Borussia Dortmund join Manchester United in the pursuit of 17-year-old Nigeria-eligible Austrian striker

Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United are in pursuit of Nigeria-eligible Austrian striker, Oghenetejiri Adejenughure after the youngster impressed in the just-concluded season, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 17-year-old is under contract with the Austrian Bundesliga side, Red Bull Salzburg, although he has yet to feature on the senior team.

However, his numbers with the club’s U-18 side in the just concluded season has seen his stocks rise, and clubs have been alarmed at how prolific he is, after he scored 16 goals in 20 matches as they cruised to the ÖFB Jugendliga triumph.

Adejenughure has also represented the Austrian youth team, from the U-15 to the U-17 level, scoring 17 goals in 26 games across the three tiers of Austrian national football.

As per Express UK, many clubs, including AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United, are interested in Adejenughure, and he has also been approached by United’s one-time interim manager, Ralf Rangnick.

Of the three clubs interested, the Red Devils look to be at the forefront of the race to get the teenage sensation to sign a contract, having met with his advisors to discuss ahead of a potential move.

The parent club, RB Salzburg, are not averse to the youngsters’ move, but they prefer him to stay and continue with their reserve team, FC Liefering – in Austria’s second division to further his development for another season.

Oghenetejiri Adejenughure and his Austrian teammate celebrating.
Oghenetejiri Adejenughure is also eligible to represent Nigeria as he has roots in the country but is reportedly close to receiving a senior call-up to Austria, and the 2024/24 season is expected to be a breakthrough season for the in-demand forward.

Austria’s head coach, Ralf Rangnick is also interested in laying out a clear career plan for the talented striker, landing a huge blow on the Super Eagles’ chances of having the forward play for Nigeria.

Benjamin Šeško, Dominik Szoboszlai, Karim Adeyemi and Dayot Upamecano all came to the limelight following the same path Oghenetejiri is threading, hinting at a great future for the born goalscorer.

Adefolahan Guerreiro

Adefolahan is a multilingual journalist and writer at Soccernet Nigeria.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and a track record of involvement in College sports, Adefolahan is focused on crafting engaging football content and utilising his language skills and extensive sports knowledge to enhance content accessibility for a global audience.

He has interviewed Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.