The 2019-20 league season has round up in Europe and several Nigerian players have shown they can be very important and instrumental for their respective clubs, despite the COVID-19 coming into the world of football just like a thief in the night to rob the fans off their favorite sport.
However, in some parts of the world, football found a way back as teams and players gained from the break while some were on the losing side in terms of their form.
Without mincing words, the 2020 global pandemic serves as a blessing in disguise for some teams and players, as the longest football season in the world of football due to the virus is already coasting home, with few leagues yet to complete their campaign.
Today, we will take a look at some of the Nigerian players in Europe’s top-flight who hit double-figure in goals this season.
- Victor Osimhen – (Lille, 18 goals)
One of the hottest striker in the world of football and one of the most sort after forward Osimhen will be playing his football at Napoli next season, having said that we cannot forget how impressive he was for Lille before the Ligue I was canceled due to the virus.
The Nigerian international has undergone medicals with the Parthenopeans and it is believed a deal of around €81 million is close to being agreed which would make him Nigeria’s most expensive player ever.
The transfer was delayed after he changed his agent and expressed fears regarding racism in Italy but having received advice from Senegal international Kalidou Koulibaly, he then made up his mind to join the side.
The Super Eagles forward scored 18 goals in all competitions for the French side, perhaps if not for the cancellation of the league he may have scored more goals for Lille, but as it stands his move to Napoli is imminent, and if everything went down fine the Nigerian football enthusiast would see the former Wolfsburg forward paint the Seria A with goals just like he did this season in France.
- Cyril Dessers – (Heracles, 18 goals)
After the 2019-20 campaign in the Eredivisie was canceled, the new Super Eagles invitee was jointly awarded the Top Scorer award alongside Feyenoord starman Steven Berghuis with 15 goals apiece in the league. The Belgian born finished the season with a total of 18 goals in all competitions for Heracles Almelo in the Eredivisie, the red hot forward would perhaps give Osimhen a tough competition for the number nine position in the Super Eagles should the former Heracles Almelo forward finally makes his international debut for Nigeria.
Dessers great season for Heracles has seen him moved to KRC Genk in June on a four-year contract, a bigger club compared to the Dutch side where he could get to play in Europe if Genk continues to perform well in the Belgian league, the move also put him on the front burner for Gernot Rohr and other prospectives teams who would like to have him in their team in the future.
- Sadiq Umar – (Partizan Belgrade, 17 goals)
Former AS Roma forward and Rio Olympics Bronze medalist scored a total of 17 goals and 11 assists in all competitions for Partizan Belgrade in the Serbian league this season, making him one of the Nigerian players in Europe to have reach double figures.
Talking about Nigerian players in great form this season, Umar can confidently say he’s one of those players. Having seen him performed brilliantly well for his team in Serbia, perhaps if he continues with this kind of form he might get a call up into the national team soon.
- Kyrian Nwabueze – (KF Laci, 17 goals)
Albanian based forward Nwabueze has found the back of the net this season 17 times in 25 games, making him one of the Nigerian players doing brilliantly well in Europe, the 27 years old may not be playing in one of the top leagues in Europe. However, he has been very consistent for KF Laci in the Albanian league this season, racking up 14 goals from his first fifteen appearances for Laci.
Nwabueze has had different spells with the club’s outside the top five leagues in Europe, among them is the Armenian and Slovenian league where he failed to hit the ground running, but since he joined the Albanian side, he has been very proficient in front of goals for the Albanian side. Although national team football is a dream of every footballer perhaps one-day Nwabueze might get the chance to play for the national team.
- Kingsley Onuegbu – (Nea Salamis, 14 goals)
Onuegbu is one of the in-form Nigerian players when talking about players in great form for their respective club, the former MSV Duisburg forward has hit 14 goals in 23 matches for his Cyprus First Division club this season. In fact, he has shown this season that he can get his team goals against the big boys of the league, and the highlight of this season for Onuegbu was the hattrick he scored against Olympiacos Nicosia in matchday 14 of the league season.
Onuegbu 11 goals of his 14 in all competitions were scored in his last ten matches in the division, which showed how good the striker has been for his club, this kind of performance may allow top team outside the Cypriot league look towards his side in the future.
Kingsley certainly needs to continue in that form to move down to a bigger club.
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- Anthony Nwankaeme – (Trabzonspor, 14 goals)
The 30 years old impressive form earned him a call up during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers for Nigeria, but unfortunately, he failed to score on his debut against Algeria in November 2017. This season he has failed to lower his guard in terms of putting the ball at the back of the net for his Turkish team Trabzonspor as they won the Turkish Cup 2-0 against Alanyaspor.
Although the Nigerian forward still remains in the international wilderness, for his team Nwankaeme has been very proficient for Trabzonspor with 14 goals in all competitions this season, perhaps this kind of form might get him another chance in playing for the Super Eagles once again in the future.
- Emem Eduok – (Hajduk Split, 11 goals)
Former Dolphins and Akwa United forward Eduok bagged his 10th league goal of the season in the Croatian super league to help Hajduk secured a win against Slaven Koprivnica in the league when he headed the crossing of his teammates into the net.
His goal against Slaven Koprivnica ended his five-game goal drought with his match-winning strike in the encounter against Slaven, which saw Hajduk Split return to the second position in the HNL table. In all competition, he has scored 11 goals for the Croatian side this season.
- Kelechi Iheanacho – (Leicester City, 10 goals)
The Nigerian international may not have the opportunity to play in the Champions League come next season, having relinquished their position to Manchester United by losing to the Red Devil in the final match of the season in the Premier League. However, he would get to feature for the Foxes in the Europa League come next season having finished fifth in the league.
The 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup Golden Ball winner may not be the top goalscorer in the league or perhaps be a Jamie Vardy who is the high goalscorer in the premier league for the just-concluded campaign.
The Super Eagles forward can proudly say he does contribute immensely to the Foxes quest in the league this season with 10 goals and four assists to his name in all competitions with 20 Premier League appearances for the Foxes, which made the Nigerian forward hit double-figure in goal for the first time in one season since joining the Foxes in 2017.
- Paul Onuachu – (Genk, 10 goals)
The 26-year-old Nigeria international was part of the players that got struck by the virus, he has been able to fight back and stay strong as he has been given a clean bill of health last two weeks in other to join his teammates for training in preparation for the new season. Onuachu scored 10 goals and provided two assists in 30 appearances across all competitions to help Genk finished in 7th position in the Belgian first division.
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Onuachu was having a solid season in the league before the league was canceled due to the pandemic, the Nigerian averages 4.8 touches in the box per 90 minutes and 3.37 shots per 90. This means the Super Eagles forward isn’t hesitant to shoot when close to the goal post, and he always showed his presence in the penalty box, with his height and strength which gives him an edge over opponents in the league.
- David Okereke – (Club Brugge, 11 goals)
The skillful forward has enjoyed a solid outing in Belgium since he joined the Belgian side, Okekere appeared in 22 matches this season in the Belgian Pro League playing a total of 1058 minutes, and scores an average of 0.77 goals for every 90 minutes whenever he’s on the pitch. Which places him at 4th among the top attacking player performances out of 349 players in the league who’ve played at least 3 matches in the league.
The Nigerian forward scored a total of 11 goals this season in all competitions which place him top in the team squad, as Club Brugge prep up for the new season in friendlies David would don his lucky number in the Belgian Pro League next season which is 21 having dropped the number 14 jersey. And he has already started scoring again as he bagged a brace in Club Brugge 6-0 win against KV Mechelen in a friendly match.
- Chidera Ejuke – (SC Heerenveen, 10 goals)
The Nigerian forward joined the Frisians club in 2019 from Norwegian side Valerenga for a deal worth around €2 million, ignoring the interest of top clubs like Lazio and Besiktas to joined the Eredivisie side. The Heerenveen forward who is in his maiden season in the Netherlands had a hand in 14 goals, scoring 10 goals and four assists in 25 Eredivisie matches this season.
With such form the former Valerenga forward is in now, he has been touted to move down to the Turkish Super League with Galatasaray. However, the 22-year-old won’t be leaving the Abe Lenstra Stadium cheaply. In the event that SC Heerenveen eventually decided to cash on the forward in the future, and his currently valued at €4 million in the transfer market which is quite possible for the top club to offset.
- Olarenwaju Kayode – (Gaziantep, 10 goals)
The Nigeria international Kayode has been in great form since he moved to the Turkish Super League on a season-long loan from Shakhtar Donetsk last summer.
This season he has contributed 10 goals and six assists in all competitions for Gaziantep, the lanky striker has also featured on the international scene for Nigeria at the U17, U20, and U23 levels before making his debut for the senior national team in a friendly match against the Terranga Lion of Senegal in 2017.
The Ibadan born striker would want to continue from where he stopped this season when the new season finally restarts, perhaps that would get him another chance to play for the national team once again. The last time he got invited into the team by Gernot Rohr was in 2017 which was a long time ago, but with the arrear of stars in the forward line for Super Eagles, it would be quite difficult for the Gaziantep forward to get into the team.
