Major League Soccer (MLS) side Portland Timbers have signed Nigerian defender Gbenga Arokoyo according to a statement by the club, However the transfer is subject to the issuance of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC).

Coach of the team Caleb Porter described the 23 year old as a talented young man who will add steel to the backline of the team, that presently has another Nigerian in Fanendo Adi on their books.

Gbenga is a talented young player with an athletic profile and he has a big upside for the future,” said Caleb Porter, head coach of the Timbers.

Arokoyo will occupy an international slot on the Timbers roster with the general manager who also doubles as president of the team also hailing his acquisition.

“Gbenga is a young, athletic defender who we believe will be a strong asset to our back line as he continues to develop within our club,” said Gavin Wilkinson, general manager and president of soccer for the Timber

Lazio midfielder Ogenyi Onazi is in Turkey to seal a switch to Turkish SuperLig side Trabzonspor after six years at the Rome based side.

Onazi is expected to pen a four year deal with the Turkish side after a routine medical later today, before his formal presentation to fans of the club.

23 year old Onazi, has long been linked with a summer switch away from Lazio due to limited playing time, no thanks to an injury he picked up at the World Cup in Brazil just before the start of the 2014/2015 season which cost him his spot at the team.

The Nigerian made a total of 76 league appearances for Lazio, with most of it coming in the 2013/2014 season when he made 29 appearances in the Serie A.

Known for his tackles and box to box character, the defensive midfielder has added goals to his game as he has scored a goal every season since becoming a regular at Lazio in the 2012/2013 season.

Free agent Gbenga Arokoyo is on the radar of Major League Soccer (MLS) side Portland Timbers according to reports exclusively gathered by Owngoalnigeria.com.

23 year old Arokoyo, cancelled his contract with Turkish side Gaziantepspor and has been linked with moves to another Turkish team, with some other sources claiming he could return back to Sweden where he once starred for Mjallby.

However sources close to the player, who has two caps for the senior national team of Nigeria confirmed he could be heading to the MLS , where he could possibly join Portland Timber, the team that presently has Nigerian striker Fanendo Adi on their books.

The central defender has been in Europe since 2012, raking up an impressive 83 appearances during his stints in Sweden and Turkey with Mjallby and Gaziantepspor.

The Nigerian football team will take to the pitch this week in their new Nike Football home and away kits featuring Dri-FIT technology.

The home kit is a solid green, with white ribbing around the back of the modern crewneck collar.

In keeping true to the national colours of Nigeria, the new away kit is white with a green stripe that runs the length of the sides of shirt and shorts, and a green stripe along the back of the collar.

Nike Dri-FIT Technology

Nike Dri-FIT technology draws sweat away from the body to the exterior of the shirts and shorts, where it quickly evaporates. This allows players to perform at their best by remaining cooler, drier and more comfortable.

The laser-cut ventilation holes and mesh panels in the key areas of the kit are designed to improve performance by increasing air circulation and helping regulate players’ temperatures.

The shirt is crafted using mesh fabric that makes up the full front and back panels of the shirt, increasing airflow and facilitating enhanced movement.

The jersey will be worn for the first time by a Nigerian soccer team when the Nigeria U-23 take on Japan in their first game at the Rio 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

Turkish UEFA Champions League campaigners Fenerbahce are banking on fit again forward Emmanuel Emenike to provide the goals in the return leg of their Champions League Qualifiers against Monaco.

Emenike’s brace helped the Turks beat Monaco 2-1 in the first leg played a week ago in Istanbul, but went off injured after 71 minutes which lead to doubts about his availability for the return leg which will be played tomorrow.

However, the new darling of Fenerbahce fans travelled with the squad to France, and could even start the game tomorrow as reports has it that he trained with the squad during the weekend.

Back at Fenerbahce after two loan spells last season at Al-Ain of the UAE and West Ham of England respectively, the 29 year old who at a time attempted to leave the pitch, following insults from fans of his team has re- enacted the form that made the Turkish side splash big on him in 2013.

His form has also lead to calls for the club to axe Dutch super star, Robin Van Persie who has surprisingly lost his place to the Nigerian since the start of the season.

Coach of Chelsea Antonio Conte, has according to reports adviced Nigerian forward Victor Moses to add scoring of goals to his all action style of play if he wants to fufill his potentials.

Moses back at Chelsea, after a third consecutive loan spell away from the Blues after defending the colours of West Ham last season, has so far won the heart of the new coach of Chelsea who now wants the Nigerian, to add a little extra to his game.

A Chelsea insider told Owngoalnigeria.com, that while the coach has been pleased with the performances of Victor Moses in pre season games, he wants the 25 year old to add goals to his high octane style of play.

True to the Manager’s advice, Moses has found goals hard to come by since his debut in the English Premier League with Wigan Athletics in 2009, with just 15 goals to his name from a total of 183 top flight league games in England.

The possible transfer of Nigeria Under-20s defender Samuel Opeh to Italian Serie B side Perugia, is close to completion after having his medicals with the team yesterday.

Opeh, will also join the first team in training according to reports gathered by owngoalnigeria.com after just two days of trails with the Primavera side of the Serie B team.

An unused defender throughout Nigeria’s failed attempt to be at next year Africa Youth Championship, the 18 year old who plays for fast rising Nigeria football academy, Ace Academy was also a last minute omission from the U-17 team that won the 2015 World Cup in Chile.

Strong and very good in the air, his impending transfer will increase the number of players that have left Ace Academy to pursue their career abroad, and more could join him as Team Manager Muritala Mohammed is presently in Europe meeting with some club president.

The Nigeria Minister for Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has in a way confirm reports that Chelsea star, John Obi Mikel is currently catering for the welfare of the Nigeria male football team for Rio 2016 Olympics.

Although the Nigeria Football Federation and the player have come out to deny reports about the Chelsea star funding the Nigeria Olympic team, the press release from the office of the minister, suggest otherwise.

Dalung in a press release made available to press men, criticised the Nigeria Football Federation and other officials of the Nigeria Under-23s for bringing to the public glare, the dire state of the team finances, that has stopped them from arriving Brazil, few days to their first game.

In the release, Dalung confirmed he appealed to Mikel to bail out the team due to the fact that his ministry were not carried along by the NFF prior to their departure to Atlanta for camping, ahead of the Olympics.

Asking Mikel to cater for the team, as rightly pointed out by the minister, could also involve the Chelsea star taking care of their financial needs as well.

“There is no doubt that the ministry was not considered while plans were being made for the Olympic football team. Nevertheless, we shall intervene to remedy the situation. I have appealed to the captain to assume control of the team and restore sanity” He said in the press release.

“For officials who decided to violate the code of their profession and take to media rampage to secure cheap blackmail, their conduct will definitely be measured with existing rules. We have decided to restore sanity and discipline in Team Nigeria”.

Captain of the Nigeria Under-20s Kelechi Nwakali has arrived London for a routine medical with Arsenal, before putting pen to paper on an already agreed five year deal with the Gunners.

Arsenal fend off competition from host of clubs interested in the midfielder, after his super showing for Nigeria Under-17s at the last World Youth Championship which Nigeria won and agreed a five year deal in January for the then 17 year old.

The highly rated teen who turned 18 last month will now officially sign a professional deal with the Gunners as early as tomorrow with Arsenal expected to apply for a work permit for him in the coming days.

Nwakali, according to reports gathered by Owngoalnigeria.com will spend the first few months of his stay with the youth side of Arsenal before a decision will be made on his possible elevation to the main team.

There’s also the possibility of him being loaned out by the Gunners, although it all depends on how quick he integrates into his new surrounding and status as an Arsenal player.

Nigerian forward Peter Osaze Odemwingie has turned down a pay as you earn contract offer from newly promoted English Premier League side Hull City, Owngoalnigeria.com understands.

Odemwingie had a one week trial with the team, playing in two pre season games but doubts over his fitness made the Tigers to offer him a deal based on a salary base of how often he gets to play.

Expectedly, the former West Brom, Cardiff City and Stoke City forward turned down the offer, and has left the training camp of the team since on Friday, when he turned down their contract proposal.

The 35 year old suffered a serious injury to his kneel ligament towards the end of the 2014/2015 season, which ruled him out of Stoke City’s remaining games of that season and has since not remain the same.

In his bid to work his fitness up, he spent the second half of last season on loan to Bristol City, where he scored twice from 7 games but wasn’t offered a new contract by his parent owners Stoke City, upon the expiration of his deal few months ago.

Since moving to England in 2010, he has scored a total of 55 goals during spells with West Bromwich Albion,Cardiff City,Stoke City and Bristol City.