Explore the life and career of Bright Osayi-Samuel, the defender hailing from Nigeria

Nigerian professional football player Bright Osayi-Samuel is the number 12 defender of Nigeria's national football team. Before joining Fenerbahçe, a top-flight club in the Süper Lig, the right-back defender climbed the ranks through Sky Bet League One to Sky Bet Championship. Scroll down for a deep dive into the personal and professional life of Bright Osayi-Samuel.

Is Bright Osayi-Samuel in the Super Eagles squad for AFCON? To fans' disappointment, the defender missed his highly anticipated debut at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations match between Nigeria and the Ivory Coast. This article dives into the biography of the up-and-coming soccer player.

Bright Osayi-Samuel's profile summary

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How old is Bright Osayi-Samuel?

Born on the 31st of December in 1997, the right-back defender is 29 years of age as of January 2024. Bright's height is listed as 5 feet 7 inches (175 centimetres), and he weighs 158.7 lbs (72 kilograms).

Bright Osayi-Samuel's biography

The Fenerbahçe defender was born in Okija in Anambra State in Southeast Nigeria. He and his family moved to Spain before settling in Woolwich, London, at age 10. Despite being one of the most famous Nigerian wonder kids, details of Bright Osayi-Samuel's family, such as their names, have yet to be revealed to the public.

The 29-year-old winger grew up playing cage football, emulating players such as David Villa, Neymar and Robinho. However, he has disclosed in interviews that his family closely follows his career. Speaking to TV24 through All Nigeria Soccer after scoring his first Fenerbahçe goal, he said,

"They were very pleased. My father takes every match very seriously. Even if I score 5 to 6 goals, he says it is not enough for me. He always wants me to work hard. We analyse the match together. My whole family, in general, my sisters, were very happy.”

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Where is Bright Osayi-Samuel from?

Osayi is one of the most renowned Nigerian players in Europe. His roots in Anambra, Nigeria, make him eligible to play for the country. Additionally, the Fenerbahçe player's English citizenship by naturalisation allows him to play for the Three Lions of England.

Career

Sportsbrief has dug into the career trajectory of Bright Osayi-Samuel's teams, from youth clubs to the top of Europe's soccer leagues. The Nigerian talent’s career began at a development camp for promising players in West Ham before moving to Blackpool’s football academy. The winger has been of interest to various clubs, including Club Brugge KV, Rangers FC, and Celtic FC.

What positions does Osayi-Samuel play in?

According to various sources, the versatile soccer player can play in the right defence, forward and central, left and right midfielder positions. In an interview with the media, Bright spoke at length about his new position at Fenerbahçe as a right wing-back under Vítor Pereira, saying,

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"That is not usually my position. I have been an out-and-out winger, and he wanted me to come back as a full-back when we did not have the ball. He started teaching me the basics of defending, and from there, I started playing as a wing-back."

Which club does Osayi-Samuel play for?

As of January 2024, the right winger is playing for Super Liig’s Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü. Being an English-Nigerian national, he has opted to play for Nigeria's Black Stars over England's national football team. Here is a summary of Bright Osayi-Samuel's transfer history from Blackpool's youth systems to Fenerbahçe.

Blackpool FC Under-18

Osayi's early career was filled by a couple of near misses. After suffering rejection from Charlton Athletic and a lost spot at Norchich City, the right-footed winger opted to join Blackpool's youth systems over Manchester United's junior clubs after a discussion with his parents. He played for the Seasiders until the age of 17 when he joined the club's senior team.

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Blackpool FC

In the 2014/15 season, the English-Nigerian footballer debuted for the Tangarines' first team on the first of January 2015. He played for the club through two relegations before moving to QPR.

Queens Park Rangers

Osayi-Samuel transferred from Blackpool to Queens Park Rangers on the 31st of August 2017. At 19, the elite winger distinguished himself as one of the best players, earning a constant presence in the team's starting eleven. In interviews, the driven football player shared his determination to succeed, saying,

"Every time I play, I need to have an impact. Beat players, pick players out, crosses. I want to help my teammates. I base myself on my pace and power. Every time I play, I want to take players on."

Fenerbahçe SK

Four years following his arrival at the Queens Park Rangers, Bright's market value increased from $108,000 to $3.8 million. The January 28, 2021, transfer cost $553,000. At the time of his transfer, he had gained elite experience that earned Fenerbahçe its 2022/23 Turkish Cup Championship.

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Bright Osayi-Samuel's stats

According to Transfermarkt, Osayi-Samuel has started in 65% of Fenerbahçe's 2023/24 matches at the time of writing. He netted 2 goals with one assist in the 13 appearances made in the season. Here are the right-back defender's goals and assists for each team.

Frequently asked questions

The 2022/23 Turkish Cup winner continues to enjoy an exciting career in top-flight clubs. The elite player has become a master dribbler, crosser and finisher with a signature move, the stepover that keeps defenders on their toes. Here are facts about the winger who plays for Fenerbahçe.

1. Is Bright Osayi-Samuel on Instagram?

The English-Nigerian soccer star has an active presence on major social media platforms. His Instagram account has 625,000 followers, while his X(Twitter) profile has 175,000 followers as of January 2024.

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2. How much is Bright Osayi-Samuel's salary?

At the time of writing, Fenerbahçe players' salaries per week range between $157,174 and $3,562. According to Salary Sport, Osayi-Samuel earns a weekly wage of $50,815. The publication alleges that in the 2023/24 season, his annual salary has increased by $792,728 from $1,849,700. Other reports suggest that his $2,794,112 contract at Fenerbahçe earns a weekly salary of $26,866.

3. How much is Bright Osayi-Samuel's net worth?

Allegedly the winger’s net worth as of January 2024 is $9,425,547. Other publications reveal that his net worth ranges between $1 million to $5 million.

Final word

Bright Osayi-Samuel is a talent to watch out for. His budding career makes him a suitable addition to Fenerbahçe and future teams. The heights Bright has reached in his career have increased his net worth to over $8 million.

READ MORE: A list of the best Nigerian players abroad: Super Eagles’ best footballers

Sports Brief has published an article ranking all the football greats of Nigerian descent playing in Europe. Nigeria is home to numerous talents in the world of sports. Click on the link above for details of the best Nigerian footballers in foreign clubs.