Five players of the senior national team of Nigeria will be completing moves away from their present club as the summer transfer window draws to an end, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Already Alex Iwobi is reported to be close to joining English Premier League side Fulham from Everton, with recent reports suggesting that he will undergo a medical in the coming hours.

It is the same for Paul Onuachu who has been frozen out at English Championship side Southampton. The relegated English Premier League side are said to have agreed a loan deal for the Nigerian to join French Ligue 1 side Metz on a deal till the end of the season.

Emmanuel Dennis is already in Italy according to several reports as he closes in on a move to Serie a side Udinese, all terms of the deal is said to have been agreed and an official announcement is rumoured to be imminent.

Kelechi Iheanacho is also another name who is said to be keen on a move away from Leicester City with his eyes on a return to the English Premier League, where Crystal Palace are pushing to hold talks over his services.

The player has already told the board he wants to go and with a year left on his deal, the club risk losing him for free, if he stays till next summer especially after his refusal to extend his deal at the club.

His international colleague Wilfred Ndidi is also in the same circumstance in terms of contract duration and although interest of a move to Nottingham Forest has died down, Fulham are said to be tracking his condition as a potential replacement for João Palhinha, who has made it clear to the club that he fancies a move to German giants Bayern Munich.

Daniel Martins

In what can be termed the biggest deal out of the city of Kaduna, a city well known for the production of exciting and talented footballers not even at that did anyone envisage that someone from the city will secure a straight move to the English Premier League.

That is the story of Benjamin Fredrick, the Nigeria U20 defender who is expected to put pen to paper on a one year loan deal to Brentford with the option of a further three years deal.

Plucked from fast rising Simoiben Football Academy in Kaduna, a pet project of the wife of Nigeria international winger Moses Simon, Mrs Ibukun Moses Simon as a way of giving back to the society that raised her husband.

Aside from the fact that she treats the academy with the love of a mother to child, the mother of two also displayed a high sense of understanding of the game whenever she interacts with the players after training or test games.

Shortly after Frederick distinguished himself at the U20 Africa Cup of Nations, offers poured in notably from Egyptian giants Al Ahly who were keen on securing the first option of signing the light skinned defender when he turns 18.

She rebuffed and instead handed him over to global football academy CAA Base, leaving his future in their hands while she continue to play an advisory role in her capacity as his legal guardian.

After the world cup, teams and agents bombarded the club with mails, calls and text messages offering mouth watery deals, enough to tempt anyone to consider them but not “Madam chairman”  ( like the players call her).

As the end of the transfer window draws near, tension begin to settle in the camp of Simoiben with coaches and other backroom staff wondering if Fredrick will move or not. Little did they know she had it all agreed for him to join Brentford.

Last week was when she broke the news of the deal to the management of the team and even when it emerged that Brentford won’t be commiting a fee for the loan, she still didn’t consider other options that would have brought instant cash to the academy rather accepted the offer, solely on the fact that it is progress for the boy that matters now.

She is expected to be busy in few weeks time with players of the academy making moves. Recently one returned from Belgium, where he tested with Gent around the same time that Solomon John joined Czech Republic top division side Jablonec.

That same week a move to Latvian side Daugavpils was sealed for Lawrence Shimave Ugen. All eyes are on the duo of Emmanuel Michael and Nicholas Jonathan, who are youth international for Nigeria at U17 and U20 levels respectively.

Michael, who is traditionally a midfielder excelled as a left back for the Nigeria U17 team in their run up to winning the WAFU B championship. He picked up three consecutive man of the match awards, scored four goals and had three assists at the tournament and was picked as the player of the tournament.

Aside the players mentioned above, other talented players from the team as many as six are also said to be courting interest from teams in Europe, meaning it will be a busy end of the year for the iron lady Ibukun Moses Simon.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

19 year old Nigerian Korede Osundina has completed a shock move to the champions of the Dutch Eredivisie Feyenoord, OwnGoalNigeria.comreports.

Korede joined the Dutch side on a free transfer from United States of America side Orange County on a free transfer and will be tied to the Dutch side till the summer of 2026.

He will however join second division side FC Dordrecht on loan this season as part of the plans of the club to integrate him into the demands of playing football in Europe.

Born to parents of Nigerian descent in the United States of America, he has already represented the country of his birth seven times at U19 level with two goals to his name.

Despite that, Korede is still eligible for Nigeria and on his profile on social media platform X formerly known as Twitter and also on Instagram, he has a Nigerian flag on it alongside that of the USA.

Daniel Martins

English Premier League side Brentford are few details away from announcing the signing of Nigeria U20 defender Benjamin Fredrick, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

The Simoiben Academy youngster who turned 18 in May was chased by teams like Real Sociedad, Bayern Munich, FC Porto and Brighton but Brentford showed more desire to lure the defender, who was a standout performer for the Nigeria U20 team in two straight tournaments.

Frederick stood out for Nigeria at the U20 Africa Cup of Nations ,playing in all six of Nigeria’s games at the tournament as the team coast to a third place finish, which sealed their spot at the U20 World Cup.

At the World Cup in Argentina, he was rested for their third group game, but returned for the round of 16 game against host nation Argentina, where he posted another stellar showing to help Nigeria breeze past the host.

A top source in the office of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) revealed that documentation is already on for his signing with further details confirming that he has already underwent a medical in England.

He will likely be unveiled later today with the president of Simoiben Football Academy of Kaduna Ibukun Moses Simon, the wife of Nigeria international Moses Simon expected to release a statement as well on his departure.

Upeh Waziri

Out of contract coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro has killed the aspiration of the duo of Austine Eguavoen and Salisu Yusuf, who have been scheming to replace him as coach of the senior national team of Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Eguavoen held the role in interim capacity as the technical director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) following the sacking of Gernot Rohr as coach of the team in December of 2021. He led the team to the Africa Cup of Nations, where they were knocked out in the round of 16 by Tunisia.

Under his guide , the team also failed to make it to the World Cup after losing to Ghana in the play off on away goals rule, he is however still holding his position and has used his relationship within the system to put himself up as an option for the job.

Yusuf who was disgraced three years ago when he was filmed collecting bribe by an undercover reporter posing as a football agent. He returned to the set up and under his leadership the Nigeria U23 team failed to qualify for the U23 Africa Cup of Nations and the CHAN team also didn’t make it.

Despite that he is said to be in the good books of the powers that be in the NFF and has been fingered as a possible option for the job but like Eguavoen, the president of the NFF Ibrahim Musa Gusau is wary of a possible public backlash in the event that any of the duo fail to deliver.

The third option was the present assistant coach of the team Finidi George, who won the Nigeria Professional Football League title with Enyimba. A highly placed board member of the NFF is said to be pushing for him to be handed the role but Gusau isn’t convinced yet especially with Enyimba’s failure in the African continent were they were knocked out of the CAF Champions League by Libyan side Al Ahly Benghazi.

For that reason the president of the NFF returned to the negotiation table with Peseiro, who we exclusively gathered has now accepted to take a pay cut to continue in his role. Reports say he will arrive Nigeria on Friday for preparation for the dead rubber AFCON qualifiers game against Sao Tome and Principe.

He will now earn around $25,000 a month, the same amount former coach of the team Gernot Rohr was getting but a huge slash on his pay of $70,000 a month deal signed by the previous board of the NFF under the guide of Amaju Pinnick.

Damian Waziri

The race for the international future of 18 year old defender Ime Okon has been won by South Africa following a first time call up to the team for their upcoming friendly games as part of their preparations for next year Africa Cup of Nations, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Coach of the team Hugo Broos named a 23 man squad for the games and Okon who plays for Premier South Africa League side SuperSport United, where he made his breakthrough this season.

Comfortable as a centre back or defensive midfielder, the 18 year old has only played four games this season, but did enough to catch the attention of the coach, who have now handed him a chance to seal a spot ahead of the start of the World Cup qualifiers in November.

Born to a Nigerian father and a South African mother, he could yet line up for the Bafana Bafana against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the 2026 world cup qualifiers with both teams in the same group.

Although even if he plays in the games , Okon who is largely seen as one of the brightest prospect in South Africa youth football can still switch to Nigeria as both games are not competitive.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Italian Serie A side Udinese are few details away from adding to the Nigerian contingent at the club, where five players from the West African country are tied to the club, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The Italian side only recently signed Maduka Okoye on a three year deal in addition to the quartet of Kingsley Ehizibue, Festy Ebosele, Isaac Success and Samuel Nwachukwu.

All bar Ehizibue were in the matchday squad last weekend in their 1-1 draw against Salernitana in the Italian Serie A and that number will swell in the coming hours per multiple reports.

Emmanuel Dennis is said to be close to sealing a move to the club from Nottingham Forest with a fee of €8m on a deal with the summer of 2027 with the option of an extra year. He has fallen out of favor at Forest just a year after moving there from Watford.

For the senior national team of Nigeria he has also not being called up since the game against Sao Tome and Principe, where he was among the scorers in a 10-0 win in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Daniel Martins

The summer transfer window will come to a close tomorrow leaving a lot of players with less time to decide their future especially those who have been told that they are surplus to requirements, OwnGoalNigeria.comreports.

Nigerian players won’t be left out of the drama as some of them are seeking moves that will get their career back on track or to a club of a higher pedigree than their present team.

One of the players who is said to be close to an exit is injury hit 27 year old Nigeria international midfielder Innocent Bonke, who is said to be on the radar of promotion chasing Ligue 2 side Guingamp.

Guingamp are 4th on the log and see the Nigerian, who isn’t a regular anymore at Ligue 1 side Lorient due to injury and fitness issues as an option that will keep their dream alive. Lorient are said to be in favor of his move on loan with the option of a permanent deal in the summer.

Bonke who has four caps for the senior national team of Nigeria played 26 games last season for Lorient and we gathered that he is also courting interest from teams in Austria and in Belgium.

Daniel Martins

With the summer transfer window set to close tomorrow, as many as six Nigerian players will be hoping for a quick completion of their move away from their present teams, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Top of the lost is Alex Iwobi who has a year to run on his deal at English Premier League side Everton and isn’t willing to sign an extension. Fellow Premier League side Fulham have made advances towards him, Iwobi is keen on the move largely because of the manager Marco Silva, the man who signed him while at the helm at Everton four years ago.

The situation of Iwobi isn’t different from the duo of Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho at English Championship side Leicester City, they both have a year to go on their respective deals at the relegated Premier League side.

Iheanacho has been linked with a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers is also on the wishlist of Nottingham Forest, he hasn’t taken up the option of an extension of his deal offered by Leicester City with his sights fixed on a return to an English Premier League side before the close of the window.

Ndidi has already informed the club that he wants to leave and for now an offer is said to be on the cards with Nottingham Forest the most advanced, despite reports of interest from Bayern Munich and Liverpool.

At Southampton, the Nigeria international duo of Paul Onuachu and Joe Aribo are both not having the best of time in the championship with Southampton following relegation last season. But while Aribo is said to be relaxed over his situation, the same can’t be said about Onuachu.

He agreed a move back to his former side Genk but the decision of Ghanaian winger Joseph Paintsil to not be involved in the swap deal with Southampton made the move to collapse. Onuachu is desperate for a solution before the window slam shut tomorrow after being frozen out at Southampton.

Emmanuel Dennis is also facing the same situation at Nottingham Forest and recent reports suggest that his hope of ending the frustration of not getting a look in will likely materialise with a move to Udinese. Other teams are also looking at his situation with the hope of getting a solution before the close of the transfer window.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Slavia Prague defender Igho Ogbu has been handed a first time call up to the senior national team of Nigeria ahead of the dead rubber AFCON qualifiers game against Sao Tome and Principe in Uyo, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Ogbu who moved to the Czech Republic side was the captain of the 2017 Nigeria U17 team that failed to make it to the Africa Cup of Nations, he was however considered for the 2019 U20 team and was a part of the team to the World Cup in Poland.

Last summer, he moved to Slavia from Norwegian side Lillestrom after spending four  years in Norway, starting off from Rosenborg where he was twice sent on loan to Levanger and Sogndal respectively , before his permanent move to Rosenborg in 2021

Last season he played in 21 games in all competitions and this season he has already played in seven of their games so far. However his call up wasn’t entirely down to his impressive form according to what we exclusively gathered.

His invitation was made a lot easier with the suspension of Kenneth Omeruo for the game and a recommendation by the deputy technical director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Paul Aigbogun also played a huge role.

Aigbogun was his coach at U20 and kept monitoring his progress before recommending him to coach of the Super Eagles Jose Peseiro, who in turn sanctioned his call up with Omeruo not available due to suspension.

Osas Mahawi