Kparobo Arierhi : Nigerian wonderkid reveals why he snubbed Lyon, Aston Villa for Lillestrom

Nigeria's U-20 teenage prodigy, Kpaboro Arierhri, has revealed why he snubbed Aston Villa and Olympique Lyonnais to sign for Norwegian side, Lillestrøm SK, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 18-year-old striker was a part of the Beyond Limits Football Academy team that won the 2024 Viareggio Cup in Italy. Arierhri scored against C.N Brazzaville in the tournament's final to gift his side the trophy, as they made history, becoming the first African team to win the prestigious trophy.

Arierhri's rise at Beyond Limits saw him linked with several local and European clubs, but he already had a pre-contract in place with Lillestrøm last year, and the finer details of the deal were completed this year.

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Despite several offers from top European sides, Ariehri revealed why he chose to sign for Lillestrom, highlighting his development is paramount to him at this stage of his career.

I wanted to have the opportunity to play as a first team, which is why I chose to sign with Lillestrom Sportsklubb, despite the interest of Aston Villa and Olympique Lyonnais.

Signing my first professional contract with Lillestrom Sportsklubb is an incredible sensation, I'm making my dream come true. My goal is to win in the first team, to score a lot of goals and to help the team win matches,” the Nigeria U-20 striker said in quotes revealed by Africa Foot.

Arierhi was the top scorer in The Creative Championship League (TCC) last season, finding the back of the net 22 times in just 15 games.

During the Viareggio Cup, he scored five goals in five games and scored another four times in five games as Beyond Limits Football Academy lost the final of the Gothia Cup to the Sporting Lagos Academy in Sweden.

Arierhi was instrumental for the Flying Eagles at the WAFU U-20 Championship in Ghana last year, scoring twice in the final against the hosts to secure the title.

His decision to join Lillestrom's first team is a bold one, but he'll get to play professional football with the first team, than risk being loaned out if he joined the bigger guns. He's a gem of a talent, and with consistency, a move to the top-five leagues will come knocking.