Former Flying Eagles player joins FC Zurich in Switzerland

The former Flying Eagles player was instrumental in the team's AFCON victory in Senegal, scoring two goals in two group-stage matches.

Nigerian international, Ifeanyi Mathew, has switched to a Swiss football club, FC Zürich, on a free transfer.

The U-20 2015 Africa Nations Cup champion signed a contract committing him to Stadion Letzigrund until 2015 summer.

The Nigerian started his football career with the El-Kanemi Warriors in his native country before joining the Kano Pillars on loan after a standout showing in the AFCON competition in Senegal.

Thereafter, he advanced his football career by moving to the Norwegian league and joining the first-division team Lillestrom SK in the summer of 2016.

In 196 competitive appearances with the Lillestrøm-based team, the central midfielder amassed 20 goals and 18 assists while also winning the Norwegian Cup in 2017.

The Kaduna native spent the second half of the 2018–2019 campaign on loan at Osmanlispor FK, currently known as Ankaraspor, in Turkey. He then returned to the Norwegians and stayed there until making the decision to join Zurich in 2023.

Hello Mathew! 👋🏼🇳🇬

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💙🤍#fcz #stadtclub #NieUsenandGah pic.twitter.com/fPYyWXM59m

— FC Zürich (@fc_zuerich) February 16, 2023

Following his move, the team tweeted about the transfer deal on their official social media channels.

“The 26-year-old central midfielder Ifeanyi Mathew joins FC Zurich with immediate effect and signs a contract until summer 2025.” the club announced.

The club's head of sport Marinko Jurendic also added the following remarks on the transfer via the club's official website: “Ifeanyi has particularly impressed us with his consistently strong performances at Lillestrøm SK. His strengths are not only positional play, but also playing against the ball. In all previous positions, he has shown that he is a valuable team player who is willing to take on responsibility. With these skills he should also further stabilize our team.”

The Nigerian midfielder is expected to wear jersey number 12 and hopes to travel with the squad to Letzigrund to face Seventh-placed Grasshoppers.