Taiwo Awoniyi will be the most expensive purchase ever in the history of newly promoted English Premier League side Nottingham Forest after they agree to pay Union Berlin his release clause.

Awoniyi is expected to join the newly promoted side before the end of the week in a deal which will see them pay his release clause of £17.5million smashing their previous expensive purchase when they signed João Carvalho from Benfica for a fee of £13.2m in 2018.

It’s the second time, the 24 year old Nigerian will be the record signing at his club as his move last summer from Liverpool to Union Berlin also made him the club’s record signing for a fee of €6.5m.

He didn’t appear to be weighed down by the price tag as he responded with 15 goals in 31 games last season. A remarkable improvement from the previous season when he was on loan from Liverpool. He scored five goals in 31 games.

Fans of Nottingham Forest will be expecting the forward to hit the ground running at same speed that he settled to life at the German side as they bid to preserve their Premier League status.

The rise of Emmanuel Michael at the WAFU B Championship with the Nigeria U17 team has brought about an upsurge in the amount of agents pushing to make him their client, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Micheal has impressed with the Nigerian team with three goals from free kicks including a brace in the comeback 2-1 win over Cote d’Ivoire in the semi final of the tournament. They will now play Burkina Faso in the final.

The recently turned 16 year old has also won three straight man of the match award in all three games Nigeria have played so far. That hasn’t gone unnoticed according to the CEO of his team Simoiben Academy Mrs Sarah Simon, the wife of Super Eagles winger Moses Simon.

” For what he has done so far we know that they will definitely be interest from several agents. He is only 16 and it will be better if he is allowed to grow a bit before a decision is taken on his career. So far around 15 agents have contacted us with proposal to manage him”, she told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

” It’s not an easy decision to make but our aim is to ensure that he gets the best representative and also the best move which will help develop him further. He is still very young”, she explained.

Crystal Palace will in the coming hours confirm the signing of Malcolm Ebiowei on a free transfer from relegated English Championship side Derby County per several reports.

Ebiowei had his breakthrough season at Derby County last season profiting from the embargo of signing of players due to the team’s financial issues to stamp his feet in the first team.

He has been through four clubs from 2019 till date when he was released by Arsenal. He had trials at West Ham but wasn’t signed. Rangers of Scotland gave him a one year deal that wasn’t renewed when it expired before he returned to England to join Derby County.

The nephew of the first assistant coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Finidi George was also in the camp of the Nigeria U17 team in 2019 but wasn’t selected in the final list of players for the tournament.

” He wasn’t treated fairly by the coaches in the camp of the Nigerian team. Even when he introduced himself that he is from the youth team of Arsenal, they doubted him and even mocked him”, his uncle told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

” You know they asked him to cut his hair as he came to the camp with braids. In training he was termed lazy by the coaches to the point that I almost had a word with one of the coaches. He was really humiliated and eventually dropped but those experience shaped him into who he is about to be now”, he concluded.

Relegated Belgium top division side K Beerschot have announced the signing of two cap Super Eagles midfielder Alhassan Ibrahim on a free transfer from Portuguese side Nacional.

Alhassan who is popularly called Muazam left the second division side from the expiration of his deal at the club and penned a two year deal with K Beerschot, who are aiming to return to the Belgium top flight.

The 25 year old has moved from the traditional role he was playing in Nigeria which was just behind the striker to a more withdrawn role as a deep lying playmaker. He has been playing in that role for two seasons now.

Capped by former Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr, he was a part of the Nigeria U17 team of 2013 and also U20 team of 2015. The move to Belgium will be the third country he will be playing in since leaving Nigeria, where he represented Akwa United.

The senior national team of Nigeria is now the 5thh best team in Africa per the latest ranking released by world football governing body FIFA for the month of May.

Super Eagles played four games in the period under review, losing in two friendly games 1-2 and 0-1 to Mexico and Ecuador respectively before picking up two straight wins in the AFCON 2023 qualifiers.

They defeated Sierra Leone 2-1 in Abuja and set a new national record with a 10-0 spanking of Sao Tome and Principe in Morocco to put themselves in the driver’s seat to qualify for the tournament, which will hold in Cote d’Ivoire next year.

Globally they dropped from the 31st position to 36th with Senegal still maintaining their spot as the highest ranked African country by moving two places to 18th in the world rankings released earlier today.

Valentine Ozornwafor is closing in on a move to Dutch Eredivisie side Vitesse from Belgium top division side Charleroi, OwnGoalNigeria.com understands.

The 23 year old spent last season on loan to the Belgium side from Turkish giants Galatasaray and at the end of the loan deal he was signed permanently with the idea that he will be sold almost immediately.

Vitesse for now wants the left footed central defender on loan while Charleroi are pushing for an outright sale. Sources reveal that it’s a matter of time before an agreement will be reached as the player has already agreed personal terms.

The Dutch side lost Danilho Doekhi to Union Berlin, Riechedly Bazoer and Jacob Rasmussen were both on loan from Fiorentina. Leaving Vitesse are eagerly looking for central defenders. Made worst as well with Dominik Oroz still missing from the long term injury he picked up in Austria. Hence the push to sign the fringe Nigeria international.

He has three senior international caps for Nigeria to his name and he was recently called up in the expanded squad for the 2O23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers but later dropped from the final list of players.

Nigeria international forward Taiwo Awoniyi has all but completed his move to newly promoted English Premier League side Nottingham Forest, OwnGoalNigeria.com understands.

We first broke the news that he has agreed terms on a move to the club from German side Union Berlin but Forest as at when we reported were yet to agree terms on his transfer fee with Union Berlin.

That isn’t the case anymore as both teams have signed the required documents for the move to be made official and an announcement is expected by Thursday or Friday.

Awoniyi per what we gathered has already told his teammates at the club that he will be leaving and already has a shirt number in mind at his new club. We exclusively gathered that he wants the jersey number 14.

If the number isn’t available he will settle for number 9. He is expected in England for a routine medical check by tomorrow. The deal is worth a little over €20 million.

The Nigeria U17 team secured a spot at the U17 Africa Cup of Nations after beating Cote d’Ivoire 3-1 to progress to the final of the WAFU B Championship which serves as qualifiers.

Yet to be defeated in three games, the Nduka Ugbade led team have been very impressive as a team however OwnGoalNigeria.com picks five players who have stood out for the team and are currently courting interest from top teams.

1. Emmanuel Michael – It goes without saying. The Simoiben Academy prospect has stolen the headline at the tournament with three consecutive man of the match award. The freekick specialist who had scored thrice from his role as a full back remains the most potent weapon of the team.

2. Yahaya Lawal – His energy level is on a different level and his ability to join attack  where as a right full back is top notch. Two assists already including one yesterday. Very much one of the pillars of the team not just in defence but as a whole.

3. Ebube Okere – Can spot a pass with his eyes close. Wins back possession with ease, so much that he most times have more touches than any other player. His ability to link defence from attack has bailed the team out severally. A midfielder whose ceiling for improvement knows no bound.

4. Miracle Ogwor – He didn’t start the tournament so well but recovered very quickly. Gave away a penalty yesterday but he was still the most involved in the back four. Solid in the air, good in one on duels. He is the leader of the team from the rear. A good dancer off the pitch as well.

5. Precious Williams- The captain of the team who showed he can also be helpful in defence yesterday. Won back possession four times yesterday in addition to his calmness in front of goal. It’s easy to see why he is the captain of the team.