MLS, Turkish and Belgian clubs tempt former Nigeria youth international

One of Nigeria's most valuable free agents David Okereke is spoilt for choice regarding his next destination after his contract with Italian club US Cremonese ended on July 1, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 28-year-old Nigerian attacker is now available without a transfer fee, and that has opened the door for clubs in Major League Soccer, Italy, Turkey and Belgium to make approaches, according to Napoli Magazine.

Okereke's previous experience in three of these four markets makes him an attractive option. He has played in Serie A, the Turkish Süper Lig and Belgian football, while his trophy-winning spell with Club Brugge remains one of the most significant achievements of his career.

His strongest recent connection is with Turkey, where he enjoyed a productive loan spell with Gaziantep FK during the 2024-25 season.

Turkey lead the race for Nigeria's Okereke

Turkey remain one of the most serious destinations for Okereke because of what he achieved with Gaziantep. He played 29 matches during the 2024-25 Süper Lig campaign, scoring nine goals and providing three assists. His goals came at an important time for Gaziantep, who were fighting to stay in Turkey's top division.

That experience has made him a familiar name to several Turkish clubs. Newly promoted Kocaelispor have put Okereke high on their transfer wishlist. The club previously explored the possibility of signing him permanently, and their current head coach has an additional reason to push the deal after working with the Nigerian during his time at Gaziantep.

Kasımpaşa have also joined the competition and are understood to be preparing an attractive contract as they look to strengthen their attack. There has also been interest from bigger Turkish names. Beşiktaş and Trabzonspor, as well as Samsunspor, have made enquiries about the striker and his wage demands.

Belgium offers another familiar route. Okereke spent three seasons with Club Brugge after joining the Belgian giants in July 2019. He won the Belgian top-flight title in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons and also lifted the Belgian Super Cup. He scored 13 goals in 51 league appearances for Club Brugge and also gained experience in European competition, featuring in both the UEFA Champions League and Europa League.

Cercle Brugge are among the Belgian clubs interested in bringing him back to the country. The club had previously considered a deal worth around €3 million when Okereke was still under contract with Cremonese. His current free-agent status removes the need for a transfer fee and could make the move easier to complete. Other Belgian top-flight clubs are also considering Okereke because he already understands the league and would not need a long period to adjust.

The competition does not end in Europe. Several MLS clubs have registered interest in taking the Nigerian to the United States. His ability to play as a central striker or move towards either wing gives American clubs another reason to consider him. That flexibility could be particularly useful in MLS, where teams often look for attacking players who can change positions during matches and provide pace in transition.

The Italian league has not been ruled out either. Sampdoria are pushing to keep Okereke in the country as the Genoa club are looking to strengthen their attack as they pursue a return to Serie A.

Okereke's career has already taken him through several important stages. He began his professional career with Spezia, making his Serie B debut in 2016. Across his time with the club, he made 54 senior appearances and scored 10 goals. A loan spell at Cosenza in 2018 gave him another 24 appearances and four goals.

His performances at Spezia helped earn him a move to Club Brugge in 2019, where his career reached a new level. Alongside his two Belgian league titles and Super Cup triumph, he gained experience against some of Europe's strongest clubs. He later returned to Italy, joining Venezia on loan during the 2021-22 season, where he scored seven goals in 32 Serie A appearances.

After joining Cremonese permanently in 2022, Okereke continued to move between different roles and clubs. He had a short loan spell at Torino in 2024, making nine appearances, before moving to Gaziantep later that year. His Turkish spell proved to be a productive one, with nine goals and three assists in 29 matches.

Okereke then returned to Cremonese for the 2025-26 season. His opportunities were more limited, with the forward making 10 appearances and scoring twice before his contract expired.