By Dayo Awoniyi
Former Nigeria striker Simy Nwankwo has completed a move to Saudi Arabian club Al Orobah, in what could mark a fresh chapter in the twilight of his career.
The 33-year-old, who recently ended a four-year spell with Salernitana, will now look to rediscover the prolific form that once made him one of Serie A’s most feared forwards.
At Salernitana, Simy registered nine goals in 47 league appearances, but struggled to command a regular starting role in his final two seasons.
Nwankwo remains best remembered for his sensational 2019/20 campaign with Crotone, when he scored 20 goals to inspire the club’s promotion to Serie A.
He later notched 20 Serie A goals across two top-flight campaigns, becoming the first Nigerian to achieve such a feat in Italy.
During his time in Italy, he also had loan stints at Parma and Benevento, while his European career first took off in Portugal, where he featured for Portimonense and Gil Vicente.
A member of Nigeria’s squad at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Simy’s move to Al Orobah signals his first venture into Middle Eastern football. The Saudi Pro League side will bank on his towering presence, aerial strength, and penalty-box instincts to sharpen their attack.
With the league continuing to attract experienced international talent, Simy will be aiming not just to revive his career, but also to leave a lasting mark in Saudi football as he enters the final stretch of his professional journey.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
