Nigeria women’s national team defender Ashleigh Plumptre has signed a contract extension with Saudi Women’s Premier League side Al-Ittihad Ladies, committing her future to the club until the summer of 2028.
The new deal reflects Al-Ittihad’s confidence in the Super Falcons star, whose leadership, consistency, and defensive quality have made her one of the team’s most influential players since arriving in Saudi Arabia.
Plumptre has been a standout performer for Al-Ittihad, earning praise for her composure on the ball, strong aerial presence, tactical awareness, and ability to organize the backline. Her versatility, which allows her to play comfortably as both a centre-back and a left-back, has further increased her importance to the club.
By securing Plumptre’s services for the next four years, Al-Ittihad has strengthened the foundation of its squad as it continues to pursue success in domestic competitions.
The contract extension also comes as positive news for Nigeria’s Super Falcons. With major international tournaments on the horizon, including the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and future global competitions, Plumptre’s continued stability at club level is expected to benefit her performances for the national team.
Since choosing to represent Nigeria, Plumptre has become a key figure in the Super Falcons’ defence, winning the admiration of fans with her commitment and performances. With her club future now secured until 2028, the experienced defender can focus fully on helping both Al-Ittihad and Nigeria achieve their ambitions in the years ahead.
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.
