Sports
Pinnick Wants England U-21Star To Improve Super Eagles
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)President, Amaju Pinnickhas said that persuading England Under-21 player, Ebere Eze to play for the Super Eagles would improve the squad.
The NFF is hoping to convince the Queen’s Park Rangers midfielder to play for them rather than England at senior level.
Eze, who was born in England to Nigerian parents, played twice for the Three Lions at under-21 level in November.
But Pinnick wants Eze to switch allegiances to boost Nigeria’s midfield as they plan for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
“We need to make a solid representation at Qatar 2022 and it starts with improving on your squad with quality players like Eze,” he insisted.
“Can you imagine a midfield with Ndidi, Aribo, Etebo and Eze? it is one that will improve our squad.”
Pinnick has already held meetings with the 21-year-old and his parents and believes they have gone well.
“I had a positive meeting with Ebere Eze in London and I spoke to his parents as well,” said Pinnick.
“He requested for the chance to continue to focus on his club career which is going well so far, and that further progress will be made in due course
“But I am confidently hopeful that he will play for Nigeria soon,” he said.
Eze, who has scored seven goals and provided four assists so far this season, is considered as one of the hottest prospects outside of the Premier League.
His late penalty double and overall performance in a 3-2 away win at Hull City in October were particularly eye-catching.
However Pinnick’s public pursuit of the player has come under criticism from fans and local media, after a similar approach with Tammy Abraham ended in failure as the Chelsea striker chose to play for England instead.
“I have no regrets talking to Eze, who visited me at home with his girlfriend,” he added.
Nigeria have previously succeeded in snapping up former England youth internationals like Sone Aluko, Victor Moses, Shola Ameobi, Alex Iwobi and Ola Aina for the Super Eagles.
Eze was one of a number of British-born players, along with Ola Aina and Chuka Akpom, invited to train with the Nigeria squad in London back in March 2017 – following a cancelled friendly with Burkina Faso.
Uncapped and overlooked by coach Gernot Rohr after the London gathering, the former Wycombe Wanderers loanee then went on to earn seven caps for the England under-20’s between 2018 and 2019.
In August 2018, he agreed a new contract to stay at Championship club QPR until 2021.
Victor Osimhen will be the centre of attention as several of Europe’s biggest clubs send scouts to yesrerday’s Intercontinental Derby between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, with the Nigerian forward set to play a decisive role in the Super Lig title race
Representatives from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Juventus were expected to be present at Rams Park, underlining the scale of interest in both the fixture and its standout performers.
Reports in Turkish media indicate that the derby will serve not only as a key moment in the domestic title race but also as a platform for transfer discussions and strategic collaborations between clubs.
According to those reports, top European sides have secured places at the stadium with a dual purpose.
“Europe’s leading representatives will be present at the stadium within the framework of both player transfer and cooperation,” ,” Milliyet reported.
“Real Madrid, Barcelona, among many clubs, including Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Napoli and Juventus, have made reservations for today’s match.”
Osimhen was expected to be among the primary players under observation, alongside teammates Baris Yilmaz and Gabriel Sara, with scouts closely monitoring their performances in one of the most high-profile fixtures in Turkish football.
The report further noted, “Victor Osimhen, Yilmaz and Sara were at the top of the watch list and that the interest would mainly be in these players.”
It also highlighted broader discussions beyond player recruitment, stating, “Apart from this, ideas will be exchanged for strengthening relations between the clubs and new joint agreements.”
The Nigerian striker’s presence came at a crucial point in the season, with Galatasaray holding a four-point lead over second-placed Fenerbahce and knowing that victory would all but secure the league title with three matches remaining.
Osimhen recently returned from injury, making a brief appearance in the cup defeat to Genclerbirligi after missing four games, a period during which Galatasaray’s form showed signs of inconsistency.
His absence coincided with a mixed run of results in April, where the league leaders recorded two wins, one draw and one defeat, including a loss to Trabzonspor and a draw at home to Kocaelispor.
Defensively, Galatasaray have also shown vulnerability, conceding in each of their last six matches across all competitions, a concern ahead of a fixture that could define their campaign.
The derby follows disappointment in the Turkish Cup, where Galatasaray suffered a shock 2-0 home defeat to Genclerbirligi, while Fenerbahce were also knocked out after a 1-0 loss to Konyaspor
A tennis tournament held in honour of Olusola Odumosu, Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps FCT Command, has been described as a major step towards grassroots sports development and youth engagement.
The three-day competition, staged at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, began midweek , last week and ended on Friday, attracting young players across different categories.
On the court, top-ranked player Canice Abua won the men’s singles title after a hard-fought 7-5, 6-4 victory over Lucky Danjuma, who is ranked fourth nationally.
In the boys’ category, Unity Alex defeated Khaleed Dalha in straight sets to win the title, while Salvation Alex triumphed over Opeyemi Olademeji to win the girls’ singles event.
Odumosu, who marked his birthday with the event, said the initiative was designed to uncover young talent and strengthen the foundation of tennis development in Nigeria.
Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle has confirmed that financial discussions are ongoing over his contract with the Nigeria Football Federation, but insisted his attention remains on coaching duties and upcoming assignments.
Chelle, whose current deal runs until January 2027, said negotiations over his future are being handled by his representative, while he focuses on team preparation and player assessment following Nigeria’s strong showing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where the team finished third.
Speaking to Nigerian journalists, he acknowledged that financial matters remain part of the ongoing talks but stressed that he is prioritising his responsibilities with the national team.
“Yes, there are financial issues to be discussed and resolved. But I leave them to my agent to handle with the federation,” Obayiuwana quoted Chelle as saying on X.
“I want to concentrate on the job and the task at hand.”
Chelle’s comments come amid increased attention on his future following Nigeria’s recent success, which has reportedly attracted interest from other teams, although he remains committed to ongoing preparation.