Derby, Birmingham Join Race For Nigeria Winger Otele

Sky Bet Championship clubs Derby County and Birmingham City have entered the race to sign Nigeria winger Philip Otele from Swiss champions FC Basel, according to reports.

Transferfeed claims Derby have already opened formal talks with Basel over a potential deal, while Birmingham are monitoring the situation closely and could step up their interest in the coming days.

The 27-year-old is also attracting interest from Italy, with Serie A sides Lecce and Frosinone reportedly considering moves for the versatile attacker, setting up a multi-club battle for his signature.

Otele spent the second half of last season on loan at Bundesliga outfit Hamburg but struggled to make a significant impact, scoring once in nine league appearances. The German club subsequently decided against activating the option to make the move permanent.

Having returned to Basel, Otele is expected to leave the Swiss Super League champions this summer, with the club reportedly valuing him at around €5 million.

The Nigerian international is now expected to attract further interest before the transfer window closes, with clubs in England and Italy vying to secure his services ahead of the new campaign.