By Dayo Awoniyi
Iraqi Stars League side Zakho SC have confirmed that Nigerian winger Deputy Echeta has signed a contract extension with the club.
The new deal ties the 24-year-old to Zakho until the end of the 2026/27 season, with an option for a further year.
His previous contract was set to expire in 2026, but the club acted swiftly to secure his future after a standout campaign.
Echeta joined Zakho in the January 2025 transfer window and made an immediate impact, registering five goals and six assists in 24 appearances.
His pace, creativity, and consistency from wide areas quickly established him as a key figure in the team’s attacking unit.
Speaking on the extension, his representative revealed that the winger had been attracting attention from other clubs.
“Echeta’s performance in the just concluded season attracted a lot of interest for the player, but Zakho moved fast to hold on to their prized asset,” the agent said.
“The player is happy with the extension, very glad to be in the spotlight with his football talent, and ready for the 2025/2026 campaign.”
Zakho SC, based in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, regard Echeta’s commitment as a major boost to their ambitions as they prepare for the new season.
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.
