Who is Abdulmuiz Adeleke? The Chelsea target whose brace fired Nigeria past Ghana

Abdulmuiz Adeleke and Nigeria’s Flying Eagles made the perfect start to the 2026 WAFU B U20 Championship after defeating arch-rivals Ghana 4-2 in an entertaining Group B opener at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, Afrik-Foot reports.

The biggest name of the night was 17-year-old striker Abdulmuiz Adeleke. The Sporting Supreme FC forward calmly scored two penalties to help Abdu Maikaba’s side secure all three points and move into a strong position ahead of their remaining group matches against Togo and Burkina Faso.

Already regarded as one of Nigeria’s brightest young forwards, Adeleke’s latest performance showed exactly why Premier League giants Chelsea have reportedly moved quickly to secure a pre-contract agreement for the teenager before rival European clubs could act.

Adeleke delivers when Nigeria needed him most

Nigeria wasted little time taking control of the contest. Right-back Olayemi Ayinla blasted home from distance in the sixth minute to hand the Flying Eagles an early lead.

Ghana responded in the 23rd minute through Mohammed Zaidan, but the scores stayed level for only seven minutes before Lucky Oraro restored Nigeria’s advantage with a deflected free-kick.

The Flying Eagles then earned a penalty five minutes before halftime after sustained pressure inside Ghana’s penalty area. Adeleke confidently stepped up and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to make it 3-1, giving Nigeria a comfortable lead going into the break.

The Black Satellites refused to give up. Captain Kelvin Nkrumah converted a penalty in the 62nd minute to reduce the deficit to 3-2 and set up a tense finish.

Adeleke could have wrapped up victory in the 84th minute but missed a clear one-on-one chance. Instead of allowing that miss to affect him, the teenager responded brilliantly.

Five minutes later, Wahab Musai was fouled inside the penalty area and Nigeria received another spot-kick. Once again Adeleke kept his composure, calmly outwitting the goalkeeper again to complete his brace in the 89th minute and seal a memorable 4-2 victory.

From Sporting Supreme to Chelsea’s radar

Born on December 4, 2009, Adeleke has warmed his way into many hearts with the raw talent that confirm he is an exciting prospect with a great future.

The 6-foot-1 left-footed striker plays for Sporting Supreme FC, where he impressed during the 2025-26 N-Youth League Cup season by scoring eight goals while consistently producing standout performances. His combination of strength, movement, pace and calm finishing has attracted scouts from across Europe.

His rise continued with Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets during the 2024 WAFU B U17 Championship. Adeleke scored four goals in five matches, including another brace against Ghana, who are fast becoming his favourite opponent. He was barely 15 at the time.

Those displays convinced Flying Eagles coach Abdu Maikaba to promote him to the U20 squad despite being eligible for the U17 team. Adeleke immediately justified that decision by scoring twice on his U20 tournament debut.

His rapid development has also caught Chelsea’s attention. Reports indicate the Premier League club has reached a pre-contract agreement with the striker after monitoring his progress and inviting him for assessments at Cobham.

Because FIFA regulations prevent the international transfer of under-18 players in most cases, Adeleke is expected to remain with Sporting Supreme FC while continuing his development in Nigeria before officially joining Chelsea after turning 18 next year.

Why Nigeria believe they have another special striker

Nigeria has built a reputation for producing elite centre-forwards, from Rashidi Yekini and Nwankwo Kanu to Odion Ighalo and Victor Osimhen, and Adeleke is now hoping to follow that pathway.

His performance against Ghana showed that he can deliver goals even when under huge pressure. More than that, Adeleke displayed leadership by taking responsibility for both penalties, recovered mentally after missing a late one-on-one chance, and finished the game with the decisive goal that ended Ghana’s comeback hopes.

Flying Eagles coach Abdu Maikaba is convinced that Adeleke is a gem waiting to flourish, describing the exciting centre-forward as “one of the best young strikers in Africa.”

“He’s a very good player and today (Monday) he even missed some of the scoring opportunities. On his good day, he would have scored more than two goals. He would have scored in open play, but he scored two goals through penalty kicks.”

While the Flying Eagles have gained an early momentum in Group B with the win over Ghana, Chelsea will likely be pleased with the decision to secure probably the next elite teenager to come out of Africa. Abdulmuiz Adeleke’s name is one worth remembering as another exciting chapter in Nigeria’s rich history of producing top-class strikers begins to unfold.