Grassrunners FC’s fast-growing reputation as one of Nigeria’s most efficient talent factories has gained fresh momentum, as midfield sensation Rasaq Labode has secured a trial with German Bundesliga 2 side, Hannover 96 — a move that could accelerate his path to European football.
Labode, a combative yet intelligent defensive midfielder with a knack for dictating play, is currently in Germany showcasing his abilities before the club’s technical crew as he bids to earn his first professional contract abroad.
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This latest breakthrough comes barely weeks after another Grassrunners jewel, Angelo Agbejoye, entered the radar of English Premier League champions, Manchester City, sending a clear message that the Ikenne-based programme is now attracting elite European attention.
Speaking on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, the club’s CEO Gbenga Agbejoye expressed optimism that the pair’s journeys will cement Grassrunners FC’s growing influence on global youth scouting.
“Rasaq Labode is presently undergoing trials at Hannover 96, and we are hopeful that he and Angelo, who is with Manchester City, will make us proud,” Agbejoye said.
“We have full confidence in their abilities and are optimistic about their success.”
Founded in Ikenne, Ogun State, Grassrunners FC has quietly evolved into a premium export lane for Nigerian talent, with a conveyor belt of technically gifted youngsters now making the leap to European academies and professional clubs.
Should Labode impress in Hannover, it will mark yet another milestone for the club — and a powerful endorsement of Grassrunners’ development blueprint as a rising powerhouse in Nigerian youth football.
With European scouts increasingly turning their lenses toward Ikenne, the Grassrunners narrative is no longer about potential — it’s transforming into a consistent, replicable success model.
