Coach of English Championship leaders Coventry City pulled a major coup in the January transfer window, with the signing of Nigeria international midfielder Frank Onyeka on loan from English Premier League side Brentford, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Onyeka sensationally snubbed a move to LaLiga side Valencia in favour of joining the Championship side, who are top of the table and pushing for promotion to the English Premier League.

The decision of Onyeka was inspired by head coach of Coventry City Frank Lampard who made a huge impression on the Nigerian, when they talked about the possibility of making the transfer happened.

Lampard an ace midfielder in his prime told the 28 year old who was a star for Nigeria at the recently concluded AFCON, that working with him will help him reach new heights in his career.

A box to box midfielder who has contributed his fair share of goals for Nigeria, Lampard made him to understand that he has the ability to score more goals at club and international level if they work together.

That was the strong point in talks that swayed Onyeka to make the move, which will become permanent if they are able to gain promotion to the English Premier League.

Daniel Martins

The vice captain of the senior national team of Nigeria Moses Simon says he is confident that his teammate Luca Koleosho will commit his international future to Nigeria despite his present status as a player of the U21 of Italy.

Koleosho who is of Nigerian descent joined Simon at Paris FC on loan from English Premier League side Burnley, and he has already made a positive impression on Simon.

He has a goal in three games, but beyond that Simon has seen him up close and personal in training to believe that he will be a good addition to the Nigerian team.

” I just feel that he will play for Nigeria. I don’t know why I am this confident but maybe because he is a quality player and we always want them around”, Simon told OwnGoalNigeria.com when speaking on the chances of the 21 year old playing for Nigeria.

” But you know the final decision comes from him and also the coach. But if any of them seek my opinion I will say do it now because he is such a very good player with a high ceiling to grow more”.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Top teams around the world have made contact with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the possibility of playing a friendly game against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the build up to the World Cup, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria failed to qualify for the world cup, but their strong showing at the AFCON has put them in pole position for high grade friendly games by teams going to the tournament, which will be staged in USA, Canada and Mexico.

Reports emerged that Portugal have reached agreements for a friendly game before the world cup, but sources in the NFF say such reports are way of the mark because nothing has been agreed.

We gathered that teams with African opposition in their group see the Super Eagles as a credible test ahead of the tournament, and have all made contacts with the NFF.

The teams include Germany, England and France who will be up against African teams in the group stage of the tournament.

Not so many players make the kind of transfer that Uchenna Ogundu just made to German Bundesliga side Augsburg from Turkish side Alanyaspor, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The 19 year old is a graduate of Nigeria’s “Diamond Youth Academy” and moved to Turkey in the summer of 2024 to join Turkish third division side Şanlıurfaspor.

However at the end of his contract he wasn’t given an extension and Alanyaspor in the top division picked him up on a free this summer and he’s scored two goals in 17 Süper Lig appearances.

Augsburg, the only team to have beaten German giants Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga this season saw enough to seal his signing now rather than wait till the summer.

Ogundu is a hardworking forward who is blessed with blistering pace and close ball skills. He is expected to take his development to another level with his current move to the German side.

Philip Otele who made the Super Eagles preliminary list of players for the recently concluded AFCON has agreed a move to German Bundesliga side Hamburg from Swiss side FC Basel, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The 26 year old is expected in Germany later today for a routine medical according to transfer expert Florian Plettenberg, it will be a loan deal with the German side having the option of signing him permanently at the end of the season.

A left winger who can also play upfront as the main striker, he has lit up the Swiss league since his move to Basel from United Arab Emirates side Al-Wahda.

He joined Basel a year ago on an initial loan deal, which was later made permanent owing largely to his success with nine goals and four assists in 32 games across all competitions this season.

He becomes Hamburg’s second signing of the January transfer window, following the earlier signing of a center forward in the form of German-American striker Damion Downs from Southampton on a permanent deal.

French giants Marseille have reached an agreement with Belgium side Zulte Waregem for the signing of Nigeria international midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi, OwnGoalNigeria.com understands.

A member of the team to the recently concluded AFCON, where the team finished third he is expected to arrive at the airport in Marseille to complete the move in the early hours of Monday.

Linked heavily with a move to English Premier League side West Ham, Belgium journalist Sacha Tavolieri exclusively revealed that all terms of the transfer to Marseille has been agreed and the 22 year old will now undergo a medical before the official announcement and unveiling.

Nnadi who was also a part of the Ladan Bosso led U20 team to the world cup three years ago joined the Belgium side two years ago from Bulgarian outfit Botev Plovdiv.

In his stay at the club, he made a total of 58 appearances with one goal and an assists from his role as a defensive midfielder.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

FC Porto has agreed all terms on a loan deal to sign Nigeria international forward Terem Moffi from French Ligue 1 side Nice on a loan deal till the end of the season, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Moffi hasn’t played for the French side since November after he was attacked by the fans of the club. His attempt to have his contract terminated in order to leave as a free agent wasn’t successful.

A loan deal was reached with the Portuguese side for his January exit with a clause that isn’t mandatory, but gives them the power to sign him for €8m at the end of the season.

Turkish side Besiktas were reported to be the front runners for his signing, but he still desires to play at the top in mainstream Europe hence his decision to join the Portuguese side for a lesser salary.

All terms of the deal has been agreed and he has also passed a routine medical, and both clubs are expected to make official announcement on the transfer in the coming hours.

Daniel Martins

Victor Osimhen’s reputation as a feared name in Italian football is something that has earned him respect from defenders that were rated as the best in their time, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Osimhen spent four seasons at Napoli scoring a total of 76 goals with 18 assists in 133 games. He finished as top scorer when he powered Napoli to the league title three years ago.

His exit from the club was controversial bringing about a break down in his relationship with the club and the fan base. He however made his mark on opposition defenders including Giorgio Chiellini.

A reporter asked Chiellini if he would have liked to play up against Osimhen on the field.

“Right now, I couldn’t cope,” he replied, smiling.

“But I would love to mark him for 45 minutes. I was unlucky to face him once late in my career when my physical qualities were limited, and I had to rely more on the mental aspect. He’s a strong player, he attacks the space and has natural hunger within that you don’t see in many players”, he stated.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Nigeria international forward Ademola Lookman has put a hold on talks on a January transfer move to Turkish side Fenerbahce before the close of the window following interest from Atletico Madrid, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Lookman already agreed terms on a move to the Turkish side with only a club to club agreement yet to be in place with Atalanta, who are demanding €10 million more from what was offered.

Fenerbahce have however been dealt a cruel blow with Atletico coming into the picture, with a better offer to Atalanta and also matching what they offered to pay in salary.

The offer has now made the 28 year old to put a hold on talks with the Turkish side in line with his desire to stay in mainstream Europe. Talks with the Spanish side is now his priority.

A decision is expected in the coming hours from all involved, but the offer from the Turkish side is still on the table for his consideration despite the offer from Atletico Madrid.

The mother of young Aston Villa striker Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba was all tears when her son scored the winner in their 3-2 Europa League comeback victory against Red Bull Salzburg, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Born in England to parents of Nigerian descent, he joined Villa from West Brom in 2023 when he was 16 and was already an England Under-16 and Under-17 international, but still remains eligible to play for Nigeria.

Jimoh-Aloba, who made his Premier League debut last month, came off the bench in the 66th minute and netted a fine winner with just three minutes remaining – after Rogers and Tyrone Mings had got Villa back into the game.

“It’s a proud moment for me on my European debut,” Jimoh-Aloba told TNT Sports after the match.

“Really nice to make my family proud. I’ve had a lot of lows this season and a lot of highs but this is top. My mum is in the stand somewhere.”

His mother was later seen in a video shedding tears over her son’s late winner.