Manchester United played their second pre season game against Scottish side Rangers of Scotland and picked up their first win courtesy of a 2-0 win with goals from Amad Diallo and Joe Hugill.

The game was the first for club new defender Lenny Yoro and as expected he was the center of attraction for the entire duration of the game, with his performance getting the most attention after the game.

However the name that really stood out in the middle of the park for the Erik Ten Hag led side was Maxi Oyedele who supplied the assist for the second goal scorer by Hugil.

Born in Salford, Greater Manchester, England, to a Polish mother and a Nigerian father, he is a Poland youth international, having represented Poland at the under-18, under-19 and under-21 levels.

He is however still eligible for all three countries at senior level and he showed off his Nigerian roots after the game against Rangers by revealing a tattoo that carries the symbol of the senior national team of Nigeria the Super Eagles.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Brazilian giants Flamengo have concluded the permanent signing of 19 year old Nigerian winger Shola Ogundana on a three year deal after an impressive one year loan spell , OwnGoalNigeria.com understands.

Shola was loaned to the team by Remo Stars using their sister club Beyond Limit FA and he showed enough to earn himself a permanent deal at the club reported to be around $450,000 for 70 percent of his economic rights.

He is expected to be integrated into the main team after his exploits for the U20 where he had five goals and four assists in 17 games. He also impressed with other sides of his game.

A deal is expected to be made official and his subsequent promotion to the main team of the club seen by many as the most supported club in the country. Their expectation is that he will earn a move to a top club in Europa in a few years time.

Remo Stars hold 30 percent of his future sales for the period of his three year stay at the club.

Daniel Martins

The international future of newly signed Leicester City defender Caleb Okoli was once again in the news in Italy following reports that Nigeria still hold a huge interest in luring him to play for the Super Eagles.

Born in Italy to parents of Nigerian descent Okoli joined newly promoted Leicester City from Serie A side Atalanta after a productive loan spell with fellow Italian Serie A side Frosinone last season, where he played 34 games.

23 year old Okoli is now hoping to establish himself in the English top flight and possibly fight his way into senior international football setup, where he is eligible to play for either Italy or Nigeria. A decision is expected as he has crossed the age of playing youth football.

When asked about his international future last year, he said Italy where he was a junior international remains his first choice, but left the door open for a switch to Nigeria in the event that he doesn’t get a call up to the Italian side.

“I think I’m lucky to be able to play for two countries. I always talk to my parents about it,” Okoli said, per Napoli Magazine.

“For now, I’m thinking about playing and achieving the team goal, then the national team will be a consequence.

“I hope for a call from Spalletti and to play with the Italian national team, which is of the highest level in the future. if the call from Italy doesn’t arrive, I could make the decision on the Nigerian national team”.

His statement were revisited during a television program in Italy highlighting the exodus of young Italian defenders to England with the transfer of Ricardo Califiori to Arsenal few details away from completion. Another young Italian defender Destiny Udogie also moved to Tottenham Hotspur and was a huge hit last season before injury brought his season to a premature end.

For Okoli, a caller into the show said the longer he stays out of the Italian set-up the more his chances of playing for Nigeria, especially if he does well at Leicester City.

Ade Emmanuel

The favourite for the vacant managerial job of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle will make a decision on returning back to his post as the coach of Mali only after studying the offer from Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Chelle who was dismissed as the coach of Mali after the last round of games in the world cup qualifiers is wanted back with his players threatening to revolt, if he isn’t returned to the post he held for two years.

Their desire to have him back came at a time when he has moved up the ladder in the race to be the new coach of the senior national team of Nigeria, following the exit of Finidi George.

Although he is facing stiff competition from the former coach of Gambia in Tom Saintfeit, the 47 year old still has the backing of many of the power brokers in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), making him to believe that an offer is likely on its way.

It is why he has kept the Malian federation in the dark about his next move. He is also fascinated about the opportunity to manage a team as big as the Super Eagles and from all available metrics he will earn more than he was earning with Mali.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Coach of Napoli Antonio Conte has set a timeline for Victor Osimhen to leave the team after dropping him from the team that prosecuted the two friendly games they have played at their training camp, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Napoli are at their pre season camp, where they played two games but Osimhen was left out of the games against Anaune Val di Non and yesterday as well he wasn’t listed in the team that played against Mantova. Their final game at the camp.

The decision to leave Osimhen out according to Corrieredellosport is because negotiations with French Ligue 1 side PSG is said to be making good progress, with chances of the deal happening now very much a reality.

However Conte has set a deadline of ten days for the deal to be wrapped up, with the team set to step up their preparation for next season with another training camp starting from Thursday next week. He wants the future of the 25 year old to be certain within that period.

Conte has also stepped up talks with Romelu Lukaku who has been marked out as the replacement for the Nigerian. Chelsea are opened to letting the Belgian leave and are only waiting for Napoli to make it happen.

Daniel Martins

The head coach of the U23 team of Argentina Javier Mascherano has praised the Nigeria U20 team who defeated his team at the U20 World Cup, OwngoalNigeria.com reports.

Mascherano who was elevated to the U23 side watched on as the Nigerian side knocked his team who were the host out of the tournament in the round of 16 with a 2-0 win.

Heading into the Olympics in Paris, the coach said the defeat to the Ladan Bosso led side taught his team a valuable lesson on the demands of knock out games.

” Biggest lesson was by Nigeria.  We lost 0-2 in a game where the opponent understood better what to do to win. Not like we played badly but you approach games in the knock out differently. There was pressure on us to win as the host and maybe that played a role”, he said.

Meanwhile back in Nigeria Bosso has been relived off his role as the coach of the U20, following the expiration of his contract with the team and has since picked up the job of Bayelsa United.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) plan to make him the coach of the U23 team, after the failure of the team in the last two Olympic qualifiers under Imama Amapakabo and Salisu Yusuf respectively.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Spanish LaLiga side Getafe have been told that they have a jewel in their hands in the person of their summer signing Uche Chrisantus who joined the team from 3rd division side Cueta, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Chrisantus joined the team on a four year deal and has already joined up with the main team for pre season training ahead of the start of next season. The 20 year old is hoping to have a breakthrough season with the modest side.

Doubts still exist about the Nigerian making the jump to the first division and stamping his authority, but Jose Juan Romero who guided the Nigerian since his move to Spain thinks those fears are wide off the mark.

“There were clubs that asked me about him to bring him into their reserve teams. I told them: ‘Are you crazy? How is he going to go to a reserve team?'” He is totally confident that Uche is ready for the elite level.

He recalled how he first spotted the talent of the midfielder in a test game against Sevilla and immediately ensured he is made a part of the first team at Cueta.

“I put him in the starting line-up against Sevilla and it seemed like he’d been with us all his life. He competed head-to-head against a Primera team at a very high level. From that moment on, I told Edu Villegas (sports director) and Víctor that this kid was going to stay in the first team,” he said.

Romero who managed the Real Betis youth team for over ten years said he saw the likes of established Spanish internationals like Rodri and Fabian Ruiz among others, but none is at the level of Uche saying he is prime to have a big career both for his club and even senior international level for Nigeria.

“Fabián Ruiz, Junior Firpo, Loren, Paul, Aitor Ruibal, Rodri… I was fortunate to have all of them at Betis Deportivo when they were young and I love them madly, but this one, at his age, is above me. I think I’m not going to be wrong in what I say. As soon as he adapts and has better records, Getafe will do a big deal with him very soon.

” He cannot spend two years in the First Federation, he needs to take another step forward.The demands of the game and training at a higher level will make him increase his records.” It is clear that Getafe has signed a gem… and that Bordalás will have another brilliant soldier to polish: “With him you have the feeling of saying: ‘My God, we are looking at a footballing beast’. I know he will succeed. You can call me again in a couple of years… “.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The former coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro says he fixed the main issue troubling the senior national team of Nigeria before leaving his role as coach , OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Peseiro left the team in February, a few weeks after leading them to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, where they were beaten 1-2 by the host Cote d’Ivoire. It was Nigeria’s best finish at the tournament since winning it in 2013.

He was replaced by his assistant Finidi George, but he was later sacked by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) after a poor performance in the world cup qualifiers games against South Africa and Benin Republic respectively.

Nigeria forced South Africa into a 1-1 draw before suffering a 1-2 loss to Benin Republic to further drop down their group in the world cup qualifiers as they are now 5th in the 6 team group.

Reflecting about his time, the Portuguese said he met a huge problem on ground when he took over as coach of the Super Eagles, but solved it before his contract ran out at the end of the Africa Cup of Nations.

” When I took over the team, the goalkeepers was a huge issue in Nigeria. I kept the faith in the ones I met but noticed their confidence is low when they play for us. I went out and got a new one (Stanley Nwabali) and made him first choice at the AFCON. The biggest stage but I was vindicated with his performance. That solved the issue I met”, he said.

Ade Emmanuel

The head of the military junta in Mali Col Assimi Goïta has reached out to sacked coach of the team Eric Chelle to return back to his post, following reports that he is set to take over as coach of the senior national team of Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Chelle was fired as the coach of the Malian team after the last round of games in the international break, where the team were beaten by Ghana at home before drawing 1-1 against Madagascar.

His players protested against the decision and it brought about a revolt with players threatening to leave the team unless he is reinstated as coach. Their agitations has now gotten the attention of the president of the country.

Reports in Mali said a line of communication has been open with discussion centered around bringing him back to the team, and it’s led by key figures in the government as directed by the president who took over power since 2020.

A final decision now rest on the coach who is under pressure from his players to turn his back on the Super Eagles job, which he looks certain to bag with some reports even saying he could be announced as the coach in two weeks time.

If he decides to make a U-Turn and return to Mali, it will mean Belgian Tom Saintfeit having a clear run at the post with his other contender Steve McClaren not seen as a threat because of his limited knowledge of African football.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Manchester United assistant coach Steve McClaren says he is open to the idea of leaving the English Premier League giants if he is given the job of the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

McCLaren is in the running for the job of the senior national team of Nigeria but he is facing stiff competition from the duo of Tom Saintfeit and Eric Chelle with the latter seen as the front runner for the job made vacant by the exit of Finidi George.

Last week the 63 year old was grilled by the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) , and during the interaction he was asked what will be the fate of his job with Manchester United if he is given the Super Eagles job.

” Of course we asked him and he made it clear that he won’t have any problem leaving his role with Manchester United. I really think like Chris Houghton who was at Ghana for a while he wants to be head coach again and a national team is the best bet”, a member of the committee revealed.

Speaking on if the football house will be able to pay the wages of the coach, he said not for once was money an issue during their conversation as the coach isn’t motivated by it rather he wants a crack at international football as head coach.

” That wasn’t an issue and it won’t be any issue if he gets the job. He has made enough money in his life and the passion to manage at the international level is what is driving him”, he concluded.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman