Midfielder Ifeanyi Matthew has joined Swiss champions FC Zurich as a free agent on a contract till the summer of 2025.
FC Zurich announced the transfer of the 26-year-old midfielder, who started out in Europe at Norwegian club Lillestrom in 2016.
Long-term agent Atta Aneke brokered the deal interestingly.
FCZ head of sport Marinko Jurendic said Matthew is a consistent performer, who will further stabilize his club.
“Ifeanyi has particularly impressed us with his consistently strong performances at Lillestrøm SK,” he remarked.
“His strengths are not only positional play, but also playing against the ball. In all previous positions he has shown that he is a valuable team player who is willing to take on responsibility. With these skills he should also further stabilise our team.”
The midfielder began his career in Nigeria, where he played for FC Hearts, El-Kanemi Warriors and Kano Pillars.
In the summer of 2016, Mathew moved to the Norwegian first division club Lillestrøm SK, where he scored 20 goals and 18 assists in 196 competitive games and won the Norwegian Cup in 2017.
During the second phase of the 2018/2019 season, the Nigerian U20 Africa Cup of Nations winner went on loan to Turkey’s Osmanlispor FK, now Ankaraspor, before returning to the Norwegian club and staying there until early 2023.