Former top scorer in the Nigeria Professional Football League ( NPFL) Junior Lokosa has been told he can leave Tunisian side Esperance as he is not in the plans of coach Moine Chaabani.

Lokosa finished as top scorer in the Nigeria Professional Football League ( NPFL) two seasons ago and was subsequently named in the provisional World Cup squad of Nigeria for the World Cup in Russia.

He later moved to Esperance but since his transfer he has only made 11 appearances with two goals to his name. One came in the league while the other was in the Cup. Injuries and fitness issues have not been kind to the 26 year old who saw a last minute loan move broke down during the last transfer window.

His Nigerian counterpart at the club Samuel Atvati is also heading for the exit door after failing to impress following his move to the team in August last year from fellow Tunisian side Stade Gabesien on a free transfer.

20 year old Atvati was a part of the Nigeria U23 team that failed to impress at the Africa U23 Cup of Nations and at Esperance he made a total of 13 appearances without establishing himself as a regular in the team.

Ade Emmanuel

Per reports coming out of the Netherlands, hot in demand Nigerian winger Chidera Ejuke of Heerenveen has only received a concrete offer from fellow Dutch Eredivisie side Feyenoord, Owngoalnigeria.com reports.

In France, reports went viral about a €10 million from Marseille for the 22 year old but the report has since been dismissed by the club and his agent Atta Aneke, who confirmed that they are looking at several options from a lot of interested teams.

However, a club official confirmed that they have only received an offer from Feyenoord and none from Marseille, something that his agent was also quoted as agreeing to by the media in the country where Ejuke made his name.

In the coming days his future will become clear but for now it appears his future is yet to be decided as they are also reports of interest in his services from teams in Germany and Italy. Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam are also reportedly hot on his case.

Osas Mahawi 

Nigeria international goalkeeper Maduka Okoye is yet to commit to a move to Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam despite visiting the club facility with his representatives as his move away from Fortuna Dusseldorf draws near.

Okoye will be free to join the Dutch Eredivisie side on a free transfer with his deal at Fortuna Dusseldorf where he is a player of the youth team set to expire at the end of the current German Bundesliga season.

Despite his willingness and desire to leave for Sparta Rotterdam, the 20 year old is not in a hurry to commit his future to Sparta as he first of all want assurances of regular game time in a bid to stake his claim as first choice of the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

” He was due for a medical yesterday but there are some issues that need clarification. First of all he want regular game time with the first team. Not demanding for it per say but a fair chance to challenge the rest of the goalkeepers at the club”, a source close to the player told Owngoalnigeria.com.

” He is a senior international for Nigeria and regular run of games will aid his chances of becoming first choice. At the age of 20 he is relatively young for a goalkeeper but the time to gain the needed experience of competitive football at the highest level is now”, he concluded.

Daniel Martins 

Former coach of German Bundesliga side Augsburg rates one time Super Eagles invitee Noah Joel Sarenren-Bazee as not too different from Barcelona and France winger Ousmane Dembele owing to their similar style of play.

Martin Schmidt who was instrumental in Bazee joining the team was sacked as coach in March after a 0-2 loss against Bayern Munich but prior to his departure he gave his opinion on the 23 year old forward who scored his first Bundesliga goal last weekend.

Bazee was handed a chance by new coach of the team Heiko Herrlich after overcoming his fitness issues and the Nigerian didn’t disappoint with a well taken finish similar to what Dembele was known for while at fellow Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund.

” When I first saw him, I said wow – what kind of player is this? For me he is the German version of Dembele. He is incredibly fast, strong in one on one situations very willing to learn and he has a good mentality “, the coach said.

Since missing out on a chance to represent Nigeria due to the injury when he was called up in 2017, the 23 year old hasn’t been fit enough to get another look in but he did confirmed that he is in regular contact with the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr.

” I am still in contact with Rohr. The African Nations Cup showed what great potential there is in the team. If I stay healthy and deliver constant games, I’m sure I’ll get a new invitation “, he told Owngoalnigeria.com.

Roland Mark

Coach of German side Markus Gisdol has‎ spoken on the strength of newly invited Super Eagles right back Kingsley Ehizibue after two rounds of games in the Bundesliga following the return of football in Germany.

Speaking after the 2-2 draw against Fortuna Dusseldorf, Gisdol who replaced the Nigerian ‎in the 59th minute with Jorge Mere in what was his second game after his cameo appearance against Mainz 05 explained the reason behind his substitution.

” We need all players to stay fit for the remaining games that will be played with few rest days. Ehizibue is among the players we intend to give some rest and that is why we are slowly integrating him into the team”, the coach explained.

” His style of play has to do with pace and as such need to be fully fit to make an im‎pact for us in the remaining game of the season. He is not injured but he is slowly returning to full fitness “, the coach said in the post match conference monitored by Owngoalnigeria.com.

This season , the recently turned 25 year old has played in 25 Bundesliga games following his transfer from Dutch side PEC Zwolle where he spent five seasons. He is expected to make the squad for Nigeria when international football returns.

Already he has agreed to switch allegiance to the senior national team of Nigeria from the Netherlands where he played for their U20 in a friendly game three years ago.

Roland Mark

Barcelona is one club where very few Nigerians have tasted success in terms of their club careers. From the first of them all in Emmanuel Amuneke to Ezekiel Bassey, the story hasn’t been too different.

However all that will likely change in the nearest future if the trio of Ejiofor David Obinna, Kareem Tunde Ruiz and Marvin Chukwubukem progress to the first team from the various youth teams of the Laliga giants.

Owngoalnigeria.com senior editor Mohammed Suleiman also known as Mowiz takes a look at the three Nigerians at the club and how they are progressing as they bid to make the first team in few years time.

1. David Obinna Ejiofor John – Still only 11 years old but already a terror to defenders at U13 level. He joined the team in 2017 and stamped his authority at the club when he finished as top scorer at the prestigious U13 tournament in Spain Iscar Cup with 8 goals in five games to help Barcelona finish as runners up behind Real Madrid.

2. ‎Kareem Tunde Ruiz – Joined the team as a ten year old and made a big impression for their U12 before making the step up to other age grades. At 15 years of age now he remains the one most likely to make the first team in the nearest future. All that will however depend on how well he build on his recent rise.

3. ‎ Marvin Chukwubukem Duru – Still only nine years old but already a regular for the U12s. He is said to be a very exciting kid who can run at defences with pace and has the finish to match. A very long way off the first team but if Ansu Fati made it to the main team at the age of 16. Marvin can dream of following in his footsteps in the next few years.

Belgium side Genk have made another bid for Cyriel Dessers after their initial offer was turned down by Dutch side Heracles for the 24 year old who finished as top scorer in the Dutch Eredivisie, Owngoalnigeria.com understands.

Dessers was on 18 goals before the season was brought to a premature end due to the coronavirus crisis but his performance has already caught the eyes of top teams in Europe with the striker insisting he will only move to a club where he will get regular playing time.

Genk are bracing themselves for the eventual departure of their top striker Jonathan David and see the newly invited Nigeria international as a like for like replacement for their in demand forward.

Their first bid was rejected by Heracles but they have submitted another bid which is close to the six million euros ‎price tag placed on the forward as benchmark for teams interested in signing him.

Daniel Martins 

French Ligue 1 side Lille have offered Victor Osimhen a private jet to ‎be with his family following the death of his father earlier today according to the president of the Nigeria Football Federation ( NFF) Amaju Pinnick, Owngoalnigeria.com reports.

Osimhen’s father died in the earlier today with the player confirming his passing away on his various social media accounts. Lille have now offered the forward who is their top striker with 18 goals the chance to be with family.

Due to the restrictions on commercial flights in response to curbing the effect of the spread of coronavirus, the club chartered the aircraft for the 21 year old and according to Pinnick‎ they are working on securing a clearance for the plane to land in Nigeria.

“His club, Lille OSC of France has given him a private aircraft to come to Nigeria to be with his family and probably for the burial rites.

“We have applied for landing permit but we are yet to get this. However, we are still on it and hopeful for the sake of the young lad”, said Amaju Pinnick in a statement released by the NFF.

Forgotten one time Super Eagles invitee Noah Joel Sarenren-Bazee showed he can still play a part for the senior national team of Nigeria with his first goal in the German Bundesliga as Augsburg run out 3-0 winners over Schalke 04.

Bazee who has struggled for form and fitness after several injury problems and setbacks was only making his fourth Bundesliga appearance of the season when he was introduced in the 59th minute for Ruben Vargas.

The 23 year old showed why coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr was keen on him dumping Germany for Nigeria with a well taken goal 14 minutes from full time. He took his marker out before curling home a well placed finish to put his team two goals up.

The goal was his first in the Bundesliga from 16 appearances racked up during spells with Hannover 96 and now at Augsburg. Injuries have limited him since training with the Super Eagles in London in 2016.

He is in his first season at Augsburg following his move in the summer from relegated Hannover 96, he will be hoping for a better injury and fitness record unlike during his time at Hannover 96.

Ade Emmanuel

Leicester City ace Wilfred Ndidi has long been accused of snubbing the Nigerian media but always willing to speak to the foreign press even when he is on international duty with the senior national team of Nigeria.

Aside captain of the team Ahmed Musa who is difficult to approach for an interview, Ndidi is widely seen by most Nigerian journalist as another who only speaks with foreign media outlets even when in Nigeria.

Since becoming a mainstay of the team in 2017, Ndidi is one player that many Nigerian journalist have struggled to access as he is hardly opened to the idea of granting interviews most times even when the players are observing the general interactions with the press.

He is most times absent without any tangible excuse and that explains why he hasn’t been interviewed by any Nigerian media organization since 2018. However he is always available for the foreign media.

Only recently he sat down for a lengthy podcast discussion with Out Of Home crew. Something that once again highlighted his lack of respect for the Nigerian media as he has hardly grant them even a five minute interview.

Osas Mahawi