A teenager who only broke into Ikorodu City’s first team last season has beaten off interest from Barcelona to land in Belgium’s top flight.
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Belgian Pro League club Zulte Waregem have completed the signing of Nigerian forward Maliq Musa from NPFL side Ikorodu City, Complete Sports reports.
Musa joins the Belgian outfit on loan, with Zulte Waregem retaining an option to make the move permanent. The club reportedly saw off competition from Spanish giants Barcelona and several other top European sides to secure the 20 year old’s signature, a notable coup for a player who only recently graduated from Ikorodu City’s academy setup.
Straight Into The Development Pathway
Musa will initially link up with Jong Essevee, Zulte Waregem’s Under-23 side, where he is expected to continue his development and adjust to Belgian football before pushing for a place in the first team. Assistant coach Davy De Fauw said the club was convinced by Musa’s enormous qualities but stressed that, given his age, they would take the necessary time to help him develop, adding that he would be well supported at Essevee as he takes this next step in his career.
A Breakthrough Debut Season
Musa was one of five academy graduates handed their first professional contracts by Ikorodu City ahead of the 2025/26 NPFL season. He went on to make his mark in his debut senior campaign, contributing a goal and an assist in NPFL action as Ikorodu City finished fourth in the league for a second consecutive season.
📌 Did You Know?
- Musa was one of five Ikorodu City academy graduates promoted to the first team together ahead of the 2025/26 season, alongside Samuel Ezekiel, Dagogo Ibifubara, Gift Udoh and Chiemerie Ezeaka.
- Ikorodu City finished fourth in the NPFL for a second straight season in 2025/26, a strong platform that helped put several of its academy products on European scouts’ radar.
- Zulte Waregem, Musa’s new club, are a two time Belgian Cup winner with a long-standing reputation for developing young talent through their Jong Essevee pathway.
- Reported interest from Barcelona in a player still developing in the NPFL underlines how closely European clubs are now scouting Nigeria’s domestic league for young talent.
- Musa’s move continues a growing trend of NPFL academy graduates earning direct pathways into European Pro League systems rather than moving through intermediary leagues first.
