FC Porto have completed the signing of Nigeria international striker Terem Moffi from French side OGC Nice, marking a new chapter for both player and club as the Dragons look to strengthen their attacking options for the second half of the season.
The 26-year-old Super Eagles forward joins the Portuguese giants on loan until the end of the campaign, with Porto holding an option to make the move permanent for €8 million.
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A rare Nigerian presence at Porto
Moffi becomes only the fifth Nigerian footballer to wear Porto’s famous blue and white, joining a select list that includes Abraham Marcus, Chidozie Awaziem, Mikel Agu, and current first-team defender Zaidu Sanusi.
Sanusi remains the most accomplished Nigerian in Porto’s history. Since arriving from Santa Clara in 2020, the left-back has gone on to make 141 appearances and score eight goals, setting a standard Moffi will be keen to emulate as he settles in at the Estádio do Dragão.
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Fresh start after difficult spell in France
Moffi arrives in Portugal after a challenging period at Nice, having been sidelined since late November following an incident involving supporters. Porto have handed the striker the number 29 shirt, and he reunites with familiar figures, including midfielder Pablo Rosario and head coach Francesco Farioli, under whom he enjoyed the most productive stretch of his time on the Côte d’Azur.
The Nigerian forward is no stranger to his new surroundings. He previously featured at the Dragão in Nice’s 3–0 defeat to Porto in November, a night that offered an early glimpse of the stage he now hopes to conquer.
Terem Moffi’s long road to Porto
Born in Calabar, near Nigeria’s border with Cameroon, Moffi’s journey to one of Europe’s historic clubs has been anything but conventional. At just 17, he left home to pursue his football education in England with Buckswood Football Academy, before beginning his professional career far from the spotlight.
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Lithuania proved to be his breakout ground. Prolific spells with Žalgiris Kaunas and FK Riteriai, including a stunning 20 goals in 21 league matches, announced Moffi as a striker of rare physical presence and ruthless finishing.
That form earned him a move to Belgian side Kortrijk, where he scored six goals in 11 appearances before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the season. His impact was enough to secure a switch to Lorient, and in Ligue 1, Moffi’s rise accelerated.
He struck 15 league goals in the 2020–21 season, a return that earned him his Super Eagles debut under Gernot Rohr in June 2021 against Cameroon. He followed that with an explosive start to the 2022–23 campaign, scoring 12 goals in 18 matches, before sealing a move to Nice.
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At the Allianz Riviera, Moffi netted 20 goals in all competitions, with 11 coming under Farioli, though injuries and off-field interruptions curtailed his recent output.
A new chapter in Portugal
Now at Porto, Moffi is expected to bring power, presence and penalty-box threat as the Dragons chase domestic success and aim to make their mark in Europe.
For the striker, it is a chance to reset, rediscover his rhythm, and write his name into the club’s history; following a path that few Nigerians have walked before him.
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