By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
South African giants Kaizer Chiefs have intensified their pursuit of Nigerian striker Etiosa Ighodaro, as the 23-year-old carefully considers his next move amid growing uncertainty surrounding his future at Mamelodi Sundowns.
Ighodaro appears likely to depart Sundowns this summer, with the club reportedly resigned to losing him following internal administrative changes.
Having secured a Permanent Residence Permit (PRP) in South Africa, Ighodaro no longer occupies a foreign player slot — once a key factor in transfer decisions. However, Sundowns have yet to offer a contract renewal, and the striker’s departure seems increasingly probable.
The former Nigerian youth international has completed three consecutive loan spells, most recently at AmaZulu, where he scored six goals in 27 appearances during the 2023/24 season. He previously featured for Chippa United and the University of Pretoria, building a reputation as a mobile and clinical forward.
Recent reports claimed that Ighodaro had already signed with Kaizer Chiefs, but a source speaking to Soccer Laduma dismissed those claims as inaccurate.
According to the insider, while Chiefs have expressed concrete interest, no agreement has been reached. Ighodaro is said to be evaluating multiple offers both within South Africa and abroad.
With his current deal set to expire at the end of the month, a final decision on his future is expected soon.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
