Tag: KRC Genk

Nigeria’s Onuachu Wins Belgian League Footballer Of The Year And Golden Boot Awards

Paul Onuachu

 

Super Eagles striker, Paul Onuachu, has won the Best Player and Golden Bull (highest scorer) awards in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League, capping off an insanely remarkable campaign that saw him score 33 goals and provide three assists for KRC Genk who finished second on the log.

The 26-year-old bagged the prize on Monday night at the Belgian Pro League Awards traditional gala held at the JAM Hotel in Brussels following a stunning 2020/2021 campaign in which he featured in 38 league matches and play-offs.

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“Paul Onuachu can call himself the Professional Footballer of the Jupiler Pro League for a year,” the league wrote on its website.

“The KRC Genk striker was voted as the best player of the past season by his colleagues. Onuachu scored 33 times last season, making him the player with the most goals behind his name.”

The imposing striker, who made headlines all season, bulldozed his way to the awards after beating Club Brugge’s Noa Lang and Beerschot’s forward Raphael Holzhauser.

He is also in contention for the Ebony Shoe Award for the Best Player of African descent in the league where he will battle Congolese-born Belgian striker, Theo Batombo Bonganda; Angola’s Club Brugge defender, Clinton Mata; Anderlecht’s Anglo-Nigerian forward, Lukas Nmecha and Congolese-born Belgian star, Sambi Lokonga, who features for Anderlecht.

Onuachu, who formerly played for FC Midtjylland, netted 35 goals in 41 games across all competitions for the Blue-White, pushing them to lift the Belgian Cup in spectacular fashion.

READ ALSO: Rohr Selects Musa, 23 Others For Cameroon Friendly

Before now, he was voted into the Belgian Pro League Team of the Season alongside a teammate, Bryan Heymen.

Gunning For Gold

The Nigerian joined the Belgian outfit from Midtjylland for a fee of €7million and his sizzling form has seen him linked with a move away from the Luminus Arena with a host of top European sides set to jostle for his signature when the transfer window opens this summer.

Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr will be banking on the scoring prowess of the Ebonyi-born striker when Nigeria take on bitter rivals, Cameroon in a friendly match billed for June 4th in Vienna, Austria.

 

Onuachu is the leading scorer in the Belgian Jupiler League. Photo: [email protected] Eagles.

 

Since making his debut for the three-time African champions in 2019, Onuachu has scored three goals for Nigeria, including his maiden strike against Egypt in a friendly game that earned him the fastest goal scorer tag for the Eagles.

He is also expected to play a prominent role for Nigeria in next year’s African Cup of Nations (AFCON), a tournament he said the team is aiming to go the whole haul.

“We will just have to go there and take the gold,” he told NFF TV after scoring the lone goal against the Benin Republic in a qualification match for the competition.

Ndidi Hopes To Learn From Leicester City Players

Wilfred Ndidi, Leicester CityWilfred Ndidi believes he will learn a great deal from his new teammates after signing a five-and-a-half-year deal with Leicester City.

After finalising his move from KRC Genk on Thursday, the Nigerian footballer took part in his first training session with the club.

Welcomed by Coach Claudio Ranieri and the City squad, he revealed just how much he enjoyed the exercise.

“I feel good. My team-mates are nice people and they have welcomed me, so I’m happy.

“My first impression was ‘wow’. I trained and it was really good because it was really high intensity. I feel I can learn a lot here.

“Claudio welcomed me and then he explained to me how the team and everything worked, which I’ve sometimes seen on TV,” Ndidi told the club’s LCFC TV.

The 19-year-old said he was preparing to ply his trade in one of the most highly-regarded leagues in the world.

Leicester City Confirm Wilfred Ndidi’s Move From Genk

Wilfred Ndidi, Leicester City, GenkLeicester City have confirmed that an agreement has been reached with KRC Genk for the permanent transfer of Nigeria’s Wilfred Ndidi.

This announcement comes as the midfielder agreed personal terms and went through a medical test.

He is expected to sign a contract that would last till June 2022, once a work permit has officially been granted.

The 20-year-old, who is to wear City’s number 25 shirt, has earned a host of admirers across Europe for his performances both in Belgium’s Pro League and in the UEFA Europa League.

He had helped Genk progress to the ongoing season’s knockout stages of the European competition as Group F winners.

Ndidi is expected to complete the formalities of his move to Leicester City later in the week.

Yusuf Invites 26 Players For Super Eagles Friendlies

Super Eagles-Salisu Yusuf-Eagles FriendliesSuper Eagles Head Coach, Salisu Yusuf, has called up 26 players for the international friendlies against Mali and Luxembourg in Europe.

The three-time African champions would take on the Les Aiglons of Mali in France on May 27 before flying to Luxembourg to play the country’s national team on June 1.

Yusuf, who was installed as interim Head Coach by the Nigeria Football Federation last week, picked a relatively young squad that also includes former U-20 and former U-23 players.

All the invitees in the goalkeeper categories are: Carl Ikeme (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England), Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United, South Africa), and Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Sunshine Stars).

The defenders invited are: Abdullahi Shehu (Uniao da Madeira, Portugal), Musa Muhammed (Istanbul Basaksehir, Turkey), Elderson Echiejile (AS Monaco, France), Kingsley Madu (AS Trencin, Slovakia), Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa SK, Turkey), Leon Balogun (Mainz 05, Germany), Gbenga Arokoyo (Gaziantepspor, Turkey), William Troost Ekong (Haugesund FC, Norway), and Chidozie Awaziem (FC Porto, Portugal).

For the midfielders, players called up are: Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy), John Mikel Obi (Chelsea FC, England), Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City, England), Wilfred Ndidi (KRC Genk, Belgium), Raheem Lawal (Osmanlispor FK, Turkey), and Etebo Oghenekaro (SC Farense, Portugal).

The players invited in the forward category are: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia), Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium), Victor Moses (West Ham United, England), Odion Ighalo (Watford FC, England), Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England), Aminu Umar (Osmanlispor FK, Turkey), Aaron Samuel (CSKA Moscow, Russia), and Brown Ideye (Olympiakos FC, Greece).