By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigerian left-back Babatunde Akomolede has completed a four-year move to Belgian giants Anderlecht, sealing a major step in his blossoming career.
The 20-year-old first rose to prominence at the Jagaban Cup while playing for Broad City FC, where his powerful long throw-ins earned him the nickname “New Rory Delap.”
Anderlecht highlighted that unique weapon in their unveiling announcement, describing him as: “Calm at the back. Deadly with assists. Throw-ins that turn into goals.”
Akomolede now joins the Pro League side with hopes of establishing himself as a key figure, bringing defensive solidity and attacking creativity down the left flank. His signing further underscores the growing reputation of Nigerian players in Europe.
The deal was brokered by FIFA agents Cem Sagar and Dan Smejkal, and comes as another milestone in the rising trend of young Nigerian footballers making their mark across top European leagues.
As Anderlecht continue to strengthen their squad, Akomolede’s arrival is seen as both an investment for the future and a statement of intent for the upcoming campaign.
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.
