagles, he scored seven goals in three games and lead the attack of the team during their ill fated qualifiers alongside Victor Osimhen.

According to reports exclusively gathered from sources close to MFM FC teen forward Stephen Odey, the 18 year old will in the coming days travel to France for trials with Ligue 1 side SC Bastia.

Odey was one of the breakaway stars of the recently concluded Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season, playing a big role in the early season form of newly promoted side MFM FC.

Although they tired out towards the business end of the season and only escaped relegation on the last day of the season, Odey did enough to earn himself a reputation as a feared forward in the league which has now earned him a trial with the Ligue 1 side.

He will undergo a two week trials with the team with a view of earning a deal in the January transfer window, finally putting to an end speculations over his next destination due to reports of several interest from Europe in his services.

Few weeks ago, he reportedly agreed to join Nigeria Premier League side Kano Pillars but the deal, from what we gathered will be put on hold until the conclusion of his trials with SC Bastia.