On loan Monaco forward Henry Onyekuru has been called up as a replacement for Napoli forward Victor Osimhen in the squad of the senior national team of Nigeria for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

Reports from the media in Greece has it that Onyekuru was handed a call up to the Nigerian team as a replacement for Osimhen who is still recuperating from a facial injury.

Aside the injury, the 23 year old also tested positive for Covid 19 which will require a seven days isolation period ahead of the start of the tournament in Cameroon in ten days time.

Already Napoli doctor Gianpaolo Tartaro who oeprated the forward has said the recovery date for him still remains 90 days making him unavailable to play for Nigeria at the tournament.

“For the formation of the callus bone, according to world protocols, it takes from sixty to ninety days. Unless a biological miracle,” the plastic surgeon told Corriere Dello Sport, as per Tutto Napoli.

“If he does not do the CT scan, we will not be able to dissolve the prognosis. Reduced fractures must consolidate: I repeat, for the formation of the callus, you have to wait two or three months unless a Christmas biological miracle: but biology is not a fan.”

The technical crew of the team led by interim coach Austine Eguavoen will now have to prepare for the tournament without Osimhen who was the top scorer for the team during the qualifiers.

For now Almeria striker Sadiq Umar is favourite to lead the line for the Nigerian team according to sources with the lanky striker arriving the camp of the team earlier today. He however faces stiff competition from Taiwo Awoniyi of Bundesliga side Union Berlin who is also in camp.

Napoli and Nigeria international forward Victor Osimhen vented his rage at a Twitter user who asked him if it’s true that he tested positive to Covid 19.

In a statement released earlier today Napoli said the recently turned 23 year old tested positive to the virus following a test upon his return from Nigeria.

The news has placed his intention to represent Nigeria at the 2021 AFCON in jeopardy as he will require a minimum of seven days before he is eligible to travel to Cameroon for the tournament which starts in ten days time.

As expected it has sparked reactions in Nigeria and partly why a Twitter user under the account @AbiodunOx to ask if it’s true that he is indeed positive to Covid 19. “You have covid or not”, he asked.

Osimhen responded by telling him to ask his grandfather ” Go and ask your grandfather”. His reply drew mixed reactions with many suggesting he could have snubbed the question instead of responding in an abusive manner.

Recuperating Nigeria international forward Victor Osimhen has tested positive for Covid-19 according to a statement from the club.

The striker tested positive to the virus following a test upon his return from Nigeria, the club however said he is at the moment asymptomatic hence will undergo test that has been planned on his return.

Dr Gianpaolo Tartaro who operated the forward for a facial injury will examine the forward’s recover rate tomorrow, two days after advising him not to play for Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

Tartaro insist the days required for the forward to be healed and ready for contact sports must be adhered to saying only a miracle which isn’t recognised in medicine will see him play for Nigeria at the AFCON.

“For the formation of the callus bone, according to world protocols, it takes from sixty to ninety days. Unless a biological miracle,” the plastic surgeon told Corriere Dello Sport, as per Tutto Napoli.

“If he does not do the CT scan, we will not be able to dissolve the prognosis. Reduced fractures must consolidate: I repeat, for the formation of the callus, you have to wait two or three months unless a Christmas biological miracle: but biology is not a fan.”

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) says interim coach of the Super Eagles Austine Eguavoen isn’t to be blame for the non Inclusion of Ademola Lookman in the Super Eagles squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

Lookman was named in the provisional list submitted by coach Gernot Rohr before his sacking as coach but he wasn’t picked in the final 28 man list for the tournament drafted by Eguavoen in his capacity as interim coach.

As expected it brought about an uproar owing to the fact that the winger has been in five form for English Premier League side Leicester City where he is on loan from German side RB Leipzig.

He scored in the 3-6 loss to Manchester City before scoring the winner against Liverpool two days ago. The form made many wonder why the ex England international wasn’t picked in the final list by Eguavoen.

Explaining with a post on their official Facebook page, the football body said the process of his nationality switch from England where he played at several youth level isn’t cleared by FIFA yet.

They said he was named in the squad with the hope that the process would have gone through before the start of the Africa Cup of Nations but it wasn’t the case. Hence Eguavoen shouldn’t be blamed for his non Inclusion in the team.

The release.

The Nigeria Football Federation has stated categorically that Ademola Lookman of Leicester City FC OF England has not yet been cleared by World Football body, FIFA to represent Nigeria at International level. The process for his switch is ongoing.

It is therefore incorrect for any medium to claim that interim Head Coach @austineguavoen is the one who axed the player from Nigeria’s final list of 28 for the Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021.

However, his name was included in the initial provisional list with the believe that the process would have been completed before the commencement of Afcon.

The Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Alhaji Shehu Dikko has revealed why the football body decided to appoint Jose Peseiro as the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria.

Yesterday, the Portuguese was handed the reins of managing the Super Eagles with his tenure to start after the Africa Cup of Nations per a communique released by the NFF after their meeting yesterday.

“The Executive Committee endorsed a proposal for the appointment of Jose Peseiro as the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles,” a statement from the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) said on Wednesday.

Speaking on the decision, Dikko said his experience worked in his favour as he has coached in several continents hence won’t struggle to get use to what his job entails as coach of Nigeria.

“He has coached across the world, in Asia, in Europe, South America, in Africa,” Dikko told ESPN.

“He has worked with big coaches like (Jose) Mourinho and (Carlos) Queiroz, coached at a big club like Real Madrid, coached big players and small players, coached in the World Cup qualifiers, UEFA Cup, UEFA Champions League and so on. He is also well educated, with a masters degree in sports science.

“He might not have won anything, but we believe he will bring value to our team.”

He said contrary to speculations, Roma coach Jose Mourinho didn’t influence his choice as coach but the football house spoke with the Portuguese coach as Peseiro has his name on his CV as his referee, same as the other two coaches who filed in for the job.

“Among the coaches who applied for the job, three of them listed Mourinho as their reference, including Peseiro and we spoke to him based on that and he gave a glowing reference.”

The coach will work with a short term contract according to Dikko with a clear brief on qualifying Nigeria for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with the Super Eagles set to play in a two legged play off next year.

“If he does not qualify us for this World Cup, we will review the situation objectively and make a decision based on that,” Dikko said.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced the appointment of Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro as the new coach of the senior national team of Nigeria.

Peseiro will however not be in charge of the team for the Africa Cup of Nations as his brief starts with the World Cup qualifiers play off in March. Success in the two legged playoff will automatically trigger a two year contract.

He will succeed sacked Gernot Rohr as the substantive coach of the team and will work with Salisu Yusuf as first assistant although he will bring in two others to complete the team.

Interim coach Eguavoen will return to his role as technical director immediately after the Africa Cup of Nations where he will handle the team.

Leicester City rave of the moment Ademola Lookman has been clearer by FIFA to play for Nigeria but was dropped by interim coach Austine Eguavoen, Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Lookman who has scored in his last two games for Leicester City against Manchester City and the winner against Liverpool yesterday was included in the 40 man list submitted by ex coach of the team Gernot Rohr.

The ex England international was picked by Rohr after getting the all clear by FIFA to play for Nigeria after representing England at several youth levels. He was even contacted by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and confirmed his availability for the tournament.

However new coach Austine Eguavoen opt against including him in his 28 man list for the tournament which starts in January next year for reasons best known to him according to a board member of the NFF.

” Lookman is cleared to play for Nigeria and he was even contacted on his availability in January which he confirmed. New coach Eguavoen however didn’t pick him in his squad. So it’s not our fault we did our own part in getting him cleared”, he explained.

Per a document made available to our editorial team, Lookman is the 37th name on Rohr’s list and his status was confirmed by CAF as eligible to play for Nigeria. He however didn’t make the cut after Eguavoen trimmed the squad to 28.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has agreed to let Victor Osimhen travel back to Italy to represent his team Napoli in a crunch Serie A game against Juventus, OwnGoalNigeria.com understands.

Osimhen is in Nigeria and he is expected to arrive the camp of the Super Eagles for the Africa Cup of Nations in Abuja today for the start of preparations for the tournament in Cameroon.

He will be in the camp of the Nigerian team till the 4th of January when he will be expected to fly to Italy ahead of Napoli’s game against Juventus on the 6th of January. We gathered after the game he will fly from Italy to Cameroon just in time for the Super Eagles opening game against Egypt on the 11th.

The agreement was part of the conditions to allow the forward who is recuperating from a facial injury to represent Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Coach of English Premier League side Watford Claudio Ranieri says top scorer Emmanuel Dennis might not represent Nigeria at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations starting in January.

Dennis took his goal count for the season to eight goals and five assists with is goal yesterday as they slump to a 1-4 loss to West Ham United to further compound their woes in their fight against relegation from the English Premier League.

Ranieri was asked after the game if the impending departure of Dennis to the AFCON will make their bid to stay up more difficult as he is in the Super Eagles 28 man list for the tournament. It could see him miss as many as six games if Nigeria go all the way to the final.

The Italian coach responded by faulting the timing of the invitation and also stated that he isn’t sure the 24 year old will represent Nigeria at the tournament urging all interested to wait a bit.

“I’m not so sure I will miss Dennis now. I don’t know if he goes to the national team. We have to wait. We have to wait,” Ranieri was quoted in Watford Observer.

And asked to expand on the Dennis situation:“Look, I know, it did not arrived at the right moment, we have to wait very well. The national team has time to send the pre-calls [call ups], they don’t respect the days and I want to see very well.”

The camp of the Nigerian team opens on Wednesday with Dennis expected to join up after the new year like most players playing in the English Premier League.

Italian Serie A side Napoli will take disciplinary actions against their Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen for travelling to Nigeria when he has still has one more medical check to be done on him as he steps up his recovery from a face surgery.

Respected Italian publication Corriere dello Sport reports that the forward was scheduled to have a decisive medical check on Friday to ascertain if he will be free to play for Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Osimhen has however skipped the test as he is already in Nigeria where he will join the camp of the Super Eagles for the start of preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations starting in January.

Reports from Italy also suggest that Napoli won’t allow Osimhen to play for Nigeria as they believe he will be fit at the end of January as initially claimed when he underwent surgery.

They plan to abide by FIFA rules on non release of players by clubs as they won’t play him until after the Africa Cup of Nations hence bypassing any punishment for not allowing him play for Nigeria.