Ex international, Nduka Ugbade has thrown his weight behind Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze to win the CAF Young Player of the Year Award ahead of his compatriot Victor Osimhen.
The former Nigerian midfielder went for Chukwueze ahead of Osihmen because he’s been consistent since he made his debut for Villarreal last season.
The Super Eagles star came onto the scene last campaign and has not looked back since then. He made 38 appearances for Villarreal last season, scoring eight goals. His performances last season earned him a nomination for the Kopa trophy.
The 20-year-old ended in ninth position out of the ten players nominated by Ballon d’Or organizers for the Kopa trophy award- an award given to the best U-21 player in Europe.
He has already made 18 appearances for the Yellow Submarines in La Liga this season, registering three goals and three assists.
The former Flying Eagles star also played an important role in the Super Eagles third-place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. In a chat with Brila FM on Tuesday, Ugbade stated that Chukwueze remains a favourite to claim the award based on his performance last year.
The former Golden Eaglets coach also revealed that Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi has an outside chance to win the award due to the French politics that may play out.
“My own opinion is that when you look at the hype and performance around world football today, there is just no way that you’re going to remove Chukwueze since last year what he’s been doing till this year, Ugbade said.
“Now Osimhen has performed so well coming from Belgium to where he is now in France. I very much believe that it’s going to be very narrow.
“French politics might want to give it to the Moroccan, but I think one of these two Nigerians should win it and I will want to endorse Chukwueze, he added.
