By Wale Mustapha
Nigerian international defender Semi Ajayi is expected to leave West Bromwich Albion at the end of the current season, as the club has opted not to extend his contract, according to Nigeriafootball.ng.
The 31-year-old centre-back, who joined the Baggies from Rotherham United in 2019, will become a free agent this summer following the expiration of his current deal.
Ajayi, a product of the Arsenal academy, extended his stay at the Hawthorns in May 2022 but has struggled with injuries in recent times, including a current spell on the sidelines due to an ankle issue.
Over the course of his time with the Championship side, Ajayi has made 169 league appearances and scored 12 goals, becoming a key figure in the team’s defensive setup.
His imminent departure marks the end of a five-year stint in the West Midlands, as the Super Eagles defender looks ahead to the next chapter 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.
