Award-winning Nigerian star reveals the truth about Brighton transfer

Nigeria’s number one goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has finally explained the real reason she chose to join Brighton & Hove Albion Women last summer, Afrik-Foot reports.

The 25-year-old completed her move to the English club on 1 July 2025 after her contract with Paris FC expired, arriving on a free transfer. At the time, it was seen as a bold step, leaving France, where she had become a star, for a team still building its identity in the Barclays Women’s Super League.

Now, Nnadozie has made it clear what truly convinced her.

“I was convinced to join Brighton because of the way the coach spoke to me,” the Super Falcons goalkeeper told the Guardian.

“The first time he saw me, he told me: ‘I watch you a lot. I like your qualities, and we think we can use that in this team.’ He explained how they want to work, how they work and what they want to achieve … that caught my attention.

“It’s good to know that I have people here that always tell me: “Chi, if you ever want to talk about anything, if you ever need to tell us anything, know it’s an open place where you can come express yourself, express how you feel.'”

That trust has already paid off. Under head coach Dario Vidosic, she walked straight into the starting line-up and quickly became one of the team’s most important players.

Nnadozie’s debut was historic. Against Aston Villa Women, she became the first African-born black female goalkeeper to feature in the WSL. Made for the big moments, the former Rivers Angels star celebrated the moment with a Player of the Match performance.

Since then, her impact has been huge. Her sharp reflexes, strong positioning, and confidence in one-on-one situations have made her one of the standout goalkeepers in the league. She has already earned Player of the Month nominations and won the WSL Save of the Month award in November.

Chiamaka Nnadozie, the Nigerian pacesetter

Before arriving in England, Nnadozie had already built a powerful legacy in France with Paris FC.

Over five seasons in Paris, she made more than 110 appearances and kept over 50 clean sheets, numbers that placed her among the club’s most reliable performers. Her final season ended in glory as she helped her side defeat Paris Saint-Germain Féminine in the Coupe de France final, saving two penalties in the shootout.

Individually, she was also recognised as the best in her position, winning the UNFP Division 1 Féminine Goalkeeper of the Year award for the 2023/24 season.

On the global stage, her reputation kept rising, as she finished fourth in the Yashin Trophy rankings, one of the highest ever for an African goalkeeper.

Her journey began much earlier in Nigeria with Rivers Angels, where she joined at just 15. There, she won the Nigeria Women’s Premier League and three Federation Cups, quickly catching the attention of national team selectors and European scouts.

Now at Brighton, she is entering what many believe is the peak of her career. The club currently sit sixth in the WSL with three games left to play, outside the Champions League places but still pushing for a strong finish. Their recent 3-2 win over league leaders Manchester City Women showed what they are capable of.

Nnadozie remains confident about what lies ahead.

“We know we need to work harder, but we’ll get there,” she says. “I believe in my teammates, each and every one of them.”

Nnadozie and Brighton & Hove Albion WFC can still lift silverware this season, as they are in the final of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup where they face Liverpool. Brighton famously upset 14-time winners Arsenal 2-0 in the quarter-finals on 5 April.