For Nigerian football fans, it must have been a long summer. The Super Eagles lost a World Cup Qualifying match to Benin on June 10, putting Nigeria a distant fifth in its qualifying group. With that sour taste in their mouth, fans in Africa had to watch the Copa America and the Euros take center stage all summer.
The good news is that the club football season in Europe is already underway. That means most of the top Nigerian players are back on the field, including several who play in the English Premier League. With the season in its infancy, this is a great time to check for sports betting bonuses at sportsbooks to see the offers they have available. There are usually lucrative promotions available for new users. Of course, if your focus is on Nigerians in the EPL, here are the players to watch.
Ola Aina, Nottingham Forest
A little over a year ago, Aina found himself at a crossroads after being released by Torino. But he seems to have found a new home at Nottingham Forest. He made 22 appearances for the club last season and looks to have solidified the starting left-back spot at the start of the new campaign. Aina earned rave reviews in a recent win over Southampton, which is great for his standing with the Nigerian national team.
Joe Aribo, Southampton
Aribo was a regular in the Southampton midfield last season when the Saints earned promotion back to the Premier League. That gives him a chance to return to the top flight where he scored two goals in 21 appearances two years ago. Aribo looks like he could be a regular starter for Southampton this season. But the Saints could have their work cut out for them to avoid relegation. They’ll need Aribo to be at the top of his game while Aribo needs to play well to impress the Nigerian coaching staff.
Taiwo Awoniyi, Nottingham Forest
While not quite an automatic starter, Awoniyi is definitely a key part of the Nottingham Forest squad. He has scored 16 goals in 47 Premier League games over the past two seasons, which is steady if unspectacular production. As far as the national team is concerned, Awoniyi has some work to do to get back into the squad. However, he’s the clear backup striker to Chris Wood at Nottingham Forest right now, which should give him plenty of opportunities as the season moves along.
Calvin Bassey, Fulham
At age 24, Bassey is already a regular with the Nigerian national team, appearing in 10 of their 12 matches this year. He’s also worked his way into the Fulham squad, making him an important player for the Super Eagles to watch. The caveat is that his early-season performances have left something to be desired. Nevertheless, until further notice, Bassey is going to be in the Fulham starting lineup game after game, getting tested by some of the best strikers in the word.
Alex Iwobi, Fulham
With 80 caps for the Super Eagles under his belt, Iwobi feels a lot older than he is at age 28. It also feels that way because he’s been a Premier League player since 2015. Iwobi is currently in his second season with Fulham, scoring five goals in 30 Premier League appearances last year. He has a chance to improve upon that this season, scoring the game-winning goal in Fulham’s victory over Leicester City on Match Day 2. That could be a sign that Iwobi is poised for one of the best seasons of his career.
Frank Onyeka, Brentford
Onyeka started all seven of NIgeria’s games at the Africa Cup of Nations last year. He just has to show that same consistency for his club. In three full seasons at Brentford, Onyeka has yet to appear in more than 26 matches in a season He’s opened the season coming off the bench for the Bees, which is going to limit his minutes. However, over the course of a long season, Onyeka will have plenty of chances to shine. He just has to take advantage of them when they arrive.
Wilfred Ndidi, Leicester City
Leicester City is back in the Premier League this season with Ndidi being a big reason why. He started 32 games and scored four goals while Leicester won the Championship and got promoted last season. Before the season, Ndidi signed a new contract with Leicetser, making it clear the 27-year-old is still a big part of the club. His starting spot in the Leicester City midfield is all but guaranteed every game. The same can be Ndidi’s place with the Nigerian national team despite an injury keeping him out of the Africa Cup of Nations.
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