By Dayo Awoniyi
West Ham United have cooled their interest in Nigerian international Raphael Onyedika and are now turning their attention to Lille’s rising star Ngal’ayel Mukau, according to reports.
Onyedika, 24, has been a consistent performer for Club Brugge since joining from Danish side FC Midtjylland in 2022. Despite being previously linked with clubs such as AC Milan, no concrete offer has materialized from West Ham this summer.
New Hammers manager Graham Potter is reportedly prioritizing 20-year-old Mukau, who has emerged as a top target following his impressive performances in Ligue 1. Transfer insider Sacha Tavolieri reports that Mukau is now at the top of West Ham’s midfield shortlist.
The DR Congo international, valued at around €20 million, has drawn praise for his composure, energy, and physical presence in midfield. Lille’s successful track record of developing central midfielders — including Amadou Onana, Renato Sanches, Idrissa Gueye, and Yves Bissouma — has added to Mukau’s appeal.
While Onyedika remains a secondary option should negotiations with Lille stall, the Super Eagles star is expected to remain focused on helping Club Brugge compete for the Belgian Pro League title in the upcoming season.
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.
