By Wale Mustapha
Nigerian defender Jordan Torunarigha has cast doubt on his future at Belgian Jupiler League club KAA Gent as his contract enters its final six months.
The 26-year-old is now eligible to speak with potential suitors, with his current deal expiring at the end of the season.
Gent has reportedly offered Torunarigha a new two-year contract, but the player has yet to agree to terms.
Despite this, Belgian league rivals Anderlecht are emerging as strong contenders to sign the defender, with other European clubs, including Torino, Crystal Palace, Leeds United, and Hoffenheim, also having been linked to Torunarigha in the past.
While speculation has intensified about his next move, Torunarigha, a Hertha Berlin academy graduate, played down any imminent transfer talks and emphasized that no club has formally approached his representatives.
“I don’t know if these are my last months in Gent,” Torunarigha said in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad.
“Anderlecht? People are writing all sorts of things, but nobody has asked me anything. I haven’t spoken to anyone, we’ll see what happens. In football, anything is possible. The chance that I’ll stay in Ghent is fifty-fifty.”
Since joining Gent, Torunarigha has been a key figure in the team’s defense, making 128 appearances and contributing four goals and six assists. His future remains uncertain as the club waits for his decision.
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.
