Reigning CAF Champions League champions Esperance Sportive du Tunis have completed the signing of Nigerian striker Junior Lokosa on a two-and-half year deal, the club confirmed on Monday
Lokosa was Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL)’s top scorer in the 2018 season when he scored nineteen goals in twenty-three games to land the top scorer’s prize. His performance on the domestic scene earned him a place in Nigeria’s 30-man provisional squad for last year’s FIFA World Cup Russia.
After a couple of failed trials in Europe, he has now completed a switch to North Africa.
“After having arrived Saturday night in Tunis to finalise his transfer to Esperance, the top Nigerian scorer of last season, Junior Lokosa, has finally reached an agreement with the Blood and Gold according to which the former Kano Pillars FC player engages with the club until June 2021.
“Welcome to Junior!,” Esperance wrote on their official website on Monday.
Lokosa made his debut for Nigeria’s senior national team in a friendly match against Congo DR at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt in May, 2018 – his only international cap till date.
He joined Kano Pillars in mid-2017 from Lagos based club First Bank scoring seven times in the second half of the Nigerian league season. Known for his predatory instinct inside the penalty box, Lokosa apart from winning the highest goalscorer prize in 2018 also led his side, Kano Pillars to the final of Nigeria’s AITEO Cup competition where his side lost to Rangers in an incredible manner.
Tuesday’s Tunisian league game against Ben Guerdane might come too soon for Lokosa to make his Esperance debut but he is expected to be in the side to face Zimbabwean side Platinum in the CAF Champions League on Friday.
