Italian Serie A side Fiorentina have completed the signing of 17 year old Nigerian midfielder Michael Kayode from
Serie D side Gozzano FC.

Fiorentina beat off competition from Parma, Udinese and Juventus to sign the Nigerian who is comfortable as a right back despite his main strength of playing from the midfield.

He signed a three year deal and he will start off with the Primavera team (Youth team) under the tutelage of coach Alberto Aquilani. His progress will be monitored for onward promotion to the main team.

Born in Italy to Nigerian parents, he is eligible for both nations but at the moment he is yet to be capped at any level for both nations. All that could change if he makes an impression with Fiorentina.

Kayode from reports is represented by Italian football legend Francesco Totti and his recommendation paved the way for his signing by Fiorentina who are hoping he blossoms into a top prospect in the nearest future.

Calvin Bassey once again showed why he is so highly rated with another top class performance for Scottish champions Rangers in a shock 2-1 win over Real Madrid in pre season.

Bassey followed up his near faultless display against Arsenal in a 2-2 draw with another storming performance against Real Madrid.

He showed what has now become his trademark by defending and attacking when its needed. His performance no doubt will put him in a position to be first choice next season at Rangers.

Already he has been tipped by coach of the senior national team of Nigeria to be in his plans for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers which starts in September.

He was suppose to be a part of the Nigeria U20 team to the 2019 World Cup in Poland but according to Paul Aigbogun he wasn’t seen as an option as captain Ikouwem Utin plays in same role.

Aigbogun has however spoken with Rohr who has given his blessings for the 21 year old to be a part of his team following his declaration that he wants Nigeria ahead of England.



A new name has stolen the attention of fans of West Ham in pre season game this season after back to back impressive performance against Reading and his former club Cletic.

He is 19 year old Irish-Nigerian forward Armstrong Okoflex who only joined the team this summer from Cletic. A team he scored against yesterday as they ran out 6-2 winners in a pre season game.

His short career has seen him play for Arsenal for a year after turning down an offer of contract extension he signed where Celtic. He was there for two years and made his first team bow at 17. He however didn’t accept fresh terms and decided on a move to West Ham.

Okoflex has put himself in pole position for a first team role at West Ham when the season resumes something which wasn’t envisaged when he signed as he was supposed to be with the U23 for a while.

In 2019, his father Reginald Okoflex Inya who sees himself as Irish Nigerian revealed there is an international tug of war between England and Ireland for his son, whom ex Celtic Manager Brendan Rodgers once compared to a young Raheem Sterling at 17.

The father also revealed that Nigeria is another option for his son who is largely seen as a modern day forward with the attribute of not just scoring but also creating goal scoring opportunities for his teammates.

“To be honest, he was first called up and played with England before Ireland even called him. He already played for England, then Ireland called him up. He is still playing with the two”, he told Balls.ie.

Nigeria international forward Victor Osimhen took his pre season tally to four goals in two games with the lone goal for Napoli in their 1-0 win over Pro Vercelli.

The Nigerian followed up his hattrick in the previous pre season game with a header in the 26th minute and it ended up as the winner at the end of regulation time.

Osimhen lasted for 62 minute and he was heavily involved for the duration he was on even after his goal. He teed up Zedadka whose effort came off the bar.

He almost grabbed a second but he failed to hit the target after good works by Matteo Politano but he wasn’t made to regret the miss as they grind out a hard fought win.

It is now two wins for two for new manager Luciano Spalleti who replaces Gennaro Gattuso in the summer. He has already tipped Osimhen to better his last season tally of ten league goals.

Moses Odubajo scored a screamer for QPR as they secure a shock 4-2 win over English Premier League giants Manchester United In a pre season game.

Man United started the game the better side with Jesse Lingard opening scoring in the 3rd minute of play but the lead didn’t last long with Charlie Austin drawing QPR level four minutes later.

Lyndon Dykes extended the lead of the English Championship side with two brilliant strikes in the 53rd and 59th minute sandwiched in between Odubajo strike which can easily pass as the goal of the game.

On trial at the club, the 27 year old who operated as a right wing back in front of a back three cut in on his left foot and with some work to do he manage to get his effort on target which sailed pass Lee Grant in goal for Manchester United.

Odubajo hasn’t have the best of time since suffering a dislocated knee cap injury that snow balled into ligament damage while at Hull City and it kept him out for almost 18 months as he battled to regain full fitness.

Since then he has had spells at Brentford and Sheffield Wednesday but with little or no success to show for it. He is pushing to relaunch himself by earning a deal at QPR.

In 2017 he claimed he was approached by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to pledge his allegiance to the Super Eagles of Nigeria but injuries stopped him from honoring the opportunity to be a part of the team.

The decision of the captain of the senior national team of Nigeria Ahmed Musa to join Turkish side Fatih Karagumruk came as a shock to many but financially it’s sound deal.

Musa joined the ambitious Turkish side on a free transfer after exercising the option of leaving for free in his deal with Kano Pillars if he gets a deal abroad before the end of the summer transfer window.

OwnGoalNigeria.com gathered from those privy to the deal that it’s worth around $2.5 million a year in salary and other bonuses, which is around 1 billion Naira a year in Nigerian currency.

At the club he will team up with other big name players like Fabio Borini, Emiliano Viviano, Lucas Biglia and Andrea Bertolacci but he will be the highest earner at the club. He will earn around $40,000 a week including bonuses.

We gathered it’s a three year deal which also have special incentive that includes bonus for qualification to either the UEFA Champions League or Europa League. There is also a financial reward if he finishes as top scorer in the team.

Just two years ago Wisdom Ubani who recently joined Croatian side NK Lokomotiva visited Belgium where talks were held with league giants Anderlecht.

Ubani was rumored to be close to penning a five year deal with the Vincent Kompany led team after impressing at the U17 Africa Cup of Nations for the Nigerian team.

He was one of the few bright spark of the Nigerian team that failed to match the height of previous teams before them. As expected it brought about attention from top teams in Europe.

Anderlecht showed the most desire to sign the then 16 year old and invited him and his mother for a tour of their facility in view of signing him when he turns 18. Talks were going smoothly until it came to the position of valuation.

The owners of his economic rights insist on a fee of €1 million which threw the Belgium League giants off their feet. All attempts to lower the fee proved abortive with his minders thinking he will go to the U-17 World Cup and make an impression which will spark a bargaining war.

Unfortunately he got injured prior to the tournament yet still made the squad but his lack of fitness meant he didn’t match same height as he did at the African championship. Furthermore the Nigerian team also crashed out in disappointing fashion in the round of 16.

By that time Anderlecht have already moved on from his file to other players who were not valued as high as Ubani. Another move to Standard Liege where he had trials broke down after looking likely to happen.

Few days ago he picked up the only available but the least of the options he has gotten since he appeared on the scene in 2019 by agreeing to join NK Lokomotiva of Croatia. A move he hope will put him in the shop window of top European teams in the nearest future.

19 times winners of the Congo Dr top division TP Mazembe say they took up the option of signing Nigeria U17 goalkeeper Suleiman Shuaibu after a recommendation by the head coach of of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr.

Shuaibu has in the past two years moved from the Nigeria U17 team to the U20s, U23s and Super Eagles. In all those times Rohr has been monitoring the Prince Kazeem Eletu goalkeeper.

An official of the club told a source close to the deal that they wanted a young goalkeeper from Nigeria and contacted Rohr when Shuaibu was mentioned and he gave his blessings.

The 18 year old is not expected to be first choice of the team as Congolese shot stopper Baggio Siadi Ngusa who was signed on same day will likely be take the vacant spot of number one at the club.

However, Shuaibu is seen as one for the future and he proved his worth during a short trial at the club. He was handed a five year deal.

The captain of the senior national team of Nigeria Ahmed Musa has made a surprise move to modest Turkish side Fatih Karagumruk SK per reports in the Turkish media.

Musa will join the team that finished 8th in the Turkish top flight last season from Nigeria Professional Football league side Kano Pillars, where he is playing at the moment but on a deal that allows him to leave for free once an offer comes in from Europe.

Linked with a move to Galatasary, Besiktas and even Fenerbahce he decided to shun the trio for a deal with the modest side as they match his ambition of playing for a team with a plan to make an impression.

According to Turkish online news hub Milliyet, the modest club will announced his arrival this week as all the necessary paper works have been signed by all parties involved in the deal.

“We are ready for the holiday! Let our fans get ready, holiday gifts are on the way,” Karagümrük Vice President Serkan Hurma was quoted by the website.

The coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr has arrived in Germany on a scouting mission as the date for the start of qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup draws near.

Rohr confirmed in an interview with NationSport that he will be meeting and speaking with players of the Super Eagles alongside his assistant and president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick.

He said Pinnick will handle the aspect of players based in England while he and his assistant will take charge of the players based in France and Germany respectively.

“We are meeting some of our players,” the German told NationSport. “The President and my first assistant in Germany, and me in France and Germany.”

His trip to Germany coincides with the decision of Bayern Munich to hand contractual terms to 14 year old Matai Akinmboni after a two week trial at the club.

Standing at an impressive height of 6.2 ft, he is a center back snapped up from MLS side DC United. He is the nephew of Bayern Munich legend Samuel Kuffour and many believe he was instrumental in the deal to bring the young defender to the Allianz Arena.

Akinmboni is eligible to represent Nigeria , Ghana and the United State of America. He will no doubt spark a tug for his international future if in few years time he makes the step up to the Bayern Munich first team.