Colorado Rapids Sign Nigerian Midfielder Hamzat Ojediran from RC Lens

The Colorado Rapids have announced the signing of Nigerian midfielder Hamzat Ojediran from French Ligue 1 side RC Lens, securing the 22-year-old on a contract running through the 2028–29 season, with club options for 2029–30 and 2030–31.

Ojediran will occupy an international roster spot and is expected to officially join the Rapids upon receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 visa.

Rapids President Pádraig Smith expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, highlighting the midfielder’s profile and suitability for the club’s playing philosophy.

“We’re excited to bring a player of Hamzat’s calibre into our group,” Smith said. “He brings outstanding physical presence, defensive discipline and explosiveness to our midfield. He’s an ideal fit for Matt’s system and is motivated and hungry to continue his development while contributing to our success.”

Ojediran arrives in Major League Soccer after spending the past two seasons with RC Lens, where he made 17 Ligue 1 appearances, scoring once. He also featured for RC Lens II, recording five appearances since joining the French club in 2024.

Rapids head coach Matt Wells described the Nigerian as a key addition to his squad.

“Hamzat is a brilliant addition,” Wells said. “He has the elite mentality, technical ability and physicality we need to compete at the highest level. His experience in European football and his ability to break up play and stop counter-attacks will help us impose our dominant style. From our discussions, it was clear he has a winning mentality.”

Born in Lagos, Ojediran began his professional career with KF Egnatia in Albania, making 12 first-team appearances and helping the club win the 2022–23 Albanian Cup. He later spent time on loan at Debrecen VSC before completing a permanent move ahead of the 2023–24 Hungarian top-flight season.

During his spell in Hungary, Ojediran made 34 appearances across all competitions, contributing three goals and three assists. His performances earned him a move to RC Lens in what was reported as a club-record transfer for Debrecen.

On the international stage, Ojediran has represented Nigeria at U17 level, featuring in all four matches at the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The Rapids will be hoping Ojediran’s blend of youth, physicality and European experience strengthens their midfield as they look to build sustained success in MLS.

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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