Sports
Charlton Athletic Set To Sign Nigerian Teenage Goalkeeper
After spending about three months having some developmental training sessions with Charlton Athletic of England, the championship side has decided to offer Nigerian teenage goalkeeper, Samuel Friday James, a contract.
James has shown tremendous agility and progress at the developmental training programme in the club on the field and during some test games played with some clubs in England and it became glaring to the technical crew and management of the club that a raw diamond had landed on the side of the London based club.
It was therefore not a surprise with the decision of Charlton Athletic to offer the young talented goalkeeper from Mavlon FC, a modest NLO club, a contract at just 17 years old.
Sporting Lagos, a club in the elite league of Nigeria will not forget in a hurry the sublime display of James in a friendly game that ended 3-3. The goalkeeping treasure denied Sporting Lagos some goalscoring opportunities that would have wrapped up the game in their favour.
Some European clubs have been monitoring James after his heroic performance with Mavlon FC at the Viareggio Cup tournament that took place in Italy in March this year. Interestingly, it is Charlton Athletic that beat the rest to the signature of the ball-playing goalkeeper.
Fortune is already smiling at James since the first week he arrived at the club. He only had a few training sessions with the U-19 before the team upgraded him to the U-21 due to his performance.
Within a fortnight, he was given access to train with the senior team of Charlton Athletic and he has continued to show exceptional quality, hence the decision to seal a transfer deal between the England club and Mavlon Fc by offering a pre-professional contract to the goalkeeping jewel.
www.totorinews.com
Sports
The Next Messi or Ronaldo Will Come from Africa -Founder of Next Level Scouting
By Joel Ajayi
One of the world’s top scouting agents and the founder of Next Level Scouting, Jouko Gorissen, has expressed confidence that the next football superstar comparable to Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo will emerge from Africa, particularly Nigeria, given the immense talent present in the country.
The event, organized in partnership with USYAK Academy, has attracted over 10 scouts from across the globe, all keen on identifying future football stars.
Speaking at the ongoing Next Level Scouting 2025 event inside the turf Arena pitch Central Business Area on Friday, in Abuja, Nigeria, Jouko Gorissen emphasized the importance of discovering and nurturing young players with exceptional potential.
The Next Level Scouting programme has brought together over 300 young players from 16 academies across Nigeria, with successful players set to secure opportunities in top footballing nations such as Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands.
“We have 10 scouts on the ground and another 198 scouts worldwide watching the games online. There are 16 teams competing for professional contracts, and opportunities are not limited to Europe alone.
“Clubs from Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, America, Brazil, Egypt, South Africa, and even Australia are watching right now.”
He praised Nigerian players for their distinct style of play, saying: Nigerian players are known for high-paced, high-intensity, strong, and technical football.
“We’ve already spotted a few players in the first game who seem ready to take the next step.”
Gorissen expressed optimism about Africa’s football future: “Studies suggest that the next Messi or Ronaldo will come from Africa. This is what we hope to see here.
“Our job is to find the right clubs where these players can develop and progress to the next level.”
In his remarks, Usman Alfa, Chairman of USYAK Academy and Team Manager of Niger Tornadoes FC, emphasized the dual purpose of scouting-talent discovery and financial investment.
“Our goal is to discover talents and generate revenue because football is both a passion and a business.
“We have 16 academies participating, giving young players a platform to showcase their skills.
“Each team will play two matches, and the best talents will be selected to advance in their football careers.”
The Next Level Scouting 2025 event is set to be a game-changer for Nigerian football, offering young players a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be scouted by top clubs worldwide. With extensive global interest and investment in African football, the dream of producing the next football icon from the continent is closer than ever.
However, the Chairman of Nigeria National League (NNL), George Aluo, who was the special guest of honour kick off the event inside Turf Arena central Area of Nigeria.
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