Birmingham City have made Nigeria international Bright Osayi-Samuel their fifth summer signing
Bright Osayi-Samuel has joined Birmingham City on a free transfer
Bright Osayi-Samuel has joined Birmingham City on a free transfer
Bright Osayi-Samuel is targeting the Premier League after being sold the Birmingham City dream.
Blues have made an impressive start to the summer transfer window with Phil Neumann, James Beadle, Tommy Doyle, Demarai Gray and Osayi-Samuel all checking in.
Osayi-Samuel, who has been capped 22 times by Nigeria, has spent the last four years playing for Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahce and joins Blues on a free transfer.
Asked what tempted him to the Second City, Osayi-Samuel told Blues+: “I think it’s the project. I spoke to the owner, I spoke to the manager and it’s the ambitions of what they want to do.
“They did well last season getting promoted but the ambition is not just to compete, it’s to get straight to the Premier League and those are my ambitions too. Birmingham City are giving me a platform to do that.”
Knighthead frontman Wagner clearly left a lasting impression on Osayi-Samuel.
The 27-year-old added: “I spoke to the owner and he is a really special man! He’s straight to the point. And that’s what I’ve learnt, so my ambition is to win every game and make teams fear us from the first minute.
“The Championship is a long season and the teams that win consistently are up there, that’s my ambition home and away.”
Osayi-Samuel is well known to Blues fans and scored a stunning solo goal on his last visit to St Andrew’s when playing for Queens Park Rangers in 2019.
Back then, Osayi-Samuel was a winger, but he has transitioned to a right-back in Turkey and that is where Blues are expected to utilise him.
He said: “I started as a left-winger, then I moved to the right, then I played as a wing-back and now I’m a right-back. I don’t really have a preferred position – as long as they don’t put me as ‘keeper or centre-back!
“For me it’s about having the opportunity to play and show everyone what I can do.”
Osayi-Samuel has played in the Champions League and featured nine times in Fenerbahce’s run to the Europa League last-16 last season, but he isn’t resting on his laurels and wants to taste life in the Premier League.
There will be no pats on the back – because Osayi-Samuel’s dad won’t allow it.
“For me and the way my dad raised me, it’s never enough, you can always do better,” he explained. “I remember scoring two goals against Cardiff City when I was at QPR and I called my dad, excited that I scored two goals, and the first thing he said was, ‘Why didn’t you score a hat-trick?’
“Those are the things I’ve been taught my whole life. I don’t settle, I always believe I can do more.”
Do you think Osayi-Samuel will make the right-back spot his own? Let us know your thoughts HERE