Emmanuel Uchegbu: Nigerian winger joins NK Varazdin on loan from Crown Legacy FC

Nigerian winger Emmanuel Uchegbu has joined Croatian side NK Varazdin on loan from Crown Legacy FC. The 21-year-old right-sided attacker arrives on a deal running until 30 June 2027, giving the SuperSport HNL club an extended look at the left-footed wide player.

Uchegbu, born in Onitsha and standing at 1.70m, moves to Varazdin after a spell in the United States with MLS Next Pro outfit Crown Legacy. He previously joined the Charlotte-based club in March 2025 from Slovak side AS Trencin for a €1m fee, having progressed from Trencin’s youth ranks into their first team earlier that season.

Comfortable cutting in from the right, Uchegbu has built up senior experience across several competitions despite his age. He featured regularly in MLS Next Pro, while also playing league and cup football in Slovakia and making appearances in the Slovak cup and relegation play-offs. Earlier in his career he gained top-flight minutes in the Nigerian Professional Football League with Plateau United and Ifeanyi Ubah, as well as a brief taste of continental action in the CAF Confederation Cup.

Varazdin’s new arrival has a contract with the Croatian club until the end of June 2027, after which he is scheduled to return to Crown Legacy FC at the conclusion of the loan.