Swedish Allsvenskan side Kalmar FF have completed the signing of 18-year-old left-back Sodiq Lawal on a four-year contract.
The defender arrives from the renowned Nigerian academy Beyond Limits, where he famously captained the side to Gothia Cup glory last summer.
Lawal has already joined up with his new teammates and took part in his first training session at the club’s Gasten IP facility on Wednesday morning.
“I am very happy to be here,” Lawal told the club website. “The team, staff and coaches have all been incredibly friendly. I will work hard, listen to the coaches and do everything for Kalmar FF.”
One for the future
Kalmar’s scouts first identified Lawal during his standout performances in the Gothia Cup—the world’s largest international youth football tournament—where he led Beyond Limits to a final victory over ASEC Mimosas.
The club’s sporting management, led by Mats Winblad, believe they have secured a player with the attributes to become a modern, attacking full-back.
- Age: 18
- Position: Left-back
- Contract: Until 2030
- Former Club: Beyond Limits (Nigeria)
Swedish side Kalmar FF set to sign Nigerian youngster Sodiq Lawal
‘Great potential’
While Lawal is expected to be integrated slowly into the first-team set-up, Winblad made no secret of the club’s excitement regarding his arrival.
“Sodiq is a young, promising left-back who has great potential,” Winblad said. “He is a skilled left-back who often and willingly fills in offensively. He will now have time to adapt to the environment and professional life outside of football, with the ambition to grow into a supporting player for the club.”
