By Wale Mustapha
Nigerian striker Junior Ajayi has completed a transfer to Libyan club Al Hilal, where he will play until the end of the current season.
Ajayi joins Al Hilal on a free transfer after leaving Egyptian club Smouha SC, following the expiration of his contract.
The former Nigerian U-23 international is expected to help the Libyan side, managed by Tarek Thabet, in their pursuit of success this season.
Both Al Hilal and Al Merrikh, top clubs in Sudan, have been playing their league football in the Mauritanian league due to the ongoing political unrest in Sudan.
Ajayi enjoyed a solid run at Smouha, scoring four goals in six league appearances. He was also part of the Nigerian U-23 team that secured a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Ajayi is well-known for his successful stint at Egyptian giants Al Ahly, where he won the Egyptian league title four times and secured two CAF Champions League trophies, marking the peak of his career.
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.
