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The transfer window merry -go-round has started this January.Here are some of African players making headlines in the players market movement.
Liverpool, Real Madrid target Osimhen
Barcelona is planning to intervene in Liverpool and Real Madrid transfer plans for Lille striker, Victor Osimhen.
The Nigerian international moved to the French side in July 2019 for a transfer fee of £10.8 million from Charleroi, a Belgian football club. The 21-year-old’s price tag had skyrocketed since, having scored 13 goals in 24 appearances, including 2 in the Champions League, this season and many European clubs are said to be monitoring the youngster’s progress.
Report from Sport claiming Bayern Munich and AC Milan along with Sky Sports report of Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham’s interests proves that Victor Osimhen is a highly demanded striker and thus the French side want to wait until the summer to demand a higher fee.
Saido Mane linked to Real Madrid
Sadio Mane may be enjoying the best spell of his career at Liverpool and on the verge of winning the Premier League, but Steve Nicol wouldn’t put it past the winger to join Real Madrid in the near future. Recent rumours surfaced about Real’s supposed interest in Mane with some even suggesting Zinedine Zidane has made contact with the Senegal international on the matter.
Any transfer would likely take an astronomical offer from the La Liga giants for Liverpool to even consider selling Mane.
The 27-year-old has been in terrific form over the past 18 months, helping Liverpool win the 2019 Champions League and putting the club in prime position for their first top flight title since 1990.
He has established one of the most potent attacking front lines in world football alongside Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.
And Mane also recently finished fourth in the voting for the Ballon d’Or, just behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Liverpool team-mate Virgil van Dijk.
Galatasaray lands Onyekuru
Henry Onyekuru returned back to Galatasaray of Turkey after struggling in the French Ligue 1 with Monaco.
Onyekuru had played just four league games at Monaco since his arrival from Everton in the summer and he is set to revive himself in Fatih Terim’s team, where he scored 14 goals in 31 Super Lig matches last season.
Inter Milan, Barca want Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang
To the relief of Arsenal, their fans, and their new manager, star-man Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang has insisted he will be staying in North London after the arrival of Mikel Arteta.
Last season’s joint Golden Boot winner was heavily linked with a move away during a miserable December, which featured just one win for the Gunners. The striker – who is desperate for Champions League football – is also refusing to sign a new deal, which runs out in 2021.
Inter Milan and Barcelona have not relented in their interest in snapping up Auba, but the Gabonese international has refused to sign.
Chelsea leading chase for Zaha
Chelsea is leading the race to sign Crystal Palace talisman Wilfried Zaha with the hire of a super-agent, Daily Mail claims.
The Blues have secured the services of Israeli super-agent Pini Zahavi to engineer the exit of Zaha from Selhurst Park.
Frank Lampard’s side are back in the transfer market for reinforcements after seeing their transfer ban lifted by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in December.
PSG wants Koulibaly as Silva successor
Ligue 1 giants PSG are interested in signing Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer as Thiago Silva nears the end of his contract in the French capital.
Foot Mercato reported the Senegal international is ready to leave Italy at the end of the season and Napoli are ready to receive offers in the region of €70-75 million.
Aside from PSG, other clubs interested in signing Koulibaly include Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid and West Ham United.
Barrow close to €15m
Bologna move
Gambia’s Musa Barrow is on the verge of completing a €15 million move from Atalanta to Serie A rivals Bologna.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the deal which include a fee of €12m plus another €3m in add-ons could be completed this weekend.
Barrow has played seven Serie A games for Atalanta this season, including one start but he is yet to find the back of the net.
Reading welcomes Sone Aluko back
Reading have confirmed that Nigeria international Sone Aluko has returned to the Championship club following the expiration of his loan deal with Chinese team Beijing Renhe.
Aluko, who has been training with the Royals squad since last week, has been included in the matchday eighteen for the ongoing Emirates FA Cup clash against Blackpool at the Madejski Stadium.
Before heading out on loan to China, he was playing with the number 14 jersey at Reading but has taken a new squad number of 23 for the remainder of the 2019-2020 campaign.
Portuguese Club Casa Pia Atletico Clube snaps up Kelechi
Versatile Nigerian defender Kelechi John has today completed a move to Casa Pia Atlético Clube, the Portuguese Liga Pro side have informed via social media.
The Nigeria U23 international has been inactive since the end of the 2018-2019 season after parting company with Rio Ave, whom he represented for three years.
He transferred to Rio Ave from Junior Elkanemi Academy, a Jos based grassroots club that produced the likes of Obi Mikel, Joseph Akpala and Chidozie Awaziem.
“I’m here to help the team stay in ligapro. I want to prove my worth to help the team, “ said Kelechi, moments after signing the contract with Casa Pia Atlético Clube.
“I believe that from January we will climb the table and everything will be fine “
After 14 matches in the Segunda Liga, Kelechi’s new employers are 17th in the 18-team table with eight points.
Their next game comes up against Sporting Covilhã today, January 5.
