Ojodu FC’s Hafiz Umar Ibrahim arrives in London for Chelsea trial
Young sensation Hafiz Umar Ibrahim has arrived in London to undergo trials at Chelsea FC, Soccernet.ng can exclusively report.
If he passes, Chelsea wants to sign him and loan him out to French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, as previously reported by Soccernet.ng.
The 18-year-old burst into the global limelight when he scored ten goals to finish as the top scorer at the Viareggio Cup in Italy in February, one of the pre-eminent tournaments for young footballers.
Ibrahim will train with Chelsea’s first team on Monday. He arrived in London at the end of last week. The striker told Soccernet.ng that he is excited to show the club his potential so he can secure a contract with them.
Alert: Ojodu FC’s Hafiz Umar Ibrahim has arrived in London and will be at Chelsea from Monday for two weeks before signing a contract with the Blues.
In February, Chelsea had Raheem Sterling jump on a video call with the young Nigerian striker to convince him of their interest.… https://t.co/i8JPVGFlAR pic.twitter.com/LiHP68Oi1y
— Lolade Adewuyi (@Jololade) March 24, 2024
Ibrahim rejected a move to Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt last month as he kept his eye on a move to the Premier League giants.
Bodo wanted to sign the player, but he disliked the city’s remoteness and freezing weather.
Read More: Hafiz Ibrahim: The Kano-born Ojodu FC striker who scored a hat trick at the Viareggio Cup
Who is Hafiz Ibrahim?
He is a 1.9m tall player who can play as a centre forward and as a supporting striker. He sees Romelu Lukaku as his role model.
The young striker grew up in Kano, northern Nigeria’s biggest city, where he helped his parents by selling goods in the market.
He told Soccernet.ng that his dream of becoming a professional footballer was to take his family out of poverty and support the dreams of other young people in his community by buying them boots and football equipment to excel.
Ibrahim is now on the verge of making that dream come true. He is excited about being in London and wants to give it his best shot to ensure he earns a contract.
However, if the Blues don’t take him, the Nigerian will not be short of suitors, with several clubs in Spain and Italy willing to give him a chance.
Here’s wishing Hafiz Ibrahim the best as he chases his dream at one of the world’s most recognized club sides.
Lolade Adewuyi
Lolade Adewuyi is a writer and journalist who has covered four FIFA World Cups, a Confederations Cup and two AFCONS. He is the Managing Editor of Soccernet Media Limited. Email: lolade at soccernet.com.ng
