Currently, the U17 African Cup of Nations is going on in Algeria, with some of the continent’s brightest youngsters having been showcasing their skills over the last few years.
Nigeria were one of the big hitters in the competition, although they exited at the quarter-final stage following a disappointing defeat to Burkina Faso. However, they did have several players impress during the tournament.
One of those was Yahaya Lawali, who is a 16-year-old defender who plays on either flank, while he can also play in central midfield and as a winger. He picked up two man of the match awards during the competition, and his performances have impressed several clubs, including Barcelona and Sevilla, according to ACLSports.
And the #NGAMAR TotalEnergies Man of the Match is Yahaya Lawali!
Congratulations! 🏅🤩#TotalEnergiesAFCONU17 | @Football2gether pic.twitter.com/2amHi3EHVd
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) May 3, 2023
However, clubs from France and Belgium are also tracking Lawali, who could be in high demand this summer. Despite this, Barcelona and Sevilla will hope that their pulling powers will be enough to convince the youngster to join either of them.
Nigeria has produced many exciting young players in recent years, including Victor Osimhen and Villarreal’s Samuel Chukwueze, and Lawali is expected to be another to make the jump to top-level European football.
