…as Changchun Yatai slaps £20m price tag on Ighalo
Leggy striker, Paul Onuachu continued his goal scoring form at the weekend as he scored in regulation time to help his Danish club, FC Midtjylland secure a 3-1 win over AC Horsens. He was joined on the scorers’ sheet by his compatriot, Rilwan Hassan. Meanwhile, following their relegation to Chinese lower division, Changchun Yatai has set a £20m price tag on their free scoring forward, Odion Ighalo.
In yet another extensive report, the News Editor, ADEBAYO OLODAN scouts Europe, Asia and Africa for updates on Super Eagles players and prospects.
PREMIERSHIP
Isaac Success (Watford): The striker was introduced in the 77th min as his team won 3-2 against Cardiff City.
Alex Iwobi (Arsenal): He was replaced in the 70th min of his club’s 2-3 loss at Southampton.
Victor Moses (Chelsea) & Leon Balogun (Brighton): The wing back continued his no show as he was not listed when his team secured a 2-1 win over Brighton for whom Balogun lasted the duration of 90 mins.
Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester): The duo made their ninth and 16th start of the season respectively when their team suffered a 0-1 loss at Crystal Palace.
While Iheanacho came on in the 73rd min, Ndidi played the entire duration of the defeat which denied the Foxes a seventh English Premier League win of the season.
Saka misses out on becoming youngest Nigerian to debut in EPL
Promising winger, Bukayo Saka is in line to set a new record for the youngest player of Nigerian descent to feature in the English Premier League.
After impressing in the Europa League for Arsenal against Qarabaq on Thursday, the Hale End Academy product traveled to the South Coast with the first team for yesterday’s game against Southampton.
Saka however missed out on the final selection as the match ended 3-2 in favour of the Saints.
If Saka had featured in the match, he would have become the youngest Nigerian to debut in the Premier League at the age of 17 years, 3 months and 11 days.
The current record is held by Joel Asoro who was aged 17 years, 3 months and 25 days when he came on in the 81st minute of Sunderland’s 2-1 loss to Middlesbrough on August 21, 2016.
Jordon Ibe is the youngest British-born Nigerian player to debut in the Premier League aged 17 years, 5 months and 11 days, and Saka could also snatch the title from the former Liverpool winger.
Ex-Everton striker Victor Anichebe made his Premier League debut aged 17 years 11 months and 30 days, and is the youngest player capped by Nigeria to feature in the topflight, followed by Kelechi Iheanacho and Shola Ameobi.
Chelsea willing to sell £12m-rated Moses
Victor Moses could end his six-year stay at the Stamford Bridge in January with Chelsea set to consider offers of at least £12million for the Nigeria international, according to the Sun.
Crystal Palace and Fulham are said to be interested in the services of the 27-year-old who has fallen out of favour under Maurizio Sarri.
Moses has managed just 26 minutes of Premier League football this season.
U-20 midfielder Ofoborh scores stunner
U-20 midfielder, Nnamdi Ofoborh has inked fresh terms with English Premier League side Bournemouth keeping him at the club till the summer of 2021 the club have announced.
The 19-year- old who is the captain of the U21s of the Premier League side made his international debut for Nigeria U20 in March in a two legged friendly tie against Egypt few months before he was voted the club’s young player of the year for last season.
Ofoborh is expected to make his debut for the first team of Bournemouth before the end of this season as he has been heavily involved with the first team in training sessions ahead of games.
Highly rated as one of the best emerging prospects at the club, he enhanced his ratings with a stunning goal? For the U21s on Tuesday in their 4-1 win over Portsmouth in the Central League Cup.
He smashed home an unstoppable drive twelve minutes from full time to cap a remarkable win for the team that he captains in front of first team manager Eddie Howe who has been impressed by Ofoborh’s progress since joining the club three years ago.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Semi Ajayi (Rotherham Utd): He made his 24th start in the Championship as his club drew 1-1 with Reading.
Tammy Abraham (Aston Villa) & Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City): Despite falling behind twice, Aston Villa was able to get a share of the spoils in a 2-2 draw with Etebo’s Stoke City at Villa Park. Tammy Abraham fired home from the spot in the 73rd min to bring the score line to 1-1. It was his eighth goal in his last six matches in the Championship.
LEAGUE ONE
Fejiri Okenabirhie (Shrewsbury Town): Former Arsenal youth-teamer, Okenabirhie slotted home from a tight angle to give The Blues a 2-1 lead against Peterborough United but the two teams ended it 2-2. The player who was once on the radar of the Nigerian Federation before debuting for England C, has scored in each of his last five games in League One.
Josh Maja (Sudnerland): He now has three goals in his last four matches after scoring for his team in their 2-1 win over Bristol Rovers. The 19-year-old fired home three minutes after the interval following a weighted pass from a teammate.
LEAGUE TWO
John Akinde (Lincoln City): He converted a spot kick in the 33rd minute to make it 2-0 as his club defeated Morecambe 3-1 at Sincil Bank Stadium in Lincolnshire. The former Barnet and Wycombe Wanderers man has tallied three goals in his last five games in the fourth tier.
SCOTLAND
Gerrard sacks Sadiq, Ejaria as Mebude signs new contract
Liverpool legend, Steven Gerrard has prematurely cancelled the contracts of Ovie Ejaria and Umar Sadiq but has tied one of the most promising teenagers of Nigerian descent, Dapo Mebude to a new deal, 18 months after he penned his first professional contract with the club.
The 17-year-old Mebude is now contracted to Rangers until the summer of 2021.
Speaking on Mebude’s new deal, Rangers Head of Academy Craig Mulholland stated : ”We are delighted to extend Dapo’s contract.
“It is only the start however, and Dapo recognises that we have now created a fantastic high performance environment here at Rangers which, with hard work, will allow him to maximise his talent.
“He also sees the opportunity which now exists for talented players at Rangers, and importantly has shown us the obsessive qualities we look for in young players to climb this new pathway.”
Mebude is also eligible to represent Scotland internationally and has three appearances for their U19 national team.
Ex-U-23 forward returns to Italy
Italian Serie B club Perugia is on the brink of announcing the signing of ex- U-23 striker, Umar Sadiq, who has returned to Italy following an unsuccessful loan spell with Scottish Premiership giants Rangers.
Italian transfer market expert Gianluca Di Marzio writes on his website that Perugia has reached an agreement with Roma and the Nigerian striker is set to move to the Serie B club for the remainder of this season.
At the moment, Sadiq has yet to agree personal terms with the Griffins but that shouldn’t be a problem as he is expected to undergo a medical with the Umbria club in the next 48 hours.
The 21-year-old managed only four appearances for Rangers in all competitions from a possible 32 before his loan spell was cut short.
Since joining Roma in 2015, the Football College Abuja product has spent time on loan at Bologna, Torino and NAC Breda and Rangers as he has not been able to break into the first team of the Giallorossi.
Sadiq was Nigeria’s joint top scorer at the 2016 Olympic Games with four goals.
ITALY
William Troost Ekong (Udinese): The centre half lasted 90 mins as his club suffered a 0-1 loss 1-0 to Inter Milan. The game was Ekong’s 16th start of the season since he joined the Serie A club.
Ola Aina (Torino): The Chelsea loanee starred for his club in their Turin derby 0-1 loss to city rivals Juventus.
SERIE B
Simmy Nwankwo (Crotone): He was on the substitutes bench as his team was trailing 0-1 at halftime against Venezia.
SPAIN
Kenneth Omeruo (Leganes): He was on for 90 mins as his team played out a goalless draw at Celta Vigo.
Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal): He made the starting line-up as his team was drew 2-2 with Huesca as at 53rd min.
DIV 2
Francis Uzoho (Elche): He was in goal as his team secured a 3-1 win over Rayo Majagahonda.
GERMANY
Felix Ohis Uduokhai (Wolfsburg): He was cautioned in the 85th min and lasted the duration of his team’s 2-0 win at Nürnberg.
TURKEY
Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray): Henry Onyekuru played all 90mins in the 1-1 draw away at Istanbul Basaksehir. The 21-year-old has scored four league goals in 15 matches.
ISRAEL
Comeback victory excites Ogu
Super Eagles midfielder John Ogu was instrumental for Hapoel Be’er Sheeva in the Israeli Premier League as they came from a goal down to defeat rivals Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona 2 – 1 to move up to third on the table with 22 points after 14 games.
Ismail Ryan scored the opening goal of the encounter in the 12th minute for the visitors while Nigel Hasselbaink equalized for the home side in the 69thminute before Diaa Sabia gave the home team the maximum points with a goal in the 87th minute. Events then turned from bad to worse for Shmona when Iyad Abu Abaid was sent off in the 90th minute.
The win for Be’er Sheva comes as a sigh of relief as they have failed to get any maximum points in their last three league matches conceding seven goals in the process which has placed them 11 points behind table toppers Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Ogu who was one of the outstanding performers in the game tweeted “Important win last night.”
Beitar Jerusalem, Samuel mutually part ways
Aaron Samuel and Israeli Premier League club Beitar Jerusalem have reached a mutual agreement to part ways, six months before the initial agreement between club and player was due to run out.
There was a clause inserted into the contract signed by the former CSKA Moscow star stipulating that he was free to leave the club at any point.
Getting Samuel off the wage bill will help Beitar Jerusalem balance their books as he was one of the highest paid players at the club.
The 24-year-old departs the capital outfit with one goal in four appearances, scored on his debut in a 5-1 loss to Bnei Yehuda.
Few weeks before the opening of the transfer window, Samuel is studying offers from clubs based in France, Spain and Croatia but he’s in no rush to make a decision as it has to be the right club this time.
Samuel began his career abroad at Vålerenga in Norway, followed by spells with Sarpsborg 08, Guangzhou R&F, CSKA Moscow, Amkar Perm and Beitar Jerusalem.
BELGIUM
Imoh Ezekiel and AbdulJeleel Ajagun (Kortrijk) & Emmanuel Dennis Bonaventure (Club Brugge): The former U-23 forward made his second appearance for the club in their goalless draw at home to Club Brugge. His compatriot, Ajagun was an unused substitute. Bonaventure lasted the duration of the match on the opposing side.
Victor Osimhen (Charleroi) & Anderson Esiti and Taiwo Awoniyi (Gent): Former U-17 forward, Osimhen scored one of the goals for his side and was substituted in regulation time of his team’s 2-0 defeat of Gent. Esiti who was cautioned in the 18th min lasted the duration of the match while Awoniyi played the last 11mins of the match.
Wolfsburg demands €3m from Ajax for Osimhen
German club Wolfsburg is asking for €3m for Nigeria international, Victor Osimhen from Dutch club, Ajax before he can be released during the winter transfer window.
Osimhen who is on loan to Sporting Charleroi of Belgium is being wanted by the Dutch club due to his haul of goals in Belgium.
Wolfsburg is however determined to hold on to the former junior international who has since rediscovered his form. During his time with Wolfsburg, Osimhen struggled with injuries and loss of form.
Reports suggest that Ajax have been on the trail of Osimhen after his superlative outing at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile where he emerged the highest goal scorer.
Charleroi, however, have the first option of signing the player on a permanent deal but with the recent price tag on the player, could see them back out.
DENMARK
Marvin Egho (Randers FC): He scored in the 48th min and lasted the distance as his team secured a 2-0 win over Vejle Boldklub.
Daniel Anyembe(Esbjerg FB): He lasted the entirety of his club’s 3-0 defeat of FC Nordsjaelland.
Hassan, Onuachu on target for Danish club
Former Ebedei FC midfielder, Rilwan Hassan and leggy forward, Paul Onuachu contributed a goal each as their club defeated AC Horsens 3-1 away from home.
Hassan scored the curtain raiser as early as the 12th minute while Onuachu who also lasted the duration of the match like Hassan scored the third and final goal in regulation time.
Another Nigerian to have featured on the winning side is Frank Onyeka who was issued a yellow card in the 84th min after rising from the substitutes’ bench in the 64th min.
BULGARIA
Eze inspires Lokomotiv to first win in 6 matches
Super Eagles defender, Stephen Eze was in action for 90 minutes as his club Locomotiv Plodiv pummeled Botev Vratsa 4 – 0 at home in the Bulgarian First Professional Football League on Saturday to move the team to 8th on the table after 20 games.
The match came to life after a goalless first half when Birsent Karageren scored the first goal of the match in the 61st minute. Karageren assisted Vilim Posinkovic to score the second in the 68th minute then he made it a brace in the 81st minute before Alen Ozbolt completed the rout in the 90th minute.
Lokomotiv Plodiv have been without a win in their last six matches losing at home to CSKA Sofia, Ludogorets Blotev Plodiv and away to Cherno More and drawing twice against Vereya and Slavia Sofia conceding a total of nine goals in the process.
Eze joined Plodiv in 2017 immediately after the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Morocco where the Eagles Team B lost to the host in the final. Eze has been an integral part of the team’s defensive setup since joining.
The 4 – 0 win will be a source of comfort to the players as they go on winter break to resume in February 2019.
SWEDEN
Chatto inks new Falkenbergs deal
Through a statement on their official website, newly promoted Swedish Allsvenskan outfit Falkenbergs FF has announced the extension of the contract of their midfielder, Dominic Chatto.
The 33-year-old’s new agreement will keep him at the club until the summer of 2019 after inking a six-month contract.
A knee injury curtailed his appearances last season to just two games as a substitute against Norrby and Värnamo.
“He is injured, but has not given up hope of coming back. He was a major reason for turning the trend after the first five games last year,” said sports director Hakan Nilsson.
“We know what a fresh Dominic Chatto can contribute.”
A product of Pepsi Football Academy, Chatto lists Inter Turku, BK Häcken, Bodø/Glimt and Ordabasy among his former employers.
HUNGARY
Ujpest star, Nwobodo rated best midfielder
Former U-20 midfielder, Obinna Nwobodo was last week rated the best midfielder in Hungary.
The former Enugu Rangers ace has been ever present for Ujpest since his move to the club last year but he has grown in leaps and bounds this season where he has emerged as one of the first names on the team sheet of the club in games.
So far he has played 22 games with 17 coming in the league, three in the Europa League qualifiers and two in the Cup in Hungary called Magyar Kupa and in all competitions he has scored six times this season with a further seven assists to his name.
In a rating of the best XI players in the league Nwobodo who was on target last week in Ujpest 2-0 win over Vidi FC was rated as the best among central midfielders in the league in the year 2018.
Ujpest are reportedly bracing themselves for a battle to hang on to the former Liverpool target who will likely be the subject of interest from top clubs around Europe when the transfer window opens in January.
NORWAY
Akinyemi Adeleke Akinyemi (IK Start): He was on target in the 12th min as his team suffered a 1-3 loss to FK Haugesund.
PORTUGAL
Agu expresses mixed feelings after scoring in defeat
Mikel Agu has revealed that it was a mixed feeling for him to score and still end up on the losing side with his Portuguese side Victoria de Setubal in their Portuguese Primeira Liga match at Portimonense.
The Nigeria international opened his goal account for Vitoria Setubal in the match, but his effort was not enough as the Green and Whites were defeated 3-1 by home team.
The home team raced into a three-goal lead with strikes from Eder Jadson and a brace from Jackson Martinez in each half of the game before Agu pulled one back in the 60th minute.
“I’d been looking forward to scoring my first goal but I would have loved it to be in a victory for Setubal, not a loss,” Agu said.
“We’ll keep fighting to get better and I know our performance in the game, particularly in the second half, deserved better than a loss. We’ll try to return to winning ways in our next game,” he assured.
In his post-match reaction, Victoria Setubal’s manager Lito Vidigal admitted Portimonense were the better team, but he praised his side’s efforts in the second half.
The game was Agu’s eighth straight Primeira Liga game for Setubal in which he’s played the entire 90 minutes since his deadline day loan move from parent club FC Porto.
The Green and White’s next match is on Tuesday against Sporting Braga in a Round of 16 Taca de Portugal.
DIV 2
Kelechi Nwakali (Porto B): The former schoolboy international was an unused substitute as his side secured a 1-0 win against Pacos de Feirrera.
Stanley Awurun (Varzim): He was introduced in the 73rd min as his team lost 3-4 to Panifed.
SAUDI ARABIA
Ahmed Musa’s goal drought continues
Super Eagles forward, Ahmed Musa continued his goal drought as he fired blank in Al Nasr Riyadh 4-0 win over Al Raed in Saudi top flight League played on Friday.
He however provided an assist in the massive win.
Musa who is looking for his goal for the club since scoring the only goal of the game in the defeat of AL Shabab last month was replaced in the 88th minute by Feras Albrikan.
Abderazak Hamed-Allah was the star of the game as he scored all Nasr’s four goals on the night in the 8th, 45th, 45th and 47th minutes to hand his side a comprehensive victory.
The win took Al-Nasr to second position on the log with 29 points from 13 matches behind AL Hilal Riyadh who have 32 points but has a game in hand.
PAKISTAN
Abayomi Wilson Segun (KE): The midfielder scored a screamer in 1-1 draw with KRL.
CHINA
Changchun Yatai slaps £20m price tag on Ighalo
Following their relegation to the second-tier of the Chinese League, Changchun Yati has put a £20m price tag on talisman Odion Ighalo.
Ighalo was in a blistering goal scoring form with 21 goals in 28 league games but it was not enough to save Chen Jingang’s men who finished the 2018 Chinese Super League season 15th in the 16-team table.
In his bid to secure top-flight football, the Changchun outfit is set to recoup the money spent on luring the Nigeria international to China from Watford in 2017.
Ismaily terminates Afolabi’s contract on mutual agreement
Egyptian club, Ismaily has officially terminated the contract of Okiki Afolabi after just six games with the club.
The 24-year-old who once featured for Nigeria Professional Football League teams, Shooting Stars and Sunshine Stars joined the club last July from Ethiopian side Jimma Aba Jifar, where he finished as the league’s top scorer with 23 goals and helped them win the league title.
It didn’t quite work out for Afolabi in Egypt, as he managed to make only six appearances for the Ismailia-based club, providing only one assist.
He struggled to nail down a place in the Ismaily squad, starting just two games as Ismaily currently sit bottom of the Egyptian Premier League table.
Ismaily according to a report on kingfut.com have announced that they have reached an agreement with Afolabi to terminate the player’s contract with immediate effect.
This comes just hours after the departure of first-team manager Jorvan Vieira, who resigned following the team’s exit from the Arab Club Championship.
