German giants Bayern Munich currently have three Nigerians on their books in Frank Egwuatu, Richard Ajayi and the well known Wisdom Mike who has already made his debut for the first team at the age of 17.

Wisdom has already made four senior appearances for the first team in the Bundesliga and one in UEFA Champions League. A reward for his performance for the U19 team.

He likely to be joined in the first team by Ajayi who made the headlines after training with his first team two days ago. His journey is way different from Wisdom who was born and raised in Germany.

Born in Nigeria, Ajayi who is predominantly a left back came to the Germany from Ukraine when the war broke out. He started from playing for non league teams before he was spotted and taking to the Bayern setup where he has cemented his spot in the U19.

Among the trio Egwuatu who is a forward appears to be the one with a very high ceiling as he has already made himself a mainstay in the U19 at the age of 16. He was also born in Nigeria.

All three are tipped to make the step up to the first team in the nearest future, however some may have to go elsewhere as it is usually the case with young players playing for the youth team of top teams.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Newly invited Super Eagles winger Yira Sor Collins has revealed his major attribute as he prepares for his senior debut at the four team invitational tournament in Turkey.

Nigeria will be up against Iran and Jordan respectively in the tournament which will run for four days. The team will later today conclude their preparation for the first game on Friday.

Belgium based Sor is among the new players called by head coach Eric Chelle for the four team tournament, and he arrive in camp with a reputation as one of the fastest wingers in Europe at the moment.

The Genk of Belgium winger has four goals and an assist in 24 matches, beyond his numbers Chelle handed him a spot largely due to his pace, intensity and ability to help the team in transition from defence to attack.

” I am a player with a lot of pace. I love the link up play so I hope I can give this to the team and together we can achieve. Just two months ago at the AFCON I was watching the team on television and I was nervous every game they played, because I was supporting the team”, he said to the official media channel of the team.

“Two , three months later I got called up to be a part of this squad. It was really a shock for me to be very honest but thank God for everything. To represent Nigeria with over 200 million people is something I always see as a honour and you know it’s a privilege and I don’t take it for granted. I have to push to the maximum”, he stated.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Brentford defender Michael Kayode has been told that he should be playing senior international football with Nigeria and not with the U21 of Italy, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Kayode who was born to Nigerian parents in Italy was snubbed by head coach Gennaro Gattuso for the upcoming world cup playoff against Northern Ireland, despite his fine form for English Premier League side Brentford.

He was handed a late call up to the U21 by head coach Silvio Baldini who initially omitted him for reasons not made public. A sign of how isn’t rated by the football authorities in Italy, which is his first choice for international football ahead of Nigeria.

” He (Kayode) is wasting his time with the U21 of Italy. A player who should be playing senior football for Nigeria is gearing up to play against semi professionals in U21 games against North Macedonia and later Sweden”, Italy based Nigerian journalist Damian Waziri said.

” A proven English Premier League player at least he has been there for two seasons doing well at Brentford should be in the Italian team, that has failed to qualify for two straight editions of the world cup. That he isn’t there should tell him something”, he concluded.

Relatively unknown Nigerian midfielder Anthony Dennis of Turkish side Göztepe is the subject of a bid from Spanish LaLiga side Villareal, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Dennis who made the preliminary list of the senior national team of Nigeria for the Africa Cup of Nations, but didn’t make the final 28 man list for the tournament has been turning heads since moving to Turkey in January 2023.

Villarreal see the 21 year old who is valued at €10m as an ideal signing to boost their midfield next season, with doubts lingering over the future of Thomas Party who hasn’t hit the heights expected of him when he joined in the summer on a free transfer from Arsenal.

The Spanish side are however not the only team to have noticed the Nigerian with Turkish side Besiktas also in the running as well as Mainz 05 of Germany.

On a contract till 2027 at Göztepe, the midfielder is said to prefer a move to the LaLiga ahead of others , as it will make it possible for him to achieve his goal of playing for the senior national team of Nigeria.

This season he has played in 24 games with three goals to his name from his position as a deep lying midfielder. He was rumoured to be on his way to Germany in the January transfer window but Göztepe hanged on to him with the hope that they will make more money from his transfer in the summer.

The senior national team of Nigeria yesterday had their first training session ahead of their opening game at the four team invitational tournament against Iran tomorrow, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

In the absence of the injured Calvin Bassey, 21 players took part in the session which was supervised by head coach Eric Chelle and his assistants. It lasted for almost two hours although most of it were light drills.

Attention was more on the three newly invited players in Philip Otele of Hamburg, Yira Sor of Belgium side Genk and Scotland based Emmanuel Fernandez of Rangers.

All three acquitted themselves nicely and blended with the rest of the team for the duration of the session, which also had the goalkeepers getting drilled by their training at one end of the pitch.

The trio of Francis Uzoho, Maduka Okoye and Adebayo Adeleye all took part with Uzoho who is expected to start showing very good reflexes and ball distribution.

Later today they will have their final training session, where an idea on how the team will line up for tomorrow’s game will be known.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Trabzonspor defender Chibuike Nwaiwu is the top option to replace injured Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey in the team for the upcoming friendly tournament in Turkey, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Bassey was ruled out of the tournament with a back injury earlier today leaving the team with just three centre backs heading into games against Iran and Jordan respectively.

Igho Ogbu who was a part of the team to the last AFCON is available to pair Bassey’s regular partner Semi Ajayi, leaving newly invited Emmanuel Fernandez as the only option on the bench.

Head coach Eric Chelle is yet to make a decision, but team sources say in the event that he decides to pick a replacement to provide more cover at centre back, then the former Enyimba defender will be his top pick.

Since moving to Trabzonspor in the January transfer window he has cemented his spot in the heart of the defence for his new side, and with the fact that the tournament will be in Turkey he is top of the list of possible replacement.

Fulham defender Calvin Bassey won’t be a part of the Super Eagles squad for the upcoming four team invitational tournament in Turkey, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria will be up against Iran and Jordan respectively in the tournament which will run for four days. The team is already in Turkey preparing for their first game on Friday.

They will have to do without one of their leaders in defence in Bassey, who won’t be available for both games due to a back injury. It leaves the team with just one senior centre back in Semi Ajayi, although Igho Ogbu who was a part of the team that finished third at the AFCON in January is available.

The absence of Bassey opens the door for newly invited defender Emmanuel Fernandez of Scottish side Rangers to be handed his debut.

Meanwhile captain of the team Wilfred Ndidi is now in the camp of the team, bringing the number in camp to full capacity.

Full list of 22 players in Camp:

1. Fisayo Bashiru

2. Iwobi Alex

3. Emmanuel Oluwasegun

4. ⁠Yira Sor

5. ⁠Onuachu Paul

6. ⁠Philip Otele

7. ⁠Semi Ajayi

8. ⁠Moses Simon

9. ⁠Uzoho Francis

10. ⁠Bruno Onyemaechi

11. ⁠Bright Osayi

12. ⁠Frank Onyeka

13. ⁠Adebayo Adeleye

14. ⁠Ademola Lookman

15. ⁠Akor Adams

16. ⁠Chidera Ejuke

17. ⁠Raphael Onyedika

18. ⁠Igoh Ogbu

19. ⁠Maduka Okoye

20. ⁠Samuel Chukwueze

21. ⁠Zaidu Sanusi

22. Wilfred Ndidi

Returning Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye had explained the reason behind his decision to shun a call up to the senior national team of Nigeria for the AFCON, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Okoye declined an invitation to be a part of the team for the tournament, where Nigeria finished third but he is back in the team for the upcoming friendly tournament in Turkey.

Super Eagles will be up against Iran on Friday before taking on Jordan in their final game of the tournament on Tuesday. Head coach Eric Chelle is expected to play Okoye in at least one of the games.

Explaining his absence in an interview with German media outlet Kicker, the Udinese goalkeeper explained that it was important for him to play especially after missing two months with Udinese due to a ban that was betting related.

In his words he told Chelle that since he was not Nigeria’s first choice, it will be good for him to stay back at Udinese and build his fitness, sharpness and also pay the club back for the support during his travails.

Speaking further he lamented the fact that the tournament is in the middle of the season, saying a big tournament like the AFCON should be in the summer.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The first time call up to the senior national team of Nigeria handed to Emmanuel Fernandez of Scottish side Rangers has drawn a reaction from his teammate, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria will take part in a four team tournament in Turkey, Involving Iran, Jordan and Costa Rica. It was originally billed to take place in Jordan but was moved due to the escalation of violence in the Middle East.

Fernandez was among the new players handed a first time call up to the team, largely due to his impressive form for Rangers following his move from Peterborough United, where he spent the final six months of his stay there on loan to Barnet.

He is expected to play some part in Friday’s game against Iran or in their final game of the tournament against Jordan on Tuesday.

Reacting to his call up to the national team. His teammate Tochukwu Chukwuani who is also of Nigerian descent commented ” Na so” to his caption where he said ” See you after the break”, with an Eagle attached to his caption.

Chukwuani joined the Scottish side in the January transfer window from Austrian side Sturm Graz and has so far played in eight games, where he has a goal in the league.

At international level he is still eligible for Nigeria despite playing for Denmark from U16-U21 level.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman