With the 2024/25 season entering its business end, Nigerian players find themselves entangled in both title races and relegation scraps—scenarios that could shape their moves in the upcoming transfer window. ABIODUN ADEWALE reports.
ENGLAND
WILFRED NDIDI (LEICESTER CITY)
Nigerian midfielder Ndidi and his Leicester teammates were relegated from the Premier League on Sunday after a 1-0 loss to Liverpool at the King Power Stadium. Trent Alexander-Arnold came off the bench to score the only goal 14 minutes from time as the Reds moved to the brink of a record-equaling 20th English top-flight title.
It’s been a tough season for the Foxes with Ndidi particularly missing out on several games due to injury. He has, however, played 24 games this season with four assists.
Before the Foxes’ relegation, Ndidi was a subject of a summer move and clubs will be waiting on his decision. He has been linked with Galatasaray, Monaco and Atletico Madrid.
Ndidi had been linked with Barcelona last summer, before opting to sign a new contract with Leicester. However, he is expected to leave the Premier League side in 2025, despite his current contract at Leicester which runs till 2027.
The 28-year-old was part of the side that won the FA Cup in 2020/21 for the first time in their history and then the FA Community Shield.
He also played a pivotal role in their championship-winning season in 2023/24, scoring four times and assisting five goals in 32 appearances.
ALEX IWOBI (FULHAM)
Iwobi scored his ninth EPL goal of the campaign, further cementing the 2024/25 season as the best of his career but it wasn’t enough to save Fulham from a 2-1 defeat at home to Chelsea. Iwobi drilled a left-footed effort from the edge of the area into the bottom corner after Reece James had his pocket picked by Ryan Sessegnon, who strode forward before finding the Nigerian.
Academy graduate Tyrique George levelled matters for Chelsea before Pedro Neto controlled, swivelled, and thundered an effort into the roof of Leno’s net to send the away end into raptures and move Chelsea into the top five.
FRANCE
TEREM MOFFI (NICE)
After featuring as a substitute in their last three games, Moffi was dropped to the bench as Nice secured a 2-1 win against Angers on Sunday to move into the UEFA Conference League spot. Moffi has been injured for the entire season before returning at the end of March.
HAFIZ IBRAHIM (REIMS)
Former Ojodu City player, Ibrahim made his seventh Ligue 1 appearance of the season for Reims as they boosted their hopes of escaping relegation with a 1-0 win against Toulouse. Ibrahim came in 29 minutes before the end of the game, replacing goal scorer Jordan Siebatcheu.
CHUBA AKPOM (LILLE)
Akpom was on for 80 minutes but he failed to score in Lille’s 3-1 win against Auxerre on Sunday. It was his 10 Ligue 1 appearance since joining in January and he has only two goals to show for it.
GERMANY
FRANK ONYEKA (AUGSBURG)
On-loan midfielder Frank Onyeka made his 27th Bundesliga appearance for Augburg during their goalless draw against Frankfurt. He was booked in the 81st minute of the game.
SPAIN
CHIDERA EJUKE (SEVILLA)
Ejuke was taken off at halftime for Saul Ninguez during Sevilla’s 1-1 draw at home to Alaves on Sunday. The midfielder has been in and out of the starting lineup since his return from injury. He has two goals and one assist in 21 games this season.
BELGIUM
TOLU AROKODARE (GENK)
Arokodare scored his 19th league goal of the season but it was a mere consolation as Genk stumbled in the Belgium Jupiler Pro League race and surrendered the first place to reigning champions Club Brugge. Arokodare scored in the closing stages of the game after the visitors had taken a 2-0 lead. No thanks to their defeat, they are now third and two points behind Brugge who won at Gent.
RAPHAEL ONYEDIKA (CLUB BRUGGE)
Nigerian midfielder Onyedika was involved from start to finish as Club Brugge hammered Gent 5-0 and took the top spot in the Belgium Jupiler Pro League. The reigning champions scored three in a rampaging first half before finishing the job in the second 45 minutes.
JORDAN TORUNARIGHA (GENT)
Torunarigha and his teammates endured a frustrating evening against reigning champions Club Brugge, as they chipped him five goals as the race for the Belgium league title winds down.
TURKEY
DAVID OKEREKE (GAZIANTEP)
Okereke bagged his ninth goal of the season but it wasn’t enough to save them from a 2-1 defeat at Basaksehir. The Nigerian striker opened the scoring as early as the ninth minute but they were undone before halftime.
OLAWOYIN, AKINTOLA (RIZESPOR)
Ibrahim Olawoyin and David Akintola were both involved as Caykur Rizespor returned to winning ways with a 1-0 win over Eyupspor. The win saw them move six points clear of relegation.
BRIGHT OSAYISAMUEL (FENERBAHCE)
Osayi-Samuel was on for the entire duration of the game as Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce dropped points in the Turkish Super Lig title race following a 2-2 draw at home to Kayserispor. The result leaves them five points behind Victor Osimhen’s Galatasaray.
USA
ASISAT OSHOALA (BAY FC)
Oshoala is yet to open her goal account in the NWSL this season, and she only played 13 minutes on Sunday when BAY FC beat North Carolina Courage 1-0 away from home.