By Wale Mustapha
Nigerian international and Club Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika has emerged as a transfer target for Italian giants AC Milan and English Premier League side West Ham United, amid growing interest in the 24-year-old’s services.
Onyedika, known for his physical presence and defensive discipline, has impressed over two seasons with the Belgian outfit. With two years remaining on his current contract, the Super Eagles star could be set for a new challenge this summer.
According to TBR Football, West Ham have identified Onyedika as a potential replacement for Tomas Soucek, who is attracting interest from other Premier League clubs.
The Hammers are reported to have already opened talks with Club Brugge over a possible transfer.
However, the London club may face stiff competition from AC Milan. The Serie A side has reportedly joined the race, viewing Onyedika as a suitable successor to Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, who recently completed a £46 million move to Manchester City.
While Milan finished eighth in Serie A and missed out on European qualification, the club’s historic stature and top-level ambitions could be a major factor in attracting the Nigerian midfielder.
Onyedika is currently in Moscow with the Super Eagles ahead of Friday’s international friendly against Russia. He featured in 45 matches for Club Brugge last season, contributing two goals and two assists across all competitions.
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.
