Teenage sensation closes in on French switch after becoming Hapoel Jerusalem’s record-breaking transfer.
Highly-rated Nigerian midfielder John Otomewo is on the verge of completing a move to French club Stade de Reims after an agreement was reached with Israeli Premier League side Hapoel Jerusalem.
The John Otomewo Stade de Reims transfer is expected to become the biggest sale in Hapoel Jerusalem’s history, with reports indicating that the French club will pay at least €1.6 million for the 19-year-old defensive midfielder.
According to reports from Israel, both clubs have finalized terms for the permanent transfer, surpassing Hapoel Jerusalem’s previous record sale of €1.5 million, which was set when Cedric Don joined Maccabi Haifa.
The transfer has moved into its final phase after the Nigerian youngster successfully completed his medical examination. Otomewo is now expected to travel to France next week to sign his contract before being officially unveiled as a Stade de Reims player.
The move marks another significant milestone in the teenager’s remarkable rise.
Born in Sapele, Delta State, Otomewo began his football development at P Sports Football Academy before continuing his career with Gombe United. His impressive performances in Nigeria earned him a transfer to Hapoel Jerusalem in late 2025, where he quickly established himself as one of the most promising young midfielders in Israeli football.
The Nigerian midfielder John Otomewo transfer to Stade de Reims follows a season in which his performances attracted international recognition. Standing at 1.86 metres, the teenager has built a reputation for his defensive awareness, aerial strength, tackling ability and capacity to cover large areas of the pitch.
Earlier this year, the CIES Football Observatory ranked him as the top Under-19/Under-20 defensive midfielder across 50 leagues outside Europe’s top five competitions, further underlining his growing reputation.
Otomewo’s arrival will also strengthen the Nigerian contingent at Stade de Reims.
He is set to join fellow Nigerian youngster Hafiz Umar Ibrahim, who signed for the French club in 2024 after leaving Ojodu City FC. Ibrahim progressed from the reserve side into the senior squad and played a key role during Reims’ memorable Coupe de France campaign, scoring an important goal in the semi-finals.
Another Nigerian, Amos Ochoche, also spent time at Reims after joining from Sporting Supreme before moving to Czech club SK Dynamo České Budějovice earlier this year.
The club’s women’s team has also benefited from Nigerian talent in recent seasons. Super Falcons defender Oluwatosin Demehin impressed during her spell at Reims before securing a move to Galatasaray, while Rofiat Imuran and Flourish Sabastine also represented the French side.
Otomewo’s rapid development has not gone unnoticed at international level. Reports indicate that Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle is monitoring John Otomewo as a player with the potential to feature for Nigeria’s Under-23 team in the near future.
Should the transfer be completed as expected, the talented midfielder will begin the next stage of his career in Ligue 2, where Stade de Reims will compete during the upcoming season, with hopes of continuing his impressive development in French football.