Nigerian Sani Suleman joins RB Leipzig for €6m, signs five-year deal
Nigerian winger Sani Suleman has officially joined German Bundesliga club RB Leipzig, signing a five-year contract that runs until June 2031. The 19-year-old arrives from Slovak top-flight side AS Trenčín for a transfer fee slightly over €5 million, which could rise to €6 million with performance-related bonuses. He will wear the number 18 shirt. This move concludes a fierce European transfer chase where Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen beat competition from Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, PSG, Brentford, Rangers, and clubs in Saudi Arabia and Belgium. A notable detail corrected in this transfer is the player's name—properly spelled Suleman Sani, not Suleiman as previously misspelled across forums and by his former club. Suleman's meteoric rise is data-backed: in November 2025, he ranked sixth globally among U-20 players for completed dribbles and progressive carries (CIES Football Observatory). In October, he led U-21 players worldwide for creative last-third passes, averaging 2.52 per game. His professional journey began at Akwa United, where he won the 2024 NPFL Rookie of the Season Award with 11 goals and five assists in 15 matches. He then showcased his talent for Nigeria's U-20 team at the 2025 FIFA World Cup in Chile before establishing himself as a key attacking figure at AS Trenčín. This marks RB Leipzig's first winter signing, aligning with their proven strategy of recruiting elite young talent with potential to dominate European football. For Nigerian fans and the Super Eagles, this represents another high-profile success story as Suleman joins the growing list of Nigerian prodigies making Europe take notice. His progress could position him for senior national team consideration in the near future.