Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam have entered into transfer talks with Middlesbrough over the signing of Chuba Akpom, who finished as the top scorer in the English Championship with 28 goals in 40 games, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Akpom was one of the success stories of the Championship side last season as they failed to secure promotion to the English Premier League losing out in the promotion play off, but the 28 year old did enough to catch the attention of the top teams in Europe.

Linked with newly promoted English Premier League side Sheffield Wednesday and also French Ligue 1 side Lens. Dutch media De Telegraaf is however reporting that talks have already started with Boro over his acquisition.

They said the idea is to have him provide competition to Brian Brobbey in the attack of the team. His potential signing is being pushed by the new sporting director of the club Sven Mislintat, who knew the soon to be Nigeria international from his days at Arsenal.

Mislintat believe the forward will give them options in attack, a sentiment shared by the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria who has his eyes on the forward and will likely hand him his first call up, when he is able to secure a Nigerian passport.

He already has his international switch process approved by FIFA giving him the freedom to switch from England, where was a youth international at various levels to Nigeria.

Daniel Martins

Italian Serie A champions Napoli will begin the defence of their league crown next weekend, when they take on Frosinone in their first game of the new season, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

They have been shaping up with a series of test games during the course of their pre-season training in readiness for the start of the season, they will take on Cyprus side Apollon in their final warm up game.

The games have afforded fringe players and those of the youth team a chance to impress the new manager of the team Rudi Garcia, and one of such players is left full back Nosa Edward Obarentin.

Born in Italy to parents of Nigerian descent, the 20 year old who hasn’t been capped by any of the above mentioned countries at any level has taken his chance to impress the manager, with a string of fine performances following his elevation from the B team.

He joined Napoli from the U19 of AC Milan last year, and he hasn’t looked out of place operating as a centre back of left full back raking up 33 appearances and finding the back of the net three times.

This season he is tipped with a breakthrough with the first team and he has his eyes on international football, where he is eligible for both Nigeria and Italy.

” My immediate focus is on getting the best out of senior football at club level. When I am able to establish myself then I can now dream of international football, but of course I have always wanted to play for Nigeria and I have come close to joining the youth team. We will see when that time comes”, he said via quotes made available to OGN from a source close to the player.

Daniel Martins

The future of Nigeria U20 winger Joel Ideho has been secured by Dutch side Ado Den Haag following his summer departure from English Premier League side Arsenal, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

20 year old Ideho joined Arsenal three years ago from Dutch giants Ajax but failed to break into the main team with injuries and fitness issues not helping his cause.

He was released at the end of last season making him a free agent. Dutch side Heerenveen had him on trial but decided against offering him a deal, Ado Den Haag in the second division didn’t dither before offering him a three years deal.

A member of the Nigeria U20 team, his lack of possession of a Nigerian passport denied him the chance of making the team to the U20 Africa Cup of Nations. He got one in time for the world cup but picked up an Injury that ruled him out of the tournament, where Nigeria crashed out in the quarter final losing 0-1 to South Korea.

Daniel Martins

Scottish side Rangers got their UEFA Champions League qualifiers off to a flying start with a hard fought 2-1 win over Swiss side Servette in the first leg of the game, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria international forward Cyriel Dessers, who joined the team in the summer from Italian Serie A side Cremonense scored what ended as the winner for the Scottish side, putting them in a healthy position ahead of the return leg next week.

The goal will also serve a reminder to the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro, who hasn’t included the 28 year old in his last four squads despite his only international goal coming in the mangers’s second game in charge of the team.

Speaking on the goal, he said it will give him the confidence to score more in the colours of his new team and possibly help them progress to the next round of the qualifiers.

He told RangersTV: “That moment was unbelievable. Of course, you dream of scoring at Ibrox in front of this crowd, and to feel the emotion it’s amazing and it is an amazing feeling.

“I am happy that it was an important goal that we got the win out of.

“This will keep us on our toes for next week – it will be a hard game , but I think that is good and I think we need that.

“We are still growing as a team so this will be a new step we have to make.

“In European qualifiers, you don’t get anything for free so we will have to fight for it and we know it will be a tough game, but we will be ready for it.”

Damian Waziri

The transfer of Nigeria international defender Chidozie Awaziem to French Ligue 1 side Nantes has been put on hold owing to a dispute over his wages at Portuguese side Boavista, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Boavista reportedly agreed a fee of €1.4m for his permanent transfer to Nantes but the move is now being delayed with Awaziem insisting on claiming wages he is owed by the Portuguese side.

The Nigerian who spent last season on loan to Croatian side Hajduk Split is keen on sealing a return to Nantes, where he spent the 2017/2018 season on loan during his days at FC Porto. He is their top pick as the replacement for Andrei Girotto in central defence.

Awaziem might decide to take the case to FIFA and likey get a judgement on 16th of June paving the way for him to join Nantes on an already agreed four years deal. He could yet get to leave for free if FIFA rules in his favor.

His camp are claiming that he hasn’t been paid for a period of time that is long enough for his contracted to be terminated, hence making his a free player but that argument is strongly refuted by the club.

According to L’equipe Nantes are playing the waiting game hoping for a quick resolution to the impasse to allow the 26 year old Nigeria international to join them for the Ligue 1 season.

Ade Emmanuel

English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur will step up their pursuit of a replacement for the captain of their team Harry Kane after reaching an agreement for his transfer to Bayern Munich, OwnGoalNigeria.comreports.

Reports from informed sources has it that the English side have accepted a bid of over a €100m for the 30 year old captain of the English national team. It is now up to the player to decide on making the move.

However the club are not leaving any stone unturned and they have identified players who will potentially take up his spot, if he decided to make the move. Among their targets is Nigerian striker Gift Orban.

As first reported by OGN, exploratory talks have been held with his representatives about a move to the English side,  a move centered on the future of the captain of the team who is now likely to leave.

22 year old Orban last night scored a hattrick for Gent in their 5-0 win over Polish side Pogoń Szczecin in the Europa Conference League qualifiers. His stock has dramatically risen since his move to Belgium from second division Norwegian side Stabæk in January.

He ended last season with 20 goals in 22 games, a form which has now made him the bride of most European teams making Gent to slap a €30m fee on him. French Ligue 1 side Lille, the early favourite for his signing failed with a bid of around €20m.

Spurs will have little or no problem in meeting up with his valuation, which will likely skyrocket if he continues his blistering form and as expected get to make his bow at senior international level for Nigeria.

Daniel Martins

A senior international of the senior national team of Nigeria has joined the long list of players who have moved to oil rich Saudi Arabia from European teams in the ongoing transfer window, OwnGoalNigeria.comreports.

The Saudi Arabia league has become the new heaven for footballers in this transfer window with players picking move to the Gulf nation ahead of remaining in Europe.

A huge cash injection into the league by the government of the country is largely responsible for the exodus and 16 caps Nigeria international forward Henry Onyekuru has joined the train from Turkish side Adana Demirspor.

Onyekuru touched down in Saudi Arabia today for his medicals With top division side Al-Feiha with a fee of around €5m reportedly agreed as his transfer fee. He is leaving the Turkish side just two months after his loan deal from Olympiacos for last season was made permanent.

Last season he found the back of the net eight times in 30 games in all competitions. A tally he will be keen on improving on when his move to Al-Feiha becomes official.

Daniel Martins

One of the players of the women national team of Nigeria at the Women’s World Cup, who got lot of attention not just because of her football abilities but also because of her looks was Michelle Alozie.

The Houston Dash defender played for Nigeria in all of their games at the tournament before losing out to European champions England 1-4 on penalties in the round of 16. Both teams were tied at 0-0 after extra time leading to the shoot out.

Alozie was one among the players who failed to convert her spot kick for Nigeria, blasting her effort high into the sky.  Prior to missing her kick, she got the better of the star of the English team Lauren James, which led to the Chelsea lady stamping on her and a red card.

Colorful in her different color boots, she has also proved that she has an eye for good looking men by revealing the player of the senior national team of Nigeria, who have caught her eyes.

In an Instagram live conversation tagged “The three Musketeers”. Michelle when asked about who she has a crush on picked Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi ” Just as we’ve got some tempting, beautiful, good looking ladies in the national team, we’ve got same in the Super Eagles of Nigeria. Have you got any crush among those players? She replied, ‘Alex Iwobi.”

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Fast rising Kaduna based football academy Simoiben Football Academy has announced the transfer of their graduate Solomon John to Mladá Boleslav of Czech Republic, who finished third last season in the league, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Last season, the 22 year old was on the books of second division Czech Republic side Vlasim following his free transfer from Simoiben Academy, who provided a lifeline to him by clearing him from Nigeria Professional Football League side Remo Stars.

Speaking on his move to a top division side, the president of the academy Mrs Sarah Moses Simon said their decision to clear him from Remo Stars is a move that has now paid off, she thanked her husband Moses Simon for his support in making the deal possible.

” He returned from Portugal and was at home in Kaduna for three months before playing against my husband in a practice match. Talks were held over his future and we contacted Remo Stars for an agreement leading us to part ways with some cash, it wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my husband because we are still a very young in the business”, she told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

His move is the second in 48 hours to be concluded by the academy with Lawrence Shimave Ugen also joining Latvian side FC Daugavpils.

Before the close of the transfer window, they are expected to seal more deals with Nigeria U20 defender Benjamin Fredrick top of the players expected to move to a top European side before the close of the transfer window.

Emmanuel Michael of the Nigeria U17 team and Nicholas Jonathan of the U20 are also expected to move to European teams in the next few months.

Upeh Waziri

The career of Aaron Samuel that appears to have hit the rock in the past two years has taken flight again with his move to Azerbaijan side Neftçi, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Last season tte widely travelled 29 year old played for second division Turkish side Erzurumspor FK on a free transfer after his departure from Chinese side FC Yatai after less than a year at the club.

He ended the season with four goals and two assists in 23 games and it caught the attention of the technical crew of Neftç, leading them to pay a sum of $450,000 for his transfer on a one year deal .

Represented by foremost Nigerian agent Atta Aneke, Samuel has played for over ten teams starting off from Rivers United in Nigeria and then Norway ( Valerenga, Sarpsborg) before moving to China ( GZ R&F) and then to Russia (CSKA Moscow). He left Russia for Israel ( Beitar Jerusalem) and later beat a retreat back to China, where he spent two years with SC Longfor and CC Yatai respectively before moving to Turkey last season.

At international level, he was a member of the 2012 Nigeria U20 team scoring 8 goals in four appearances. Two years later he made the step up to the senior team and scored two goals from the seven games he played.

Daniel Martins