Terem Moffi Joins FC Porto as Fifth Nigerian Player in Club History

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Portuguese giants FC Porto have confirmed the signing of Super Eagles striker Terem Moffi from French side OGC Nice. The Nigerian forward joins the Dragons on a season-long loan, with the deal including an option to make the move permanent for €8 million.

At 26, Moffi becomes just the fifth Nigerian footballer to represent FC Porto, following in the footsteps of Abraham Marcus, Chidozie Awaziem, Mikel Agu, and current Porto defender Zaidu Sanusi.

Following in Zaidu Sanusi’s Footsteps

Among the Nigerians to have featured for Porto, Zaidu Sanusi stands out as the most accomplished. Since arriving from Santa Clara in 2020, the left-back has made 141 appearances and scored eight goals for the club. Moffi will be eager to carve out a similar legacy as he begins his journey in Portugal.

Fresh Start After Challenging Spell in France

Moffi’s move to Porto follows a difficult period in France, where he has been out of action since late November after an incident involving supporters at Nice. The switch offers him a fresh start, with the striker set to wear the number 29 shirt.

He will also reunite with familiar faces at Porto, including midfielder Pablo Rosario and head coach Francesco Farioli, under whom Moffi produced some of his most impressive performances during his time on the Côte d’Azur.

Early Journey and Rise Through Europe

Born in Calabar, near Nigeria’s border with Cameroon, Moffi left home at the age of 17 to pursue his football development in England with Buckswood Football Academy.

His professional career began away from Europe’s major spotlight in Lithuania, where strong goal-scoring returns for Žalgiris Kaunas and FK Riteriai showcased his power, speed, and finishing ability.

A prolific spell that saw him score 20 goals in 21 league matches earned him a move to Belgian side Kortrijk, where he continued to impress before the COVID-19 pandemic brought the season to an abrupt halt. His performances soon attracted interest from France, leading to a transfer to Lorient in Ligue 1.

Breakthrough in Ligue 1 and International Recognition

Moffi’s reputation flourished in France. He netted 15 league goals during the 2020–21 season, performances that earned him his first Super Eagles call-up under Gernot Rohr in June 2021 for an international fixture against Cameroon.

He followed that success with an electric start to the 2022–23 campaign, scoring 12 goals in 18 matches before securing a move to Nice.

During his time with the Riviera club, Moffi scored 20 goals across all competitions, with 11 of those goals coming under Francesco Farioli. While injuries and off-field challenges slowed his momentum in recent months, his move to Porto represents a chance to reignite his career at the highest level.