By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigeria left-back Zaidu Sanusi is on the verge of signing a new long-term contract with FC Porto, as negotiations over a two-year extension near completion, according to Nigeria Footballng.
The proposed deal will see the 28-year-old’s annual salary increase from €3.5 million to €4.2 million—an indication of his rising value and importance to the Portuguese giants.
Sanusi joined Porto from Santa Clara in 2020 for a reported €4 million fee and has since established himself as a key figure in the club’s defensive setup.
Despite battling a series of injury setbacks, the Nigerian international has amassed over 100 appearances for the club, delivering consistently solid performances in both domestic and European competitions.
Although his current deal runs until 2027, Porto are eager to extend his stay further in a proactive move aimed at fending off growing interest from an unnamed La Liga side closely monitoring his situation.
So far in the 2025 season, Sanusi has featured in nine competitive matches, contributing one goal and one assist—further underlining his influence in Sérgio Conceição’s squad.
Sanusi’s form has also earned him a recall to the Nigerian national team for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin Republic, replacing the injured Bright Osayi-Samuel.
If completed, the new contract would mark a major vote of confidence from Porto, who are keen to retain their top talents amid ongoing domestic and European ambitions.
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.
