The international future of Crystal Palace midfielder Michael Olise stole the space to an extent yet when reports came that he has decided to pledge his international future to Nigeria ahead of Algeria, France and England.

Olise is eligible for all four countries but has only played for France at youth level and most recently at U21. He didn’t honour a call up to the senior national team of Nigeria extended to him by former coach Gernot Rohr.

Around same time reports were flying round that he has commited to Nigeria, sources in Algeria were also claiming he has commited to them and will likely be in the squad for the international round of games in September.

OwnGoalNigeria.com spoke to a source at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and he denied knowledge of the midfielder’s decision to play for Nigeria. He however said it will be a welcome development if true.

‘No idea where that news came from but we will be delighted if it’s true. Last we had him that close was when Rohr was coach. They met and spoke hence his invitation which he didn’t honour but again he was on standby. Since then no contact with him”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

” Our new coach Jose Peseiro will have to make the call if he wants him or not but it’s not about wanting him. It’s about it he wants to play for Nigeria. It’s his decision to make*.

Michael Emmanuel as emerged as the early contender for player of the tournament at the ongoing WAFU B U17 Championship in Ghana. The Simoiben Academy prospect has won back to back man of the match award.

He scored the first goal of the tournament with a stupendous freekick from range in the 4-2 win over host Ghana. He followed it up with another near faultless performance against Togo where they triumphed 3-1.

Many were shocked when he referenced Super Eagles star Moses Simon as the man he is dedicating his man of the match award to after the first game. Today he turns 16 and here is what OwnGoalNigeria.com senior editor Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman can tell about his career so far.

Michael came to Kaduna State from a village in Abuja around a year ago for trials at Simoiben Football Academy owned by the wife of Moses Simon, Mrs Simon Ibukun Sarah. He came for trials like every other kid. They were about 300 who came.

What made Michael stood out was his ability to use the ball in tight spaces. The coaches led by Gambo Shanding, Emma Okpula and Abel Oguh unanimously agreed that he should be given more time and placed him in the team for a test game.

He didn’t disappoint at all. His perfomance cemented his spot in the team but there was a final decision to be made and it has to be taken by Moses Simon. Who scrutinizes screened players on behalf of his wife. Simon instantly took to Michael.

Trouble struck when the kid went missing and Simon who was far away in France was quick to noticed as the lad wasn’t seen in any of the team pictures posted on their social media handles. He immediately sort to know of his whereabouts.

That inquest forced the coaches to begin tracing the kid and discovered that he was in Ilorin. A local scout who saw him in a game with Simoiben Academy tricked him into following him to Ilorin. The moment it was established that he wants to return back to Kaduna and the academy. Simon took him under his wings.

He gave him an apartment to stay, placed him on allowance aside ensuring that he gets fed three times a day. His career was also not left out as he got boots, kits and more from the Nantes winger.

A originally a midfielder but now excelling as a left full back. His journey to where he is at the moment would probably have suffered a setback if not for God and Moses Simon. He turns 16 today and on the right career path to become a great in the game if he continues to progress as expected.

The coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro says players in the team rank among the most talented he has managed in his managerial career.

Peseiro only recently took over as coach of the team but made history in his second competitive game when he led them to a 10-0 win over Sao Tome and Principe in the AFCON 2023 qualifiers.

He has so far succeeded in making the team played an attacking brand of football which to him is down to the talents in the team which is term as the best he has ever managed.

” Our style is to attack because of the type of players we have in the team. I see them very well now in training and they are the most talented I have worked with in my career and I am not joking. It’s hard for me to pick the best selection for games”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

” We expect the next few games to be tougher but we are confident in ourselves. The ideas will make the players love to play for the team”, he concluded

Nigeria international forward forward Victor Osimhen refused to rule out a move to English Premier League side Arsenal from Italian Serie A side Napoli.

The forward is reportedly among the targets of Arsenal this summer with manager Mikel Arteta keen on bolstering his options in attack. Newcastle United are also among the club rumoured to be weighing up a bid for the Nigerian.

Osimhen was asked about his future shortly after Nigeria defeated Sao Tome and Principe 10-0 in their second consecutive game at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. A game which he scored four goals.

Responding he said when the time is right he will speak about his future as anything can happen before the close of the summer transfer window around Europe.

“First of all I am happy with this win and for me I think my business with the national team stays with the national team and my business at my club stays with it. Talking about transfers now I don’t think it’s the right moment for me because I just finished with the national team”, he said at the post match presser.

“I had a good two games and the wins. Of course yeah everyone these there is a lot of rumours going around me and of Europe at large. Anything can happen, you don’t know what’s going to happen in the summer..I just want to go back to my family and have a good time relax and refresh my mind and when the time is right I will speak about my future”, he stated.

Nigeria international left back Zaidu Sanusi has revealed how he came in contact with the agent of Cristiano Ronaldo, who is now his agent.

Zaidu spent three years in Portugal starting with Gil Vicente where he spent two years before dropping to third division side Mirandela. It was while he was there that he was converted to a left full back.

He also played as the left central defender in a back three at same club and it was during a game in the Portuguese Cup that Santa Clara spotted him and wasted no time in signing him.

Playing in the Portuguese first division for the first time he showed no nerves with how he acquitted himself to the demands of the league. It was however a surprise when he moved to league giants FC Porto after just a year.

Porto sold Alex Telles and immediately went for the relatively untested Nigerian and he has so far not failed their trust particularly last season. He was by far one of their most consistent player putting to bed speculation that he wasn’t wanted after struggling a bit in his first season at the club.

What came to many as a suprise as well was how Jorge Mendes, the agent of global football icon Ronaldo became his agent in less than a year in the Portuguese top flight, Zaidu recounts how it all started with the owner of GestiFute company.

” It was quite straightforward if you ask me. He saw me and got my contact. I had no agent at that time. We had this connection from the get go and knowing who he is. I couldn’t have said no. He has helped me grow in my game and as a man as well”, he exclusively told OwnGoalNigeria.com in a chat.

Mohamed El-Assy the General Manager of newly promoted La Liga side Almeria has opened up on the amount it will take to price Nigeria international forward Sadiq Umar away from the club.

Sadiq has been linked with a move away from the team after finishing as their top scorer for the second consecutive season at the club. His deal at the club still has three years to run but it does come with a buy out clause.

Almeria were last summer hesitant to discuss his future as they were keen on keeping him to aid their quest for promotion. They did gain promotion and are insisting on the full amount of his buy out clause. Sources close to Sadiq said they would have been open to lowering it if they had failed to gain promotion.

In a chat with OwnGoalNigeria.com, Sadiq confirmed he will be staying at the club following their promotion to the Spanish top flight but El-Assy insist he is available for interested teams only if the clause in his deal which is reportedly €60m is met.

“Sadik ? It depends on the offers, we know what our valuation is”, he told Moviestar when asked about the future of the lanky forward who was signed from Serbian side Partizan Belgrade two seasons ago.

Calvin Bassey says his improved performance for the senior national team of Nigeria in back to back  2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers games was partly due to playing alongside Moses Simon.

Bassey was super impressive for Nigeria in games against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe respectively depsite playing as a left full back in the first game and as a centre back in the second game away in Morocco.

He showed no sign of the player who partially struggled against Ghana in the World Cup qualifiers playoff which ended 1-1 and saw Nigeria missed out on qualification for the World Cup in Qatar.

Asked what has been the turning point since that game , he said playing alongside Simon helped him express himself freely in the first game and boosted his confidence for the second game.

” In the first game I had to stay careful but Simon kept urging me to push up and join the attack. He dropped or move central leaving enough space for me to express my myself. He played to my strength and when I was tired he dropped and helped me in defending”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

Aalesund hosts Valerenga at the Color Line Stadion in a game from the 10th round of the Eliteserien. Stay with us and our free football predictions for today for this match from the Norwegian league.

Aalesund is having a decent start to the 2022 season. They approach this round from 5th place in the Eliteserien, which is pretty good. They have 15 points won, putting them very close to the 4th Stromgodset. Aalesund is among the newcomers in the Eliteserien for 2022, and it’s curious how good they are performing so far. Maybe even better than they expected.

Before the break, Aalesund made the third draw for the season. Lars Arne Nilsen’s team paid a visit to Haugesund, and these two sides shared the points after a 2-2 draw. The 20-years old midfielder Isak Maatta opened the score for the visitors, but Haugesund managed to take the lead after scoring twice. It was Oscar Solnordal who equalized for Aalesund with a late goal in the 86th minute.

Aalesund’s Sigurd Haugen continues to be one of the most consistent strikers in Norway at the moment. Last year he scored 21 goals for the club, and now he started pretty well, too – 5 goals in 10 matches. Haugen is one of the strikers showing potential to be included in the Norwegian national team at some point. The only thing he has to do is keep scoring.

One of Aalesund’s midfielders, Kristoffer Odemarksbakken, is winning the fans’ love with his performances so far. He was an essential part of the team that won promotion last year, and now he’s doing well in the Eliteserien, too. He already scored one goal from midfield, but what he does is much more crucial. Odemarksbakken is one of Aalesund’s most creative players, so a lot of the team’s success depends on his form.

Valerenga can make a jump in the standings if they win on Sunday. Right now, they are 11th in the table with 10 points, but just three points separate them from the 7th Sarpsborg 08. Just a few wins would improve a lot their position in the standings.

Before the break, Valerenga was not in good shape, though – they lost four of their last five fixtures. The previous defeat was during the home game against Rosenborg – 0-4. Clearly, the head coach Dag-Eliev Akkeraugen had some work to do during the international break. Valerenga’s fans hope he did well enough to change the team’s dynamics.

The Icelandic striker Vidar Orn Kjartansson is one of the players who could inspire Valerenga to improve in the next few weeks. A player with substantial international experience, Kjartansson has already scored four goals in the league this season. If he gets enough service from the midfielders, he could be a precious player for the club. Now it depends on the manager Akkeraugen to find a way to support his best striker with enough good balls. That’s the only way to allow him to score many goals.

Another player who should step up for Valerenga is the key midfielder Henrik Bjordal. A former Brighton & Hove Albion player, Bjordal is probably the essential player in the team’s midfield. He didn’t find a way to remain in England, but he is still an excellent player for the Eliteserien. Now the 25-years old must remind everyone that he was once a massive prospect in Norwegian football.

That’s the free football predictions for today for the Eliteserien clash between Aalesund and Valerenga on Sunday. Both teams are ambitious to improve their position in the standings, but only a win here would allow them to chase that goal.

After a grueling season, the transfer period is here with us and we are about to witness the money-spinning window once again, as teams strengthen for next season. With the 2022 World Cup coming midway through that season, we expect a significant investment by clubs and players will also want to position themselves well. Play time will be very crucial for players who wish to attract their national coaches and command places at the 2022 World Cup.

For European players, there’s an advantage they will have over other players as participating in the ongoing Nations League campaign will keep them in the headlines and offer them a chance after probably having had tough seasons at their clubs. That will however only work as far as their national teams are performing well.

French players, for example, will desperately hope their Nations League campaign takes off after a poor start. The French, starting this competition as champions, were expected to sail easily through to the finals but after three winless outings, it is difficult to authoritatively back a sure win prediction today for France on the SportyTrader football tips.

This, in effect, means a busy off-season beckons, and as we prepare for the talks, sagas and transfers, here we will sample some of the most profitable ones that have been made in the recent years in Europe.

Neymar: Brazilian forward Neymar, currently at French giants PSG, remains the most expensive player after his transfer from Barcelona. He cost PSG £200m, Barcelona having acquired him for £79m from Santos. A profit of about £121m makes him not just the most expensive but also most profitable.

Philippe Coutinho: The proceeds from Neymar’s sale were used to lure his Brazilian compatriot, Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona from Liverpool. Liverpool, who had acquired him from Inter Milan for £10m, went on to sell him five years later at £120m, making him the second most profitable player.

Ousmane Dembele: Still on Barcelona and the proceeds from Neymar’s sale, the Catalans were in the market for Frenchman Ousmane Dembele, who eventually joined from Borussia Dortmund. While his transfer from Rennes to Dortmund cost £15m, the German giants passed him on to Barcelona after just two seasons, for £105m, making a £95m profit to place him as the third most profitable player.

Gareth Bale: Another player from the Spanish league on the most expensive list is Gareth Bale. The Welshman was acquired by Tottenham Hotspur from Southampton for £14.7m in 2007. He was so good that six seasons later, Spurs sold him to Real Madrid for £100.8m, netting £86.1m in profits for the English Premier League club.

Eden Hazard: The Belgian international hasn’t had the best of times at Real Madrid. His time in Spain has so far been plagued with injuries, following a £103.5m move from Chelsea in 2019. Chelsea had acquired his services from French side Lille for £31.5m, thus the move to Spain netted them £72m in profit, making him the fifth most profitable player.

The senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro has revealed the secret of his team beating Sao Tome and Principe 10-0 in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers away in Morocco.

OwnGoalNigeria.com rates the players who represented Nigeria in the game.

Francis Uzoho – He had virtually nothing to do all through the game as Super Eagles dominated the game from start to finish. He wasn’t involved enough to earn a rating.

Ola Aina – Linked up well with the other players high up the pitch and delivered the pre assist for Victor Osimhen to set up Terem Moffi for the third goal. Took up position high up the pitch that made it easy for Ademola Lookman to add to the numbers in the box……7/10

Zaidu Sanusi – Bagged the assist for Moffi’s second goal of the game. Ran the flank with authority and linked up nicely with Simon……8/10

Semi Ajayi – Very calm in possession and displayed a high sense of positional awareness. Distributed the ball nicely from the back. Certainly repaying the trust new coach Jose Peseiro has for him…….8/10

Calvin Bassey- Slowly making himself the first name on the team sheet for games. Followed up his three perfomances at left back with another commanding display at centre back. Can’t seem to do any wrong lately……..8/10

Oghenekaro Etebo – Capped an all round brilliant perfomamce with a well taken free kick. Looked like he is back to his best and pushing to reclaim his spot in the starting lineup…….8/10

Ademola Lookman – A goal and an assist to cap a brilliant display. Helped out in defence with ease, won back possession to initiate attacks and dropped to the midfield to add up the number. He had his best game so far for Nigeria……8/10

Victor Osimhen – Man of the match by a mile. Could have scored five goals if he kept his effort that came off the bar on target. A ten over ten rating he would have got but for that miss……9.5/10

Terem Moffi – Took his two goals nicely. Linked up well with Osimhen in the two man attack. A battling ram who can be a force in the team with more games…….8/10

Moses Simon – Three assists in two games summed up why he wore the captain armband. Took his goal with sheer determination and looked quite lively all through……..9/10

Alex Iwobi – Ran the show for the second consecutive game with a new found energy and drive. Unlucky not to get among the goals but kept the team ticking with simple and clever passes………8/10

Substitutes:

Ahmed Musa – Played really well and had a hand in three of the four goals scored following his introduction. Showed his sportsman’s side by letting Emmanuel Dennis take the spot kick………7/10

Shehu Abdullahi- He didn’t get involved enough to earn a rating.

Emmanuel Dennis – Only major contribution was the penalty he scored. Hopefully that will help his confidence going forward. Nothing spectacular to earn a rating.

Leon Balogun – Wasn’t under pressure to earn a rating.

Sadiq Umar – Same as most second half substitutes, he didn’t get involved enough to be given a score.