June 30 is a very important day in the world of European football.
This is the day some footballers will expire in their contracts with their current clubs. This effectively means that the player becomes a free agent and can choose their next team.
Some high-profile names can make these decisions. They include Lionel Messi who left Inter Miami after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, Ilkay Gundogan who joined Barcelona after winning the treble with Manchester City and N’Golo Kante who left Chelsea for Al-Hilal.
However, Nigerian footballers are also in this situation, they seem to be under the radar. Josh Maja is one of the most popular players in this scene.
The 24-year-old was on the books of Bordeaux in Ligue 2 last season and was featured 17 times. Maja joined Sunderland in 2019 and endured two unsuccessful loan spells at Stoke City and Fulham, before finding his feet in France.
It almost led them to promotion to Ligue 1, but for some final day shenanigans by a fan saw their hopes go up in smoke. Bordeaux is desperate to keep her job, but Clinton McDubus, a soccer analyst and podcaster, thinks Maja needs a new experience.
“Anderlecht, Rangers, Fulham and Valladolid say they are in the game for Maja. “It’s not like he’s going to join Bordeaux again because they haven’t been promoted,” McDubus told DAILY POST.
Former Super Eagles star Odion Ighalo is also on the market. Ighalo played last season for Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.
The 34-year-old, who dreams of returning to the Nigerian national team, is desperate to continue playing. But it seems his options are limited for club and country.
“I am not thinking about the national team talks now,” Ighalo told Elegbete TV in a recent interview. “You can’t say ‘ever’ because the last time I announced my retirement has been a long time ago.
“But for now, I don’t have much to say other than to continue my football and see how life goes.”
“Ighalo’s future is uncertain,” says McDubus. But he left Saudi Arabia.
Ola Aina has written an emotional farewell message to Torino after refusing to extend his contract with the Serie A club following the expiry of his contract with the Turin club.
The 27-year-old joined Torino on loan from Chelsea in 2018 and made the move permanent the following season. According to TransferMarkt, there are about 100 Nigerian players whose contracts expire this summer.
Some of the amazing names you will see there are: Bryan Idowu (Khimki), Leon Balogun (Queens Park Rangers), Efe Ambrose (Morton) and Daniel Akpeyi (Swallows FC). “The truth is that they have some advantages because they played well with their different teams last year.
They must have received many proposals on their desks. “Maybe they are taking their time to choose what is best for them,” Abu Azeez, a former Nigerian Beach Eagles player.
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