Nottingham Forest, currently in fourth place on the English Premier League table with 60 points, has welcomed three promising Nigerian players from Unicorns Football Club, Ilorin, for a two-week trial.
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The players—left winger Olamide Sunday Olasehinde, central defender Sulyman Kehinde Quadri, and midfielder Sanni Sukanmi Adebayo—recently arrived in the UK to showcase their abilities to the club’s coaching staff.
Unicorns FC CEO, Victor Awoniyi, expressed excitement over the opportunity, emphasizing the club’s commitment to promoting Nigerian talent on the global stage. He revealed that this trial follows a consistent trend, with the club having successfully facilitated overseas moves for at least nine players in the past year.
Team secretary Suleiman Atunrase is accompanying the trio in the UK, allowing them to remain focused on their performance during the trial period.
This development reflects the growing appeal of English football to emerging talents worldwide.
Speaking on the opportunity, Nottingham Forest striker and Super Eagles star Taiwo Awoniyi shared his joy. He reflected on his own journey, including his experiences representing Nigeria at the U-15 and U-17 World Cups, which were key milestones in his career.
Awoniyi acknowledged that many gifted Nigerian players are not as fortunate, making such opportunities even more significant.
“With Nigeria’s incredible talent pool, making it to the national team is a major feat,” he said. “By opening doors for these youngsters, we are helping to turn their dreams into reality.”
He emphasized the importance of nurturing future stars through opportunities like this and expressed pride in supporting initiatives that enable young players to grow and pursue their footballing aspirations.
Awoniyi also revealed that more arrangements are underway to send additional Nigerian players to Europe in pursuit of professional careers.
