Top 5 Nigerian Footballers Playing in the EPL (2024)
Last updated on August 3rd, 2023 at 12:23 am
According to ExpressVPN’s study on sports streaming trends in the UK, football is expectedly the number one sport, with Liverpool, Manchester United, and Manchester city having the highest viewership.
To enjoy good football, you simply must watch the Premier League’s broadcasts, the world’s best league in terms of the number of viewers.
Additionally, some talented Nigerian players are playing very well in the Premier League. Let’s briefly overview the best Nigerian rising stars in Europe’s favourite football league, the EPL.
FRANK ONYEKA
Brentford’s midfielder with skillful leg plays on the left wing. He is 23 years old, retains a contract signed until March 2026, and gives life to the central bank back of Brentford thanks to his considerable height that allows him to maintain stability during ball driving.
Onyenka is not an undisputed starter, almost always used as a replacement, so it is difficult for him to demonstrate his talent in midfield. In the past, he had the opportunity to play for Midtjylland and the Nigerian national team; adding his statistics, he has played 123 games, starting in 89 of them, has scored 12 goals, and completed six assists.
ALEXANDER IWOBI
Iwobi retains excellent experience going through a world-class team like Arsenal, who competed in the Champions League and won the Premier League 13 times. He currently plays for Everton, a team that has won the Premier League 9 times.
After Richarlison’s departure, Everton needs to strengthen their forward and midfield as soon as possible to continue competing. The 26-year-old Iwobi is one of the best options to fill the midfield, given that he has the necessary experience.
Throughout his career, he has played 254 games, starting in 178 of them, scored 23 goals, and completed 33 assists—extremely high figures for someone who plays in the middle of the field.
WILFRED NDIDI
Ndidi plays for Leicester Football Club, and even though he plays on the left wing, he adapts easily to the right wing. He plays as a winger, midfielder, defensive midfield, and attacking midfield.
In the current season, he has zero goals and zero assists. However, thanks to the fact that it measures 1 meter 83 and weighs 74 kg, it offers speed along the belt and dribbling. With only 25 years, he has already played 239 games, of which 226 have been a starter, and has scored 13 goals and ten assists during his stay at Leicester City Football Club.
He maintains a contract until March 2024; possibly Leicester already has prepared a renewal proposal because he has been a vital part of the squad since 2016.
He is one of Brentford’s most prominent promising youngsters, and they obviously want to protect him from injuries and physical overload. That’s why they don’t use it as much, but we’re sure to see it exploiting its potential in the coming seasons.
EMMANUEL DENNIS
Dennis is a striker who plays for Nottingham Forest, a team with some fame in the Premier League. For his good performances with the Nigerian national team, Nottingham decided to ask him in a session with an option to buy Watford, who recently descended to the second division.
So far, the 24-year-old has scored an assist and a single goal in 8 games. However, he is a vital piece of the English team’s forward, managing to change matches just by being present on the field. In the past, he played for teams such as Zorya, Brugge, and Cologne. Adding all his statistics, he has played 189, starting in 131 of them, has scored 43 goals, and completed 16 assists.
KELECHI IHEANACHO
So far, he is the best Nigerian footballer in the Premier League because he played for the renowned Manchester City, and in a single season, he scored 14 goals. Iheanacho is currently 26 years old and belongs to Leicester; they use him as a replacement, given the amount of talent that the team has in its squad. Adding all his seasons, he has played 242 games starting in 108, scored 69 goals, and completed 33 assists.
Nigerian players are a vital asset in the Premier League teams, and given that they’re mostly young, there is a lot to expect front hem and look forward to.
