Glo CAF Awards: Ikpeba tips Emenike, Mikel

Africa Footballer of 1997 Victor Ikpeba has tipped Emmanuel Emenike and Mikel Obi to be crowned the continent’s best player this year.

Ikpeba said with the performance of the Super Eagles at the 2013 Nations Cup, Chelsea stars Victor Moses and Mikel Obi as well as Emmanuel Emenike and Sunday Mba will be among the top favourites to win the prestigious African gong.

”I think it’s time for Nigeria to win the Africa  player of the year after our winning of AFCON 2013. And I think four players Victor Moses, Mikel Obi, Emmanuel Emenike and Sunday Mba can win the title,” he said.

Emenike and Mikel

However, ‘The Prince of Monaco’, as Ikpeba was fondly called during his playing days, was quick to warn that the players must sustain the tempo at their clubs.

”Winning the Nations Cup is not enough for you to win the Africa footballer of the year, so I must warn these players that they need to continue the good run in their clubs,” said Ikpeba, who is on the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Previous Nigeria winners of the CAF Award were Nwankwo Kanu, Emmanuel Amuneke and Rashidi Yekini.

The Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) have fixed January 9 for the CAF Award gala.

Lagos has been picked as host city for the gala, a strong signal that the award may be coming back to Nigeria after Kanu last won it in 2000.

Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure is the current Africa Footballer of the Year.

Lagos to host CAF Awards

The 2013 CAF awards will be held in Lagos on January 9, the Confederation of African Football have announced.

It will mark the first time since 2008 that the gala event will return to Nigeria’s commercial capital.

Since 2005 when the CAF awards have been sponsored by Globacom, the event has held in five cities; the 2005 edition was held in Abuja (Nigeria), 2006 in Accra (Ghana), 2007 in Lome (Togo), 2008 in Lagos (Nigeria), 2009 in Accra (Ghana), 2010 in Cairo (Egypt) and the last two editions in Accra Ghana.

Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure is the current African Player of the Year, having won the last two editions, while the 2013 African Player of the Year – Based in Africa winner is Mohamed Abou Trieka of Egypt.

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Spartak want £20m for Emenike

Emmanuel Emenike
| credits: File copy

Spartak Moscow have insisted that suitors will have to bid at least £20million for Emmanuel Emenike before they will consider a sale.

“There are only two ways this transfer will go ahead, firstly his minimum fee release clause will have to be activated. The other option is to agree a price close to his release clause fee,” CEO Roman Ashkabadze said.

Ashkabadze did not reveal the exact amount of the release clause, but it has been previously reported to be in the range of £20 to £45m.

Fenerbahce are in the forefront of the chase for the Nigeria striker, but they are not alone.

“There is a growing interest in Emenike, but not just from Fenerbahçe,” Ashkabadze said.

“It’s natural that Emenike wants a move to Fenerbahçe, everybody has their own interests.”

West Ham have also been linked with the Nigeria star recently in the Russian press. Fenerbahçe are in talks with Emenike and Oscar Cardozo.

‘The Yellow Canaries’ released an official statement on the Istanbul Stock Exchange confirming that negotiations were underway.

Fenerbahçe signed Emenike from Karabükspor for nine million euros in 2011, but the Nigeria international was sold to Spartak for 10 million euros without playing a single game for them.

Emenike still has three years left on his contract with Spartak and has scored four goals in four games this season.