Terem Moffi Makes History As 5th Nigerian To Join FC Porto

According to reports, Nigerian striker Terem Moffi has joined Portuguese giants FC Porto from French Ligue 1 club OGC Nice. The Super Eagles forward arrives on a loan deal until the end of the season, with an option for Porto to make the move permanent for €8 million.

At 26 years old, Moffi becomes the fifth Nigerian to don the blue and white jersey of the Dragons, joining the ranks of Abraham Marcus, Chidozie Awaziem, Mikel Agu, and current Porto defender Zaidu Sanusi. Sanusi, who joined from Santa Clara in 2020, is widely regarded as the most accomplished Nigerian in the club’s history, having made 141 appearances and scored eight goals—a standard Moffi will be eager to match or surpass.

Moffi’s move follows a challenging period in France, where he had been sidelined since November due to an incident involving supporters at Nice. At Porto, he will wear the number 29 shirt and reunite with familiar faces, including midfielder Pablo Rosario and head coach Francesco Farioli, under whom he enjoyed one of his most successful spells in Ligue 1.

Born in Calabar near Nigeria’s border with Cameroon, Moffi moved to England at 17 to further his football development at Buckswood Football Academy. His professional career began in Lithuania with Žalgiris Kaunas and FK Riteriai, where his pace, strength, and goal-scoring ability quickly drew attention. A prolific season in which he scored 20 goals in 21 league matches earned him a move to Belgian side Kortrijk, and subsequent performances led to a transfer to Lorient in France’s top division.

Moffi’s time in Ligue 1 was marked by rapid success. He scored 15 league goals in the 2020-21 season, earning his first call-up to the Super Eagles under Gernot Rohr in June 2021. He continued his impressive form with 12 goals in 18 matches during the 2022-23 season, culminating in his transfer to Nice. Across all competitions at Nice, Moffi scored 20 goals, 11 of which came under coach Farioli, though injuries and off-field disruptions have hindered his recent progress.