Highly rated Nigerian teenager Shola Shoretire has eclipsed Manchester United new signing Amad Diallo as the star of the U23 team of the English Premier League side.

Shoretire who only recently turned 17 this month was born in Newcastle to a Nigerian father making him eligible for the West African country but it’s at club level that he has caught the eyes for now.

He joined Manchester United at the age of 10 and he has since progressed from the youth ranks at a pace many term as rapid considering that he was playing U23 football at the age of 16.

The left footed winger played in the UEFA Youth League at the age of 14 in 2018 but it’s when all eyes came to watch Diallo that he announced himself to the world.

He scored a hattrick in the game to help Manchester United to a 4-2 win over Blackburn Rovers taking his season tally to five for the season in Premier League 2 while he also boast of four assists.

Already Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has added him to the first team training and he will remain there for some time as they sort for a way to ease him into the first team set up in the coming weeks.

Fulham defender Tosin Adarabiyio now wants to be called Tosin without the inclusion of his surname, Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Full name Abdul-Nasir Oluwatosin Oluwadoyinsolami Adarabiyio , the 23 year old who joined Fulham on a permanent deal in the summer now wishes to be called Tosin according to one of his representatives.

“If you observe he now uses Tosin instead of Adarabiyio on his jersey. That is how he wants to be called for now. It’s a lot easy for everyone that way I guess. So it’s nothing like a name change”, he told Owngoalnigeria.com.

Meanwhile during the course of Fulham’s last game in the English Premier League one of the commentators of the game said Tosin has switched his allegiance to Nigeria.

The move which has been on the cards for a while according to several reports will no doubt prove to be a master stroke for the senior national team of Nigeria considering his performance for Fulham this season.

Coach is the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr will in seven days time release the list of players who will represent Nigeria against Benin Republic and Lesotho respectively in AFCON 2022 qualifiers.

Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal that two players namely Taiwo Awoniyi and Terem Moffi have been handed their maiden call up to the senior national team of Nigeria.

Awoniyi will for the first time team up with the Super Eagles largely due to his exploits for his German side Union Berlin. Moffi is coming in on the strength of his showing for Lorient in Ligue 1.

The duo will battle for a starting spot alongside first choice forward Victor Osimhen and Paul Onuachu who hasn’t impressed with the Super Eagles but can’t be ignored base on his form for Genk in Belgium.

We also gathered that Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho is in the list but made the cut as a midfielder with doubts surrounding the availability of Oghenekaro Etebo who is struggling with form and fitness for Galatasary , where he is on loan from Stoke City.

The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) has witnessed eight rounds of games so far with the improved spectacle of having the games live on television.

Owngoalnigeria.com senior editor Mohammed Yusuf Suleiman picks five players who have so far impressed but prior to the start of the season very little was known of them.

Isah Ndala (Plateau United) – Many will say he is in for the early season contender for player of the season. So immense was his performance that Tanzania duo of Yanga and Simba FC wanted to sign him following the elimination of Plateau United from the CAF Champions League.

A tireless runner who is very adept at breaking up play and launching attack he has been one of the consistent players in the eight match old NPFL season.

James Ajako (Jigawa Golden Stars) – Plucked from Oloke Academy in Lagos, the left fullback can easily pass as one of the most gifted players in the set up of struggling NPFL side Jigawa Golden Stars.

At 17 he had a brief spell in Togo playing for Asko d kara and as he closes in on turning 18 on the 9th of March many will say he won’t be at Jigawa Golden Stars when the transfer window opens.

Sadeeq Yusuf (Sunshine Stars) – It took him a long while to get to the potential that saw him sign for Genk of Belgium as an 18 year old from GBS Academy. He also had a brief spell with FK Haugesund of Norway around same time.

At 23, the attacking midfielder has come of age with five goals so far after eight round of games. He scores, creates and also defend when the need arises.

Ayo Adejubu (Sunshine Stars) – He made waves when he signed for Sunshine Stars as a 14 year old in 2019 and subsequently made his debut. However it’s this season that he has made himself a mainstay of the team. Quick, skillful and daring he has cemented his spot in the squad of Sunshine Stars.

Rueben Nichodemus (Nasarawa United) – Announced himself with a bang with a brace for Nasarawa United in the opening game of the season.

Presently out injured with an arm injury picked up against Adamawa United, the GBS Academy prospect will have all eyes on him when he returns.

Onukwube Samuel Stone (Jigawa Golden Stars) – Provokes memories of Humberto Suoaza with his size and the way he applies himself in attack. Four goals already for a struggling team there is every reason that he will be recalled by his parent club Kano Pillars. He has been out on loan for two seasons now to same team.

Promise Damala (Wikki Tourist) – Last season was his first but just when he was about to start making his mark the season was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic. This season he has picked up from where he left off with three goals already to his name for Wikki Tourist.

Gabriel Orok (Enyimba) – The right sided terror in Enyimba’s deadly attacking trio alongside Tosin Omoyele and Anayo Iwuala. He has been on the books of Enyimba for three season and now more than ever this look like the season where he will show why the Aba Elephants have so much faith in him.

On loan Fulham striker Josh Maja says he is still committed to playing for Nigeria following his deadline day January transfer loan move from Bordeaux.

The 22 year old started the season as first choice striker at Bordeaux but after scoring just two goals in 17 league games this season he was deemed surplus to requirements.

Fulham who have been keen on him for a while offered him a route back to English Football where he impressed for Sunderland in League one scoring 17 goals in 49 games. A tally which earned him the move to France.

Maja played for Nigeria in 2019 on the 9th of October precisely in the 2-2 draw against Ukraine but since then he hasn’t gotten a look in. He is however willing to wait for his chance and vows to grab it once it comes.

“ It’s very simple. My mind is on doing well for Fulham and helping the team achieve their aims this season. The national team of Nigeria is a priority but I have to earn the right to play for the team by doing well
for Fulham”, he told Owngoalnigeria.com.

Nigeria international goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa is having one of his worst start to a season after committing another howler which cost his team all three points against FC Ifeanyi Ubah.

The Heartland FC of Owerri shot stopper was largely at fault for the second half goal scored by the visitors which tied the game at 1-1 robbing his struggling team all three points.

Ezenwa who is the Super Eagles number two or third choice pending on players availability has now conceded 11 goals in six games this season and he can’t be directly blamed for at least seven of those goals.

It is rumored that coach Fidelis Ilechukwu will drop him for their next few games with veteran goalkeeper Chijioke Ejiogu expected to take his spot as they bid to turn their season around.

His horrendous start to the season has not been helped by the Heartland back four which has conceded 15 goals in seven games this season including today .

Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso says his team is struggling to hit the early season height due to the absence of Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen and his partner in attack Dries Mertens, owngoalnigeria reports.

Yesterday Napoli drew 0-0 with Atalanta in the first leg of the Coppa Italia further heaping pressure on the coach, who has been feeling the heat since the back to back losses suffered to Juventus and Hellas Verona in the Italian Super Cup and Serie A respectively.

Although Napoli are still on track to achieve their aim for the season, Gattuso said he is confused with the complains which he said is down to their lack of output in the opponent’s half.

He picked the absence of the attacking duo of Dries Mertens and Osimhen as part of why they are floundering in attack hence the pressure. He likened the absence of the Nigerian to Inter Milan playing without Romelu Lukaku.

“I would like to see the #Inter without Lukaku and maybe Lautaro. I’ve been saying this for a month. It doesn’t have to be an alibi but the absences of Mertens and Osimhen they weigh like boulders and one cannot ignore this when evaluating the season of Napoli”.

English Premier League television pundits Micah Richards and Danny Murphy were all full of praises for Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho following his goal for Leicester City in their 2-0 win over Fulham.

Iheanacho scored off a James Maddison assist to record his first English Premier League goal of the season. His fourth in all competitions despite not enjoying a regular run of games.

Yesterday in the absence of Jamie Vardy, the Nigeria international rolled back his days at Manchester City where he had his breakthrough with a smart finish which earned him praises from the duo of the former England internationals.

“Yeah, he came as a young kid [at Man City] and the first thing I realised about him was how good his touch was,” said Richards. You could fire the ball in and he has great close control and he was left footed. He’s a better finisher than his record at Leicester suggests. I knew he was something special, and I want to see him kick onto the next level now.

“He’s got the chance with Vardy out, but to replace Vardy is always going to be difficult”, he concluded.

Fellow Match of the Day pundit Danny Murphy is surprised Iheanacho has not figured more amid Vardy’s injury absence.

“I’ve been surprised he hasn’t started more while Vardy has been out,” said Murphy.

“I’ve always liked him, he’s more of a goalscorer in the number nine role than Perez, for me. I know he missed the penalty at Palace, but even more reason to leave him in there and give him time to get over that.

“When he’s at it, he’s a handful, he’s got good game intelligence, he knows when to go in behind and drive on goal. With Maddison playing as a 10, they link really nicely.”

The representative of PSV 18 year old sensation Noni Madueke says the midfielder is yet to make a decision on switching allegiance to Nigeria from England.

Madueke was named by some section of the Nigerian media as part of the eight players who have committed their future to Nigeria but his agent said the reports is wide off the mark .

“ When he decide to play for Nigeria you’ll get to know. For now he hasn’t because the aim is to establish himself as PSV before committing his future to any of the teams he is eligible for at senior level”, he told Owngoalnigeria.com.

He confirmed that preliminary talks were held with a representative of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and all about the chances of committing to Nigeria was discussed at length.

“ It’s public knowledge that Nigeria want him and talks were held although nothing was agreed. The chances of playing for Nigeria is still very much open but for now club football is more important”.

Reading of England midfielder Ovie Ejaria is yet to be cleared by FIFA to switch to Nigeria despite claims by president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick.

Pinnick in an interview with Punch was quoted as saying that the former Nigeria U17 trainee who later represented England at U20 level is now eligible to play for Nigeria.

“Ovie Ejaria has been cleared by FIFA to play for us (Nigeria), that I can confirm to you, I’m not aware of the others,” Pinnick told The PUNCH.

Reacting to the quotes a backroom staff of the Super Eagles said it’s not entirely true as the coach of the team Gernot Rohr as at yesterday said Ejaria isn’t eligible yet .

He said the process is on but just like that case of four others who have played for England, it’s not yet over the line hence not appropriate to say the player is available for the next round of international games.