Swedish top-flight football club Djurgårdens IF has expressed its interest in establishing a long-term football development partnership with Edo State, aimed at creating pathways for talented young players to progress into European football, Platinum News is reporting.
Making this known was the club’s Head of Scouts, Samiel Belay, during separate courtesy visits to the Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Amadin Desmond Enabulele, and the Chairman of the Edo State Football Association, Fred Newton Erhunmwunse, in Benin City.
Discussions during these meetings centred on youth football development, talent identification, player management, and building sustainable pathways that will enable promising footballers from Edo State to access structured development programmes and professional opportunities in Sweden.
According to Samiel, the Swedish club is committed to exploring partnerships that will support the growth of young talents while exposing them to international football standards.
He also highlighted the club’s growing interest in women’s football, revealing plans to identify and nurture talented female players from Edo State with the long-term goal of providing opportunities for them to further their careers in Sweden.
The meetings also explored strategies for discovering, developing, and properly managing young football talents to ensure they reach their full potential on the global stage.
The proposed collaboration is expected to strengthen football ties between Edo State and Sweden while opening new opportunities for the next generation of Nigerian footballers to thrive in European football.
Samiel Belay, meanwhile, registered his excitement at the talents seen in his one-week stay in Benin City, where he attended a one-week Edolite Cup scouting tournament won by Edo-All Star 5-4 on penalties against More Foundation FC