Fabrizio Romano announces Chelsea deal for Spanish-Nigerian Striker Samu Omorodion

OskaAugust 7, 2024

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Samuel Omorodion has made a significant decision regarding his international football future, expressing his desire to play for Spain's senior national team rather than the Super Eagles of Nigeria. Born in Melilla, Spain, Omorodion, who is nineteen years old and of Nigerian descent, has the option to represent either Spain or Nigeria, the birth country of his parents. Currently, the Royal Spanish Football Federation appears to have the upper hand over their Nigerian counterparts in securing Omorodion's services. He became provisionally tied to Spain on July 4, 2023, when he played for the final eighteen minutes in a European U19 Championship qualifier against Iceland. Omorodion's dream of representing Spain at the senior level seems within reach, especially considering his role as a key player in the U21 squad. On a personal level, Omorodion has been enjoying success at his loan club Alaves, where he has scored eight goals and provided an assist in 27 appearances in the Spanish top-flight. When asked about the prospect of playing for Spain's senior team, Omorodion acknowledged the appeal but remained grounded, recognizing that there are still many steps to take before achieving that dream. Regarding his dreams of playing for the Spanish national team, he said to Relevo: "Yes, but you have to be realistic. The senior team is still a little far away. There are still many steps left to reach that dream." However, Omorodion emphasized that his primary focus at the moment is playing for Atletico Madrid, stating: "Yes, I have already said it in several interviews. I have nothing else in mind other than playing for Atletico de Madrid next year. Time will tell what will happen to me, but my goal and my dream is to play for Atleti.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Chelsea have successfully secured the signing of Spanish-born Nigerian striker Samu Omorodion from Atletico Madrid, edging out Bayer Leverkusen and other interested clubs.

The deal, worth £35 million, was finalized after the completion of Julian Alvarez’s transfer to Atletico Madrid. This transfer has cleared the path for Omorodion to join the Premier League side.

Chelsea will offer Omorodion a seven-year contract, marking him as the club’s eighth signing of the summer transfer window. He will also be the second Nigerian to join Chelsea this season, following Tosin Adarabioyo, who arrived on a free transfer from Fulham.

Atletico Madrid initially hesitated to part with Omorodion just a year after signing him, but the arrival of Alvarez and Alexander Sørloth made his departure more feasible.

Omorodion, currently competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics, faces a competitive challenge to secure a spot in Enzo Maresca’s squad. He will be vying for a place in the starting XI against former Barcelona starlet Marc Guiu, Nicolas Jackson, and potentially another new signing, with rumours linking Chelsea to Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen.

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