By Wale Mustapha
Nigeria defender, Bright Osayi-Samuel, is expected to leave Turkish Super Lig club Fenerbahce at the end of the season after contract talks between the two parties collapsed.
The Super Eagles full-back recently turned down the offer of a new deal from Fenerbahce, following his demands for a significant pay rise.
Osayi-Samuel, who currently earns less than €3 million annually, is seeking a salary increase, requesting the club to double his current wage.
However, Fenerbahce has made it clear that they are not willing to meet his demands.
As a result, the Turkish club has reportedly ended all negotiations with the 27-year-old, and Osayi-Samuel is now expected to leave on a free transfer in the summer, according to Turkish news outlet Mackolik.
The defender, who joined Fenerbahce from Queens Park Rangers in January 2021, has been linked with a return to England, with Premier League clubs Fulham and Crystal Palace reportedly expressing interest in his services.
Osayi-Samuel has become an important figure at Fenerbahce, but with his contract expiring soon and no agreement in sight, he is likely to explore new opportunities come summer.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
