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Former Nigeria international Mutiu Adepoju has advised Super Eagles and Villareal winger Samuel Chukwueze to work on his goal-scoring ability, Completesports.com reports.

Adepoju stated this following Chukwueze’s impressive performance for Villareal in their dramatic away win against Celta Vigo, in Saturday’s LaLiga game.
Chukwueze who was among the substitute before coming on was a handful for the Celta Vigo defence.
He had a hand in Villareal’s late goal as his goal-bound shot was blocked before Manu Trigueros pounced on the rebound to score a 91st-minute winner.

And reacting to Chukwueze’s performance, Adepoju described the 2019 AFCON bronze medal winner as an exciting player.

“Great performance from Samuel Chukwueze against Celta Vigo at the Estadio de Balaidos,” Adepoju wrote on his Twitter handle.

“What an exciting player he is! I hope he keeps improving as well as work more on his goal-scoring abilities.”

Saturday’s game was Chukwueze’s 27th in LaLiga, netting three goals and three assists.
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Mainz manager Achim Beielorzer says Taiwo Awoniyi is back on his feet again after he suffered a concussion in Sunday’s home clash against Augsburg, reports Completesports.com.

The striker was stretchered off and taken to hospital following a nasty fall early in the game.
The play was delayed for about five minutes following the incident.
The 22-year-old was replaced by Nigerian-born Austrian international Karim Onisiwo.

“Taiwo is conscious and responsive. He has suffered a severe concussion but can remember everything,” Beierlorzer told a news conference.

Awoniyi has featured in 12 league games for Mainz this season and scored once.
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Super Eagles forward Alex Iwobi may become teammates with Brazilian defender Thiago Silva as Everton have already opened talks with the Paris Saint-Germain skipper.

PSG’s sporting director and Brazil 1994 World Cup winner Leonardo Araujo confirmed that Silva will be leaving the Ligue 1 side once this season’s Champions League campaign ends.
Silva’s former club, AC Milan, is said to be interested in re-signing the 35-year-old.
And according to transfer expert Nicolo Schira, it is Everton who is in an early lead for the central defender’s signature.

Schira said having Carlo Ancelotti as a manager at Goodison Park could be ‘decisive’ in the Toffees’ pursuit of the soon-to-be free agent.

Silva has joined PSG back in 2012 from AC Milan and has played over 200 matches for the club.

He has won seven Ligue 1 titles and has also lifted over 10 domestic cup trophies in his time at the Parc des Princes.
The 2019-20 Ligue 1 season was cancelled back in April due to the coronavirus pandemic, with PSG being crowd champions once again – as they were 12 points ahead of second-placed Marseille with a game in hand.

Everton is currently quite light on defensive options, with just Yerry Mina and Michael Keane as their only natural centre-back options.

Mason Holgate and Cuco Martina can also cover in the central positions, but Ancelotti will be looking to secure a cultured centre back in the upcoming transfer window.
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Lille striker Victor Osimhen does not dream of moving to the Premier League this summer, according to his agent.

Osimhen signed for Lille last summer and enjoyed a fruitful debut campaign which saw him net 18 goals and grab six assists before the French league season was curtailed last month.
The 21-year-old’s fine form in front of goal led to reports linking him with a move to England this summer, with Manchester United one side tipped to make a move.
Suggestions of a move to United were amplified when fans’ favourite Odion Ighalo labelled his Nigerian compatriot as ‘the future of football’ two months ago, but it seems as though they’ll have to wait if they are to sign the forward.
Addressing rumours that a deal with Napoli is close to the player’s brother-in-law and agent, Osita Okolo, also shot down reports of a move to England.
“I can say that, for now, Osimhen hasn’t agreed on anything with Napoli or another club,” Okolo told Radio Marte.

“I can also deny that he dreams of going to the Premier League, I don’t know why [the press] says certain things. Naples is a fantastic city and Napoli are a very good team.

“I’m always honoured whenever I hear these links, but for now there’s no deal in place, even if negotiations with them are ongoing.

“He wants to play regularly, we’re not going to repeat certain bad experiences from the past.

“The Napoli fans are fantastic, their stadium is beautiful. I can only speak well of Naples and its team.”
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Super Eagles winger Moses Simon has revealed the reason why his move to Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam did not work.

Simon who made this known in an interview on Brila FM said the financial disagreement between his agent and officials of Ajax stopped the deal from going through.
“My agent and the club did not agree on financial terms but then I was young and just wanted to play but it didn’t happen well for me so this is the reason.
“All I know is I did very well in the test games, scored some goals but it didn’t work out.”

On talks about the Ligue 1 being described as easy following his Nantes Player of the Year award despite being his debut season in French football, Simon disagreed.

“I don’t think the French league is easy, It’s all about settling down quickly,” he said.

“For me, it’s not easy, maybe for some players it’s easy but for me, it’s a difficult league.”

Simon joined Nantes on loan from LaLiga club Levante in 2019.

The 24-year-old scored nine goals and made eight assists in 30 games in all competitions for Nantes.
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Victor Osimhen has been rated as the fourth most expensive Africa star behind Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Nicolas Pepe by the CIES Football Observatory, Completesports.com reports.

The CIES released the list of top 100 costliest players in the world on Monday.
Osimhen is also rated the 66th in the world following a compilation of the market value of the players in the Top-5 leagues.
The 21-year-old, who scored 18 goals and registered six assists in 31 league appearances for French Ligue 1 club Lille last season is valued at €64m.
Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, who is the other Nigerian in the Top 100 most expensive players in the world is valued at €50m.

Ndidi is ranked fifth in Africa and 94th in the world.

Liverpool duo, Salah and Mane are valued at €145 and €139 respectively, while Arsenal’s Pepe is third with a value of €73m.

PSG star Kylian Mbappe is the most expensive player in the world with a value of €259.2
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Super Falcons captain Asisat Oshoala has been included in the Spanish Primera Iberdola Team of the Season, reports Completesports.com.

Oshoala, 25, scored 20 goals and bagged one assist in 19 appearances for Barcelona Ladies in the 2019/2020 campaign.
The former Arsenal and Liverpool Ladies striker played a key role as the Catalans claimed the league title for the first time in five years.
Oshoala also won the Copa Catalunya and Super Women’s Cup with Barcelona Ladies during the season.
Her Barcelona team-mates; Sandra Panos, Mapi Leon, Marian Torrejon, Patri Guijarro were also included in the list.

The other two are, Jenni Hermoso and Graham Hansen.
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Nigerian winger Noah-Joel Sarenren-Bazee has been nominated for Augsburg’s Man of the Match award following his impressive performance in their 1-1 home draw against FC Cologne in Sunday’s Bundesliga game, Completesports.com reports.

Augsburg made the announcement on their verified Twitter handle after Sunday’s game.
Sarenren-Bazee put up an outstanding display for Augsburg as he was a thorn in the flesh for Cologne from the right-wing.
The 23-year-old was nominated alongside German-born Nigerian defender Felix Uduokhai, Philipp Max and Raphael Framberger.

Fans of Augsburg are expected to select their best player of the match from the four-man to shortlist in a poll published on the club’s Twitter handle.

Sarenren-Bazee featured for 90 minutes in the game which was his seventh in the league this season.

Max rescued a point for Augsburg with two minutes remaining in the game after Anthony Modeste had given Cologne the lead on 85 minutes.
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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) was on the verge of severing contract with national team coach Gernot Rohr last month, but for the Super Eagles players’ insistence that the German be retained, Completesports.com can exclusively report.

Rohr’s contract was expected to elapse by the end of June, and the NFF renewed it last month after protracted contract talks that dragged since 2019. The German got a fresh two and a half year mandate to manage the Super Eagles to win the AFCON and qualify for World Cup
“It is true that the NFF was ready to replace Rohr and we’re looking at the documents of some European and a South American coaches who wanted the job before the players' contributions were sought-after. Rohr had agreed to all the new conditions we thought he would reject in an effort to keep his job,” our source who is an influential member of the NFF divulged to Completesports.com.
“With the support of higher authorities Rohr was not going to get his contract renewed until we decided to reach out to some Super Eagles players and get their support, but we were shocked when they insisted that they want the Franco/German coach to continue.”

Our impeccable source added: “I tell you, Rohr’s contract was not going to be renewed despite his agreeing to new conditions inserted in his offer, but the players clinched the job for him with their insistence that they don’t want to start all over again with a new coach. We saw reason with them and had to convince the government to allow us to give him a new contract

“It is not true that we were set to contract [Harry] Redknapp to replace Rohr. However, there were not a good number of coaches who wanted to coach the Super Eagles. We are glad to have renewed the contract and we are confident Rohr will do better this time around. He is a good coach and we are sticking with him.”
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Nigeria’s senior national team head coach, Gernot Rohr says the Super Eagles need to stay humble and qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations first before dreaming about lifting the trophy for the fourth time. Rohr told Channels Television in an interview monitored Monday why he accepted a cut in his salary as he strives to become the longest-serving Eagles coach…

Covid19 has posted a lot of things in our world of sports. When football comes back, do you think it will ever be the same again?

Rohr: Football is going to change and I hope our society will have respect for other people, to take care of the poor people, people with health problems. And also, you can see the stadia are empty already. I think it will come back to matches with crowd but not full stadium for the moment. I think by September and October, we will have games perhaps with 10,000 people in the big stadium of Alianz in Munich. We will have matches in a different kind of spirit, I hope, with more fair play, with more respect. I think, perhaps, something positive will come out of this covid19.

What is it like playing football without fans?

It’s different and more like in training. In training, we are alone most of the time with nobody watching us. We do training games, you can hear the coaches speaking, hear the staff participating, you can hear the players crying and all this thing, you don’t have it when there is a crowd. You know that now, especially in Munich and another stadium also, they have the audio with sounds of fans but in an empty stadium. It’s make-believe for the players to think fans are in the stadium. But it is different, we need our fans, we need the crowd and I hope very soon we can see matches with our people and I think it will start with a few thousand in the big stadium. And then if the number of the Covid19 cases are going down, we will have more people filling the stadium again and perhaps next year, it will be like before hopefully.

Contract renewal has been done with some conditions. One of the conditions is that you will be paid in Naira and the other you will live in Nigeria.
And you also said you don’t even mind getting a lower salary. Coach, explain this your love for Nigeria?

You know that I never speak about the confidential side of my contract. You heard President Pinnick as your invited guest and he spoke about it. He is the boss and he can do all he wants, but for me, I never spoke about it. You know this is a job that is very special because this team is my team. I build it together of course with my officials and staff and it’s a new and young team. The mission is not finished for the moment and I want it to continue. And I think that the period we are living now with the Covid19 has affected the business side of football everywhere, everybody has to do sacrifices – and I am the first. Let’s continue to work with this good and young team. These officials have confidence in my work and I want to thank all the officials and Mr Pinnick who has given me the opportunity to continue to work with this team. We have good solidarity and it’s a very good relationship not only with the team and staff but also with the officials. And I think this needs time, you cannot come and find it in a few weeks, or a few months this cohesiveness we have now. We want to continue in this spirit, we want to win our games, we want to play well, we want to see our players progress, and think everybody will be happy in Nigeria.

Do you think you can actually win the Nations Cup with these Eagles and also qualify for the World Cup because that is part of the contract?


I think we have a chance to win the next Nations Cup but first, we have to qualify – it’s not finished. We’ve started very well with two victories. But you know it’s always easy to say we will win the Nations Cup. We will go into the quarter-finals of the World Cup but let’s stay humble, please. We all the time have our philosophy in our team and staff to stay humble, to respect the other team, to respect the opponents and we will not change. I think we have a good team, we are already number three now in Africa when I arrived, we were number 13. So we are on a good way but it needs time and we even don’t know when the AFCON will hold. I recently had a video conference with all my staff – medical and technical staff. I wanted to introduce Joseph Yobo, my new assistant and I spoke with my doctors, my physios, everybody. We are preparing the future now and we want to know how we can win the AFCON. Let’s qualify first and I think we are on a good way to that and then, let’s stay humble if we want to win it.

What’s your stand on home-based players and their chances of playing in the Super Eagles?

Everybody has a chance to come to the Super Eagles. Everybody who is doing well in his club. We don’t look where they are playing, we only see the quality of the players. Unfortunately, the Nigerian league is not playing for the moment like a lot of other leagues, but they have the chance to come. You know I’ve invited already 23 players from the Nigerian league and I still have one most of the time with me – goalkeeper Ezenwa. But all the other players we invited, once they are in the Super Eagles team, they go to Europe and they are sold to this or that club. And then they are no more Nigerian players. We have also the CHAN team which is only for players who are playing in the Nigerian league and who can play for the CHAN tournament. Unfortunately, they are not qualified for the one in Cameroon but the best players in that CHAN team have the chance to come into my team. I and my assistants are looking out for them – we will watch the games as we always do.

The last time, it was Yusuf Salisu that lead the CHAN team to the finals in Morocco and brought three players for us and now they are in Europe. So, it’s like that. You cannot all the time to invite local players and then they go to Europe and you want me to invite other local league players – it’s not always possible. But we want to have the best one and if you want to come in now you have to be very strong because we have very good young players in Europe. Players who are born of Nigerian parents are so strong and it is very difficult for local players to displace them in the team.

It is part of your contract to have these local players in the team, how do you intend to work around that?

It’s not part of my contract to take players who are not so good as the ones already in the team. I can choose my players myself – it is most important, so nobody can tell me you’ve to take this one or that one. I can take the best players and I don’t do it alone, we have a team in our staff. I have my assistants, I have my analyzer and every Monday we have our meeting and we talk about the weekend games, what the players did. We have to take the best ones no matter where they are coming from.

Having taken these young team to the Nations Cup and World Cup, how much work do you still need to do with the Super Eagles?

The work is to be in touch with the players, to see them and have good communication, especially at this time now when there are no matches for us. We have some injured players like our goalkeeper Uzoho was injured but now coming back and working very hard, we have our fitness coach to help him. Also, Tyrion Ebuehi and Emmanuel Dennis are injured and can use this break to recover and come back. So the work at the moment is to be close to the players, advise them and care for them. Very soon, the transfer window will open by June, July, August and we hope some of them can go to better clubs to progress and play much more in competitive games.

So it is important to have injured players back, instil our philosophy into the players – few touches, playing quickly, go forward with our quick wingers and score goals. Defensively, we also have to be strong. So we need time to forge such a solid team because we don’t have many games in the national team as it is in the clubs where they play every weekend. We’ve had four years already to work together and I think we can progress further.

I hope we can play in September, it’s not sure yet if the leagues are starting or not. But Germany has laid a good example even with the Covid19 and it’s working, I hope other leagues will resume soonest.

super-eagles-the-squirrels-benin-republic-victor-osimhen-samuel-kalu-afcon-2021-qualifiers-fifa-world-ranking-nff-amaju-pinnick-nigeria-football-federation-coronavirus-african-sports

Are you keeping in touch with the players during this Covid19 pandemic?

Of course. The first thing to know is if they are in good health. We are in touch all the time with all the 35 players and none of them is sick. And our injured players I spoke about are on the good way coming back. We have a good relationship with them all including the captain Ahmed Musa and assistant, William Troost-Ekong.

So the players want to play again and are training. France has stopped their league while other leagues are getting ready to restart. So we have Samuel Kalu back in Nigeria on holiday with his family. Simon Moses and Victor Osimhen also play in France. Now Osimhen I think, have a very good opportunity to move from Lille perhaps to the English Premier League or Italian Serie A in a very big club. This will be a success for him and the Super Eagles to have players playing in the Champions League clubs. If we have our players playing in the very high level in the clubs, our level in the Super Eagles will be growing also.

Are you in support of Osimhen leaving Lille this season or do you think he should stay for another season?

If he stays for another season in Lille, it’s good for him because he is playing regularly. If he goes to another big club – you’ve seen the clubs who are eventually ready to buy him now, he’s not so sure to play because there is a big competition for the starting places in the team.

If he stays in Lille, it will be good because he will progress, we’re sure about this. But he is also able now because he is progressing so much to play in a very big club. It’s depending, if he has competition, it’ll be better to play in a better club than Lille. If he’s not playing, it’s not so good for him because a young player like him has to play for him to progress.
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Nigeria forward Odion Ighalo says Manchester United’s squad are inching closer to match fitness ahead of Premier League return.

The Premier League was suspended in mid-March due to the spread of the coronavirus.


Club’s were granted permission to resume training two weeks ago under strict social distancing guidelines
They are now partaking in contact training as part of the Premier League’s Return to Training Protocol.
Ighalo admits it has been strange training under strict restrictions but says the team is improving on their fitness.

“I’m getting better and better every day,” he told the club’s website.
“We have been training together the past two weeks now, so it’s getting close to the game. The sharpness is coming, the fitness is coming and everything is going well.

“It’s been strange, you know because you have to stay two metres apart to talk to your team-mates. Sometimes, you need to get close to give them some signs but now it’s two metres and it’s kind of strange.

“But this is what we have to do for us to be safe and for the game to go on. We are ready to do it and we’re happy to do it. Everybody is looking good. Running, working hard and playing football. Little two-a-sides and doing some ball work.

“Everyone is getting better and better. Everyone is back, even Paul is back training normally and Rashy is back training as normal. Everyone is training normally and training full and all that, so the squad is full and everyone is ready, I think.

“I can’t wait for the league to start again. I’m really looking forward to it. We’re working hard and I believe we’re going to do great.”
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Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has congratulated Odion Ighalo after the Nigerian penned a new loan deal with the club, reports Completesports.com.

The Red Devils announced on Monday they have reached an agreement with Chinese Premier League side Shanghai Shenhua to extend the loan deal for Ighalo.
The former Watford striker’s stay was initially due to end on 31 May but he will now remain with the Reds until 30 January 2021, enabling him to build on an impressive start to life with the club he supported as a boy.
Rashford took to the social media to felicitate with his team-mate on the new contract.

“Congrats @ighalojude ��♥️,” Rashford tweeted.

Ighalo has scored four goals in eight appearances for Old Trafford outfit.
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Manchester United will reportedly cough out £10.5m to Chinese Premier League Shanghai Shenhua after extending Odion Ighalo’s loan deal.

Ighalo will remain with the Red Devils until January 2021 following a new agreement between both clubs.
The former Watford striker initial loan deal expired at the end of last month, but he will now be able to see out the remainder of the season and the first half of next campaign.
According to the Daily Mail, Shanghai will receive a £6m loan fee while United pay £130,000 of Ighalo’s £300,000-a-week salary.
The 31-year-old linked up with United on a six-month loan deal in January as cover for Marcus Rashford who sustained an injury in the Emirates FA Cup clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Ighalo has scored four goals in eight appearances for United since his arrival on transfer deadline day.
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Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama says Daniel Akpeyi has what it takes to succeed in Europe, Completesports.com reports.

Akpeyi has been linked with clubs in Europe and Asia following an excellent season with Kaizer Chiefs in the Absa Premier League. The 33-year-old has established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper at the club.
Akpeyi, who has overtaken Itumeleng Khune on the pecking order, has kept nine clean sheets in the league so far.
“I know him (Akpeyi) personally. I have been in the same national camp with him. I expect Idah Peterside and the media in general to hype up the players, not just Akpeyi,” Enyeama told soccerladuma.co.za.

“Often the media focuses on your faults, but they need to hype up the players, encourage and assist them to grow. You have the power to build players in a responsible way. I read reports that he (Akpeyi) has had an exceptional season with Kaizer Chiefs.

” Akpeyi can succeed at the highest level. The same applies to (Itumeleng) Khune. I wish them both luck and if they can look at me and consider that I succeeded in Europe, then what stops them from succeeding as well?”.
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Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr says Victor Osimhen has a big opportunity to move to one of Europe’s top teams but insists the Lille striker must be playing on a regular basis to improve his game, reports Completesports.com.

Osimhen, who scored 18 goals in his debut campaign in Ligue 1 has attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United.
Clubs in Spain and Italy are also interested in the 21-year-old, who joined Lille last summer from Belgian Pro League club Sporting Charleroi for around £10m.
“Victor Osimhen will have a very big opportunity to go to the Premier League or Italy to a very big club,” Rohr said in an interview on Channels Television.
“This is a success for him, but also for the Super Eagles.

“If we have players playing at the high-level clubs, our level in the Super Eagles will also grow.”

Rohr also states that Osimhen must be playing regularly wherever he finds himself.

“If he is not playing, it won’t be good for him as a young player because a young player has to be playing to progress,” he added.
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Chelsea will look to bring in Nigeria midfielder Wilfred Ndidi as a replacement for Juventus target Jorginho.

Jorginho has been linked with a move to Juventus, where he will reunite with former Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri.
The Blues, according to Mundodeportivo.com, have identified Ndidi as a capable replacement for the Brazilian-born midfielder.
Ndidi joined Leicester City from Belgian club Genk in January 2017 and is under contract with the Foxes until 2024.

The 23-year-old is valued at €40m by Leicester City.

Ndidi has also been linked with Spanish giants Real Madrid and French Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint- Germain.
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Manchester United are close to agreeing to a loan extension for former Nigeria international Odion Ighalo, Sky Sports reports.

United remain in talks with Chinese Super League (CSL) club Shanghai Shenhua.
And it is hoped a deal can be agreed before Ighalo’s current loan deal expires on Sunday.
The proposed loan extension will run until the end of January when Ighalo will return to Shanghai.

If agreed, Ighalo will miss the majority of the 2020 CSL season, which is scheduled to begin in June.

Shanghai’s original stance was that they would only agree to extend his loan if an obligation to buy was incorporated into the deal, with Ighalo likely to cost upwards of £20m.

However, with border restrictions potentially preventing Ighalo from returning to China in time for the new season, Shanghai Shenhua has softened their stance and will now allow him to extend his stay at United on the condition he signs a new contract.

Back In March Sky Sports news revealed that Ighalo had been offered a two-year contract extension with Shanghai worth £400,000 a week.

His current contract expires in December 2022, but Shanghai wants to keep him until at least December 2024.

Ighalo initially joined United in a Deadline Day move in January and scored four times in eight appearances prior to the suspension of the Premier League.

United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is hopeful the club can extend Ighalo’s loan spell so he can “finish off what he started”.
“The loan deal went until the end of May now, so obviously he’s supposed to be going back,” Solskjaer told MUTV earlier this week.

“We’re in dialogue. They’ve been great towards us, his club, and allowed him to play for his dream club.

“It’s been a dream for him and hopefully he can finish off what he started, hopefully with a trophy for us. At the moment, nothing has been agreed. Their league is going to get started soon so we’re just waiting to see.”
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Nigeria forward Odion Ighalo will remain with Manchester United until the end of January 2021 after the Red Devils agree on an extension on his loan deal with Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua.

The new deal is, however, awaiting confirmation with FA for registration.
Ighalo’s initial six-month loan deal with Manchester United officially expired on Sunday night.
According to a report in The Telegraph, the two clubs have reached an agreement for the former Watford striker to extend his stay at the Old Trafford until January

The 31-year-old joined United from Shanghai Shenhua on transfer deadline day.

Ighalo has scored four goals in eight league appearances for United.
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Napoli has turned their attention to Emmanuel Dennis after they were rejected by his international team-mate Victor Osimhen, reports Completesports.com.

Osimhen rejected a move to the Italian side despite concrete talks with his French club Lille.
Napoli, according to the Daily Mail has now shifted their attention to Dennis who starred for Club Brugge in the Belgian Pro League last season.
Dennis made the headlines after bagging a brace in Brugge’s 2-2 away draw against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League group stages.
The 22-year-old scored nine goals in 33 appearances for Club Brugge.

Dennis joined Club Brugge from Ukrainian outfit Zorya Luhansk in 2016.

Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen has turned down an offer from Italian side Napoli, reports Completesports.com.

Lille is looking to sell the talented striker as they seek to balance the books for next season.
Napoli are desperate to sign Osimhen as replacement for Andre Milik, but Eurosport’s Manu Lonjon reports Osimhen has already turned down the Italians.
The 21-year-old has attracted the interest of clubs in England, where Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Chelsea are keen.

Osimhen scored 18 goals across all competitions for Lille last season.

Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr admits his team is not the best in Africa, despite penning a new deal which expects him to win the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

Rohr will remain in charge of the three-time African champions for the next two-and-a-half-year after agreeing with terms on a new contract with the Nigeria Football Federation.
The German tactician has also been mandated to qualify the team to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Former Gabon and Niger coach believes winning the AFCON 2021 title will be difficult, though not impossible.
“When you go to a tournament it is to win it,” Rohr told BBC Sport.

“We finished third in the last one, and everybody wants to progress. But we know also that it is very difficult to win this tournament because we are not number one in Africa.
“But it is good to have these milestones and ambition.”

The 66-year-old also stated that he is prepared for the task ahead to meet the targets set for him by the NFF.

“My contract all the time is a risk because it is finished when we are eliminated from a competition – whether the Afcon or World Cup,” he explained.

“I took the risk already when I arrived, and it is still the same. But I am very optimistic because now we have a team which is playing good football and I have confidence in my players.”

Rohr, who was appointed Super Eagles head coach in August 2016 guided the team to a third-place finish at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.
He also helped the country qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia with the team failing to get past the first round.
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Norwich City midfielder Charlie Gilmour has begged his former Arsenal teammate Bukayo Saka to pen an extension with the Gunners.

Saka’s current contract will expire in 2021 and the North London club are desperate to tie him down to a new deal.
European champions Liverpool, Manchester United and Leicester City are rumoured to be interested in the versatile winger.

Saka posted a picture of himself on the social media dressed in Arsenal kit with the caption: “kid with a dream”

Gilmour, who only left Arsenal for Norwich City last summer responded with a comment “sign that fam”.
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Alex Iwobi says he enjoyed playing with former Super Eagles duo, John Mikel Obi and Odion Ighalo, reports Completesports.com.

Mikel and Ighalo quit international football after the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Ighalo finished as top scorer in the competition, while Mikel also contributed immensely to the team’s success in recent years.
Iwobi states that he appreciates Mikel’s physicality during his time with the Super Eagles.


“I have learnt a lot from Mikel because we play similar positions. Whenever I’m called I play behind the striker, that’s where he likes to play, Iwobi said on Instagram.

“In training, whilst watching him on the pitch, whilst I’m on the bench watching him, I’ve always learned, the way he’s physically capable to keep the ball in tight situations because playing in African culture there’s a lot more physicality, there are a lot more strong duels, the way he’s able to use his body is something I have picked up and try to add to my game.
The Everton midfielder also speaks about Ighalo’s finishing ability and how hopes to emulate the 30-year-old.

“With Ighalo, the composure he has when he’s in the box when he has the opportunity to score I’m trying to add to my game,” he added.

“It’s almost like when he’s clean through on goal, ninety per cent of the time the ball is in the back of the net and not with a lot of power but with finesse and style to it.

“Hopefully, that’s something that not just me but the youngsters like Victor, it is something that we have to put a lot of respect for.

“Both of them talk to you, they try to help everyone, it was a blessing to play with both of them.”og on to www.completesports.com to read more interesting news like this. @completesportsnigeria @Completesports #breakingnews #sports #news ##sportsnews #caf #football #footballnews

French Ligue 1 club, Nantes, have activated their €5m option to sign Nigeria winger Moses Simon from Spanish outfit Levante, reports Completesports.com.

According to a report in ouest-france.fr, Simon has penned a four-year contract with the Canaries.
The 24-year-old joined Nantes on a one-year loan deal from Levante last summer.

Simon scored nine goals and provided eight assists in 30 appearances across all competitions for Christian Gourcuff’s men last season.
He spent one season at Levante following his arrival in 2018 from Belgian club KAA Gent.

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Chinese Premier League club, Shanghai Shenhua, has rejected Manchester United’s request to extend Nigeria forward Odion Ighalo stay at the club for another three months, reports Completesports.com.

Ighalo linked up with the Red Devils on a six-month loan deal on transfer deadline day.
The loan deal will expire at the end of this month.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, United want to keep Ighalo until the end of August when the season is now expected to finish, but Shanghai has rejected their offer.

Shenhua is willing to sell Ighalo for £20m, even though a permanent deal has not been discussed.

The 30-year-old is now expected to rejoin Shanghai Shenhua next week Monday for the start of the delayed
Chinese Super League season.

Ighalo has scored four goals in eight appearances for Manchester United.
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French Ligue 1 club, Lille, have given Victor Osimhen a private aircraft to travel to Nigeria for his father’s burial rites.

Mr Patrick Osimhen, 80, died in Lagos on Saturday night after a brief illness.
” I have spoken to Victor Osimhen and expressed the sorrow of the NFF and the entire Nigerian Football family. His club, Lille OSC of France have 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, “Pinnick told the official website of the Nigeria Football Federation.
“The loss of either parent is usually a moment of heartbreak for anyone. We condole with Victor (Osimhen) at this moment and pray that God will grant his late father eternal rest, while also granting the family the fortitude to bear the great loss.”

Oismhen announced the death of his father on social media on Sunday morning.
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Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa says the presence of Algeria winger Riyad Mahrez was the main reason he failed to earn a regular playing berth during his time at Leicester City.
Musa joined Leicester City for a then club-record £16.6 fee in July 2016 from Russian outfit CSKA Moscow.
The 27-year-old scored two goals in 22 league appearances during his time with the Foxes.
After struggling for game time at the club, he was loaned back to CSKA Moscow in January 2018.
Musa finally left Leicester for Saudi Arabia Professional League club Al Nassr in August 2018.

“Before they signed me at Leicester City, they told me Riyad Mahrez was leaving,” Musa said on Instagram Live while speaking to SuperSport TV’s Carol Tshabalala.

“If I knew that Mahrez is going to stay, I will not join Leicester, I would have stayed at CSKA Moscow.
“When I came, we had a lot of wingers at Leicester City, yet, I still got the chance to play.”
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Nigeria goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi will become a fully South African citizen this year following his five-year stay in the country, reports Completesports.com.
Akpeyi will be issued a South African passport by the country’s government after spending the last five years playing for two clubs in the ABSA Premier League.
The 33-year-old linked up with Chippa United from Warri Wolves in 2015 after impressing in a friendly encounter between Nigeria and South Africa.
The experienced goalie later moved to Kaizer Chiefs in 2018 following an injury to Itumeleng Khune and is now the Amakhosi’s first choice.
Akpeyi, who recently signed a new two-year deal with the club, will now be registered as a South African in the PSL which will allow Kaizer Chiefs to sign another foreign player.
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Former Pharaohs of Egypt coach Hector Cuper is disappointed with the decision of the Nigeria Football Federation to hand Gernot Rohr a new contract.

Rohr is on the verge of penning a new two-year contract following weeks of negotiation with the NFF.

Cuper’s Egyptian-born assistant, Mahmoud Ahmed, told Premium Times that the Argentine was waiting to pounce on Nigeria’s job should Rohr failed to agree to a new deal with the NFF.
Mahmoud disclosed that Cuper was keen on managing Nigeria and Ghana and was willing to take a pay cut to manage the Super Eagles after failing to land the Black Stars job.
“Mr Cuper is ever ready to work in Africa with Nigeria and Ghana as countries of preference because of its abundant talents,” Mahmoud said.

“We had hoped to land Ghana job but GFA decided to close its door on foreign coaches and settled for Charles Akunor. Our attention was shifted to Nigeria and we felt the salary problem between Rohr and Nigeria might be a problem.

“But its looks impossible now that Nigeria has decided to extend Rohr’s contract.”

Cuper is still without a job after he was sacked by the Uzbekistan FA in September 2019.
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Sky Bet Championship club Queens Park Rangers are interested in signing Queens Park Rangers winger Bright Osayi-Samuel.

Osayi-Samuel has enjoyed an impressive campaign with QPR along with his Nigerian-born pal Eberechi Eze.
The 22-year-old has started 26 league games for QPR compared to only nine last term.


He has also scored five goals and bagged six assists across all competitions.

According to a report in Football Insider, Leeds United, who are looking to gain promotion to the Premier League will make a move for Osayi-Samuel this summer.
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Chidera Ejuke says he is prepared to wait for his chance to feature for the Super Eagles, reports Completesports.com.

Ejuke scored nine goals in 25 league appearances for his Dutch club SC Heerenveen last season and there has been a clamour for his invitation to the Super Eagles.

The 22-year-old is however not in a hurry to make his first appearance for the three-time African champions.

“I know if I’m given the chance, I will take it,” he told Cool FM Abuja.


“It’s not something to rush, I am going to be patient and wait for my time (with the Super Eagles).”

Ejuke has also been linked with a move away from Heerenveen this summer.

He only linked up with Heerenveen from Norwegian club Valerenga last summer.
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One player and two staff have tested positive for coronavirus at Watford that parade Nigerian forward Isaac Success, Completesports.com reports.

Watford made the announcement in a statement released on their official website.
The cases were confirmed following testing that was carried out on Monday.
However, the identities of the three individuals that contracted the virus were not made public.

The statement from the club read: “Watford Football Club confirms that three people have tested positive for the Covid-19 virus following testing at the training ground over the past 48 hours.

“Of those three positive tests, one is a player and two are members of staff. All three have asked that medical confidentiality be respected and, therefore, the club will not be naming those involved.

“All three will now self-isolate for seven days – in line with the protocols set out in Premier League guidelines – before being tested again at a later date.

“Strict adherence to the Premier League guidelines has ensured the training ground remains virus-free and a safe environment for the players to continue to work.

“The club will continue to liaise closely with the affected person and there will be no further comment.”
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