Warri Wolves have begun a major squad overhaul as part of efforts to reduce operational burden and improve on-field productivity, parting ways with veteran midfielder Efe Yarhere and 11 other players.
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Yarhere, 43, one of the most experienced figures in the club’s history, was released alongside goalkeeper Ospino Egbe and Eremosele Joshua Zibiri, among others. Sources close to the club disclosed that the affected players were absent from recent training sessions at the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) training ground following the team’s resumption after the Christmas and New Year break.
According to the source, the management is already working to reinforce the squad with three or four new signings ahead of the second stanza of the season, as the Seasiders look to improve on their 13th-place finish at the end of the first half of the campaign.
Yarhere’s exit brings the curtain down on a long and eventful chapter at Warri Wolves. A respected figure in Nigerian football, he has also featured for El-Kanemi Warriors and other domestic sides, winning several honours during his time with the Seasiders. He was the last active member of a golden generation that included Goodluck Onamado, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Ossai Ossai and Gbolahan Salami.
Reacting to the decision, Yarhere admitted he was shocked by the manner of his disengagement, describing it as lacking respect for his years of service to the club.
“I wanted to wait till the end of the season to announce my exit and be pulled out in a special way in view of what I have done for the club, but they chose to do it this way,” he said.
“I have taken it in good faith and will now focus on my next plan which will commence soon. I am still very strong despite the fact that I am 43 years old. I play better than the younger ones and I have the experience, but life goes on.”
The veteran further revealed plans to transition into coaching, confirming his intention to enrol in a coaching course as the next phase of his football career.
Meanwhile, Warri Wolves have intensified preparations for the resumption of the league and are expected to play their first match of the second stanza next week.
Uncertainty, however, surrounds the team’s home venue, with a decision yet to be made on whether they will continue playing in Ozoro—widely regarded as an away ground—or relocate to Asaba.
As Warri Wolves press reset for the remainder of the season, the departure of a club icon like Yarhere underscores a clear shift toward rebuilding, even as it raises questions about how legacy players are managed in the process.
