Peseiro runs the rule over five Belgian-based players; NFF in touch with Gift Orban before visit

Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro was on a working visit to Belgium this past week and observed at close quarters at least five Nigeria-eligible players, allnigeriasoccer.com reports.

Peseiro's first port of call was the Ghelamco Arena, where he watched the striker on everyone's lips at the moment, Gift Orban. 

The KAA Gent star was close to netting his fifteenth of the season since his transfer to Belgium, but his sensational overhead kick struck the woodwork in a Europa Conference League match against Premier League opponents West Ham United. 

It is confirmed that a top staff of the Nigeria Football Federation informed Orban that Peseiro was going to be at the stadium to watch him before he took to the pitch against West Ham United, contrary to fabricated reports in the local media that the 20-year-old was blacklisted by the NFF after he failed to show up for last month's U23 internationals versus Guinea. 

The following day, Friday, Peserio took in the match between Standard Liege and Sporting Charleroi and he would be disappointed not to run the rule over one-time Flying Eagles central defender, Valentine Ozornwafor, who remained rooted to the bench for the entirety of the game. 

However, the Portuguese would have been impressed with the performance of former Manchester United and Manchester City schoolboy Noah Ohio, who netted his seventh of the season after thirteen minutes. 

On Saturday, Peserio was at Het Kuipje for the Jupiler Pro League game between KVC Westerlo and Club Brugge, and feasted his eyes on Raphael Onyedika and Antonio Nusa in the goalless affair. 

Ohio and Nusa are provisionally cap-tied to the Dutch and Norwegian national team respectively.   

Finally, the Super Eagles manager was at the Stade Joseph Marien yesterday for the Jupiler Pro League match between Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and RFC Seraing.

Victor Boniface is a player of interest to Peseiro, considering that the Nigerian Federation confirmed that the Royale Union Saint-Gilloise attacker was named in the Super Eagles' provisional squad for last month's 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Guinea-Bissau. 

With an eye on the upcoming Europa League quarterfinal match against Bayer Leverkusen, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise manager Karel Geraerts decided to rotate his squad and it meant Boniface was in action for only three minutes. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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