Philip Otele: Lecce eye move for Basel’s Nigerian winger

Philip Otele, the Nigerian left winger currently at Basel, is being linked with a move to Serie A side Lecce as the Italian club assess wide attacking options ahead of the new season.

The 27-year-old, under contract with the Swiss champions until June 2028, has emerged as a potential target after an impressive spell in the Super League. Otele played a key role in Basel’s title-winning 2024-25 campaign, scoring 14 league goals and adding eight assists in 38 appearances to help deliver the Swiss championship and cup double.

Lecce are understood to be exploring the feasibility of a deal for the Port Harcourt-born forward, whose current market valuation stands at around €4m. Basel, who made Otele’s stay permanent last summer after an initial loan from Al-Wahda in January 2025, are in a strong negotiating position given the length of his contract and his status as a regular starter on the left flank.

Otele briefly left Switzerland in February 2026 to join Hamburg on loan, with the German club paying a €1m fee, before returning to Basel at the end of the season. That spell in the Bundesliga added to a diverse career that has included standout scoring runs in Romania’s SuperLiga, where he finished as top scorer in 2023-24 with 18 goals.

Basel’s willingness to entertain offers is not yet clear, but any approach from Lecce would likely need to reflect both Otele’s recent productivity and the club’s investment when they signed him for €3m from Al-Wahda in July 2025. The winger remains contracted at St. Jakob-Park for a further two years, giving Basel significant leverage in any negotiations.