June 25, (THEWILL) – Former Super Eagles striker, Odion Jude Ighalo, has expressed his interest in playing in Nigeria’s top-tier football league, the Nigeria Premier League.
However, Ighalo stated that certain conditions would need to be met for him to consider joining the league. The forward, who started his career at Nigerian clubs, Prime and Julius Berger, before moving to Europe in 2007, is currently without a club affiliation after his contract with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal expired.
In a recent interview with Elegbete TV, Ighalo acknowledged the possibility of playing in the NPL but highlighted the challenges that would need to be addressed. He mentioned the importance of guaranteed security, robust media coverage, and competent referees. Ighalo even expressed his willingness to play without receiving a salary, stating: “If security is guaranteed, along with good media coverage and competent referees, I can play for six months or even a year without receiving a salary.”
Ighalo’s recent career has seen him play for prominent clubs such as Manchester United in England and Al Shabab and Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia. During his time at Al Hilal, he led the team to the Saudi Professional Football League title in the 2021/2022 season and finished as the league’s top scorer.
With an impressive record of 26 goals in 37 games across all competitions, Ighalo left Al Hilal at the conclusion of the latest season. He even beat Al Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo to the striker position in the season-ending Top XI.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
