Two Nigerian youngsters join Belgium’s KAA Gent

THE number of Nigerian players in the Belgian top flight increased on Friday when two young players from the country joined KAA Gent.

Two 19-year-old Flying Eagles players, Adewale Oladoye and Chinonso Emeka, were formally signed on by the Belgian Pro League club on Friday evening.

“KAA Gent has given Adewale Oladoye and Chinonso Emeka their first professional contracts,” the club announced on their official website on Friday.

The players joined from Nigerian amateur club Water FC based in Abuja.

“Both youngsters, born in 2001, were trained by Water FC, where they were noticed by ex-Buffalo Egu Augustine and Marc Clarysse,” Gent added in their statement.

The club described Oladoye, born on 25 August, 2001, as a powerful defensive midfielder, and Emeka (born on 30 August, 2001) as a big, fast striker.

Gent explained that the youngsters will start with their reserves team but will have opportunities to train with the senior team.

Current Super Eagles forward Moses Simon used to play for Gent while striker Paul Onuachu is the top scorer in Belgian football at the moment with 27 goals in 30 games for Genk.

The late Stephen Keshi, Samson Siasia, Sunday Oliseh and Celestine Babayaro are some of the well known ex-Super Eagles stars who played in Belgium.