Ligue 1 side AS Monaco have secured the signing of 17-year-old Nigerian striker George Ilenikhena following his impressive season with Royal Antwerp.

Monaco signed the Lagos-born striker for €20m from Amiens SC, who had initially signed him in the summer of 2023 for a fee of around €6m.

Last season, the promising talent scored 14 goals and provided 1 assist in 50 games in all competitions for Antwerp.

 

 

 

Background

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Ilenikhena moved to France with his parents at the age of three and quickly rose through the ranks of European football.

He made his professional debut for Amiens SC on 19 November 2022, in a 10–0 home win against Aiglon du Lamentin in the Coupe de France, replacing Jérémy Gélin.

On 29 June 2023, he signed a four-year contract with Belgian Pro League champions Royal Antwerp. Later that year, on 13 December, he scored his first Champions League goal in the 92nd minute, securing a historic 3–2 win against Barcelona; Antwerp’s first ever victory in the competition.

Ilenikhena, a strong left-handed player, is known for his exceptional ability to attack the depth of the field.

 

 

 

Super Eagles Eligibility

The 17-year-old is still eligible to play for Nigeria, but George Ilenikhena has featured for France’s youth teams in the summer of 2021, having been selected for the Under-16 squad alongside talents such as Warren Zaire-Emery.

However, he has yet to play any official match for France.

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