From street football in Kaduna to a Bundesliga bidding war in barely three years, Anthony Dennis’s rise continues to gather pace.
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Several Bundesliga clubs have reportedly joined the growing race to sign Super Eagles invitee Anthony Dennis.
According to transfer expert Ekrem Konur, Hoffenheim, Mainz, Augsburg and Stuttgart have all shown strong interest in the Nigerian defensive midfielder, who has attracted considerable attention in recent months, with clubs in England, Spain and Turkey also credited with interest in the Göztepe star.
A Breakout Season In Turkey
Dennis enjoyed a breakthrough 2025/26 campaign in the Turkish Süper Lig, making 31 league appearances and scoring three goals for Göztepe, form that has turned him into one of the more sought-after young Nigerian talents in Europe. Göztepe reportedly rejected a €3.3 million offer from Belgian Pro League giants Anderlecht last summer and are now said to value the 22 year old at around €8 million, with a completed transfer potentially costing interested clubs closer to €10 million.
From Abuja Street Football To Turkey’s Top Flight
Dennis joined Göztepe from HB Academy in Abuja in January 2023, initially into the club’s Under-19 setup, before making his professional debut in January 2024 and helping the club win promotion back to the Süper Lig that same season. He has since established himself as an important member of Göztepe’s squad, with one year remaining on his contract.
Born in Kaduna, Dennis received his first Super Eagles call up in March 2025 for World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, a moment he has said left him needing to double check it was really his name on the list.
📌 Did You Know?
- Dennis was only 20 years old when he received his first Super Eagles call up, making him one of head coach Eric Chelle’s youngest selections at the time.
- He helped Göztepe finish second in the TFF First League in 2023/24, securing promotion to the Süper Lig in his first full season with the club.
- Dennis has credited playing street football growing up in Kaduna as the foundation of his game, a common starting point for many Nigerian professionals.
- Villarreal and Anderlecht have also been credited with monitoring Dennis, alongside the four Bundesliga clubs now reportedly in the race.
- Göztepe manager Stanimir Stoilov has reportedly managed Dennis’s workload carefully during pre-season to avoid any injury risk ahead of a potential big-money transfer.
- Dennis has previously said his goals for the season were to help Göztepe qualify for European competition and win the Turkish Cup.
- With his Göztepe contract not due to expire until 2027, the Turkish club is under no immediate pressure to sell, giving them leverage in any negotiations this window.
