By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Sparta Rotterdam have confirmed the loan move of Nigerian winger Joel Ideho to FC Volendam for the 2025/26 season. The deal does not include an option to buy.
Ideho, 21, expressed his excitement at the opportunity for a fresh start following an injury-plagued campaign.
“I’m happy to be here. I’m looking forward to a great season and to proving myself. I was injured last season, but I hope to show what I’m made of here and bring joy to the fans,” he said.
FC Volendam’s technical director Patrick Busby welcomed the addition, highlighting Ideho’s attacking attributes.
“With Joel, we’re getting a player who can dribble at full speed and create chances by freeing himself and moving forward well. This brings us the attacking reinforcement we’ve been looking for,” Busby stated.
Despite the loan move, Ideho remains under contract with Sparta Rotterdam until mid-2028—a sign of the club’s long-term faith in his potential and continued development.
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.
