Sheffield United are preparing a January transfer bid for Nigerian midfielder Frank Onyeka, who is currently on the books at Brentford but no longer a regular first-team starter, Complete Sports reports. The Championship club have made formal enquiries about signing the 28 year old as they look to strengthen their midfield during the winter window.
Onyeka, a seasoned Nigeria international, has made just four league appearances for Brentford this season after returning from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where he featured for the Super Eagles. With playing time limited, a move away from the Premier League side is increasingly likely.
Brentford are open to letting Onyeka leave this month, with loan moves that include an option to buy or a permanent transfer being considered, according to reports.
Sheffield United are not the only club interested fellow Championship clubs Birmingham City and Coventry City have also been linked with moves for the midfielder, reflecting his appeal at the second-tier level.
Onyeka’s experience — including 41 caps and multiple goals for Nigeria could add quality and depth to Sheffield United’s midfield as they aim to improve their league position in the second half of the season.
EDITORIAL
In the relentless churn of the January transfer window, where pragmatism often outweighs panache, Sheffield United’s pursuit of Frank Onyeka captures the dual imperatives of strategic necessity and calculated ambition.
Onyeka, with his blend of physicality, tactical discipline and international experience, embodies the type of midfielder whose value is measured as much in control and balance as in headline-grabbing statistics. His diminished role at Brentford this season a club where he once featured prominently — reflects not decline, but the unforgiving realities of squad dynamics and managerial preference. Yet, in this context of reduced minutes, what emerges is a player ripe not for obscurity, but re-engagement.
Sheffield United’s interest does not occur in a vacuum. A club positioned precariously in the Championship table cannot afford to gamble on potential alone it demands players who can bridge the gap between solidity and aspiration. Onyeka’s experience both in the Premier League and on the continental stage with Nigeria offers exactly such a profile. He is not a gamble he is an investment in stability.
The dynamic of multiple clubs — Birmingham City, Coventry City and now Sheffield United circling his signature suggests this is not a whimsical pursuit, but a recognition of a midfielder with attributes suited to the rigours of England’s second tier. The Championship is a league that prizes industry and intelligence in midfield, and Onyeka is both a guardian of structure and a carrier of forward momentum.
For Onyeka himself, this potential move represents more than a change of scenery. It offers an opportunity to reclaim rhythm, to reconnect with form, and to assert a role not as a peripheral figure, but as a central presence — both literally and figuratively. In a league where consistency is currency, such a role is invaluable.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Frank Onyeka has earned 41 caps for the Super Eagles, scoring three goals for Nigeria.
- Onyeka has a contract with Brentford until June 2027, but his first-team opportunities have been limited this season.
- Brentford are open to a loan deal with an option to buy or a permanent transfer for Onyeka during the January window.
- Championship clubs Birmingham City and Coventry City have also been linked with interest in signing Onyeka.
- Onyeka featured for Nigeria at AFCON 2025, contributing to the Super Eagles’ run to a bronze medal.
