Ex-Chelsea trialist Hafiz Umar Ibrahim’s story continues to thrill. Last week, he made his first professional appearance for the senior team of French club Stade Reims in the French Cup, a 3-1 win at AS Mutzig. He was a 62nd-minute replacement for Malian Niama Pape Sissoko.

He had been playing for Stade Reims B team since joining in August. His prolificity saw him score eight goals in seven matches in the fifth tier of the French football system.

French journalist Cyril Olive Berthet informed me a few days earlier that the club was thinking of promoting him to the senior team due to his proof of ability. But first, they would need to sell some players in January to create space for him in the squad.

It came to pass as he made his maiden appearance for the first team on December 22, playing 28 minutes in that French Cup victory.

A long road from Chelsea

Hafiz’s story is one of triumph. He trialled at Chelsea’s Cobham facilities earlier in the year, scoring a hat trick in his final game with the U19s in the owner’s presence. However, contract negotiations stalled because the London club was unwilling to meet an estimated 500,000 pounds valuation to his club, Ojodu City.

They felt he was overpriced as no new offers came for him from other clubs. Hafiz had turned down an opportunity to sign for Norwegian side Bodo Glimt in favour of a shot at Chelsea after Raheem Sterling convinced him over a video call.

As that promising move to the Premier League fell through, the worry was about where he would end up. After a few troubling weeks, Hafiz turned up with his agents on transfer deadline day to sign for Stade Reims B team to start his European sojourn.

He needed to prove himself with the youth side to get a shot at senior football. Despite resuming late with the team after pre-season preparations, he has established himself, and his eight goals have made him the team’s leading scorer.

From Kano to the world

Hafiz grew up in Kano, northern Nigeria’s commercial hub, where he sold watermelons in the market to assist his poor family. In February, he made his breakthrough at the Viareggio Cup in Italy, leading Ojodu City to the semifinals by scoring 10 goals in seven matches.

The tournament exposed his promise to the world, and he has not looked back since.

January 2025 promises a lot for the 19-year-old with the first squad of Stade Reims. He has an opportunity to kick into second gear and show France what stern qualities he is made of.

Chelsea may have denied him for now, but his time will come. Life has shown him shege, it is now time to show his strength of character and become a star.

On Friday, Chelsea informed Ojodu City FC that it would sign the 18-year-old striker after he successfully trialed with them in April.

He has gone from the hopelessness of poverty to the gates of fortune. He told this writer in Luca, Italy, in February how the pain of poverty was the motivation for his chase of football glory.

Soccernet.ng can exclusively report that Ibrahim will join Chelsea with a possible loan move to Strasbourg in Ligue 1. If there is enough room on their roster after the summer window, they would keep him at Stamford Bridge as the club seeks to improve its fortunes for the next season.

Whatever happens, Ibrahim will play professional football in Europe. And with that comes an opportunity to help his family become better.

Who is Hafiz Umar Ibrahim?

Born in Kano, Hafiz or Dan Mama as his friends call him, became of global interest when he scored 10 goals to finish as top scorer at the 2024 Viareggio Cup in Italy. His goals helped Ojodu City FC reach the semifinals where they lost to eventual winners Beyond Limits FC of Nigeria.

His talent was recognized and he became of interest to several clubs including Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt, who flew him over immediately after the tournament. But he turned down the opportunity to sign a 500,000 euros contract with Bodo due to Chelsea’s interest.

As previously reported by Soccernet.ng, Hafiz had been called by Chelsea’s scouting director Joe Shields and star forward Raheem Sterling while he was inside the plane to Norway.

He saw a chance to move to the Premier League and made up his mind to take it.

Hafiz returned to Lagos to process his UK visa and went to where he met some of the star players he had only seen on TV. Instead of being star struck, he put his foot on the gas and worked hard.

The clincher

Hafiz moved back and forth between the first team and the U19s. As his final week of trial neared its end, he knew he had to give it his all.

On the final Friday before Chelsea made their decision, Hafiz scored a hat trick as club owner Todd Boehly watched from the sidelines. The decision was made to keep him.

The negotiations with Ojodu City FC began. It has taken a long time to agree on the final details of the deal. Ojodu initially asked for two million pounds but the club beat it down to 1.5 million pounds.

However, the final details are still being ironed out so that all the clubs involved in Hafiz’s development before he signed for Ojodu City last year will get something from the deal.

There will be something for all the clubs when all the details are agreed.

What next for Hafiz Ibrahim?

Hafiz was in Nigeria earlier this month after his trial ended. He visited Kano to see his friends for a few days before returning to London to await the conclusion of the deal.

The visit was kept very private, even his youth coach was said to have withdrawn his mobile phone so that he would not be able to broadcast his visit. He was only given back his phone when he got to the airport.

They wanted to ensure that he was not distracted in the crucial days before this big move.

The big move has arrived, and he will make it official in coming days when the transfer window opens.

Fate has smiled on Hafiz and fortune will come with it. May his professional career be prosperous so that he fulfils his ambitions of ruling the football world.

Hafiz is currently one of the most promising players in football. The 18-year-old striker rose to prominence earlier this year, during the Viareggio Cup. He emerged as the Golden Boy of the tournament and the highest goalscorer after netting ten goals.

Hafiz Umar Ibrahim was named Golden Boy at the Viareggio Cup after he finished as top scorer with 10 goals.

Watch my interview with him: https://t.co/NxkOuJiJSo pic.twitter.com/oeVqvjw9jx

— Lolade Adewuyi (@Jololade) February 26, 2024

Following his impressive showing, Hafiz emerged as a top target for top clubs like AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Chelsea. However, he did not move to Italy and was on the brink of signing for Norwegian giants Bodo Glimt. But the move broke down.

Afterwards, he moved to Chelsea in March for trials, with the club looking to sign him if they were impressed with his performance.

Alert: Ojodu FC’s Hafiz Umar Ibrahim has arrived in London and will be at Chelsea from Monday for two weeks before signing a contract with the Blues.

In February, Chelsea had Raheem Sterling jump on a video call with the young Nigerian striker to convince him of their interest.… https://t.co/i8JPVGFlAR pic.twitter.com/LiHP68Oi1y

— Lolade Adewuyi (@Jololade) March 24, 2024

In a new development, per Lolade Adewuyi, who has been keeping tabs on the promising 18-year-old striker, Hafiz impressed during the trial, and Chelsea are set to complete a deal with Ojodu FC.

According to Lolade Adewuyi, Chelsea have almost completed the deal. But the Kano-born hitman will not join the Blues immediately. Instead, he will join Chelsea’s sister club Strasbourg in the French Ligue 1.

Chelsea will sign Nigerian youngster Hafiz Umar Ibrahim on a two-way contract with Strasbourg of France.

The Kano-born striker impressed during his trial with the Blues after turning down an opportunity to sign for Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt.

Congratulations to Hafiz, this… pic.twitter.com/qIsvsd2ATS

— Lolade Adewuyi (@Jololade) May 24, 2024

Hafiz is expected to start work with Strasbourg immediately and join them in Ligue 1 next season. If he impressed, he could just get an opportunity at Stamford Bridge.

The 18-year-old came from a poor background in Nigeria, but he is hungry for success so he can help his poor family. He is also a big fan of Romelu Lukaku and tries to model his game after the Belgian striker.

Catch Soccernet.ng interview with Hafiz Umar Ibrahim here.

His performances have linked him with some of the top clubs in Europe, and if he can keep his head up and focus on his game, there is a high possibility that he will reach the peak of his career.

However, many Nigerian fans still do not know much about Ibrahim. Never to worry, though, as in this article, Soccernet.ng will explore ten interesting facts about the young striker.

1. Where was Ibrahim born?

Ibrahim was born in Kano State, Nigeria. Ibrahim was born on 20 December 2005. This makes him currently 18 years old.

2. What is Ibrahim’s background?

Ibrahim is from a poor family, and according to him, “things are tough”. To him, taking his family out of poverty and helping other young footballers is his major motivation.

3. Which club does he play for?

Although he is on the brink of a big move, Ibrahim plays as a striker for Ojodu City FC, an amateur football club located in the Ojodu local government of Lagos State.

4. How tall is Umar Ibrahim?

Standing at 1.9metres (6 ft 2), Ibrahim cuts quite an imposing figure. He is also very strong and uses his body very well.

5. What is Ibrahim’s level of education?

Ibrahim did not complete his education. From the way it speaks, it is evident that he did not attain a high level of education. He is only fluent in Hausa and Pidgin English.

6. Who does Ibrahim model his football after?

In an earlier interview with Soccernet.ng, Ibrahim revealed that he uses both feet but prefers his left. He also believes he is in the mode of former Chelsea star Romelu Lukaku. He is very strong and is quite good on the ball.

7. Which competition did he gain recognition?

Ibrahim has been at Ojodu City for some time, but he shot to global recognition at the Viareggio Cup. His exploits with the team ensured that he is now one of the most sought-after youngsters in world football.

8. Ibrahim was heavily instrumental in helping  Ojodu City finish third

Ibrahim scored ten goals in six games for Ojodu City. His goals were instrumental in helping the amateur club finish in the semifinal of the competition.

9. What is Ibrahim’s current value?

In an earlier report by Soccernet.ng, it was revealed that Ibrahim is valued at between 500,000 to 700,000 euros by his agents.

10. How many clubs want Ibrahim?

Initially, Ibrahim was supposed to sign for Norwegian club Bodo Glimt, and he was very close to sealing a transfer, but he has dumped the club and is currently on trial at Chelsea.

He started the week by doing exercises in the gym to strengthen him for the grueling sessions ahead. Due to the international break, he got to train with the first team on Thursday when the players returned to training.

A fateful call

It could have all been different. Ibrahim was already on his way to signing for Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt after his impressive performance in Italy at the Viareggio Cup, where he scored ten goals in six matches to finish as the top scorer.

His mind was made up for Norway until a phone call changed his fate. He was told that Chelsea was interested but didn’t believe it. He was on the plane about to taxi on the tarmac when the phone rang, and that was when everything changed.

Raheem Sterling and Joe Shields, Chelsea’s co-director of Recruitment and Talent, were in front of him via video. It was a surreal experience. As they talked, he wished he was already at Stamford Bridge. But he could not jump out of the plane, so he flew to Bodo.

It was a cold city, and when he arrived, he found that the local media was already aware of his coming and that journalists were waiting for him. It was shocking to see the interest he had generated.

The next day he was put on the pitch to try to impress the Bodo team, a performance that was mostly strained due to his lack of rest over the last week of the Viarregio Cup and the cold weather. But also because, in his mind, he knew something bigger was in the fray.

Bodo spent the next few hours trying to convince him to stay. But his mind was made up.

Hafiz soon returned to Nigeria, where he applied and waited for his UK visa. He received it in no time, backed by Chelsea’s reputation. And off he went to London, alone on the flight but backed by the power of his dreams.

And it started this Monday when he arrived at the club’s training ground and was handed his training kit.

If he impresses, the Ojodu City FC striker is expected to sign a 1.5- to 2-million-pound contract with the Blues. He is then expected to be loaned to the Ligue 1 at Strasbourg.

However, a French journalist close to Strasbourg informed Soccernet.ng that the Ligue 1 club was not informed.

The entire people of Kano, where his family sold fruits in the market to make ends meet, are waiting for the good news.

He told Soccernet.ng that he wants to become a professional footballer to bring his family out of poverty and support young people in his community.

Slowly, that dream is coming to pass.

If he passes, Chelsea wants to sign him and loan him out to French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, as previously reported by Soccernet.ng.

The 18-year-old burst into the global limelight when he scored ten goals to finish as the top scorer at the Viareggio Cup in Italy in February, one of the pre-eminent tournaments for young footballers.

Ibrahim will train with Chelsea’s first team on Monday. He arrived in London at the end of last week. The striker told Soccernet.ng that he is excited to show the club his potential so he can secure a contract with them.

Alert: Ojodu FC’s Hafiz Umar Ibrahim has arrived in London and will be at Chelsea from Monday for two weeks before signing a contract with the Blues.

In February, Chelsea had Raheem Sterling jump on a video call with the young Nigerian striker to convince him of their interest.… https://t.co/i8JPVGFlAR pic.twitter.com/LiHP68Oi1y

— Lolade Adewuyi (@Jololade) March 24, 2024

Ibrahim rejected a move to Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt last month as he kept his eye on a move to the Premier League giants.

Bodo wanted to sign the player, but he disliked the city’s remoteness and freezing weather.

Read More: Hafiz Ibrahim: The Kano-born Ojodu FC striker who scored a hat trick at the Viareggio Cup

Who is Hafiz Ibrahim?

He is a 1.9m tall player who can play as a centre forward and as a supporting striker. He sees Romelu Lukaku as his role model.

The young striker grew up in Kano, northern Nigeria’s biggest city, where he helped his parents by selling goods in the market.

He told Soccernet.ng that his dream of becoming a professional footballer was to take his family out of poverty and support the dreams of other young people in his community by buying them boots and football equipment to excel.

Ibrahim is now on the verge of making that dream come true. He is excited about being in London and wants to give it his best shot to ensure he earns a contract.

However, if the Blues don’t take him, the Nigerian will not be short of suitors, with several clubs in Spain and Italy willing to give him a chance.

Here’s wishing Hafiz Ibrahim the best as he chases his dream at one of the world’s most recognized club sides.

The Ojodu City FC striker came to limelight after he scored 10 goals at the Viareggio Cup tournament in Italy last month.

The 18-year-old went to Bodo on Friday with hopes of signing a contract on Monday. He arrived in the city and was received with aplomb as the media shadowed his every step from the airport due to the publicity that he received after English Premier League side Chelsea showed interest in signing him.

Hafiz trained with the club on Saturday and Sunday as he tried to understand their philosophy and culture. The club was impressed with him and looked forward to getting his signature on Monday.

However, Soccernet.ng can exclusively reveal that Hafiz will not sign the contract as he found it difficult to cope with the weather. He complained about the cold during a call with Soccernet.ng on Saturday.

Hafiz Umar Ibrahim arrived in Bodo today and was surprised at the crowd and cameras that showed up. Bodo/Glimt are desperate to sign him but Chelsea are circling. Raheem Sterling joined a call with the Blues’ Sporting Director today as they tried to woo him.

@Altermulig2024 pic.twitter.com/sJD96poVHK

— Lolade Adewuyi (@Jololade) March 1, 2024

It was difficult to convince the Kano-born player to stay because he could not manage the cold. Bodo is in northern Norway and the biting cold was very tough for the boy who grew up in the almost 40-degree Celsius weather of northern Nigeria.

Former Bodo/Glimt player Victor Boniface recently told the Obi-One Podcast about the loneliness and the cold during his stay at club where he won two Norwegian titles.

Perhaps a summer move would have helped to ease Hafiz into the city where he was expected to follow in the footsteps of Boniface, the man who has become a star at Bayer Leverkusen.

Hafiz is hoping to explore his options with Premier League side Chelsea, who have already issued him an invitation, as well as other clubs in Italy that have expressed interest. Hafiz is expected back in Italy in the next few days.

Fans of Bodo/Glimt would be saddened by the news because they had come to develop a liking for him over the last few days.

Do you think Hafiz Umar Ibrahim made the right decision for his career? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section.

The Pensioners are looking to hijack a move from Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt who have already offered the 18-year-old striker an opportunity to trial and then sign on Monday.

Chelsea’s offer came in on Thursday night and they have now backed it with a formal invitation to London. If they like him, they will send him out on loan to Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.

Ibrahim scored 10 goals to emerge top scorer at the Viareggio Cup in Italy last month. He has been of interest to clubs like AC Milan, Inter, Fiorentina and Sassuolo since the tournament ended.

EPL giants Chelsea have invited Hafiz Umar Ibrahim to train with them with the potential to sign a long-term contract.

If Chelsea likes him, he will be loaned out to Ligue 1 side Strasbourg

Hafiz has already traveled to Bodo/Glimt in Norway in order to sign on Monday #transfers pic.twitter.com/u6UnCqHMMo

— Lolade Adewuyi (@Jololade) March 1, 2024

Who is Hafiz Ibrahim?

Born in Kano, the biggest city in northern Nigeria, Ibrahim was born on 20 December 2005.

He plays as a striker for Ojodu City FC, an amateur football club based in the Ojodu local government of Lagos State, Nigeria.

He told Soccernet.ng in an interview that he uses both feet but prefers his left. Romelu Lukaku, Luis Suarez and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are his striker role models. But he feels that Belgium’s Lukaku is the player that he most closely patterns his game after.

Ibrahim was born into a poor home in Kano where he sold fruits in the local market to help out. He hopes to one day become a professional footballer.

“I want to help my family and the people around me,” he told Soccernet.ng. “Football is what will give me the tool to help people.”

He is a big lad with a lot of responsibility on his shoulder. He hopes to one day bring his family out of poverty through football. “They have been praying for me,” he said. “And I can feel that their prayers are working. I won’t disappoint them.”

Ibrahim speaks Hausa and Pidgin fluently.

Ojodu City FC’s Hafiz Umar Ibrahim will join Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt on Monday if both sides agree on personal terms, Soccernet.ng can exclusively reveal.

The 18-year-old striker became a revelation after scoring 10 goals as his team reached the semi finals of the Viareggio Cup in Italy last week.

Hafiz Umar Ibrahim will join Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt from Ojodu City FC. Ibrahim scored 10 goals at the Viareggio Cup.

The Kano-born striker will sign on Monday after agreeing personal terms with the club.

He was wanted by AC Milan, Inter and Fiorentina but Bodo won. pic.twitter.com/FVIzSPtiE0

— Lolade Adewuyi (@Jololade) February 29, 2024

Ibrahim, born in Kano, northern Nigeria’s biggest city, scored consecutive hattricks against opponents in the tournament where he was named Golden Boy as he finished top scorer.

Soccernet.ng reported interest in him from various top clubs including Inter, AC Milan and Fiorentina from the beginning of the tournament. His agent Oluwabunmi Moses Egbebi held on for him to finish the tournament before making the decision.

Bodo have now beat the other teams to his signature and have invited the player over to meet the rest of the A squad ahead of signing the deal on Monday, March 4.

He will participate in two training drills, perform a medical and negotiate personal terms ahead of signing the deal.

Three-time Norwegian champions, Bodo was home to Victor Boniface before he moved to Belgian side Union Saint Gilloise where he proved himself, with a further move to Bayer Leverkusen.

Boniface won two titles with Bodo.

In a recent interview on the Obi-One Podcast, Boniface described the city as quiet, cold and all he did was play and rest. Unfortunately, he also struggled because of injuries that left him depressed. But he spoke highly of the culture of the people who took great care of him and other foreign players.

Ibrahim, who sees Romelu Lukaku as his mentor, told Soccernet.ng that he wants to take his family out of poverty.

He used to sell fruits in the Kano market to assist his parents and siblings. Now he will get the chance to help change their lives.

Arierhi Kparobo and Isaac Chukuwudi scored the goals that handed Beyond Limits FA a 2-1 victory against Ojodu City in the first all-Nigerian semifinal at the Viareggio Cup, reports Soccernet.ng.

The tournament’s leading scorer, Hafiz Umar Ibrahim, got one back for the Ojodu Tigers to take his tally to 10 so far. But his first-half equaliser was not enough.

Kparobo scored in the third minute after he beat defender Habeeb Olokotintin for pace and fired past goalkeeper Saheed Owolabi.

Ibrahim got the Ojodu Tigers level on eleven minutes shortly after Chukwudi had missed an opportunity to send Beyond Limits into a two-goal lead but a late clearance by Michael Hosea denied him.

But Chukwudi came good in the second half as he pounced on a cross into the box and nodded past Owolabi to make it 2-1.

Despite the many chances that came the way of the Tigers, they could not convert and were left deflated by the final whistle.

Both team coaches, Olumide Ajibolade and Paul Ogunlaja, shook hands and hugged afterward. Their paths had crossed several times this year, and this latest match promises to be one of many to come for the two exciting football organisations.

“I’m proud of the team, of our effort so far in the tournament,” coach Ajibolade said at the end of the game. “I’m also grateful for the effort that the boys put in and for the general organization of the tournament.”

Coach Ajibolade also had kind words for the Ojodu Tigers: “I think Ojodu City were worthy competitors. I think we had to dig in very deep to get this result. They should be proud of themselves. It’s their first time coming to Europe, their first time in the Viareggio Cup, and their first time in the semis. It’s a journey that they should be proud of.”

All African Final

Beyond Limits will face Congolese side Centre Nationale Brazzaville in the final on Monday. CNB defeated Nigerian team Mavlon FC 1-0 in the other semi-final through a goal from Declan Rayan Moussavou. Moussavou has scored five goals in the tournament.

It is the first time two African teams will play in the final of the Viareggio Cup in 75 years. The first African team to participate in the competition was an Algerian team 40 years ago.

The first Nigerian participant in the tournament was FC Abuja in 2016.