A steady climb through Spain’s lower divisions has earned young Nigerian defender Chukwuma Eze a season at Villarreal’s development side.
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Nigerian defender Chukwuma Eze has completed a season-long loan move to Spanish club Villarreal from Real Oviedo.
Eze will spend the 2026/27 campaign with Villarreal B as he continues his development in Spanish football, with the Yellow Submarine confirming his arrival in a statement on their official website.
From Ajuwa Academy To Spain’s Lower Divisions
The 22 year old centre back joined Real Oviedo from Nigerian outfit Ajuwa Academy in 2021 and has since progressed steadily through the club’s system. He has gained valuable experience through a string of loan spells in Spain’s lower divisions, featuring for CD Llanes, L’Entregu CF and, most recently, Real Avilés, where he made 18 appearances last season.
Eze has already tasted first-team football at parent club Real Oviedo too, making his senior debut against Levante in April 2025. His progress was rewarded with a contract extension keeping him at Oviedo until 2029, underlining the club’s long term belief in him even as he heads out on loan again.
A Platform To Build On
The move to Villarreal B offers Eze the chance to train and develop within one of Spanish football’s most respected academy structures, with the aim of earning regular playing time and strengthening his case for a higher level of first-team football in the years ahead.
📌 Did You Know?
- Villarreal’s academy has a strong reputation in Spanish football for developing technically sound defenders who go on to play at the top level.
- Eze’s move continues a growing pipeline of young Nigerian talents finding pathways into Spanish football through lower-division loan spells.
- Real Oviedo, Eze’s parent club, plays in Spain’s second tier and has a long history in Spanish football dating back to the early 20th century.
- Eze’s contract extension to 2029 came before this loan move, suggesting Real Oviedo see him as part of their longer-term defensive plans.
- Villarreal B serves as a key pathway between the academy and Villarreal’s first team, which regularly competes in Spain’s top flight and European competition.
- Ajuwa Academy, where Eze started his career, is part of a broader network of Nigerian academies that have sent players to European lower league systems in recent years.
