The coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro says captain of the team Ahmed Musa is still pivotal to his plans of winning the next Africa Cup of Nations, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Musa has lost his spot as a starter in the team and event at his club Sivasspor he isn’t getting regular run of games, it has led to calls for him to be dropped in favor of other players, particularly the young ones who are doing well for their teams in Europe.

Nigeria have already secured a spot in next year Africa Cup of Nations with a game to spare, and Peseiro who is still likely to lead the team to the tournament despite his contract not renewed yet says Musa has a role to play, if they are to meet up with the aim of winning the tournament.

30 year old Musa holds the record of the most capped player for the senior national team of Nigeria with 108 caps, from all indications he is likely to add to that tally judging by the statement credited to Peseiro.

” Musa has experience and he motivates the other players. They see him putting his all in training and they want to do the same or more. You need that kind of player around your team. He has a role to play if we are to win the AFCON next year”, he was quoted as saying by Record.

Ahead of their campaign in this season UEFA Champions League, Belgium champions Antwerp have been busy in the transfer window with the addition of players who can make their campaign better than last time out, Owngoalnigeria.com reports.

Four new players in right back Kobe Corbanie, goalkeeper Senne Lammens, winger Jacob Ondrejka and French-Nigerian forward George Ilenikhena have all joined the team this summer. They are still not done yet.

Smarting from their 5-4 penalty kicks Super Cup win over Mechelen after both teams stayed tied at 1-1, they have taken another major step towards beefing up their squad with the addition of Nigerian winger Childera Ejuke.

Ejuke suspended his contract with Russian side CSKA Moscow owing to the war and will now join the Belgium side on a season long loan deal. Similar to the one he had last season with Hertha Berlin who were unfortunately relegated at the end of last season.

The 25 year old who has 8 caps for Nigeria but last during the Africa Cup of Nations close to 18 months ago was injured for most part of last season but still made a total of 20 appearances for the Bundesliga side.

He will be hoping for better fortune in Belgium with Antwerp, where he will undergo a routine medical before he is officially unveiled as a player of the team.

Daniel Martins

One of the vice captains of the senior national team of Nigeria Moses Simon has arrived in England with his French Ligue 1 side for a test game against English Championship side Hull City, OwnGoalNigeria.comreports.

Nantes will be up against the Championship side as part of the test games for the team in preparation for the new season after securing their Ligue 1 status on the final day of last season.

Simon who is one of the key players of the team has a year left on his contract and has been linked with an exit, before the end of the summer transfer window after failing to reach an agreement on a new deal.

The uncertainty over his future still didn’t stop the team from including him in their pre season plans due to his importance to the team the past four seasons. He has more goal contributions than any other player at the club since he joined.

Last season, the 28 year old had five goals and five assists taking his overall goal contribution at the club to 52 ( 26 goals, 26 assists) in 146 games in all competitions. He was also pivotal in their first cup win in over two decades when they lifted the 2022 French Cup.

Ade Emmanuel

The race for the signing of former Nigeria U20 forward Jerome Adams Akor has been expanded with French Ligue 1 side Montpellier also joining in his hunt, OwnGoalNigeria.com understands.

Akor has been on fire for Norwegian side Lillestrom with 15 goals in 15 games, which makes him the highest goal scorer not just for his team but also in the league. A remarkable feat for the 2019 Nigeria U20 forward.

Montpellier are in the market for a forward and according to  Mohamed Toubache-Ter, the 23 year old fits the profile of what Michel Der Zakarian wants in his striker, especially the fact that he is available for a transfer fee of around €4m.

His agent Atta Aneke is said to be keen on the forward taking the next step in his career by leaving Norway for a more competive league  and he favours a move to the Ligue 1, but he also hasn’t ruled out other options.

Despite the preference for a move to France, Montpellier are facing stiff competition from an unnamed Ligue 1 side, who are believed to be in the driving seat for his signing. Belgium side Union Saint-Gilloise are also among his admirers following the departure of his fellow Nigerian Victor Boniface.

Daniel Martins

As the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro continues his drive to get players born abroad pledge their allegiance to the senior national team of Nigeria, he is particularly keen on getting more options in defence, OwnGoalNigeria.com understands.

Peseiro has his sights on Atalanta defender Caleb Okoli and he openly admitted last year that he will meet with the 22 year old, who is presently a junior international for the Italian team.

Still eligible for Nigeria because he hasn’t made his senior international bow for the Italian senior team, the agent of the U21 of Italy defender says the temptation of switching to Nigeria is heavy on the mind of the defender.

” When a young player is talked about by the senior national team coach of a country like Nigeria, then it’s only natural that it gets to the player in question. Yes the temptation is there but for now the idea is to continue doing what has brought him thus far”, his representative told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

Last season, Okoli made 17 league appearances for Atalanta in the Serie A and going into this season, he will be pushing to nail a permanent spot in the team. At national level his last game came for the U21 of Italy when they lost 0-1 to Norway in the UEFA U21 European Championship.

Osas Mahawi

The top striker of the Women team of Nigeria Asisat Oshoala says her father is unhappy with her decision to take off her dress, while celebrating her goal for the Super Falcons in their 3-2 win over Australia at the ongoing Women’s World Cup.

Asisat came off the bench to put Nigeria 3-1 up and in the process became the first African to score in three different Women’s World Cups, and took off her dress as she celebrates the milestone.

That decision to take off her dress didn’t particularly go down well with her father, who is a practicing Muslim and a Facebook post on a handle allegedly belonging to the Barcelona Femeni star made this known.

“My dad is definitely not happy with my choice of celebration but then again, Life is a collection of MOMENTS.” – Asisat Oshoala

She will be hoping all the dust raised by the decision goes down on time for her to focus on the team’s last game against the Republic of Ireland, where a win will secure their spot in the knock out round of the tournament.

Damian Waziri

Players of the senior national team of Nigeria have not been left out of the summer transfer window but as many as five of them, who are key members or aiming to break into the team either by reclaiming their spot or get invitations are yet to move.

Already the duo of Kenneth Omeruo and Samuel Chukwueze have secured their futures by moving to Kasimpasa and AC Milan respectively. OwnGoalNigeria.com editor in chief Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman picks five Nigerian players who could do with a move to get their career back on track.

Maduka Okoye- The move to Watford hasn’t worked out in anyway. A move away to Udinese is now hanging on the balance and talks about the option of going to Turkey has also stalled. With the first month of the window coming to an end, it’s clear to see and understand why he will be desperate for a move.

Oghenekaro Etebo – He hasn’t had the best club career the past three seasons and last season’s loan to Greek side Aris Thessaloniki ended without the club taking the option of signing him permanently. With reports that he has a year to go on his deal at Stoke City still in the wave, break free by getting a permanent move will no doubt top the lost list of the things he wants desperately.

Paul Onuachu – His case is complicated by the asking price of Southampton and what Genk, the club he left six months ago for the English side are willing to pay. That he is keen on a move is an understatement however he isn’t in the position to help things at the moment. It’s indeed a desperate situation to be in.

Wilfred Ndidi & Kelechi Iheanacho – Both players have a year to go on their current deals with relegated English Premier League side Leicester City. Sources say they both want out but inquiries by interested teams haven’t developed to the extent of a bid. For now their sight is focused on any club matching Leicester’s valuation as leaving the club is something they desperately want to happen.

Daniel Martins

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The jersey of the senior national team of Nigeria that is supposed to be unique in design and color as designed by the kit manufacturers has lost its uniqueness, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Nigeria recently launched a new jersey with a design that has a touch of Nigerian culture and style but the kit manufactured by Nike isn’t unique to the Super Eagles only. Ukrainian side FC Vorskla Poltava use the same kind of design and colour.

Yesterday, the team were in action in the Europa Conference League qualifiers where they ran out with a 2-1 win over Georgian side Dila. They were dressed in the same color and design like the senior national team of Nigeria.

FC Vorskla Poltava is a Ukrainian professional football club based in Poltava that competes in the Ukrainian Premier League, the top flight of Ukrainian football. Last season they finished 5th in the league.

It is not the first time they have wore the same jersey design and color with Nigeria as they also did the same with the old kits of the senior national team of Nigeria and other national team of the West Africa country.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Nigeria international defender Calvin Bassey is few details away from concluding a move to English Premier League side Fulham from Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam, OwnGoalnigeria.com reports.

Bassey joined the Dutch side last summer from Scottish side Rangers after excelling in their run to the Europa League final. The move however failed to work as plan with the Nigerian getting dropped from the team for most part of the season.

He was subjected to heavy criticism by the press, club legends and television pundits with most pointing out to the fee he was bought for, which was a club record for a defender at the club. Despite his bit part role he was majorly blamed for their poor season, which saw them lost the league title.

” They didn’t treat him well. He was the target even in games he didn’t play . A team that lost five regular players in one transfer window should struggle but the former players ignored that part. The coaches were put under pressure and they lost faith in him”, a source close to the 23 year old told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

” When you hear them (pundits) speak they make excuses for the likes of Jurrien Timber and co but Bassey who was still settling down was made to take the blame.  In the newspapers you see the same thing written about him like even in games he didn’t play. It got so bad that even in games where it’s a pure case of poor finishing, they will find a way to blame Bassey. It was like an all out assault.

” He was literally pushed out of the club by the Dutch press, club legends and television pundits. A decision that I am sure will hunt them because wherever he ends up, he will definitely show why he was worth that much money”, he rounded up saying.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman