Former English Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has explained why Nigeria international midfielder Wilfred Ndidi wasn’t sent off for delaying a quick restart in Leicester City 2-4 defeat against Arsenal on Saturday, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Ndidi who set up Leicester City’s second goal kicked the ball away after Bukayo Saka leading to a huge call by the fans of the home side for the Nigerian to be shown a second yellow card, which will see him receive his marching orders.

However unlike when Arsenal had Declan Rice sent off for allegedly delaying a quick restart and also Leandro Trossard against Manchester City, Ndidi was allowed to stay on and Gallagher says it was the right call not to send him off.

“He doesn’t delay the restart, there’s nobody there that can take a free-kick. If you really want players yellow carded for that, we’re going to have a lot of players sat in the stands”, he said while speaking on the decision taken by the referee.

Kaye Furo the son of former Nigeria international defender Furo Iyenemi has been ranked among the top prospect in Belgium after scoring his tenth goal of the season in as many games, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

It is believed that a first team debut isn’t far off for the talented forward , who is unlike his father whose major task was to stop attackers from scoring during his playing days, Kaye is tasked with putting the ball in the back of the net and he hasn’t disappointed so far.

Kaye who plays for the B team of top division side Club Brugge has scored in all but three games this season, he scored a brace in two consecutive games against Jong PSV and Lokeren-Temse respectively.

Although eligible for Nigeria at senior level through his father who played for Nigeria at the 2000 AFCON and also the Olympics in Sydney, Kaye presently represents the U18 of Belgium, where he scored a brace against Sweden in addition to his lone strike against Norway.

Brazilian side Corinthians are seeking to reach a deal with Remo Stars for the transfer of defender Victory Iboro on an initial loan deal , OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Reports from Brazil says the deal is close and it is expected to be concluded alongside the transfer of Colombian striker Neyser Villareal of Colombian side Millionaires. Both players will be with the U20s of the Brazilian side.

Although Torino are said to be interested in Iboro, Corinthians have moved ahead of them and are hoping to have him sign his deal very soon with medicals already planned. He is already in Brazil for the final details of the deal.

Iboro who can act both as a defender and right-back caught the attention of the Brazilian side during the Viareggio youth tournament while playing for Beyond Limit Football Academy (nursery team of Remo Stars). The tournament brought together the scouts of great European clubs, such as Torino, from Italy.

Born in 2005 hence can play for the U-20 category until the 2026 São Paulo Cup. Once the deal is sealed he will join the 48 signings made by Timão this season for U-20 and U-17.

A top source in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) says former Nigeria U17 striker Tolu Arokodare could be in for a first time call up to the senior national team of Nigeria, when the list of players called up for the AFCON qualifiers games against Libya is made public, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Interim coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Austine Eguavoen has received positive reviews about the lanky striker from his friends and associate in Belgium where he lived before returning to Nigeria.

Eguavoen who also doubles as the technical director of the NFF holds a Belgium passport, and has a very good knowledge about the league and Nigerian players playing there. Arokodare is top of the list heading into the October double header clash against Libya in the AFCON 2025 qualifiers.

23 year old Arokodare who was a part of the 2017 Nigeria U17 team that failed to make it to the U17 AFCON has scored six goals in nine games this season, and Eguavoen is said to be considering him as a backup option to the duo of Victor Osimhen and Victor Boniface.

Arokodare is said to be in the provisional list of players who received their invitation last week , and will know about this possible inclusion next week when the list is trimmed to 24.

Victor Osimhen is off the mark for Turkish side Galatasaray after netting a brace in their 3-3 draw against Kasimpasa in his third league game, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Osimhen joined the team on a season long loan deal from Italian side Napoli, but the deal has a beak clause that permits the Nigerian to leave in January for a certain amount of money, with Galatasaray also due to get some financial compensation if it happens.

According to Italian transfer market expert Ciro Venerato while speaking on ‘Domenica Sportiva’ on Rai 2, the journalist revealed the amount that it will take to price Osimhen permanently from Napoli, but said it isn’t valid for Italian teams.

He said Osimhen’s value in the summer will be lesser than what it will cost in January, because Galatasaray won’t be due any compensation at the end of his loan. The position of Napoli is strengthened by the fact that they have the option of extending the contract of Osimhen till 2027.

“Osimhen’s immediate future is uncertain. In January, by paying around 90 million he can already leave Turkey, thanks to the clause, but only for a non-Italian club. In June he will cost a little less because there will be no severance pay to be paid to Galatasaray. Napoli boasts a unilateral option to keep him until 2027”.

The head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Austine Eguavoen has submitted his 24 man list for the team upcoming AFCON 2025 qualifiers games against Libya in October, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria will be back in action in October with back to back games against Libya on the 11th of October and 15th respectively. Super Eagles will go into the group as leaders after picking up four points from their first two games of the season.

Eguavoen who led the team in interim capacity to a 3-0 win over Benin Republic and a 0-0 draw against Rwanda got his tenure extended to cover these games, and probably till the end of the year when the entire qualifiers will be concluded.

Ahead of these games barring any injury, we can exclusively reveal that the coach has stuck with majority of the players who prosecuted the first set of games, but handed a return to Chidera Ejuke who has been impressive for Sevilla this season, and there is also a first time call up for Getafe midfielder Uche Chrisantus.

Two players are still under huge consideration for a spot in the team, per what we exclusively gathered they are the duo Francis Uzoho and defender Kenneth Omeruo. A decision will be made on their inclusion next week.

Expected 24-man Super Eagles squad:

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali, Amas Obasogie, Maduka Okoye, Francis Uzoho*

Defenders: Bright Osayi-Samuel, Ola Aina, Bruno Onyemaechi, William Troost-Ekong, Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Olisa Ndah, *Kenneth Omeruo.

Midfielders: Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Uche Chrisantus.

Wingers: Samuel Chukwueze, Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, Chidera Ejuke

Strikers: Kelechi Iheanacho, Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, Taiwo Awoniyi.

The breakdown in talks between Bruno Labbadia and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) which led to the collapse of the deal for him to be the new coach of the senior national team of Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Labbadia was announced as the new coach of the senior national team of Nigeria by the NFF , but a disagreement over the payment of his taxes rendered the announcement null and void, leading to the appointment of Austine Eguavoen as interim coach.

According to reports in Germany, the 58 year old rejected the chance of taking up the job of an ambitious second division side , hence was left sad and disappointed over the collapse in the talks with the NFF, as he has already prepared himself for the task and was already preparing for the games handled by Eguavoen.

His assistants were also excited for over the project and have already submitted their passports and all necessary documents required to travel down to Nigeria, and subsequently secure a work permit.

Eguavoen will now continue in the role for the October AFCON 2025 Qualifiers back to back games against Libya, after leading them to a 3-0 win over Benin Republic and a 0-0 draw to away to Rwanda.

Bayer Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface says he deserves to be the next Africa Player of the year ahead of his international teammate Ademola Lookman, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Boniface had a storming debut season in Germany with Leverkusen who were only beaten in the Europa League final, ironically from a hattrick by Ademola Lookman which handed Atalanta a 3-0 win.

Lookman also had a very good tournament at the AFCON, where he scored three goals for the Super Eagles who were beaten finalist losing 1-2 to the host Cote d’Ivoire.

Injury made Boniface made the tournament, but he did end the season on a high winning the German Bundesliga and also the German Cup scoring a total of 21 goals with ten assists in 34 games.

“Probably between me and Lookman. I will go for myself as the African Footballer of the Year, I rate myself that high,” the 23 year told SportyTV.

“If it’s just what we did last season, I’ll pick myself.”

English Premier League side Nottingham Forest are working on the details of terminating the contract of Nigeria international striker Emmanuel Dennis, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Dennis is not in the plans of coach Nuno Espirito Santo leading to his exclusion from the list of registered players for the season. The idea was to ship him out on another loan deal, which will be his third since joining the club two summers ago.

However he didn’t see any of the offers that came his way as suitable enough for him, and with the transfer window no longer opened in key leagues in Europe, the club are working on letting him leave for free.

The idea will see them terminate his contract on mutual grounds freeing him up to join any club, while they also take his salary off their wage bill for the season. Already he has been banished to the youth team where he is currently keeping fit.

An agreement isn’t close but all parties are open to the termination of the deal, with Dennis keen on getting his career back on track, preferably in England where his reputation of scoring 11 goals in his debut season with Watford in the English Premier League three seasons ago is still opening doors of offers for him.