The old guard and the new arrivals in England
In West London, stability remains the key objective for Fulham, where Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey continue to serve as core anchors. Both players were integral to the club’s consistency last campaign, and manager Marco Silva is once again relying on the duo to carry regular, heavily taxing roles throughout the grueling Premier League calendar. Bassey’s physicality and tactical versatility at centre-back provide a modern platform for Fulham’s build-up play, while Iwobi’s creative versatility, ability to progress the ball through central zones, and relentless work rate continue to make him an irreplaceable presence in the starting XI.
Further north at Nottingham Forest, Ola Aina enters the new campaign adjusting to life under fresh leadership following the appointment of head coach Oliver Glasner. Known for demanding intense mobility and tactical discipline from his wide players, Glasner’s arrival seems to have sparked fresh ambition in the full-back. Aina has publicly set himself an ambitious personal target of scoring five goals this season. For a player who operates predominantly as a full-back or wing-back, it is a bold statement, yet it reflects the remarkable growth in his attacking confidence over recent campaigns at the City Ground. Aina, who recently committed his future to the club by signing a three-year contract extension through 2028, remains key to Forest’s tactical setups on either flank under Glasner.
The most high-profile intra-league transfer of the summer involving a Nigerian international belongs to Taiwo Awoniyi. The powerhouse striker departed Nottingham Forest to complete a marquee switch to newly promoted Coventry City for a base fee reported around £9 million (pound 19.9m). Awoniyi is on course to make his competitive debut for the Sky Blues in Friday’s high-stakes Premier League opener away at Arsenal, a fixture rich in personal history for the forward. Across six previous encounters against the Gunners during his time with Forest, Awoniyi has netted three times. Crucially, it was his late strike against Arsenal that matched Stan Collymore’s 28-year-old club record for scoring in consecutive Premier League matches.
The transfer represents a vital fresh start for Awoniyi. His previous campaign at Forest was hampered by fitness struggles, limiting him to just three starts and 17 total appearances, though he still managed four goals in that restricted time frame. He completed his first full training sessions this week at Coventry’s Sky Blue Lodge under manager Frank Lampard, where he aligns with fellow countryman Frank Onyeka. Onyeka’s loan extension and continued presence give the Sky Blues two experienced Super Eagles figures to rely upon in their quest for top-flight survival.
Beyond England’s borders, Victor Osimhen continues to dominate headlines despite remaining outside the Premier League for now. Continuing his spell at Galatasaray, where his goal scoring record in Turkey has kept him among the elite strikers in Europe, Osimhen remains the subject of relentless transfer speculation, with Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United frequently linked with a move for his signature.
The persistent media chatter formed the backdrop for a light-hearted moment during the week when Forest defender Ola Aina put Osimhen on the spot during an Instagram Live broadcast. Aina directly asked his national team colleague which Premier League destination he would choose if given the option. Osimhen jokingly brushed off the public interrogation, telling Aina to inform viewers that he would have to call back privately due to it being a private matter. Aina let his teammate off the hook, steering the conversation back to Osimhen’s sharp goal scoring form in Turkey instead. While Osimhen has previously maintained that he does not hold a single favourite English side, he has admitted to owning both Chelsea and Manchester United shirts growing up due to his older brother’s influence.
A growing contingent in Italian Serie A
While Ademola Lookman opted for a high-profile exit from Serie A earlier in the calendar year by completing a transfer from Atalanta to La Liga contenders Atlético Madrid, the Nigerian presence in Italian football has nevertheless swelled significantly ahead of the new campaign.
At AC Milan, winger Samuel Chukwueze has made an emphatic early statement during pre-season preparations. Entering his second full campaign at the San Siro, Chukwueze delivered a standout performance in a marquee pre-season friendly against Manchester United, scoring a goal and providing two assists to stake a firm claim for a permanent starting role on the right wing.
Meanwhile, in Udine, goalkeeper Maduka Okoye continues his steady growth as Udinese’s trusted number one, looking to build upon a series of commanding defensive displays from last term.
Newly promoted Venezia produced the biggest individual transfer splash among the Nigerian contingent in Italy, shattering their all-time transfer record to secure striker Akor Adams from Sevilla. The Venetian side agreed to a deal worth pound 17 million plus performance-related bonuses, signing the forward to a four-year contract valued at pound 1.5 million per season. Adams built a strong reputation in Europe after moving to Sevilla from French club Montpellier in January 2025. During the 2025/26 La Liga campaign, he finished as Sevilla’s leading league scorer, registering 10 goals and 3 assists across 36 appearances to help the club navigate a tough campaign and preserve its top-flight status.
Venezia head coach Giovanni Stroppa publicly lauded the arrival of his new focal point up front, confirming that Adams is an important profile who will give the squad a big hand, while making clear that defensive stability remains the club’s next market priority alongside sporting director Antonelli.
Fellow promoted outfit Frosinone focused their recruitment on defense, securing versatile centre-back Kevin Akpoguma on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract at TSG Hoffenheim. The 31-year-old signed a deal running through June 2028. Akpoguma leaves Hoffenheim after earning 179 Bundesliga appearances, scoring three goals, and recording five assists. Born in Germany and a former international at various German youth levels, Akpoguma officially switched his allegiance to Nigeria in October 2020 and has earned eight senior caps for the Super Eagles. A move to Serie A presents him with a consistent platform to compete for a spot in head coach Eric Chelle’s national squad ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Rounding out the Italian movement is young midfielder Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, who has joined Monza on a season-long loan from Inter Milan. The deal includes a purchase option set at pound 7.5 million, which can convert into a mandatory obligation under specific sporting conditions, while Inter have secured a 10 percent sell-on clause for any future transfer.
Having spent the prior campaign building match experience on loan at Pisa, Akinsanmiro now gets his opportunity to test himself regularly in Italy’s top division.
With Nigeria’s Premier League stars establishing their roles and a fresh wave of talent stepping into key positions across Serie A, the Super Eagles’ European contingent enters the season with clear objectives. Whether battling for domestic silverware, fighting for top-flight survival, or securing places in the national setup, both fronts of the legion are set for another huge campaign.