One of the most crazy stories that rounded up the end of the January transfer window yesterday happened in Belgium between top division side Anderlecht and fellow rivals Genk, OGN reports.

Both teams went into the transfer market in search of reinforcement in attack leading to their interest in ex Nigeria U17 striker Tolu Arokodare, who was making good progress at French second division side Amiens.

Amiens agreed to let him leave and he immediately held talks with Anderlecht. The talks progressed as expected a medical was also conducted ahead of his official photograph session then unveiling.

However after the medicals, the story changed as he drove off to Genk , when he was told the deal of his fellow Nigerian Paul Onuachu to Southampton has opened the door for him to join the defending champion.

Genk hijacked the move thanks to David Frenayi , who has an axe to grind with Anderlecht over the transfer of Laurent Dimata . He was arrested in Monaco but later released a day after over the sealy but despite that he was placed on judicial supervision meaning he can’t travel outside the principality.

As a means of getting his pound of flesh from Anderlecht, he suggested Arokodare to Genk and pulled all the strings on behalf of the agent of the Nigerian Jean-Gerard Benoit Czajka.

The January transfer window came to an end yesterday with several Nigerian players making moves to clubs as the second half of the regular season in Europe hots up.

With the duo of Paul Onuachu and Terem Moffi snatching the headline due to their big money move to Southampton and Nice respectively, a lot of transfers involving other Nigerian players went under the radar.

One of such deals is that of former Nigeria youth international Valentine Ozornwafor, the two caps senior international of Nigeria returned to Belgium side Charleroi after struggling to impress at second division French side Sochaux.

Ozornwafor was originally billed to spend the entirety of the season on loan at the French side but after making just three appearances totaling 184 minutes, his loan was terminated for him to return to Charleroi.

The 23 year old hasn’t had the best of time since his move to Turkish side Galatasaray after impressing for the Nigeria U20 team in 2019. He has also spent time on loan at Spanish side UD Almeria. Last season was one is his best as he made a total of 17 appearances in the Belgium league for Charleroi.

He played the entire duration of ten of their last 11 games of the season. In France he failed to mirror that same form hence the decision to let him return to Belgium, where he is expected to further develop at Charleroi.

Daniel Martins

Italian Serie A side Bologna have demonstrated their faith in former Nigeria U17, U20 star Orji Okwonkwo by handing him fresh terms that will see his contract at the club extends till the summer of 2026, OGN understands.

Okwonkwo was found guilty of doping violation and handed a four year worldwide ban from football. The ban will take effect between February 25th, 2022, and February 24th, 2026. The ban left his future at the Serie A side uncertain.

However in an unusual show of support and faith, Bologna have now decided to extend his contract to 2026, which around the same time his ban will be over. The move has divided opinions in Italy.

Okonkwo signed for Bologna in August 2016 and made his Serie A debut against Palermo. He had to wait until September 24, 2017, to score his first league goal, against Sassuolo.

In 2018, the star signed a loan deal with Brescia before another loan move to Major Soccer League side CF Montreal in December 2019. Then, under Thierry Henry, Montreal re-acquired the striker on another loan deal – this time around with a purchase option – at the end of the 2022 season.

Thereafter, the now 25 year old signed more loan deals with Reggina in Serie B and Cittadella in February 2021 and July 2021, respectively.

One of the January transfer deadline day that went ahead yesterday was that of little known Nigerian defender Christian Akpan joining Belgium side Gent on a three year deal, OGN reports.

The 18 year old trained with the team for two weeks before the decision to sign him was reached by the club and he will start with their B team. The club have the option of extending the deal for two more years after the expiration of the first three years.

The young Nigerian went to school in Ivory Coast at the Académie MimoSifcom. The training center of ASEC Mimosas. The same academy where club legend Didier Zokora and Aziz Ouattara also took their first steps in football.

Akpan is fast, bipedal and has a lot of technical baggage. Thanks to his qualities, he can play in different positions in the axis of the field, both in defense and in midfield.

He will be hoping for a detailed career growth under the wings of Hans Somers and his technical staff, his progress will Jong Genk will determine his promotion to the main team.

Daniel Martins

The newly elected board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) led by Ibrahim Musa Gusau has been hit by the sudden decision of three of their major sponsors to end their association with the football body.

According to a report in the Guardian, the decision by these corporate bodies to dump the NFF is due to the low mileage they have endured during the course of the deal hence their decision not to renew.

The NFF has a lot of sponsorship partnerships with corporate brands, such as Nigerian Breweries, Air Peace, Cadbury, MTN, Emzor Pharmaceuticals, Aiteo, Coca-Cola, Revolution Plus and Premier Lotto, which runs into billions of naira.

Already, their three major partners Air Peace, Coca-Cola and Revolution Plus have severed ties with the federation. “We are not a charity organisation, which doles out money without getting anything in return. We entered into the partnership with NFF because we thought a big brand like Nigerian football would present great marketing opportunities for us. But that is not the case”, an unnamed source was quoted as saying by the Guardian.

“We kept quiet because we thought the Qatar 2022 World Cup would give us the chance to make up for whatever we lost marketing our brand during the qualifiers. But we didn’t even qualify for the World Cup.

“During the qualifiers, we went through hell to even place our pitch panels at the National Stadium, which was part of the privileges we were to get from the agreement.

“To even get five tickets for our top executives to watch the games was difficult; and since we failed to make the World Cup, nobody has deemed it fit to write to us, explain things to us and/or open a communications channel.”

Speaking to the same medium, the image maker of the NFF Ademola Olajire confirmed the exit of the three big brands. “I am aware that Coca-Cola, Air Peace and Revolution Plus are out. Their contracts ran out and they didn’t take the option of renewal.”

The January transfer window ended yesterday with several Nigerian players switching clubs in what was the last window before the summer, when another round of deals are expected to be brokered.

Paul Onuachu’s move to Southampton from Genk can easily pass as the biggest move by a Nigerian players, arguably a little bit ahead of that of Terem Moffi to Nice from fellow Ligue 1 side Lorient. Some Nigerian players made moves that went under the radar.

One player expected to make such move is the present captain of the Nigeria U23 team Success Makanjuola who left 4th division Spanish side CD Diocesano a month ago and was hoping fo a free transfer. The club announced his departure following a mutual termination of his contract on their page on social media.

His idea was to make himself available and affordable to interested teams but the plans didn’t go as expected with yesterday’s window ending without a club for him. The former Nigeria U17, U20 ace hasn’t had the best of careers since leaving the U19 team of Spanish side Leganes.

He has had past stint with fellow 4th division side CD Guadalajara and CD Don Benito without much success. Coach of the Nigeria U23 team Salisu Yusuf however rates him highly and named him as his captain before the aggregate win over Tanzania in the U23 Olympic qualifiers game against Tanzania in Ibadan.

Belgium league leaders Genk ensured they didn’t waste anytime in signing a replacement for Paul Onuachu who was transferred to English Premier League side Southampton yesterday.

Onuachu as first reported by OGN joined Southampton in a deal worth €18m plus a bonus of €3m. Genk were powerless to stop the lanky forward from leaving after verbally agreeing that he will be allowed to leave in January.

Not to leave a vacuum in the area where he has carried the team, they moved smartly for another Nigerian in 2017 Nigeria U17 striker Tolu Arokodare, who until his move yesterday was at French second division side Amiens on loan from Latvian side Valmiera FC.

The 22 year old has found the back of the net eight times in 23 Ligue 2 games this season. Coach of Genk Wouter Vrancken is a huge admirer of the forward who has almost the same physique as his fellow Nigeiy, whom he replaces at the club.

“Despite his height, he is very agile, fast in the first meters and strong with his head”, Sporting director Dimitri de Condé explains the choice for the new Genk striker.

“Tolu is already showing flashes of its class today. In addition, there is also a lot of stretch. Under the wings of our technical staff, he will be able to take major steps forward in the coming years. We have proven with several other young talents that KRC Genk is the ideal environment for this.”

TArokodare is also delighted with his new home: “I am very happy to be in Genk. At this point in my career I can’t imagine a better club. Together with the team, I hope to continue the good results of the first half of the season and to win trophies. Paul leaves big shoes to fill. But I am determined to give 100% for this great club.”

Belgium top division side Genk have reached agreement with Southampton for the transfer of Nigeria international forward Paul Onuachu, Owngoalnigeria.com understands.

A fee in the region of €18m is what we understand has been agreed as his transfer fee and he will leave Belgium for England, where he will undergo a routine medical.

The deal is said to be a three year deal with the option of a further year based on several variables. Furthermore, there is no sell on clause inserted in the agreement.

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