By Raymond Nwaduba

Libyan top side, Al Hilal has acquired the services of Bayelsa United forward, Robert Christopher Mizo.

Lifestyle Nigeria reports that the striker who was recently voted as the 2023 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Best Player, penned three and a half-year deal with the North African club.

Speaking exclusively to us, his agent, Gbenga Agbejoye, Director SPOCS Nigeria, who broke the news to us of the player’s transfer didn’t however reveal details of the deal for personal reasons at press time but said they are happy to have closed the deal when they did.

“I can tell you authoritatively that Robert Mizo has been signed by Libyan club side, Al Hilal from Bayelsa United.

“He agreed three and a half-year contract with them that will keep him in the club till the summer of 2027.

“We at SPOCS are indeed excited about this and we are happy that we closed the deal before the end of the winter transfer window”, he said.

Mizo, who is the first player to score a hat trick in the NPFL since over 10 years when he hit the back of the net three times in their season opener against Abia Warriors in a 4-1 whitewash of the Umuahia-based side, scored nine goals for the Prosperity Boys last season to finish second behind Enyimba’s Emeka Obioma.

The Bayelsa United forward however went goals gaga this season as he has already scored 10 goals in the NPFL to make it 19 goals in the year 2023 for the Prosperity Boys. This is half of his career goal of 20 for Bayelsa United.

Meanwhile, Mizo joins the long list of NPFL top goal scorers rewarded with an overseas deal because of their goals-scoring exploits, the likes of Ahmed Musa, Julius Aghahowa, Stephen Nworgu, Chisom Chikatara, Stephen Odey etc.

Super Eagles midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi has been ruled out of this month’s African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Lifestyle Nigeria reports that Super Eagles media officer, Babafemi Raji in a statement on Wednesday announced that the Leicester City midfielder will be replaced on the team by Alhassan Yusuf.

On New Year Day, Ndidi missed The Foxes’ 4-1 home win over Huddersfield Town. Kelechi Iheanacho was also not present for the match.

After the match, Leicester City manager, Enzo Maresca revealed that the duo suffered knocks, but did not give a stipulated timeline for their injuries or rule them out of AFCON.

Meanwhile, 23-year-old Yusuf, who plays for Royal Antwerp has been tapped as Ndidi’s replacement, and included in the Eagles 40-man provisional squad for the competition.

The Super Eagles media officer added that Iheanacho “is still hopeful to join the team” for the tournament in Ivory Coast.

Ndidi joins Taiwo Awoniyi on the list of Eagles players ruled out of AFCON by injury. In November, Awoniyi was ruled out of the tournament due to a groin injury.

In preparation for the AFCON, the Super Eagles are camped in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), for a one-week training camp before flying back to Lagos on January 9 and proceeding to Ivory Coast a day later.

The Super Eagles are in Group A alongside Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.

The tournament will kick off on January 13.

Jose Peseiro, Super Eagles head coach, has revealed the 25-player squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast.

Lifestyle Nigeria reports that Ahmed Musa and William Troost-Ekong are among the notable inclusions, with both players returning to the national team after a hiatus.

Earlier this month, the Portuguese coach had released a 40-player provisional squad for the tournament. Notable players listed in the initial squad but omitted from the final team include Terem Moffi, Paul Onuachu, Cyriel Dessers, Nathan Tella, and Emmanuel Dennis.

Ojo Olorunleke of Enyimba is the only home-based player in the squad, with Amas Obasogie and Christian Nwoke missing the cut.

The squad comprises three goalkeepers, nine defenders, five midfielders, and eight forwards.

Newly crowned African Footballer of the Year, Victor Osimhen, is included along with Victor Boniface, Ademola Lookman, and Samuel Chukwueze.

The Super Eagles will have a one-week training camp in Abu Dhabi, UAE, before heading to Ivory Coast on January 10, 2024.

Nigeria is placed in Group A alongside Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau for the AFCON group stage.

Nigeria will take on Equatorial Guinea in their opening game before facing Ivory Coast and rounding off the group stage with the Guinea-Bissau tie.

The absence of Moffi, Onuachu, and other notable players is expected to spark discussions among football enthusiasts, but Peseiro and the coaching staff have made their decisions in preparation for the continental competition. The Super Eagles aim to perform well in Group A and progress further in the AFCON tournament.

Musa has not played for the Super Eagles since the game against Guinea-Bissau in March 2023, while Ekong’s last match was against Portugal in November 2022. However, both players will feature for the team at the 34th AFCON scheduled to hold in Ivory Coast.

See Full List Of Invited Players:

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabili (Chippa United, South Africa); Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus); Olorunleke Ojo (Enyimba FC)

Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC, Portugal); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); William Troost-Ekong (PAOK Salonika, Greece); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC, Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Joe Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Sivasspor K, Turkey); Victor Osimhen (Napoli SC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)