Former Super Eagles’ striker, Stephen Ayodele Makinwa (The Tiger of Lagos) has revealed how delighted he is with his ability to successfully execute summer transfer deals for two Nigerian players.
Megasportsarena.com reports that, with the summer transfer window now shut, Makinwa is still celebrating his ability to pull off deals for the duo of former Eagles’ invitee, Blessing Eleke and fast-rising youngster, James Adeniyi.
Eleke, who previously played for FC Luzern of Switzerland, will now line out for Turkish second-tier club Genclerbirligi SK, after Makinwa successfully moved him from Germinal Beerschot of Belgium in a loan agreement for the remainder of this season.
The product of Flying Sports Academy of FESTAC Town, Lagos, who has also previously starred for ND Gorica, NK Olimpija Ljubljana and SC Ashdod, is already thinking of making a huge impact at his new base, much to the delight of Makinwa.
Aside sealing a deal for the former Eagles’ invitee in Turkey, Makinwa, who played for ten different Italian clubs during his career, also achieved deals for two others players that have not enjoyed national team action.
Much to the delight of Makinwa, who is now a very successful and highly respected players’ representative based in Milan, Italy, his roll call of summer deals heading into the new season also includes Adeniyi, who will now star in Israel.
Over the years, Makinwa has also acquired lucrative deals for the like of Ezekiel Henry (Henty), Flying Eagles and Olympic Eagles’ left-back, Stanley Amuzie, former Golden Eaglets’ captain, Musa Muhammed as well as Simeon Tochukwu Nwankwo (Simy).
Other players under Makinwa’s management include ex-Eagles battlers, Eddy Ogenyi Onazi and Uche Agbo as well as Amarachi Osuji and Joshua Akpudje, with the collection of talented lads coming under the banner that is stylishly known as ‘Makoz Group.’
Makinwa, who had a single agent all through his playing days, being Silvano Martina, who is also the representative of legendary goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon, decided to become a football agent after getting advice from Henty that he quit football and manage him.
That decision is now paying off handsomely, as the tall player-turned-manager, who hails from Ile-Oluji in Ondo State, keeps pilling up a roll call of young, medium and high-class players under his umbrella, with great expectations indicating that there are more to come.
The soft-spoken former striker, who had his Eagles’ debut in 2004, got 14 caps and two goals for Nigeria, with which he won bronze at the 2006 AFCON in Egypt and reached the second round at Ghana 2008, before hanging his boots in 2014.
Since then, Makinwa has made a name for himself by sourcing out the best of Nigeria’s talents, while also adding a couple of players from other African country’s to his stable, as he keeps growing into one of the best and biggest agents of the game from this part of the world.
The 38-year-old Makinwa, who had short spells in Greece and Slovenia before eventually calling it quit with the round leather game, admitted it was a huge relief and great pleasure for him being able to successfully seal mammoth deals for all players under his management umbrella.
For now, though, the product of Frankelson United, Farmers Football Academy, Tamuno Inaemi Nationale, National Grassroots Dream Team and FC Ebedie is simply relishing his successful duo of deals for Adeniyi and Eleke, with a hint that more are coming along the way.
Makinwa revealed in a series of posts on social media: “Summer done deals till date: @jamesadeniyi to @maccabi_pt_official ✍🏾 #focus #israel #football #quality #great #topplayer.
“Summer done deals till date: @blessing_eleke on loan to @genclerbirligisk ✍🏾 #focus #turkey #football #topplayer #topstriker.”
