Nigeria’s third youngest star at AFCON 2025 set for big-money move out of Croatia’s Istra 1961

Nigeria international Salim Fago Lawal is on the brink of a lucrative move away from Croatian side NK Istra 1961 after attracting interest from a well-funded Central European club, Soccernet.ng reports.

Reports in Croatia suggest that negotiations are advanced for Fago Lawal and that a deal is expected to be concluded in the coming days.

The transfer fee to capture the Super Eagles youngster could rise beyond the €2m mark, a significant sum for a player who only arrived in the country 18 months ago.

While the buying club has not been officially named, Transfermarkt points towards Azerbaijani champions Qarabağ FK, regular participants in European competition and currently making waves on the continental stage. The club's recent UEFA Champions League exploits – beating Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2 on Wednesday night – is an indication of both their ambition and financial muscle. Lawal is believed to fit the profile of the dynamic, high-upside attackers they are keen to recruit.

The 23-year-old has been one of the revelations of the season in Croatia. He has scored five league goals and provided two assists in 17 appearances for Istra, while also adding two goals in two matches in the Croatian Cup. His blend of pace, direct running and growing composure in front of goal has made him one of the most watchable young forwards in the league and a valuable asset for a club accustomed to developing and selling on talent.

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Nigeria's Fago Lawal: From academy football to AFCON bronze

Lawal’s rise has been particularly swift. Only a few weeks ago, his name came as a surprise inclusion in Nigeria’s squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, edging out more established forwards for a place on the plane.

Head coach Eric Chelle handed him his senior debut in a pre-tournament friendly against Egypt in Cairo, before keeping faith with more experienced options for most of the competition itself.

Even so, Lawal still etched his name into the story of Nigeria’s campaign. He was the Super Eagles’ third youngest player at the tournament and made his AFCON debut in the group-stage win over Uganda, coming on late in a heavily rotated side. He would go on to collect a bronze medal as Nigeria defeated Egypt in the third-place play-off.

Back in Croatia, he wasted little time in showing that the experience had sharpened him, scoring on his return to domestic action in NK Istra's 2-1 defeat against Rijeka.

It has been a remarkable journey for a player who joined Istra in August 2023 straight from Nigerian academy side Mavlon FC, and his imminent transfer now looks like the next, logical step in a rapidly accelerating career.