Emmanuel Emenike Transfer News: Is Nigeria, Fenerbahce Striker Moving to Chelsea?

Fenerbahce striker Emmanuel Emenike could be on his way to Stamford Bridge later this summer.
Emmanuel Emenike Transfer News: Is Nigeria, Fenerbahce Striker Moving to Chelsea?
Nigeria's forward Emmanuel Emenike balances a ball on his head during a training session at the Beira-Rio Stadium in Porto Alegre on June 24, 2014 on the eve of a Group F football match against Argentina during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)
6/30/2014
Updated:
6/29/2014

Fenerbahce striker Emmanuel Emenike could be on his way to Stamford Bridge later this summer.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is supposedly a fan of the Nigerian forward, and is targeting him for a transfer, Turkish newspaper Fanatik reports.

The 27-year-old striker just moved to Turkish club Fenerbahce last year from Spartak Moscow. Emenike scored 12 goals and notched 9 assists last season.

Emenike has expressed a desire to play for an English side some day.

“I have always dreamed of playing in England,” he said.

“If I get the opportunity to play in England – I wouldn’t turn it down.”

Nigeria Attack to Test France in World Cup Last 16

RIBEIRAO PRETO, Brazil (AP) — The pace and power of Nigeria’s attack will give France’s defense its biggest test of the World Cup so far when they meet in Monday’s round of 16 match.

Although France kept two clean sheets in the group stage — against Honduras and Ecuador — the variety in the African champion’s forward line offers a much stiffer proposition, and it has already caused problems for bigger teams than France.

Winger Ahmed Musa will be closely marked after scoring both goals in a 3-2 loss to Argentina. His speed was a constant threat and he will look to expose the space behind France’s fullbacks — who are given license to push up in coach Didier Deschamps’ attack-minded team.

Emmanuel Emenike is a bustling, powerful striker, and veteran forward Peter Odemwingie has the technical ability to unlock defenses and has shown in the Premier League with West Bromwich Albion and Stoke that he is also a sharp finisher.

“They’re a good team, they caused Argentina problems. They are powerful, quick up front and hardworking in midfield,” said France midfielder Yohan Cabaye, who is set to return to the side following suspension. “They play with a lot of energy.”

It will be Nigeria’s first knockout game at a World Cup since 1998 — the year France won the tournament as host — and preparations have hardly been ideal, with Thursday’s training session canceled amid reports of a pay dispute.

Four years ago, it was France that was in turmoil before its final group game after going on strike at training.

The official line for why Nigeria didn’t turn up for the practice was that a team meeting ran too long, but reports said players were demanding bonuses owed to them. Fellow West African teams Cameroon and Ghana both had their campaigns disrupted by pay disputes.

“I heard that they went on strike,” said France defender Bacary Sagna with a hint of irony, considering he was part of the France squad that didn’t train in 2010. “It changes nothing because they’re the best African team around.”

Sagna is battling with Mathieu Debuchy for the right back slot and center half Mamadou Sakho is struggling for fitness with a left hamstring injury. If he fails to recover, Laurent Koscielny will replace him at center half alongside Raphael Varane. But they have started only a handful of games together and Nigeria has enough attacking threat to expose that inexperienced partnership.

“They’re African champions and some of their players play for top European clubs, some in the English league,” Sagna said. “We know they’re a dangerous team and that we'll have to be patient.”

France likes to dictate play, but given Nigeria’s propensity to throw players forward, Deschamps may pick his team with quick counterattacks in mind.

He has yet to truly decide what his favored lineup is, making surprise selections in all three group games so far.

Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann are challenging for a starting spot alongside Karim Benzema and Mathieu Valbuena in France’s three-pronged attack, while Paul Pogba and Moussa Sissoko are contesting a place in midfield.

Griezmann and Sissoko are quicker players and better suited to playing on the break than Giroud and Pogba.

But Deschamps’ final decision could be influenced by the volatility of Giroud and Pogba. Both have escaped straight red cards: Giroud for elbowing Ecuador’s Gabriel Achilier and Pogba for aiming a wild kick at Wilson Palacios against Honduras.

Sakho also avoided a potential sending off for elbowing an Ecuador player in the face, and French nerves will have to hold firm in Brasilia.

“You must do all you can to concentrate, and to stay calm in the difficult moments,” Sagna said.

 

Larry Ong is a New York-based journalist with Epoch Times. He writes about China and Hong Kong. He is also a graduate of the National University of Singapore, where he read history.
Related Topics