The English Premier League (EPL) is home to the world’s finest football talent, and this season, Nigeria is flying its flag higher than any other African nation. A flurry of transfer deadline day moves has boosted the contingent of Nigerian internationals to nine, marking a significant moment for Nigerian football.
Here is a comprehensive look at all Super Eagles players lighting up the world’s most-watched league.
Alex Iwobi (Fulham)
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The attacking midfielder is Fulham’s creative hub since joining from Arsenal in 2023. The 28-year-old is the Nigerian player with the highest number of minutes in the EPL and has surpassed Nwankwo Kanu as the Super Eagles player with the highest number of appearances. Iwobi has started all three Fulham league matches this season, contributed one assist, and won the player of the match award against Manchester United.
Calvin Bassey (Fulham)
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The sturdy defender, like Iwobi, has been a regular for Fulham since he joined from Ajax in 2023. He has featured in 84% of the Cottagers’ games and missed only three league matches last season. The versatile defender has not missed a minute of EPL action this season.
Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest)
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The Chelsea academy product has made the right-back position his own at Forest, and his importance was evident last season when his injury coincided with the club dropping from Champions League positions. The 28-year-old has also not missed a minute of EPL action for Forest this season.
Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest)
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Awoniyi has played 89 matches for Forest since joining in 2022. The 28-year-old has, however, succumbed to frequent injury struggles and lost his starting berth to Chris Woods last season. He made the bench in the opening match of the season, but the 28-year-old remains determined to regain his form and place in Nuno Espirito Santo’s team.
Frank Onyeka (Brentford)
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‘The tank’ has regained some form following his successful loan spell at Augsburg last season. Onyeka has featured in four matches the Bees have played this season — three EPL and one EFL cup games — and has provided two assists in his last two matches.
Tolu Arokodare (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
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Standing at 6ft 6in, Arokodare is expected to use his physicality to take the EPL by storm following his deadline day move. The last season’s golden boot winner in Belgium joined in a £24 million deal, and he is expected to make the starting berth his own at Wolves after the international break.
Christantus Uche (Crystal Palace)
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The midfielder has experienced a meteoric rise from the fifth tier of Spanish football to the EPL in three years. Uche impressed at Getafe in La Liga last season, and continued the form into the new season before Palace snapped up the 21-year-old to replace Eberechi Eze.
Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham)
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The tricky winger endured mixed fortunes in AC Milan and would be expected to raise the bar in the EPL. He has speed to burn, and his dribbling ability is renowned; attributes coach Marco Silva would look to exploit alongside Iwobi.
EXTRA
Ahmed Abdullahi (Sunderland)
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The 21-year-old former Genk youngster joined Sunderland last season to continue his development, and has been promoted to the first team following the club’s EPL promotion. The former Flying Eagles attacker has not made an appearance for the black Cats this season, but he was named on the bench in their Carabao Cup second round exit at Huddersfield.
