English Premier League side Everton and German Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg are reportedly interested in signing Nigerian defender Ryan Alebiosu from Blackburn Rovers during the January transfer window.
Alebiosu, 24, has been one of Blackburn’s standout performers this season in the EFL Championship, making 20 appearances with one goal and attracting attention from clubs across Europe. Alongside Everton and Wolfsburg, Italian sides Sassuolo and Genoa are also said to be monitoring the right-back’s situation.
Originally a youth product of Arsenal, Alebiosu joined Blackburn from Belgian side KV Kortrijk over the summer on a three-year contract. The right-back is currently with the Super Eagles at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where he made his full international debut in Nigeria’s 3-1 win over Uganda.
Blackburn are understood to value Alebiosu at around £4 million, and serious negotiations are expected to wait until he returns from AFCON before any formal bids emerge.
Editorial
Football’s transfer market can often feel like chess played on a moving board pieces shift, fortunes pivot and one move made in January can echo long into a club’s future. Such is the context surrounding Ryan Alebiosu, the Blackburn Rovers right-back whose season already notable for consistent Championship performances has now caught the discerning eyes of Everton and VfL Wolfsburg.
Alebiosu’s ascent has been quietly impressive. From Arsenal’s academy to meaningful minutes in England’s second tier, he has blended defensive solidity with an attacking instinct that modern full-backs are asked to master. At 24, he is poised at an inflection point trading Championship reliability for the rigours of the Premier League or the Bundesliga would not just be a step up in competition, but an evolution in responsibility.
Everton’s interest speaks to a renewed appetite for investment without extravagance a strategic recruitment model that prizes potential over headline fees. Wolfsburg, for their part, represent an alternative allure the Bundesliga’s technical intensity and reputation for developing talent. Both clubs offer contrasting yet compelling pathways for a player seeking to define himself in European football’s tighter corridors.
Yet it is Alebiosu’s international journey that adds a deeper layer to this narrative. Making his Super Eagles debut at AFCON imbues his transfer prospects with national significance, revealing how international exposure can elevate a player’s value beyond club walls. This is the modern game’s alchemy performance breeds opportunity, and opportunity reshapes careers.
As the January window unfolds, Blackburn’s valuation and Alebiosu’s own ambitions will steer negotiations. But one thing is certain the interest from Everton and Wolfsburg symbolizes recognition of a defender ready for a broader stage, hungry to translate promise into performance at the highest level.
Did You Know?
- Alebiosu’s Career Path Born in London, Alebiosu joined Arsenal’s youth academy at age 8 and later spent time on loan at Crewe Alexandra and Kilmarnock early in his career.
- Championship Contribution This season with Blackburn, Alebiosu has contributed one goal and two assists from 20 appearances — impressive for a defender in England’s second tier.
- International Debut at AFCON Alebiosu made his full Super Eagles debut in Nigeria’s 3-1 win over Uganda at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
- Potential £4m Valuation Blackburn are reportedly valuing the right-back at around £4 million, a relatively modest sum given his rising stock and versatility.
- Serie A Interest Too Besides Everton and Wolfsburg, Italian clubs Sassuolo and Genoa are among those reported to be tracking Alebiosu’s situation.
