Teams are already making transfer plans for the summer as the season draws to an end. Portuguese side Benfica are not left out as well with the team also identifying targets to bolster their squad for next season, OGN understands.

Benfica are bracing up for the departure of some of their key players this season notably their top scorer Goncalo Ramos. The idea of his potential replacement is one that has seen them test the waters with Santiago Gimenez but the 22 year old Mexican who plays for Feyenoord appears to be out of their budget.

It has seen the club’s recruitment team line up other targets for the expected vacant position in attack. A name on the list was made public in the latest edition of the Market Law podcast handled by Luis Pinto Coelho with emphasis on Benfica.

The player is Nigerian goal sensation Gift Orban who has been a huge revelation in the second half of the season following his January transfer deadline day move to Gent. The 20 year old has scored 14 goals in 16 games this season.

He has also won the Belgium League player of the month award in his first two months in the league, where he is excessing expectations following his €3m acquisition from Norwegian side Stabæk. He scored 19 goals in 24 team at the second division side.

His price tag is said to be within the €20m mark and Benfica have made their intentions known to his representatives, but they are not the only team weighing up a move for him in the summer but they appear to be taking the front row.

Daniel Martins

The international future of on loan Arsenal goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo appears to be firmly in the grasp of England despite overtures from the head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro.

21 year old Okonkwo is one of six goalkeepers aged 21 or under to be playing regularly in the top 10 leagues in Europe following his January transfer move to Austrian side Sturm Graz. He canceled his loan at English Leagues two side Crewe in favor of the move.

Before his move to Austria, he caught the fancy of a lot of people with 10 clean sheets in 26 games for Crewe and now at his new base he has kept five clean sheets in 12 games in all competitions. Letting in just ten goals and in the process helped his team to the final of the Austrian Cup.

His fine run of form coincides with when Nigeria is on the look out for more options in goal particularly ahead of the next AFCON qualifiers games against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe respectively. First choice goalkeeper Francis Uzoho is suspended for one of the games.

Although the games would have come too sudden for Okonkwo, the idea is to have him be a part of the set up before the Africa Cup of Nations next year, but his recent statement points to the fact that he doesn’t fancy switching his international allegiance to Nigeria.

Capped by England at several youth levels, he told the Athletic that his focus is on becoming the next black goalkeeper of the senior national team of England, with David James the last and only black goalkeeper to have picked up the number one slot for England at senior level.

“I’m not sure why it is but the ones I really look up to now are Mike Maignan(AC Milan) and Andre Onana (Inter Milan),” he says. “I have actually gone to watch him (Onana) as he’s a top keeper. They’re good role models and, in the past, there haven’t been many. There are more coming up, but hopefully, I can help change that.”

Mohammed Mowiz

The race for the senior international future of Chelsea teen sensation Carney Chukwuemeka has taken a different turn with Austria joining Nigeria in pushing him to dump England.

Chukwuemeka is presently a youth international for England but can still switch his nationality as he is yet to be capped by England at senior level. He is eligible for Nigeria, Austria and England.

He was born in Austria to Nigerian parents but he grew up in England, where he started his football career before having his breakthrough at Aston Villa . His form earned him a move to Chelsea.

TalkSPORT reports that Austria have already opened a line of communication with the player and his team with coach Ralph Ragnick keen on having him to bolster the squad he is trying to build. It is believed that Chukwuemeka has shown interest on the idea.

With no goals or assist in the 11 games he has played for Chelsea this season, an England call up looks a distant reality hence the idea of possibly switching his nationality to Austria. Talks will continue in the coming days.

Mohammed Mowiz

The Nigeria U17 team have been given a clean bill of health by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) ahead of the U17 Africa Cup of Nations in Algeria.

Upon arrival for the tournament, the Nigerian team were made to undergo the mandatory Magnetic Imaging Resonance (MRI) test, which is one of the measures introduced by CAF to check the menace of age cheats in Africa youth football.

All the 26 players named by coach Nduka Ugabde scale through the grade limit with ease making them switch their focus to their opening game of the tournament against Zambia. It also means the threat of disqualification has been successfully put to rest.

Per the guidelines by CAF , if four or more players in a team fails the test, the entire team will be disqualified. A departure from the past practice where if a player fails it then his team will be disqualified.

The grade is pegged at six by CAF but the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) set it at four for the Nigerian team. That decision has paid off with the recent test in Algeria and all attention is now on securing a ticket to be at the U17 World Cup.

Mohammed Mowiz

The focus for Nigeria ahead of the final round of games in the qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations is on the area of goalkeepers with first choice shot stopper Francis Uzoho set to miss both games due to suspension.

Head coach of the team Jose Peseiro called up two other goalkeepers alongside Uzoho for the back to back games against Guinea Bissau but none of the duo of Chijioke Anigboso or Victor Sochima is seen as ready to step in for Uzoho.

It means the team is facing a crisis in goal and it has been made worse with reports from Watford saying erstwhile first choice goalkeeper Maduka Okoye is currently battling to recover from a shoulder injury.

The injury is why he hasn’t made the matchday squad for their last six games in a row. He underwent surgery and has started rehabilitation as he bids to get back into full shape before the summer and the start of pre season.

It hasn’t been the kind of move he was thinking when he left Sparta Rotterdam for the English Championship side, as he hasn’t been able to get consistent run of games like he enjoyed in the Netherlands for two straight seasons. He was even voted as player of the season at Sparta.

A loan move in the summer is said to be on the cards but that too is now dependent on how soon he recovers from the surgery. Clubs won’t be keen on gambling on a goalkeeper who just returned from a shoulder injury unless he gets game time to see his recovery rate.

Daniel Martins

As the summer transfer window draws near players have started pitching tents with agency that can help sort their future at the end of the present football season.

One of such players is Barcelona’s star Robert Lewandoski, who only joined the team in the summer but as he approaches the age of 35, he  appears to be eyeing a final pay day before calling it quit.

The Polish forward was announced as one of the newest captures of fast rising football agency CAA Base. His move to the agency was announced officially by the organization on their various social media handle.

Two months ago, they also announced that Nigeria international Moses Simon has also joined them with his future at French Ligue 1 side Nantes uncertain as he approaches the final year of his contract at the club.

Also Nigeria U20 defender Benjamin Fredrick joined the agency with his future set to be a hot topic among teams in Europe after his impressive performance for the U20 team of Nigeria at the Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Daniel Martins

As Nigerians await the decision on the contract extension of the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro, it appears all is not well within his camp, OGN can exclusively reveal.

Peseiro’s deal as coach of the Nigerian team will expire in June but there is a clause for a two year deal and it centres around winning the next Africa Cup of Nations originally planned for this year.

Following the postponement of the tournament to next year, there is no clear cut statement yet on his future with sources within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) saying he will likely stay due to unpaid wages.

That decision isn’t one that has been made public yet but one of his assistants appears not to be comfortable with the Portuguese and his way of handling the team since he took over as coach.

” He doesn’t listen to us (Nigerian coaches) and it’s why he agrees to the idea of rotating the crew for games. If he does listen to us there is no way he will accept that but since he has his close circle intact, he doesn’t care”, one of his assistants said in a very bitter tone.

” You know he sent the guy who does video analysis out of a team meeting once, he doesn’t rely on Ike Shorunmu when calling up goalkeepers, we are not even allowed to scout or recommend players. It’s all about him and the people he brought with him”, he rounded up saying.

Mohammed Mowiz

Head coach of the Nigeria U20 team Ladan Bosso has opened up on the draws for the U20 World Cup in Argentina, where his team have been drawn in the same group with Italy, Dominican Republic and Brazil.

In an exclusive interview with OGN, Bosso opens up on how he intends to approach the tournament including his choice of players and also the need to make a huge impression at the tournament. He also spoke about their preparation and also support from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

On Group Stages:

I think it’s a fair draw because if you really want to be the best then you have to be ready to be up against the best and also beat them. So we have no fear over the group.

We start with Dominican Republic and that is the most important match just like any other first game of the tournament. Then we play Italy before Brazil. Starting on a sound note will improve the confidence of the boys for whatever team we will face including Brazil. We hope to be through before the final game of the group.

On His Team:

For now I have addressed the areas where I noticed we had problems at the Africa Cup of Nations. In the area of goalkeepers, I don’t think we need another hand , in defence I have one foreign based player lined up and in the midfield I have called three players Ebenezer Akinsanmiro from Inter Milan, Victor Eletu from AC Milan and Tochukwu Nnadi from Botev Plodiv in Bulgaria.

I am following the process of recovery of Daniel Daga day by day reports from the doctor. He is yet to return to the pitch, so we have doubts over his participation.

Foreign Based Players:

In my list I have over 20 of them but I won’t call all of them to be honest. I am looking at how the team will shape up while in camp and look at areas where we need more experience or hands. For now I have extended invitation to around 12 of them. Only the best will be in the team.

Problem In Attack:

It’s why I brought in the boy ( Emmanuel Umeh) from Bulgaria into the team and the Arsenal kid (Joel Ideho). Then two players outside the MRI grade set by the NFF for the U17 team are with me for the same purpose of beefing up the attack. They are very good but unfortunate not to be in the NFF grade which is 4 as opposed to 5 by CAF. I also brought in three strikers from Academy teams. I have addressed that area by 80%.

Provisional List:

I have drawn it up already and dropped some players who didn’t make it. From the AFCON team I have axed like ten players. It’s unfortunate but if you have the chance and fail to take it then someone else will have your spot.

Winning The U20 World Cup:

The idea is one game at a time, one stage at a time and see how far we can go. You don’t go to tournament for fun. The idea is to compete and that we will do and see how far we can go. It won’t be bad to be the first Nigerian team to win it.

Preparation And Support From NFF:

A lot more than what I expected to be honest. We have gotten almost everything we asked for and hopefully, we will have a team that will make Nigeria proud at the tournament.

Mohammed Mowiz

As first reported by OGN, Everton star man Alex Iwobi isn’t keen on extending his stay at the club with as many as six teams around Europe looking at making a bid for him in the summer transfer window.

Iwobi has been one of the standout players for Everton who are facing a huge battle to remain in the English Premier League as they are presently in 18th position although goal difference is what separates them from 17th placed Leicester City.

However, the decision to leave the team isn’t what was arrived at in the past few weeks with OGN reporting in October that already talks are advanced with a team playing in Ligue 1. The team is said to be a perennial campaigner in the UEFA Champions League.

Everton have been told by the camp of the player to hold on over talks of an extension but the idea is to let the club know at the end of the season that he is leaving. They hope to reach an amicable agreement on his exit.

For now his preference is a Ligue 1 team in the Champions League as he feels his next move might be his last big career move and he want to play in Europe’s premier club competition, he could be tempted to remain in the England.

We gathered he has received offers from some mid table teams in England, who are on the path of reaching the Champions League in few years time. There is also the chance of playing for a German team with less salary but the lure of playing in the Champions League gives them an edge.

Daniel Martins

The debate over the future of Nigeria international forward Victor Osimhen at Italian Serie A side Napoli appears to be settled and will be made public at the end of the season.

Osimhen is presently the top scorer in the league as Napoli close in on winning their first league title since the 90’s. The team however failed to make the most of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal game against AC Milan, losing out on a 2-1 aggregate score.

Before that game, Sky sports Germany revealed that all has been agreed for the Nigerian to join Bayern Munich in the summer with only an agreement missing between both teams. From then to now other teams have also joined the race for the 24 year old.

” He will leave in the summer. That has been agreed already in his camp and only a mammoth offer from Napoli which doesn’t seem likely will make him have a change of heart. Aside Bayern Munich, I know of PSG and two teams in England likely Manchester United and Chelsea”, a source in his camp told OGN.

” Bayern are the most advanced in talks and Osimhen who has his sights on a lot of individual awards believe that is the right platform for him. Remember his girlfriend is also from Germany and he spent the early days of his career there. Napoli can’t tie him down with an extension. He doesn’t want it and after next season he will have just one year left, so the time to cash out is now”, he rounded up saying.

Daniel Martins