The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed talks with the football federation of Portugal for an international friendly game during the next international break, as first reported by OwnGoalNigeria.com.

Three days ago we broke the news of talks between both countries over a friendly game following the postponement of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers billed for September.

That piece of information has now been confirmed by the general secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation Muhammed Sanusi. Portugal are also opened to the game as it will help them prepare for the World Cup in Qatar, where they were take on Qatar.

“We are working on arranging a grade A friendly game with Portugal ahead of next FIFA window,” Sanusi told The PUNCH.

“Following the postponement of the AFCON a friendly game is necessary for the Eagles.

“Arrangements are in full gear and we are close to finalising the details. Once that is done a statement will be released by the Nigeria Football Federation.”

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis drew the ire of African players when he revealed that he won’t be signing players from the continent unless they agree to snub the Africa Cup of Nations.

“I told them, “lads, don’t talk to me about Africans anymore!”‘ said De Laurentiis during a streamed event. ‘I love them, but either they sign something confirming they’ll back out of playing the Africa Cup of Nations, or otherwise between that tournament, the World Cup qualifiers in South America, these players are never available!

“We are the idiots who pay salaries only to send them all over the world playing for others”, he concluded.

The comment means he won’t be entirely happy if star striker Victor Osimhen goes away to represent Nigeria at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, which has been shifted to 2024. He will however not get his way if he stands against the will of the Nigerian forward if he is still at the club.

This much was made known to OwnGoalNigeria.com by the former agent of the Napoli forward, who said the president’s desire might appeal to other players but not Osimhen.

” The president knows he can’t try it with Osimhen. Even the last AFCON Osimhen wanted to go if not for Covid. He tells clubs he doesn’t joke with the national team of Nigeria and it will be war if he dare try to stop him from playing for Nigeria”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

” I remember at Wolfsburg back then. He was slightly injured and got a call up. The club wanted him to shun it. He insisted on going, they had to send a medical report to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) before he agreed to snub the call up. His passion and dedication to Nigeria can’t be faulted and everyone around him knows it. So emotional about playing for Super Eagles”, he concluded.

German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund have moved sharply to replace Ivory Coast striker Sebastien Haller who was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

The forward was signed as a replacement for  Erling Haaland who joined Manchester City. However he was diagnosed with cancer and has since started undergoing treatment which could see him miss a lot of  games when the season begins.

Dortmund according to several reports reached an agreement with Almeria to sign Nigeria international striker Sadiq Umar for a fee in the region of €25m but with several add ons which will see it rise to €30m.

Reports in Spain talked about a mysterious team based abroad reaching an agreement with Almeria for the lanky forward. Further reports indicate that the club happens to be the Bundesliga side.

Sadiq have already vacated his house in Spain further adding fuel to the speculation that he is indeed on the move to the German side. Sources close to the forward declined to comment when asked by OwnGoalNigeria.com if the report is true.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis says he isn’t open to signing more African players unless they agree to certain conditions, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The president of the Serie A side has in the last two transfer window signed two African players in Victor Osimhen and Zambo Anguissa but he isn’t sure of signing more African players. He also sanctioned the sale of an African player in Kalidou Koulibaly who joined Chelsea.

In an interview made available to OwnGoalNigeria.com, the president spoke on a wide range of issues including why he won’t be opened to signing more African players unless under certain conditions. His explanation is unconnected with the row between Osimhen and Anguissa in training.

He said ” Don’t talk to me about African footballers anymore. I only take them if they sign that they won’t play at the Africa Cup of Nations. You can’t pay them big money and have them play elsewhere when you need them the most”, he said.

His statement is a warning to the duo of Osimhen and Anguissa who are both pivotal players for their national team. Anguissa was at the last Africa Cup of Nations with Osimhen missing it through injury.

The next AFCON in 2024 will no doubt pitch the duo against the eccentric club president as he won’t be entirely happy losing them to the tournament in January. That is if they are still with the club.

Nigeria international defender Ola Aina still has an unresolved future at Italian Serie A side Torino with few weeks to the start of the new season in Italy.

Aina has a year left to run on his contract at the club and he isn’t keen on extending his stay after not having enough game time upon his return from representing Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations.

He hasn’t hidden his desire to leave the club but such conversation isn’t on the menu of the club at the moment, as they have big issue to worry about following a viral video of the coach and sporting director fighting in public.

Torino sporting director Davide Vagnati and manager Ivan Juric were captured on video fighting in the car park at the club’s pre-season training camp in Austria.

Former Genoa and Verona coach Juric has had talks with club president Urbano Cairo several times, showing his disappointment at the bad policy of strengthening the team this summer.

Tensions got heated when the 44-year-old director arrived at the training base and was greeted by Juric, so much so that the pair started fighting in the car park.

Vagnati was physically held back as he and Juric started yelling at each other in a violent exchange. In the video, Juric said: ‘Leave me the f**k alone, I save your life. Go fuck yourself.

To which, Vaganti responded: ‘When you go to the president you don’t tell me anything you are not respecting me.

Juric hit back: ‘I want you to go away. Disappear.

The director stated: ‘I will build the team and you have to coach them, and you have to do it well.’

The two went back and forth with abusive remarks, Juric insisted: ‘You are p**sing me off, get away from me. Get off my d**k.

Vagantin added once again: ‘I will build a strong team… and you have to make them strong.

Juric, who has shown his disappointment in transfer dealings already, then said: ‘You are doing f**k all… you just a f**king imbecile.

To which Vaganti hit back again, saying: ‘You are a f**king nobody. Don’t raise your voice at me.

Juric’s side came came 10th last season, 20 points above the relegation zone and 20 points behind the top four, but they will be hoping for better fortunes this time round.

Most teams around Europe have rounded up their pre season training ahead of the start of the new season. Some players made the step up to the main team.

Portuguese top division side Vizela, who finished 14th last season concluded preparations for the season and listed players who have been registered to be a part of the first team.

The list had three Nigerians following the promotion of ex Nigeria U17 midfielder Monsuru Opeyemi to the first team. He will team up with the duo of Friday Etim and Emmanuel Maviram as the Nigerians at the club.

Opeyemi who was a part of the 2019 U17 team of Nigeria made a good impression on the coaches in pre season as he was involved in almost all of their pre season games. The box to box midfielder recently turned 18.

“At the helm of Vizela for the fourth consecutive season, coach Álvaro Pacheco  has five players recruited from the secondary teams: defenders Hugo Oliveira and Gonçalo Cunha, midfielder João Ricardo and striker Tiago Ventura, from the under-23, as well as Opeyemi , an 18-year-old midfielder promoted to the first team in pre-season”, the club announced in a statement on their official website.

Coach of Crystal Palace Patrick Viera has opened the door to what will be a potential tug of war between Nigeria and England over the international future of Malcolm Ebiowei.

The former Nigeria U17 invitee joined Crystal Palace in the summer on a free transfer from relegated English Championship side Derby County. He has settled down quite nicely at his new environment.

Ebiowei was one of the stars of their pre season campaign and he has been rewarded for his performances with a first team number in 23 ahead of the start of the English Premier League on Friday.

He is expected to be in the squad for the opening game of the season against Arsenal on Friday, with Viera tipping him to be huge for both club and country in the next few years.

In a his to help him grow as expected, the coach blocked all options of the 18 year old going out on loan insisting that he has what it takes to succeed in the English top division. Although he isn’t sure if he will get regular run of games.

Viera’s idea about the winger is to monitor and help his development at Selhurst Park than send him out on loan to a place, where he will probably lost some of the vital details he need to take his career to the next level.

If he develops as expected, he will be at the center of a tug between Nigeria and England as he is eligible for both nations. His uncle Finidi George is the first assistant to the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro.

Former Africa footballer of the year Victor Ikpeba has called on Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen to stay humble if he wants to make headway in his career, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Osimhen laid into the former Monaco star who said during a television broadcast that he shouldn’t have attempted a bicycle kick in the heat of the Super Eagles World Cup qualifiers playoff game against Ghana. Nigeria drew the game 1-1 and failed to make the World Cup on away goals rule.

Not wanting to go into a war of words with the Napoli forward, Ikpeba while speaking speaking on a radio program anchored by George Iniabasi on Comfort FM, said he won’t stop giving Osimhen word of advice.

He said he won’t take to heart the insults aimed at him by Osimhen who can easily pass as his son. Insisting that he understands while he spoke in that light as humans have different emotions. He however asked him to show some respect to those who have played the game before him.

” Human beings are different. I remember when I was a professional footballer many years ago i had my personality and character , I was very outspoken but I had respect for senior players , ”he told George who is popularly known as Mighty George.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will rely on the coach of the senior national team to set up a friendly game with Portugal after holding preliminary talks with the Portuguese FA.

Portugal have Nigeria on the list of potential teams they will play as part of their warm up game for the World Cup in Qatar. The aim is to prepare them for their game against Ghana who are in their group.

A top brass of the NFF revealed that talks have been held and it was mentioned to Peseiro upon his appointment and he is well in tuned with the idea. It’s now left for both parties to accelerate talks and set up possible meetings .

The Portuguese coach will be relied upon to use his connections to speed up talks especially with the postponement of the senior national team of Nigeria competitive games earlier fixed for September.

Peseiro also need the game as the next competitive fixture of the team will be next year and games like the proposed friendly against Portugal will help him to get to know the team better.

The chances of Nigeria adding another player born abroad to the squad of the senior national team of Nigeria has been given a boost, OwnGoalNigeria can exclusively reveal.

In the past few years Nigeria have been very active in luring players born abroad to pledge their allegiance to the senior team with the likes of Joe Aribo, Ademola Lookman and Calvin Bassey the latest in a long list.

One name who might likey join the list is newly signed Udinese right back Festy Oseiwe Ebosele who has represented the Republic of Ireland at U17 to U21. He is however yet to play for their senior national team.

He was signed on a free from relegated English Championship side Derby County, where he made the step up from the U18 to the first team. He had his breakthrough last season making 38 appearances for the first team with two goals to his name.

He is very comfortable playing as a right winger, right midfield or even as a left back but he played more as a right back with Udinese beating others to his signing on the strength of what he showed from same position.

Ebosele who turned 20 today was asked about playing for Nigeria if he gets called up, and he admitted that it will be hard to say no if he is deemed good enough for the Super Eagles.

“A call to play for Nigeria? I think no will be difficult to say. I won’t say no but for now I just joined a new team so I need to settle down and seal a spot in the team. That’s for me more important now”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com.