By Wale Mustapha
Nigeria vice-captain Kenneth Omeruo has completed a free transfer to Romanian top-flight side CFR Cluj, the reigning Romanian Cup champions.
The 30-year-old defender joins the Liga I club after parting ways with Turkish Süper Lig side Kasımpaşa in February.
Omeruo brings a wealth of international and top-level experience to Dan Petrescu’s side as they aim to challenge for the league title in the upcoming season.
He will link up with fellow Nigerian Philip Otele, who was part of the Cluj squad that lifted the Romanian Cup last season. Omeruo becomes the sixth Nigerian to play for the eight-time Liga I champions.
The move marks another chapter in Omeruo’s career, which has included stints in Spain, England, Turkey, and the Netherlands.
He has earned over 60 caps for Nigeria and featured at two FIFA World Cups and multiple Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
CFR Cluj will also be competing in European qualifiers this season, and Omeruo’s arrival is expected to strengthen the team’s defensive unit ahead of a busy campaign.
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.
