Mohammed seals Turkish deal, Celtics, Udinese chase Idowu

Flying Eagles of Nigeria skipper Musa Mohammed has finally signed a three-year contract with an option for an additional year with ambitious Turkish club Istanbul Basaksehir FK.

Last season, IBB, as they are widely known, finished fourth in the Turkish Super League and will therefore feature in the UEFA Europa League this coming campaign.

They have built a spanking new stadium and enjoy massive support from the government of Turkey.

Incidentally, Musa was to have joined another Turkish club Besiktas after training for several months with them last year, but the top Istanbul club failed to meet their obligations.

Musa’s signing has thus cooled off late interests from German Bundesliga side Hamburg SV and Rosenborg of Norway among several other top suitors.

He has already arrived Istanbul after he took permission from Nigeria U23 coach Samson Siasia not to be part of his team’s training camp in Abuja so that he could sort out his future.

The 18-year-old all-action right back from FC Hearts of Abuja led Nigeria to the knockout rounds of the recent FIFA U20 World Cup in New Zealand.

Meanwhile, Scottish champions Celtics and Italian club Udinese are keeping tab on Flying Eagles defensive midfielder, Akinjide Idowu.

The 18-year old is seen as a future leader in the Super Eagles, and most European clubs agree as they have been circling him for quite a while.

The utility player is yet to play for a professional club, but has featured for Nigeria at the U17 and U20 levels. He was the anchor man in midfield as Nigeria won the 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, and also played a key role as Nigeria got to the second round of the 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup.

Read Also: Transfers: Emenike, Ambrose, Mba others stay in Europe

Idowu has featured in over 50 games for both the Nigeria U17 and U20 teams respectively. He played all 6 matches for the Nigeria U17 as they finished second at the 2013 CAF U17 championship in Morocco. Though not a prolific goalscorer, but Idowu had his fair share of goals, during the qualifying campaign for the U17 championship, scoring two goals.

Idowu has tested with Norwegian club, Sogndal, and almost signed with Czech club, Sparta Prague just before the 2015 Africa Youth Championship. It remains unclear the club he will sign with eventually, but Italian club, Udinese and Scottish champions, Celtic are monitoring the 18-year old. The midfielder has also reportedly held talks with Spanish club, Almeria.

Ripples… without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now