Nigeria’s Ola Aina returns to EPL, signs for Nottingham Forest

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Super Eagles defender, Ola Aina has joined Nottingham Forest on a one-year deal. 

The English Premier League (EPL) club announced the signing in a statement posted on its website on Saturday.

The 26-year-old’s contact with FC Torino in Italy ran out in early July.

Aina is the Tricky Trees’ first signing of the season.

“Nottingham Forest is delighted to announce the signing of defender Ola Aina,” the statement reads.

“The Nigeria international has put pen-to-paper on a one-year deal to become Forest’s first summer signing, with options for the future also agreed in the contract.

“An athletic and versatile defender, Aina joins Forest following his recent departure from Torino, having previously spent nearly five years with the Italian side and making 102 appearances in Serie A.”

Aina was a product of Chelsea FC Academy before leaving the London club for FC Torino in 2019.

The Italian team loaned him to Fulham during the 2020/21 campaign, and he was a mainstay in the side that eventually got relegated.

He won an EPL goal of the month award in November 2020 and was also nominated for the goal of the season.

Aina made his senior debut for Nigeria in 2017 and has gone on to play for the Super Eagles 30 times.

He joins Taiwo Awoniyi and Emmanuel Dennis, his Super Eagles teammates, at the City Ground.