The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bright Osayi-Samuel

  • Osayi-Samuel seals move to Besiktas

    Osayi-Samuel seals move to Besiktas

    Nigeria international defender Bright Osayi-Samuel has sealed a high-profile switch to Turkish giants Besiktas, according to Turkish outlet Sozcu.

    Osayi-Samuel has agreed a lucrative €2.5 million-per-year deal with Besiktas after leaving Fenerbahce on a free transfer.

    The 27-year-old Nigerian international is expected to undergo a medical in the coming days, with an official unveiling anticipated before the start of pre-season on 28 June.

    Besiktas initially hoped to negotiate down Osayi-Samuel’s wage demands to €2 million per year, but ultimately met his full asking price to secure his signature.

    The deal brings an end to speculation surrounding the versatile defender, who had attracted interest from several Ligue 1 and Premier League clubs, including Crystal Palace.

    Read Also: NFF  hails Aluo over transformation of NNL   

    However, Osayi-Samuel has opted to remain in Turkey, where he has spent the past five seasons and built a solid reputation in the Super Lig.

    His arrival is seen as a major boost for Besiktas boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who is rebuilding the squad ahead of the 2025–26 campaign.

    Capable of playing at right-back and right wing-back, Osayi-Samuel brings tactical flexibility, experience, and league familiarity to the Black Eagles.

    The move also points to Besiktas’ ambition to challenge at the top once again after a disappointing campaign.

    Solskjær, who was appointed Besiktas manager in mid-January, guided the club to a fourth-place finish, a staggering 33 points behind champions, Galatasaray.

  • Osayi tips Fenerbahce to overtake  Galatasaray  in Turkish  title race

    Osayi tips Fenerbahce to overtake  Galatasaray  in Turkish  title race

    Super Eagles right back Bright Osayi-Samuel believes Fenerbahce still have what it takes to pip Victor Osimhen’s Galatasaray to the Turkish Super Lig title with seven rounds of matches to the end of the season despite playing second fiddle presently in the table.

    Fenerbahce are three points behind bitter city rivals Galatasaray after 29 matches after their 3-1 demolition of Sivasspor last weekend.

    However, Osayi-Samuel said he believes his club will win their remaining seven matches while he expects the reigning league champions to slip up and thus give them a change to upstage Galatasaray for the league championship.

    Read Also: First Lady closes African Women’s volleyball club championship

    “We need to focus on ourselves. We have seven important matches. I think we will be champions if we win all the matches,” he said after Fenerbahce won 3-1 at Sivasspor. “It was a valuable three points to continue on our way steadily.”

    He added: “Every match we play is a final. Now we will focus on the next match.”

    Galatasaray are atop the table with 74 points and will face Bodrum FK on Friday in a Matchday 30 tie while Fenerbahce who are second with 71 points will wait two days later to trade tackles with Kayserispor at home.

  • Osayi-Samuel to make sensational England return

    Osayi-Samuel to make sensational England return

    Super Eagles defender Bright Osayi-Samuel could make a sensational return to England a few years after leaving the country for Turkey.

    The Fenerbahce of Turkey defender departed English football in the winter of the 2020-21 after representing Queens Park Rangers in the English Championship and also Blackpool in League 2.

    The Nigerian defender’s £48k a-week deal with Fenerbahce expires at the end of the current campaign, and though the Turkish side are keen to keep him, the report adds that the defender is keen on a return to London.

    Read Also: NFF to announce new foreign coach for Super Eagles next week

    English Premier League club represent an attractive proposition, and it is reported that Osayi-Samuel was even at Selhurst Park last week to watch his prospective new side, Crystal Palace in action against Arsenal.

     “It’s clear, and we have a commitment that we want to sign two players two different positions the profiles are clear and players are fixed,” Olivier Glasner stated. “Now we just have to get the deals done. We have a clear commitment that we will sign two new players.”

  • Turkish FF disciplinary panel summons Osayi-Samuel, others

    Turkish FF disciplinary panel summons Osayi-Samuel, others

    Super Eagles defender, Bright Osayi-Samuel is one of three Fenerbahce players expected to appear at a disciplinary hearing of the Turkish Football Federation following a bust-up with Trabzonspor fans, the TFF announced yesterday.

    Home supporters invaded the pitch at Trabzonspor’s stadium after the final whistle of the Super Lig match on March 17 that Fenerbahce won 3-2.

    The attacks took place after the Fenerbahce players and coaching staff celebrated their victory, goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic being punched in the face.

    Osayi-Samuel, 26, punched one of the supporters who ran onto the pitch with his face masked, with Dutch defender Jayden Oosterwolde accused of kicking the same supporter.

    Read Also: Why we did not recover $69.4 million electricity debt, by NBET

    A third player will also appear before the disciplinary body along with two club employees for “fighting”, the TFF said.

    A Trabzonspor assistant coach will also appear before the disciplinary board.

    FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned the violence as “absolutely unacceptable”.

    Thirteen Trabzonspor supporters were arrested with five placed in pre-trial detention.

    It was the latest violent incident to affect Turkish football this season.

    The championship was suspended for a week earlier this term when the president of Ankaragucu attacked a referee at the end of a first division match.

    A number of Fenerbahce trips to Trabzon in recent times have also been marred by violence.

    A 2016 game against Trabzonspor was abandoned in the closing minutes after an assistant referee was attacked by a home supporter.

    The year before that the Fenerbahce team bus came under attack from a gunman en route to the airport on the way back from the neighbouring Black Sea city of Rize, leaving the driver seriously injured.

    Fenerbahce was called off at half-time after the Istanbul club’s players were pelted with objects thrown onto the pitch by home fans.

    Trabzonspor, who won the Turkish title two years ago, also found themselves in the spotlight in 2015 when the club president locked the referee and his assistants inside the stadium overnight in protest at the decision not to award his team a penalty.

    They were eventually released in the early hours of the following morning after a phone call from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.