Raphael Onyedika absence from Belgian Super Cup squad fuels transfer speculation

Raphael Onyedika has been left out of Club Brugge’s squad for the Belgian Super Cup, prompting renewed speculation that the Nigeria international is close to completing a move away from the club.

Club Brugge, however, have rejected the suggestion that his omission is linked to an imminent transfer. The Belgian club say the midfielder is unavailable because he is ill.

Onyedika was not included in the 22-man squad announced for the Super Cup, an absence that immediately raised questions about his future at Club Brugge. Through the club’s official website, Club Brugge stated that illness was the reason for the 22-year-old’s omission.

The midfielder has been strongly linked with a move to Eintracht Frankfurt. Reports in Germany and Belgium indicate that the Bundesliga side have reached an agreement with Club Brugge over the transfer of the player, who began his career with FC Ebedei.

Club Brugge are reportedly set to receive €10m for Onyedika. That fee would represent a significant return for the club, particularly given the midfielder’s status as one of the leading African players in Belgian football and the fact that he has entered the final year of his contract.

Despite the club’s explanation for his absence, Onyedika is expected to travel to Germany in the coming days. He is due to undergo a routine medical before completing the proposed move and being officially unveiled by Eintracht Frankfurt.

Onyedika joined Club Brugge from FC Midtjylland in the summer of 2022. Since then, he has made 183 appearances in all competitions, scoring nine goals and providing six assists.

His performances in Belgium have helped establish him as an important player at club level and earned him recognition with the Nigeria national team. His reported departure would therefore bring an end to a three-year spell with Club Brugge, although the club’s public explanation suggests that his absence from the Super Cup squad is not itself confirmation that the transfer has been completed.

The Belgian Super Cup squad announcement has nevertheless added to the uncertainty surrounding the midfielder’s future. While Club Brugge maintain that illness is the reason he will miss the match, the reported agreement with Eintracht Frankfurt and the anticipated medical in Germany point towards a move that could be finalised shortly.