Italian Serie A side Bologna have stepped up preparation for the start of the season as they bid to improve on their 9th place finish last season, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Among their plans for next season, they have also made decisions on the future of players on their books, particularly those who are back from loan spells away from the team for the major part of last season.

Among the players is former Nigeria U17 and U20 midfielder Kingsley Michael, who had his loan at Austrian Side SV Reid cut short for reason, which they said bothered on falling out of the plans of the coach who took over the team towards the end of last season.

He returned back to Bologna with eyes on the start of pre season to force his way into the first team plans of coach Thiago Motta, only to be informed that he isn’t part of the plans of the coach heading into next season.

The 23 year old according to reports will be allowed to leave on loan or permanently to a team of his choice with his contract at the club still on for another two years.

Michael was key to the Nigeria U17 team winning the 2015 U17 World Cup and made the step up to the U23s in 2019 playing four games at the World Cup. He made his senior international debut for Nigeria in 2021 in the 2-1 away win over Cape Verde in a 2022 World Cup qualifiers game, his only senior appearance till date.

Daniel Martins

The Nigerian contingent at Portuguese side Leixões has been increased to five with the club confirming the signing of 23 year old defender Emmanuel Iroanya, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Signed from third division Portuguese side SC Salgueiros, he was key in helping them finish as champions, a form that led to Leixões snapping him up on a two year deal per the official announcement on the website of the team.

” Signed for two seasons with Leixões.  Emmanuel is the 10th reinforcement of Leixões for the new season and he is already integrated into the working group guided by Pedro Ribeiro, the new coach of the team”, a statement on the website of the team reads.

Leixões have been the giant killers in the Portuguese League Cup this season knocking out CD Feirense and Portimonense respectively in the preliminary stage of the tournament, ahead of the start of the new season, where they will open their campaign on the 13th of Augustagainst Penafiel.

Iroanya joins the quartet of Morufdeen Moshood, Arome Emmanuel Idache, Oluwatimilehin Lawrence Adeniyi and Bright Godwin at the second division Portuguese side.

Daniel Martins

Italian Serie A champions Napoli have been rocked with the news about the injury suffered by the top striker of the team Victor Osimhen with around two weeks to the start of the new season in Italy, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Osimhen left the team’s training after complaining about pains in his knees and it was spectaculated that it wasn’t expected to be anything serious. The club reported that he need to take a rest not to aggravate the pain.

They were of the opinion that he will be back after a couple of days, but that isn’t the case anymore has he has been ruled out for a lengthy period of time with diagnosis showing that he suffered knee distortion.

Distortion of the knee joint is a considerable trauma even when the knee is primarily stable. The minimum days required to return from the injury is said to be around two weeks, but it could be around three months if he will be needing surgery.

While Napoli are now resigned to starting the season without their hitman, the senior national team of Nigeria will be anxiously waiting for updates on the time he will be away, with the World Cup qualifiers starting in November.

If he undergoes surgery, then he is likely to miss the opening game in the World Cup qualifiers.

Osas Mahawi

The future of coach of the women’s team of Nigeria Randy Waldrum is not yet certain, but a call has been made to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to not only extend his contract but draft him to the senior national team of Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Waldrum’s current deal with the NFF will run out this month and there have been no talks over an extension of his stay, despite leading the team to a round of 16 finish at the Women’s World Cup, where they were knocked out by England 4-1 on penalties.

A possible extension of his deal isn’t hinge on the result rather it’s majorly on his open criticism of the way the team was treated by the NFF in the build up to the tournament, he even accused the football house of trying to impose players on him.

Despite his pre tournament rant, the team went ahead to post impressive performance and Nigeria international midfielder John Ogu, who has 24 senior international caps for Nigeria says he should be drafted to the men’s senior national team to aid coach Jose Peseiro.

“Get this Man @CoachWaldrum to work with the Super Eagles @thenff …”, he posted on social media platform Twitter. He went further to back his point while responding to a comment on the post. “He sabi the job well .. I haven’t see Super falcons play like this in a long time . Tactically sound ..

The suggestion by the 35 year old, who now plays for second division Israeli side Kabilio Jaffa will likely be dependent on if Peseiro is handed a new deal, as he is presently out of contract but still remains the odds on favorite to keep his job.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

One transfer that will go down as the shock of the summer is the announcement by Italian side Reggiana that they have concluded a deal to sign 18 year old Nigerian midfielder Nuhu Shuaibu.

The Nigerian arrived the team in January joining the youth team and guided them to winning the Primavera 2 league. His contribution to the title win was rewarded with a spot in the first team for pre season training.

He picked up from where he left off with the youth team and after impressing in test games, the club announced that he will be part of their team on a one year deal following the completion of his registration.

Unlike last season, this season will see him play more games for the main as they push for a return to the Italian Serie A.  He is expected to provide depth in the middle of the park for the team.

Shuaibu came to Italy from Nigeria last year and joined Osimo Stazione from where he was scouted and recruited by Reggiana in January.

Daniel Martins

The debate over the future of Nigeria international Victor Osimhen at Italian Serie A side Napoli with talks over an extension yet to yield any fruit will drag on for a while, OwnGoalNigeria.com understands.

Osimhen who fired Napoli to their first league title in 33 years has two years to go on his deal at the club, a situation which has caught the attention of top teams in Europe. Notably Bayern Munich and Ligue 1 side PSG.

However, Napoli’s price tag of €200m has made it almost impossible for teams to get the Nigerian with Saudi Arabia side Al Ahli the latest team to fail with a bid for the Nigerian, but it appears a breakthrough has been found.

According to a well followed Saudi Arabia journalist on social media platform Twitter who goes with the handle @A_Abaoud, Osimhen rejected Napoli’s salary increase that takes his current earning to €6m.

As good as the offer seems, it is still no where near what he claimed Al Ahli are willing to pay the Nigerian, saying it’s in excess of €40m a season. An amount that has seen the 25 year old tell the Napoli that he wants to leave.

خاص
المهاجم النيجيري يضغط بقوة على إدارة نابولي للموافقة على عرض #الهلال ..
نابولي قدم طلب تعديل عقده الحالي مقابل 6 مليون يورو للموسم مع تمديده، وعرض الأزرق المتوقع يصل 40 مليون يورو للموسم ، وهو
ما جعل المهاجم النيجيري يطالب ناديه بقبول عرض الهلال .
ميتروفيتش خيار بديل pic.twitter.com/FDXm3Eh0A3

— عبدالرحمن أباعود (@A_Abaoud) August 4, 2023

He further went ahead to claim that he is pushing Napoli to accept the transfer fees of around €120m with Al Ahli setting a deadline for moving on from the Nigerian to another target in Fulham’s striker Aleksandra Mitrovic.

Sources close to the Serie A top scorer for last season have however refused to comment on the development, and even close associates of his representative say his situation will become clearer in the coming days.

Daniel Martins

As the start of the new Ligue 1 season in France draws near, teams have been improving on their squad for a better performance and FC Nantes are not left out.

Fresh from narrowly escaping relegation last season, the former French Cup champions have need to strengthen in several areas and defence is one of the key places where they need reinforcement.

As they struggle to tie Nigeria international forward Moses Simon to a new deal, they have now reached agreement with another Nigerian to bring the number of Nigerians at the club to two.

According to L’equipe Nantes and Boavista have found an agreement for 26 year old Nigeria international Chidozie Awaziem to join the club for a second spell but this time around on a permanent deal for a fee in the region of €4m. He will sign a four year deal.

Awaziem spent the 2017/2018 season at the club on loan from FC Porto, he left Porto permanently for Boavista two seasons ago. Last season he was on loan at Croatian side Hajduk Split.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Nigeria U20 defender Solomon Agbalaka has joined top division Russian side PFC Sochi on a season-long loan deal from Nigerian side Broad City Football Club, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The left full back who is also comfortable as a center back was signed on Thursday after impressing the technical crew of the team during a one month trial at the club.

Agbalaka represented Nigeria at the U20 Africa Cup of Nations and also the U20 World Cup playing in all of their games in both tournaments. He was twice voted man of the match during the course of both tournaments.

He was close to joining MLS side Vancouver Whitecap but the deal broke down late into talks leading him to the Russian side. His loan deal gives the club the option of making the deal permanent at the end of the season.

His immediate goal will be breaking into the first team set up and making his mark, but for now he will have game time with the youth team but train more with the main team, who finished 10th last season.

Daniel Martins

Nigeria international defender Calvin Bassey was among the goal scorers for English Premier League side Fulham in their 2-1 win over German Bundesliga side Hoffenheim, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Bassey joined the team a few weeks ago after a turbulent season in the Netherlands with Ajax, where he was subjected to heavy criticism following his move from Scottish side Rangers.

At Ajax, he was subjected to all sort of unfair criticism of his abilities forcing the coaches, who handled the team during the course of last season to drop him. It eventually led to his departure from the team.

Now at Fulham, he has already won over coach Marco Silva and he made a huge step in repaying the faith with the match winner in the 73rd minute handing his team a  2-1 win over Hoffenheim.

He celebrated the match winner with his hands across his lips more like making the shut up sign. With five minutes left to play in the game he was subbed off to a standing ovation from the home crowd in what was his first start at the club.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman