The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Osimhen

  • Osimhen has not signed for Tottenham – Agent

    Osimhen has not signed for Tottenham – Agent

    The bonafide representative of Golden Boot winner at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, Victor Osimhen, has said that there is no truth to reports that claimed the striker has agreed a deal with Tottenham Hotspur.

    Shira Yussuf, the elder brother of Nigeria international and ex- Dynamo Kiev midfielder Yussuf Ayila, and his partner, Ariyo Igbayilola, have pleaded that their client should not be unsettled with transfer speculations, as he just returned to Lagos after spending several months with the U-17 national team.

    “We have not agreed anything with Tottenham Hotspur, it’s just speculation, ” Yusuf Shira Ayila told allnigeriasoccer.com.

    “Victor Osimhen needs to rest, they shouldn’t unsettle the player with these transfer stories. How will a player be in Lagos and they are speculating he has signed a contract with Tottenham Hotspur?”

    Shira Yussuf added : “ For now we don’t know where he’ll play. We have a lot of top clubs in Europe that are after Osimhen but in due course the public will know where he is heading to. We can’t decide without the player.”

    Allnigeriasoccer.com has been informed by sources that Osimhen is likely to join an English Premier League club, with the likes of Manchester United, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool all scrambling for his signature.

    The Ultimate Strikers poster boy etched his name into the FIFA U- 17 World Cup folklore after netting 10 times at the recently concluded tourney in Chile.

    Osimhen arrived in Lagos late Friday night from Abuja alongside his coach,Chinedu Ogbenna and his intermediaries.

  • Siasia considers Osimhen for Rio Olympics qualifiers

    Siasia considers Osimhen for Rio Olympics qualifiers

    Nigeria U-23 coach Samson Siasia is considering drafting U-17 World Cup hotshot Victor Osimhen for the African U-23 Nations Cup in Senegal, it has been gathered.

    Osimhen set up a new goals record at the U-17 World Cup in Chile, where he scored 10 goals, netting in all seven games as Nigeria won a fifth global crown.

    A top official informed: “Siasia is considering calling up Osimhen and two other players from the World Cup-winning Golden Eaglets. The players are expected to join the U-23s in Morocco, where they will train before the U-23 championship in Senegal.”

    It was further learnt that the two other players may be skipper Kelechi Nwakali, who was named the MVP of the U-17 World Cup, and one of the team’s fullbacks.

    Siasia has complained about his team scoring goals and only a handful of noted strikers will be part of the 26 players who will fly out for a training stint in Morocco.

    It is believed Siasia is counting on overseas-based strikers such as Taiwo Awoniyi, Umar Aminu and Junior Ajayi  to join up with the final squad to Senegal.

  • FIFA GOAL AWARD: Osimhen, Okonkwo nominated

    FIFA GOAL AWARD: Osimhen, Okonkwo nominated

    Two Golden Eaglets stars are among the 12 nominees for the best goal scored at the recently concluded FIFA Under- 17 World Cup.

    Golden Boot winner Victor Osimhen and striker Orji Okonkwo have been nominated for the prestigious award,with the winner to be revealed by FIFA on November 16.

    Orji Okonkwo’s spectacular strike from 35 yards against Mexico and Osimhen’s drive into the top corner against Australia that put Nigeria four goals ahead have made the shortlist.

    Vitaly Janelt (Germany), Yeison Guerrero (Ecuador), Nanitano Ikone (France), Georgy Makhatadze (Russia) and Oh Sehun (South Korea) are all in the race for Goal of the Tournament award.

    Matthias Verreth (Belgium), Gonzalo Jara (Chile), Juan Nazareno (Ecuador), Dante Rigo (Belgium) and Diego Cortés (Mexico) complete the shortlist.

  • FIFA U-17 World Cup: Eaglets, Osimhen make history

    FIFA U-17 World Cup: Eaglets, Osimhen make history

    Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets made history at the FIFA Under 17 World Cup by winning their fifth title with the 2-0 defeat of Mali in yesterday’s final in Chile.

    Apart from winning the trophy for a record five times, the Nigerian team also became the second team to win the championship back to back after Brazil achieved the feat in 1997 and 1999. Eaglet’s gangling striker, Victor Osimhen also became the tournament’s all-time leading goal scorer with 10 goals after scoring the first goal with a well-taken kick against the Malians in the 56th minute. His strike partner, Funsho Bamgboye scored the second goal of the mouth-watering encounter in the 59th minute.

    The Nigerians were the faster off the blocks, winning a penalty kick in the third minute after a Malian defender handled the ball in the vital area. Ebere Osinachi’s kick was well saved by the Malian goalkeeper and a follow up header from Osinachi hit the cross, while another kick by the player was blocked by the Malian defence.

  • Eaglets trash Mali 2-0 to win fifth U17 Championship

    Eaglets trash Mali 2-0 to win fifth U17 Championship


    The Nigerian Golden Eaglets have emerged winner of the FIFA U17 World Championship in Chile. The Eaglets became winner for the fifth time after defeating Mali in an all-African final by 2 goals to nil. It would be recalled that until their defeat at the final against the Eaglets, the Malian team had won every match from the group stage. Meanwhile, Nigeria's Victor Osimhen put the Nigerian side ahead with a goal, few minutes into the second half before Bamgbose made it 2 goals for the Eaglets at the 62nd minute.

  • Tottenham open talks with Osimhen

    Tottenham open talks with Osimhen

    Sportinglife can reveal that the highest goal scorer in the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, which ended in Chile on Monday morning, Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen is being targeted by Barclays English Premier League side, Tottenham Hotspurs.

    Daily Mail newspaper in London was awash with report that scouts from across Europe have been following his performances and Tottenham have made contact with representatives from his Ultimate Strikers Academy.

    Daily Mail reported further that: “The 16-year-old is a tall gangly striker with good technique who can also play wide. He idolises former Chelsea forward Didier Drogba and is eager to follow in his footsteps by becoming a success in the Premier League.

    “Arsenal and Manchester City have also been watching him closely but have been concentrating on his international team-mate and captain Kelechi Nwakali.

    “Osimhen and Nwakali were both on target for the young Super Eagles as they beat Mexico 4-2 in the semi-final on Thursday. Osimhen has scored in each of Nigeria’s six matches at the U-17 World Cup, netting a hat-trick against Australia in the group stage,” the Daily Mail report stated.

  • Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal chase Osimhen

    Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal chase Osimhen

    The bonafide representative of Golden Eaglets star, Victor Osimhen has provided an update on the transfer situation of the Ultimate Strikers product, who is being courted by a clutch of clubs across Europe.

    Allnigeriasoccer.com can report with certainty that a foreign – based intermediary, who is linked with English Premier League, Spanish and French teams will jet into Lagos on Tuesday,  November 10 to hold transfer talks with Ultimate Strikers and Osimhen.

    “So many clubs in Europe have contacted us for Osimhen but we don’t want to rush, we have to take our time ” Osimhen’s representative told allnigeriasoccer.com.

    “It is important for the Golden Eaglets to win the Cup and if the team succeeds, more teams will want him.

    “Yes,we have received calls from several Premier League clubs but the Premier League is not the best in the world.”

    Osimhen’s intermediary has kept the identities of the clubs a secret but this website can exclusively inform that Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea have all approached him as regards to snapping up the highly – rated starlet.

    A transfer fee of one million pounds is being bandied about by the Nigerian media, but that is far from reality as Ultimate Strikers have demanded more than two million pounds or nothing before they agree to cancel their agreement with Osimhen.

    And that makes sense, bearing in mind that the transfer fee has to be as high as possible before he can obtain a work permit in England using the new system.

    Victor Osimhen, who has scored in six straight games at the FIFA Under 17s, has been likened to Barcelona and Uruguay star Luis Suárez.

  • Amuneke praises Osimhen, set for Brazil

    Amuneke praises Osimhen, set for Brazil

    Nigeria coach Emmanuel Amuneke has praised striker Victor Osimhen after his hat-trick helped the Golden Eaglets dump out Australia 6-0 to set up a World Cup quarter-final against “favourites” Brazil on Sunday.

    The Eaglets turned on the style by trouncing Australia early Thursday morning with Osimhen spearheading the goals charge to be the leading goals scorer with seven goals.

    “It was a very interesting match. We knew that Australia were a good team because they qualified from a very difficult group, but my players were able to recuperate themselves from the loss against Croatia and regained their level,” Amuneke said. “Victor (Osimhen) had a great game, although the philosophy of this team is to play collectively.

    “We are candidates to win the title, but so are Brazil. We will work to put up a good fight.”

    Amuneke added: “We will continue to believe in ourselves. Nigerians should continue to believe in this team. We have to work collectively to reach our objectives.

    “We will prepare very well so as to give a good account of ourselves against Brazil.

    “Brazil are a very good side, we played against them in Korea (in Suwon tournament) but this is the World Cup. Brazil will be the favourites to win this tournament but we will have a plan to beat them.”

  • Niger 2015: Osimhen wants title more than Golden Boot

    Niger 2015: Osimhen wants title more than Golden Boot

    Gangling Golden Eaglets striker, Victor Osimhen,  has admitted it would be an effort in futility if he emerges as Niger 2015 top scorer without the Golden Eaglets as champions of Africa.

    On the road to Niger 2015, Osimhen was Golden Eaglets’ top marksman with an impressive 18 goals in 38 (official and friendly) matches, and has scored thrice in Niger, including  two spectacular strikes against Zambia on Saturday.

    “We are  happy  that we have qualified  for the World Cup, the priority now is to ensure we win the trophy because it would be meaningless even if I finish as top scorer,” Osimhen said.

    Incidentally, Osimhen and captain Kelechi Nwakali are the only two Golden Eaglets on the Niger 2015 score sheet as they have six goals between them. But Osimhen insists it is just a mere coincidence.

    “Personally, I’m not thinking as an individual because the team comes first. I’m not focused on all that because we have so many other good players who can score goals for us too.”