Ashleigh Plumptre: Nigeria defender joins Rita Chikwelu in Saudi Arabia

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Nigeria defender, Ashleigh Plumptre became the second Super Falcons player to join a Saudi Arabian team.

The player confirmed her switch to Saudi Arabian side, Al Ittihad on her handle while sharing a video from the club affirming her arrival.

She joined Al-Ittihad as a free agent after the expiration of her contract with English Women’s Super League (WSL) side, Leicester City at the end of the 2022/2023 season.

The Super Falcons defender joined Rita Chikwelu as the second Nigerian woman to play in the Saudi topflight and is happy to take up the new challenge.

“Football for me has always been about connecting with not only myself but with people that I am surrounded with like my teammates and staff,” Plumptre said in an unvieling video by Al-Ittihad.

“Throughout everything that I have done in my career so far has always been representing something bigger than myself.

“Joining Al-Ittihad Ladies feels like I am going to have opportunities both on and off the pitch to be able to learn.”

Plumptre is also hoping to achieve great things with the club on and off the pitch while looking forward to starting a new journey away from her birth home in England.

“I don’t come here with any expectations but to be myself and I hope that I can learn and take so much from the environment both as a football player and more importantly as a human being and I am already feeling that,” She added.

“I am just looking forward to getting the journey started with this team and seeing what we can achieve in every aspect.”