… Chukwueze scores, dazzles for Villarreal
With four days to the commencement of the 2018 World Cup, the Super Eagles will arrive the host nation, Russia today, with all the players expected to be dressed in native attire. After three friendly matches, the Eagles will play its opening match against Croatia on Saturday. Elsewhere, former schoolboy international, Samuel Chukwueze appears to be pushing for place in the senior national team as he dazzled for his Spanish club, Villareal B side in a friendly match at the weekend.
ADEBAYO OLODAN reports happenings in the Eagles camp ahead of the trip to Russia and transfer speculations of Nigerian players including the five-year-deal of Kayode Olanrewaju at Ukrainian club, Shaktar Donetsk.
EAGLES CAMP
NFF accidentally reveals Eagles’ 1st choice keeper
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has accidentally revealed the identity of Super Eagles first-choice goalkeeper for the 2018 World Cup.
Manager Gernot Rohr had kept everyone guessing when he stated that he would announce the goalkeeper that would be in goal against Croatia this week, but the well informed NFF has anointed Deportivo de La Coruña starlet, Francis Uzoho as the team’s first choice goalie ahead of Chippa United’s Daniel Akpeyi and Enyimba’s Ikechukwu Ezenwa.
”For sure, the tactician has the pieces to craft a crack squad capable of surprising bookmakers in Russia,” the NFF stated, yesterday.
”Young goal –tender Francis Uzoho has logged useful hours since making his debut against Argentina in Krasnodar in November last year, and deputies Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Daniel Akpeyi are even more experienced.”
Uzoho has failed to keep a clean-sheet in his last four games for the national team, conceding goals against Serbia, Democratic Republic of Congo, England and Czech Republic.
At 19 years, he is the youngest of the 96 goalkeepers at the 2018 World Cup.
Omeruo aims high, says Nigeria can win the World Cup
Chelsea defender, Kenneth Omeruo has revealed that Nigeria can win the 2018 World Cup because the players will work their socks off during the tournament in Russia.
Omeruo joined a select group of Nigerian players to have represented the country in the FIFA U-17 and U-20 World Cups, Confederations Cup and World Cup when he went the distance against Iran in Brazil 2014.
”Yes, we can win the World Cup. I think we have never gone past the round of 16, this time we are not going to say let us go to the round of 16.
”We will be been working hard, taking every game as it comes and hopefully our hard work will see us through to the final or to do something that no African country has done.”
The former Golden Eaglets and Flying Eagles star added that he prefers playing in the World Cup to the Champions League.
Omeruo will compete with Leon Balogun, William Troost-Ekong and Chidozie Awaziem for the central defensive positions at the World Cup.
Eagles to hit Russia, today
The Super Eagles will break up their pre-World Cup camp in Austria today (Monday) and head for Russia aboard a chartered flight ahead of their opening group game against Croatia on June 16.
The Three time African Champions have spent six days at the Bad Tatzmanndsdorf resort in Austria where they are finalising their preparations for the Russia 2018 World Cup.
The team it was gathered will depart Austria with great expectation ahead of the World Cup despite losing their two warm up games to England and Czech Republic.
“We will leave Austria for Russia in great expectation on Monday and I enjoin Nigerians to support the team as we try to make the nation proud,” a camp source stated.
Nigeria will use the city of Yessentuki as their base camp for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia according to the governor of the Stavropol Territory where Yessentuki is located, Vladimir Vladimirov.
Yessentuki is a city in Stavropol Krai, Russia, located at the base of the Caucasus Mountains.
Nigeria will face Croatia in their opening game on the 16th of June before battling Iceland and Argentina on the 22nd and 26th of June aiming to reach the second round of the competition a fourth time.
…players to travel in Nigerian attire
Super Eagles players will wear new locally flavoured attire when they fly into Russia today, for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The Eagles were poised to wear the attire during their visit to President Muhammadu Buhari last month but the stylist reportedly failed to meet the deadline set by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).
The white native attire has green embroidery of the Super Eagles emblem on the chest.
The white trousers and predominantly white tunic go with white shoes with knots of green at the top to match. A white South-South style hat completes the dashing outfit.
Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo and John Ogu have both posted pictures of them wearing the new attire online.
ENGLAND
Afolabi offered fresh terms to remain at Southampton
Young striker, Jonathan Afolabi has been offered fresh terms to remain at Southampton next season.
The official Premier League retained list confirms that the 18-year-old would be staying put at the Saints if he accepts the new deal on the table.
The Republic of Ireland U-19 international represented Southampton in the U-18 Premier League, Premier League 2, EFL Trophy and FA Youth Cup last season, scoring eight goals in total.
He played for Shamrock Rovers and St Joseph’s Boys in Ireland prior to his move to Southampton in the summer of 2016 as a scholar.
Super Eagles target, Michael Obafemi, Oludare Olufunwa and ex-Arsenal youth-teamer Nathan Tella have all been retained, while Olufela Olomola has joined EFL League One side Scunthorpe United following his release by Southampton.
Former Watford, Arsenal and Chelsea youth-teamer Obafemi made his Premier League debut against Tottenham Hotspur in January 2018.
Aina’s WC Snub: Man City trio show solidarity, to turn down Nigeria
Versatile Chelsea full-back Ola Aina might have taken his omission from Nigeria’s World Cup roster in the right way when he publicly wished the Super Eagles all the best at the 2018 World Cup.
However, there are repercussions over that decision by Gernot Rohr, with foreign-born talents of Nigerian descent in England vowing to turn down the opportunity of playing for the Super Eagles if approached by the Nigerian Federation.
Manchester City trio of Tom Dele-Bashiru, Lukas Nmecha and Tosin Adarabioyo, who have all debuted for the first team, are no longer interested in playing for Nigeria, according to report.
”Dele-Bashiru, Lukas Nmecha and Adarabioyo are the hottest young players in England at the moment,” a top source close to the three players disclosed.
”They are unhappy over the way Ola Aina was treated by Gernot Rohr and the Nigerian Federation, and they don’t want to play for Nigeria again as they could face the same fate.
”Apart from his debut against Argentina, Brian Idowu has not impressed in all the games he has played for the Super Eagles and Echiejile was not playing for his second division club in Belgium, Aina should have made the 23-man squad.”
Aina was capped by Nigeria when he replaced Elderson Echiejile in the closing minutes of the Super Eagles 1-0 win over Zambia in Uyo last October.
The former England U-19 skipper has made four appearances for the Super Eagles.
Moses, Omeruo, 5 others retained by Chelsea, one released
Former Premier League champions, Chelsea has announced their retained players with seven Nigerians making that list following the conclusion of the 2017-2018 season.
The Blues has confirmed Victor Moses, Ola Aina and Kenneth Omeruo will remain on the books of the club next season.
Other players of Nigerian descent retained are: England youth internationals Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori, Ike Ugbo and Tariq Uwakwe.
Of the aforementioned players, only Moses played for the first team last season, with Omeruo, Aina, Ugbo, Abraham and Aina loaned out to Kasimpasa, Hull City, MK Dons, Swansea City and Hull City respectively.
Moses enjoyed another successive season with Chelsea on a personal level, featuring in 38 games and having a hand in eight goals, and helped the club win the Emirates FA Cup.
Striker cum winger, Tushaun-Tyreese Walters, meanwhile, departs Stamford Bridge having made 13 appearances for the U-18 national champions in the league and scoring once against Leicester City in October 2017.
Arsenal offers Bola, Omole new contracts
Premier League side Arsenal has offered two very promising defenders; left-back Tolaji Bola and central defender, Tobi Omole, new contracts and an announcement on whether they accepted the fresh terms is expected in the coming days.
Center back Joseph Olowu, who penned his first professional contract with Arsenal in December, has also been retained, and the same goes for England U17 international Folarin Balogun and James Olayinka.
Hale End Academy product Aaron Eyoma will bid farewell to Arsenal when his contract runs out on June 30. The pacy winger had been linked with a departure from the Emirates outfit even before this announcement, having trained with Derby County and Queens Park Rangers last season.
The club also announced that Alex Iwobi has been retained alongside his childhood pal Chuba Akpom, Xavier Amaechi and ex-Flying Eagles skipper Kelechi Nwakali.
Russia-bound Iwobi finished the 2017-2018 campaign with 39 first-team games under his belt, scoring 3 goals with seven assists.
SPAIN
Chukwueze scores, dazzles for Villarreal
Wonder kid, Samuel Chukuweze has continued his amazing form at Villareal B when he scored the opening goal and got an assist in their 2-0 win over Fuenlabrada.
The 19-year-old showed great strength and composure beyond his years to score in the 20th minute of the encounter.
After the first leg had ended 0-0 the youngster was on fire in a thrilling second leg match in the Mini Estadi that ended 2-0 in favor of the locals thanks to the goals of Chukwueze and Dani Raba.
The former Golden Eaglets star warned of his intentions in the first quarter of an hour of the game. The Nigerian midfielder fired high from the front with the ball just grazing the woodwork.
Four minutes later he had more aim as he made his way to his left and released a remote-controlled missile that left everyone rooted to the spot to make it 1– 0.
Villarreal B went on to score the second goal in a deadly counterattack by Dalmau that ended at the feet of Chukwueze on the left, this Nigerian showed deft skill to lay on for Raba to shoot and double the score (2-0), m.71)
Fans of the side believe Chukwueze is a level ahead of the B team and should be drafted into the main squad come next season or the club could risk losing the talent.
The player was signed by Villarreal for 500,000 € in 16/17 after he losing out on a deal with Arsenal.
His contract finishes next season and already has half of Europe watching him.
The club is desperately trying to renew his contract and shield him from foreign suitors and might elevate him to the main team.
SCOTLAND
Plymouth lines up summer move for Ambrose
Plymouth Argyle is weighing up a shock move for Hibs and Nigeria International defender Efe Ambrose.
Ambrose has a year left to run on his contract and it remains to be seen whether Argyle will be willing to meet the Easter Road club’s demands.
Argyle is set to lose contract rebel Sonny Bradley this summer and it is believed that Hibs defender Ambrose is manager Derek Adams’ number one target as the club look to plot another promotion push in Sky Bet League One.
Ambrose started his career in his homeland with Kaduna United before moving to Israel where he spent two years with Ashdod.
In summer 2012, the player joined Glasgow giants Celtic and he went on to play his part in a Hoops side which won four consecutive Scottish Premiership titles.
UKRAINE
Shakhtar announces Kayode’s 5-year deal
Ukrainian giant, Shakhtar Donetsk at the weekend completed a permanent deal by signing Manchester City forward, Olarenwaju Kayode.
The 25-year-old, who has signed a five-year deal, spent the last three months on loan with Shakhtar after only being signed by City from Austria Vienna in August in a £3.5 million deal.
The former ASEC Mimosas forward never featured for the Premier League champions, having spent the first half of the season on loan at Girona in La Liga.
“Kayode will continue to play for Shakhtar,” the club’s General Director, Sergei Palkin told Shakhtar’s official website. “We have [exercised our option to sign him] from Manchester City, and he has signed a five-year contract.
“He proved himself well, [Shakhtar head coach] Paulo [Fonseca] is pleased with him.”
The former Maccabi Netanya hitman impressed with Shaktar, scoring three in eight for the 11-time Ukrainian champions as they retained their domestic crown.
Kayode was the top scorer in the Austrian Bundesliga during the 2016-17 campaign, netting 17 goals in 33 deals, and has also featured for Luzern, Heartland and ASEC Mimosas.
CZECH REPUBLIC
Ukpai expresses joy over Viktoria Plzen switch
Viktoria Plzen new signing Ubong Ukpai has expressed his delight over his recent move to the Czech Republic giant.
The former Kano Pillars and Akwa United forward said the opportunity to play in the European Champions League and Europa Cup was the reason he chose the Czech Republic club ahead of others.
He also said his team boasts of quality players to do well in Europe such as Josef Šural, Patrik Schick, Jan Sykora and Micheal Krmencik.
Speaking further, he said playing in Czech will boost his chances of playing for the Super Eagles in the future.
BELGIUM
Gent beat Anderlecht, Brugge to loan signing of Awoniyi
Representatives of Liverpool forward, Taiwo Awoniyi and Belgium side, Gent has reached an agreement for the loan signing of the player ahead of the next season.
Both teams are presently thrashing out the financial details of the move with Liverpool keen on allowing the forward spend another season to continue his growth.
Awoniyi scored 10 goals for modest Belgium side, Mouscron, a tally which placed him among Liverpool top goal scorers for last season and also earned him the award of the club’s best loanee.
Anderlecht, Club Brugge, PAOK of Greece and others teams in Europe made approach for his services but the 20-year-old wants a stay in Belgium and Gent appears to be his favoured destination.
At Gent he will be reunited with his Nigerian colleagues; Moses Simon, Samuel Kalu Anderson Esiti and Peter Olayinka.
HUNGARY
Nwobodo ends season with goal
Former Enugu Rangers star, Obinna Nwobodo, put the lid on an impressive debut season in Europe by scoring the second goal in Ujpest’s 2-1 win over Debrecen as the Hungarian top division league came to an end.
This was 10 days after he helped the team clinch the Hungarian Cup following a penalty shootout victory over Puskas Academy at the end of a 2-2 draw in regulation time.
After bringing down the curtain on the 2017/2018 campaign with the latest win, the ebullient midfielder is already focusing on achieving bigger feats next season.
“Last season is gone and I’m already looking ahead to next season.
“I’m happy with what I achieved in my first season in European football, both on a personal note and collectively with the club.
“I was able to get into the team from the very beginning of the season and missed only three, four matches all through and was also able to play an important role in helping the team win the Cup, which is their first silverware in about four years.
“However, next season is going to be tougher because we are going to be playing in three major competitions having qualified for the Europa League.”
SAUDI ARABIA
Shobowale joins Al Ain
Former Shooting Stars and Kano Pillars winger, Azeez Shobowale has joined Saudi Arabian club Al Ain on a year’s deal from Al Hilal of Sudan.
Shobowale has been in great form for Al Hilal thus leading to his lucrative transfer to Saudi Arabia.
Shobowale is a petit left-winger with blistering speed and trickery.
He played for many years at Shooting Stars before he pitched his tent with Pillars from where he left for Al Hilal.
CHINA
Ideye wants Olympiacos return
Super Eagles snub, Brown Ideye has expressed his readiness to return to former club, Olympiacos in Greece.
The former Dynamo Kyiv may however struggle to get his wish as his Chinese club, Tianjin TEDA are likely to demand for huge transfer fee or demand that the biggest part of his salary be paid by the Greek club if he is to secure a loan move.
The player played the last six months at Spanish club Malaga but could not prevent the club from going on relegation to the Segunda division.
Aside Malaga, the 30-year-old played for Bayelsa United, Ocean Boys, Neuchâtel Xamax, FC Sochaux and West Bromwich Albion.
EGYPT
Ajayi keen on Sporting Lisbon move
Former Shooting Stars forward, Junior Ajayi is keen on securing a move to Portuguese club, Sporting Lisbon, despite his Egyptian club, Al Ahly’s decision not to sanction the switch.
Ajayi, 22, joined Al Ahly in September, 2016 from Tunisian club, CS Sfaxien and has established himself as one of the key members of the team.
Since his arrival, Ajayi has scored 21 goals and provided 18 assists in 71 appearances for the Red Devils across all competitions.
Sporting Lisbon’s move for the player is being orchestrated by the Portuguese club’s Director of Football, Augusto Inacio, who was once in charge of Zamalek.
It was scooped from a source close to the player that he is set to hold showdown talks with Al Ahly’s hierarchy on resumption for pre-season duties.
“He (Junior Ajayi) is desperate to join Sporting despite the insistence of his club to hold on to him.
“The problem is that Ahly sold some of their key players recently and they don’t want Ajayi to leave for now.
“He respected the decision of the club but will sit down with them to find an amicable solution to the issue as he want to test himself in Europe after a successful spell in North Africa.”
DID YOU KNOW?
- Thomas Müller heads to this year’s World Cup as the active competition’s top scorer. He heads to Russia with 10 goals, followed by James Rodriguez (6) & Messi, Suarez, Tim Cahill (Aus) & Gonzalo Higuaín (Arg) are joint 3rd (5). Ronaldo is joint 5th with 3.
- During the 2014 @FIFAWorldCup, Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan (6) overtook Cameroon’s Roger Milla (5) as all-time top scoring African player at the World Cup.
- Nigeria will have the youngest 23-man squad (25years, 336days) on the opening day of the 2018 World Cup.
- Ruben Loftus-Cheek completed every single pass he attempted for England in the game against Costa Rica tonight (34/34).
- Germany has had the most different World Cup hat-trick scorers (6 – Edmund Conen, Max Morlock, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Gerd Muller, Miroslav Klose and Thomas Muller).
- France’s 23-man squad is their first in the World Cup or Euro finals not to feature a single Arsenal player since Euro 1996.
- Just three players have scored a goal at four different World Cup tournaments: Miroslav Klose (Germany), Pele (Brazil) and Uwe Seeler (Germany).
- Brazil has ended top of their group in every single one of the nine World Cup finals since 1982.
- Brazil has won the World Cup five times (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002), more than any other nation.
- With his goal against Liverpool in February, Harry Kane became the second fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goals (141 apps) after Alan Shearer (124), also becoming the first player to bag 100+ in the competition with Spurs.
- England has conceded just three goals in their last 10 games, as many as they shipped in the game directly before that (2-3 v France in June 2017).
- Danny Welbeck has now scored 16 goals in his 39 games for England, three more than any other player in the Three Lions World Cup squad.
- All three of Marcus Rashford’s goals for England have come in games he started for the Three Lions (v Australia, Slovakia and Costa Rica).
- Trent Alexander-Arnold is the 17th player to be given his senior England debut by Gareth Southgate, in the manager’s 18th game in charge.
