The 2019/20 league season has virtually rounded up in Europe and several Nigerian players have seen their stocks rise. As such, there are some new faces in the Nigeria’s most valuable XI, as well as some very familiar ones.
Complete Sports here put together the most valuable XI for Nigerian players abroad based on the latest evaluations by Transfermarkt.com with a formation of 4-2-1-3.
Surprisingly, some notable names were missing in the line-up despite their popularity in the Super Eagles while team’s total valuation is estimated to be a whooping €154 million…
Daniel AKPEYI, 32, (GK): €600Th.
Akpeyi remains the most criticised goalkeeper by Nigerian fans for his alleged lack of confidence in goal but the South Africa-based goalie remains Nigeria’s most valuable goalkeeper rating slightly ahead of his compatriot and rival, Francis Uzoho who is valued at €525Th. Having moved from Chippa United late last season, Akpeyi has gone on to become Kaizer Chief’s first choice goalkeeper and they currently lead the race to clinch the Premier Soccer League title.
Ola-Oluwa AINA, 23 (RB): €8.00m
The skillful defender has continued to pull his weight in the Italian Serie A with consistent display for Torino as a right wing-back across two seasons. He has featured in 60 Serie A games so far and he be looking to help Torino retain their Serie A status with just two rounds of matches to go. Aina has also grown to become a regular feature in the Eagles.
Chidozie AWAZIEM, 23 (CB) €6.00m
The versatile Eagles defender had a good outing playing 26 LaLiga games for Leganes on loan from Porto. He will however, be heading back to Portugal as Leganes were unable to retain their LaLiga status after narrowly losing out in the relegation dogfight on last day of the season. Awaziem profile is rising and he is gradually staking claim to a regular shirt in the Nigeria defense-line amidst top competition.
Semi AJAYI, 26 (CB) €4.00m
Ajayi featured prominently to help West Brom secure promotion from the highly competitive English Championship to the Premier League for next season. His consistent and solid displays in the Baggies defense where he played 43 Championship games and scoring 5 goals did not go unnoticed, as he has been nominated for the West Bromwich Albion Supporters’ Player of the Season award. He had of recent eased himself into the Eagles’ central defense position.
Jamilu COLLINS, 25, (LB) €2.40m
A regular player as a left wing-back for Paderborn who unfortunately got relegated from the German Bundesliga in only their first season in the topflight having secured promotion in the previous season. Collins featured prominently for the modest side scoring one goal in 30 Bundesliga appearances in the German topflight with a number of clubs already showing interest in the defender. He has now become a regular feature in the Eagles.
Wilfred NDIDI, 23, (DM) €36.00m
The Leicester City midfield warhorse is currently Nigeria’s most valuable player. Ndidi has been the Foxes backbone churning out solid and consistent performances since joining the side in 2016/17 season. He has 120 Premier League games under his boots across four seasons scoring 6 goals. Ndidi finished second both as EPL’s top tackler and best interceptions in the concluded season and remains Eagles topmost box-to-box midfielder too.
Also Read: INTERVIEW – Odegbami: Eagles Should Be For Africa What Brazil Is For South America
Oghenekaro ETEBO, 24, (CM) €4.00m
The power-playing midfielder has struggled to get into his rhythm this season for Stoke City and was shipped on loan to Getafe in the Spanish LaLiga where he showed glimpses of his quality scoring once in 10 games. Etebo is Minister Hints 2020 Sports Festival Could Still Hold Upon PTF’s both in the defensive or offensive midfield positions and he has remain a regular feature in the Eagles with his high work rate.
Samuel CHUKWUEZE, 21, (RW) €27.00m
The young Villarreal winger has continued to impress in the Spanish LaLiga for the second season running to justify his high ratings as one of the most promising youngster in Europe. Chukwueze now has 63 LaLiga games under his boots with 8 goals to his credit in two seasons. The 21-year old has also hit the ground running for the Eagles where he is now a regular feature.
Alex IWOBI, 24, (F) €25.50m
The former Arsenal forward who recorded 11 goals and 16 assists for the Gunners in 100 EPL appearances has struggled to impress in his first season with Everton having managed only one Premier League goal in 25 appearances. Iwobi will now be under pressure to justify his record €34m move to the Toffees next season with better performances. He however, remains a regular feature for the Eagles.
Victor OSIMHEN, 21, (CF) €27.00m
With 18 goals across all competitions in only his first season in the French Ligue 1 for Lille, Osimhen rose almost overnight to become Nigeria’s most wanted player with Serie A side, Napoli already on the verge to completing a whooping €60m deal for the 21-year old striker which would make him Nigeria’s costliest player ever. The prolific scorer is also growing into his predatory form in the national team for the Eagles.
Emmanuel DENNIS, 22, (CF) €13.50m
The skillful forward enjoyed a solid outing in Belgium starring for Club Brugge and has scored 19 league goals in 76 appearances for the club across three seasons. His highlight performance in the outgone season was his brace against Real Madrid in UEFA Champions League group stages. Despite his growing prowess in Europe, Dennis however, remains a fringe player in the Eagles having made just two cameo appearances for Nigeria.
William Troost-Ekong
THE PLAYERS THAT MISSED OUT OF THE XI
WILLIAM Troost-Ekong (CB) €3.20m
It is such a ridicule that Troost-Ekong who has so far shone very much at Udinese in the Italian Serie A this season has a hugely low valuation of just €3.20m.
The 26-year-old has made 27 starts in 28 league appearances for Udinese this term and was highly impressive when the Maroons defeated Juventus 2-1 only last week.
KENNETH Omeruo, 26 (CB) €2.40m
Omeruo despite the fact that his club, Leganes suffered relegation from the Spanish La Liga Santander into the Segunda should be commanding a fee higher than €2.40m. The 26-year-old started 22 of 23 Spanish top-flight games in the just-concluded season with a goal and five yellow cards to his name. He is on Levante’s transfer radar.
LEON Balogun, 32 (CB) €800Th. – Rangers
Nigerian international, Leon Balogun last Friday completed a move to Rangers where compatriot, Joe Aribo is currently being managed by Liverpool legend, Steven Gerrard.
Balogun upended his signature on a one-year deal with the Ibrox-based club-side after Rangers made a move for the defender following his departure from Wigan Athletic.
JOE Aribo, 24, (CM) €1.00m – Rangers
It is such a shock that Aribo’s monetary value on Transfermarkt is a meagre amount of €1.00m after the wonderful debut campaign the midfielder had for Rangers last season.
The midfielder who joined from Charlton Athletic last summer has been exceptional in pre-season, earning huge praise from fans and also from the Gers boss, Steven Gerrard.
KELECHI Iheanacho, 23, €12.00m – Leicester City
Iheanacho made 20 Premier League appearances for Leicester City this season, netting five times and making four assists to improve greatly after under-performing last term.
The forward also reached double figure of goals for the first time in one season since joining Leicester in 2017, having netted ten times in 26 games in all competitions.
AHMED Musa, 27, (F) €8.00m – Al Nassr
Skipper and one of the most senior members of the Super Eagles, Ahmed Musa has seen it all in football. He is a proud winner of the African Cup of Nations while he is also the highest-scoring Nigerian player at the FIFA World Cup with four goals.
The 27-year-old has, however, been very far from his best so far this season, having failed to score in 17 Saudi Arabian Professional League games for Al-Nassr FC with only five assists in his record.
MOSES Simon, 25, (F) €6.50m – Nantes
Simon performed creditably in his first season ever in France, scoring nine goals and making eight assists in 29 games overall following a loan switch from Spanish LaLiga outfit, Levante.
In the French top-flight, he registered five goals and five assists which earned him the team’s Player of the Season accolade – garnering 40 percent of votes in a poll conducted by the club’s faithful.
CYRIEL Dessers, 25, (CF) €3.20m – Genk
Red-hot striker, Cyriel Dessers will certainly give the Super Eagles number nine and Lille talisman, Victor Osimhen a run for his money should the Belgian-born finally make his international debut for Nigeria.
Dessers also recently made a departure from Heracles Almelo in the Netherlands to Genk in Belgium. The 25-year-old attacking sensation finished joint top-scorer of the Dutch Eredivisie with 15 goals in 26 games.
OTHER DEFENDERS
KINGSLEY Ehizibue, 25, (RB) €2.00m – FC Koln
BRIAN Idowu, 28 (LB) €950Th. – Lokomotiv
SHEHU Abdullahi, 27 (RB) €650Th. – Bursaspor
Tyronne Ebuehi, 24, (RB) €550Th. – Benfica
OTHER MIDFIELDERS
ANDERSON Esiti, 26, (DM) €2.80m – PAOK Thessaloniki
RAMON Azeez, 27, (CM) €2.50m – Granada
MIKEL Agu, 27, (DM) €2.40m – Vitória Guimarães
OTHER FORWARDS
HENRY Onyekuru, 23, (F) €8.00m – Monaco (Galatasaray) SAMUEL Kalu, 22, (RW) €6.50m – Bordeaux
OTHER STRIKERS
JOSHUA Maja, 21, (CF) €6.30m – Bordeaux
PETER Olayinka, 24, (F) €3.50m – Slavia Prague
By Sulaiman Alao & Oluyemi Ogunseyin
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COMMENTS
Ah…CSN….you people are putting Akpeyi in no1 position…??? Issokay….Omo9ja is coming for you…!
The highest goal scorer in seria B . Is not in cs list. Y. But players with 4 goals and relegated teams are in the list. Madagascar will beat ur team .again.
I have think the list was made based on the financial worth of the players and not on how they perform on the field of play
Also the person with the highest financial worth from each position they play on the field was picked ahead of others.