By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigerian international Henry Onyekuru has completed a free transfer to newly promoted Turkish Süper Lig side Gençlerbirliği S.K., signing a two-year contract with the Ankara-based club.
The 28-year-old winger joins the Reds and Blacks as part of the club’s push to strengthen their squad ahead of the 2024–25 season.
Gençlerbirliği, returning to Turkey’s top flight, have been active in the transfer market and secured Onyekuru’s signature despite competition from several other clubs.
Capable of playing both on the left wing and as a central forward, Onyekuru brings top-level experience to his new side.
He began his career at the ASPIRE Academy in Qatar before turning professional with Belgian side KAS Eupen.
His journey has since taken him across Europe and the Middle East, with notable spells at Everton, Anderlecht, Galatasaray, AS Monaco, Olympiakos, Adana Demirspor, and most recently, Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Fayha.
Onyekuru is expected to bring pace, creativity, and a proven eye for goal to Gençlerbirliği’s attacking lineup as the club looks to make a strong return to top-tier Turkish football.
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.
