October 19, (THEWILL) – The 2026-2027 football season started two months ago and most Nigerian players are involved. But some of them have a point to prove following their performances so far.
Ademola Lookman
The Atletico Madrid forward enjoyed a blistering start to life at the Wanda Metropolitano when he joined the club in the January transfer window.
He scored four goals in his first four matches for the club, including a sensational strike against Barcelona He ended the season with nine goals and four assists in all competitions for the Spanish club.
However, Lookman has failed to rediscover the form that made him the darling of the club’s supporters last season. He has scored just two goals in 10 matches in all competitions for the club this season, one in the La Liga and one in the Champions League.
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone admitted that the Super Eagles forward is struggling for form.
He backed him to rediscover his form prior to the clash against Manchester United and he responded with a goal off the bench against the Red Devils.
Atletico Madrid fans will be hoping that it is the start of better things to come ahead of a busy run of fixtures for the club.
Akor Adams
Another Super Eagles player who has a point to prove is Akor Adams.
Adams was criticised for leaving Sevilla for newly-promoted Italian Serie A side Venezia following an impressive season in Spain. He produced a series of impressive performances for the Andalusian club, scoring 15 goals in all competitions.
He left the club after only one season to team up with Venezia, drawing criticisms from football lovers in Nigeria. Adams has scored just one Serie A goal for the club in five Serie A matches.
The club’s supporters will be expecting more from Adams following his N16.8 million move in the summer. Adams needs to start scoring consistently for the club following their poor start to the season, having lost all their six matches in the League.
Samuel Chukwueze
The AC Milan player has been handed a clean slate following the appointment of Ruben Amorim in the summer. Chukwueze has failed to show his quality on a consistent basis for the Italian club since joining from Villarreal in a N28 million move in 2023.
He endured a poor first season before he was sent out on loan to Premier League side Fulham in the 2005-26 season. Amorim blocked his permanent move to Fulham when he took over the reins at AC Milan.
Chukwueze has been presented with another opportunity to impress and he will be hoping to grab it. Amorim has played him in a wing-back position and he has impressed the Portuguese coach so far after playing in all their league matches this season.
This is Chukwueze’s last chance salon at AC Milan, if he can keep up his impressive form in the next few months to convince Amorim that he deserves a regular playing time.
READ ALSO:
Taiwo Awoniyi
The former Liverpool forward joined the newly-promoted Coventry City after spending four years at Nottingham Forest. He spent his last two years at the City Ground as a squad player, losing his place to Chris Wood and then Igor Jesus. Awoniyi struggled to repeat his stunning performances for the club in his first season when he scored 10 Premier League goals. The following three seasons he scored just 11 goals combined in the next three Premier League season before he joined Coventry City in the summer.
At Coventry City, he has endured a disappointing start to life at the CBS Arena, scoring just once in the League Cup. He is still waiting for his first Premier League goal for the club. The move to Coventry City is an opportunity for him to rediscover his form and in a pressure free environment with a regular playing shirt he is expected to carry the team’s goal-scoring burden.
Awoniyi is blessed with the talent to make things happen at Coventry City, but he needs to start scoring goals because he has a point to prove in the Premier League due to his poor goals return in the last four years.
Zadok Yohanna
The Nigerian young star broke the internet when he sealed a big move to Brighton from Swedish League side AIK Stockholm in a deal worth £21.5 million. The highly-rated winger, who can play on both wings has a lot to prove in England, despite being an 18-year-old young star.
He turned down a move to the likes of Chelsea, Newcastle United, Dortmund to team up with Brighton due to their history of giving young stars opportunity to thrive. Yohanna has played three matches for Brighton this season, two in the Europa Conference League and one in the Premier League.
The fans and the English press are on the look out for him due to his price tag. Yohanna has the talent to prove them wrong but he needs to grab his chances when they come.
