By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo and his club Al Wehda have suffered relegation from the Saudi Pro League following a 2–1 defeat to Al Ettifaq on the final day of the 2024–25 season.
The loss sealed Al Wehda’s fate, capping off a disappointing campaign that saw the team finish 17th—second from bottom—on the league table with just 33 points from 34 matches.
Despite Ighalo’s efforts, which included six goals and two assists over the course of the season, Al Wehda was unable to stave off the drop.
The 35-year-old forward joined the club with high expectations but ultimately could not help secure top-flight survival.
The former Super Eagles international, who has previously played for Manchester United, Watford, and Udinese, now faces an uncertain future.
With his current deal set to expire soon, speculation is mounting over whether he will remain with Al Wehda in the Saudi First Division or seek a move elsewhere.
Neither Ighalo nor the club has made an official statement regarding his next steps, but sources close to the player suggest he is considering several options, both within and outside of Saudi Arabia.
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.
