As the courting of players of the Nigerian U17 team by scouts, agents and clubs grows higher, one player who appears to be touch not for now is team’s forward Charles Agada, OGN can exclusively reveal.

Agada had his first start of the ongoing Africa U17 Cup of Nations tournament in the 3-2 win over South Africa which sealed their spot in the quarter final. He contributed a goal and an assist by first drawing Nigeria level to 1-1 and the assist for what ended as the winner.

The wing forward who was also a part of the WAFU tournament, where the team emerged as champions has already picked a representative, who in turn has started the process of taking his career to a professional level.

We can exclusively reveal that Agada has already have a taste of his likely new destination when he turns 18 and it’s Spanish second division side Granada. He trained with the youth team before rejoining his teammates in camp ahead of the AFCON.

Granada are presently pushing to gain promotion back to the Spanish top division as they are third on the log but just one point behind leaders Las Palmas and second placed Eibar. Agada will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of other Nigerian players who have represented the team in the past.

The trio of Odion Ighalo, Isaac Success and Uche Agbo all played for the Spanish team while they were in the Spanish top division. Agada if all goes according to plan will be the 4th player.

Mohammed Mowiz

With the summer transfer window around the corner several Nigerian players are already drawing up plans for their next career destination, OGN reports.

This is so particularly for players who are heading into the final year of their deal at their respective teams and have made up their mind to try something else either in a different country or league.

It is the case with Alex Iwobi at Everton with a year left on his deal and his unwillingness to negotiate an extension. Sources say he is already looking at other options ahead of the summer transfer window.

Iwobi is keen on playing for a team in the UEFA Champions League and talks with Everton is already planned to take place at the end of the season, hopefully the team would have survived relegation by that time.

He is expected to either move abroad where a Ligue 1 team is pushing to have him in their team for next season. However they are now facing competition from Newcastle United, who have already sounded out his representatives.

Daniel Martins

In a bid to beat all other parties interested in signing Union Saint-Gilloise Nigerian forward Victor Boniface in the summer, German Bundesliga size RB Leipzig have started making moves to lure him, OGN reports.

Rated in the €30m bracket, the 22 old has made himself the bride of teams in Europe with a record of 21 goals in 51 games in all competitions. It includes six in ten games in the Europa League.

Boniface is on the radar of a lot of teams in Europe particularly in Italy, where the trio of Lazio, AC Milan and Napoli have all sounded his representatives about his availability in the summer.

RB Leipzig who are well known for their proper scouting and talent identification have stolen a march on their rivals for his signature with the Sporting Director of the team making checks on him during the course of their Europa League tie against Bayern Leverkusen.

Rouven Schroder watched the game according to German publication Bild as the Nigerian is high up in their list of potential targets when the summer transfer window opens. Their priority is on strengthening their attack.

Talks haven’t been held between the clubs yet but his representatives are well aware of the interest from the Gernan side but are not keen on commiting to any party until the season in Belgium is over.

Daniel Martins

As Nigeria get set to round up their campaign in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, the one area that has given the coaches a lot to ponder about is the goalkepping department with first choice goalkeeper Francis Uzoho suspended.

Nigeria will take on Sierra Leone away in Freetown before engaging Sao Tome and Principe in Abuja. They need just three points from both games to seal a spot at next year Africa Cup of Nations.

In the build up to the game, head coach of the team Jose Peseiro is facing a crisis in goal with Uzoho’s suspension coming at a time when former first choice Maduka Okoye is not having the best of times, owing to a lack of playing time at English Championship side Watford. He is currently recovering from injury after surgery on his shoulder.

It means the duo of Victor Sochima and Chijioke Anigboso who were named as back up to Uzoho for the back to back games against Guinea Bissau are the options left for the manager. However Adebayo Adeleye’s form in Israel for Hapoel Jerusalem has got people wondering why he is not in the picture for his first competitive cap for Nigeria.

His fine form has already earned him a fresh three years deal at the club but back home, he isn’t seen as one who can effectively solve the crisis the team is having in goal and a member of the technical crew explained the reason behind it.

” He is a very good goalkeeper when it comes to reflexes but his handling is suspect and he flaps at crosses. His height isn’t that much a problem but the coaches are concerned about his handling and ability to judge and claim crosses. It was highlighted during the friendly game against the B team of Algeria. He is still in the picture though”, he told OGN on the condition of anonymity.

The impressive run of Nigerian forward Gift Orban hasn’t gone unnoticed by top clubs around Europe as they step up their plans for the summer transfer window, OGN reports.

Orban has been a sensation in Belgium for Gent since his move to the Belgium side in January from Norwegian second division side Stabæk. He has repaid the faith in him with 16 goals in 18 games in all competitions.

It includes nine in ten Belgium league games, five in six Europa Conference League games and two in two in the ongoing Jupiler Pro League Europe Play-Offs. His last goal came in their 1-2 loss to Standard Liege.

That game was watched closely by scouts from Spanish League giants Barcelona according to several reports. Scouts from French Ligue 1 side Lille were also in attendance keeping watch of the €20m rated forward. He is looking likey to leave in the summer.

Gent are publicly denying any interest in letting him leave, but sources said they are aware that selling him in the summer will see them make massive profit and already search has started in earnest for his replacement.

Daniel Martins

Head coach of the Nigeria U20 team Ladan Bosso has explained what led to a late change in the list of players submitted for the U20 World Cup in Argentina.

Nigeria made a change in the list made public with goalkeeper Saheed Jimoh replaced by Otoblo John Audu just before the team departed Nigeria for Argentina, where they will perfect their preparation ahead of their opening group game against Dominican Republic on the 21st of May.

A former U17 goalkeeper, Jimoh has been with the team since the start of preparation and was part of the squad for the WAFU tournament and the Africa Cup of Nations. He is however behind the duo of Chijioke Anigboso and Nathaniel Nwosu in the pecking order.

Pressed on why the change was made Bosso in a chat with OGN from Argentina said it became imperative to make the change as Jimoh couldn’t provide his international passport for issuance of travelling visa to Argentina.

” His passport wasn’t available when we needed it. He told me it’s with the French embassy in view of a deal he will be taking up in France. I don’t know the name of the club or the division that they are in. It’s none of my business but in my heart I wish him the best” , Bosso told Owngoalnigeria.com.

” He has been a part of the team from the start and we will miss his presence but it’s understandable why he has to take up the chance to try his luck abroad but maybe the timing should have been better or the visa process handled a lot better. I don’t think he is in France yet, because we left him in Abuja”, the coach said.

Mohammed Mowiz

The highlight of Nottingham Forest thrilling 4-3 win over Southampton was Nigeria international forward Taiwo Awoniyi scoring a brace in the win that lifted them out of the relegation zone heading into the final three games in the English Premier League.

After sweeping home his first effort, the summer signing from Union Berlin lifted his shirt to reveal a message which reads : ” Hallelujah Hossana Psalm 3v5 Peace. His actions took a lot by surprise considering that it could easily have fetched him a booking.

After the game, he explained the motivation behind the quote which he said means peace to him after bagging his sixth league goal of the season in what hasn’t been a very good season for his newly promoted side.

The quote referenced is: “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.” “It is a bible verse,” said the 25-year-old. “It means for me peace. It is something personal for my own religion.”

He is among the players Forest are hoping will help them stay up and legendary English Premier League star Alan Shearer says the manner which he took his brace, could make him the key to the team avoiding the drop to the English Championship.
Shearer was massively impressed with the striker signed from Union Berlin and named him in his Team of the Week.

He told the Premier League’s website: “Showed strength and poise to score two goals that could just save Forest from relegation.”

West Ham United has announced that 12 players have signed full scholarship contracts with the team’s football academy ahead of the start of next season.

The club listed the players as Dondre Abraham, Emeka Adiele, Joshua Ajala, Gabriele Caliste, Preston Fearon, Mehmet Halim, Riley Hargan, Ezra Mayers, Jethro Medine, Amara Nallo, Rayan Oyebade and Elisha Sowunmi, they all signed their respective scholarships at a special evening held in their honour at the club’s Rush Green training ground.

They were rewarded with the scholarship terms on the back of their performances with the U18s and U16s last season. While some made appearances for the U18s, others made themselves regulars for the U16s last season.

Four players of Nigerian descent were among the 12 players namely Emeka Adiele, Joshua Ajala, Ryan Oyebade and Elisha Sowunmi. Their individual abilities were highlighted by the coach of the U16s Carlton Cole who is also of Nigerian descent and famously turned down the chance to play for Nigeria,when he was approached to commit his international future to Super Eagles ahead of England.

Below is his assessment on the Nigerian players as seen on the club’s official website, where Cole analysed all of the 12 players, who were handed scholarship by the English Premier League side.

Emeka Adiele

“Emeka is a flying full-back who can play anywhere on the left side. He has really come on this season and made his U21s debut in the Premier League International Cup earlier this year. He stepped up that day and has impressed ever since.

Joshua Ajala 

“Joshua is a young forward who has impressed and we’re all excited to see him play in Claret and Blue going forward.”

Rayan Oyebade 

“Rayan came into the Academy system a bit later but has developed superbly. He is a left centre-back who can also play at wing-back. He has got a lot of tools at his disposal and has been growing in confidence too.”

Elisha Sowunmi

“Elisha has been our No10 this season. He’s a tricky, creative player who has developed well. He cares a lot and wants to do really well. I’ve been very proud of his progression and hopefully we can see more of him in the future.”

Daniel Martins.

Head coach of the Nigeria U17 team Nduka Ugbade is preparing his team for their Africa U17 Cup of Nations quarter final game against Burkina Faso on Thursday, OGN reports.

Nigeria defeated South Africa 3-2 to finish as second in their group on six points but it was a win that was far from smooth with Nigeria needing to come from behind twice before sealing the win.

The game left a special memory in the head of the Nigerian coach with the performance of some players of South Africa making him confess that he was scared of how they approached the game.

He mentioned three of them and it includes Nigerian teen Michael Dokunmu who was born to a Nigerian father and a South African mother in South Africa. He presently plays for Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem.

First reported by OGN, the forward who recently penned his first professional deal with the Dutch  side has already found the back of the net twice in this tournament, and even though he didn’t get to score against Nigeria he left a lasting impression on the Nigerian coach alongside three of his teammates.

“It was a really tough match because South Africa is a really good team and they gave us a tough time. They have three players that are really good; Mabena (Siyabonga), Mkhawana (Vicky) and Dokunmu (Michael). They are very talented players and I was honestly scared of them at first,” Ugbade said after the match.

Mohammed Mowiz

Head coach of the Nigeria U20 team Ladan Bosso says his team can only be mentioned in the same breath as the 2005 U20 team of Nigeria if they are able to win the U20 World Cup, which gets underway on the 20th of May in Argentina.

Bosso’s team are already in Argentina putting their tactics together ahead of their opening group game against Dominican Republic on the 21st of May. They will round up their group games with games against Italy and Brazil respectively.

Speaking to OGN, the Niger state born coach was asked if he believe his team can go one step further than the 2005 set led by coach Samson Siasia, Bosso said it is their aim at the tournament but it’s a one step at a time starting from the group stages.

” You see we have targets for ourselves and it has been a case of so far so good. When we went to WAFU, the idea was to pick a ticket to the AFCON. At the AFCON our immediate goal was to pick a ticket for the World Cup. That again we achieved”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

” Now at the World Cup, we are working on our first group game and the next one will follow. We want to get out of the group first then we take it from there. But I will make it clear that if we want to be better than the 2005 team then we have to win the tournament. It’s part of our target but not the immediate for now”, he said.

When asked if he thinks the team’s attack which was their achilles heel at the AFCON is better down, the coach said it’s an exaggeration to lament their attack as they scored eight goals in six games at the AFCON but assured that it’s a better attack now.

” That issue was over flogged to be honest with you. Look at it we scored eight goals in six games. Conceded two in return giving us one of the best goal difference in the tournament. But that said we have new and better options now. The midfield wasn’t that effective at the AFCON. We have a better one now”, he stated.

Mohammed Mowiz