Nigerian youngster Nefeye Osazee has reached a major milestone in his football career after signing his first professional contract with Premier League club AFC Bournemouth.
The teenager’s journey began in Lagos, where he joined CitySports in 2017 at the age of six and started receiving structured football training while featuring in the CitySports League.
Osazee moved to England in 2022 and continued his development with Slough Town before catching the attention of Arsenal. After a successful trial, during which he reportedly scored 10 goals in nine matches, he joined the Gunners’ academy in 2023.
He spent three years at Arsenal’s Hale End academy before joining Bournemouth ahead of the 2026/27 season.
His latest contract marks another important stage in his development, with Bournemouth confirming that the Nigerian-born youngster has now signed his first professional deal with the club.
Shola Opaleye, founder and CEO of CitySports Group, said Osazee’s achievement was particularly meaningful because he had watched the player develop from a six-year-old at the Lagos-based academy.
Opaleye said the youngster’s journey demonstrated that football development takes time and requires support from players, families, coaches and academies.
He also cautioned against putting pressure on young players to secure professional contracts too early, saying academies should instead focus on creating environments where players can develop properly and be prepared when opportunities arise.
Osazee’s rise from grassroots football in Lagos to Arsenal and now Bournemouth highlights the progress of a young player who has spent years working through different stages of the academy system.
For the teenager and his family, however, the professional contract represents the beginning of another chapter rather than the end of his development.
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