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Stade de Reims sign Nigerian defender Godwin Itotomi after PSG and Frankfurt displays
Stade de Reims have signed promising Nigerian centre-back Godwin Itotomi from Grassrunners FC on a season-long loan, with an option to buy, after he impressed against the youth teams of Paris Saint-Germain and Eintracht Frankfurt.
The French Ligue 2 club confirmed the move on their official website, describing Itotomi as a powerful defender who has earned the opportunity to continue his development in Europe with Reims Revelation.
The young Nigerian secured a contract after a successful trial at the Raymond Kopa Training Centre. He spent several days working with Stade de Reims’ reserve team before featuring in matches against Paris Saint-Germain’s U19 side and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Those performances persuaded the club to include him in the reserve squad and led to the loan agreement with Grassrunners FC, his club in Nigeria. The deal also gives Stade de Reims the option to make the transfer permanent at the end of the season.
Reims believe their footballing and wider support structure will provide the right setting for Itotomi to adjust to European football. The club said the environment would allow him to continue his progress under the best possible conditions, both on and off the pitch.
Itotomi arrives in France having already made an impression in the N-Youth League Cup. He scored four goals in 22 appearances in the competition, where he demonstrated the qualities Reims see in a modern centre-back.
His performances at youth level, combined with his displays during the trial, helped persuade the club that he could develop into an important defensive prospect. The move represents his first opportunity to build experience within a European football system.
The defender could also return to Africa in September 2026, when Reims Revelation are scheduled to take part in their first major tournament on the continent.
For now, Itotomi will focus on settling into his new surroundings and competing for a place with the Reims reserve side. His loan gives Stade de Reims the chance to assess his progress over a full season before deciding whether to exercise the option to buy.
The transfer follows the teenager’s eye-catching introduction against two prominent European clubs and marks the next stage of a journey that began with Grassrunners FC and the N-Youth League Cup.