‘How Nigerian clubs will benefit from U17 program’ – NPFL Chairman explains

By Asuquo

Posted on August 1, 2024

Gbenga Elegbeleye, Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), has announced that clubs will soon see increased financial benefits from the NPFL U17 program.

The NPFL U17 Youth team, which resumed training last Sunday, is set to travel to Spain for further training, with the possibility of some players securing professional contracts.

In an exclusive interview with BSN, during a friendly match between Legacy Football Academy and NPFL U17 at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Elegbeleye expressed optimism that some of the players might secure contracts with Sevilla, potentially providing significant revenue for Nigerian clubs.

“We feel as a country, we should improve our football league,” Elegbeleye said. “It’s disheartening to see our players playing in lesser countries in search of greener pastures. We believe that bringing innovation into the game will ultimately result in teams earning more money.”

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He highlighted that European clubs are actively searching for young talent and that the NPFL U17 program aims to expose these players to major European clubs. “We need more young players in the league to graduate to different national teams,” he added.

Elegbeleye noted that the best players from the NPFL U17 competition, held across five centers, were selected with the help of Nigerian ex-internationals such as Daniel Amokachi, Yakubu Ayegbeni, Austin Eguavoen, Seyi Olofinjana, and Patrick Pascal.

He revealed that he recently visited Spain to arrange for Nigerian clubs to benefit from Sevilla’s youth development program. This partnership will offer Nigerian clubs technical support, potential player sales, and training opportunities for Nigerian coaches in Spain.

“I believe some of these players may secure clubs during the tour. When that happens, we will announce the news and inform the club that owns the player of the agreed amount. If a Nigerian club receives, for example, five hundred thousand euros from a player’s sale, it will be a significant boost for managing financial responsibilities,” Elegbeleye explained.

He emphasised his goal of reducing reliance on government funding by encouraging clubs to generate income through player sales. Additionally, he expects NPFL clubs to cover the cost of transporting players to long-distance match venues.