William Osula who scored the winner for ten man Newcastle United against Manchester United yesterday in the English Premier League is eligible to play for the senior national team of Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Born in Denmark to a Danish mother and a Nigerian-French father, he moved to England at a young age, making him eligible to play for four countries at international level in Denmark, France, England and Nigeria.

So far he has only played for Denmark at U19 level in a friendly game leaving him eligible for others. He couldn’t honour his first call up to the senior national team of Denmark last year due to injury.

Shortly after he was called up by Denmark, he revealed that playing for the senior national team of Nigeria is a possibility, because of his strong Nigerian roots but he feels more comfortable with Denmark.

” I appreciate my Nigerian roots and follow the senior team which was a possibility for me. But I feel very much at home with Denmark and I look forward to having a good international career there”, he stated.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Trabzonspor defender Chibuike Nwaiwu is in a race against time to be fit for the Super Eagles upcoming friendly games in March, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Like we exclusively reported the ex Enyimba defender is among the new players head coach Eric Chelle plan to invite for the tournament in Jordan during the international break.

However what would have been his first call up to the team has suffered a setback after his club confirmed that he will be out for an unforeseeable period of time with a thigh injury.

The 22 year old is dealing with bleeding and swelling in his left thigh, diagnosed after his injury in the latest Süper Lig match. It was his 7th league appearance since his move from Austrian side Wolfsberger AC in the January transfer window.

Medical examinations have confirmed the injury. The club’s head doctor, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Beşir, stated that treatment has already begun. The player’s expected time on the sidelines has not yet been specified.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Head coach of PSG Luis Enrique has stopped any plans the club has in regards to signing Nigeria international striker Victor Osimhen at the end of the season, when the summer transfer window opens.

Osimhen has been in red hot form for Galatasaray with 17 goals in 25 games, with seven coming in just eight games in the UEFA Champions League. A form that has caught the attention of the rest of Europe.

The former Napoli forward is now being linked with a move back to one of Europe’s top five leagues. As per a report from Foot Mercato, Bayern Munich are the most interested party. The Bundesliga giants are looking to prepare for life post-Harry Kane, and Vincent Kompany has approved of a move for the Nigeria international.

However, one club he will not join, seemingly, is Paris Saint-Germain. Foot Mercato understands that the reigning European champions have turned down the chance to sign Osimhen. The cost of the transfer, north of €150m, coupled with the striker’s high wage demands (€20m net per season) and Luis Enrique’s reticence to sanction such a move, means that the Parc des Princes is not a realistic destination.

Ade Emmanuel

Former coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr has provided an explanation on why Paul Onuachu has more goals than his national teammate Victor Osimhen in the Turkish League, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Onuachu is the top scorer in the league with 18 goals after scoring in seven consecutive league games, he made it eight games in a row yesterday with a goal in the 4-2 win over Istanbul Basaksehir in the Turkish Cup.

Osimhen on the other hand has ten goals in the league and seven in the UEFA Champions League. A respectable total of 17 goals in 25 games in all competitions.

” Both players are having a wonderful and remarkable season but Onuachu is benefiting from playing for a team that is not involved in European competition, unlike Osimhen who has to sometimes play twice in a week. They were also good for my team when I was their coach”, the coach of Benin Republic said.

They are expected to be in the Super Eagles team for their engagement in March at the four team tournament, which is currently not certain owing to the war in the Middle East between Iran and America backed Israel.

Brentford defender Michael Kayode will meet with the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle at the end of the season with the coach keen on convincing him to play for Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Born in the Italian city of Borgomanero to Nigerian parents, he has represented Italy at various youth levels but he is yet to be capped at senior level, leaving him eligible for Nigeria.

Chelle has already initiated contact with the 21 year old and his initial reaction was encouraging with his chances of making the Italian team almost non existent at the moment.

However he still didn’t make a commitment, but defer any possible decision till the end of the season, and if by that time there is still no update from Italy then he won’t hesitate to commit fully to Nigeria.

In the summer, the long throw specialist is also expected to decide his future with a host of teams making him a target going into the summer transfer window. Reports say Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are his main admirers.

Italian Serie A side Atalanta are closing in on a deal to sign Nigeria U20 winger Bidemi Amole from Nigerian academy Real Sapphire, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Dubbed as the new Lookman due to his similar playing style and role like that of senior international Ademola Lookman who also played for the Italian side, the left winger who turned 18 in November was a part of the Nigeria U20 team under coach Aliyu Zubairu playing in seven games with a goal to his name.

According to respected Italian publication TMW , Atalanta are in advanced talks to sign him and expect the deal to be done in the coming hours.

They saw of competition from other teams to secure his services, and he will start from their youth team, where his progress will be monitored for a possible promotion to the main team starting from pre season in the summer.

The expectations is that he will match or surpass the feat of Lookman who left the club in the January transfer window for Atletico Madrid as a club icon, with his most memorable performance coming in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen where his hattrick won them their first ever European trophy.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will soon get a new goalkeeper in Arthur Okonkwo following the approval of his switch of nationality from England to Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Okonkwo’s switch is coming at a time when the team is having a mini crisis in goal, with first choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali inactive after terminating his contract with Chippa United.

Amas Obasogie who could have been an option after deputising for Nwabali is currently suspended with allegations of match fixing by his Tanzanian side Singida SC.

An ideal of what Okonkwo will add to the Nigerian team was given by head coach of Wrexham Phil Parkinson on the occasion of his 100th league appearance for the club against Portsmouth.

He started the current Championship season as second choice shot stopper behind summer signing Danny Ward.

However, Okonkwo has started 30 successive league matches since Ward sustained an elbow injury and is continuing to keep the fit-again Wales international out of the starting line-up.

“Arthur’s a very influential signing for us when we first brought him in,” said Parkinson.

“He’s a player who’s adapted, he’s had a few injuries along the way, his jaw and his wrist. He’s always come back and responded really well”, he stated.

“He’s a young goalkeeper improving all the time.”

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

FIFA are warming up to the possibility of Iran boycotting the world cup in the wake of the escalating war between them and the host of the tournament, United States of America (USA).

Iran Football Federation President Taj told a panel discussion on Iran’s IRIB Channel 3 that the attacks would have an impact, and they will in the coming days make a decision on their participation.

They booked a place at their fourth successive finals last year by topping Group A in the third round of Asian qualifying.

They are in Group G with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand, with their matches taking place in Los Angeles and Seattle, but it isn’t certain if they will participate for now.

“It’s not possible to say exactly, but there will certainly be a response,” Taj said. “This will surely be studied by the country’s high-ranking sports officials and there will be a decision on what’s going to happen.

“But what we can say now is that due to this attack and its viciousness, it is far from our expectations that we can look at the World Cup with hope.”

According to sport journalist Gary Al-Smith, who posted on social media platform X, a FIFA official has explained what will happen in the likelihood that Iran decides to shun the tournament.

“FIFA official tells me they are looking into what happens should Iran boycott 2026 World Cup: Two scenarios are possible: either Iraq, who could qualify anyway via the continental play-off later this month, or the UAE [who missed out on qualification] could take the spot,” Gary wrote on X.

Meanwhile there is still no decision on the protest filed by Nigeria against DR Congo, questioning the eligibility of certain players in the team that defeated them in the final of the world cup playoff in November.

Officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) says the delay has given them reasons to be worried with the intercontinental playoff scheduled to start in around three weeks time.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Former coach of the U20 team of Nigeria Ladan Bosso says he deserve credit for discovering Super Eagles trio of Benjamin Fredrick, Salim Fago Lawal and Tochukwu Nnadi, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

All three players were part of his U20 team to the world cup in 2023, and have so far made the step up to the senior team with the duo of Nnadi and Lawal making the sqaud to the AFCON. Fredrick missed out due to injury.

” It will not be fair to mention their rise without mentioning how I brought them from no where to limelight. No one knew Lawal, Fredrick or Nnadi until their exploits for my team at the World Cup. It’s what youth football is all about and not necessarily winning. I can’t help but feel proud”, the coach told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

Fredrick is however the most established among the trio, but Bosso said it’s just a matter of time before the other two will make their mark following their recent transfer in the January transfer window.

” Nnadi is at Marseille and Lawal just move to the top team in Czech Republic. It’s a matter of time before they join Fredrick as mainstay. I have no doubts in their ability”, he concluded.

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle has picked Francis Uzoho as the new first choice goalkeeper of the team with Stanley Nwabali currently inactive, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Nwabali is still without a club after terminating his contract with Chippa United, and with the Super Eagles set to return to action later this month there is the need to get a new number one.

Chelle didn’t waste time in settling for Uzoho, who was the second choice at the AFCON where they finished third. He is still indifferent on Maduka Okoye who snubbed the team for the AFCON, when he was told he won’t be first choice.

The Udinese goalkeeper would have been the automatic choice, but Chelle felt he questioned his authority by refusing to honour the invitation for the AFCON unless he is guaranteed to be first choice.

Uzoho will however face stiff competition from Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo who is also in the team , following his switch of nationality from England to Nigeria.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman