The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ahmed Musa

  • CSKA Moscow reject new Leicester bid for Musa

    CSKA Moscow reject new Leicester bid for Musa

    Russian side, CSKA Moscow, has rejected an improved offer from Premier League leaders, Leicester City, for Nigeria’s Ahmed Musa.

    The Moscow-based club turned down a new bid of $26.5m (£18.7m), which was an improvement on the original offer of $21.6m (£15.1m), the BBC reports.

    The 23-year-old is believed to be open to a move to Leicester.

    The Super Eagles captain has also attracted the attention of other top Premier League teams and has a $32.5m (£22.8m) buyout clause in his contract.

    His current deal with CSKA Moscow runs until 2019.

    Leicester is expected to return with an improved bid for the player before the transfer window closes on February 1.

     

  • Leicester to table improved bid for Musa

    Leicester to table improved bid for Musa

    Officials of English Premier League leaders, Leicester City, are expected to make an improved bid for Super Eagles skipper, Ahmed Musa, after an initial offer was rejected by his Russian club, CSKA Moscow.

    According to reports, CSKA Moscow has rejected a $21.6m (£15.1m) offer as the club hold out for a fee closer to the $27m (£18.9m) valuation of the forward.

    The 23-year-old is believed to be open to a move to Leicester, africanFootball.com reports.

    Musa has a $32.5m (£22.8m) buyout clause in his contract, which runs until 2019.

    Leicester is expected to return with an improved bid for the player before the transfer window closes on February 1.

     

     

  • Ballon d’Or: Oliseh, Musa pick Messi

    Ballon d’Or: Oliseh, Musa pick Messi

    Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh and his captain, Ahmed Musa, voted for Lionel Messi on his way to a historic fifth FIFA World Footballer of the Year award.

    Messi, who first won the award in 2009, edged past Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar to cart home the biggest individual prize in world football, africanFootball.com reports.

    The 28-year-old Argentine got 41.33 per cent of the votes, with Real Madrid’s Ronaldo garnering 27.76 per cent and Barcelona’s Neymar third with 7.86 per cent of the votes.

    Oliseh picked Messi, his Barcelona teammates Neymar and Luiz Suarez for the top prize in world football.

    Musa voted for Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar in that order.

    Nigerian journalists Samm Audu also voted Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar.

  • Siasia considering Ighalo, Musa for Olympics

    Siasia considering Ighalo, Musa for Olympics

    Olympic Team Coach, Samson Siasia, has hinted he is looking at the possibility of getting Super Eagles skipper, Ahmed Musa and striker Odion Ighalo to feature at next year’s Olympics as overage players.

    FIFA allows three over age players to feature at the Olympics, africanFootball.com reports.

    Chelsea star Mikel Obi has already declared his interest to play in the Olympics.

    Siasia said he hopes to draft players playing regularly for their European clubs for the Games.

    “I’m still undecided on the areas that the overage players would be needed, but I’m happy that the likes of Ighalo (Odion), (Ahmed) Musa, are in top form now and I hope they will sustain it until the Olympics,” africanFootball.com quoted Siasia as saying during a television programme.

  • Ahmed Musa wins Nigerian Sports Award

    Ahmed Musa wins Nigerian Sports Award

    Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has been named the Footballer of the Year 2015 at the Nigerian Sports Award ceremony held at the Eko Hotels in Lagos.

    The CSKA forward, who was nominated alongside Watford striker Odion Ighalo and Sunshine Stars’ Tunde Adeniji, was not physically present as he has returned to Russia after the international break.

    Nigeria Football Federation president Amaju Pinnick was present to receive the award on behalf of Musa.

    Following his great performance, on 1 June 2015, Musa signed a new four-year contract with CSKA, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2018/19 season.

    In the women category, Ngozi Okobi beat Desire Oparanozie and Asisat Oshoala to emerge winner.

    Other categories saw basketballer Chamberlain Oguchi beat Olumide Oyedeji and Aruna Quadri to the Ball Sport Person of the Year, while powerlifter Are Feyisetan beat D’Tigers’ William Voigt and Bashir Mohammed in Cycling to the Coach of the Year.

    In Combat Sport Person of the Year, Efe Ajagba was named winner ahead of Boltic Sinivie and Henry Hendrix, while Kelechi Nwanaga was named the Discovery of the Year ahead of  Taiwo Awoniyi and Amusan Tobiloba.

    Special Sport Person award went to Yakubu Adesokan who beat Loveline Obiji and Lovina and Onyegbule to the feat, with Yakmut Alhassan being named the  Sports Administrator of the Year.

    Sportsman of the Year went to powerlifter Yakubu Adesokan, just as Balqis Otunla won the Weightlifter of the year award. Tosin Oke was named Track and Field Star of the Year ahead of Uke Claire and Kelechi Nwanagan, and Team of The Year was awarded to Men Basketball Team.

    Eyeanugie Primary School in Benin City was named the School Sports Award winner. Ganiyu Yusuf was named the Journalist of the Year (photo), Tana Aiyejina was named the winner of the Journalist of the Year (Print), Chinasia Ibonye emerged winner of the Journalist of the Year (Radio), and Austin Okon-Akpan won the Journalist of the Year (Television) in the colourful ceremony also attended by the new Youth and Sports minister Solomon Dalung.

  • Cameroon match fallout: Musa promises Eagles’ improvement

    Cameroon match fallout: Musa promises Eagles’ improvement

    Super Eagles skipper, Ahmed Musa, has promised the team will improve in subsequent matches after Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Cameroon 3-0 Brussels, Belgium.

    “It was a very good game for us. We did well and it served the purpose because we are gradually coming back to the team Nigerians want us to be, which we also want to be, we understand ourselves better being a new team. We all put in our best to achieve the result,” Musa told africanFootball.com.

    The CSKA Moscow forward said the victory is for fans of the Eagles.

    “The victory is for the team’s fans for always being there for us. They should keep supporting us as we will keep working hard to make them and the entire country proud,” he added.

    Musa played for 79 minutes before giving way for Arsenal youngster, Alex Iwobi.

  • Oliseh: Ahmed Musa is my captain

    Oliseh: Ahmed Musa is my captain

    Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh has announced that his new captain is Ahmed Musa because he is building the Super Eagles for the future.

    There was a major fall-out between Oliseh and Vincent Enyeama as concerns the Eagles captaincy on Tuesday night in Belgium.

    However, Oliseh insisted he has named CSKA Moscow forward Ahmed Musa as the Eagles new skipper.

    “There is no captain tussle – Nigeria going forward, I need a player who is regular in the team and it is Ahmed Musa, who did a great job in Tanzania under very difficult circumstances,” he said in a radio interview on Wednesday morning.

    “He is the captain of the team, not somebody who is thinking of retirement.

    “A captain has to lead by example. We are not here to build stars.

    “If you don’t conform to what I am trying to do, we will be friends, but we will be friends from afar.”

    He added: “There has been a new government and the President has picked new ministers. And that is what I have also done.”

    Ahmed Musa made his Eagles debut against Madagascar in Calabar in 2011 and he captained the team in a friendly against South Africa in March.

  • Friendlies: Musa, Onazi, 13 others train in Belgium

    Friendlies: Musa, Onazi, 13 others train in Belgium

    Super Eagles forward, Ahmed Musa and 14 other foreign-based players on Monday commenced training in Belgium for this week’s international friendlies against Congo DR and Cameroon.

    Also in Monday’s training were –Ogenyi Onazi, John Mikel Obi, Carl Ikeme, Elderson Echiejile, Efe Ambrose, William Troost-Ekong, Leon Balogun, Sylvester Igbonu, Rabiu Ibrahim and Obiora Nwankwo.

    Odion Ighalo, Moses Simon, Emmanuel Emenike and Alex Iwobi completed the list of players in camp.

    Super Eagles top official, Enebi Achor, told africanFootball.com the team will train twice on Tuesday (10am and 4pm) at the same venue.

    Nigeria faces Congo DR on Thursday, before tackling Cameroon three days later as part of preparations for next month’s 2018 World Cup qualifier against either Swaziland or Djibouti.

     

  • Musa targets flying start in Champions League

    Musa targets flying start in Champions League

    Super Eagles winger, Ahmed Musa, has said he is looking forward to CSKA Moscow starting its campaign in the group stage of UEFA Champions League on a good note.

    The Russian team will on Tuesday evening face Wolfsburg in Germany.

    Manchester United and PSV Eindhoven are the other teams in the group.

    “We’re battle ready and just waiting for the game. We are here in Germany with high hopes and good spirit,” Musa told africanFootball.com

    “We want to start the group stage on a good note. Our aim is to win here against Wolfsburg. Wolfsburg club is a good side too, but we have a target and we are working towards it. I will do my best to make that happen.”

    Musa has scored four goals in the Champions League including the goal that qualified for Russian army to the mini-league stage of the competition.

  • Ibrahim, Ujah in starting XI for Niger clash

    Ibrahim, Ujah in starting XI for Niger clash

    Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, has made six changes in the squad that started Saturday’s African Nations Cup qualifier in Tanzania for Tuesday’s friendly against Niger.

    FC Taraba star, Usman Mohammed, Chima Akas, Rabiu Ibrahim, Sylvester Igbonu, Anthony Ujah and Godfrey Oboabona will be in the starting XI for the encounter slated for Port Harcourt.

    Olympic Team midfielder Usman will be making his Eagles debut five years after he was discovered playing on the dusty streets of Sokoto with no shoes, africanFootball.com reports.

    Igbonu and Ujah were substitutes in Tanzania.

    Oliseh has kept faith with Wolves of England goalkeeper, Carl Ikeme, who impressed on his debut in Dar es Salaam.

    Werder Bremen’s Ujah has been picked to lead the attack ahead of Emmanuel Emenike.

    The starting XI:

    Carl Ikeme – Solomon Kwambe, Chima Akas, Godfrey Oboabona, Kenneth Omeruo – Obiora Nwankwo, Usman Mohammed, Rabiu Ibrahim, Sylvester Igbonu, Anthony Ujah, Ahmed Musa