Nigerian football has been on somewhat of a decline in recent times, at least on the international stage. The Super Eagles were stunned in qualifying for this summer’s FIFA World Cup, rallying after a poor start only to lose on penalties in the playoffs to DR Congo. At the recent African Cup of Nations, they recovered to reach the semifinals only to be beaten once again via a penalty shootout, this time by hosts Morocco.
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But while success hasn’t found its way to the Super Eagles, there are currently plenty of Nigerians at the top of their game. Victor Osimhen is one of the most lethal strikers in Europe, firing 51 goals in 61 games since moving to Galatasaray 18 months ago.
Over in England, both Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi are thriving in the Premier League with Fulham, leading the Cottagers to a top-half position and potentially mounting a push for European qualification.
But which Nigerian stars were making headlines throughout January after securing big-money moves during the transfer window? Let’s take a look.
Ademola Lookman Joins Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone has been looking for a creative spark in his Atletico Madrid side for years. Thiago Almada, Nico González, and Giacomo Raspadori were all signed in the summer in the hopes that one of them would be able to regularly provide strikers Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann with goalscoring opportunities. All three of them failed.
Now, Simeone has pivoted once again, forking out €35M for Atalanta superstar Ademola Lookman. The English-born winger has shone in Bergamo in recent years, netting 41 goals and 20 assists across the last two and a half seasons from the left wing. Three of those goals famously came in the 2024 Europa League final, with Lookman scoring a stunning hat trick as his Bergamo outfit downed the unbeatable Bayer Leverkusen in Dublin.
Despite his form dipping somewhat this season after the incredible exploits of the two years prior, Atletico had faith, pulling the trigger on the €35M deal, and it already looks as though they will be rewarded. Lookman bagged a goal and an assist on his debut against Real Betis in the Copa del Rey, a game which ended in a thumping 5-0 win for Los Rojiblancos away from home. Manager Simeone looked visibly in awe of his new signing, reacting time and again as the 28-year-old ran past players at will and served up a slew of opportunities for his new teammates.
Online betting sites aren’t tipping Atleti to claim any silverware this term. The latest soccer betting at Bovada odds make them a 100/1 outsider to overtake rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid to win La Liga. They are also a 4/1 outsider to win the Copa Del Rey and a 40/1 underdog to win the UEFA Champions League. With Lookman now in their ranks, Atleti won’t be scared of those odds one bit. In fact, they’ll fancy their chances.
George Ilenikhena Heads to Al-Ittihad
Teenage striker George Ilenikhena hasn’t made a single appearance for Nigeria, but he is already the subject of a €30m transfer. The 19-year-old has shot to prominence over the last season and a half, breaking into the AS Monaco first team despite his tender years. Al-Ittihad acted quickly, looking to emerge from their internal turmoil with a new hotshot striker on their hands.
Over the last two years, the all-time great Karim Benzema has been leading the line for the Saudi Arabian outfit. The former Ballon d’Or winner netted 57 goals in 87 games across three seasons with the club, helping them to the Pro League title last season in the process. However, an internal dispute surrounding an unacceptable new contract offer saw the former Real Madrid captain refuse to play for the club before moving on to rivals Al Hilal.
Al-Ittihad responded quickly, forking out €30m to secure the services of young Ilenikhena, making him the fifth most expensive Nigerian of all time. The pressure is now on for the teenager to live up to the billing, filling the footsteps of the departed Benzema and helping his new club back to the summit of the Saudi Pro League.
Frank Onyeka’s Promotion Chase With Coventry
Frank Onyeka has been one of Nigeria’s most loyal servants in recent years. He has 41 appearances for the Super Eagles under his belt, including starting all three of his country’s recent knockout round games at the African Cup of Nations. However, at club level, he has struggled to make much of an impression in recent years.
The central midfielder hasn’t started a single game for Brentford this season, with his most recent appearance being a one-minute cameo against Liverpool back in October. As such, the writing was on the wall that he needed to make a move, and he did exactly that during the January transfer window. Onyeka will now drop into English football’s second tier on a loan deal to Coventry City until the end of the season.
The Sky Blues are currently managed by former Chelsea and England legend Frank Lampard, and they sit at the top of the EFL Championship table. Onyeka has been brought in to provide some much-needed steel in midfield, with his experience proving valuable in the push for promotion to the Premier League.
