Official: Nigeria’s Babatunde Akinsola quits Spain for Portugal after signing 3-year deal with AVS

Promising Nigerian winger Babatunde Akinsola has officially signed a three-year contract with Liga Portugal side AVS Futebol SAD, Soccernet.ng reports.

The former Golden Eaglets star has secured a permanent move to the club, where he made a significant impact during his loan spell last season.

The 21-year-old joined AVS on loan from Real Valladolid in January 2024 and quickly became a key player for the Portuguese club.

Akinsola made 17 appearances for AVS in the second half of the 2023–24 season, contributing one goal and one assist. His performances impressed the club enough to offer him a permanent deal, which was confirmed on Thursday.

Akinsola expressed his excitement about continuing his journey with AVS, stating,

“I’m very happy to be back. It’s been a fantastic few months, and that made my return easier. I feel like I can show my worth in Liga Portugal and help AVS secure their place in the league. I’m very motivated and looking forward to getting started.”

Born in Lagos, Akinsola began his football career at Valiant FC, a non-league club in Nigeria. He later moved to Sweden, where he joined the youth setup of Vasalunds IF and made his senior debut in the Superettan in 2021.

In 2022, Akinsola caught the attention of Real Valladolid, signing with the Spanish club after a successful trial. He made 10 appearances for Valladolid’s first team, including a La Liga debut against Sevilla in May 2023.

Now, with a permanent move to AVS, Akinsola is poised to establish himself in Liga Portugal and contribute to his team’s success.