Everton, Nottingham Forest track Onyedika

Everton, Nottingham Forest track Onyedika

Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace are among the Premier League clubs keeping tabs on Club Brugge midfielder, Raphael Onyedika with the Nigeria international potentially on his way to England. HITC Football understands that the 22-year-old enforcer, who was part of Nigeria’s squad at the 2024 African Cup of Nations, could be the latest big-money departure from Belgian giants Club Brugge. The Jupiler League outfit has sold the likes of Charles de Ketelaere, Lois Openda, Sofyan Amrabat and Arnaut Danjuma in recent transfer windows. Striker Igor Thiago, meanwhile, will join Brentford for around £30 million in the summer. Now, with a host of English clubs showing an interest in Raphael Onyedika, Club Brugge could make another substantial profit on a player who has proven to be excellent value for money in the blue-and-black stripes. In addition to Everton, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace, Onyedika also has admirers at Thiago’s new employers, Brentford. Leicester City is in the race too. Enzo Maresca’s Foxes are still well-placed to secure automatic promotion despite successive defeats to Leeds United and Middlesbrough. Comparisons will obviously be made between Onyedika and Leicester’s own Wilfred Ndidi. Ndidi, another physically-imposing Nigerian midfielder, moved to the Midlands from Belgian football and Onyedika could now follow in his footsteps. Onyedika likes a tackle. He averages 2.1 per game in the Jupiler League (WhoScored). But the five-cap international, another exciting African talent to make his name in Denmark (Onyedika joined Brugge from Midtjylland) is also extremely comfortable with the ball at his feet. With his excellent ball control and press-resistant qualities, Onyedika loves to wriggle through gaps and take opponents out of the game with well-timed bursts. If he is to end up at Nottingham Forest, Onyedika could help replace Orel Mangala following his January switch to Lyon. Onyedika will cost in excess of £13 million. Reports claimed Galatasaray had a bid rejected in January.