Football: Premier League teams eyeing Philip Otele transfer following move to FC Basel?
Brentford, Sheffield United among English teams monitoring FCB attacker
EFL Championship outfit Sheffield United are looking to bolster their attack this summer and are considering a move for Nigerian attacker Philip Otele during this transfer window, according to reports over the last week.
Otele made the switch from UAE Pro League side Al Wahda to FC Basel on loan during the January transfer window, and he wasted no time in impressing the Swiss giants, recording 14 goal involvements in just 21 matches across all competitions.
The 26-year-old forward’s nine goals and five assists over the second half of the season helped FCB clinch a domestic double, finishing 10 points clear at the top of the Super League before thumping Biel-Bienne 4-1 in the Swiss Cup final at the Wankdorf Stadium on June 1.
Owing to his performances, Basel opted to exercise their option to buy clause for the attacker, with the team spending around €3m to secure his services from Al Wahda, while handing him a contract at St. Jakobs-Park that runs until the summer of 2028.
However, it is understood that despite making Otele’s deal permanent, FCB would be open to selling the forward if a suitable offer is received, and reports in recent days suggest that Sheffield United and Brentford are among the teams keeping tabs on him.
It has been claimed that the Blades, who missed out on promotion back to the Premier League last season, have made contact with the Swiss outfit to enquire about Otele’s availability, though no formal bid has been tabled to date.
In addition to Ruben Selles’s side, the likes of Fulham and Burnley have also been credited with an interest in his signature, while Brentford are also monitoring the situation, with Bryan Mbeumo and Yoanne Wissa both being linked with moves away from the Gtech Community Stadium this summer.
Otele joins list of Nigerian players to represent Basel
By signing a three-year deal with FC Basel, Otele becomes the fourth player of Nigerian descent to be signed by the 20-time Super League champions - the first was Gabriel Okolsi, who made 25 appearances for the club between 1995-69 and also earned four caps for the Super Eagles.
Noah Okafor turned out 39 times for FCB between 2018 and 2020, though he opted to switch allegiance from Nigeria to Switzerland, which he represented 19 times. Okafor was then snapped up by RB Salzburg before AC Milan splashed out €15m to take him to the San Siro in 2022.
Arguably, the most high-profile player of Nigerian descent to play for RotBlau was Manuel Akanji, who made a total of 42 appearances for the team and scored five goals. The defender was then bought by Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund before moving to Manchester City in January 2022.
