Nigeria international Bright Osayi-Samuel has signed a three-year deal with England’s second-tier club, Birmingham City.
Bright Osayi-Samuel joined Birmingham after a dramatic twist in transfer negotiations with Turkish giants Besiktas.
The 27-year-old full-back, who has spent the last four and a half years with Fenerbahce in Turkey, joins the Championship side on a free transfer after the expiration of his contract.
Osayi-Samuel’s arrival at St Andrew’s becomes Birmingham’s fourth signing in a busy week that has already seen the acquisitions of Demarai Grey, Tommy Doyle and James Beadle as the club rebuilds following promotion from League One.
“I want to play in the Premier League and show everyone what I can do.
“Coming to Birmingham City now is another step for me, an opportunity to show everyone where I’ve been for the last four years,” Osayi-Samuel told Birmingham’s official website.
Osayi-Samuel made 178 appearances for Fenerbahce before his exit. He was often deployed as a right-back, wing-back or winger at the Turkish side.
His experience in high-pressure European fixtures and Turkish domestic battles, including working under current Fenerbahce manager José Mourinho, adds significant weight to Birmingham’s promotion ambitions.
Before he sealed the move to the United Kingdom, the Super Eagles defender was on the verge of moving to Beşiktaş, a move that promised a three-year contract reportedly worth €1.9 million annually and a €1 million signing-on fee. However, just before he signed it, the deal collapsed dramatically.
According to Turkish outlet Haberler.com, Osayi-Samuel’s father and representative, Nelson Osayi, reportedly made a last-minute demand for an additional €300,000 per season, a move that infuriated Beşiktaş officials.
“We decided to halt the transfer due to the unreasonable last-minute requests from Osayi Samuel’s father,” Club president Serdal Adalı said.
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