The Nation Newspaper

Tag: chase

  • Enyimba chase Chikatara

    Enyimba chase Chikatara

    Allnigeriasoccer.com can confirm that  Enyimba have set the ball rolling in their bid to sign Chisom Chikatara from Abia Warriors ahead of the 2016 season.

    But Enyimba face a major stumbling block to land the signature of the Nigeria international as it is envisaged that Abia Warriors will play hard ball, with the leadership of the club vowing not to sell the striker to a rival team, though no official approach has been made yet by the newly – crowned Nigeria Professional Football League champions.

    Before the start of the 2015 campaign, Abia Warriors suits authorized the sale of their influential skipper Chima Uluocha to the Aba side while Peter Onyekachi was farmed out on loan, but they are not in favour of doing transfer business with their neighbors again as they have set a target of winning the league next season.

    Chikatara has seen his stock rise over the last one year given his impressive displays for Abia Warriors, which led to an invitation to the home-based Super Eagles for their African Nations Championship qualifiers against Burkina Faso.

    The likes of Ifeanyi Ubah, Enugu Rangers, Sunshine Stars, Warri Wolves and NPFL newcomers Ikorodu United have all made contact with the 20-year-old striker regarding a transfer.

    Chikatara has contractual obligations with Abia Warriors until December 2018.

  • Celtic, PSV chase Kingsley Madu

    Celtic, PSV chase Kingsley Madu

    Celtic have been linked with a move for Nigerian youngster Kingsley Madu. The 19-year-old is currently catching the eye at Slovakian outfit FK AS Trencin.

    The Nigerian Under-20 international arrived at the club last summer from Kano-based side El-Kanemi Warriors and has since gone on to become a fairly exciting talent across Europe.

    Dutch source Algemeen Dagblad, as reported by Voetbal Primeur, are claiming that Celtic are keen on the signing.

    However, they are not the front-runners to sign the teenager.

    The paper is reporting that despite Celtic’s interest and that from Gent and Ajax, it is PSV Eindhoven that are set to pick him up in the summer.

    Madu is currently contracted to play for Trencin until the January of 2017, and is clearly a player making all the right moves in European football.

    Celtic currently have plenty of left-backs on their books. The likes of Emilio Izaguirre and Charlie Mulgrew would be worried if Madu was to make the move to Glasgow.

    However, it looks as though it is Eindhoven that will be his destination should he leave Slovakia this summer.

  • Newcastle United chase Alli

    Newcastle United chase Alli

    MK Dons midfielder,Dele Alli, is courting interest from Newcastle United who are ready to follow up their interest with a bid for the teenager, according to his manager Karl Robinson.

    Speaking to the Shields Gazzette, Robinson reckoned the club are yet to receive a bid for Alli but conceded it was only a matter of time before the Magpies lodge a bid, unlike before when it was all paper talk.

    “There’s been a lot of talk over Dele and Newcastle United and certain clubs, I think it’s a bit more than paper talk this time around but there’s nothing that we’ve heard yet,” said Robinson.

    Alli has been scouted by Newcastle United chief scout Steve Carr in the past and nine million pounds is being mooted for the wonder-kid.

    He was initially thought to be on his way to Liverpool in the summer but talks appeared to have broken down and Newcastle United are set to steal a march on other rivals for his services which include Manchester City.

    The England youth international is the son of a Nigerian father, making him eligible for the Super Eagles.

  • Clubs chase Iheanacho – Man City official

    Clubs chase Iheanacho – Man City official

    AfricanFootball.com can exclusively reveal that besides MLS side New York City FC, Nigeria youngster Kelechi Iheanacho is wanted by several other clubs after he shone at Manchester City.

    A source close to a top Manchester City official has informed only AfricanFootball.com that they are yet to decide on where the Nigeria U20 star should now go to on loan.

    “Kelechi’s profile has shot up since what he achieved in pre-season in the United States of America,” the source said.

    “As a result of this, many other clubs are keen to have him and Manchester City are expected to soon decide where he will go to on loan.

    “New York City FC in the MLS is a possibility, but there are several other clubs who have come on board since after what he showed in America.”

    The source mentioned an opening in Belgium for the young forward, among other possibilities.

    The MVP of the 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates scored thrice, which included converting his kick in a penalty shootout, during City’s pre-season training tour of the USA.

    He has yet to sign a professional contract as he can only do so when he turns 18 in October.

    Chidiebere Nwakali is the other Nigeria youngster at City. He missed out on pre-season training with the EPL champions on account of a knee injury.

  • Nantes chase Oduamadi

    Nantes chase Oduamadi

    According to reports by Tuttomercatoweb.com, Ligue 1 club Nantes have set the wheels in motion in their bid to sign Nnamdi Oduamadi from AC Milan.

    Despite surprisingly failing to make the Super Eagles World Cup roster, the offensive all-rounder has a lot of admirers in Europe after emerging as one of the top players for Varese in the Serie B last season.

    Since the start of pre-season, the Nigeria international has been training with AC Milan while he studies the proposals from clubs interested in securing his signature.

    And talking of the interested suitors, not only Nantes are exploring ways to sign him as a couple of teams in Italy are believed to be monitoring the situation of the 23-year-old.

    Oduamadi has made only one appearance for AC Milan in the Italian topflight, which came against Catania four years ago.

  • Qatari clubs chase Sodje

    Qatari clubs chase Sodje

    According to leaks gathered by allnigeriasoccer.com, the future of Anglo – Nigerian attacker Akpo Sodje could be in the Middle East, as he is attracting concrete interest from an unnamed club in Qatar.

    The 34 – year – old is now a free agent after failing to renew his vows with English basement club Tranmere Rovers.

    The former Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton Athletic and Hibernian man is not a stranger to Asia, having had a short stint with Chinese club Tianjin Teda two years ago.

    On the other hand, Akpo’s elder brother – the more famous Sam Sodje – hopes to resume his football career in the January transfer window.

    Ahead of a potential move, the Super Eagles center back , who has been clubless for up to a year now, paid for a personal trainer to help him maintain his fitness.

    Both brothers are now free to resume their careers after the National Crime Agency (NCA) dropped the case of football match fixing against the Sodjes.

  • Saint-Etienne chase Taiwo

    Saint-Etienne chase Taiwo

    According to Eurosport, Saint-étienne are in the market for a left back following the expiration of the loan agreement between the Ligue 1 team and  Dynamo Kiev for the services of France international Benoît Trémoulinas.

    After Saint-étienne failed to strike a deal with their Ukrainian counterparts, the hierarchy at the club has shifted focus to one of the illustrious wingbacks to grace the French championship in the last 10 years, Taye Taiwo, formerly with Marseille.

    Although the 29-year-old is on the payroll of Bursaspor for the next two years, the free-kick expert is seeking pastures new, insisting that he does not want to represent the Crocodiles this coming season.

    Taye Taiwo was missing in action when Bursaspor took on Chikhura in the second qualifying round of the Europa League on Thursday, a strong hint that he is close to the exit door.

    The Nigeria international has played for teams in France, Italy, Turkey, Ukraine and England.

    Teams in England led by West Ham are believed to be monitoring his transfer situation.

  • Southampton chase Ogenyi Onazi

    According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Southampton are on the trail of Lazio youngster Eddy Onazi.

    The Nigeria international has been credited with several interest from the English Premier League since the January transfer window.

    And if those reports should be taken at face value, the Saints will have to beat Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Everton and Newcastle United to the signing of Eddy Onazi.

    The 21 – year – old appeared in all of the Super Eagles matches at the 2014 World Cup.

    He is still tied to the Biancoceleste until June 30, 2016.

  • Juventus join Emenike chase

    Juventus join Emenike chase

    Juventus have joined the race for Nigeria international Emmanuel Emenike, who is also being linked with a transfer to England this window.

    Turkish sports daily Fanatik has reported that the Fenerbahce striker displayed his wares at the Mundial, which has alerted a host of teams about his potential.

    Juventus manager, Antonio Conte intends to change his formation from a 3 – 5 – 2 to a 4 -3 – 3 this coming season, and has given the green light for the acquisition of Emmanuel Emenike.

    Interested teams including the Italian champions should be ready to meet the transfer fee of Emmanuel Emenike, which is around 20 million Euros.

    The 27 – year – old appeared in all of Nigeria’s four matches at the World Cup, but did not register his name on the score-sheet.

     

  • Three die as policemen chase motorcyclists

    No fewer than three persons, including a commercial motorcyclist, died yesterday as a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) bus crushed them in Lagos. Although the identities of the deceased could not be ascertained because of the attendant pandemonium, it was learnt that the three victims were young men. The victims, according to sources said, died as the motorcyclist was trying to evade arrest by a police patrol van enforce the Lagos Traffic Law on the Lekki-Epe Expressway. According to an eyewitness, Matty Odoh, the incident, which occurred at Awoyaya Bus Stop, while the patrol team was chasing the motorcyclist, infuriated onlookers who razed the van. It took the intervention of the Nigeria Army’s Quick Response Group (QRG) to restore normalcy, he said. Police spokesperson Ngozi Braide could not be reached for comments as phone calls to her number were unanswered. The army’s 81 Division spokesman, Colonel Omale Ochagwuba, said he was not aware of the incident.