By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Bulgarian top-flight side Botev Plovdiv have confirmed the signing of Nigerian winger Samuel Kalu for an undisclosed fee, with the 28-year-old penning a long-term deal.
Kalu becomes the Canaries’ 17th new arrival of the season as the club continues to strengthen its squad.
The versatile forward is expected to inject experience and creativity into Botev’s attack as they push for a strong campaign in the Parva Liga.
The former Watford and Bordeaux player brings with him a résumé that spans several European leagues, including spells in Belgium with Gent, Slovakia with AS Trencin, and most recently, Lausanne in Switzerland.
Kalu has also featured in some of football’s biggest stages, making appearances in the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Ligue 1 and the Premier League.
On the international front, he has represented Nigeria’s Super Eagles 17 times, scoring once, and is widely regarded for his pace and ability to unlock defences from the wings.
Botev Plovdiv believe his arrival will provide both depth and a new attacking dimension as they look to build momentum in the coming months.
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.
