Sambo Choji, a former star of the Golden Eaglets, has expressed his disappointment over Bright Osayi-Samuel’s choice to sign with Birmingham City in the English Championship instead of opting for a Premier League club. The Nigerian international finalized a three-year contract with Birmingham after leaving Fenerbahce. At 27, he joins St Andrew’s after playing 178 games over four and a half years with the club now under the management of Jose Mourinho, following his transfer from Queens Park Rangers in January 2021. In his response to Osayi-Samuel’s decision, Choji, a champion of the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Cup, conveyed to Footy Africa that he had anticipated the defender would make a move to the Premier League. “I am unsure about the financial specifics of the agreement that brought Bright (Osayi-Samuel) to Birmingham City, but I have conflicting emotions regarding it. Perhaps he sought to be nearer to his hometown since he was raised in England and has experience playing there, which could be an important factor.” Footballers often perform at their best when they are close to their family and friends, which could be a reason behind his decision to return to England and join Birmingham City. “He is a solid defender, and I was anticipating that some Premier League clubs would sign him.” However, that is no longer true. I have confidence that he will perform effectively with the team, contribute to their victories, and ideally assist in achieving promotion to the Premier League. Osayi-Samuel has played 22 times for Nigeria since his first match in 2022 and contributed to the team that came in second at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
