As the transfer window in Europe closed on Monday night, Nigerian players were among football stars who beat the deadline either on permanent transfer or loan deals, underlining the country’s growing influence in world football.

This report by Daily Trust highlights the transfer deals of Nigeria players which happened in Europe on the last night of the first transfer window of the 2025/2026 season.

Samuel Chukwueze

Samuel Chukwueze also joined Fulham from AC Milan on loan with an option to buy. The fee for a permanent transfer is understood to be in the region of €i25 million and could rise to €28 million through bonuses. The 26-year-old winger will line up alongside fellow Super Eagles stars Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi, bringing flair and pace to Marco Silva’s side.

The 26-year-old Super Eagles winger struggled for consistency during his time in Italy after joining Milan from Villarreal in 2023, where he had built his reputation as one of La Liga’s most exciting wide players.

Chrisantus Uche

Chrisantus Uche sealed a last minute one season-long loan switch from Getafe to Crystal Palace in England, with an obligation to buy for a reported fee of £20 million. The 22-year-old midfielder, already a full international, will don the No. 12 shirt at Selhurst Park and joins a busy summer intake for the Eagles.

Tolu Arokodare

Tolu Arokodare sealed a headline-grabbing move from Belgian side Genk to Wolverhampton Wanderers on 1 September 2025.

Wolves reportedly paid around £24 million (approximately €27 million) to complete the transfer, making it Genk’s most expensive outgoing transfer to date.

Arokodare signed a four-year deal (with an option for an extra year), following a stellar season that saw him finish as the Belgian Pro League’s top scorer with 21 goals and win the Ebony Shoe award.

Victor Boniface

The pressure of deadline transfer filled up on the Nigerian striker after his initial link to AC Milan failed after he reportedly failed his medical.

Despite his failure to seal the transfer to AC Milan, Boniface successfully completed a loan transfer to Bundesliga club Werder Bremen, bidding farewell to Bayer Leverkusen.

At Leverkusen he joined in 2023 from Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise, he scored 32 goals and registered 12 assists in his time at the club winning Bundesliga invincibles in 2023-24.

The loan deal is expected to last until June 2026, with part of his salary covered.

In January, he was on the brink of a blockbuster move of 70 million euro ($81 million) to Saudi Pro League heavyweights Al Nassr in January 2025 but the deal fell through when the Saudi club opted to sign Jhon Duran from Aston Villa instead.

Kelechi Iheanacho

Kelechi Iheanacho’s move to Celtic on 2 September 2025, signing a one-year contract (with an option for an additional year) was one of the deadline-day signings.

Iheanacho joined Sevilla in 2024 following the expiration of his deal with Leicester City, making 11 appearances and scoring three goals during his time at the club.

His move to Celtic will reunite the Nigeria forward with Brendan Rodgers, who was coach at Leicester City.

Under Rodgers, Iheanacho had the best scoring season of his career when he netted 12 Premier League goals in 2020/21.

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