The summer transfer window is in full swing so we’ll bring you all the latest transfer rumours and gossip from around the globe. Today, Arsenal confirm the signing of Kelechi Nwakali…

Arsenal have finally confirmed on Arsenal.com that Kelechi Nwakali has joined the club from the Diamond Football Academy in Nigeria.

The 18-year-old has been strongly linked with a move to Arsenal for several months after alerting scouts to his potential with some superb performances for the Nigerian Under-17′s.
Nwakali captained the Super Eagles to victory at the Youth World Cup in Chile last year and was later named as Player of the Tournament, and the Daily Star reported some time ago that we’d agreed a £3m deal for his signature.
The newspaper suggested that the midfielder also agreed terms over a long-term contract but his proposed move to north London was delayed first due to work permit problems before international commitments further delayed his arrival.
However, Nwakali confirmed he had completed his switch to Arsenal after posting a photo on Twitter yesterday of him signing his contract while he also shared snaps of him at London Colney after enjoying his first day at training.
Arsenal have finally announced Nwakali’s signing on our official website with the club revealing that the young midfielder will now head out on loan to gain some experience over the coming season

MAKING CLEAR SOME FACTS
By Genshak Golak.
"Honourable Minister, we will want to go for training in the States, preferably Atlanta Georgia. "

"I understand your demand to go for training there but the prevailing economic situation now can't afford us that as both the government and the Ministry are faced with paucity of funds. Please stay back here and do the training"
"Alright sir.. "
Suddenly they claimed to have secured a sponsor who will foot their bills to undergo the training as planned in Atlanta.
Next thing.... in the news, Under 23 Dream Team are stranded in Atlanta and they can't even pay for their hotel bills.
What?? Who took them there?
You can't go ahead with an unapproved trip and get into problems then turn round and blame it on the Minister.
Fair enough, the minister chewed all the odds and reached out to the players in Atlanta personally to see for himself and be briefed accordingly.
Now you may ask about their inability to arrive Rio in good time, your answer is that the Ministry provided a charter plane for the players twice. Find out why they refused to fly.

ETEBO GRABS FOUR IN A NINE GOAL THRILLER.

Published: August 05, 2016 Nigeria brushed off talk of a crisis in their ranks and edged Japan 5-4 in a Group B match of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Amazonia Arena on Friday morning.

The big news leading to the game was that the Dream Team VI landed at the match venue barely seven hours to kickoff after their departure from their training base in Atlanta, Georgia, was severally moved.

 Four goals from Oghenekaro Etebo and Umar Sadiq’s effort ensured that the African champions started the tournament on a positive note.

In the space of six minutes, the thriller procured four goals.

Nigeria scored first through AS Roma youngster Umar who cashed in on a rebound from Imoh Ezekiel’s goal-bound shot.

It was one-all two minutes after thanks to Shinzo Koroki’s goal from the penalty spot after Stanley Amuzie was penalised for a poor tackle in the box.

Etebo restored the advantage for Nigeria before Japan drew level yet again thanks to Takumi Minamino who placed the ball underneath Emmanuel Daniel.

 Amuzie then tried to atone for his earlier error with a powerful drive with his left foot in the 20th minute.

 Moments after, the flat footed Shehu Abdullahi almost gave the Japanese a gift but Nigeria’s blushes was spared.

 There was still one more goal in the appetizing first 45 minutes and it was Umar who spotted Etebo. The former Warri Wolves forward unleashed a perfect finish to the back of the net.


If the first half was a classic, then the second stanza was salivating.

Five minutes after resumption, Umar was hauled down in the box and the match referee pointed to the penalty spot. Etebo completed a superb hattrick for himself with his well dispatched effort.

 The Asian side troubled the shaky Nigerian defense. It took the bravery of Daniel to make their efforts futile.

Chelsea star and captain of the Nigerian side Mikel fired at goal with his weaker left foot as the 1996 champions pressed for more.

Six minutes after the hour, the scoreline was 5-2 in favour of Samson Siasia’s charges.

 Mikel was very much involved. He forced a mistake from goalkeeper Masatoshi Kushibiki, who came off his line out to stop Umar and from the poor clearance, Etebo drove the ball home from outside the area.

 Japan had renewed hope in the 70th minute when they reduced the deficit. Takuma Asano punished the African team who looked flat footed at the back.

 There was a nervy end to the match when Musashi Suzuki netted at the 4th minute of injury time.

 Despite the scare, Nigeria held on to edge out Japan in the nine-goal thriller.

 Nigeria Starters: Emmanuel Daniel, Stanley Amuzie, William Ekong, Muenfuh Seth, Abdullahi Shehu, Okechukwu Azubuike, Oghenekaro Etebo, Mikel John Obi (c), Usman Muhammed, Sadiq Umar, Imoh Ezekiel

 Reserves: Daniel Akpeyi, Erimuya Saturday, Kingsley Madu, Ndifreke Effiong, Popoola Saliu, Oluwafemi Ajayi, Aminu Umar

 Japan Starters: Masatoshi Kushibiki, Sei Muroya, Wataru Endo, Hiroki Fujiharu, Naomichi Ueda, Tsukasa Shiotani, Riki Harakawa, Ryota Ohshima, Shoya Nakajima, Shinzo Koroki, Takumi Minamino

 Reserves: Kosuke Nakamura, Shinya Yajima, Masashi Kamekawa, Musashi Suzuki, Yosuke Ideguchi, Takuma Asano

MUSA OUTSHINES MESSI, BAGS BRACE AGAINST BARCELONA

   

Ahmed Musa opened his account for Leicester City as the Premier League champs lost 4-2 to Barcelona in the International Champions Cup at the Friends Arena (Solna) on Wednesday night.

The Foxes record signing started on the bench and was introduced immediately after the intermission.

On 48 minutes, Musa reduced the deficit to 3-1, when he wriggled free of a challenge inside the Barcelona half before sprinting clear and slotting past goalkeeper Jordi Masip .

The Nigeria international capitalized on a defensive error to score his second of the game in the 66th minute.

Munir (2), Suárez and Rafa Mújica were on the scoresheet for Barcelona, who were leading by three goals at the end of the first half.

The Foxes confirmed today via their official webpage that Ahmed Musa will play with the number seven jersey in the 2016-2017 campaign.

 OKOROCHA,GIVE US OUR PROMISED LAND

  Nigeria U20s coach Emmanuel Amuneke, Manchester City youngsters Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidiebere Nwakali, Porto striker Chidera Ezeh have made a passionate appeal to the Imo State Government led by Governor Rochas Okorocha to redeem its pledge to allocate lands to them.

Shortly after the Golden Eaglets won the 2013 Fifa Under 17 World Cup, the Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, announced the donation of plots of land to each of the Imo State natives at a choice area in Owerri but has not redeemed the pledge.

“Rochas Okorocha pronounced that he will give Amuneke, Iheanacho, Nwakali and Chidera one plot each after winning the 2013 Fifa U17 World Cup, .
“The land was supposed to be allocated to them since 2013, they have not even shown them the land, so they are pleading with the State Government to give them the Certificate of Occupancy so they can start developing the lands.

The Governor also announced a cash donation of 2 million Naira to former assistant coach of the Nigeria U17s Emmanuel Amuneke and 1 million Naira each to Kelechi Iheanacho, Chidera Ezeh and Chidiebere Nwakali when he received the team in November 2013.

SOCCER WRAP

 : Emenike Scores; Nwakaeme, Ideye, Bala, Kalu Work 90-Min Shift; Efe, Uwa Missing, Fatai Benched

Published: August 04, 2016 Catch up on the performances of players of Nigerian descent in the UEFA Champions League Third qualifying round, Game 2 on Wednesday.

Fenerbahçe S.K. bid farewell to the competition after losing 3-1 to Monaco at the  Stade Louis II, with former Nigeria international Emmanuel Emenike working a ninety-minute shift for the Turkish Super Lig team.

The Yellow Canaries number 29 struck in the 53rd minute, his third goal in Europe this term, to reduce the deficit to 2-1. Super Eagles left fullback Elderson Echiejile was not in Monaco’s squad for this one.

Over to the Arthur Vasermil Stadium (Be’ér Shéva), three Nigerians were on parade as Hapoel Beer Sheva pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the competition this season by beating Greek champs Olympiakos 1-0.

John Ogu, Anthony Nwakaeme (both Hapoel Beer Sheva) and Brown Ideye (Olympiakos) went the distance. The Israelis qualified 1-0 on aggregate.

At the Pepsi Arena in Warsaw, AS Trencin played out a goalless draw with Legia Warsaw but crashed out of the competition after losing 1-0 to the Polish team last week.

Super Eagles left back Kingsley Madu is away on international duty, so was unavailable for selection.

Teammates Maduka Udeh, Aliko Bala and Samuel Kalu all started for the Slovakian champions. Udeh subbed out in the 90th minute.

Efe Ambrose was not named in Celtic’s 18-man squad against Astana. The Premiership champions won 2-1 to book their place in the next round.

Sodiq Atanda started and played 88 minutes of Partizani Tirana’s 2-0 loss at Salzburg at the Red Bull Arena (Wals-Siezenheim).

Former Flying Eagles star Kehinde Fatai remained on the bench for the entire duration of the game as Sparta Prague lost 2-0 to Steaua Bucureşti at the Arena Naţională .

Chelsea Star Mikel Appointed Team Nigeria Captain At Olympics.

  Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has been appointed captain of Team Nigeria at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Veteran female table tennis player Olufunke Oshonaike, 40, will assist the Super Eagles skipper in carrying out his duties.

While Funke will be competing in her sixth Olympic Games in Rio, Mikel is set to make his first appearance in the prestigious international sporting competition.

The 29-year-old central midfielder was congratulated by members of the Dream Team after training on Tuesday morning, according to the Media Officer of the squad, Timi Ebikagboro.

NIKE has supplied the Nigeria U23s players and officials with new kits ahead of their departure to Brazil.