The senior international future of new Everton midfielder Tim Iroegbunam lies with the senior national team of Nigeria not with England according to a source close to the 21 year old, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Last season was meant to be his big breakthrough at Premier League level. Coming off the back of a successful loan at Championship side Queens Park Rangers, he had been tipped to play a greater role at Villa Park. That January, manager Unai Emery decided to keep Iroegbunam ahead of experienced Belgium international Leander Dendoncker and spoke of his “belief” in the youngster’s potential.

But the decisive final step never materialised, and Iroegbunam ended the campaign with just one Premier League start and nine appearances in total.

The disappointment was why he quickly made up his mind to join Everton in a deal worth £9m in transfer fee with winger Lewis Dobbin heading in the opposite direction in a separate deal meant to improve the financial standings of both sides.

Real name Timothy Emeka Iroegbunam, he is an England U21 international who qualifies for Nigeria at senior level due to this parents who are of Nigerian descent. His senior future lies more with the African side than with England according to one of his close associates.

” Tim will play for Nigeria because we had that conversation when he was QPR last season and he didn’t hide it but he can’t call himself up. If the message comes from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) I can tell you it will be a yes. For now his focus is on stamping his feet in the starting lineup of Everton after a very good pre season showing”, he said.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The recent decision of the senior Nigeria international trio of Chidozie Awaziem, Alhassan Yusuf and William Troost-Ekong to leave mainstream Europe for teams in the USA and the Gulf region hasn’t gone down well with a senior player in the Super Eagles.

Ekong who was voted the most valuable player (MVP) at the last AFCON is close to finalizing his transfer to newly promoted Saudi Arabia side Al Khalood, while the duo of Yusuf and Awaziem have both sealed moves to MLS side New England Revolution and Cincinnati FC.

All three players were part of the Super Eagles squad to the last Africa Cup of Nations where the team finished second after losing 1-2 to the host Cote d’Ivoire in the final. They were also part of the squad for the recent world cup qualifiers games against South Africa and Benin Republic respectively.

Their move away from Europe, which was financially motivated has drawn knocks with a senior player in the team saying it could have cost them their spot if former coach of the team Gernot Rohr was still the man at the helm as coach.

” Under Rohr he keeps telling us to move to teams playing in top leagues or major European tournaments because it will aid our improvement and also the team by extension. The quality of opposition you face weekly determines your growth” he said on the condition that he won’t be named to preserve relationships.

” If he was still in charge there is no way Ekong, Yusuf and Awaziem will still be in the team following their move away from Europe. I am not saying playing outside Europe is bad but with Rohr it was the first criteria for you to be in the team”, he rounded up saying.

This is not the best of times for forgotten Super Eagles winger Samuel Kalu at English Championship side Watford following his return from a loan spell in Switzerland with Laussane-Sport, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Kalu who joined the English Championship side in January 22 from defunct French Ligue 1 side Bordeaux has struggled to make an impact , after failing to help rescue them from relegation to the English Championship.

The 26 year old was sent on loan last season but didn’t quite light it up as expected with just three goals and two assists in 21 games. He returned to Watford for pre season training but hasn’t been allowed to join the group in full session.

Coach of the team Tom Cleverly doesn’t see the 17 caps Nigeria international as part of his plans, hence sent him to be training with the U21s, while the club make a decision on his future which will likely be before the end of the ongoing summer transfer window.

Already Watford have started the season on a high with a 3-2 win away at Millwall in their first league game of the season, followed with a 5-0 thrashing of MK Dons yesterday in the first round of the EFL Cup. Kalu as expected wasn’t listed for both games.

Daniel Martins

Fans of Greek champions PAOK have blamed their exit from the UEFA Champions League on the decision of the captain of the senior national team of Nigeria William Troost-Ekong to leave the team for Saudi Arabia as why they didn’t make it to the group stages of the tournament.

Ekong is putting finishing touches to a big money move to newly promoted Saudi Arabia side Al Khalood hence missed their recent qualifiers games in European elite tournament, where a 3-4 loss at home to Malmo saw them crash out of the tournament on a 5-6 aggregate score.

Ekong who scored in the first round games against Borac missed both games with his move to Saudi Arabia on the horizon. Fans of the team believed the poor timing of his decision played a huge role on their exit from the money spinning group stage of the tournament.

” We (PAOK) are not losing this with Ekong still with us”, a fan wrote on X formerly known as Twitter. His views on the importance of the 30 year old was corroborated by two others ” No way will PAOK concede like they this if Ekong was there in defence”, another fan wrote.

” Poor timing to let the AFCON MVP (Ekong) leave. Not like he has joined his new team why didn’t he play today? Apparently the club picked making money on his transfer above the team succeeding in Europe”, reads a post from a fan of the team.

The statement of former captain of the senior national team of Nigeria John Obi Mikel on players with dual nationality treating the senior national team of Nigeria as a fall back option has received backing from two current players of the team who carry dual nationality.

In an interview on his podcast Obione Mikel frowns at the practice of players who only commit to the senior national team of Nigeria when all hopes of playing for the other country they qualify for is lost. He went as far as calling out former striker Shola Amoebi as one who did such.

“Shola had the opportunity to come play for Nigeria. Nigeria were chasing him, the Nigerian FA kept asking Shola to come play for us, and he refused.

“He said, ‘No, I wanna play for England. I am waiting for England, waiting for a call-up from England.’

“Shola gave us a call when he was 29, almost 30, to come and play for us, and then he came and only played one year. That was when the Nigerian FA didn’t have an option because we were going to the World Cup, so, okay, let’s just give him the chance.

“But he waited till he was past his best… then he decided, ‘I wanna come play for Nigeria.’ Those are the things I am talking about. We are not a second option. I didn’t know what the situation was with his family back then, but just an example for me. Players shouldn’t wait, you can’t wait.

“If you make a decision when you’re 17, or 16, stick to it. Don’t give us a call when you are 30 and say, ‘Now, I wanna represent my African roots”, he ranted.

Backing Mikel’s statement, the duo of Ola Aina and Alex Iwobi said the decided very early into their international careers to play for Nigeria, and didn’t wait till all hopes of playing for England is lost.

“Nigeria isn’t a second choice, we shouldn’t be seen as second choice. Two separate nations, you have to make a decision, and I agree with him. I and Alex have beaten these allegations”, Aina said on his YouTube channel.

” Not to lie, playing for England is massive, and when I was younger, I thought about it, but as I grew older, I wanted to play for Nigeria, and people like Alex, Victor Moses, and Mikel helped my transition and made it easier for me. I didn’t get rejected by England, but I wanted to play for Nigeria. I was lucky it came about. There’s no better feeling than playing for Nigeria,” he concluded.

Iwobi backed his statement by stating that he turned his back on an invitation to play with the England U21 team and got invited to the U23 of Nigeria, he said he didn’t look back afterwards. A move which has earned him 80 caps so far for the Super Eagles.

“It’s the same for me as well. I’d gotten an invitation to the England U-21’s but I wanted to try out Nigeria, and I was invited to the U-23’s. I got to camp and I immediately felt at home, and I never looked back since then”.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

English Premier League runners up Arsenal ended their pre season games on a high with a 2-0 win over French Ligue 1 side Lyon to lift the Emirates Cup, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Goals from central defense pair of William Saliba and Gabriel Meghales ensured the Gunners get a well deserved win going into their first game of the season against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

One player who feels he probably could have made a difference if he had started for Lyon in the game in one time Super Eagles invitee Gift Orban, who played for 25 minutes following his introduction in the second half.

” If the manager had given me a spot in the starting lineup, I might have made the difference”, he said in an interview with Flashscore.

“We have a very good team and I am always ready to give my best whenever I am called upon to play.”

Orban who earned the move to the Ligue 1 giants after an extra ordinary six months spell in Belgium with Gent failed to hit the same height last season at Lyon with just three goals in 16 games.

He said: “It was my first time at the club, and it was difficult to settle in because I was playing under a new manager and in a different environment.

“Not getting many minutes on the pitch made things even more challenging, but that’s normal in football. I’ll just keep working hard.

“The French league is tough and very physical, but I have no excuses – I’m here to give my best. My relationship with my manager, Pierre Sage, is good, as there’s mutual respect between us.”

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Ahead of today’s  UEFA Super Cup clash against Real Madrid at the national stadium in Warsaw head coach of Atalanta Gian Piero Gasperini says he is confident that Nigeria international forward Ademola Lookman will once again be decisive for his team.

Real Madrid set up a clash with the winners of the Europa League after beating German side Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the final of the UEFA Champions League on the 1st of June. Atalanta were waiting for the winner of the game after beating Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final 3-0 on the 22nd of May .

Lookman who starred for Nigeria at the AFCON with three goals stole the show in the final over Atalanta with a hattrick and Gasperini is confident that he will be decisive again when they face Real Madrid later today.

He pointed out the commitment of the 26 year old who arrived early for pre season training as a sign of his readiness for the game, which could further cement his claims to be named the African Player of the year.

*Ademola Lookman? I see him very well in training, he was one of the first to return from vacation to pre-season. Not only did he score in the Europa League final, but we hope he will score tomorrow”, the coach said during yesterday’s pre match conference.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The coach of European champions Real Madrid Carlo Ancellotti has warned his players to not underestimate the strength of their opponent Atalanta in today’s UEFA Super League clash, OwnGoalNigeria.comreports.

Real Madrid set up a clash with the winners of the Europa League after beating German side Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the final of the UEFA Champions League on the 1st of June. Atalanta were waiting for the winner of the game after beating Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final 3-0 on the 22nd of May .

Both teams will clash today in Poland at the National Stadium Warsaw for the UEFA Super Cup and Ancellotti has warned his players about the threat of Nigeria international forward Ademola Lookman, who was the hero of the final win over Bayer Leverkusen with a hattrick.

Lookman who starred for Nigeria at the AFCON with three goals stole the show in the final and Ancellotti says he is the one player they can’t afford to take their eyes off during the game.

“I don’t think anyone expected Atalanta to beat Leverkusen with such comfort in the Europa League final. As I said, Atalanta have had an incredible season.

“They are a very dangerous team that play in a special and unique way. Leverkusen were not able to play as they were used to due to the enormous effort made by the Atalanta players like Lookman. We have to put him in check”, he said.

The rise of Nigeria U20 winger Emmanuel Ucheagbu at Slovakian side AS Trencin has shot him up as one of the most wanted Nigerian team in Europe in the ongoing summer transfer window, OwnGoalNigeria.comreports.

Ucheagbu who joined the Slovak side from famous Jos based Nigeria football academy Golden Boot Soccer (GBS),  well managed by popular GBS head of operations coach Bros has cemented his spot in the main team of the club in just four months after his move.

He started with the U19 of the team but it was immediately decided that he is way above that level and promotion to the first team was the best step in his development. He started turning heads right from their pre season games.

His goal in a 1-4 loss to Galatasaray topped his performance in pre season games, and proved he can do it among the big boys. It came as no surprise when the Dutch League duo of Ajax Amsterdam and SC Heerenveen came knocking for him.

We exclusively gathered that both clubs have opened a channel of communication with Trencin making it known that they will scout him extensively in view on a formal bid in the remaining days of the ongoing summer transfer window.

However they are not the only team in the hunt for the left footed winger, who is comfortable on either flanks with an unnamed team in the English Championship also tracking his progress. The same as three other teams from Belgium and one from Austria.

A member of the Nigeria U20 team to the Africa Cup of Nations, Ucheagbu played in three games after setting the camp of the team alight with goals and assists in preparation for the tournament which saw them bagged a ticket to the U20 World Cup in Argentina.

Ade Emmanuel