The coach of Barcelona Hansi Flick has made the signing of Nigeria international forward Ademola Lookman a priority after their failed attempt to sign Nico Williams from Atalanta, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Despite reports linking them with a move for Marcus Rashford of Manchester United, but Flick is a huge admirer of the Nigerian, and wants him to be their main target for the left sided side of the team.

Atalanta are open to the departure of the 27 year old, but will demand a fee in the region of €50m with two years left to run on his deal at the club he joined three seasons ago.

He stole the headline when he scored a hattrick in their 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the final of the UEFA Europa League two seasons ago. A feat which played a huge role in his being named the Africa Player of the Year (APOTY).

Last season he scored 15 goals and also provided five assists in 31 league games, helping them to seal a spot in the UEFA Champions League.

Italian Serie A side Napoli have reached an agreement with Galatasary for the transfer of Nigeria international forward Victor Osimhen for a fee in the region of €75m, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Both clubs have been locked in negotiations for the past two days after the Nigerian picked the team as his preferred destination ahead of Saudi Arabia side Al-Hilal. The talks went on yesterday without a resolution.

Napoli insisted on getting a bank guarantee for the payment of the transfer fee after agreeing for it to be paid in installments. The Turkish side will pay €40m in cash with the balance of €35m to be paid in installments for the next three years.

Galatasary agreed to provide Napoli with a bank guarantee letter and if it sits well with the Italian side after a review, Osimhen will be allowed to travel to Istanbul for his medical and subsequent unveiling on a permanent deal.

After a successful time on loan last season, he will be expected to help the club retain the league and cup they won last season, and also do well in Europe after the disappointment in the Europa League last season.

Daniel Martins

Freshly capped Nigeria international defender Benjamin Fredrick has completed a loan move to newly promoted Belgium side FC Dender from English Premier League side Brentford, OwnGoalNigeria.com understands.

The 20 year old will join the club on a season long loan deal with the aim of getting regular game time, which will further help his development after two seasons with the U21 of Brentford.

Last season he was voted the U21 player’s player of the year by his teammates, and made his senior international debut for Nigeria playing the entire duration of the final win over Jamaica at the Unity Cup, despite having just one training session before the game.

He was drafted in as emergency cover in the wake of player’s departure, and he didn’t disappoint with a very strong performance which left head coach Eric Chelle impressed.

The move to Belgium will see him get the much needed first team football experience in a top league, which will put him in good stead to keep his spot in the team of the senior national team of Nigeria ahead of the resumption of games in the world cup qualifiers.

Nigeria international shot stopper Adebayo Adeleye has moved to top division Greek side FC Volos on a two year deal following the expiration of his contract with Cyprus outfit Enosis Neon Paralimniou, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Adeleye signed a one year deal with the Cyprus side after joining on a free transfer from Hapoel Jerusalem of Israel, and following the expiration of the deal he decided to try out in a different country.

He made 32 appearances last season in all competitions keeping ten clean sheets. He was thrice voted as the club’s player of the month, and also won the league’s player of the month on one occasion.

Volos won the race for his signature and he will be hoping to make the best of the move to fight his way into international reckoning with Nigeria, with just one cap to his name picked up over two years ago.

Daniel Martins

The substantive captain of the senior national team of Nigeria Ahmed Musa says it will take a miracle for the team to qualify for the 2026 world cup, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria are presently 4th in their world cup qualifiers group, six points away from the group leaders South Africa, who they will be up against in September when the games in the qualifiers resumes.

However there is an opening for them to move three points closer to the lead with FIFA set to dock them three points for fielding an ineligible player in their 2-0 win over Lesotho during the last round of games.

Teboho Mokoena played over 80 minutes of the game, when he was supposed to have been suspended after picking up two yellow cards in previous games. Despite that Musa believe that it will be difficult for Nigeria to make it to the tournament.

“Only miracle would take Nigeria to the World Cup, because right now we are in a deep shits. Well we are hopeful that we will make it to the World Cup but right now honestly we are in a deep sheets only miracle would take Nigeria to the Tournament’, he said while addressing the press for the first time in his capacity as the General Manager of Nigeria Premier Football League side Kano Pillars.

Freshly capped Nigeria international defender Benjamin Fredrick is closing in on a loan move to newly promoted Belgium side FC Dender, OwnGoalNigeria.com understands.

The 20 year old will join the club on a season long loan deal from Brentford with the aim of getting regular game time, which will further help his development after two seasons with the U21 of Brentford.

Last season he was voted the U21 player’s player of the year by his teammates, and made his senior international debut for Nigeria playing the entire duration of the final win over Jamaica at the Unity Cup, despite having just one training session before the game.

He was drafted in as emergency cover in the wake of player’s departure, and he didn’t disappoint with a very strong performance which left head coach Eric Chelle impressed.

Chelle pushed for him to go on loan to a team where he will play first team football, with the aim of keeping him in the team ahead of the resumption of games in the world cup qualifiers.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

A late header from Mohammed Abdullahi ensures the Flying Eagles snatch a draw against the Black Satellites of Ghana in their first game of the WAFU-B U-20 Boy’s Cup.

President of Galatasaray Dursun Özbek has defended the decision of the club to pay the €75m release clause of Victor Osimhen as well as a huge salary to sign him permanently from Napoli.

After a highly successful time on loan last season, Osimhen is the club’s top priority in the summer transfer window after the signing of Leroy Sane on a free transfer from Bayern Munich.

Osimhen’s release clause and his reported salary (€420,000 a week) has been the hottest topic with many wondering how Galatasaray will be able to afford it, and the possible consequence which could see them land in financial difficulties.

Özbek: We didn’t make any moves that would put Galatasaray in financial difficulty

Speaking to Radyospor, Özbek said.

“Everything at Galatasaray is progressing within the bounds of possibility. We have never made, and will never make, any move that would put Galatasaray in financial difficulty. This also applies to the possible transfer of Osimhen.”

Former Turkish League star Serkan Reçber says some Nigerians and North African players are difficult to manage because they always cause problems unlike Victor Osimhen, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Speaking on the desire by Galatasary to sign the Nigerian on a permanent deal from Napoli after a successful loan spell last season, Reçber who played for Fenerbahce and Antalyaspor during his days in the Turkish League explains why Osimhen is different.

North African players and some Nigerian players are difficult to manage and have been known to cause problems,” Reçber told the YouTube channel Sports Digitale (via habersarikirmizi). But Osimhen is not like that. I used to see Osimhen at the mall, and he was always happy, even when we were eating and chatting.”

He referenced a situation that left him impressed with the Nigerian. “After the 3-3 draw at Kasımpaşa, a Kasımpaşa player asked Osimhen for an autograph and went to his dressing room, brought a pen, and signed it.

Ade Emmanuel

Nigeria international forward Victor Osimhen is facing a dilemma on his next career destination with Napoli keen on him joining Saudi Arabia side Al-Hilal as against his wish, which is to continue with Turkish side Galatasary, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Osimhen spent last season on loan to the Turkish side powering them to league and cup glory with 37 goals and six assists in 41 games across all competitions.

Galatasary are keen on having him return on a permanent deal and have already agreed personal terms with him for a record pay, which matches his wage demands but there are finding it difficult to pay the release clause contained in his contract.

The fee of €75m was agreed last summer before his loan move to Galatasary. It was previously pegged at €150m but after a failed attempt to leave the club last summer, it was reviewed down with the Nigerian signing a new deal as part of the agreement.

However the clause is only valid for teams outside Italy, and it expires later today. Upon expiration the deal of the Nigerian which has a year to run will automatically extend by another year to help Napoli maintain their strong bargaining position.

After today Napoli will be the ones to determine what will be paid as his transfer fee, unless both parties reach an agreement on a new release clause which is only possible with a new deal.

Daniel Martins