Nigerian centre-forward Samson Iyede has completed a free transfer from Serbian side FK Novi Pazar to Kazakh Premier Liga club Zhenis Astana, signing a deal that runs from 2026-02-07 to 2026-02-07. The move takes the 28-year-old striker out of the Serbian Super Liga and into Kazakhstan’s top flight, with Zhenis acquiring a player currently valued at €450k without paying a transfer fee.
Iyede arrives in Astana from Novi Pazar, where he had been playing in Serbia after joining from Ukrainian outfit Vorskla Poltava. The switch marks another step in a career that has already taken him across several European leagues and consolidates his status as a Nigerian export continuing his trade abroad rather than in his home country.
The transfer is officially classified as a free transfer, representing a low‑risk addition for Zhenis relative to his latest market valuation. For Novi Pazar, it brings a short spell to an end after the forward moved there from Vorskla in the 25/26 season. Zhenis, who compete in the Premier Liga, add an experienced attacking option capable of leading the line as a traditional centre-forward.
Born in Orogun, Nigeria, Iyede stands 1.81m tall and plays primarily through the middle, favouring his right foot. He came through the FC Ebedei system in Nigeria before moving to Europe with FC Midtjylland U19 in Denmark. From there, his senior career began to gather pace with a transfer to Paide Linnameeskond in Estonia, which was followed by a series of moves that steadily increased his profile and market value.
After Estonia, Iyede established himself in Danish football with BK Fremad Amager and later FC Fredericia, where his value climbed into the mid six‑figure bracket. A transfer to AC Horsens kept him in Denmark’s competitive environment before a loan to Chornomorets Odesa in Ukraine opened the door to the Ukrainian league. Subsequent permanent moves to Vorskla Poltava and then Novi Pazar exposed him to contrasting tactical cultures in Ukraine and Serbia.
His market value trajectory reflects that journey: rising from €25k in his early Paide days to a peak of around €600k at Vorskla, and standing at €450k at Novi Pazar shortly before this move to Zhenis. Throughout, he has remained an out‑and‑out centre-forward, used for his physical presence, direct running and penalty-box occupation rather than as a wide or withdrawn attacker.
By joining Zhenis, Iyede will now operate in the Kazakh Premier Liga, continuing his pattern of playing abroad and extending his experience in Eastern European and Eurasian football. For Zhenis, the signing adds a Nigerian international‑level forward to a squad seeking greater cutting edge in attack, while for the player it offers a fresh platform in another emerging league.
If Iyede adapts quickly to the demands of Kazakh football and sustains the performances that have underpinned his steady market value, this contract in Astana could become a pivotal chapter in a career defined by constant movement, resilience and the pursuit of opportunity far from home.
