Over the years Nigerian footballers have played in the English Premier League at different levels. The most notable names are Jay Jay Okocha who played for Bolton Wanderers and Hull City and Nwankwo Kanu who played for Arsenal, West Brom and Portsmouth.
These top players inspired other Nigerians to come to the English Premier League. If you place an EPL soccer bet on Betway you’re likely to come across a Nigerian player in your team analysis. Currently, there are several Nigerian players playing key roles in their teams. Let’s look at the top 7 Nigerian footballers in the EPL.
Emmanuel Dennis
Club: Nottingham Forest
Position: Forward
Emmanuel Dennis Watford’s main man before switching to Nottingham Forest. He has played 11 games so far this season and scored 1 goal. While his main position is center forward, Dennis can also play central attacking midfielder and left winger. The Nigerian signed for Forest in the summer and is an important player for them. He is highly rated at the club.
Wilfred Ndidi
Club: Leicester City
Position: Central Defensive Midfield
Wilfred Ndidi has established himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the EPL and Europe at large. He has struggled with injuries which have hindered his development but remains a key player for Brendan Rodgers.
His prowess as a CDM have seen him attract interest from other top EPL clubs such as Manchester United. Leicester are not having the best of seasons and Brendan Rodgers will expect that he steps up his performances and remains fit to help stabilize the ship.
Frank Onyeka
Club: Brentford
Position: Midfielder
Frank Onyenka is one of Brentford’s key players in the midfield. The 24-year-old moved to Brentford in the summer of 2021. He has brought a lot of experience to Brentford’s midfield having featured in the UEFA Champions League for Midtjylland. Onyeka has had to deal with injury setbacks but he is expected to rediscover his form.
Alex Iwobi
Club: Everton
Position: Winger
Alex Iwobi started his EPL career at Arsenal as a promising youngster. He played 115 matches for The Gunners scoring 15 goals. Iwobi was also part of the Arsenal team that lifted the FA Cup in 2017.
Many fans were surprised when Iwobi made the switch to Everton. He struggled under Carlo Ancelotti and Frank Lampard. However, he remains a key player for Everton as they fight to remain in the EPL.
Michael Olise
Club: Crystal Palace
Position: Attacker
Michael Olise has emerged as an important player for Crystal Palace this season. His top performances saw him win the Crystal Palace Player of the Month award in November. He has been consistent in his performances and Patrick Vierra seems to trust him.
Olise made his mark in 2023 when scored a stunning free kick to help Palace get a draw at Old Trafford. That free kick has soccer betting fans on Betway expecting him to score each time Palace have a free kick in a promising area.
Dominic Solanke
Club: Bournemouth
Position: Striker
Solanke has been around the EPL for a while. He first joined Chelsea in 2014/2015 before moving to Liverpool then Bournemouth. Solanke has played 17 matches for his current club and scored three goals. At age 24, Solanke still has a lot of room for improvement
Eberechi Eze
Club: Crystal Palace
Position: Attacker
Eze joined Crystal Palace in the summer of 2020. In the 2022/23 season, he has played 19 matches in which he has scored 3 goals. He is a key player for Vierra as he helps the team with his passing and threat in the opposition’s box.
Eze’s average player rating for the season has been 6 which a decent rating. Palace fans hope he continues the good performances to help them continue competing with the best teams in the EPL.