John Otomewo: Nigerian wonderkid set for Reims after biggest sale in Hapoel Jerusalem history

Nigerian teenage midfielder John Otomewo is set to begin the next chapter of his fast-rising career in France, soccernet.ng/wp/wp/ reports.

French club Stade de Reims have agreed a deal to sign Otomewo from Israeli Premier League side Hapoel Jerusalem in what is being described as the biggest transfer in the Israeli club's history.

According to reports from Israel's Sports Channel, Hapoel Jerusalem and Reims have reached a full agreement for the permanent transfer of the 19-year-old defensive midfielder. The deal is worth at least €1.6 million, making it the largest sale ever completed by the Jerusalem-based club. The previous record stood at €1.5 million, when Cedric Don joined Maccabi Haifa.

The transfer is now in its final stages after Otomewo successfully completed his routine medical tests. The Nigerian youngster is expected to travel to France next week where he will officially sign his contract before being unveiled as a Stade de Reims player.

Otomewo's rise has been remarkable. Born in Sapele, Delta State, he started his football journey at P Sports Football Academy before playing for Gombe United. His impressive displays earned him a move to Hapoel Jerusalem in late 2025, and within a few months he had established himself as one of the most exciting young midfielders outside Europe's biggest leagues.

Standing at 1.86 metres, Otomewo has earned praise for his ability to win tackles, dominate in the air and cover large areas of the pitch. Earlier this year, the CIES Football Observatory ranked him as the best Under-19/Under-20 defensive midfielder playing across 50 leagues outside Europe's top five competitions.

Otomewo joins growing list of Nigerian stars at Reims

The move will also strengthen the growing Nigerian presence at Stade de Reims. Otomewo is expected to follow the path of fellow Nigerian youngster Hafiz Umar Ibrahim, who joined the French club in 2024 after leaving Ojodu City FC.

Hafiz first developed with the reserve side before breaking into the senior team. One of the biggest moments of his career came when he scored an important goal in Reims' Coupe de France semi-final run, helping the club return to the national spotlight. Amos Ochoche, a young right-back, also joined Reims in the summer of 2024 from Nigeria National League side Sporting Supreme before leaving for SK Dynamo Ceske Budejovice this February.

The women's team has also enjoyed strong success with Nigerian players in recent years. Oluwatosin Demehin spent two impressive seasons at the club before securing a move to Galatasaray after helping Reims finish fourth in the French league. Rofiat Imuran also enjoyed a productive spell, making 30 appearances and scoring eight goals before joining London City Lionesses, while Flourish Sabastine signed from Bayelsa Queens in 2023.

Otomewo's performances in Israel has caught the attention of Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle and he would look to impress more with his move to France. Chelle is understood to be monitoring the teenager closely and has already identified him as a potential player for Nigeria's Under-23 team.

Stade de Reims will play in Ligue 2, the second tier of football in France, next season.