By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Serie A giants Juventus and Inter Milan are reportedly locked in a transfer battle for promising Nigerian-eligible defender Alvin Okoro, currently on the books of Venezia FC.
The 20-year-old, born in Vicenza to Nigerian parents, has drawn attention from Italy’s top clubs following an impressive stint on loan at Serie C side Vis Pesaro.
Okoro, who began his career in the youth ranks at Pordenone, joined Venezia in the summer of 2022 and quickly emerged as one of their most promising young talents.
His standout performances at Vis Pesaro prompted the club to seek a permanent transfer, but Venezia declined, opting instead to recall the highly-rated defender.
According to Tuttosport, Inter Milan have already initiated talks over a potential move, while Juventus are reportedly considering a structured loan deal that includes an option to buy—potentially turning into an obligation based on performance-related clauses.
Though Okoro has yet to make a senior international appearance, his dual eligibility could spark future interest from the Nigerian Football Federation as well.
With the summer transfer window in full swing, both Italian heavyweights are expected to continue monitoring Okoro’s situation closely.
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.
