Nigeria’s Gift Orban delivered a sensational performance off the bench to fire Hellas Verona to a thrilling 2–1 Serie A victory over Fiorentina on Sunday, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

The match took a dramatic turn in the 34th minute when Verona’s Giovane suffered an ankle injury after landing awkwardly from a header. Orban was introduced as his replacement, and he wasted no time making an impact.

In the 42nd minute, Orban opened the scoring with a composed finish after a perfect through ball from Al-Musrati caught Fiorentina’s Luca Ranieri flat-footed, slotting past goalkeeper David De Gea.

Fiorentina battled back and equalised in the 69th minute when Moise Kean fired a shot that Verona goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipò saved, only for the rebound to deflect off Nuñez and cross the line.

With the match seemingly heading for a draw, Orban struck again in stoppage time. In the 93rd minute, Bernède cut the ball back from the byline, and Orban finished at the near post, sending the ball past De Gea. Fiorentina protested, claiming the ball had gone out, but VAR upheld the goal giving Verona a dramatic late win.

The brace ended Orban’s six-game goal drought since October 26 and took his season tally to five goal contributions in 12 appearances. His decisive performance earned him Man of the Match honours.

Uche Dozie

Fulham are considering making Samuel Chukwueze's loan deal permanent after his impressive performances for the club, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

The Nigeria international has scored two goals and registered three assists in seven league appearances for Marco Silva's side.

The 25-year-old winger is currently on a season-long loan with Fulham from AC Milan, but the West London club is now ready to offer €28 million to secure his services permanently.

If successful, Chukwueze would join fellow Super Eagles players Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey at Craven Cottage.

He is expected to be away on international duty with Nigeria later this month.

By Olujimi Dare Ogun 

Ademola Lookman continued his impressive run of form on Sunday, scoring for the second consecutive match as Atalanta recorded a 2–0 league victory over struggling Fiorentina at the New Balance Arena, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

Atalanta took the lead in the 41st minute through Odilon Kossounou, who opened his account for the club with a superb right-footed strike from outside the box, finding the top-left corner after being set up by Charles De Ketelaere.

Lookman doubled the advantage seven minutes into the second half, reacting sharply to a corner and firing a right-footed effort from close range into the top centre of the net.

The Nigerian forward has now scored six career goals against Fiorentina and has contributed three goal involvements (two goals and one assist) in his last two matches.

He featured for 77 minutes before making way for Kamaldeen Sulemana, capping another lively performance in attack.

The win marks Atalanta’s first league victory since their triumph over Torino on September 29 and lifts them to 11th place on the Serie A table with 16 points from 13 matches. Fiorentina, meanwhile, remain in the relegation zone, sitting 19th in the standings.

Uche Dozie

Serie A outfit, Atalanta, is holding firm on a €50m asking price for Nigerian striker Ademola Lookman, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

The Italian club, also known as La Dea, has refused to budge on the fee, despite interest from Galatasaray.

Galatasaray are keen to bring Lookman to Turkey, where he would be reunited with international teammate Victor Osimhen, who is reportedly trying to persuade the winger to join him.

Lookman has struggled to make an impact at Atalanta this season, having pushed to leave the Bergamo club in the summer.

The 26-year-old's contract with Atalanta runs until 2027, but the club is open to selling him in January if the right offer comes along.

Galatasaray will have to dig deep to meet Atalanta's demands, with Lookman's current form not quite living up to his €50m valuation.

By Olujimi Dare Ogun 

Nigeria's Super Eagles and Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has expressed disappointment after his team's 3-0 defeat to Bologna in Serie A on Saturday, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

Despite making a brilliant penalty save, Okoye was unhappy with his overall performance and the team's result.

Speaking to Udinese's official website, Okoye said: "I'm happy with the penalty saved, but not with the match, which we started well anyway. That's football: I saved a penalty but then I made a mistake on the second goal. We need to move forward and analyze the good and bad things we did today."

The 25-year-old also addressed criticism of Udinese's defensive struggles, saying: "Are we the worst defence? We often take risks; that's our football. We win, but we also lose like that. We need to improve defensively, myself first."

Okoye emphasized the need for the team to regroup ahead of their next fixture as Udinese battles to climb out of the lower end of the Serie A table.

By Olujimi Dare Ogun  

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is expected to return to action against Lecce on Sunday, having recovered from an injury that sidelined him since September, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

The Nigeria international recently returned to training and is likely to be named in Maurizio Sarri's squad for the match.

Dele-Bashiru, 24, sustained the injury during Lazio's Derby della Capitale defeat to AS Roma.

He has made four league appearances for Lazio this season and is expected to be included in Nigeria's squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

By Olujimi Dare Ogun

Napoli president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, will stand trial for his alleged involvement in a false accounting saga surrounding Victor Osimhen's transfer to the club in 2020, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

The transfer fee was allegedly inflated, according to Italian reports.

The Nigeria international's move from Lille involved goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis and three Primavera players, Manzi, Palmieri, and Liguori.

https://twitter.com/TouchlineX/status/1991593230249652494?t=5YRDM2L0vglmlCut7imIuA&s=19

Prosecutors claim the valuations of the three players were artificially inflated to improve Napoli's financial position.

De Laurentiis, his associate Andrea Chiavelli, and the club itself have been charged.

The trial is scheduled to begin on December 2, 2026.

By Olujimi Dare Ogun

Atalanta head coach Ivan Juric has praised Nigerian winger Ademola Lookman, describing him as a "winner with determination" after his impressive performance in the team's 1-1 draw with AC Milan, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

Lookman scored the equalizer in the first half, firing home after being set up by Mario Pasalic.

His performance did not go unnoticed as the Nigerian winger bagged the Man of the Match award after full-time.

Juric heaped praise on the 26-year-old winger for his display, which helped salvage a point for Atalanta in the closely contested Serie A encounter.

“He is a particular type of guy, both in training and on the pitch; he is a sight to behold, just a spectacular player. A winner, with incredible determination, and I am very happy for him,” Juric told DAZN Italia.

Milan had taken the lead earlier through a deflected Samuele Ricci effort.

Lookman's goal and overall performance will have boosted his confidence, and Juric's praise will only add to the player's growing momentum in the Serie A.

By Olujimi Dare Ogun

Nigerian forward, Ademola Lookman has opened his Serie A account for the 2025/26 season with a stunning goal in a 1-1 draw against AC Milan, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

The Super Eagles winger played the full 90 minutes foe Atalanta and scored the equalizing goal in the 35th minute, canceling out Samuele Ricci's early strike for Milan.

Ricci had given Milan a dream start, firing home from the edge of the box in the fourth minute.

However, Atalanta's persistence paid off when Lookman latched onto a clever pass from Pašali? and unleashed a powerful left-footed strike into the roof of the net.

The result leaves Atalanta seventh in the standings with 13 points, while Milan sit third on 18 points.

Lookman's goal is a welcome boost for the Super Eagles ahead of next month's 2026 FIFA World Cup African playoffs in Morocco, where he is expected to feature prominently.

By Olujimi Dare Ogun

Nigerian international goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye has expressed delight over his return to the pitch after serving a two-month suspension for alleged betting irregularities, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

The 26-year-old shot-stopper made his season debut for Udinese in their 1-1 draw with Cremonese on Monday night.

Okoye was suspended in July following allegations of match manipulation linked to a yellow card incident during Udinese's 2-1 win over Lazio in March 2024.

However, he was eventually handed a reduced two-month ban.

The goalkeeper took to social media to celebrate his return to action, and his performance against Cremonese was solid, with two saves and 76% pass accuracy.

“Happy to be back, back to doing what I love most,” he posted.

“Back to fighting alongside my teammates, back to fighting in front of our fans, back to doing what I am doing since a young boy.

“Back to following the path my father fought for, back to having fun, back to chasing dreams, back to doing what I’ll die for.”

Okoye's comeback also puts him in contention for a spot in Nigeria's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs against Gabon.

By Olujimi Dare Ogun

Serie A outit, Atalanta is poised to retain the services of Super Eagles striker Ademola Lookman beyond 2027, with a proposed contract extension, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

The proposed offer would see him earn €3 million annually, up from his current €1.8 million salary.

The club's management is keen on keeping Lookman at the center of their future plans, reflecting their commitment to the player's growth and success.

Theq 27-year-old striker has been instrumental in Atalanta's success, including their UEFA Europa League triumph last season.

Despite interest from top European clubs like PSG and Inter Milan, Atalanta has managed to fend off previous offers, and it seems likely they'll retain Lookman's services.

Lookman has had a rough start to the season, participating in several matches for both Atalanta and Nigeria with no goal.

His last goal came on May 12 during Atalanta's 2-1 victory over Roma, and he's yet to score this season.

By Olujimi Dare Ogun

Atalanta's decision to reintegrate Nigerian winger Ademola Lookman into first-team training has sparked controversy among certain groups of supporters, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

Lookman had been absent from pre-season training, returning to the UK for several weeks while his teammates prepared for the new season.

The 27-year-old only returned to Bergamo five days before the start of the 2025-26 Serie A season, prompting coach Ivan Juric to exclude him from the matchday squads.

However, Juric has now allowed Lookman to train with the first team, a move that has been met with resistance from some fans.

The "Old Guard" supporters' group, in particular, has expressed discontent over Lookman's reintegration, calling him "ungrateful" over his reintegration.

"A banner has appeared in Bergamo with a message that reads: “No. 11 reintegrated but for us, you remain ungrateful.”

La Dea play Torino later on Sunday and it remains to be seen the pacy winger will play a part despite his return.

By Olujimi Dare Ogun

Atalanta head coach, Ivan Juric has confirmed that Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman is available for Sunday's Serie A match against Torino, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

Lookman trained with his Atalanta teammates for the first time on Thursday, marking a significant step towards his return to the team.

The 27-year-old winger had been absent from Atalanta's squad since pushing for a move to Inter Milan during the summer transfer window.

Although the transfer fell through, Lookman has since returned to the team and was warmly received by his teammates and coaching staff.

“He’s spoken with me, the team and my staff. He was well received and from tomorrow, he will begin to be available to us,” Juric told a pre-match press conference on Saturday.

“He’s not in the best condition given that he’s been training alone up until now. He did very well in training (on Friday).”

By Olujimi Dare Ogun 

Nigerian forward, Gift Orban was instrumental in Hellas Verona's 1-1 draw with Juventus on Saturday, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

Orban scored the equalizing goal from the penalty spot in the 44th minute.

The strike, his first goal of the season for Hellas Verona, cancelled out Francisco Conceição's early goal for Juventus.

Conceição had given Juventus the lead in the 19th minute with a solo effort, beating two defenders before unleashing a low shot into the bottom corner.

However, Orban's clinical finish from the penalty spot ensured Verona earned a point from the match.

The 22-year-old forward, who joined Hellas Verona on loan from TSG Hoffenheim last month was replaced by Junior Ajayi in the 90th minute.

The draw sees Juventus remain top of the Serie A table with 10 points from four matches, while Verona have three points from the same number of games.

By Olujimi Dare Ogun 

Atalanta captain Marten de Roon believes there's still a chance for Ademola Lookman to play for the club again if he changes his attitude, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

Lookman has been excluded from Atalanta's squad after attempting to force a move to Inter Milan in the summer.

The Nigeria international has been training alone since returning to Italy after going AWOL, and was left out of Atalanta's squads for Sunday's Serie A clash with Lecce and Wednesday's UEFA Champions League fixture against Paris Saint-Germain.

Despite the tension, De Roon emphasized that the door is still open for Lookman's return, saying, "We are concentrated on the squad and the players who are here. We are here and the door is always open."

Atalanta head coach Ivan Juric, however, has been firm in his stance, insisting that he won't beg Lookman to return to the team.

Juric wants players who are committed to the club, and Lookman's future at Atalanta remains uncertain.

By Olujimi Dare Ogun

Although the transfer season is over but it seems the rift between Nigerian forward, Ademola Lookman and his club, Atalanta will not go anytime soon as coach, Ivan Juric rules out the possibility of playing Lookman this weekend, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports

Lookman has not played competitively, or in any pre-season friendlies for Atalanta since the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

He had seen a move to Inter fall through during the summer transfer window, which led to a series of unfortunate events, including the submission of a formal transfer request and his publishing of a statement going against the club.

While all all dust seems to be settling down and Lookman again back in training even with two games for Nigeria during the September international break, his coach Juric although claimed to have good relationship with but man but he will not beg him.

"Ademola will not be ready for tomorrow,” Juric said during his pre-match press conference via FootballItalia.

“A truly unpleasant and difficult situation,” he continued. “As a coach, I felt that we needed other things: Spirit, humility, passion for the shirt. We need to do better and also take responsibility. You need a sense of belonging.

“I have a very good relationship with Lookman,” Juric insisted. “But, I shouldn’t have to beg him to play. It works the other way around. We are Atalanta and he represents the city. We need what Atalanta represents: Hard work, humility, these are different values.

Lookman returned to Atalanta five days before the start of the 2025-26 Serie A season, and has continued to be left out of Juric’s squad since then.

By Olujimi Dare Ogun 

Atalanta head coach Ivan Juric has ruled out Ademola Lookman from Sunday's Serie A match against Lecce, citing the player's lack of commitment to the team, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

Lookman has been embroiled in a transfer saga, pushing for a move away from the club during the summer window.

The Nigeria international had been seeking a transfer, with Inter Milan submitting a €45m bid that was rejected by Atalanta.

He had absented himself from training and pre-season friendlies, returning to the UK to train individually, although he has since rejoined Atalanta's first-team training.

Despite his omission from the team in the first two games of the season, Lookman played for Nigeria in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa. However, Juric again, will not be calling on the pacy forward.

"Ademola will not be ready for tomorrow,” Juric confirmed via FootballItalia.

“A truly unpleasant and difficult situation,” he continued.

“As a coach, I felt that we needed other things: Spirit, humility, passion for the shirt. We need to do better and also take responsibility. You need a sense of belonging.”

By Olujimi Dare Ogun

Bayern Munich have expressed interest in signing Ademola Lookman from Atalanta, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

The Bundesliga champions are looking to secure a loan deal with a substantial fee and an option to buy the 27-year-old winger.

Lookman has been keen to leave Atalanta, especially after the club rejected several offers from Inter Milan.

The player has publicly accused Atalanta of breaking promises made to him, further straining his relationship with the Italian side.

Atalanta's stance on selling Lookman appears to be firm, with the club insisting on a permanent sale rather than a loan deal.

Bayern Munich's proposed €28 million option-to-buy clause is reportedly below Atalanta's valuation of Lookman, which stands at around €50 million.

With the transfer window set to close on September 1, Lookman's future remains uncertain as negotiations between Bayern Munich, Atalanta, and other interested clubs continue.

By Olujimi Dare Ogun  

Atalanta manager Ivan Juric has expressed uncertainty over the future of Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman, who has been training separately from the squad, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

Lookman had submitted a transfer request earlier this month in a bid to join Inter Milan, but the deal fell through after Inter pulled out of negotiations.

Juric, speaking ahead of Atalanta's match against Parma, said: "I don't know anything about Lookman, it's difficult to hazard a guess on what will happen or if he will remain."

With Ederson injured and Lookman still out of the squad training alone, the coach's comments highlight the uncertainty surrounding Lookman's future at the club.

Lookman has been a key player for Atalanta, scoring 52 goals in 118 appearances since joining the club. His future remains uncertain, with the transfer window closing soon.

By Olujimi Dare Ogun  

Former Super Eagles midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi has expressed his support for Gift Orban, who recently joined Serie A side Hellas Verona on loan from TSG Hoffenheim, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

Onazi believes Orban will thrive in Italy, citing Serie A's reputation as one of the toughest and most tactical leagues globally.

“It is perfect for him to come to Italy because it is one of the strongest leagues tactically in Europe. It will help his career a lot.

"He has already done well in Belgium, France, and Germany, and you can see the talent is there. I believe Serie A will take him to the next level,” Onazi told Footy-Africa.

Onazi's endorsement comes as Orban looks to make an immediate impact in Italy. The 22-year-old striker has had a varied career, playing for clubs like Stabæk, KAA Gent, Olympique Lyonnais, and Hoffenheim.

Orban's loan move to Hellas Verona marks his fourth transfer in 31 months, with the Italian club hoping he can bolster their attacking options.

Orban has expressed his excitement about joining Hellas Verona, stating he'll give everything on the pitch for the club's colors.

By Olujimi Dare Ogun