Super Eagles star with five Nigeria caps wanted by Birmingham, Derby and Lecce

Birmingham City have stepped up their interest in Super Eagles winger Philip Otele as they prepare to battle Italian side Lecce for the FC Basel attacker before the summer transfer window closes, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Championship club have followed the 27-year-old since the closing months of 2025 and are now considering a formal move after Basel made it clear they are ready to sell him permanently. The Swiss champions are expected to accept offers worth around €5 million.

According to GiveMeSport, Birmingham are not alone in the race. Championship rivals Derby County have already opened talks with Basel as they look to strengthen their attack ahead of the new season.

However, the English clubs face strong competition from Italy. Lecce have already held direct discussions with Basel and are regarded as one of the favourites to complete the signing. Fellow Serie A club Frosinone are also monitoring the Nigerian, while clubs from the Saudi Pro League remain interested after tracking him in previous transfer windows.

Otele's versatility has made him an attractive option for several clubs. Although naturally a left winger, he can also play on the right or operate as a centre-forward, giving coaches several attacking options.

Otele: Journey across Europe and Super Eagles progress

Otele started with Teesside University and non-league side Wolviston FC in England before earning his first professional contract with Kauno Žalgiris in Lithuania in 2019.

He later impressed in Romania with UTA Arad before enjoying a breakthrough campaign at CFR Cluj, where he scored 18 league goals during the 2023-24 season to finish as the Liga I joint top scorer.

His performances earned moves to Al Wahda in the United Arab Emirates and then FC Basel, where he rediscovered his best form by scoring nine goals in his first 18 matches and helping the Swiss club win the league title.

In February 2026, he joined Hamburger SV on loan in the Bundesliga. He scored once in nine appearances, becoming the first Nigerian to score a Bundesliga goal for the German club. Hamburg chose not to trigger their €4.5 million purchase option, sending him back to Basel at the end of the campaign.

On the international stage, Otele has won five caps for Nigeria since making his debut in a 2-2 draw against Jordan. He registered his first assist for the Super Eagles during the 3-0 Unity Cup victory over Jamaica before featuring in friendlies against Poland and Portugal.

His appearance as a late substitute in Nigeria's 2-1 defeat to Portugal marked the first loss of his international career, but it has done little to reduce interest in him.