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Nigeria Premier Football League has said it is searching for Spanish Clubs for the proposed tour of Spain by NPFL U-17 select stars.
Chairman, NPFL, Gbenga Elegbeleye, who made this statement added that the move was geared towards creating avenues to expose players from the 2024 NPFL Youth League to top Spanish clubs on training tours and test matches.
In a recent meeting with the Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Juan Ignacio Sell, the NPFL chief expressed readiness to partner with top youth clubs in Spain for the exposure and development of budding talents from Nigeria.
The 2024 NPFL Youth League was staged at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City in March, when Rivers United beat Katsina United 4-2 to win the title.
Elegbeleye stated via Hope Newspaper: “It is on record that Spain has the best youth development programme in Europe. The likes of Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, and co. grew through Spanish football academies. Another shining example is the current world sensation, Lamine Yamal.
"Also, with the recent success of their national team in the 2024 European Championship, the Spaniards are head and shoulders ahead, not forgetting Real Madrid’s triumph in the UEFA Champions League last season. Those feats go a long way in encapsulating our passion and NPFL’s interest in the proposed partnership.
“This week, I hope to be in Madrid for discussions on how to integrate outstanding youths from Nigeria’s top league. Thereafter, I will be in Seville—one of the best places in Europe for youth programmes—for the same purpose.
“The overall plan is to expand the opportunities of these NPFL players to better training under different technical officials and give them the choice of experiencing global standards as European leagues are interested in young talents.”
