Highly rated Germany youth international defender Jordan Torunarigha has been given the go ahead by FIFA to play for the senior national team of Nigeria, Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

The Hertha Berlin defender filed his papers last year following the postponement of the Olympic Games where he was expected to represent the U23 team of Germany.

The son of former Nigeria junior international Ojokojo Torunarigha snubbed the chance to represent Nigeria In 2018 but he is now cleared to play for Nigeria in March AFCON 2020 qualifiers.

He is among the six players who have represented other nations cleared by FIFA to play for Nigeria following their application to switch allegiance as first reported by this portal.

23 year old Torunarigha who has represented Germany from U18 to U23 level has not been fortunate with injuries and fitness issues with just six appearances to this name this season.

Last season he was ever present for the Berlin side and he made a total of 18 Bundesliga games aside three more in the DFB-Pokal and two for the B team while making his way back from injury.

Genk of Belgium forward Paul Onuachu says fans of the Super Eagles should be patient with him as he is committed to replicating his form at club level with the senior national team of Nigeria.

Onuachu has scored 20 goals in 22 games for Genk this season making him the top scorer in the Belgium top division this season. He scored his 20th goal in the 1-2 loss to Zulte Waregem over the weekend.

His form for Genk is in sharp contrast with that of the senior national team of Nigeria where he hasn’t found the back of the net since scoring on his debut game in 2019. That has led to calls for the 26 years old to be dropped.

Speaking on turning things around, Onuachu said it’s all about patience from the fans as he is not one who hides away from owning up to his struggles when it comes to scoring goals.

“ I understand the desperation for me to replicate my club form with the Super Eagles and I must admit I need to improve and soon the fans will see my club form with the Super Eagles. They should be patient with me like they have been for a while”, he said.

Coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr says the team has players who can influence the dressing room for good when the morale of the team is down.

Rohr made this known while discussing the impact of players off the pitch and character that teams need to show as a unit to achieve results on the pitch.

The Franco-German coach picked out five players including captain of the team Ahmed Musa before playing down the influence of Musa saying as the captain it’s part of his responsibility.

“ We have big players that young players look up due to their commitment and Musa lead the way but you have to understand he is the captain. He has to do that and when he is not around Ekong (William Troost) has to fill that spot”, Rohr told Owngoalngeria.com.

“ Then you have other big time players who inspire the team a lot like Wilfred Ndidi, Moses Simon, Alex Iwobi and Leon Balogun. When you see how they train, play and act on the pitch as a young player they set the standard to follow and off the pitch they are model professionals”, he concluded.

Arsenal U23 first choice goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo could get a chance to train with the senior national team of Nigeria later this year according to sources close to coach of the team Gernot Rohr.

Okonkwo who is eligible for England as well hasn’t played at any level for any country meaning he will not be requiring a switch of allegiance process to play for the senior national team of Nigeria.

However he first of all need to maintain a steady run of games and probably be in the frame of a first team debut if he is to get a chance with the Super Eagles.

“ There is a spot for young goalkeepers in the team because the experiment with Maduka Okoye paid off big time. He is now first choice at Sparta Rotterdam, a year ago he was third choice at Fortuna Düsseldorf”, a source close to Rohr told Owngoalnigeria.com.

“ Okonkwo is in the list of players Rohr is monitoring and if all goes according to plan he could be in for a chance to train with the team later this year. He just need to be consistent at the level he is playing now and also be around the first team at Arsenal”.

Former Nigeria international defender Taribo West says the form of Ola Aina and Semi Ajayi in the English Premier League is enough to earn the duo a starting spot in the Super Eagles.

Ajayi has been ever present for West Brom this season with two goals to his name same as Aina who has nailed down a spot in the Fulham defence following his loan move from Torino.

During the last round of international matches, the duo were partly used by coach of the Nigerian team Gernot Rohr but according to West all that should change when the team regroup in March.

“ When a player is playing regularly for his team in a top league, it’s only normal you give him a chance in the national team. Ajayi and Aina are two of the best defenders for Nigeria now. So it’s only normal they get to play. That’s the standard”,West told Owngoalnigeria.com.

“ Last time I watched Super Eagles they were not in the starting lineup but now is the time to reward them for their consistency with a starting spot”.

The agent of AC Milan new loan acquisition Fikayo Tomori says the Chelsea owned defender can still switch allegiance to Nigeria despite playing once for England at senior level.

Tomori shunned a call up to the senior national team of Nigeria for a chance with England but since playing for two minutes in the Euro 2020 qualifiers against Kosovo in 2019 he hasn’t gotten a look in.

His form at Chelsea could largely be blamed for it as he slipped from one of the top three choices at central defence to the fifth choice defender at the club.

He completed a loan move to AC Milan yesterday hoping to relaunch his career and possibly his chances with the senior national team of England but his agent insist that Nigeria is still an option.

“ Per the new FIFA rule Tomori can still play for Nigeria. It’s not something we have discussed because it isn’t a priority but it’s an option that one could look at in the future. He is still very young. Safe to say we still have time to make a good decision when the time comes”,a member of his management team told Owngoalnigeria.com.

In September last year Fifa’s annual congress has approved a rule change which will give players greater scope to switch national teams. Players can now switch if they have played no more than three competitive matches at senior level prior to them turning 21.

Spanish second division side Almeria have placed a €60 million price on their free scoring striker Sadiq Umar following inquiries from teams in the La Liga.

Bought for a fee of €5 million in the summer from Partizan Belgrade who are also due 20% from his sale by Almeria. His goal return of 11 in 19 games in all competitions which includes 9 in the league has set the pace for a bidding war.

Almeria were quick to slam a hefty €60 million for teams willing to sign him this January but if he helps them gain promotion to the top division the fee goes up to €80 million according to Spanish media outlet Marca.

Sadiq who turns 24 in February is believed to be keen on a stay at the club in this window and had already made his intentions known to the management of the team effectively ruling out a move in January.

The Arabian owners of Almeria also see the lanky forward as a part of the future of the club and in the present they have high hope that his goals will fire them to promotion to La Liga.