Super Eagles defender Bright Osayi-Samuel has confirmed his departure from Turkish giants Fenerbahçe.

Osayi-Samuel announced his exit on Tuesday in Benin while speaking with journalists after the final of the 2nd Bright Osayi U-13 Football Tournament.

The Super Eagles player said the departure marked the end of a fruitful chapter in his career, setting the stage for another.

“Right now, my Fenerbahçe chapter is done. I’ve had four and a half years there and I enjoyed every single minute,” he said.

As for what’s next in his career, the versatile defender remained silent but hinted that a decision would be made in the coming days.

“In the next few days, I’ll have a clearer answer about where I’m going. It could be England, Spain… we’ll wait and see.

“But even with all that is going on, I had to come here. This is home,” he said.

On the tournament, he said he was elated with the opportunity the platform has provided for children to showcase their talents.

“After seeing how organised and fantastic it was today, my aim now is to make it bigger and bigger,” he said.

The player praised the contributions of the Edo Football Association chairman, Newton Erhunmwunse, his local coordinator and partner, as well as the Edo Sports Commission for hosting the event.

Reflecting on the games and the young talents on display, he said the problem with Nigerian youth football was not talent, but opportunity.

Asked whether he saw the “next Bright Osayi” on the pitch, he said, “Yes, I think I have.

“Quite a few of them have the potential, not just the winners but the third-place teams too. Every team performed well,” he said.

Osayi-Samuel hinted at a possible expansion of the tournament, including a girls’ edition and other age brackets.

“Maybe we’ll do a U-13 women’s or go up to U-14 and U-15. After today, I’ll sit with my family and Newton and review everything.

“Coming here has made me realise how much this can grow,” he said.

The Super Eagles star also promised to encourage other Super Eagles teammates to join the effort.

(NAN)