The Sporting Director of Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen, Lutz Pfannenstiel, has explained the club’s decision to sign Nigeria’s Super Eagles midfielder Afeez Aremu, despite having several other options available in the transfer market.
The Dons recently confirmed the arrival of the Nigerian international from German Bundesliga II club Kaiserslautern as part of their squad reinforcement ahead of the new season.
Speaking on the recruitment process, Pfannenstiel pointed to Aremu’s physical presence, experience, and tactical intelligence as the key qualities that convinced the club to make the move.
“Afeez is going to bring a real physical edge to the squad, something which I think we have been looking for,” Pfannenstiel said.
“He’s strong, robust and comes with good experience in a competitive environment in Germany.
“He’s also tactically aware, so combined with all his athletic attributes, we believe he can adapt well to the intensity of the Scottish game and make a real impact.”
Aberdeen are confident that the addition of Aremu will bolster their midfield options as the club looks to push for improved performances in domestic competitions and make a stronger impression in continental outings next season.
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.
