Anas Yusuf Completes Move to Algerian Club Saoura After Stellar NPFL Run

Algerian side JS Saoura have confirmed the signing of Nigerian forward Anas Yusuf, announcing his arrival on Saturday after he successfully passed his medicals.

The club sealed the deal via their official social media platforms, marking Yusuf’s switch to the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 and his first taste of top-flight North African football.

The striker attracted strong interest from clubs across the region following a dominant spell in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), where his consistent goal-scoring made him one of the most sought-after attackers outside Nigeria.

Yusuf finished last season as the NPFL top scorer with 18 goals, a feat that placed him firmly on the radar of clubs beyond the country’s borders. He had also scored seven goals in the current campaign before his departure, leaving him just one goal behind league leader Chidozie Iwundu.

Prior to the official announcement, speculation had surrounded Yusuf’s future, with reports suggesting he had left Nasarawa United abruptly and was close to a move to Tunisia. The NPFL club’s initial silence only fuelled the uncertainty.

That changed on Saturday evening when Nasarawa United, popularly known as the Solid Miners, formally confirmed his exit. In a statement shared on their official Facebook page, the club praised Yusuf—its all-time leading goalscorer—and wished him success as he embarks on a new chapter with Saoura.

Yusuf’s journey in Nigerian football began in the 2017/18 season, when he joined Nasarawa United on a free transfer. Over the years, he built a formidable reputation as one of the league’s most reliable finishers.

Among his standout moments was a historic hat-trick in a rare NPFL defeat, a feat that had not been achieved in the league for 11 years, further underlining his knack for making history.

With his move to Saoura now complete, Yusuf departs Nigeria on the back of an impressive scoring run, carrying high expectations as he looks to replicate his NPFL success on the continental stage.

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

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