Super Eagles-eligible goalkeeper Noah Atubolu is moving closer to leaving SC Freiburg after deciding his future lies in the Premier League, with Aston Villa and Bournemouth now leading the race for his signature, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 24-year-old has refused to sign a new contract with the Bundesliga club despite his current deal running until 2027. After months of unsuccessful negotiations, both player and club have agreed that a transfer this summer is the best solution.
According to reports in Germany, Atubolu asked not to travel with Freiburg's squad for their pre-season training camp as talks over his next move continue. The club has also removed him from the first-team group, with the goalkeeper now training separately alongside a specialist goalkeeping coach to avoid any injury before a transfer is completed.
His representatives are currently speaking with several Premier League clubs, but Atubolu has already turned down a number of offers. Reports say he rejected approaches from newly promoted English clubs Hull City and Coventry City because he wants to join a more established Premier League side.
Italian giants Juventus also made contact to explore a possible deal, but the goalkeeper has reportedly decided that England remains his preferred destination. Freiburg expect the transfer to be completed before the end of July as negotiations continue with interested clubs.
Super Eagles watch: Aston Villa, Bournemouth fave for Atubolu
Atubolu is hopeful that his strong performances during the 2025-26 season will convince top Premier League clubs to part with the millions needed for his transfer. He kept 10 clean sheets in all competitions and played a major role in Freiburg's impressive run to the UEFA Europa League final.
The strongest interest in Atubolu is coming from Aston Villa and Bournemouth. Both Premier League clubs are believed to have the Super Eagles target on their radar as they look to strengthen their goalkeeping departments ahead of the new season.
Freiburg have already accepted that the Germany Under-21 international will leave and have prepared for life without him. The club recently signed goalkeeper Mio Backhaus from Werder Bremen for around €15 million as their long-term replacement.
Despite already having a successor in place, Freiburg are standing firm over their asking price. The Bundesliga side reportedly want between €25 million and €30 million (£21.2m-£25.5m) before allowing Atubolu to leave.
The goalkeeper, who is eligible to represent Nigeria through his family despite playing for Germany at youth level, remains an exciting dual-national prospect for the Super Eagles. Nigeria's hopes of securing Atubolu's international commitment received a massive boost this summer after he was left out of Germany's squad to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
