Ahmed Abdullahi never got a senior appearance at Sunderland, but a permanent switch to Eyupspor now gives the former Flying Eagles striker a shot at rebuilding his career in Turkey.
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Ahmed Abdullahi has completed a permanent transfer to Turkish Super Lig side Eyupspor, ending a two year stay at Sunderland in which the Nigerian forward never once featured for the senior team. The 22 year old has signed a two-year deal with the Istanbul club, with an option for a third season built in.
Sunderland confirmed the exit through their official channels. “Sunderland AFC can confirm Ahmed Abdullahi has joined Eyupspor,” the club said. “The Nigerian striker, who joined Sunderland from Belgian side Gent in August 2024, has put pen to paper on a permanent contract with the Turkish club. Everyone at Sunderland wishes Ahmed all the best as he continues his career in Turkey.”
Abdullahi’s time on Wearside was defined by fitness setbacks rather than form. He signed a four year contract when he arrived from Gent, but a string of injuries meant he never made a competitive debut for the Black Cats across two full seasons at the club.
He wasn’t entirely on the outside looking in. Abdullahi was named in Sunderland’s matchday squads for Carabao Cup and FA Cup ties against Huddersfield Town and Port Vale last season, even if he stayed an unused option on both occasions.
A move to Turkey gives him something Sunderland couldn’t, regular senior minutes. Anyone following how Nigerian strikers are settling into new leagues abroad can check the how to get the Bet9ja promotion code guide before the new European season kicks into gear.
The trust Sunderland showed in signing him in the first place came from a genuinely productive spell in Belgium. Abdullahi scored 21 goals in 38 league matches for Gent’s development side, form strong enough to convince Sunderland to hand him a long contract despite interest from elsewhere in Europe.
He had actually turned down bigger names to get to that point. As a teenager, Abdullahi trialled with both Borussia Dortmund and Olympique Marseille before eventually choosing to sign with Gent in 2021, a decision that set up the pathway to England three years later. Fans wanting to back Nigerian talent making moves across Europe can also check Bet9ja’s YOHAIG code for the latest offers.
His pedigree with Nigeria only adds to the sense that this is a talent worth persevering with. Abdullahi represented the Flying Eagles at the 2023 Africa U20 Cup of Nations and scored in Nigeria’s third place playoff win over Tunisia, a tournament that first put his name on the radar of European scouts.
Back at Sunderland, he did find a way to contribute even without a first-team breakthrough. His performances for the club’s Premier League 2 side, where he found the net regularly, played a part in helping Sunderland’s development squad reach the Premier League Cup final, even as he sat behind established options like Brian Brobbey and Wilson Isidor in the senior pecking order.
That kind of squad depth made an exit almost inevitable once Eyupspor came calling. New Bet9ja users keen on following Turkish football this season can check Bet9ja’s current promo code ahead of the Super Lig’s opening weekend.
For Abdullahi, the move is straightforward in its logic even if the past two years weren’t. He needs games, Eyupspor need attacking depth, and Turkey now offers him the platform England couldn’t provide.
📌 Did You Know?
- Abdullahi was born in Nasarawa State, Nigeria, on 19 June 2004.
- He came through the HB Academy in Abuja before making his move into European football in 2021.
- His four year Sunderland contract, signed in August 2024, still had two years left to run when the club agreed to let him leave permanently.
- Abdullahi wore the number 29 shirt during his time at the Stadium of Light.
- He scored twice in a 2-1 win over Colchester United in the Premier League Cup, one of the standout performances of his development-squad spell.
- Before his move to Sunderland, Abdullahi made two senior appearances for Gent’s first team in addition to his prolific run with the club’s under-23 side.
- Sunderland are six time English champions, though all of those league titles came before the Premier League era began in 1992.
