Nigeria U20 winger Suleiman Sani has been given the medical all clear to make his debut for German Bundesliga side RB Leipzig in their final game of the season, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Sani picked up a knock in his first week of training with the German side following his record sale January transfer from Slovakian side AS Trenčín.

The knocked delayed his debut for the team, where he is viewed as the obvious replacement for sought after winger Yan Diomande who is expected to leave the club in the summer transfer window.

However after returning from Austria, where he underwent a special physical session to improve his body strength and balance, he is now back in training with the hope of making his debut next weekend.

RB Leipzig are already sure of finishing third and also a spot in the UEFA Champions League, and will use the game against Freiburg to likely hand him his debut, bearing in mind that it’s a dead rubber game.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Brentford defender Michael Kayode will meet with the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle despite a late rally from Italy, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Kayode is a member of the U21 of Italy, but he is still eligible for the senior national team of Nigeria through his parents who are immigrants from the West Africa country.

Former coach of the Italian team Gennaro Gattuso didn’t see the 21 year old as an option despite his ranking as one of the best right back in England. During the last international break he was a late addition to the U21 team.

Now with Gattuso no longer at the helm, it is believed that it will be a fresh start and interim coach Silvio Baldini knows him well from the U21. However there is a twist from what we gathered.

As at the time of this report, Baldini hasn’t made any contact with Kayode paving the way for a meeting with coach of the Nigerian team Eric Chelle in London, when Nigeria arrive for the Unity Cup.

The meeting was in doubts a few weeks ago, but Kayode’s representative have confirmed that they are going ahead with it, in their bid to bring a quick resolution to his international career.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle has submitted the list of players that will represent Nigeria at the upcoming Unity Cup friendly tournament in London, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Nigeria will be defending the tournament they won last year with their semi final clash against Zimbabwe, where the winner will face either India or Jamaica who will lock horns in the tournament’s other game.

Chelle already said he will use the tournament to blood in new players from lowly rated but competitive league in Europe, the Nigeria Premier Football League and also give game time to fringe players.

We can exclusively reveal that Millwall winger Femi Azeez who was voted in the Championship team of the season is among the new players, and contrary to claims made by Zadok Yohanna of Swedish side AIK he is in the team for the tournament.

There is also a first time invitation for Plymouth Argyle striker Owen Oseni. A shock inclusion which sources close to the coach initially denied but later made a u-turn on his inclusion.

The 22 year old ended the season with ten goals in 33 games in all competitions, but per what we gathered he was included in the team due to his physical attributes, which also includes his ability to use his pace and also press high up the pitch.

” He (Owner) fits the profile of how Chelle want his attackers to be. However I understand that a player from the third division is a no no for any senior national team, but Chelle has seen enough to make the call. Now it’s up to the player to make it count”, a source close to the coach revealed.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Rivers United coach Finidi George had one of the shortest spell of any permanent manager in the history of the Nigeria national team after he was relieved of his appointment after just a month, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

His short reign came to an end after a 1-2 defeat by Benin Republic coming after a 1-1 draw against South Africa in the world cup qualifiers in Uyo. He was subsequently relieved of his role.

Prior to his appointment as the permanent coach of the team , he was initially placed as interim head and played two friendly games against Ghana and Mali respectively.

Looking back at his short reign after replacing Jose Peseiro after the AFCON, where he was one of the assistants of the Portuguese, a senior player in the team said he was unlucky.

” I really think Finidi was unlucky. The system he wants us to play is the same with that of Eric Chelle. However with Chelle we started off with a win and a draw unlike Finidi who started off with a draw and a defeat”, he said.

” I also think Finidi George was too much in a hurry to change things and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) backed Victor Osimhen over him when he was the one at the receiving end. They never truly rated him, so they ignored all the mitigating factors and sanction his exit”.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Nigeria international forward Tolu Arokodare has been joined in the first team of relegated English Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers by another Nigerian, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Wolves have been confirmed relegated to the English Championship, and many expect them to begin a rebuild of their team with eyes on instant promotion back to the English Premier League.

Arokodare isn’t certain to be a part of that quest, but one other Nigerian in Saheed Olagunju has been tipped for a permanent first team spot next season in the Championship.

Already he has had a taste of first team action by making the bench in the English Premier League, however it’s for the U18 that he has really shown his worth since joining from Chelsea.

This season he has made 34 appearances in all competitions, and now looks ready for promotion to the first team just in time, before the start of pre season training.

Head of international youth recruitment, Harry Hooman described the 17 year old in glowing terms after his move from Chelsea in August 2024. “Saheed’s someone we’ve admired from afar and for a long time while he’s been at Chelsea. If ever there was an opportunity to do something then we were going to look to move and that opportunity came available, so we moved quickly and we’re excited to get him in the building.

“He’s a very tall and athletic left-sided defender, but he’s also comfortable with the ball. Defensively, he likes to be on the front foot and playing high up the pitch – he’s comfortable defending on that high line and has that athleticism to defend the space in behind. He’s still very much growing into his frame and developing physically, which is exciting because he’s nowhere near finished in terms of what he could become. There’s lots of potential there and a high ceiling in terms of his long-term potential.

“We were really impressed with his attitude and intelligence, and it seems like he’s come from a really good family with good people around him. This will hopefully help him settle in and then kick on over the next couple of years.”

Victor Ozhianvuna is not one name that many Nigerians have heard before in connection with playing for the senior national team of Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

However he is a household name in the Republic of Ireland where he became a star at the age of 17 turning out for top division league leaders Shamrock Rovers.

His rise caught the attention of Arsenal who wasted no time in reaching an agreement for his signing. He will officially join them when he turns 18 by January next year.

He was tipped for a first time call up to the senior national team of Ireland for their training camp in the Spanish city of Murcia, but he was surprisingly left out.

” He ( Victor) has a relative who work with a top official of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). So we are aware of him but it’s to early to make a call on his future”, a source at the NFF who alerted our correspondent on the 17 year old revealed.

” When he joins Arsenal next year, then we can now begin to speak about his international future. I can tell you he is likely going to be looked into for the U20s or U23 by the coaches. He is truly an option”, he stated.

Ade Emmanuel

The race for the remaining promotion slot to the English Premier League will begin tonight with the first leg of the first semi final game between Hull City and Millwall, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The winner of the game after both legs will face the winner of the other semi final between Middlesbrough and Southampton in the final at Wembley for a spot in the English Premier League.

Nigeria international defender Semi Ajayi who has already had stints in the English Premier League with West Brom will anchor the defence of Hull City, while newly invited winger Femi Azeez will be hoping he continue his fine form for Millwall.

Ajayi isn’t the only Nigerian at Hull City with winger David Akintola and centre back Akin Famewo also a part of the team, but he is the only one who is an established senior international player for Nigeria.

Azeez who was voted in the Championship team of the season will be a part of the Nigerian team for the upcoming Unity Cup friendly tournament in London, after agreeing to represent Nigeria.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The agent of former Denmark U21 midfielder Tochukwu Chukwuani says there is no truth in reports that his client has agreed to switch his international future to Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

A teammate to Emmanuel Fernandez at Scottish side Rangers, it was reported that the 23 year old is open to the idea of emulating his teammate by switching to Nigeria from Denmark.

Born in Denmark to parents of Nigerian descent, he is eligible to play for Nigeria as he has no senior competitive cap for Denmark. However that idea isn’t on the table for now according to his representative.

” It’s all media talks. No one has contacted him ( Tochi) and he also didn’t contact anyone but it’s understandable why the talks exist because he is doing well at a top club. When anything changes I will let you know”, he replied to our email.

He joined Rangers in January from Austrian side Sturm Graz and has been ever present with 18 appearances and 3 goals from his defensive midfield role.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle says a lot of players with dual nationality want to play for the Nigerian team, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Since taking over as coach of the Nigerian team , the Malian who led the team to a third place finish at the AFCON in January has been active in recruiting players born abroad that can improve his team.

The coach in an interview with our correspondent said more players have contacted his scouts and some reached out to him directly with the intention of playing for the Nigerian team.

” There are some players who have reached out to my scouts. Some got across to me and my message is the same. Which is you have to show us what you can do differently from the ones we have now and what improvement you will bring”, the coach said.

” In my team we have some of the best players in Africa, but we can still make room for more in certain areas and also provide competition. The best players only deserve to play for Nigeria”, he concluded.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The agent of Nigeria international midfielder Ebenezer Akinsamiro says his client has multiple offers in the wake of reports claiming that a permanent deal has been agreed for him to stay on a permanent deal with relegated Italian Serie A side Pisa, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Akinsamiro joined newly promoted Pisa at the start of the season, and made an instant impact and caught the attention of the Nigeria national team selectors who rewarded him with a spot in the team for the AFCON.

However since returning from the tournament, where he didn’t get to play he has been in and out of the team, who were eventually relegated from the Serie A two weeks ago.

Reports say Inter Milan who sent him on loan to Pisa have reached an agreement for his permanent signing for a fee in the region of €7m, but with a buy back clause of €8m.

His agent Crescenzo Cecere however pour cold water on the report in an interview ” “He’s made a great step forward with Pisa. The club’s season was disappointing, but from a personal standpoint, the boy can be satisfied. There are many teams interested, and we’ll evaluate him in due course. There’s no shortage of requests”, he told FCInter1908.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman