Head coach of the Nigeria U20 team Ladan Bosso has pruned down the number of players in the camp of the team as preparations for the U20 Africa Cup of Nations hots up, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Bosso has been running the rule on several players for the past two weeks and every week , trims down the number in his camp who are most times substituted by others. The coach says his method is elimination by substitution.

The latest set of players sent packing from the camp is to make way for the expected arrival of the invited foreign based players, who will be assessed before the final list of players is made public by the end of next month.

In the camp, the team now has three goakeepers in Nathaniel Nwosu, Chijioke Aniagboso and Jimoh Saheed. Norwich City goalkeeper David Aziaya has been asked to return back to his base. His case was more of lacking in sharpness due to an unspecified ailment he picked up upon arriving the camp of the team.

In attack, the biggest casualty was NK Jarun striker Wisdom Ubani. The 19 year old was once upon a time viewed as a potential world beater but hasn’t really got going and his bid to relaunch himself with the U20 has ended in disappointment.

He was among the players, who are around 12 in number to be shown the exit door by Bosso. Their exit from the camp alongside the rest has created space for the arrival of six more players led by Abel Ogwuche of Swedish side Trelleborgs. Michael Ologo of Turkey top division side Istanbulspor is also expected this week.

The chances of former Ajax winger Joel Ideho honouring the call up extended to him by coach of the Nigeria U20 team Ladan Bosso has suffered a set back, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Ideho who joined Arsenal two years ago is seen as the next big thing out of the academy of the Gunners and he has already trained with the first team severally. As a matter of fact his ability to score from range has further enhanced his reputation.

Born in the Netherlands to Nigerian parents, coach of the Nigeria U20 team Ladan Bosso handed him a call up to be a part of the squad presently in Abuja shaping up for the Africa U20 Cup of Nations, which will take place in Egypt next month.

News of his invitation got to the Netherlands and it has triggered a very negative response from his camp with his representatives not keen on the 19 year old honoring the call up. The idea is that he is better off playing with the Dutch youth team.

They believe he will be a part of the Dutch setup very soon hence shouldn’t rush the decision of accepting the call up. A decision has not been reached but he won’t be considered by Bosso if he fails to arrive in the camp of the team by next weekend.

At around the same time Victor Osimhen was tearing Juventus apart in the Italian Serie A top of the table clash. A relatively unknown Nigerian was also grabbing the headline in France.

Osimhen’s brace trended on the Nigeria’s social media space as Napoli secure a 5-1 win over Juventus courtesy of his brace and assist. In France there was George Ilenikhena who wrote his name in the record books.

George like he called, scored the leveled for Amiens to help them draw 1-1 against Bordeaux, where another Nigerian in one cap Super Eagles forward Josh Maja scored his 11th goal of the Ligue 2 campaign.

Maja’s goal was on course for the title of match winner until two minutes into time added on when the 16 year old Ilenikhena struck to help his team steal a point at the home of the second placed team in the league.

In so doing he became the first player born in 2006 to score in one of the top two leagues in England, France, Germany, Italy or Spain courtesy of that stoppage time equaliser for Amiens against Bordeaux. He was born after the retirement of legendary France star Zinedine Zidane.

His goal scoring prowess in the N3- Hauts-de-France league this season has been phenomenal as he has six goals in six games this season. Born in Lagos Nigeria, he is eligible for France as well after migrating to the country at a very young age.

The coach of the Nigeria U20 team Ladan Bosso has in the past admitted that his team needs a proper striker as they stepped up preparation for next month Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Bosso’s team are presently at their camp in Abuja for the final phase of preparation for the tournament with only players based in Nigeria. The players based abroad are expected to arrive at the camp from today.

One of the invited players is Crystal Palace forward Ademola Ola-Adebomi. The 19 year old is expected to carry the burden of the team in attack, where a proper number nine is still one of the priorities of the coaches.

Ola-Adebomi was born in England and joined the Crystal Palace Academy ten years ago. He made quick progress through the ranks and signed his first professional deal in October 2022, after scoring an astonishing 14 goals from 22 appearances for the U18s in the period leading to his deal.

This season he has scored three goals in nine Premier League Two games. He only recently returned to full fitness and adjusting to the demands of playing in the English Youth League but Bosso feels he is worth the gamble.

He still has to win the heart of the coaches in training before he will be given a spot in the team and it all begins for the well built teenager this week in Abuja.

The drive of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) towards convincing players born abroad to pledge their allegiance to the senior national team of Nigeria suffered a set back recently.

Technical director of the NFF Austine Eguavoen was in England recently where he met and had talks with seven players of Nigerian descent. He was in England on the invitation of Fulham defender Tosin Adarabiyio.

Adarabiyio played for England at youth level but has now decided to switch to Nigeria. Not sooner had Eguavoen left, the head coach of the team Jose Peseiro also visited England and afterwards revealed he had talks with several Nigerian players.

Their drive however met a brick wall in Croatia according to Osijek defender Alexander Uwem. The 19 year old is born to a Croatian mother and a Nigerian father making him eligible for both countries but he has already made his choice.

Uwem said he snubbed an approach from the NFF with head coach Peseiro keen on having young players particularly in the defence of the team, where three of his favorite are approaching or already in their 30’s. Uwem somehow ruled himself out as a possible option.

“They called my manager, asked what the situation was, about the papers… – reveals the young footballer of the White and Blues.

” I haven’t received anything in writing yet. Honestly, I feel like a Croat, Croatia is my country and I want to play for Croatia one day”, he rounded up saying.