Nigerian forwards have started the 2026/27 season strongly in Europe. Kelechi Iheanacho is leading the pack along with Victor Osimhen, Tolu Arokodare, and Gift Orban. Ademola Lookman, who has been a regular in the scoring charts lately, is not among the top scorers this season.
Iheanacho (Bursaspor), 16 goals
Iheanacho has scored 16 goals and provided three assists in 12 matches since joining Bursaspor as a free agent this summer. He has found the net in all 12 games, continuing his streak with a goal in the 4-2 victory over Keçiörengücü on October 25. He scored just five minutes into the second half, taking the ball at the edge of the box, dribbling into space, and firing in to make it 3-2.
Bursaspor has now won three league games in a row and four out of their last five, moving above Kayserispor to sit at the top of the Turkish 1. Lig with 28 points. The 30-year-old had to limp off the pitch late in the match, but coach Mustafa Er said the issue was minor and simply a precaution. He has already surpassed the 12 league goals he scored while with Leicester City in the 2020/21 season. His impressive form boosts his chances for a Super Eagles spot in the upcoming AFCON qualifiers against Tanzania. Bursaspor's next game is against Bandırmaspor on Saturday.
Osimhen (Galatasaray), nine goals
Osimhen has netted nine goals and made three assists in nine games, despite missing around five weeks due to injury. Since coming back, he has resumed his scoring for the reigning Turkish champions who are aiming for their fifth straight league title.
He scored his first Champions League goal of the season in the 4-2 win against Lille, marking Galatasaray's first win in their European campaign. This match was a joyful return to the club where he was named Player of the Season in 2019/20.
Osimhen then scored both goals in a 2-1 derby victory over Fenerbahçe on Monday, finding the net in the 29th and 44th minutes. This win put Galatasaray six points ahead at the top of the Super Lig with 22 points. Osimhen has five goals in six matches against Fenerbahçe and has never lost to them. After the match, he expressed that there is still more to come from the team.
Arokodare (Ajax), nine goals
Arokodare has scored nine goals and provided three assists in 14 games for Ajax. He is currently on a season-long loan from Wolves. He joined Ajax on July 29 after a tough first season in England, but he has quickly adjusted in the Netherlands. Four of his goals have come in the Eredivisie and three in the Conference League qualifiers.
He reached a milestone of 100 career goals after coming off the bench against Atalanta on October 22, where he scored the opener in a 2-0 victory. Just three days later, he netted the winner in a 2-1 success at Sparta Rotterdam, slotting the ball into the far corner just before half-time after a counter-attack led by Julian Brandt. He also hit the woodwork later in that game, and this win moved Ajax up to second in the league.
The 25-year-old has completed 90 minutes only three times this season and has had a recent illness. Despite this, he has scored in five of his last seven league matches, and reports suggest Ajax wants to make his loan move permanent.
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