Nigeria international forward Paul Onuachu won’t be allowed to leave Genk in the January transfer window unless a bid in the region of €30 million is lodged for his service, Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Onuachu is a reported target of teams in Germany, Spain and England after scoring 15 goals in 17 games. A form which has also placed him as the top scorer of the Belgium league.

Genk are eyeing the league title and have made it clear that the 26 year old won’t be allowed to leave the club in January unless they receive a mammoth bid in the region of over €30m.

This much have been communicated to his representatives who are now resigned to trying to move him on in the summer with the hope that Genk will drop their asking price even if he maintains his form in front of goal.

Signed from Danish side Midtjylland at the start of last season, the lanky forward has this season proved himself to be a shrewd acquisition judging with his current form this season.

Former Nigeria U17 goalkeeper Adebayo Adeleye is making a strong case to be called up to the senior national team of Nigeria after another clean sheet yesterday for Hapoel Jerusalem in their 0-0 draw away to Kafr Qasim.

The 20 year old who was a part of the 2017 Nigeria U17 team has now kept nine clean sheets this season with five coming in the last five games of the team. He last conceded a goal on the 23rd of November when they drew 1-1 with Hapoel Rishon LeZion.

So far he has kept goal in 14 games this season with 8 clean sheets, he has only been beaten eight times this season as his team continue their push for promotion to the top flight in Portugal.

Rumored to be among the goalkeepers on the list of coach of the Super Eagles Gernot Rohr, his current form will likely earn him a look in when the team regroup in March next year.

However the fact that he plays in the second division of Israel could work against him with the emergence of Matthew Yakubu of top division Slovakian side SKF Sered.

Alex Iwobi’s impressive form in a new role at Everton has seen him go up the ladder in the list of best dribble success rate in the English Premier League.

Iwobi now plays as a right wing back with coach Carlo Ancelotti deploying him to that role in order to get the best out of his ability to run the flanks from deep and also link up play.

That has caused a turn around in the form of the Nigerian who has so far succeeded with 73.1% of his attempts to dribble past his opponents making him 6th in the list.

Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino tops the list with 77.8% with Kyle Walker-Peters of Southampton third with a success rate of 75.9%. Solly March of Brighton and Hove Albion complete the top three with 75%.

Andros Townsend of Crystal Palace is fourth while Iwobi’s teammate Alan comes in fifth position with both players having 74.1% success rate after 16 games in the English Premier League.

Ebere Eze says he is confident that he will get his chance with the three lions of England soon but for now he is focused on his form with Crystal Palace.

Eze has been a revelation this season for the Eagles following his move from QPR in the summer and that has helped him to cement his spot in the English U21.

Eligible to represent Nigeria, Eze trained with the Nigerian senior team in 2016 while he was still making the grades at QPR but says for now he is keen on representing England at senior level.

He however said eyeing the next European championship looks like a long shot but it is possible if he impresses with Crystal Palace and also the U21s in the European championship.

“ Lots of players have made the step up to the senior team of England from the U21s since Gareth Southgate took over. It’s a path I am keen to follow and it starts with doing well for my team and also the U21 in the European championship”, Eze said.

“ Maybe the Euros is a bit soon but it’s possible with hard work, determination and focus. I will say for now the idea is to be at my best for Crystal Palace”.

Coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr is putting pressure on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to allow the team return to playing their home games at the nest of champions in Uyo.

The Super Eagles adopted the ground as their home ground for two years but the haven’t played a game there for same period as well dating back to since the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

It is believed that tension between some members of the government in Akwa Ibom state and the NFF made the football body to move the team away from Uyo, even though they know that the pitch is among the best in the country.

Rohr is keen on a return to the pitch as they get set to wrap up qualification for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and also start the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup next year.

His desire however is contrary to that of the Minister for Youths and Sports Sunday Dare who is keen on the team returning to the nation’s capital for their home games.

Already renovation works have stepped up at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja with a target of completing it all before international football returns in March next year.

Nigeria international and Heartland goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa was at the receiving end of some harsh criticism from fans of Katsina United following his team’s 2-3 loss in Katsina two days ago.

Ezenwa was in goal for the Owerri team against his former side and was beaten thrice as Katsina United started the league on a sound foot with a win.

The shot stopper was booed all through by a small section of the fans who found their way into the stadium as they register their displeasure over the manner which he left the team.

After the game, a journalist who covered the encounter told Owngoalnigeria.comthat he was mocked for his goal in two out of the three goals they conceded.

“ It was funny to see them chant songs of abuse in their normal fashion but this time around, Ezenwa was the target. As their highest earner once upon a time I believe they haven’t gotten over the way he left after a season”, he said.

“ For two out of the three goals he should have done better. The first two goals precisely he was beaten far too easily and they capitalized on that to call him all manner of names after the game. He was seriously mocked”.

Leicester City manager has provided an explanation on why Nigeria international Kelechi Iheanacho missed from the spot in their 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace.

Brendan Rodgers was filled with sympathy for the ex Manchester City forward who wasted the chance to put his team ahead before Crystal Palace scored at the other end in what was a rare start for him.

Iheanacho stepped up from 12 yards after Luke Thomas was tripped by James Tomkins, only for the Nigerian to see his effort saved by Vicente Guaita.

Ayoze Perez had taken, and scored, a penalty for City in January, but Iheanacho got the nod over the Spaniard after winning a practice shoot-out at the new training ground the day before.

While Iheanacho finished five from five, Perez scored just four. Still, Brendan Rodgers said the spot-kick that mattered was “hesitant” on the part of the forward who is feeling the effect of playing second fiddle to a red hot Jamie Vardy.

“He’s a boy who doesn’t get too many chances,” said Rodgers on Iheanacho. “Him and Ayo were the two designated penalty takers, and they had a shoot-out at training. Kel’s were great penalties, five out of five. Ayo had four. But he (Iheanacho) seemed a bit hesitant today.

“He had another good chance at the near post. It just didn’t quite fall for him today. He’s a young player but even if you’re a senior player it’s always difficult when you’re behind one of the world’s best strikers.

“He’s come in and made an impact in games for us. When he’s started in the Europa League for us, he’s done that. The goal didn’t come and that’s something he will have to deal with. I feel for him today, but other opportunities will come and I’m sure he will take them.”

A video of Bukayo Saka having a soft argument with Tammy Abraham surfaced on the internet shortly after yesterday’s English Premier League game which Arsenal won 3-1 at the Emirates against Chelsea.

Saka who scored Arsenal’s third goal with a cool chip from the edge of Chelsea’s box to put Arsenal 3-0 Up was caught having a chat with Abraham scorer of Chelsea’s lone goal after the game.

The details of their discussion was centered around Saka’s goal with suggestions that Abraham Insist it was a fluke while the Arsenal man claimed he chipped the goalkeeper after seeing him off his line.

Abraham left the discussion with an angry face which is expected because his team lost and his annoyance wasn’t in anayway related to the chat with Saka as both players walked off the pitch.

“ Nothing to do with the argument over Saka’s goal. It was a friendly chat from two players who grew up in same Nigerian community in London. Just a Nigerian discussion and Tammy was sad over the loss not the argument with Saka”, a source close to the Chelsea man told his portal.

English Premier League champions Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw by newly promoted and relegation threatened West Brom in one of the Sunday games of the English Premier League.

Semi Ajayi made atonement for his role in the goal that Liverpool scored with a late goal to deny Juergen Klopp team all three points at Anfield.

The towering Nigeria international headed home a cross from Matheus Pereira eight minutes from full time much to the delight of manage Sam Allardyce who only recently took over from Slaven Bilic, who was sacked after a run of poor results.

Ajayi has been ever present for West Brom this season building on his strong campaign for the team in the English Championship last season.

The goal was supposed to be his second of the season but his deflected effort against Manchester City at the Emirates was recorded as an own goal against Rueben Diaz.

Bayern Munich teen sensation Jamal Musiala is at the center of a tug of war between England, Germany and Nigeria over his international future according to his representative.

The 17 year old is eligible to play for Nigeria , Germany and England as he was born in Germany to a Nigerian father and a German mother. He however qualifies to play for England as he has lived in the country since the age of seven.

He has since gone ahead to represent England at several youth levels with the last coming during the last international break in November. Where he met with the coach of the senior national team of England Gareth Southgate.

It is believed that Southgate assured him of a call up to the senior national team of England in the next international break if he maintains his current form for Bayern Munich where he has scored 3 goals in 14 appearances.

Germany are however not giving up on him yet and they are hopeful that he will change his stance on England. He played for the U16 of Germany in 2016. Their quest to have him back was confirmed by the technical director of the German national team Oliver Bierhoff.

“Jamal Musiala is a very interesting player that we are watching because of his DFB past and his current performances,” Oliver Bierhoff said to Sport1.

“He’s currently chosen to play for England U21s, which we respect, of course,” Bierhoff said. “However, we’ll continue to keep an eye on him and keep discussing whether his stance can change.” Sport1 has reported that U21 national team coach Stefan Kuntz has been doing most of the work trying to convince the Bayern star, without success thus far. 

Nigeria for now is the least favorite for his international future but a representative of the player confirmed that talks have taken place with all three nations with Musiala open to making a decision between Germany or England, when the next international break holds in March.

“ The coach of the Nigerian team met with him using his connections at Bayern Munich but that is a long shot for now. It’s between England and Germany. He has also spoken with the handlers of these teams”, he told Owngoalnigeria.com