Nigerian NPFL players on Trials in Norway

Several of Nigeria league leading scorers led by Lobi Stars striker Anthony Okpotu are currently in Norway on trials.

Okpotu, who has played for top Libyan club Al Ittihad, has so far scored 12 goals in the Nigeria league.

He is undergoing trials at Norwegian club Stabeak, so also Prince Aggreh, who has scored five goals for Kano Pillars this season.

Another Pillars forward, Emmanuel Edmund, is at Norwegian side Haugesund after scoring five goals this season.

The stocky striker has already posted a short stint at Slovak club AS Trencin.

Also on the train to Norway is Bernard Ovoke, who has fired six goals in the Nigeria league for title-chasing Rivers United.

He is trying out at Lillestrom after they sold little known Nigerian striker Fred Friday to Dutch club AZ Alkmaar.

Nigeria stars Mikel Obi, Chinedu Obasi, Aaron Samuel, Anthony Ujah, Odion Ighalo, Nosa Igiebor, Fegor Ogude and Sulaiman Abdullahi started out in Norway before they moved on to bigger things in Europe.

More NPFL stars could still find their way to Norway before the transfer window in Europe closes on August 31.

“It’s a stable league for Nigerian players to become better professionals ready for sale to bigger leagues in Europe,” remarked a top agent.

“The clubs in Norway are prepared to take the risks to buy these players for very little and sell them for huge profits thereafter.”

In 2006, Ighalo cost Lyn Oslo less than $150,000 when he left Nigeria and eight months later, Italian Serie A side Udinese snapped him up for $1.3 million.

He is now holding his own in the Premier League with Watford after he recently rejected a switch to the lucrative Chinese league. 

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Rivers united player Ovoke on trials at Norwegian club Lillestrom

Rivers United striker Bernard Ovoke is undergoing trials at Norwegian club Lillestrom.

“The player is in Norway on trials,” according to a top Rivers United official.

“He’s far and away our best player and so we will miss him but we have to allow him to follow his dream of playing in Europe.”

The former Bayelsa United striker has scored six goals in the league and two in the Federation Cup.

He is a fast and technically gifted forward who could play as winger or striker.

Last week, Lillestrom transferred another Nigerian striker Fred Friday to Dutch club AZ Alkmaar and are shopping for capable replacements. 

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Rivers United suspends Bernard Ovoke

Rivers United of Port Harcourt have suspended their star player, Bernard Ovoke and The Garden City outfit disclosed Monday he will be out of action with the club until further notice due to what they called “gross misconduct.”

Ovoke has been one of Rivers United’s leading stars this season after he joined them from Bayelsa United of Yenagoa, but has now been suspended for “actions that border on anti-club activities and gross indiscipline.”

While confirming the development, the Port Harcourt-based side’s coach, Stanley Eguma explained what transpired and stressed that the decision had to be taken in the overall interest of the club.

“The club took this decision to suspend him because no one player is greater than the club. I must also state that Ovoke had been issued with several stern warnings on his conduct which unfortunately, had gone unheeded,” Eguma said.

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