With his impressive double in the England FA Cup at the weekend, former schoolboy international, Kelechi Iheanacho seemed to be back in reckoning at Leicester. With his brace, against Peterborough, Iheanacho has now surpassed the 10 years achievement of Yakubu Aiyegbeni in the competition under two years.
Also on target at the weekend are; Joel Obi Chukwuma of Torino. Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi and Samuel Kalu in the Jupiler League.
ADEBAYO OLODAN, yet again combs Europe and South Africa for reports on the performances of Nigerian players.
ENGLAND FA CUP
Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi and Ahmed Musa (Leicester): Iheanacho continued his scoring form as he netted twice while Ndidi was also amongst the scorers as Leicester City thrashed Peterborough Utd 5-1 away from home to zoom in to the next round of English FA Cup. CSKA-bound Musa was not listed for Leicester.
Iheanacho, has now scored 9 goals in as many games while Ndidi presently has 101 tackles in the Premier league this season, 25 more than any other player.
Ola Aina (Hull City): He played all 90 mins of his club’s 2-1 defeat of Nottingham Forest.
Victor Moses (Chelsea): Was on the substitutes’ bench for his club’s 3-0 defeat of Newcastle Utd.
Iheanacho breaks Nigerian scoring record in FA Cup
After helping himself to a brace in Leicester’s 5-1 routing of Peterborough in the FA Cup on Saturday, Kelechi Iheanacho broke a record previously held by Yakubu Aiyegbeni, as he took his tally in the prestigious competition to nine goals in nine appearances.
Ex-Super Eagles striker, Yakubu notched 8 goals in 20 appearances in the FA Cup wearing the jerseys of Reading, Middlesbrough, Everton and Portsmouth.
While it took the retired Nigeria international 10 years to score eight goals in the FA Cup, Iheanacho became Nigeria’s leading scorer in the FA Cup after only two years.
With 6 goals from 29 matches, Chelsea right wing-back Victor Moses is the third highest Nigerian scorer in the FA Cup, an honour he shares with ex-Arsenal star Nwanwko Kanu.
Top 10 Nigerian goal scorers in the FA Cup
1) Kelechi Iheanacho – 9 goals, 9 matches
2) Yakubu Aiyegbeni – 8 goals, 20 matches
3) Victor Moses – 6 goals, 29 matches
Nwankwo Kanu – 6 goals, 24 matches
5) Victor Anichebe – 4 goals, 21 matches
Danny Shittu – 4 goals, 12 matches
Emmanuel Emenike – 4 goals, 6 matches
8) Kayode Odejayi – 3 goals, 26 matches
John Obi Mikel – 3 goals, 32 matches
10) Victor Obinna Nsofor, 3 goals, 3 matches
SCOTLAND
Efe Ambrose (Hibernian): Lasted the duration of his team’s 1-0 loss at former club, Celtic.
GERMANY
Leon Balogun (Mainz 05): Was not listed as his team lost 0-2 against Bayer Leverkusen.
ITALY
Joel Chukwuma Obi (Torino): Was on target in the 45th min of his team’s 3-0 defeat of Benevento.
Juventus loans out Udoh
Fano 1906 has confirmed the arrival of promising striker, King Udoh on loan from Serie A champions, Juventus.
The 20-year-old’s loan deal with Fermana was cut short earlier last week due to his lack of first-team opportunities.
Fano wrote on their official website that Udoh is in line to make his competitive debut when they take on FeralpiSalò in the Serie C on Saturday, January 27.
A product of Reggiana, Udoh previously spent time on loan at Lanciano and Pontedera.
He represented Juventus in the UEFA Youth League during the 2014-15 season and scored on his debut against Malmo after coming off the bench.
After 20 matches in the Serie C, Fano are 18th on the 19-team table with 15 points.
SPAIN
Kayode Olanrewaju (Girona): He sat on the bench for 90minutes as his team drew 0-0 away at Malaga
Brown Ideye joins Malaga
Brown Ideye has completed a loan move to Spanish outfit Malaga from Chinese outfit Tianjin Teda.
The striker completed the move after undergoing a medical at the club on Friday.
The 29-year-old moved to China from Greek side Olympiakos for a fee in the region of €12 million, but had his playing time limited following the arrival of Ghanaian forward, Frank Acheampong.
The move is expected to enhance Ideye’s chances of making the Super Eagles warm up matches in March against Poland and Serbia, as he hopes to make the World Cup team.
The forward started his football in the domestic league with Ocean Boys and Bayelsa United before moving abroad to play with Swiss club Neuchâtel Xamax, then to Sochaux in France, he then spent three years at Ukrainian side, Dynamo Kiev.
He moved to England to play at West Bromwich Albion for one season before joining Greek side Olympiacos.
He left Europe for China in the winter transfer window of 2017 and joined Mikel Obi at Tianjin Teda.
Ideye was part of the U-17 team before progressing to the Super Eagles, where he has made a total of 28 appearances and scored six goals.
DIV II
Ramon Azeez (CD Lugo): the former schoolboy international lasted 90mins as his team
drew 1-1 at Cadiz.
Godswill Ekpolo makes Mérida switch
EFL League One club, Fleetwood Town has confirmed that Nigeria U-23 international Godswill Ekpolo and the defender has returned to Spain.
The 22-year-old has joined Spanish Segunda División B side Mérida AD for an undisclosed fee.
Ekpolo left Fleetwood after making 15 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring one goal and providing an assist.
Born in Benin City, he started his career with the youth teams of Barcelona and helped the club win the UEFA Youth League in 2014.
The fast and powerful right-back cum central defender recorded 27 appearances for Barcelona B, before he was released in 2016.
Ekpolo has committed his international future to Nigeria ahead of Spain and made his debut for the Dream Team in their 1-0 win over Brazil in March 2016.
PORTUGAL
Joel Obi set for Benfica move
Portuguese champions, Benfica will reportedly make play on Monday in their bid to prise away Nigerian midfielder Joel Obi from Italian Serie A side Torino.
According to popular Italian media outlet, Gazzetta dello Sport, Benfica have been attracted to his strong performances for Torino this season and will make an offer for him on Monday.
Joel Obi has scored four goals and assisted two in 16 appearances thereby attracting interest from clubs like Benfica and Spanish La Liga strugglers Deportivo La Coruna.
The former Super Eagles midfielder rose through the ranks at Inter Milan before joining Torino from the Nerazurri in 2015.
Obi may be joined at the club by ADO Den Haag right back, Tyronne Ebuehi, according to reports in the Portuguese media.
His contract with the Dutch club runs out in the next five months and the club has given the green light for him to move to Portugal instead of losing him for nothing at the end of this season.
Norwich City, RSC Anderlecht and Olympiakos were credited with an interest in Ebuehi before he travelled to the Portuguese capital.
The 22-year-old Ebuehi made his debut for the Super Eagles against Togo in June 2017.
In another development, FC Porto has completed the signing of Isah Musa and Kingsley Kuku from 2nd division side, Vizela. The development has increased the number of Nigerians at the club to six with Musa Yahaya, Chidera Ezeh, Chidozie Awaziem
and Mikel Agu already on the books of the club.
HOLLAND
Tyronne Ebuehi (ADO Den Haag): Logged 90 mins as his team lost 1-1 to Feyenoord.
Kelechi Nwakali rejoins MVV Maastricht on loan
Kelechi Nwakali has re-joined Dutch side MVV Maastricht on loan for the rest of the season.
The youngster spent the first half of the campaign with VVV Venlo – also in the Netherlands – where he made nine appearances in the Eredivisie.
He enjoyed a productive season with MVV last season on loan, featuring 30 times.
Meanwhile, the player lasted 90 mins as his new team lost 1-3 at the weekend.
Sadiq Umar joins NAC Breda
Dutch club NAC Breda has signed Olympic striker, Sadiq Umar on loan until the end of the season.
The leggy forward arrived from Italy’s AS Roma, a club he joined in July 2015 from second tier side, Spezia Calcio.
NAC Breda has the option to sign Umar, 20, for an additional season at the end of the loan period.
“Sadiq (Umar) is a very talented player who has already played at the top level,” Technical Director, Hans Smulders told Breda’s official website.
“In his search for more playing time, Sadiq now has to compete with the other strikers in our team.
“We took him on loan for half a year, but we’ve expressed the intention to extend this in the summer until mid-2019.”
Umar has made six appearances for AS Roma, scoring two goals.
He has previously had loan stints at Bologna and Torino but failed to score for both clubs.
BELGIUM
Abdul Ajagun (Kortrijk): Was on the bench for 90minutes as his club drew 0-0 with Eupen.
Samuel Kalu, Anderson Esiti and Moses Simon (Gent): Kalu was on the score sheet in the 78th min of his club’s 2-0 defeat of Club Brugge.
TURKEY
Aminu Umar (Osmanlispor FK): He lasted 90 mins for his new club as they lost 0-2 to Galatasaray in Istanbul.
Shehu Abdullahi, Willam Troost Ekong and Mikel Agu (Bursaspor): The trio played for 90 mins as their club lost 3-1 to Alanyaspor.
Ogenyi Onazi (Trabzonspor): He was on the substitutes’ bench for 90 mins as his team drew 1-1 with Fenerbache.
Elderson Echiejile (Sivasspor): Was not listed for his team’s 1-1 draw with Yeni Matalyspor.
Emmanuel Emenike attracting interest from Basaksehir, Alanyaspor
Emmanuel Emenike is attracting interest from the Turkish Super Lig.
The 30-year-old has been linked with move to Turkish side Alanyaspor.
Emenike has also emerged as a transfer target for another Turkish Side Istanbul Basaksehir who are interested in bringing the forward on loan for the next six months with a potential buy.
According to reports from Turkey, Emenike is wanted by Alanyaspor to replace Brazilian striker Vagner Love who is on the verge of joining Beskitas this winter transfer window.
Emenike who joined Greek side Olympiacos in the 2017 summer transfer window from Turkish side Fenerbahce has scored a total of nine goals in 37 appearances for the Super Eagles.
The striker boasts wealth of experience as he has played for MP Black Aces, Cape Town, Karabükspor, Fenerbahçe, Spartak Moscow, Al Ain, West Ham United, before his move to Olympiacos.
SOUTH AFRICA
Daniel Akpeyi and James Ikwuosa (Chippa Utd): The duo were in action for 90 mins as their club drew 1-1 away at Maritzburg.
