By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Premier League clubs West Ham United and Everton are locked in a summer transfer battle to sign Nigeria’s Raphael Onyedika from Belgian giants Club Brugge.
Both English sides are keen to strengthen their midfield with the 24-year-old defensive midfielder, who has impressed with his blend of physicality and technical ability.
West Ham currently lead the race and may need to submit an offer in the region of €30 million to secure his signature.
Onyedika played a pivotal role in Club Brugge’s recent UEFA Champions League campaign, partnering effectively with Ardon Jashari in central midfield.
Known for his ability to break up opposition attacks and swiftly transition play, the Nigerian has been a standout performer domestically and in Europe.
Since his move from Danish club FC Midtjylland in 2022, Onyedika has made 141 appearances for Club Brugge, scoring six goals and establishing himself as a key figure in their squad.
As transfer talks progress, West Ham and Everton’s pursuit of the Super Eagles midfielder highlights their ambition to add power and solidity ahead of the upcoming Premier League season.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
