The organisers of the Unity Cup friendly tournament in England say Victor Osimhen has to be a part of the Nigerian team for the tournament which begins at the end of the season, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Osimhen and a host of other stars of the Nigerian team are expected in the tournament, which will see them take on Ghana on the 28th of May before taking on Jamaica three days later.

Sales of tickets for the tournament which will be held at Brentford’s home ground has started in earnest, but it’s moving really slow no thanks to concerns that top stars of all teams are likely going to be unavailable.

A member of the organisers in a private conversation with a member of our editorial team said they are facing difficulties with Nigerians, who are not keen unless they are assured of the presence of top players especially the star of the team in Osimhen.

To that extent, they have tried to speak with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to rely their concerns to head coach Eric Chelle not to leave out the 26 year old, rather he should talk him into playing since the league in Turkey will end two days before the first Nigerian game.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Highly sought after Nigerian sensation Zadok Yohanna has rejected a host of teams from Europa, Scandinavian and Asia in favour of a move to Swedish side AIK Stockholm, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Zadok has been tracked by a host of clubs across Europe and Asia, but decided to pick table topping Swedish side AIK as his preferred option largely due to the fact that they suit his career development.

Blessed with a rare gift of quick feet, dribbling and pace. He was largely expected to head to a top European team in a top league, but his representatives feels Sweden is the best option to start his career.

Scouted from top Nigerian Academy Ikon Allah FA, the promising Nigerian youngster will sign his first professional contract joining the increasing number of Nigerian players plying their trade in the Swedish top flight league.

Daniel Martins

South Africa have been told that they can’t appeal the expected punishment of a three points and three goals deduction for fielding an ineligible player in a world cup qualifiers game against Lesotho which they won 2-0, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

In that game during the last round of games in the world cup qualifiers, Teboho Mokoena who has two yellow cards from previous games was supposed to be suspended but played for over 80 minutes, and it could cost his team.

FIFA in time past has slammed points and goals deduction on teams who field any ineligible player with Nigeria, one of the rivals of South Africa in the world cup qualifiers group suffering a similar fate in 2018 for fielding Shehu Abdullahi in a dead rubber game against Algeria.

A similar punishment is expected to be given to South Africa, and it will see their point tally reduced to ten and Lesotho will move to second spot on nine points. More importantly their gap over their main rivals Nigeria will be just three ahead of their meeting in South Africa.

If as expected they are hammered, they will not be able to appeal the decision by FIFA as matters of ineligibility via accumulated bookings can’t be appealed unless in a case of mistaken identity.

A decision by FIFA is expected to be made public before the next round of games in September.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Nigeria international forward Victor Osimhen has won his first piece of silverware with Galatasary with his brace powering them to a 3-0 win over Trabzonspor in the final of the Turkish Cup, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Osimhen showed good body balance to hold off his marker before doubling the lead for his side in the 46th minute. Three minutes after the hour mark he was on hand again to finish off a fine team move to kill off any chance of Trabzonspor finding their way back into the game.

The goals took his tally this season to 35 in all competitions further extending his personal best record for the season, but most importantly handed his team their first cup triumph in six years.

On a personal note he also became the first foreigner to score 35 goals in a single season for the Turkish side breaking the 24 year old record of Brazilian forward Mario Jardel who scored 34 goals.

Galatasary are also on course to win the league as they currently hold a eight points lead over second place Fenerbahce with two matches left to play.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The immediate international future of 21 year old Everton midfielder Tim Iroegbunam is firmly in favour of Nigeria at the moment despite his present status as a youth team player for England, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Iroegbunam has 13 caps for England but qualifies for the senior national team of Nigeria through his parents and in recent times that option of switching to Nigeria has appealed to the former Aston Villa man.

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle has his name down among potential targets he hopes to meet when the team play in a friendly tournament called Unity Cup in England. A meeting that we can exclusively gathered has the blessing of the player.

Chelle is eager to grow his options in midfielder owing to the fact that he plays the diamond formation, and he sees Tim as one player who can easily fit into the system and he is willing to push for him to switch to Nigeria.

We gathered he isn’t the only player that the coach plans to meet in London with as many as four others, who are also eligible to play for Nigeria also in the frame for a meeting with the coach.

The decision of Nigeria international defender Bright Osayi-Samuel to leave Turkish side Fenerbahce for English Premier League side Crystal Palace hasn’t gone down well with the coach of his team Jose Mourinho, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Osayi-Samuel will be a free player when his contract expires in the summer, and several contract proposals have been sent to him but he turned them down insisting meaning he will leave for free in the summer.

He was close to joining Fulham in the January transfer window, but the move broke down with Mourinho pulling the plug on the proposed move due to the fact that they couldn’t get a replacement and he doesn’t want to go into the rest of the season without an additional right back.

They were silently optimistic that he will have a change of the mind, but recent reports says the 27 year old has agreed a move to Crystal Palace which will be made official at the end of the season, when his contract with Fenerbahce runs out.

His decision hasn’t impressed Mourinho who feels it’s a common thing among players who were groomed in England, as they always wanted to go back home particularly if the team plays in the English Premier League.

The Nigeria international was raised in England and started his career there with stints at Blackpool and Queen Parks Rangers respectively before joining Fenerbahce in 2021.

Daniel Martins

As many as ten regular players of the senior national team of Nigeria will likely not be available for the Unity Cup in England where they will be up against Ghana and Jamaica respectively, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The friendly tournament which will take place at the home ground of English Premier League side Brentford will see Nigeria take on Ghana on the 28th of May, before another clash with Jamaica three days later.

Super Eagles will be without some of their top stars for the tournament as they will be involved in league games for their respective teams when the tournament gets underway. A situation that has made head coach Eric Chelle to consider so many new players in his squad.

We pick ten players who will be involved in league matches during the time of the tournament, and will likely not be released because the games will be crucial to their respective teams, who are either chasing a continental continent or trying to escape relegation.

Below is the list:

Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa), Maduka Okoye (Udinese, Italy),

William Ekong (Al Khalood, Saudi Arabia), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce, Turkey),

Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium), Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England, USA), Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy),

Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy), Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray, Turkey), Ademola Lookman (Atalanta, Italy).

The Nigeria U20 team booked their spot at the next FIFA U20 World Cup after a 3-1 penalty shootout win over Senegal in yesterday’s quarter final game at the ongoing U20 AFCON in Egypt.

They will take on South Africa for a spot in the final on Thursday, and we pick five players who have impressed in the four games the team has so far played in the tournament.

Goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt who has three clean sheets in four games lead the way with his calmness between the sticks and also heroics in yesterday’s shoot out where he stopped two spot kicks. To thank that he is only 15 makes one to be excited for the future.

While the central defence pair of Emmanuel Chukwu and Daniel Bameyi deserve a mention for their role in helping the team concede just in one game. Left full back Odinaka Okoro has really looked the part at the back.

He started the tournament in a not too impressive fashion but has since picked up the level , so much that he made the best XI of the first round. His close ball control and skills have made him a beauty to watch in the four games played so far.

In midfield NK Istra Israel Ayuma have been exceptional with and without the ball. He has a way of breaking up oppositions and picking passes with ease aside been very comfortable on the ball.

Then the talisman Kparobo Arierhi is one talent that has some way to go by way of polishing but looks very much one with a very bright future. Runs the channel brilliantly and also very comfortable with his back to goal. He has a goal to his name in the tournament and it doesn’t do much justice to how well he has played so far.

Newly signed Hoffenheim forward Precious Benjamin showed in 33 minutes why the German side snapped him up. He has an eye for goal and he isn’t scared of shooting. Also showed maturity with the manner which he dispatched his spot kick during the shoot out.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Nigeria and Nottingham Forest forward Taiwo Awoniyi has been taken to hospital to undergo urgent abdominal surgery after a nasty collision with the goal post in their 2-2 draw against Leicester City over the weekend.

Awoniyi collided with the goal post after a tussle with Facundo Buonanotte and underwent treatment on the pitch, completing the whole game despite showing that he is huge discomfort.

Report has it that Awoiniyi was taken to hospital on Monday evening for urgent abdominal surgery after complications were discovered by club medical staff. Further compounding the injury woes he has suffered this season.

Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis’ furious on-pitch meltdown at manager Nuno Espirito Santo at full time owing to the wrong diagnosis ” Everybody – coaching staff, players, supporters and including myself – we were frustrated around the injury of Taiwo and the medical staff’s misjudgement on Taiwo’s ability to continue the game”, part of his statement after the game reads.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Nigeria international forward Tolu Arokodare has been voted the best African player in the Belgium league after scoring 20 goals and five assists in 38 games this season for Genk, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The lanky forward who has two senior caps to his name for Nigeria became the sixth Nigerian to win the award tagged the Ebony Shoe. He beat four others in his international teammate Raphael Onyedika of Club Brugge, former Nigeria U23 striker who now plays for Canada at senior level Promise David of Union SG.

David’s teammate Noah Sadiki and Tolu’s teammate Zakaria El Ouahdi were the other two who lost the award to the 24 year old, who joined the club two seasons ago.

A proud Tolu is the sixth Nigerian winner after Daniel Amokachi, Victor Ikpeba, Godwin Okpara, Celestine Babayaro & Paul Onuachu. He is largely expected to leave the club in the January transfer window.