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A proposed move to the Saudi Pro League could see Monaco forward George Ilenikhena rewrite Nigeria’s transfer history before his 20th birthday, footynaija.com reports.
Talks between Monaco and Al Ittihad are at an advanced stage, with the clubs agreeing in principle on a deal worth around €33m, according to transfer market insider Fabrice Hawkins. The remaining step is for the Saudi side to conclude personal terms with the 19-year-old, a process insiders believe could move quickly.
| Al Ittihad strike agreement with Monaco to sign George Ilenikhena (19) from Monaco! ✅
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) February 2, 2026
Fee is around €33m. Negotiations underway between player and Saudi club, reports @FabriceHawkins. ⚫️ pic.twitter.com/GoJTKqSnTG
If completed at that figure, the transfer would make Ilenikhena the most expensive Nigerian teenager of all time, surpassing Kelechi Iheanacho’s €28m move from Manchester City to Leicester City in 2017.
It would also place him ahead of previous teenage benchmarks set by John Obi Mikel, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Nwankwo Kanu and Sunday Oliseh.
Al Ittihad’s interest comes amid a period of transition. Karim Benzema is expected to leave the club following contractual disagreements, while N’Golo Kanté is close to joining Fenerbahçe. Although the Saudi champions still have attacking options such as Steven Bergwijn and Moussa Diaby, Ilenikhena is viewed as a forward capable of leading the next phase of their long-term project.
جورج إيلينيخينا | George Ilenikhena
— أ. عـبـداللّـه ⚽️ (@Ab1995dy) February 2, 2026
▫️| الـمـركـز – مهاجم
▫️| الـجـنـسـيـه – نيجيريا
▫️| الـعـمـر – 19 عـام
▫️| الـقـيـمـة – 15 مـلـيـون يـورو
▫️| الـفـريـق الـحـالـي – موناكو الفرنسي
▫️| الـعـقـد إلـى – 2029 م
▫️| الـطـول – 185cm
▫️| الـتـقـييـم الـعـام … pic.twitter.com/0VFhvxmAei
The potential move would be another rapid step in a career that has gathered pace quickly.
Born in Lagos, Ilenikhena moved to France at the age of three and was raised in Antony, near Paris. He developed at Antony Football Evolution before joining Amiens, where his prolific scoring at youth level marked him out as a standout prospect.
After making his senior debut for Amiens, he joined Royal Antwerp in 2023 and announced himself on the European stage with a dramatic Champions League winner against Barcelona. Monaco signed him the following summer, and now, more than a year later, a record-breaking transfer could confirm his rise as one of Nigeria’s brightest young talents.
