Onyedika excited for Frankfurt challenge

Super Eagles midfielder Raphael Onyedika says he is looking forward to a new challenge after moving to Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt. He is now the sixth Nigerian to join the German team, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.

The 25-year-old signed a five-year deal with Frankfurt, which will last until June 2031. He joined from Belgian champions Club Brugge. He follows in the footsteps of Austin Okocha and has been given the number 25 shirt.

“Thank you, God. New chapter, same dream. I’m truly grateful for this opportunity and excited for the challenge ahead,” Onyedika said.

Onyedika shared a strong message for his new European rivals in a video released by Frankfurt. In this video, he talked about his roots and dreams.

“Some things are not given, you are born into it,” Onyedika said.

“Before the badge, before the name on the shirt, there was an Eagle. Same fire, same passion, different colours. You don’t become an eagle, you just land somewhere new. Always an Eagle.”

Onyedika joins Frankfurt as a winner. He has won two Belgian league titles, the Belgian Cup, and the Belgian Super Cup with Brugge. He also won the Danish Cup during his time with FC Midtjylland. He has made 268 senior club appearances, including 24 UEFA Champions League matches over the last three seasons. He has also shown great durability.

The 26-cap Super Eagles player was part of Nigeria’s team at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Frankfurt board member for sport, Markus Krösche, mentioned this experience as part of why the club wanted Onyedika this summer.

“Raphael Onyedika has not only impressed us with his physicality and strategic understanding of the game, but above all with his extraordinary consistency,” Krösche said. “He has been a regular starter in recent years and has won numerous trophies in Belgium.

“He also boasts valuable international experience. At 25, he still has great potential and is an important building block in terms of the structure of our squad.”

Onyedika is set to make his unofficial debut for Frankfurt against Hull City in a pre-season friendly this weekend. He could also play in the first round of the DFB-Pokal against St Tönis 1911/20 on August 21.

Meanwhile, his Nigeria teammate Victor Boniface could not help but poke fun at Onyedika’s unveiling video. He commented on the midfielder’s Instagram, joking about the poetic style with a simple line, “English dey cry.”