Adams, Ejuke chase heats up

The transfer pursuits of Super Eagles duo, Akor Adams and Chidera Ejuke, are gathering pace this summer, with Italian side, Venezia, closing in on the Sevilla striker while Saudi Arabian clubs step up their interest in the winger.

Adams, who scored ten goals and provided three assists in 32 appearances to help Sevilla avoid relegation last season, has been strongly linked with a move away from the Spanish club, with Sevilla eager to cash in on him.

Marseille and Sunderland had earlier been touted as likely destinations, but both clubs have since cooled their interest, even as the striker maintained his preference to remain at Sevilla.

Venezia, however, have remained persistent. The newly promoted Serie A side tabled an opening bid of less than €10m, which fell well short of Sevilla’s €25m valuation and was promptly rejected. Despite that setback, the Italian club have kept negotiations alive and, according to Italian transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio, have now reached an agreement with Adams on personal terms, including wages and other contractual details.

The final hurdle remains a fee with Sevilla, who are holding firm on their asking price, a bar that could prove difficult for Venezia to clear given the club’s limited spending power and the added burden of preparing for a relegation battle next season. Should the two clubs find a middle ground, the deal could be concluded within weeks, with pre-season training fast approaching.

Meanwhile, Sevilla could also part ways with Ejuke before the new season begins, with Saudi Arabian clubs leading the race for his signature. The Spanish club began their summer business on July 1, with raising funds now a priority following a failed takeover bid, while also needing room to register new signings.

Clubs from Qatar are also monitoring the 28-year-old, though the Saudi sides hold the financial strength to offer both Sevilla and the player a more attractive package. Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen, along with Premier League sides Fulham, Sunderland and Leeds United, have also been credited with interest.

Sevilla are believed to value Ejuke at between €4m and €5m, with the winger having just one year left on a contract that expires in June 2027. Since he joined as a free agent from CSKA Moscow, any transfer fee would count as pure profit for the club, whose target is to raise around €25m from player sales this summer.

Ejuke, who earns close to €1.9m a season, showed flashes of quality in his debut campaign in Spain, particularly his pace and dribbling, with one of his best displays coming against Real Sociedad late last season. However, injuries and inconsistent form limited him to one goal and one assist in 29 La Liga appearances.

Unless a European club matches the financial package expected from Saudi Arabia, Sevilla are unlikely to hesitate should an official offer arrive for the Nigerian international.