Red hot Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho says his hattrick for Leicester City against Sheffield United is one out of the many he has in his locker.

The hattrick was his first in the English Premier League but the 24 year old is already looking ahead of the next game with scoring more goals top of his priorities for the games.

Speaking in pidgin English in a video that has now gone viral which was recorded by his Leicester City and Nigerian national team teammate Wilfred Ndidi, Iheanacho who now goes by the moniker “Seniorman” said his hattrick against Brighton is one among 14 he has in his locker.

” As a “seniorman” these things keep coming. I have 14 more left. This is just one and in the coming days I will unleash the rest”, he said in the video which has now gone viral.

His next game will be against Manchester United in the FA Cup on Sunday before travelling down to Nigeria for the AFCON 2022 qualifiers games against Benin Republic and Lesotho respectively.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is leaving no stone unturned in their bid to have the invited foreign based players for the AFCON 2022 qualifiers available.

Per protocols to curb the spread of coronavirus, anyone flying into England will be require to isolate for seven days that is if they are not coming from areas tagged as red zone by the authorities in England.

The Super Eagles will be playing in Cotonou and Lagos respectively. Both cities are not in the country tagged as red zone but the players will still need to quarantine for seven days which will see them miss matches for their respective teams.

In order to avoid the mandatory quarantine, plans are underway to have the players who are eight in number fly in a private jet for the game and return via same means immediately after the second game.

” Talks are underway with their respective teams to have them released even if it’s for the first game in Cotonou but if that doesn’t work then we will explore the idea of flying them in a private jet. That will mean they won’t isolate upon their return”, a source at the NFF revealed.

The players are Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi, William Troost Ekong and the Scotland based duo of Leon Balogun and Joe Aribo.

Coach of Dutch Eredivisie side Sparta Rotterdam has open the door for a potential transfer of Nigeria international goalkeeper Maduka Okoye to league giants Ajax Amsterdam.

Several reports in the Netherlands have it that Ajax Amsterdam is leading the race to sign the 21 year old who also confirmed contact has been made between Ajax and his team but not with his representatives yet.

He also claimed, some other teams in Europe are monitoring his progress in view of a deal in the summer but for now , Ajax looks the most likely to snap up the former Fortuna Dusseldorf youth team goalkeeper.

Sparta head coach Henk Fraser did not want to deny a potential transfer—despite the shot stopper  long-term contract. The Rotterdam-based club has a two-year option for the contract that will not expire until 2022. “I would be happy for him,” Fraser said to ESPN (cited by fcupdate.nl).

“But for now, he is our keeper. And the reality is that he has a long-term contract.” That, in turn, guarantees that Sparta will receive a significant transfer fee. “I hope so because it would mean that we could sign a few players,” Fraser said.

Watford defender William Troost Ekong has joined the list of players who have contacted the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over their unavailability for the AFCON 2022 qualifiers games.

Ekong like the rest of the England based players of the team named by coach Gernot Rohr in the squad for the qualifiers against Benin Republic and Lesotho respectively will be required to isolate upon their return from the game if they honour it.

The one week isolation will see them miss their next league game and just like the others , they are in a position of advantage regarding their push for promotion hence won’t be open to losing one of their key players.

Already two players have been called up from the standby list in Henry Onyekuru and Paul Onuachu but that could be extended with the recent spate of withdrawals leaving the team bare of options in certain areas.

Owngoalnigeria.com exclusively gathered that Rohr has started plans to call the trio of Frank Onyeka , Chidera Ejuke and Peter Olayinka if the situation per players withdrawal doesn’t change by this weekend.

Nigeria need just a point from their final two games in the AFCON qualifiers to seal a spot at next year Africa Cup of Nations but Rohr is keen on having all his senior players around for the game .

Goalkeeper of the senior national team of Nigeria Maduka Okoye has confirmed the interest of Ajax in signing him from Sparta Rotterdam at the end of this season.

Reports came out last week that the Dutch giants are chasing the 21 year old who has impressed in his first season at Sparta Rotterdam and Okoye has now confirmed that talks about a move is on.

“It was all swift, but it is true,” Okoye said in an exclusive interview with Transfermarkt. “Ajax has phoned Sparta but not me or my agency Prime11. I haven’t talked to them directly.” Ajax boss Edwin van der Sar—one of the best goalkeepers in history—has phoned Sparta’s sporting director Henk van Stee. “I have a very close relationship with van Stee and my coach Henk Fraser and I am sure that should it become concrete with Ajax, I will be the first to find out about it,”

Okoye said. “A rumor of this magnitude reflects my current performances. I give everything in training and during games. I do it for the team, the fans, and the people around me. We have one common goal: to stay in the league. And should I benefit from my performances then that is a bonus.”

He however said he will like to remain at Sparta Rotterdam for another season preferably on loan if he signs for Ajax or any other team as he want to further develop by having regular run of games with the modest Dutch side.

“I think it would be a good idea for a big team to buy me but then loan me back for one or two years to Sparta,” Okoye said.

“That way Sparta could earn some money and I can continue to play regularly, to develop my game. When the new club is ready to hand me the number one spot then I could move there—similar to how Chelsea has done it in the past.”

As many as eight players of the senior national team of Nigeria have been ruled out of their upcoming AFCON 2022 qualifiers games against Benin Republic and Lesotho respectively.

Owngoalnigeria.com exclusively gathered that the England base players in the team led by Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Semi Ajayi and Ola Aina have all told the technical crew that they won’t be able to make it for the game.

The players are key to the aim of their respective teams goals this season and if they honour the game, they will be required to undergo a mandatory quarantine for seven days as part of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.

That will see them miss at least two games for their teams who have been told by world football governing body that they are not under any kind of rule to release their players for this month international round of games.

Nantes have already informed Moses Simon that he won’t be released for the game owning to same reason as mention above,and even a plea by coach Gernot Rohr to have him play only the first game against Benin Republic was rejected by the French Ligue 1 side.

Jamilu Collins of Paderborn have always been ruled out of the game by his team Paderborn who are keen on having him around for the business end of the season. Allowing him to travel will see him miss three league games.

Napoli have also informed Victor Osimhen that he won’t be released for the game as he bids his way back to full fitness after contacting coronavirus during his last trip to Nigeria.

Gernot Rohr has defended his decision to call Almeria striker Sadiq Umar ahead of Paul Onuachu of Genk in his squad for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers.

Onuachu has 27 goals in all competitions this season as opposed to Sadiq who has 22 with six coming before his move to Almeria from Serbian side Partizan Belgrade.

The decision generated arguments among faithfuls of the senior national team of Nigeria and Rohr has now clear the air on his decision insisting that it’s nothing personal against the lanky Genk forward.

“It is because I want to see somebody else,” Rohr explained. “We saw him already, we know him, we know his strengths.

“He was a little bit unlucky each time when he has to play. It is the last moment before the World Cup qualifiers that we can test somebody else, so we choose Sadiq Umar.”

Coach of the U21 team of England Aidy Boothroyd says the decision of Ebere Eze to shun the senior national team of Nigeria for the U21s is a brave one.

Eze was courted by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the instruction of coach Gernot Rohr but despite meeting twice with the president of the NFF Amaju Pinnick he snubbed a chance to play for Nigeria.

He picked an invitation to the English U21 ahead of Nigeria two years ago, a decision which he made two years after training with the Super Eagles during their camp in London.

Reacting to his naming in the squad for the European U21 championship Boothroyd saluted the braveness of the 22 year old in pursuing his dream of playing for England as he could have been a senior international with Nigeria.

“ He was brave in settling for England because the lure of senior football with a great African nation like Nigeria isn’t easy to ignore. We are counting on him to impress and hopefully progress to the first team in the future”.

The story around a disagreement between the goalkeeper’s trainer and head coach over the position of Maduka Okoye as first choice of Sparta Rotterdam has been debunked by the player.

Reports in the Dutch media picked up by Owngoalnigeria.com has it that the shot stopper drew the ire of the goalkeeper’s coach of the team Frank Kooiman when he ignored the instructions of the 51 year old in the 1-1 draw against Willem II and FC Emmen respectively.

In both game they conceded via the spot with Okoye reportedly ignoring the instructions of the goalkeeper’s coach by using his instincts to dive in opposite direction as against what the coach said and what they did in training.

In both cases he conceded and it proved costly making the coach to put pressure on the head coach Henk Fraser to replace the Nigerian as first choice.

Reacting to the report Okoye through his trusted ally Oma Akatugba said there is no iota of truth in the report as all concerned with the team are comfortable with his role as first choice.

He said the goalkeeper wasn’t entirely happy with the report hence sort to clear the air about the entire issue which he termed as not true in whatever way.

Nigeria international winger Moses Simon has received recognition for his contribution to the society base on his charity works in several areas.

The Nantes winger gave out 3 million Naira as palliatives during the lockdown in Nigeria and followed that up with the sinking of two boreholes in his father’s home town in Benue State.

At the start of last year he also floated a football academy Simioben FC which is home to about 35 football players who are all between the ages of 15-18 as his means of giving back to the society.

Simon and his wife Ibukun were both recognized by the Friends of Peace foundation for their charity works last year and he will pick up the award when he arrive the camp of the Super Eagles for the AFCON 2022 qualifiers.

“ I received a call about the award earlier today and I must say it’s a honour well deserved owing to what he did in the outgoing year. It wouldn’t have been possible without the support of his wife hence her recognition as well”, Mowiz who is close to the Nantes forward told Owngoalnigeria.com.

“ Looking back at the amount of money he has spent so far for charity purposes it shows a lot of how well he is keen on a better society for all and my prayer is that many will emulate him and do likewise”.