Middlesbrough have entered the growing list of English and European clubs chasing highly rated Nigerian midfielder Sani Suleiman, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 19-year-old has become one of the most sought-after young creators in European football, attracting widespread interest thanks to his standout performances for AS Trenčín in Slovakia.
According to SportsBoom, Middlesbrough contacted Trenčín last Thursday to explore the possibility of signing Suleiman in the January transfer window.
Suleiman moved to Slovakia from Akwa United a little over a year ago and has enjoyed a remarkable rise this season. His reputation began to grow internationally after his performances at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, where his composure, distribution and creative intelligence caught attention even though Nigeria exited in the round of 16.
Premier League and Bundesliga giants monitoring Suleiman
Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford and Bayer Leverkusen have all scouted Suleiman in recent months. Rangers and PSV Eindhoven have also expressed interest, while Ajax, PSG and Royal Antwerp are said to be closely monitoring his progress.
Their attention grew further following a new report by the CIES Football Observatory, which ranked Suleiman as the most creative under-21 player in global football in November. He averaged 2.52 final-third penetrative passes per 90 minutes, joint-highest worldwide across 50 top-tier and secondary leagues.
This metric measures passes that leave three or fewer defenders between the ball and goal, highlighting elite playmaking vision. Suleiman shared top place with Ecuador’s Elían Caicedo, outperforming young stars from Switzerland, France, Costa Rica and Spain.
At Trenčín, the Nigerian midfielder has become the central figure in the team’s play. Whether deployed as a winger, deep-lying playmaker or an all-action box-to-box midfielder, he has consistently shown maturity in possession and an ability to navigate tight defensive setups—qualities that have drawn scouts from across Europe.
January transfer possible as interest intensifies
Trenčín had planned to offer Suleiman a new contract, but the club are now open to negotiating a sale in January as discussions with multiple teams progress. The Slovak outfit reportedly hold a two-year option on his deal, but the level of interest could make a winter departure inevitable.
Suleiman’s representatives are said to prefer a move where he will have a clear pathway to regular first-team football, and several clubs are positioning themselves to provide that environment. Before moving to Europe, Suleiman was named NPFL Rookie of the Season at the League Bloggers Awards during his time with Akwa United.
