As seen every transfer window, Nigerian footballers have always been in the news, and the winter transfer window of 2026 was no exception, with plenty of movement from them.
2024 African Player of the Year – Ademola Lookman – finally put an end to his transfer saga at Atalanta, as he ditched La Dea for Atletico Madrid. It is one particular move that has generated a lot of buzz in the Nigerian football space, whether he made the right decision in choosing the Rojiblancos over Turkish giants Fenerbahçe.
Newly retired Super Eagles defender William Troost-Ekong also moved this window. Super Eagles hopefuls like Rafiu Durosinmi and Chibuike Nwaiwu both moved a step higher into the limelight with moves to Italy and Turkey, respectively.
Below are some major deals involving current Super Eagles stars, retired ones, the hopefuls, as well as many others.
ADEMOLA LOOKMAN (Atalanta to Atletico Madrid – €35m)
A torrid six months in Bergamo come to an end for Lookman, who turns 29 later this year. The forward, who excelled at the last AFCON with the Super Eagles, with another string of strong performances, had to choose between Fenerbahce and Atletico Madrid, and he settled for the Madrid giants in a deal worth €35 million, with an additional €5 million in add-ons. He will wear the number 22 jersey at the club.
FRANK ONYEKA (Loan to Coventry City from Brentford)
Going by the standards of Frank Onyeka, this was a surprise move from the Premier League to the Championship – a downgrade. Onyeka spent time in Germany last season on loan and was quite decent there, but he has not seen a lot of minutes in the Premier League this term, and that has pushed him to join the Sky Blues, who are chasing a return to the Premier League for the first time in 25 years.
WILLIAM TROOST-EKONG (Al-Kholood to Al-Ahli – Undisclosed fee)
The former Super Eagles captain, who retired just before the AFCON in Morocco, left Saudi Arabia for Qatar. The centre-back has enjoyed instant success with his new team already, as he won the UAE-Qatar Super Cup after victory over Al Jazira. Safe to say that he has been enjoying his time in the Middle East so far.
JOE ARIBO (Loan from Southampton to Leicester City)
Joe Aribo, once a key figure for the Super Eagles, has endured a difficult season with limited game time at Southampton in the English Championship. The 27-year-old midfielder has now opted for a move to former Premier League champions Leicester City, as he looks to revive his career and rediscover his best form.
UMAR SADIQ (Real Sociedad to Valencia – €5m)
Another player who has fallen out of the Super Eagles picture is Umar Sadiq. His move to Real Sociedad proved challenging, and he has now completed a permanent return to Valencia. The lanky striker, who previously impressed at Mestalla, will be eager to rediscover his form as he looks to revive both his club career and his place in the national team.
TEREM MOFFI (Loan to FC Porto from OGC Nice)
Moffi, who was at the 2023 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire, has had to battle injuries as well as issues with Nice supporters in the past 12 months. Due to the strained relationship at the French club, the attacker has decided to move to Portugal on a loan move. He will be joining established Super Eagles defender Zaidu Sanusi at the club.
TOCHUKWU NNADI (Zulte Waregem to Marseille – €6m)
Former Nigeria U20 international, Tochukwu Nnadi, has seen his career make a massive jump from the Belgian Pro League to one of Europe’s top five leagues – French Ligue 1. After making brief appearances for Nigeria at the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, the 22-year-old defensive midfielder continues his rapid rise. However, it remains to be seen whether he will receive enough playing time to sustain his development and growth.
SALIM FAGO LAWAL (NK Istra to Viktoria Plzen – €2.4m)
Like Nnadi, Salim Fago Lawal also came through the youth grade and was equally part of Eric Chelle’s squad to the last AFCON in Morocco. He gathered some impressive stats while at Istra in Croatia, as his club finished third. With his cameo appearance in Morocco and performances in Croatia, he earned a move to Plzen.
CHIBUIKE NWAIWU (Wolfsberger to Trabzonspor – €5.5m)
Chibuike Nwaiwu, who was playing in the Nigeria Premier Football League about two years ago, is one of the players hoping to break into the Super Eagles set-up this year. He moved from Austria to one of Turkey’s biggest teams, Trabzonspor. The 22-year-old centre-back has settled quickly in Turkey, making three league appearances since his January move.
RAFIU DUROSINMI (Viktoria Plzen to Pisa – €9m)
Durosinmi, who was listed in the preliminary squad for the 2025 AFCON, is also one of the players on the brink of breaking into the Super Eagles. The 23-year-old striker completed the biggest transfer of his career yet, as he left Plzen for the Italian Serie A. He has made a decent start to life there with a goal and an assist in three Serie A matches.
