Head coach of English Championship table toppers Frank Lampard is keen on improving his team in the January transfer window to maintain their push for promotion to the English Premier League, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

His team currently sit top of the table holding a six points gap over second place Middlesbrough. A position good enough for them to qualify automatically to the English Premier League at the end of the season.

Despite that the coach is looking for market opportunities to strengthen his team, particularly in midfield where he is targeting adding players with experience as they get to the business end of the season.

Nigeria international midfielder Frank Onyeka is top of his list, and he has already sounded out Brentford on the chances of having the 28 year old even if it’s on a loan deal till the end of the season.

Although Brentford will be more than happy to see him leave on a permanent deal, but they will accept the proposal if the Nigerian who is keen on remaining in England accepts it.

Sheffield United, and Spanish side Valencia have also made enquiries on the chances of having Onyeka before the close of the ongoing January transfer window.

Daniel Martins

Nigeria U20 winger Sani Suleiman who recently completed a January transfer to German side RB Leipzig from Slovakian side AS Trenčín has spoken about his experience after his first training with his new side, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Sani was part of the team’s training two days ago, where he was given a welcome by his teammates to formally begin his push to be a part of their match day after his €7m move, which is a new record sale for Trenčín in the January transfer window.

Expected to slot into the plans of the first team, the 19 year old is optimistic that he will add something different to the team by the time he is deemed ready to play by the head coach of the team Ole Werner.

” It’s a lot different from what I am used to as expected but I sincerely believe that by the time I am trusted to have my debut. I will be ready to show what I can bring to the team. It’s a really big step in my career and I plan to make the best out of it”, he said.

A product of the famous GBS Academy of Jos, he was seen by many as one of the bright sparks in the Nigerian team that competed at the 2025 U20 World Cup.

Fresh from scoring a brace for Dutch top division side PEC Zwolle against AZ Alkmaar Shola Shoretire has opened up about his desire to play for the senior national team of Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The 21 year old who went through the youth ranks at Manchester United before making sparse appearances for the first team is on a season long loan to PEC Zwolle from Greek side PAOK.

He scored his fourth goal of the season in 16 games, with the brace over the weekend, earning him the league’s player of the week award. A sign that he is beginning to reach the height that was expected of him while at Manchester United.

” It’s no secret that Shoretire wants to play for Nigeria. That has been said since three years ago and it’s still the same till date. He is hoping the selectors will look his way if he continues to progress as expected”, a representative of his agency revealed in an exclusive chat.

Turkish side Galatasaray have failed with their opening offer for the signing of Nigeria international midfielder Raphael Onyedika from Club Brugge in the ongoing January transfer window, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Onyedika is seen as one of the main targets of the Turkish side in the January transfer window, with his international teammate Victor Osimhen confirming that he has been in talks with him and Ademola Lookman to join him at the club.

“I’m trying to convince (Raphael) Onyedika and (Ademola) Lookman. Would love to have them come and play with us at one of the biggest clubs in the world”, Osimhen said in an interview yesterday after their UEFA Champions League game against Atletico Madrid yesterday.

Galatasaray followed up their interests with an official bid and according to Belgium journalist Sacha Tavolieri it was rejected by the Belgium side, who are more inclined to letting the 24 year old who recently returned from AFCON duties with Nigeria leave in the summer.

They are expected to return with an improved bid rather than wait till the summer, when they fear Onyedika will have more suitors in particular from teams in leagues rated higher than Turkey.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign 17-year-old Sheffield Wednesday wing-back Yisa Alao for an initial fee of over £500,000 plus significant performance-related add-ons, with Chelsea beating three other Premier League top clubs to secure the talented full-back.

Football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed: “Chelsea agree deal to sign talented 17 year old fullback Yisa Alao from Sheffield Wednesday, here we go! Initial fee over £500k plus heavy add-ons. Chelsea beat 3 more PL top clubs to the signing.”

Alao, a product of Sheffield Wednesday’s academy, has made five senior appearances for the Owls, including his first Championship start in their recent defeat to Portsmouth.

He is not yet on a professional contract and is currently sidelined with a minor injury, ruling him out of Wednesday’s upcoming match against Birmingham City.

Born to parents of Nigerian descent in England, he is eligible to play for the senior national team of Nigeria.

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle will later today run the rule on Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez in today’s UEFA Europa League game against Ludogorets, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The 24 year old has caught the attention of some to the top teams in Europe this season with his goal scoring prowess for the Scottish side from his role from the centre of defence.

He has five goals from 16 games in all competitions, and according to reports he turned down the chance to join English Championship side Norwich City in the ongoing transfer window, with the belief that he will have more options in the summer.

Chelle is well aware of his presence and use today’s game to check up on him once again, and will push for him to commit his international future to Nigeria as he is also eligible for England.

Sources close to the coach says they know convincing him to pledge his future to Nigeria won’t be difficult, because he hasn’t been capped at any level by England.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Nigeria international forward Emmanuel Dennis has penned a two year deal with Danish side Brondby after spending a week on trial with the club at their training base, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

He joined the club on a free transfer after leaving English Premier League side Nottingham Forest in the summer, following the mutual termination of his contract. He was given a chance at the Danish side by Steve Cooper.

Cooper signed him for a fee in excess of £10m while at the helm at Forest, after his splendid debut season in the English top division with Watford. He is now hoping that Dennis will use the opportunity to relaunch his career.

Dennis has also played for teams like Club Brugge of Belgium and German side Cologne where he was on loan. He also spent time on loan with Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir.

The 28 year old spent the second half of last season on loan to Blackburn Rovers in the English Championship.

Daniel Martins

Nigeria international striker Victor Osimhen says he is talking to two of his international teammates to join him at Turkish side Galatasaray in the ongoing January transfer window, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Osimhen made this known shortly after helping Galatasaray secured a 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League yesterday, a result that boosted their chances of making it to the round of 16 through the playoff.

“I’m trying to convince (Raphael) Onyedika and (Ademola) Lookman. Would love to have them come and play with us at one of the biggest clubs in the world”, Osimhen said in an interview yesterday.

The duo are facing uncertain futures at their respective teams with Onyedika keen on an exit from Club Brugge, while Lookman has been keen on leaving Atalanta since the summer, when a move to League rival Inter Milan was rejected.

While Brugge are open to allowing Onyedika leave in January, Atalanta on the hand are hopeful of keeping Lookman until at least the summer.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has slammed a two match ban on Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane for his unsportsmanlike conduct after his team’s 0-2 defeat against the Super Eagles of Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Zidane who was in goal in the quarter final game, went after Nigeria’s midfielder Raphael Onyedika at the final whistle pushing and shoving him repeatedly, before he was pulled away by some staff of the Algerian team.

He immediately went after another Nigerian player in Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, but was stopped by goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, who later got a taste of Zidane’s post match rage and the pair had to be separated.

In a statement CAF has officially sanctioned Zidane with a two-match suspension, which will be served during the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. In addition, the Algerian FA has been fined $100,000.

These punishments stem from the incidents that occurred during the heated Algeria vs Nigeria AFCON match in Marrakech. A strong warning from CAF and a major blow for Algeria ahead of their AFCON 2027 qualification campaign.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released the official team of the tournament following the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

There have been a lot of team of the season flying around since the conclusion of the tournament over the weekend, with Senegal emerging as winners after a 1-0 win over the host Morocco on Sunday.

CAF’s official team of the tournament was officially made a few minutes ago with three players of the senior national team of Nigeria in Calvin Bassey, Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen making the cut.

Meanwhile there was no place in the team for midfielder Alex Iwobi, who was largely credited as the glue behind the fantastic brand of football that the Nigerian team played at the tournament, despite finishing as third.

Another player who will feel hard done by his exclusion will be right back Bright Osayi-Samuel, who was not picked rather Achraf Hakimi who only started playing in the knock out rounds got the nod.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman