Remo Stars may have just been crowned champions of the Nigerian Premier Football League, but their club owner Kunle Soname is not getting carried away.
Instead, he has raised concerns about the quality of local strikers, saying none are good enough for top-level football in Africa.
Soname made these remarks while speaking on The Abu Azeez Podcast. He compared NPFL attackers to former Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo and said none of them measure up.
“Ighalo is better than any striker in the NPFL right now,” he said. “If he wants to come and play here, I’ll sign him a thousand times. No striker here comes close to him.”
Big Dreams, But a Long Road Ahead
With their league title, Remo Stars have earned a spot in next season’s CAF Champions League.
But Soname doubts the team can go far without fresh firepower in attack. He said the club will need to sign at least two top strikers to have a chance of competing.
Soname also revealed he is open to signing veteran players who are winding down their careers abroad, as long as they are willing to contribute locally.
Ighalo, who once played for Manchester United during a short loan spell in 2020, is one such target.
The 36-year-old is currently still active but remains out of reach for most NPFL clubs due to high wage demands.
Soname admits no team in Nigeria can afford him unless he chooses to play for the love of the game.
CHAN Struggles Highlight Bigger Problems
Soname’s concerns appear to be backed by recent events.
Nigeria’s CHAN Eagles fell 1-0 to Senegal in their opening match of the 2024 tournament. The team failed to create clear chances, and their forwards looked flat throughout the game.
Even the top scorer in last season’s NPFL, Anas Yusuf, who netted 19 goals, is yet to show his full potential at CHAN.
Many players who shine in the local league often leave for better offers abroad, making it hard to build strong squads for continental events.
Looking Ahead
With two group games left, CHAN coach Eric Chelle still has a chance to turn things around. But the poor start has put a spotlight on the depth and strength of homegrown players.
For Remo Stars and other clubs eyeing continental success, the message from their outspoken owner is clear, more must be done if Nigerian teams are to shine beyond local borders.
