Raphael Onyedika got his first taste of life at Eintracht Frankfurt, starting alongside Hugo Larsson as the Bundesliga side eased past Hull City in a pre-season friendly.
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Raphael Onyedika made his first appearance for Eintracht Frankfurt as the Bundesliga side beat Hull City 2-0 in a pre-season friendly played in Dreieich. The Super Eagles midfielder was handed a starting role by head coach Adi Hutter, partnering Hugo Larsson in central midfield.
The match was split into two 60-minute halves, giving Onyedika a full opening period to settle into his new surroundings and begin adapting to Frankfurt’s tactical setup. Jonathan Burkardt opened the scoring in the 56th minute before Swedish youngster Love Arrhov doubled the lead in the 71st, sealing a fourth consecutive pre-season win for the German side. Onyedika played the entire first half before Frankfurt made wholesale changes at the interval.
The appearance marks the start of a new chapter following his move from Club Brugge, a transfer worth around 9 million euros that was completed after Frankfurt fended off late interest from Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad. Onyedika has signed a five-year contract running until 2031. Fans following his Bundesliga debut season can check Bet9ja’s current promo code ahead of the new campaign.
Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krosche explained what made the Nigerian such an attractive target. “Raphael Onyedika impresses us not only with his robustness and strategic understanding of the game, but above all with his exceptional consistency,” he said, pointing to years of regular first-team football and multiple trophies in Belgium as key factors behind the pursuit.
Onyedika’s career has taken a steady upward path since he left Nigeria for Europe in 2019. He began his professional journey at Danish club FC Midtjylland after coming through the FC Ebedei academy, before a move to Club Brugge in 2022 turned him into one of the Belgian Pro League’s most reliable defensive midfielders, winning two league titles and a Belgian Cup while racking up 24 Champions League appearances. New Bet9ja users following Nigerian midfielders in Germany can check how to get the Bet9ja promotion code before the Bundesliga season kicks off.
His club form has translated well onto the international stage too. Onyedika has earned 26 senior caps for Nigeria and played a key role as the Super Eagles finished third at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, cementing his place as one of the more consistent names in Eric Chelle’s midfield options.
He arrives at Frankfurt as part of a broader midfield rebuild, joining fellow new signing Noel Aseko, who moved from Bayern Munich for around 13 million euros, as the club looks to address what was one of last season’s clearest weak points. Punters following Frankfurt’s new-look midfield can check Bet9ja’s YOHAIG code as pre-season continues.
With his first outing now behind him, Onyedika will continue building chemistry with his new teammates over the remaining pre-season fixtures, aiming to hit the ground running once the competitive Bundesliga campaign gets underway.
📌 Did You Know?
- Onyedika moved to Europe in 2019, starting his professional career with Danish club FC Midtjylland after coming through Nigeria’s FC Ebedei academy.
- He won two Belgian Pro League titles and a Belgian Cup during his four years at Club Brugge.
- Onyedika made 24 UEFA Champions League appearances for Club Brugge.
- His transfer to Frankfurt, worth around 9 million euros, came in well below his estimated 23 million euro market value.
- He wears the number 25 shirt at Frankfurt, previously worn by Donny van de Beek and Christopher Lenz.
- Onyedika helped Nigeria finish third at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
- He is Frankfurt’s second major central midfield addition of the summer, following the club’s 13 million euro signing of Noel Aseko from Bayern Munich.
