The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ajagun

  • Panathinaikos fail to settle Ajagun’s transfer fee

    Panathinaikos fail to settle Ajagun’s transfer fee

    Greek club Panathinaikos has failed to beat a deadline to pay up the 200,000 Euros transfer fee for Nigeria U-20 skipper Abdujaleel Ajagun.

    Nigerian club Dolphins recently fired a two-week ultimatum for the Greek to pay up the transfer fee and the club is awaiting the Greek giants’ response.

    MTNFootball.com learnt that the Port Harcourt side will now be forced to drag Panathinaikos to world football governing body over the matter.

    “Dolphins is yet to receive payment from Panathinaikos and will now likely to take the case to FIFA,” a top source informed MTNFootball.com

    “It is rather unfortunate because Ajagun has added value to the club since his arrival, playing seven first-team games. But the Greek club is still not willing to pay for him.”

    ‘Pana’ is believed to be affected by the cash crunch which has overtaken the Greek economy and this has forced the club hierarchy to go for youngsters during the summer transfer window.

     

     

  • Ajagun transfer fee: Dolphins give deadline

    Ajagun transfer fee: Dolphins give deadline

    Dolphins have fired a two-week ultimatum to Greek club Panathinaikos to pay up the 200,000 Euros for the sale of Nigeria U20 skipper Abduljaleel Ajagun.

    Panathinaikos had promised to pay the transfer fee soon after they completed the signing of the midfielder last month, but they are yet to do so.

    “Dolphins will send a formal remainder to Panathinaikos this week asking to be paid the cash within the next two weeks,” a top source involved in the transaction told MTNFootball.com.

    The cash crunch in Greece has forced Pana to operate a shoe-string budget this season.

    Ajagun in the meantime has made several appearances for the top Greek club and even featured for 81 minutes as they won 2-0 at Ergotelis on Saturday in a league fixture.

    They have now climbed to fifth place on the table with 14 points from nine matches.

  • Panathinaikos to unveil Ajagun on Tuesday

    Panathinaikos to unveil Ajagun on Tuesday

    Flying Eagles star Abdul will be unveiled as an Panathinaikos player on Tuesday afternoon.

    It would be recalled that the 20 – year – old attacking midfielder signed a four – year contract with The Greens last month.

    After the former Dolphins ace displayed his wares at the Fifa Under 20 World Cup held in Turkey, it was only a matter a time before a foreign club offered him a contract.

    Abdul Ajagun, who has been handed the number 14 jersey this season, failed to make his official debut in last weekend’s league match against Veria.

  • Ajagun: Panathinaikos are very famous

    Ajagun: Panathinaikos are very famous

    Abdul Ajagun failed to make his Super League debut for Panathinaikos when they played host to Veria at the Apóstolos Nikolaidis Stadium, Athens on Saturday.

    The 20-year-old attacking midfielder was named in the squad by manager Yannis Anastasiou but was an unused substitute.

    Despite genuine interest from clubs in Turkey, Abdul Ajagun committed his future to The Greens after he put pen to paper on a four-year contract this past week.

    ”What made me accept the proposal of Panathinaikos without hesitation is the size of the team and the fact that Panathinaikos are a very famous club in the world.

    ” I wanted very much to pursue an international career in football and the opportunity of Panathinaikos is something that offers this possibility. Both the country and the team I like very much and I’m sure I’ve made the right choice,” Abdul Ajagun was quoted as saying by gazzetta.gr.

    Abdul Ajagun will have another chance to make his Panathinaikos debut on September 13 in the away clash with Platanias.

  • Panathinaikos set to unveil Ajagun

    Panathinaikos set to unveil Ajagun

    • Gets No.16 shirt

    GREEK top division side, Panathinaikos is set to unveil Flying Eagles skipper, Abdul Jelili Ajagun.

    According to online source, gazzetta.gr, the Dolphins defender who is in Greece completed a medical with the Greens on Tuesday.

    Ajagun is now expected to be presented in an official signing ceremony today or Friday.

    Meanwhile, the Nigerian has also requested the Green number 16 jersey.

  • Panathinaikos to snatch Ajagun from Turkish, French clubs

    Panathinaikos to snatch Ajagun from Turkish, French clubs

    Panathinaikos are nearing the signing of Nigeria youth international Abdul Ajagun, according to reports in Greece.

    Gazzetta.gr says Panathinaikos and Dolphins of Port Harcourt are in advanced negotiations and the transfer of the midfielder could be completed as early as next week.

    The stumbling block had been Abdul Ajagun’s transfer fee of 500,000 euros. But Dolphins have now lowered their demand.

    This summer, 20-year-old Ajagun had been on the wish list of clubs in Turkey (Samsunspor, Konyaspor and Manisaspor) and France. He netted three times for the Flying Eagles at the FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Turkey.

  • WYC: Ajagun promises fight back

    WYC: Ajagun promises fight back

    Flying Eagles skipper, Abduljaleel Ajagun, has promised a fight back by the team after Friday’s 3-2 loss to Portugal in the ongoing U-20 World Cup in Turkey.

    “We are all disappointed we lost the game, but we are also looking forward to our next game against Cuba on Monday,” said Ajagun, whose two second-half goals were not enough to stop Portugal’s victory in front of over 10,000 fans at the Kadir Has Stadium in Kayseri.

    “We will improve in our next game and score the goals that will get us back in the competition.”

    MTNFootball.com reports that coach John Obuh also said the match against Cuba should now be the focus.

    “It was a keenly contested game but unfortunately we lost, this was not what we had hoped for,” Obuh said.

    “We have to take the defeat in good faith so as to face the next game because we have to qualify to the next round.”

     

     

  • Ajagun’s brace not enough to save Flying Eagles

    Ajagun’s brace not enough to save Flying Eagles

    Portugal triumphed in their opening game of Turkey 2013 in a pulsating 3-2 win over Nigeria in Kayseri to move to the top of Group B.

    A brace from Nigeria captain Abdul Ajagun, after being 2-0 down at half-time, was not enough for the African side, as a double from Bruma, either side of Aladje’s strike earnt them victory.

    After a slow start, Portugal began to make the best of the running. A neat, slalomming run from Bruma saw an early sight of goal open up, but his wayward effort did not trouble Chukwunenye Okani.

    Nigeria made their way back into the game, Portugal went closer still to opening the scoring. A fine cross whipped across by Joao Cancelo found Aladje, but his stretched effort crept wide.

    The pressure finally told soon after, though. This time Bruma made no mistake, slotting confidently past the advancing Okani following a slick pass by captain Joao Mario.

    Aladje made it 2-0 minutes later. Bruma was found in all sorts of space on the left, and when Okani could only palm his shot, Aladje was happy to tap into the open net.

  • Flying Eagles not under pressure — Ajagun

    Flying Eagles not under pressure — Ajagun

    Flying Eagles skipper Abduljaleel Ajagun has said the team are not under pressure at the U20 World Cup in Turkey.

    Nigeria failed to retain their African Youth Championship in Algeria in April and they struggled at the recent Toulon International Tournament in France.

    But Ajagun has assured his team will rise to the occasion when it matters most in Turkey.

    “We’re not under pressure and we hope to give our best for Nigeria,” declared Ajagun at a pre-match briefing before today’s opening Group B match against Portugal in Kayseri.

    Nigeria begin their World Cup campaign tonight inside the smart football arena called the Kayseri Kadir Has Stadium.

    Turkey 2013 will be their 10th appearance at the U20 World Cup, where their best result has been runners-up in 1989 and 2005.

    In a total of 44 matches in this biennial competition, they have won 18, drawn 10 and lost 16. They have also scored 63 goals and conceded 56 goals.

    Coach John Obuh said he hopes for an improvement in Turkey on the country’s previous outings.

    “We have come here with a purpose and we won’t disappoint Nigeria and Africa as a whole,” promised the coach, who led the team to the quarterfinals two years ago in Colombia.

    “We are therefore looking forward to improve on our previous records.”

    Nigeria face a Portugal side, who two weeks beat them 2-1 at the Toulon International Tournament.

    “That gave us an opportunity to look at them and they also looked at us. So, it was a big advantage for both teams,” maintained Obuh.

    “They are a team with character and we hope our strategy based on what we learnt about them will work in the match.”

    Ajagun is one of three players from the 2011 World Cup and Obuh said he hopes their experience will carry his team in Turkey.

    “They have the experience to help this team, but they also have to prove that with their performance here,” said Obuh.

    Meanwhile, Peruvian referee Victor Corrollo will be in charge of this game.

    The Flying Eagles will sport all-green jerseys, while Portugal will wear all-white.

  • Ajagun makes CAF’s Best 11

    Ajagun makes CAF’s Best 11

    DOLPHINS FC ace Abduljaleel Ajagun is the only Flying Eagles player that made the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Best 11 as the championship ended on Friday in Oran, Algeria.

    The Flying Eagles skipper, who had two goals to his credit, was impressive during the championship and will star in the midfield after being selected by CAF’s technical study group.

    Flying Eagles’ Goyi Aliyu was however named in the six-man reserve team.

    The Best 11 released by the continent’s football ruling body saw champions, Egypt’s Young Pharaohs making the bulk of the team as they produced six players; Ghana had two while Mali and Algeria had a player named each.

    The Best 11 is as follows Mossad AWAD – Egypt GK, Ahmed SAMIR- Egypt, Boubacar DIARRA – Mali, Ramy RABIA – Egypt, Lawrence LARTEY- Ghana, Abduljaleel AJAGUN – Nigeria, Derrick MENSAH- Ghana, Saleh GOMAA – Egypt, Mahmoud KAHRABA -Egypt, Ferhat ZINEDINE –Algeria and Ebenezer ASSIFUAH – Ghana.