The 2023–24 Premier League season is upon us, with a battle between two champions—Manchester City, the defending champions of the English top division—and Burnley, the top team from the Championship—set to kick off the much-anticipated campaign.
As they say, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step, and for many teams in the Premier League, the road to achieving their set objectives begins on Friday when English referee, Craig Pawson, sets the ball in motion at Turf Moor.
With about 500 registered players across all 20 teams set to showcase their skills across 38 match weeks, Afrosport takes a look at the Nigerians that will be plying their trade in the Premier League this season.
Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest): The Super Eagles forward was the main man in front of goal for Forest last season, with his absence proving overly detrimental to them achieving their goals most of the time through the 2022–23 campaign.
The 25-year-old, though doubtful for his side’s opener against Arsenal at the Emirates on Saturday, was the top scorer for Steve Cooper’s side in the Premier League last season with ten goals in 27 games.
Awoniyi hit impeccable form at the right time for The Garibaldis last season, as his run of six goals in four games towards the end of the season, including the winner in a 1-0 victory over the Gunners, kept them in the top division.
A cult hero at the City Ground, the former Union Berlin forward will surely be vital to Forest’s success this season as they look to kick off their campaign and stamp themselves as a household name in the Premier League once again.
Emmanuel Dennis (Nottingham Forest): The second of three Nigerians in Steve Cooper’s side, Dennis played sparingly for The Garibaldis in the Premier League, starting six games and playing in a total of 19.
However, the former Watford forward showed glimpses of his attacking threat and his class no matter how little his time on the field was, and he helped them with two goals and two assists in their run to survival in the league. The 25-year-old will be hoping to continue improving and lock down a starting berth for the two-time European champions.
Alex Iwobi (Everton): When Iwobi’s permanent transfer to Merseyside to join Everton in 2019 was confirmed, many thought the call of his name would dwindle when mentioning top African stars in the top European leagues.
However, the 27-year-old kept his head down, dug deep, and found a rejuvenated form that helped him lead the Toffees to survive back-to-back relegation scares. The former Arsenal midfielder has become a fan favorite at Goodison Park and is even more revered among his peers, who voted him their Player of the Season.
Iwobi started last season in blistering form, and his two goals and seven assists in the Premier League were the second-most goal involvement of any Everton player. With a more stable team and a manager the size of Sean Dyche at the helm, Iwobi is expected to enjoy an even better season.
Calvin Bassey (Fulham): Bassey signed a four-year deal worth around €21 million to join London club Fulham this summer in a move that has provided a second chance for the 23-year-old, who endured a torrid period in the Dutch Eredivisie with Ajax.
The highly rated defender, who can play as both a center back and left back, will provide Marco Silva’s side, which conceded 53 goals last season, the joint-tenth in the Premier League, with much-needed solidity and versatility in cases of injury.
Frank Onyeka (Brentford): Onyeka played 21 games for the Bees in the league last season but only managed eight starts, three fewer than he did in the 2021–22 season.
The 25-year-old combative midfielder has been an important part of Thomas Frank’s side since he joined them in the summer of 2021, helping them with two assists last season.
As they look to continue their run in the Premier League since gaining promotion two years ago and also adjust to life without Ivan Toney, Onyeka will be important in helping them solidify their midfield and become a tough team to breakdown.
Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest): Aina makes a return to the Premier League after his latest spell at Fulham, signing a one-year deal with Forest, where he’ll be joining Awoniyi and Dennis as the Nigerians at the City Ground.
At just 26, Aina is experienced, having played at four other clubs across three different leagues, and this will be vital in helping Forest bring down their conceded goals if they are to remain in the Premier League.
Elijah Adebayo (Luton Town): Luton Town will be making their return to Premier League football after 31 years, and no one was more involved in their storied fairytale than Anglo-Nigerian Elijah Adebayo.
The 25-year-old, who joined the side in 2021, scored in the first leg of their Championship Playoff semi-finals against Sunderland, and he also assisted Jordan Clark’s goal in the finals against Coventry City.
Adebayo scored 32 goals and provided 11 assists for the Hatters in about a century of games, including eight goals and five assists in 45 games last season, and if they are to beat the odds and remain in the top-flight, his goalscoring ability and creativity will be vital.
Gabriel Osho (Luton Town): Another Nigerian-descent in the ranks at Luton, Osho, who can play as both a defender and midfielder, fought his way into the starting lineup after two spells on loan since he joined the Hatters in 2020.
The 24-year-old scored three goals in 30 games for Luton, including the opener in the 2-0 win over Sunderland in the second leg of the Championship Playoffs.
