Junior Ajayi: 6 clubs express interest in 36 Lion product

 

Six clubs have expressed an interest in a January move for Nigeria international Junior Ajayi.

Teams in Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Tunisia and UAE have all expressed interest in a January switch for the 36 Lion product.

The player is reportedly keen to prove himself elsewhere, after recently ending his association with Al Ahly.

After five years, Ajayi's journey with Al Ahly ended.

 

The 25-year-old signed for the Red Devils in 2016 from Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien, after having won the Olympic bronze medal with Nigeria.

Ajayi hit the ground running in his first season with the Reds, scoring 12 goals and providing seven assists in 39 games across all competitions.

He kept his form for the majority of his stay in Cairo, making a total of 161 appearances and lifting 11 trophies along the way. These titles include four Egyptian Premier Leagues, two Egypt Cups, two Egyptian Super Cups, two CAF Champions Leagues and the CAF Super Cup.

However, after a series of injuries and the signings of Percy Tau and Luis Miquissone, Ajayi slowly fell down the pecking order under head coach Pitso Mosimane and even failed to make a single appearance for the Reds this season.

Before leaving Cairo, Ajayi sent a message to the Al Ahly management and fans, thanking them for their continuous support.

"It's with profound gratitude to God almighty, that I announce the end of my contract with Al Ahly football club, to the management who has been nothing but family to me, my teammates who’s been my brothers and to my fans, you all have been my support system, thank you for holding it down with me through those years, you guys are the real MVPs, I love you all #nowtothenextphase," he posted via Instagram.

Despite interests from Arab clubs, Junior Ajayi is keen to join a club in Europe.

Akinyoola, Egbeyemi, Taiwo light up Lions Affairs Football Carnival

 

Caracas striker Samson Akinyoola walked away with another major award at the Weekend, the latest prize to put on his mantle.

The Benin Republic international headlined a big day at Legacy Pitch, winning the Diaspora Lion of the year 2021 at Lions Affairs Football Carnival. 

The novelty match between the Diaspora Lions and the home base Lions of 36 Lion Football Club ended 5-5 to the delight of their teeming Lagos fans. 

Akinyoola who scored 20 goals in all competitions for Caracas in 2021, said he continues to be humbled by every accolade he's received.

“It feels good. It’s an honor just to be here,” Akinyoola said. “I’m just glad to come back to this great club that made me.”

“It’s great. It feels like I was being honored as an athlete,” he said. “That’s supposed to be the mission, so it felt great.”

Akinyoola emerged as top scorer of the 2021 Venezuelan Primera División with 18 goals from 34 games. He was named in the team of the season alongside three other Caracas' players.

U-16 starlets Abidemi Egbeyemi and Michael Taiwo went home with #20,000 each after winning the Lions Ball Juggler of the year and the Lions Accurate Kicker of the year awards respectively. 

“Super surprised,” Egbeyemi said. “I don’t think I’m the best player out of those other guys. But I can’t thank the management of 36 Lion enough. It’s an honor.”

“I’m just going to enjoy the moment and live in the moment,” he said.

“Just to see all that hard work I put into football, it’s paying off today,” Taiwo said. “But at the same time there’s a lot of talented guys here, so I’m just honored to be able to take a turn.”

Speaking after the event, 36 Lion Proprietor Gafar Liameed expressed joy that the friendly match was organized to foster unity, friendliness, and love among the players within and outside the country. He particularly commended the home-based players for their loyalty, dedication, and commitment to the club activities in the outgoing year saying that the year 2022 would be better and glamorous.

“The friendly match was organized as a way of showing love to our local and foreign players for their commitment and dedication to the club in the last few years. I am happy that the turnout was impressive and the players entertained their fans with football artistry.

“We recorded so many achievements in the area of player’s transfer and reaching the round of 16 at the just concluded Lagos FA Cup in the outgoing year. We are looking forward to achieving better in New Year and we are using this medium to announce that our two players would sign for foreign clubs in the coming year,” he said.

Prominent players that 36 Lion has produced over the years are Junior Ajayi, Imoh Ezekiel, Peter Olayinka, Sodiq Popo, Yira Sor and Muhammed Tijani.

Ajayi wanted by top clubs as negotiations over his compensation fee continue

It appears that the five-year marriage between Junior Ajayi and Al Ahly has come to an end after he was deemed surplus to requirement by coach Pitso Mosimane.

The ex Shooting Stars striker is contracted to Shot until June 2022.

Ahly and forward's management haven't come to agreement on his compensation fee with the case gradually getting messy. 

 

A media outlet reportedly stated that: "Ajayi asked for the value of his entire contract, which is estimated at $850,000, after Pitso Mosimane's decision to dispense with him."

"The club's management is ready for all scenarios in dealing with the Ajayi crisis, whether if he complains to FIFA or agrees to an amicable solution and termination of the contract Al-Ahly's administration offered him $400,000 in installments, but he refused and contacted a lawyer to obtain the full value of his contract from FIFA. 

"This last offer is not for fear of filing a complaint against the club because the club's position is sound, especially since the waiting list was drawn up by the Egyptian Football Association."

A close confidant of Ajayi denied the rumours going around and stated that Junior wasn't well respected by the Egyptian Premier League giants.

According to him, nothing has been offered by the reigning CAF Champions League winners to Ajayi's management.

"Ahly already have their plan without Junior Ajayi for the 2021/22 season," the source told the Media on Thursday. 

"The problem is that the boy wasn't well respected. In football, player and club is one of those beautiful marriages that doesn't last for long. 

"The whole process should be open and not shrouded in secrecy. This is a player well loved by the fans. He deserves better," he continued.

"It has been five great years of joy and trophies for Junior and Ahly. Junior was a wonderful boy who metamorphosed to a responsible husband and great father of two boys.

"I can categorically inform you that nothing has been offered to Junior by Ahly. Lawyers are handling the case and you should get an update in a couple of days," he added.

After Al Ahly signed African duo Percy Tau (South Africa) and Luis Miquissone (Mozambique), they needed to release two of their foreign players to respect the EFA’s regulations, which allows only five foreign players per team.

The Red Devils therefore put Junior Ajayi on their list of players surplus to requirement after Pitso Mosimane signed his boys.

Ajayi signed for Al Ahly in 2016 from Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien, after having won the Olympic bronze medal with Nigeria.

The 25-year-old hit the ground running in his first season with the Reds, scoring 12 goals and providing seven assists in 39 games across all competitions.

He kept his form for the majority of his stay in Cairo, making a total of 161 appearances and lifting 11 trophies along the way. These titles include four Egyptian Premier Leagues, two Egypt Cups, two Egyptian Super Cups, two CAF Champions Leagues and the CAF Super Cup.

Highly rated Ajayi won't be short of offers as he has been recently linked with Zamalek and Pyramids.

A couple of clubs in Europe and Asia are also interested in the 36 Lion product.

36 Lion set to prey on Dynamo in Abomey

 

36 Lion have landed in Abomey ahead of their next game against Dynamo FC 

The team kick started their training tour of Benin Republic with a 1-1 draw against AS Cotonou on Wednesday morning.

The boys had a recovery session before jetting off to Abomey for their next assignment.

The team arrived Abomey at 11am from the city of Cotonou on Thursday.

Secretary General and Vice President of Dynamo FC gave the Lions a superb reception and treated them like Kings with Pounded Yam done naturally with Mortar and Pestle while they watched amusingly. 

The Lions had a feel of the Stade Municipal de Bohicon where their second match of the tour will be played on Friday. Kickoff is 4pm.

It would be recalled that 36 Lion have produced the likes of Junior Ajayi, Imoh Ezekiel, Sadiq Atanda, Yira Sor, Sodiq Popoola, Yusuf Lawal, Samson Akinyoola amongst others.