With club football returning after the first international break of the 2026/27 season, several Nigerian players are heading back to their clubs in impressive form.
From Victor Osimhen and Gift Orban’s goalscoring exploits in Turkey to Kelechi Iheanacho’s remarkable revival and Godwin Obaje’s historic milestone in the Nigeria Premier Football League, these are 10 Nigerian stars to keep an eye on.
Victor Osimhen – Galatasaray
Osimhen has enjoyed a prolific start to the new campaign, scoring six goals in his first four Turkish league appearances. The Galatasaray striker found the net in each of those matches, including a brace and an assist in a 4-0 victory over Erzurumspor.
Gift Orban – Amedspor
Orban has also been among the leading scorers in Turkey. The 24-year-old has registered seven goals in six league appearances, including a hat-trick against Başakşehir, helping newly promoted Amedspor climb to the top of the Turkish Süper Lig.
Kelechi Iheanacho – Bursaspor
Iheanacho’s career revival has been one of the standout Nigerian stories of the season. He has scored 11 goals and provided two assists in nine appearances for Bursaspor, finding the net in every league match he has played. His form earned him a recall to the Super Eagles after more than 16 months away, and he scored in Nigeria’s 3-3 draw with Russia.
Tolu Arokodare – Ajax
After a difficult spell at Wolves, Arokodare has made an encouraging start to life at Ajax. The striker joined the Dutch club on loan in July and scored in his first two Eredivisie starts. By mid-September, he had five goals and two assists in just 355 minutes.
Samuel Chukwueze – AC Milan
Chukwueze appears to have found a new role at AC Milan, operating as a right wing-back under manager Ruben Amorim. He was named Man of the Match in Milan’s opening-day win over Torino after creating four chances and assisting a goal. He has also registered three assists in his first four league matches.
Calvin Bassey – Fulham
Bassey has taken on greater responsibility at Fulham, even wearing the captain’s armband during the club’s opening three league matches. Since joining Fulham in 2023, the defender has made 105 appearances, scoring four goals and providing one assist.
Rasheedat Ajibade – Paris Saint-Germain
Ajibade continues to establish herself as one of Nigeria’s leading female players in European football. Wearing PSG’s number 10 shirt, she has already scored in the Women’s Champions League and in the French league this season.
Ola Aina – Nottingham Forest
Aina has returned to the Super Eagles after almost a year away from international football. He featured in Nigeria’s 2-1 victory over Madagascar before being rested for the subsequent defeat to Guinea-Bissau. His return gives both club and country another experienced defensive option.
Godwin Obaje – Rangers
Obaje recently entered an exclusive club in Nigerian domestic football after scoring his 100th NPFL goal. The Rangers striker reached the milestone with an 11th-minute penalty against Warri Wolves on September 30 and became only the second player in the last decade to reach the landmark.
Rafiu Durosinmi – Genk
Durosinmi has made an impressive start since joining Genk from Pisa for a club-record €10.5 million. The 23-year-old scored five goals in his first six league matches, including goals in each of his first four games. His run was eventually ended in Genk’s 3-0 defeat to Club Brugge.
With the international break now over and domestic competitions resuming, all eyes will be on these players to see whether they can maintain their impressive form and continue making an impact for their clubs and Nigeria.
