Kennedy Okpaleke, a 16-year-old Sweden underage international of Nigerian descent, is poised to join Italian Serie A club Empoli.
According to Italian transfer portal Tuttomercatoweb, Empoli is set to add Okpaleke to their youth team in the coming hours. The promising central defender has already passed his medical examination ahead of the transfer.
A right-footed defender, Okpaleke briefly trialed with Swedish Allsvenskan club IFK Goteborg last month but has chosen Empoli for his next move.
In the 2024 season, Okpaleke played for Swedish Division 2 side Lindome GIF, making fourteen league appearances, including eight starts.
Despite earning two caps for Sweden at the U17 level, Okpaleke remains eligible to represent Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets, as his appearances for Sweden were in friendly matches and do not require a change of association with FIFA.
If his transfer to Empoli is finalized, Okpaleke will join fellow Nigerian footballers Tyronne Ebuehi, Faustino Anjorin, and Emmanuel Ekong at the club.
Ebuehi, who has been sidelined since March 2024 due to an ACL injury, is among the notable Nigerian players who have made first-team appearances for Empoli.
