Nigeria Players Abroad
Official: Nigerian striker Ifeanyi Eze joins Wellington Phoenix from Al-Karkh SC

By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Australian A-League club Wellington Phoenix have confirmed the signing of Nigerian forward Ifeanyi Eze from Iraqi side Al-Karkh SC for an undisclosed fee.
The 26-year-old striker is expected to spearhead Wellington Phoenix’s attack next season following a prolific campaign in the Iraq Stars League, where he scored 15 goals and provided five assists for a struggling Al-Karkh team that finished 14th.
Head coach Giancarlo Italiano praised Eze’s qualities and potential impact:
“He has all of the attributes I was looking for in an attacker. He can score goals, he’s very fast, he can dribble at pace and his intention is to always go forward,” Italiano said.
“Eze’s got this nice instinct where as soon as he gets around the 18-yard box he’s looking to shoot or create. He can also link quite well. And the most important thing for me is he’s a really, really good person.”
Italiano also highlighted the similarity between the Iraqi league and the A-League, expressing confidence that Eze’s goal-scoring record can translate effectively to his new environment.
“The leagues are very similar in terms of rankings in Asia,” he added.
“The Iraqi league is a little bit more transitional and a bit different to the A-League, but the fact that he scored 15 goals and had five assists in a team that was down the bottom is very impressive. And stylistically he suits the way I want to play.”
Eze is expected to join Wellington Phoenix once his New Zealand work visa is approved. The Nigerian forward expressed excitement about linking up with his new teammates and embarking on the next chapter of his career.