Nigeria U20 midfielder Liamed Quadri has sealed a one year loan deal to LaLiga side Villarreal from famous Lagos football academy 36 Lions according to the player.

The midfielder who is in coach Ladan Bosso’s team for the upcoming WAFU championship in Benin Republic will team up with the team once he turned 18 later in the year.

Confirming the move, the player who is fondly called Kante due to the similarity in his style of play and physical presence with that of Chelsea and France star midfielder N’golo Kante confirmed the move to Futbalgalore.com.ng.

“I am happy to be with Villarreal now. The club is known for relying on young players and making them better.

“I want to learn a lot at the club, play a lot and help the team to be successful. I hope that we will have many happy moments together.”

He will start from their B team with the chance of getting promoted to the main team if he impresses like Samuel Chukwueze did few years ago. He will also be offered an extension base on his success during the course of his one year loan spell at the club.

Newly invited United State of America (USA) forward Daryl Dike was denied the chance to represent Nigeria at the U20 World Cup last year due to documentation issues , Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Dike has emerged as one of the hottest prospect in the USA after netting 8 goals in 17 games for Orlando SC in the MLS. A form that earned him a call up to the senior national team last week.

However all of that would have been impossible if the 20 year old was issued a Nigerian passport on time as he was in the plans of the coach of the team Paul Aigbogun.

“ I got to know about him from his elder brother Bright Dike who also played for Nigeria. I saw his videos and asked friends about him and got nothing but positive reviews”, Aigbogun told Owngoalnigeria.com.

“ Back then he was playing college football in the US but the talent is there for all to see. I immediately asked him to get a Nigerian passport and meet us in camp but his passport didn’t get through until a day after we submitted our list”, he said.

“ It’s not in our hands or his hands and all I can say is I wish him the best of career with the US. He is a humble lad and he will go far”.

Rangers of Scotland leftback Calvin Bassey Ughelumba has told the English FA that his wish is to represent Nigeria at senior level following contacts with an official of the U21 of the English team.

Bassey who has settled down into Rangers squad following his move to the Scottish giants in July has made nine appearances this season.

The 20 year old who is comfortable as a left back and also as a centre back was contacted over the possibility of lining up for the English U21 but he turned it down as he is focused on playing for Nigeria.

Owngoalnigeria.com exclusively gathered that he was close to making the squad of the Nigeria U20 team to the last World Cup as he contacted Paul Aigbogun who was then the coach of the team.

Now working as a scout of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) , Aigbogun has already recommended the rising left back to coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr.

Rohr watched the big left back in one of the games of Rangers in the Europa League and he was impressed with what he saw making his call up a possibility in the nearest future.

As many as five Super Eagles players have mocked the instruction of the Minister for Youth and Sports Sunday Dare on the mandatory inclusion of locally based players in the team.

Dare in a press release after a meeting with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) told the board that as many as three players playing in the Nigeria League should be given a spot in the Super Eagles list.

The minister made the comments in light of the drive by Coach Gernot Rohr to get more players born abroad to represent Nigeria alongside players based in European countries.

However Rohr is not alone in the quest to beef up his team with players born abroad as coach of the Nigeria male Basketball team called D’Tigers Mike Brown has been busy holding talks with players born in America with Nigerian origin to play for the Nigerian team.

“ I follow basketball a lot and when I saw the news I was excited for the choices of the coach. Then I remember the instruction of the Minister on players in our team must contain home based players. What about the basketball team”, he joked”.

Another who was part of the conference call also added his voice by saying the future of basketball in Nigeria is very bright and it could rival football in the nearest future.

“ At this stage we are about getting some of the guys that are tipped to light up the NBA. That’s enough reason to be excited and it’s just a little team more Nigerians will follow the game as they do follow football”.

Former Super Eagles forward Yakubu Aiyegbeni says coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr adds nothing special to the team.

Yakubu was speaking on the backdrop of the Super Eagles poor run of form in 2020 where they failed to pick a win in six games. Worst still they let a four goal lead slip to draw 4-4 with Sierra Leone.

Although they are still top of their group in the race to be at the 2021 AFCON, Yakubu said it’s clear that the team need fresh ideas if they are not make any appreciable impact in Cameroon.

“ At the start the results were coming in and the team was brimming with confidence. Now it’s not the same and that is when you know the true worth of a coach. Sadly that’s not the case as the team relies more on individual talents than the tactics of the coach to win games “, Yakubu told Owngoalnigeria.com.

“ To qualify for the next AFCON looks sure but winning it is highly unlikely unless something is done to beef up the technical crew of the team before the start of the tournament”.

On loan Liverpool forward Taiwo Awoniyi says he is keen on leaving the club on a permanent deal as he begins his seventh consecutive loan spell since joining the team in 2015.

Awoniyi who is on loan to German Bundesliga side Union Berlin said he was keen on leaving on a permanent deal this summer but the move didn’t materialize hence his decision to agree to another loan deal.

He said his decision to push for a permanent transfer is borne out of the fact that he isn’t eligible for a work permit yet and doesn’t think he will be getting one anytime soon.

Liverpool according to the forward have taken very good care of him but he feels his career will be better if he is allowed to leave on a permanent deal.

“ “It is my dream to play for Liverpool,” he told ESPN. “But me playing for Liverpool has to do with getting my work permit.
“Without it, there is no chance for me discussing about playing for Liverpool for now.”

“This season was maybe a bit tough to make the decision because honestly, I was hoping to leave permanently.
“Liverpool have been great, they have been so supportive and we always talk with the director and every time, they tell me to be patient.

“But the reason I discussed something permanent this season was just that I felt most loans I have been to, have not really been the way I want it.

“And I felt like it happens that way because the loan players get less of an advantage than the players of their own club.

“That was what made me think, okay, maybe it’s time to find a home with my family.”

Spanish top division side Huesca are weighing up the option of sending Nigerian midfielder Kelechi Nwakali on loan in January to further aid his development.

Report from Spain has it that the club believe a move to a team where he will get regular run of games will fasten his development as he isn’t getting games at Huesca.

Since the start of the season he has only played five LaLiga games totaling 138 minutes one start to his name, no thanks to when he missed two weeks after testing positive for coronavirus.

Last weekend he wasn’t listed in the matchday squad for the 0-1 loss against Sevilla with no report on why he was missing for the game which further compounded their struggle this season.

A host of second division team in Spain were keen on having him on loan at the start of the season but Huesca blocked the move thinking he will be a part of their campaign in the LaLiga following their promotion.

Legendary Dutch football star Ronald De Boer says Nigeria international goalkeeper Maduka Okoye is among the best young goalkeepers in the Dutch Eredivisie at the moment.

De Boer was in the studio as a television analyst during Sparta Rotterdam league game against Dutch giants PSV. A game which PSV won with Donyell Malen tucking home the rebound in the 78 minute after his spot kick was saved by Okoye.

Okoye was by far the reason why the Dutch giants didn’t break the modest team down easily with as many as six saves to his name including a double save in the box.

His performance didn’t go unnoticed with De Boer crediting the 21 year old first choice goalkeeper of the Nigerian team as one of the best young goalkeepers in the country.

“ Sparta as a team conceded lot of goals last season and also at the start of the season but since Okoye came in they have been very organized lately. It’s the set up that is better now but also Okoye has done well when called upon”, De Boer said.

“ PSV got their way but it wasn’t quite easy and I like Okoye who to me ranks among one of the best young goalkeepers in the league at the moment”.

Four days ago coach of the U20 team of Nigeria Ladan Bosso released a list of 20 players who will represent Nigeria at the WAFU U20 Championship in Benin Republic.

Owngoalnigeria.com senior editor Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman takes a look at the list in details with emphasis on the various departments of the team base on what he saw when he watched the team in Abuja.

Goalkeepers:

Former Nigeria U17 goalkeeper John Amah is for now the preferred first choice even though Chibueze Lambert has captained the squad in some test games. Kolawole Oladipo is below the duo in the pecking order.

Amah who was denied the chance to represent Nigeria at the last U17 World Cup due to a failed MRI Test will be hoping to put in same performance that made him one of the best players for Nigeria at the WAFU U-17 Championship, where he was pivotal in helping the Nigeria U17 team lift the trophy.

Defenders:

Enyimba’s left back Imoh Obot was the sure pick to lead the defence alongside Kwara United Christopher Nwaeze but with Obot out of the team due to a disagreement over his decision to play for Enyimba in the CAF Champions League, Moses Solomon of Calabar Rovers have stepped into his position.

Plateau United Mike Zaruma is first choice right back with Isiah Ejeh completing the back four which has so far emerged as the back bone of the team in the test games they have played so far.

Midfielders:

Nasarawa United Muhammad Abdullah lead the way. He forced his way into the team after excelling in a test game against the Bosso boys. The duo of Adewale Oladoye and Oseni Azeez are the other players usually lined up by Bosso in midfield during test games.

Forwards:

The flanks appear to be one of the strength of this team with the impressive Nenrot Silas of Plateau United on the right and Wisdom Ubani on the other side. Both players are cultured wingers as they track back to help out in defence.

The main striker role has Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi as preferred choice with Hapoel Ranana B team forward Peter Olawale as back up. Even Ubani can function effectively in that same role.