Raphael Onyedika is on the verge of completing a move to Eintracht Frankfurt from Club Brugge. Consequently, the Nigerian midfielder is set to become the latest African star to join the Bundesliga side this summer.
According to Sky Sport Germany’s transfer,
a fee of around ten million euros has been agreed between the two clubs. As a result, only final details are left before the transfer is officially completed.
Meanwhile, renowned transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has also confirmed that full agreement has been reached for the move. However, the deal was not without late drama, as Saudi Arabian clubs reportedly made calls in a bid to hijack the transfer at the eleventh hour. Despite this, Onyedika is understood to have made up his mind on joining the German club.
Onyedika still has a contract running until 2027 with the Belgian champions, therefore Brugge were under no pressure to sell cheaply. Nevertheless, the clubs found common ground on the fee, paving the way for the switch to go through.
Frankfurt have already been busy in the transfer market this summer, having signed fellow central midfielder Noel Aseko from Bayern Munich. As a result, Onyedika is expected to add further steel and composure to Adi Hutter’s engine room.
In addition, the Eagles star was notably absent from Brugge’s squad on Friday night, as they suffered a penalty shootout defeat to Union SG in the Belgian Super Cup. This absence further fuelled speculation that his move to Germany was already in its final stages.
Onyedika has established himself as a key figure for the Super Eagles in recent seasons, having earned over two dozen caps for the national team. Consequently, his switch to the Bundesliga represents another marker of Nigerian talent making an impact in one of Europe’s top five leagues.
Furthermore, the defensive midfielder has enjoyed a decorated spell at Brugge, winning the Belgian league title twice, alongside a domestic cup and Super Cup. Therefore, Frankfurt are set to add proven pedigree and winning experience to their squad, not just raw potential.
With an agreement reportedly in place between both clubs, attention now turns to the completion of medical checks and the formal announcement. Once finalised, Onyedika is expected to link up with his new teammates ahead of the new Bundesliga season.
Meanwhile, Nigerian football followers will be keen to see how quickly he settles into Hutter’s system, especially given Frankfurt’s struggles defensively last season. As such, his physical presence and ball-winning qualities could prove decisive as the Eagles frontman looks to establish himself in German football.
