Viv Solomon-Otabor has completed a move to Chinese side NB FC, signing as a free agent after his spell without a club. The 30-year-old left winger joins the League One outfit following his release after leaving Al-Orooba FC, with the transfer officially registered to begin on 2026-02-11. His contract with NB FC is set to run until 2026-12-31.
The Nigeria- and England-qualified attacker arrives in China with a current market value of €500k, according to the latest data, but NB FC have not paid a transfer fee due to his free-agent status. The move also marks a continuation of his career abroad, as he returns to Chinese football to compete in League One rather than playing in his home countries of Nigeria or England.
Solomon-Otabor’s switch to NB FC follows a nomadic period in his career. After leaving Cangzhou Mighty Lions in China, he joined Al-Orooba FC in the United Arab Emirates in early 2025, before becoming unattached again on 2025-07-01. He remained without a club through the latter part of 2025, during which his market value was assessed at €500k, until NB FC stepped in to secure his services on a free.
The London-born winger has already built up substantial experience across several leagues. He progressed through the youth ranks at Crystal Palace U18 and Birmingham City U18, stepping into senior football with Birmingham City and going on to play in England for Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool on loan, as well as Portsmouth and Wigan Athletic. Outside England, he has represented CSKA Sofia in Bulgaria, St. Johnstone in Scotland, Rukh Lviv in Ukraine, and Cangzhou Mighty Lions in China before his brief stint in the UAE with Al-Orooba.
Throughout his career, Solomon-Otabor has consistently been used on the left flank of the attack, predominantly as a left winger cutting inside on his right foot. Standing at 1.75 m, he has combined pace and direct dribbling with the ability to operate wide in different tactical systems, from counter-attacking setups in Bulgaria and Ukraine to more open styles in England’s lower divisions and China.
His return to Chinese football with NB FC places him once again in League One, where he previously featured with Cangzhou Mighty Lions. The move underscores his increasing profile as a well-travelled winger capable of adapting to varied competitive environments and football cultures. It also highlights the continued appeal of Chinese League One clubs for experienced foreign players with international backgrounds.
Solomon-Otabor’s club history reflects a steady rise in responsibility and exposure, with market value peaks of up to €750k during his time in China and sustained evaluations around the €400k–€600k range while at CSKA Sofia and Rukh Lviv. By re-entering the Chinese market at €500k and no transfer fee involved, NB FC appear to have secured a relatively low-risk addition with significant top-flight and international experience.
With his dual Nigerian and English nationality and a career that has taken him across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, the winger now faces another opportunity to re-establish himself in a competitive league. How he performs for NB FC over the duration of his contract, from 2026-02-11 to 2026-12-31, will go a long way to determining his next step, whether that is a longer stay in China or another move in an already wide-ranging professional journey.
